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Description
Dearest Samantha,

Once again I wish to say it has been a pleasure. My partner and I are quite grateful that you and your uncle have allowed us to view, and treat your magnificent friend. Danny wasn't it? Quite a fitting name, seeing how protective he is. It's not every day your such a bond between man and beast.~

From our last visit I can successfully say that your mermian friend is growing stronger by the day and should continue to improve as long as you continue on the scheduled diet. His liking for shellfish does honestly surprise me though, seeing as the mers we've studied over the years find them too much of a hassle for the amount of intake they require. They can be quite the big eaters, can't they?

On another note, I'm aware that since you've had to play peace keeper between us and Danny you've not really been able to view the medical aspect. Considering your letters, and questions, it's only fair that I answer some of them, seeing as you are the closest one to him, and therefore should know what to look for.
These are what his stats should be as follows:

Approx: 327 -350 lbs (148 - 158kg)
Length: 8'6" (253 cm)
Scales should feel sleek, retaining a deep rich color. (In this case I would say look for ebony over gray)

As it was mentioned, your friend was very underweight, seeing as not eating and a high metabolism don't exactly mix. I recommend any treats your can find with a high caloric intake. The added attention is also a good stress reliever seeing as mers are social creatures, preferring the company of their shoal. Your uncle mentioned the use of puzzle toys earlier on (which I must say is a fascinating experiment), which I think would be a wonderful comeback as an added source of entertainment. Anything to keep Danny's mind occupied and stress free is the wisest option I can give while he is in your family's care. I'm sure you are aware as to why I insist on it so.

When we first arrived, we were honestly surprised to find that young aquatic resident is in fact a phantom mer. Phantoms, also known as Dark Mers, are a classificaton given to sickly, faded mers. While there are a number of illnesses that can result in faded or dull shades, only one known illness results in shades of or near pitch black. While not specifically classified, its closest relation is Rage Syndrome, or SOA (Sudden Onset Aggression), which is an epileptic/neurological illness that affects the emotion, recognition, and memory parts of the brain. While SOA itself is a disease that generally targets certain breeds of dogs, it is the closest comparison to what we have.

Mers with SOA can suddenly act aggressively to anyone nearby, but minutes later will be calm and normal. They will not seem to remember or realise what has taken place and may act immediately friendly to the person(s) whom are attacked. Attacks such as these cannot be prevented as is not consciously controlled, and can seem to happen without any particular cause. Though it isn't uncommon for certain actions or events to trigger an attack, thus it is wise to try and avoid any known triggers or encourage new ones.

Symptoms to look out for prior to an attack; the eyes glazing over or going hard, followed by snapping into alert mode. An alert or agitated mer can be identified easily, as their sail fin acts as a big warning sign. The more raised and tense the fins become, the more alert he will be, and likely more aggressive afterwards.

Therefore I ask that you do take care, and keep yourself safe. While protective Danny may be, hope that it doesn't end up turning on you. If it does, I hope this helped you recognize the signs before someone gets hurt. You're uncle is a brave and lucky man.

~ Sincerely
Oliver

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The image is just a series of full body profiles of the characters. Sometimes in stylized images and covers you can't really see the whole character, and thus you are often left to make up the bits and pieces that are often left out, only to find they don't match up when the author ends up throwing it out there later on. I've had that a couple of times and it always makes me hit my head on the desk when it does. So its really just to clarify a few points with Danny overall, as each character has their special traits.

Description
Dearest Samantha,

Once again I wish to say it has been a pleasure. My partner and I are quite grateful that you and your uncle have allowed us to view, and treat your magnificent friend. Danny wasn't it? Quite a fitting name, seeing how protective he is. It's not every day your such a bond between man and beast.~

From our last visit I can successfully say that your mermian friend is growing stronger by the day and should continue to improve as long as you continue on the scheduled diet. His liking for shellfish does honestly surprise me though, seeing as the mers we've studied over the years find them too much of a hassle for the amount of intake they require. They can be quite the big eaters, can't they?

On another note, I'm aware that since you've had to play peace keeper between us and Danny you've not really been able to view the medical aspect. Considering your letters, and questions, it's only fair that I answer some of them, seeing as you are the closest one to him, and therefore should know what to look for.
These are what his stats should be as follows:

Approx: 327 -350 lbs (148 - 158kg)
Length: 8'6" (253 cm)
Scales should feel sleek, retaining a deep rich color. (In this case I would say look for ebony over gray)

As it was mentioned, your friend was very underweight, seeing as not eating and a high metabolism don't exactly mix. I recommend any treats your can find with a high caloric intake. The added attention is also a good stress reliever seeing as mers are social creatures, preferring the company of their shoal. Your uncle mentioned the use of puzzle toys earlier on (which I must say is a fascinating experiment), which I think would be a wonderful comeback as an added source of entertainment. Anything to keep Danny's mind occupied and stress free is the wisest option I can give while he is in your family's care. I'm sure you are aware as to why I insist on it so.

When we first arrived, we were honestly surprised to find that young aquatic resident is in fact a phantom mer. Phantoms, also known as Dark Mers, are a classificaton given to sickly, faded mers. While there are a number of illnesses that can result in faded or dull shades, only one known illness results in shades of or near pitch black. While not specifically classified, its closest relation is Rage Syndrome, or SOA (Sudden Onset Aggression), which is an epileptic/neurological illness that affects the emotion, recognition, and memory parts of the brain. While SOA itself is a disease that generally targets certain breeds of dogs, it is the closest comparison to what we have.

Mers with SOA can suddenly act aggressively to anyone nearby, but minutes later will be calm and normal. They will not seem to remember or realise what has taken place and may act immediately friendly to the person(s) whom are attacked. Attacks such as these cannot be prevented as is not consciously controlled, and can seem to happen without any particular cause. Though it isn't uncommon for certain actions or events to trigger an attack, thus it is wise to try and avoid any known triggers or encourage new ones.

Symptoms to look out for prior to an attack; the eyes glazing over or going hard, followed by snapping into alert mode. An alert or agitated mer can be identified easily, as their sail fin acts as a big warning sign. The more raised and tense the fins become, the more alert he will be, and likely more aggressive afterwards.

Therefore I ask that you do take care, and keep yourself safe. While protective Danny may be, hope that it doesn't end up turning on you. If it does, I hope this helped you recognize the signs before someone gets hurt. You're uncle is a brave and lucky man.

~ Sincerely
Oliver

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The image is just a series of full body profiles of the characters. Sometimes in stylized images and covers you can't really see the whole character, and thus you are often left to make up the bits and pieces that are often left out, only to find they don't match up when the author ends up throwing it out there later on. I've had that a couple of times and it always makes me hit my head on the desk when it does. So its really just to clarify a few points with Danny overall, as each character has their special traits.