The 'Scales' in 'Of Scales and Fur'

Welcome to another update on the adaptation of 'Howlite Howler' to 'Of Scales and Fur.'

So BleuBlooms raised a good question; why change the title? 'Howlite Howler' is fine, right? Why 'Of Scales and Fur?'

Well, part of it has to do with another one of the OCs that I replaced the Hasbro characters with.

Where in 'Howlite Howler,' Shiva was being threatened by ponies - from Beast Breaker to Twilight and Rainbow Dash - now she's going to be challenged by something much more dangerous.

A dragon named Rocket.

Inspired by Charizard from Pokemon, Riptor from Killer Instinct, and Sylvia from Wander over Yonder, Rocket is an ignis-drake; a genetically engineered dragon with the body of a velociraptor similar to Riptor, with the wings of a pterodactyl, capable of flight and of breathing fire like Charizard. She was created to defend the human race from supernatural forces. Including demi-wolves like Shiva.

However, unlike Riptor or Charizard, Rocket is sentient and capable of human-level thought and even speech. She has a lot of Sylvia's personality, being adventurous, outgoing and always ready for new challenges, but also having a soft and empathetic side underneath. However, unlike Sylvia, Rocket is more of a child mentally, and relies heavily on her human handlers to tell her what to do. When separated from her handlers, she becomes lost, confused, and even slightly terrified, unable to make tactical or even moral decisions without fleeing to the nearest human for advice.

This reliance on humans was ingrained into her as a safeguard to ensure she didn't go rogue and start attacking her creators, and it results in her being an avid protector of humans. She will prioritize human survival above her own life and wants, and treats any human life lost as an unforgivable sin.

Since her handlers see Myst (see my post 'The New Diamond Dog' for information on Myst) as an avowed enemy who has killed multiple humans, Rocket is naturally inclined to see Shiva as an enemy as well. And in order to keep from being barbecued, Shiva is going to have to appeal to Rocket's empathy and convince her that she's not like Myst. A difficult task when Myst refuses to back down from her quest for revenge, and the humans remain terrified of the demi-wolf's wrath.

So, what do you guys think? Does Rocket sound like an interesting antagonist for Shiva to take on? Please let me know. And as always, thank you for reading and keeping up with me.

Until next time.