My looks are a blend of the Tyrannian, Darigan, and Red Lupe; my main fur color is the deep purple of a Darigan, and it shares the same thick shagginess, down to the ''whiskers'' on my muzzle. My chest fur, however, takes the blue of the Tyrannian Lupe, and I have something of the Tyrannian's spiky mane. My mane is not blue or purple, but red.

My eyes are also red, and they do glow. Apparantly, when I'm calm, the glow fades slightly and you can make out pupils...but it isn't often I'm completely relaxed, so I imagine that doesn't happen often. I have jutting tusks, shaped differently from other Tyrannian Lupes for unknown reasons, and I have wings. These wings are too small to allow me flight; they are purple, with a black hook and black membranes tipped in red. My tail also has some red blended into the tip.

I am large and quite strong; I am not a savage brute, but enemies would do well not to cross me.

Story

I was born to the Likkupine Lupe pack, a group of wild Lupes roaming a distant forest. As far as I know, the pack still exists, hosting all types of Lupe but Werelupes. It is a strict place to grow up, with everyone's role in the pack chosen at a young age, and much time spent honoring the moon and stars, which the pack Council claimed controlled every facet of our lives, and must be respected if we didn't want to die in some painful way.

I was given the name Kurrath when I was born; it translates roughly to "red fur markings", or at least, the Council said so. Only they knew the ancient language of the pack, a gift they claimed had been given to them by the stars. Our very names were chosen by the Council.

My birth revealed my father's true color; he had joined the pack from Outside, and though he appeared to be a shadow Lupe, after I was born, he confessed to having been born Darigan. He never disclosed his reasons for disguising himself, and it was he who endured cruel remarks rather than I, half-Darigan, half-Tyrannian.

Cross-colors are rare among the Likkupine, but not unheard of. The Council evaluated me and my father, and when we were deemed safe pack members, we were allowed to stay.

I grew up, made several friends. I began thinking about the future when I was quite young. Likkupine Lupes don't have very long to contemplate the future before it arrives in a rush.

I was a little younger than most to be taken to the Moon Pool. The Councilors and my family accompanied me and an older Lupe named Tibbrus, who had just joined the pack. I had never seen the Moon Pool, and those who had gone were forbidden to describe it. I was awed; the pool was enormous, filled with perfectly still water, gleaming silver with an amazing reflection of the moon, perched overhead. A million stars added to the light, and for a moment, Tibbrus and I simply stared at the water.

Kurrath, Tibbrus, let's go, one Councilor said. We all gathered in a circle around the pool, and were warned many times not to touch it; I saw annoyance in my father's dark eyes.

All right, Kurrath, you'll go first, one Councilor said. She was a stripped Lupe, and her white fur gleamed in the moonlight as she waved a paw toward the water. Touch the water gently- just enough to make a ripple...Zthorn, are you ready?

This question was directed toward a starry Lupe sitting on the opposite side of the Pool. He was older than the rest of the Council, but still bore great strength. He simply nodded, and turned his golden eyes to the water. Go ahead, Kurrath, he said.

I touched the water. It was colder than I had expected, but I managed not to jerk and cause a splash, instead letting the water ripple at my touch. The moon and stars wavered, as the rippled spread out to their reflections, and then...their images faded

Watch carefully, Kurrath, Zthorn said, leaning his head forward as if he were about to drink the water.

Slowly, the wavering stopped...but instead of the moon and stars, I saw myself, not my reflection, but in profile, standing with one paw placed before the other. And I was wearing armor, great silver-gray pieces of metal crafted to fit my body, and adorned with glowing blue stars and moons and streaking commets.

The Moon Pool assigns duties to the Likkupines. We were all well-versed in the different roles of the pack, and how they were drawn in sacred texts. I know this image well- Protector, a Lupe who guarded the pack or a select individual, a powerful, indomnitable figure. At once, that role welled within me, and I could think of dozens of times I had unwittingly played this part. Protector...I was to be one of the pack's Protectors.

