Howl is a very personal and reclusive being, not going out of his way to save those in danger, yet not one to start it either. However, those who cross his path while bringing threat with them are dealt with. His kindness and gentleness is reserved for [TBD] only, and as such, he cannot be particularly called "kind" nor "altruistic" but he is certainly not hostile, neither. He found fondness in the stars because of [TBD], and is slowly growing to accept and be open to more over time, though as of now, he distances himself from all but one.

Past

Much of his early life is left unknown to others, for what reason, no one truly knows. In fact, before his reemergence, he behaved similarly to how those who knew of his legend had only knew him as—monster. A monster that knew nothing but blood and violence, a monster with a perverse taste for fear, a monster who felt nothing. A legend that stretched on for countless years, a legend, or perhaps, a self-fulfilling prophecy.

However, it hadn't always been this way. Despite what the legends and tales depicted, like all life, he was not born as a "monster." Memories of the past are vague, much of it stained by blood, whether his own or that spilled of others, it hadn't mattered, not anymore. From the depths of his memories, he recalled being born to a species of avian-based creatures with incredible magic, but his own birth was not as simple. His earliest memory was imprisonment, a cold, small cage. Being fed red meat from afar, tossed to him with fear despite being only a mere few inches. A child with no teeth to eat nor water to drink. As a result, he was forced to drink only the blood from the meat out of desperation. However, this simple act of survival only further brought him ruin.

Those who "kept" him had feared him, feeling justified that such a monster was kept secured. Just look at this beast who violently destroys the flesh and meat and drinks the blood without hesitation! Such a manufactured lie that was fed to the populace, eaten up greedily out of ignorance and boredom. Not one had a doubt. After all, this monster had nine eyes red as blood and black as night. To them, a child monster was still just that—a monster. Having to spend hours upon hours to scratch up the meat just enough for consumption, using up all his energy to do so just so he can have enough energy to do the same tomorrow—no one had ever a single thought.

There isn't much else to say, his memories continued as you would expect. Beaten, scolded, tortured, the constant need for others to feel validated and justified for "beating back" a monster, one who simply howled in pain, yet to their ears, it was a threat. It was defiance. It was a promise for revenge. When one saw a monster, all of it's actions, too, are monstrous. Mortal emotions were beyond what a monster could feel, pain, misery, loneliness...such a monster could not feel any of it. Soon, even himself, too, had been brainwashed by such a thought. Perhaps he was a monster after all, perhaps those things he "felt" were just an illusion, perhaps he was truly born vicious.

He began to behave more and more wildly, and his keepers grew more and more fearful as he was soon to reach adulthood. The cages could no longer contain him. They had to use countless amounts of extremely heavy weighted chains, and a thick stone cell to hold him back. As for why he was kept alive for so long? It was on the hypocritical basis of others that even though he was a "monster" he was still a living being, and so, it was unfair to "unjustly" kill him. An excuse that held no weight. In truth, he was likely kept as an intimidation tactic, after all, his "keepers" had obtained much power once he was in their hands. However, what is karma but a debt collector?

The night of his adulthood, "the beast" as he was so called, was beaten, tortured and humiliated far more than he ever had been before. That day, he felt a raging fire burning from his chest and spreading throughout his body. As he fell to the floor from one of the countless hits delivered onto him, he felt his body begin to change. The sound of bones creaking and snapping, the vibrations of flesh tearing and healing, blood spilling and claws growing. Pain was no longer a stranger, and he had felt none of it during his transformation. His senses grew sharper and an uncontained wrath entwined with an unbound strength that burst within him.

When he regained consciousness again, there was nothing left. No flesh nor bone, only the grotesque amount of blood to whisper tales of the horror that took place. All those who tormented him, all those who labelled themselves as justice or god's voice—all of them. Gone. And yet, he did not feel satisfaction or release. Only a bitter emptiness that permeated his soul. He was a monster. Nothing more, nothing less. And so, he left the town, a terror for others to discover, a proof of his existence. Fleeing towards the welcoming arms of the night.

Post-Freedom

The monster had found freedom, yet somehow still, he found the world as suffocating as the prison he was held in. There we still more of them. The humans that had beaten and tormented him. There were still more of them, and they were everywhere. The monster had been tired of the blood, tired of the pain, tired of the hatred. No matter where he went, it seemed that there were humans everywhere. Yet he discovered the human's aversion to the big, mostly unexplored wooded areas and caves, only walking a beaten path but never to stray too far off. So he took to the heart of the forest, where few were brave enough to walk. Eventually, the monster learned of the concept of "names" and named himself "Howl." After the frequent jeering calls that the humans once taunted him with. The only name he'd ever known, because he was quite "the howler."

Present

The darkness brought on by the eclipsed moon brought nothing but pain and anxiety, a curse, one might say. Brought on solely by the memory of his most painful night—the first night he had transformed. That night, too, had been eclipsed. The darkness of his prison coupled by the sheer darkness of the sky, and the unbearable stench of blood and flesh. All of it would be brought back to him, every eclipsed moon. And with every eclipse, a frightened and hateful beast emerges with a heart that lacked the blood to pump and sought to fill it once more.

It was on a night when the moon was eclipsed when he had a chance encounter that changed his entire being. The beast emerged in great pain, wishing to slaughter all in his path when he had come across a figure in white standing just outside of his cave. The pale and vague figure was unnatural against the darkness of the trees and yet, the figure was still clearly seen, almost as if glowing. The monster had charged at the figure, attracted like a taunted bull. Yet, the moment he swung his massive claw down, the figure rushed closely in—and gently held the monster's head within his arms in a soft embrace.

It seemed that even the air had stopped all at once, and an overwhelming sense of peace washed over him like a gentle wave. Clarity of mind was restored to the monster, to Howl, and he finally had the mind to see the owner of the kind hands that held him. His gaze moving up, he saw the warm smile of the man and felt a gentle touch stroking the top of his head. A soothing sound, softer than a feather, sounded out. "Don't be afraid." The man spoke. "The air moves freely, and the scent of the ocean moves between the trees. There is no prison here, only freedom. It's not so dark after all... Would you like to take a look at the starry sky with me?"

The white clothing and veil outlined the man, as if to give him an almost ethereal glow.

'Ah...' Howl's thoughts finally stirred. 'My moon, I've found it.'

• He covers his eyes not because he is blind, but because he doesn't wish to scare those who seek [TBD] even further.
• His humanoid form is more agile while his beast form is incredibly strong. However, his five senses (taste, touch, sight, hearing, smell) are incredibly sharp and accurate and remain unchanged between both forms.
• He is able to freely shift between forms, however, prior to meeting [TBD], he detested this ability. Presently, however, he has grown at peace with his other form.
• Ironically enough, despite his past, he is very hard to anger, or elicit any emotion at all, really. However, he is quick to get hostile if [TBD] is under threat.
• After many, many years, he is unable to eat anything that isn't meat.
• Despite being a carnivore, he is quite kind to the nature and life all around the forest. With [TBD]'s company, the sounds of the forest has returned to where they reside.