The Familiar Hearts (Formerly Known as The Familiar)

Bonus Chapter - Guide To The Soul Bound Excerpts

  Excerpt:

Guide To The Soul Bound

Introduction To Familiars, Soulmates and Guardians page 1-3

What are familiars? Well, to answer that question you have to think about animals. Animals others then humans that is. A familiar is a creature of different species that is soul bound to another different creature. A familiar is never bound to the same creature. If that happens, then the creature is not a familiar, it would be a Soulmate or Guardian. A cat cannot be a familiar to another cat.

A Soulmate to put it simple is a creature bond to another for life that is of same or similar species. A cat cannot be Soulmate to a horse but a were creature can be bound to a human. But say if a species is compatible in a way, a dog and dragon, could be Soul Mates. They would have compatible genes and both similar in ways. Very, very rarely does this happen with Soulmates. Though in some cases if a creature has/had magic somewhere in the bloodline like a familiar or mystic creature blood a strange case will happen. A creature such as a horse and a dragon then could be able to be Soulmates. Soulmates can have some exceptions to the rules.

A guardian is a creature bound to another creature. This is a more or less one sided bond. One creature is the protected and the other the protected. They both feel the bond, one more then the other. A familiar can be a type of guardian but not a Soulmate. A Soulmate can be a type of guardian but never a familiar.

All of this is very confusing. The best way to start is from familiars, guardians, then Soulmates. So, into the world of familiars.

The classes of familiars;

Common

Uncommon

Rare

Very Rare

What these classifications are not how special a creature is but how likely they are to be paired and if they would bond. As you know some creatures do not, as on average, answer The Call. On this scale, it shows how likely a creature is of excepting and keeping a bond. Some creatures can reject the bond after a period of time and the bond will pass onto another creature that is a secondary compatible. After a strong bond is formed, the it cannot be broken until death. Well, death of the witch. A bond is made by fate but strengthened by magic. The witch's magic can keep the familiar from being destroyed.

The most common creatures to except the bond are small creatures like rodents and insects. Canines are common most of the time, unless they are bolder, like alpha wolves. Felines, as more independent, border on common and uncommon, but form very strong bonds because of them usually being more solitary, trusting less then dogs. Small birds and other creatures mostly are common.

Uncommon creatures are mainly the medium or larger creatures. Deer border on common and uncommon depending on personality. Horses, and medium sized animals like hawks fit in this group.

Rare creatures are proud most of the time. Sometimes to proud to allow themselves to be bonded. Creatures in this group are Griffons, Pegasus, Unicorn and other such creatures. Surprisingly Bees are in this group as most do not like to leave the hive. Usually myth like creatures are in this group. Dragons border on Rare and very rare.