Animals

Throughout A Secret History of Witches, the female characters have strong connections to animals who act as guides and who help the women realize their power. Throughout the novel, Morgan portrays the witches' animal companions as sentient actors in the story who sway the plot with their actions and decisions. The important animals in the novel are identified as the women's spirit familiars. They include Nanette's gray cat, Aramis, the horse of Ursule, a fox, Ynyr, Morwen's horse, and Oona, Veronica's dog.

Each woman finds her animal helper when she comes into her power as a witch. Morgan writes, "She knew what (the fox) was, and she knew what it meant. Her mother had Aramis. Her grandmother, Ursule had told her, had had an ugly gray cat. And she---now, surely a witch in full possession of her power--had a glorious vulpine creature like no other. She...