To generalize all were-animals would be like generalizing the animals themselves. The were-species all differ depending on their culture, not only in animalistic features but also in habits. This entry focuses on were-wolves, or as most of them prefer to be referred as, lycan.
Lycans are a largely abused species that have been mistreated and disrespected. I'm not one to go into history, but history does explain how they live today. Though lycans prefer to dwell among the people, being discovered for their transformations is a viable threat so they don't feel welcome with anyone but their own kind. Due to history, lycan territory is small or in harsh climates, but a thing in this species' favor is their durability. They are able to survive harsh conditions and are a physically fit species, elder and children alike.
Most were-wolves are omnivores, both identity of man and wolf coincide within them. They actually do not hunt man. Wolf attacks are rare and were-wolf attacks are much lower. This species is more prone to attacking wild animals in the forest. Even so, during a full moon it is important to not keep a were-wolf indoors because they undergo two different transformations.
The first transformation occurs at will. This is whenever the were-wolf chooses to transform. In this state, they are still completely in control of their mind, although this just comes in short amounts of time (usually half an hour or so) and can only be done for a limited amount of time before the were-wolf needs to recharge.
The second transformation occurs at the full moon, and that is when the human side is lost and the wolf side has full control. As I stated, wolf attacks are really slim, so all that must be done is to allow themselves to roam the forest and tire themselves out. They cannot engage in conversations and retain no human memories in this form. It is an exhausting process for them to go through and many do not like losing control out of embarrassment mostly.
There actually is medication for them to avoid full-moon transformation called mendiumox. In fact, some were-wolves work to live like complete humans. However, this medication is costly and prone to having damaging side effects. A lot of were-wolves are anti-medication for political reasons that would go back into history.
Were-wolves are an extremely social species. I would not even call it a pack, they tend to build communities. They are pretty amiable towards many species but tend to have a deep resentment towards vampires and wizards. Their resentment is not unfounded, and I have visited communities that have grown to like me. Some communities refuse to let me set foot, however, so this varies. As friendly as they are, were-wolves by nature have a quick temper and it's important to learn to read the mood and look for warning signs (the most obvious being when their pupils constrict) while interacting. They're also usually physically expressive, so if one gets angry over something else you did not cause, you should keep your distance.
Unlike vampires, were-wolves tend to procreate quite frequently and are very fertile. I don't want to make a generalization, as I know some were-wolves may be outliers to this statement, but most have a deep sense of loyalty and stay with the first partner they've chosen. This comes to a fault sometimes when the two partners are not compatible but stay together stubbornly. A were-wolf's stubbornness is a terrible thing.
Lycan law is enforced lightly, even in the most terrible of crimes. The punishment is light and rules are expandable. This is another influence from history, but to summarize, they refuse to contribute to anymore loss of their kind. Unlike vampires who are notorious for looking down on a turned vampire, lycans are welcoming to any turned were-wolf and bloodline does not matter.
It does affect age, however. A pure were-wolf ages to about 500 years old while a turned one that was formerly a human expands their life range, but not by much, possibly up to 200 years old. There are rumors about a pair of were-wolves that reached immortality and dwell in Norway, but I have yet to confirm it.
-Henry Paige