It's me! R.T.Bendall

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Katelyn’s life is the open road, forest shade, and the whimsical Wildshapes Circus, where her travelling community performs the legends of the Wildkin people – a race of magic-folk who can transform into animals. For Katelyn, the legends are just that: stories.

Her reality shatters when a stranger’s act of desperation forces her to Wildshape for the very first time. Thrust into a secret world she was never prepared for; Katelyn discovers the folklore she grew up performing is true.

But she is late.

Hopelessly behind her peers, she must now face the daunting Oak King’s Trial in just a few weeks. Scrambling for answers and terrified of failure, Katelyn looks everywhere for a solution to her problems, except the one place she should: within herself.

When wildshaping for the first time wildkin are often disorientated and in pain as they adapt to the physical and mental changes of having a different body and mind. 

A Wildkin who possesses the ability (not all do) can transform into a certain animal. This is known as their Wildshape. The term may also refer to the act of undergoing a transformation.

'She Wildshaped into a cat.'

Early humans gave them their name after witnessing the Wildkin transform, either regarding them as deities or powerful beings to be feared.

Whilst in their Wildshape, Wildkin often have access to unique magical abilities, like super speed, enhanced healing, or increased strength.

Most Wildkin possess only a single Wildshape, which they manifest naturally as they mature. As infants they occasionally undergo brief, partial transformations, making it possible to determine what their Wildshape will be.

Most Wildkin choose to hide this information from their children, only revealing the truth to them when their abilities begin to surface. Initially, this practice began as a way to protect the Wildkin from persecution, but over time it evolved into a tradition.  

Aren't they cute? 

Fimbols are polite fungi that live in woodlands and forests all over the world. They are silent custodians, cleaning up after Blinkers (non-magical folk) and Wildkin (magical-folk) alike.

They are excellent at hiding, but if you do have the pleasure of meeting one, don't drop any litter - it does bother them so. 

a Wildkin girl plays the mandolin. Wildkin are often self-sufficient, making their own clothes and tools. This allows them to reduce their interaction with humans even further.

The Wildkin are a humanoid magical folk who can Wildshape into animals and often possess other unique magical abilities. 

Because of previous conflicts where magical beings were almost driven to extinction by humans, their population is now much smaller than that of the humans.

Wildkin are typically nomadic and choose to move around to avoid detection by Blinkers. Most Wildkin travel in horse drawn wagons, a tradition which came about from a historic joining of cultures between a Wildkin and Romany family during the Witch Trials in the 17th century.

Permanent settlements of mixed humanoid magic users, but these are rare, owing to them being harder to keep safe from prying eyes.

The Veil offers some protection for the Wildkin people, but unlike other magical creatures, they must be more careful around humans. On the surface they look the same, but their magic and Wildshapes sets them apart.

Most Wildkin clans do not shy from interaction with humans but try to keep it to a minimum to reduce the chance of exposure. 

In addition to Wildkin, other magic folk live in the British Isles, including; Witches, Wizards, Geomancers and many more.  It's not unusual to find a mixture of magic folk living together.