Polytherian

In depth

Most therians name a single animal. Some find, after long and careful attention, that the honest answer is two or more: a wolf and a raven, a house cat and a heron. Each is felt in its own right, with its own phantom shape, its own instincts and its own moods. The word polytherian simply records that this is so.

People describe the arrangement in different ways. For some, one theriotype is nearly always present and another comes forward only now and then. For others, both feel equally old and equally central, and the person moves between them in shifts. As with every word in this vocabulary, the description matters more than the label.

A second theriotype deserves the same patience as the first. One that arrives in a burst of enthusiasm, or a list that grows every few months, is more often a sign of excitement than of discovery. One that has been doubted for years and is still there is another matter.

In practice

• A person has felt like a wolf since childhood, and in their twenties realizes that a second, quieter presence, a raven, has been there just as long. They call themselves a polytherian.
• A person with two theriotypes notices that one comes forward in company and the other in solitude, and that both feel equally like home.

Common questions

How is a polytherian different from a cladotherian?

A polytherian has several distinct animals. A cladotherian has one identity that happens to be broad, such as all canines.

Is it common to have more than one theriotype?

It is reported often enough to have its own word, but most therians describe a single theriotype. Neither is more genuine than the other.

Related terms