Other

An Other (plural Other) [pronounced /'ɑːðər/] is a physical manifestation of a person's soul in the physical world. Other, unlike the animals that they manifest as, have the ability of human speech and intelligent. They are able to converse with humans and their Other. The form of a person's Other is set upon birth, with the Other forming during the child's first night of sleep.

Appearance
An Other's animal form is set upon its birth, and cannot be changed by any means unless the Other is transformed into a Shifter. While often believed to be related to personality, the form of an Other is entirely random. An Other can be any animal, though canines, felines and birds seem to be the most common.

Life Cycle
An Other is born during its person's first night of sleep, and grows alongside its person. Unlike their animal counterparts, it can take upwards of 20 years for an Other to reach its full physical form. A person's Other can also be referred to as a person's life source, and vice versa. If an Other is killed, the person it is attached to will die as well. If a person dies, the Other will simply fade away.

Sex
An Other will typically be of the same sex as its person, but there are exceptions. For example, Stephen Wayne's Other, Brit, is female. Same with Darren, whose Other, Aurum, is female.

Bonding
When two people join together in marriage, their Other respond in turn with an act referred to as Bonding. The two Other will join together and share a form of kiss. This act will then in turn bond the two Other together, as well as their persons. The details of this act have yet to be entirely understood, but it has been determined that the sex and/or gender of the person involves does not affect the bonding process.

Injury
While Other are generally resistant to injuries, the resistance does have its limit. When an Other experiences an immense amount of pain, its person will begin to feel relative amounts of emotional pain. The same applies for an Other if its person experiences a large amount of physical pain.

Naming
How an Other receives its name is unknown. The Other is typically born knowing its own name, and teaches it to its person once the person is able to speak. Most names seem to be based in an entirely unknown language, although some names appear to be similar to human names. An example of this is Veronica Wylder's Other, Helena.

Rifting
The act of separating an Other from its person is referred to as Rifting. This act is extremely painful for both the Other and its person. An Other does not need to be in the immediate vicinity of its person at all times, but it is preferred by the Other and its person. An Other can be separated from its person for short times, and the distance that an Other can be from its person varies between persons. Rifting is often used as a torture tool, as there is no way to relieve the pain besides the Other and its person being reunited.

Shifters
Shifters are a strange, unstudied subspecies of Other that have the ability to transform into any animal form. The true origin of Shifters is unknown, but it is rumored that they are Other that have managed to survive the death of their person. Shifters possess a special enzyme in their blood that allows them to live indefinitely and heal any ailment that affects them. This enzyme keeps a Shifters blood refreshed, and the Shifter has no need to produce new blood. Due to this, any injury that would cause a Shifter to bleed, even a small amount, can be fatal.