A Howler...excellent. Zthorn smiled at me, but my grin vanished.

...But...Honorable Zthorn, I saw Protector!

Zthorn shook his head. Ah. Sometimes, the Council and the Lupe see different images. It is unclear why, but as the speakers to the stars, the Council's image is doubtlessly the one the stars intended.

You cannot argue with a Councilor. They are skilled at turning any disagreement into a question of their purity, their connection to the moon and stars they claim rule us. They are expert at drawing sympathy from packmates around them, and of course, the entire Council is a deadly team, their own vicious pack.

But I realized then that the Council might be lying about their gifts; the pack needed a Howler, and I knew that. It would have made sense for them to lie, to claim they'd seen the Lupe, head back and howling, with bright blue trails of stars eeking from his mouth...I had no reason to believe I was any more clear-sighted than the Council, but I belived what I saw had been the intended path from the stars.

Being the Howler of a pack is a difficult job. The Howler sings the pack's stories, and also sings praises to the moon and stars, all through complex pitches and tones and lengths of the notes within a howl. It is like learning another language, only more taxing on the throat.

I suppose I had a decent voice for it; all of the previous Howlers had been deep-voiced, like myself, and I could produce a fair number of different notes, and had some faint, slippery control over them. But I hated the role, hated that I was learning to sing rather than defend, hated that my throat hurt and my lungs burned, and I grew tired of the Healer's foul-tasting, sticky concoctions to soothe the pain.

My duty was to be a Protector. Not a Howler. I would never be anything but a Howler if I remained here, however....and that left only one way to escape this wretched duty.

Leaving the pack.

I suspect my parents had grown tired of the strict Likkupine life. My father had, by this time, grown weary of constant suspicion. But he was not so selfish as to abandon my mother and I. My mother had been born here, and though she detested Likkupine laws, she couldn't possibly live outside of her role as Messenger; she could not fight or hunt, both skills she would need even if travelling with my father.

But he had taught me what he'd learned as a loner. I would not be a great hunter, and it would be better to run than fight...but I was one of the more capable Likkupines- something my father said the pack should be proud of.

When I told my parents that I planned to leave, they took the news with sad nods of understanding. My father placed a paw on my shoulder, and said, Leave this place with our blessings. You'll survive away from the Likkupine...you'll thrive, Kurrath. And tell any Lupe you meet to stay far from this pack.

I left that night, as the pack celebrated a beautiful crescent moon. They would fetch their Howler-in-training very soon, asking for a few songs...but by then, I would be gone. They had given me a special necklace earlier in the day; a crescent-moon-shaped glass pendant, filled with a glowing silver liquid. The chain was bright blue, and glowed like the runes in my Moon Pool armor.

I took the necklace. It was a beautiful thing, and I didn't like the idea of it being passed to the next forced-Howler. I ran, and the howls and cheers and shouting vanished behind me, as the moon slips behind thick clouds and changes the night to pure black.

I travelled for days, weeks. As my father had predicted, I managed well; I hunted enough food to live on, and I avoided any fights. I figured out where to find shelter, and learned to follow scents.

One day, while wandering the woods in search of a meal, I heard several loud hisses, and the sound of running feet. Confused, I ducked low, peering out from under the bushes. A minute later, I saw a pair orange-tipped clawed feet go by, followed quickly by the paws of a fire and a mutant Skeith.

I had seen Skeiths before; wild, they were vicious, dangerous, and not the sort of pet one won fights against. I didn't know what owned the strange red-orange feet, but my guess was that being eaten by Skeiths wasn't accurate punishment for whatever she'd done.

I ran after them, keeping just far enough behind so the Skeiths wouldn't see me. We didn't run for long, before I heard the running stop. Scurrying to the side, I found another bush and hid behind it, this time watching through the leaves.

