Introducing New Beasties

If you've read Deer in Headlights, you'll already know that familiars are an important part of the world of The Emberward Familiars. They aren't simply magical companions. Each familiar has their own personality, instincts and relationship with their human, and the animal they take the form of often reflects something deeper about the person they're bonded to.

In Deer in Headlights, we met familiars including Nyrae, Rose's secretive and fiercely protective deer, Kael, Maddy's loyal wolf, and Corvalia, the raven bonded to Ellie Shaw.

But Fox on the Run brings new characters into the story, and with them come new familiars.

When creating them, I wanted each familiar to feel distinct, not only in appearance but in what they represent. Their animal forms, personalities and even the crystals associated with their humans were chosen deliberately, sometimes drawing on animal symbolism, mythology and folklore. So, before Fox on the Run arrives, I'd like to introduce you to three of them:

1. Emberlyn

2. Orien

3. Sythra

Emberlyn

Emberlyn is a young fox bonded to Jenny, their connection represented by a cracked red jasper. While Nyrae, Rose’s familiar, is serious and fiercely protective, Emberlyn brings a very different energy. She is playful, carefree and curious, particularly at the beginning of Fox on the Run, and is quick to make friends. Once someone has shown her kindness, however, her loyalty runs deep. Beneath that playful nature is a remarkable amount of courage, and Emberlyn will readily put herself in danger for those she cares about. Like Jenny, she doesn’t remain unchanged by the events of Fox on the Run. Her experiences throughout the novel allow her to grow, while never losing the warmth and spirit that make her distinctly Emberlyn.

When I chose a fox as Jenny’s familiar, I was particularly drawn to the role foxes play in Japanese folklore. The kitsune has a long and complicated history, sometimes appearing as a supernatural companion closely connected to an individual or family. In some traditions, a person known as a kitsune-mochi forms a relationship with a fox spirit, caring for it in return for its supernatural assistance. That idea of a fox being more than simply an animal companion, with a deeper bond between familiar and human, felt particularly fitting for the world of The Emberward Familiars. I didn’t want Emberlyn to be a direct interpretation of the kitsune, but that folklore helped inspire the choice of a fox for Jenny’s familiar.

Orien

Orien is an ocelot bonded to Matthew, their connection represented by Tiger’s Eye. Where Emberlyn tends to leap into situations guided by instinct, Orien is far more watchful and considered. Patient and observant, he prefers to understand what is happening around him before deciding how to act, but that restraint shouldn't be mistaken for weakness. Orien is precise, fiercely capable and can be dangerous when the situation demands it. His quieter nature complements Matthew's own strategic way of thinking, making their bond one built around perception, understanding and knowing when to act.

I chose an ocelot for Matthew because I wanted his familiar to embody observation, patience and precision. Ocelots are solitary, elusive animals and skilled hunters, relying on their senses and careful movements rather than simply charging into danger. That felt particularly fitting for Matthew and created a natural contrast with Emberlyn's younger, more impulsive energy. Orien's association with Tiger's Eye also reflects this, with the crystal traditionally linked to qualities such as focus, confidence and clarity. Together, the ocelot and Tiger's Eye helped shape a familiar who watches first, understands what he sees, and acts only when the moment is right.

Sythra

Sythra is a golden-amber corn snake bonded to Liora, their connection represented by Sunstone. Her warm colouring is broken by intricate copper patterning that seems to flash like molten metal when it catches the light, deliberately echoing the fiery appearance of Liora's crystal. Like the Sunstone itself, Sythra embodies warmth, vitality and intensity, but there is an edge to that brightness too. Snakes are creatures that are often misunderstood, associated equally with danger and transformation, making Sythra a fitting companion for Liora. There is far more to both familiar and human than might first appear, and their bond plays an important role in Fox on the Run.

Liora and Sythra were heavily influenced by mythology. Liora herself was loosely inspired by Sekhmet, the Egyptian goddess associated with the sun, war and destructive power, and Nemesis, the Greek goddess of retribution. That combination of solar imagery, intensity and consequence helped lead me towards Sunstone as Liora's crystal and the fiery colouring of Sythra. The choice of a snake also allowed me to draw on the enormous amount of symbolism surrounding serpents across different mythologies, where they can represent transformation, rebirth, danger and power. There is another, much more specific mythological connection woven into Sythra's creation, but explaining that one would reveal a little too much about Fox on the Run. For now, I'll just say that her being a snake was very deliberate.