Calliope

They were often told they were a strange duet. They were told this so often, in fact, that they could predict when someone was abut to say it purely through their body language.

Calliope and her sister Melpomene were a duo of beauty and tragedy. C preferred to weave the most melodic notes on her lute and flute, while M would have rather penned the lyrics--always with a melancholy streak. With C controlling the lute-playing arm and M singing her heart out, they'd brought warmth to the Southern Icefields, thawing some hearts and even drawing a fair amount of treasure in tips.

It was all well and good until they awoke the Howl.

It awoke, all right, and for whatever reason, it decided it wanted to be their friend. At first C was frightened. Then, she realized the Howl was basically a big dog, and she let her guard down. Then, she knew she was never going to be rid of the thing. It loved the sisters' music, plain and simple.

M, on the other hand, had an affinity for monstrous things, and loved the Howl from the moment she saw it. She liked to sing for it on stormy nights when it snuck into her den, trembling from fear of the thunder. She tended to fall back on a song from their hatchlinghood.

...The queen was in the countinghouse, counting out her money
The king was in the garden, eating bread and honey
The maid was in the garden, hanging out the clothes
When down came a blackbird and snipped off her nose.

The Howl laid its great head down on the stuffed familiar it was cuddling and sighed contentedly.