The Skeiths had cornered their intended victim along a rock wall, and I could now tell what the creature was- a Draik, though different from what I had heard; rather than walking on two legs, it walked on four, and was a little bigger. One wing was in bad shape, ripped and torn.

There was something very wierd about this Draik, and not just in appearance; I felt it too, a strange sensation in the air.

All right, I'm off your turf! the Draik snapped, lashing her tail. Back off!

The Skeiths either weren't interested in talking, or they were too feral; I had encountered several Neopets who had reverted to their most base instincts, and were dangerous toward any who crossed them. Perhaps realizing this, the Draik bared her teeth and crouched.

The two Skeiths rushed forward at once, moving fast despite their bulk. The Draik stood rigid, but the way her orange eyes darted around showed that she wasn't feeling optimistic about the battle.

I didn't debate what to do for long- I'd left the Likkupines because I couldn't be a Protector. I needed to start somewhere.

Snarling, I leapt out of my hiding place. Flapping my wings to help propel myself a little higher, I landed on the mutant Skeith's back, and avoiding the spikes, began clawing and biting at the monster. I got one of its wings between my teeth, and the Skeith stopped charging, snarling and trying to toss me off.

The mutant's fire-colored companion paused for a moment, and the Draik lunged forward, swinging her spaded tail. Snarling, the Skeith pulled back, and swung a paw at the Draik. The Draik dodged the blow, and continued pressing forward.

I continued to claw at the mutant's back, and finally, the Skeiths decided they'd had enough. The fire Skeith turned tail and ran, swinging his tail one last time, and when he saw his companion leave, the mutant Skeith desperatly rolled onto his back. I managed to jump off just in time, stumbling over a rock and falling, but managing to jump up and turn, in case the Skeith decided to come back. He didn't; bleeding, he vanished into the forest.

The Draik shook her head. Don't know what their problem was. I was returning a bearog. Not a big deal. She studied me for a moment, then added, Thanks for the help.

Not at all, I said. I'm glad to help. But I thought everyone around here knew some of the Neopets were less...friendly.

The Draik sighed. Sorry. I'm kind of new around here.

...Around the forest?

The Draik grinned. No. To Neopia.

I was confused. The Draik certainly wasn't a hatchling...how was she new to Neopia? Unless...

Still grinning, the Draik closed her eyes. A moment later, there was a burst of fire all around her, and then there it was- a human, red and orange clothes and black boots. I'm a human, she said. My name's... she paused, frowned, then said, ...I'm Fiery. That's not my full name, but it sounds way better.

I waited a moment, but she didn't tell me her role. Finally, I said, I'm...Kurrath. Howler Kurrath.

Howler? Is that a title, or your first name?

My title...at least, officially, it is. But I don't want to be a Howler. I'd rather be a Protector. Fiery looked baffled, and I ended up explaining...well, everything. Something about her was different from Neopets, and certainly from the Likkupine Lupes.

Wow. I see why you'd want to get outta there, Fiery said. And it's probably way better out here, away from them...but what're you gonna call yourself?

I shrugged. I don't know...I wanted to be a Protector...but that's not a name, that's a job title. I shook my head. Even my 'real' name isn't mine!

Fiery paused. Well...it sounds like you're giving up Kurrath and Protector then...but I think 'Howler' sounds like a feasable name.

But it's not who I want to be! I protested.

Fiery thought for a moment. ...You said the Moon Pool gave the Council a different image than you? Maybe they weren't lying...maybe you were both right. She waited, but when I said nothing, the human went on, See, you're a Protector...but you're protecting other Lupes by being a Howler...but a Howler that warns about the Likkupine, instead of singing their stories.

It was a good line of reasoning...and I had to admit, it sounded plausable. All right then... I said. I suppose...I suppose you can call me Howler. The red-fured Howler.

