Alternatives to Vampires in Novels?

Question

I'm trying to work on a novel. It's sort of about Wendigo's and/or Wikitgo's (shape shifters) and their struggles with inner cannabalistic demons. I have to think about how the become infected. The only ideas I can think of are being bitten by another wendigo, or being infected with some sort of parasite. All of those seem to be mediocre and quite repetitive. If anyone has their own ideas, or good resources about the paranormal, it would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

How about threy can't touch ice with their hands.

BTW I like Wikitgos more.

Answer 2

Watch "Ravenous", a great movie that explores this theme (monstrous behavior creates monsters).  

Answer 3

That's actually a pretty cool idea.

"The wendigo originates as a human being. However the person is then possessed by an evil spirit and transforms into the beast. The most common reason for becoming a wendigo is if one eats human flesh. For this reason, it has been suggested that the wendigo legend came about in order to prevent tribes from descending into cannibalism during times of food shortage.

Some say that people bitten by a wendigo will begin to develop a craving for human flesh and eventually become possessed themselves. There is no cure.

The wendigo is also known as the "spirit of the lonely places". It is certainly a lone creature, again possibly a reference to the casting out of those who break tribal taboos. The wendigo hides in the forests and tracks you silently, always just out of sight. It waits, biding its time until it can pounce."