Ara

A title given to Werewolves whose family is unknown.

Requirements

Any solitary Werewolf is called by this "surname" when both their parents are unknown, or when the bond was severed deliberately.

Appointment

Typically, this title is given to foundlings whose parents could not be determined. It serves as a substitute for both the paternal and maternal surnames.
Another reason to use the term would be when an unidentified body is found. In this case, the title allows people to refer to the unknown person in a more respectful manner.
The third reason for using it is when somebody is cast out by their parents or chooses to cut ties themselves.

Grounds for Removal/Dismissal

Besides re-discovering a person's identity, adoption is a common way to give them one or two proper surnames.

Cultural Significance

Werewolves have a strong sense of community, so lost children are usually treated with a lot of compassion. The same goes for unidentified corpses.
However, someone who became an Ara due to broken family ties is viewed with a lot of suspicion. No matter which party decided to break those ties, people tend to blame the Ara - either for abandoning their parents, or for offending them so badly that they cast out their child.

Related culture(s)

Southern Werewolves
Northern Werewolves

Character(s) with this Title

Feng

History

The earliest documented case was a baby boy that somebody had abandoned on the steps of a clan's ancestral shrine.
While searching for his family, the shrine guardians nicknamed him "Ara", which is the Southern Wolfish word for the number zero. Sadly, despite their efforts, neither parent could be identified. He was eventually adopted by a childless baker's couple, who gave him the name Berik instead.
Historians believe that the tale spread to nearby villages when people traveled for trade or married into other communities. Other examples occurred over the following decades, and after about three centuries, the idea had become ingrained in large parts of Werewolf culture.