Fiery stayed in the forest for a few days, gathering supplies for what looked like a trip back home. I still had to hunt and such, but every day I came to the small rock wall to talk to Fiery. She had such a different perspective on the world, and from her, I learned much about life outside Likkupine.

And then the day came where she was standing with a pack slung over one shoulder. I could tell she was about to leave. Sorry, Howler, she said. But I can't stay here. This's no place for a human.

Did something happen? I asked.

The Skeiths came back, Fiery said. This morning. Fortunatly, I saw them coming this time, and I was able to fight them off. But they aren't going away, and I'm sure more Neopets like them will find me eventually. Besides, humans aren't supposed to live in this part of Neopia.

I stared at her, dismayed at the thought of being alone again, with such monstrous creatures. Again, there seemed to be only one option. Slowly, I said, Humans can't be here...but can pets go to...wherever you're going?

Mystery Island? Of course, Fiery said. I don't know if you'd like it though...not a lot of forest, there's an ocean we'd have to cross...

I can handle it, I assured her. Can I come with you?

Firey grinned. If you can handle the trip, you're definitly welcome.

The trip involved a boat and a bout of seasickness, but I lived through it. Fiery led me to her small home on Mystery Island...I had never seen a human-style home before. I had also never seen a beach, or the ocean, or such brightly-colored sunsets. I had never stepped into a jungle as alive as the one essentially by Fiery's back door. It was a beautiful place, and there were no reminders of the Likkupine's strict rules, except the stars, which seemed to gleam more brightly as they highlighted the crests of waves.

I eventually discovered one thing I hadn't been prepared for- fear. Several natives, and several other humans, were frightened by my appearance. Some even tried to attack me, but if my threatening size and apparantly superior fighting skills didn't discourage them, I could count on Fiery to show up, either as a human weilding a curved sword, or as a fire Draik ready for battle.

Fiery offered me a room in her home for the night, so that I wouldn't be caught sleeping in the jungle. I accepted, and soon, I was using the room during the day as well. Slowly, the threats faded, with those who were too disturbed by my looks to accept them often moved away, possibly with some goading from Fiery.

Perhaps I had considered leaving at some point, going elsewhere to perform my duties. And sometimes, I did leave, helping other Neopets. But I've found a home, a place where I belong.

So here I am today. The red-fured Howler, part-Darigan, part-Tyrannian Protector, with a mission, a moon charm, and a new outlook on fate.

Personality

Written by Fiery

Howler is certainly a strange thing to come from the Likkupine pack; I suspect that his father's teachings and experience outside the pack contributed to this. Howler is very loyal, attentive, and protective. He's been known to jump in to help strangers on more than one occassion. He is rather quiet, but there is no doubt he's very intelligent; he discovered a love of books soon after leaving the Likkupines.

Howler is sometimes very sensitive about his appearance; he hates that others fear him because of his looks, which were not so terrifying to his packmates. He is cautious when dealing with authority figures, based on his old experiences with the Council of the Likkupine. Unless an obvious reason exists for it, Howler is very suspicious of new rules and the meaning behind them.

He thinks the stars and moon are quite beautiful, but disagrees that they rule Neopian lives. In Howler's opinion, everyone's life is mostly up to them to run; he has little sympathy for those who bemoan their poor luck, as he believes luck does not exist in the sense most Neopians intend it.

Family

Fiery- or, as she's registered, fiery_dragon300. She is a human, but often takes the form of a quadruped fire Draik. She was probably my first friend, including the years I spent with the Likkupine pack, and she's also my 'owner'. She's introduced me to many great things, most noteably, books. I've discovered a great interest in reading, though I prefer factual texts, while Fiery enjoys fantasy novels and mythology. She claims to be from another "world", which she calls "RealLife". There are apparantly many differences between Neopia and RealLife, and she must spend quite a bit of time there.

