[Named for the lost sister of the Pleiades.] Merope was born along with her sisters to a young wild dam. The mother loved her pups and cared for them as best she could, but fell to preying on livestock and was slain by a rancher defending his herds. Merope's littermates were rescued by the TCA but she managed to evade them, fearing humans and not knowing they meant well. This began her unstable, uncared for youth at the age of six months old. She followed the wild packs but was seen as unwanted competition for the most part, forcing her to provide for herself and learn to survive on the fly in near solitude. By the age of two Merope was capable of hunting increasingly larger prey and defending herself from her wild neighbors, and it was at this age she began to encounter tamed tokotas exploring her territory under the guidance of their handlers. She was intrigued by this peaceful, symbiotic relationship and followed them at a distance. As she grew more confident she began to become familiar with one group in particular who were regular visitors, until one day she returned with them to their camp. She has since then developed a loose, but increasingly close and dependable, relationship with this small pack and their handler. She retains her wild nature, but has become a reliable member of the family and has learned to value both her freedom and their companionship. Merope's Theme