Caden

"Ripper" - Nineveh's name for Caden during his days as a fighting dog.

Caden is the half wolf, half dog son of Sol and Music.

HISTORY
At a very early age, Caden was captured and taken away from his pack, the Snowpaw, by the dogfight organizer Joseph Nineveh. His mother, Music, was captured along with him. Being a wolfdog (half wolf and half dog) Caden could pass for a dog, but had the strength and stamina of a wolf, allowing Nineveh to make much money off him in illegal dogfights. Caden's prowess rivaled that of Goblin, another of Nineveh's dogs, who was highly formidable.

ROLE
Chapter 2 opens with Caden and Music in captivity. Caden barely remembers his lupine father, and after a year with Nineveh has abondoned all hope of Sol rescuing them, though Music has not. Goblin is jealous of the attention Nineveh bestows on Caden (which is mostly beating) and hates wolfdogs in general, even more than most wolves and dogs do. While wolves and dogs have always disdained each other, wolfdogs have a special seat of contempt for both parties. Goblin, like most, believes that Caden is the offspring of a short lived fling between a wolf and a dog, and that is why Caden's father is nowhere to be found. Why Goblin hates wolfdogs so much is not immediately made clear.

During this time, Caden and Music spend their days entirely in cages, except for when Caden in fighting, which is often. Nineveh's abuse causes Caden to generalize all humans as evil, a bias which would later be broken by Scott White. Goblin makes advances to Music, but she stays loyal to Sol, much to Goblin's amusement. Although not very strong, Music was a convenient way for Nineveh to keep Caden in line, having realized that she was his mother. One night in a fit of rage against Caden, Nineveh shoots Music dead in mid sentence.

''Music: I know you have it hard, we both do. Just...just hold on. Sol-''

''Caden: He's not coming for us mom. He's not coming for you, and he's not coming for me. It's been over a year. When are you going to accept that your worthless wolf of a mate isn't coming?''

''Music: Don't talk about your father that way! (Caden doesn't respond) You probably feel angry at Sol, I can understand that. Just remember, we will be together again one day. The human can't kill you, you're too valuable to him. And your father, and your sister, they're too far away. And he can't kill me because I'm the- ''

(Nineveh barges in and shoots Music)

After watching his mother die before his eyes, and even being spattered with her blood, Caden gains the motivation and means to escape Nineveh's clutches. Once in the wild he has a hard time, never having learned basic survival skills such as hunting and stealth. Nineveh quickly discovers Caden's escape and sets out in pursuit with Goblin. Caden meets a pack of wolves and tries to join them, even doing them favors, but they scorn him and chase him away for being a wolfdog. This new mistreatment, compiled with his already existing bitterness agaisnt his father, leads Caden to write off all wolves as selfish and heartless.

Caden wanders on, trying to escape from Nineveh, but nearly starves to death. He is saved by Timna (working name), a wolf of a different pack. Timna saves Caden's life and invites him to stay with his pack for awhile, not knowing that he is part dog, but Caden declines. Before Caden can successfully leave, he is drawn into several conflicts, and Timna recognizes Caden's strength and humility. When Caden reveals his wolfdog heritage, Timna shrugs it off and still wants Caden to join, and Caden agrees.

Another possibility involves Valkyrie, a female version of the Timna character, and Caden would fall in love with her. The conflict for the romantic subplot would revolve around Caden being a wolfdog, and his won lack of self worth which stems from it. Whether there is room in this Chapter for another subplot remains to be seen.

Caden eventually reunites with his family and tangles with Nineveh and Goblin.