Full Name
Torin

(Meaning 'From the craggy hills' in Scottish)

Also Known As
Tor, Tory, Papa, Ratter I, Harbour Dog

Age
Older than the pups of Balto's first litter (by a couple of years or so) - born 1925

Breed
50% Norwegian Elkhound, 50% East Siberian Laika

Build, General Appearance and Height
Regular Laika dog height, not very big - stands approx. 50 cm at shoulder; has a lean, sturdy, athletic build, rather narrow; has a broad muzzle; tail is very long and thickly furred.

Fur Colours
White, with shades of grey and silver

Eye Colours
A dusty shade of honey brown

Markings
Darker head and neck, extending to withers and shoulders; near-black ears, connected to same colour triangular markings; white 'Balto-style wolf' markings (only with slightly more silver area around eyes) on face; white forelegs from just above elbow downwards; white back legs (from below hip, and downwards; near-black patches (from above each elbow upwards some way); white underbelly and under-tail; black patch (on inside of top of each back leg).

Physical Characteristics of Note
Broad muzzle (see Build, General Appearance and Height)

Family
Urry, Akina (parents); Roxle (mate); Avan, Springer, Fanne Fay, Melle (offspring); Koltav (son-in-law); Norceen, Kelle, Narrah (grandpups); other relations

Friends
Balto, Kodi, Pavor, the Nome harbour workers

Foes
--

Personality
A hardworking dog, energetic and eager-to-please. He is very cunning and fast-thinking, which is why he is so good at his job; firm when he has to be; ever thoughtful, caring and tremendously kindly, with a soft-tough, fatherly disposition towards others.

Likes
Being active (both mentally and physically); playing games (races or riddles); racing with Balto or Kodi

Dislikes
Hunger; being bored; when there's nothing to do

Jobs
Official job - working as a ratter at Nome harbour

Home
The house of Rev. Alek of Nome

Hobbies
Making up riddles

Habits
Barking after a successful rat hunt

Background
Is the son of Urry and Akina, champion race dogs from Russia


History
Torin was born in Alaska. His parents, Urry and Akina, had once been famous race dogs in Russia, but they retired early and were bought by a man called Reverend Alek, who moved with his family to Alaska not long before the Diphtheria Epidemic in 1925.

Torin eventually became a ratter at Nome harbour - at first it was just his little game to go down to the docks as a youngster (with his friend Kodi sometimes) and hunt rats once every so often. But after the harbour workers started praising him for it, even feeding him as a reward, he began to take hunting more seriously, and in time it became his job. Sometimes he would be borrowed from Mr Alek for weeks, to sail on fishing voyages and keep rat numbers down on the boats.

He became mates with Roxle, a wolf and former leader of a pack until a rival wolf had taken over, and they had four pups, one of whom, the youngest (Melle), like him became an ace ratter under his tutoring. He was known as Ratter I, and Melle as Ratter II.

Relation to the Balto Universe

Born and lives in Nome most of life; friends with Balto and Kodi