Werelioness

The werelions are fundamentally different from all other known were creatures: They have learned to control the curse. This means that in their were form they don't turn into wild beasts that mindlessly attack anyone who comes close. Rather, they have the same control over themselves in this form as they have as humans. They can also control their transformation and consciously turn into their werelion form or back into human shape. Gradually, the werelions got so used to the curse that they saw it as a gift rather than a burden. They therefore began to deliberately pass the curse on to others whom they considered worthy - and from then on no longer called it "the Curse" but "the Gift".