Coda

He has been cursed by a malicious witchling that was hoping to fully turn him into a dog-- instead he is only half-as much (from once being fully human), and rarely transforms into his full 'curse'.
the way of change is through certain stars aligning, and is not controllable whatsoever (including to the young witch that cursed him for the sake of entertainment); there are certain seasons that affect him harder than he wishes

a bit of a conundrum, as is his condition: he is a passionate lad who can also be very bashful... he is very adamant on being a protector despite not being the strongest (but wanting to be as much)... and of course, he is embarrassed at his situation, but still knows deep down he is himself, emotionally, no matter what he appears on the outside.
also, he seems to have found a greater affinity for the outdoors- and the hunt in the wilds- which aids in his dream of having been an adventurer when he was younger, and how he fell into this curse in the first place. (he promises to be more weary now, though he is not whatsoever, and instead more eager without thinking...)