Inugami
In previous posts we have discussed the origin of Mochi’s name (and possibly Mochi herself).
A less cute mythical origin would be the inugami legend. The inugami (dog-deity) is a kind of witches’ familiar created by torturing a dog to death, capturing its soul, which then attaches itself more or less obediently to its master (the inugami-mochi – not the same thing as the rice cake…).
I don’t want this to happen to any animal in my stories, but it is an interesting myth. Mochi’s name could be a pun, hinting that she is her own master. Beware the wrath of the inugami!
(all the illustrations in the previous posts were actually drawn one year ago – I’m lazy like that -_-)