Orange Mane...Ahg. He tests my abilities as a competent Protector all the time. He's quite nasty to my younger brother and sister, and will pick on them whenever he gets the change. I try to have some sympathy for him; he was created by an evil potions-maker, and at some point given a potion that makes him have darker urges, and be more resiliant to goodness. All the same, I think it's ridiculous that he can't control himself. Though I don't think he'd ever physically harm Forest or Draco, he and I have come close to blows many times. The two of us seem to share a mutual hatred.

Forest is my youngest brother. He's a rainbow Kougra, though strangely, he has no stripes. His greatest joy in life is painting, and he does it quite well. He's taken to painting along with Kraken, his Tasu, who also has a gift with brushes. I personally could never even hope to draw something on a canvas...Forest is a true artist. He's also one of the kindest pets I've ever met, and he's helped me look after Draco for a long time.

Draco is my younger sister, and the youngest pet in our family. She was once blue, and quite timid, but after an ocean voyage, she became Island, and a good deal more confident. The rainbow sea shell she wears enhances a natural "beach sense" she has, and Draco often helps sailors find burried pirate treasure.

Friends

I first met Cedarfur when Fiery brought us to her human friend Tiger's house. I wasn't excited about going, worried that these pets were going to be afraid of my looks...but they weren't. Well, one was probably too hyperactive to notice, but the other three weren't. Cedarfur was the pet I connected best with; he likes using long words not everybody understands, so sometimes he's a little ignored. The two of us talked about moon phases for a while, and he mentioned a growing interest in RealLife mythology; he even named his Gobbler after a creature called the "Griffin". Due to being a Darigan pet, Cedarfur sometimes faces the same hostility I and my father have recieved. He's very sympathetic to pets of unusual or "hostile" colors, and always seeks to remind Neopians that every pet is a personality, not just a color.

Gold Clashing is fun to be around. Most people dismiss him as irratiting and hyperactive...and he is a little hyper, but I enjoy talking with him nontheless. He knows how to find the funny side of any situation, and he always leaves me seeing different sides to things I normally never think about. He can be serious...unless, of course, he's had an immense amount of Neocola. He has an Anubis named Kibbles who, for some reason, only responds to commands with the names of certain foods.

Petpet

Crossfire was a mutant Anubis living happily on a small, rocky island. A Bori I know, Valor, was flying over the island one day, when she saw a big white Anubis attacking the mutant. Valor immediatly swooped down to help, and her faerie Gallion, Intrepid, actually chased the Anubis off, giving it a slash across the muzzle. Valor brought the Anubis home, and took care of him. Part of his face had been badly damaged in the fight; all of Valor's efforts to repair it came to naught.

The Anubis hadn't been doing well before the attack, either. When I heard the news, I went to go see Valor and the Anubis; he had a kinked tail, a broken horn on his head, twisted ears, and half of the golden collar he wore was warped and twisted, one side of the tiny blue gem also disfigured.

Valor was afraid she wouldn't be able to find a home for the poor creature, and when I saw its ruined face, one side forever twisted into a grin, I couldn't help but agree. So I volunteered to give him a home, rather than let him spend months waiting for someone who might end up selling him as an oddity or a collector's item.

I named him Crossfire, and he's grown on me. He's quite loyal, and always happy just to have someone to follow around, and more than scraps in his food bowl. I've gotten many cruel comments from strangers about my Anubis, but I've discovered that people shut their mouths when they realize the owner of said Anubis could knock them out with one swing of a paw.

Adoptables

Adoptables...small figures I've collected that have been crafted to look like me.

Farewell

Well, guest, thank you for your company. I hope you enjoyed speaking with me; I apologize for taking up all the time with my own stories. Perhaps, sometime, I could visit you...and this time, I'll listen.

If you'd like to return, please, take my link. Enjoy your travels.

Link coming soon!

Other Links

I take Lupe, Tyrannian, Darigan, and cross-color links. For more species, colors, and themes, see my family's pages in the first row.
I arrange predominantly by species.