Torak

Torak is the protagonist of Michelle Paver's Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series, (which takes place 6000 years ago in prehistoric Europe during the Stone Age).

History
For the first 12 years of his life, Torak has lived with his father (a former Wolf Clan Mage) in isolation from the Clans. But one day their camp is attacked by a bear that was possessed by a demon. It wounds Torak's father mortally, leaving Torak alone for in the Forest the first time. Under his father's instructions, he travels north to try and find the Mountain of the World Spirit and ask for the Spirit's help in destroying the bear. He encounters a lone wolf cub whose family has been killed by a flash flood. Wolf becomes Torak's guide and pack-brother. He also becomes acquainted with the Raven Clan, especially with their chief Fin-Kedinn and his niece Renn.

Torak is revealed to be the prophecied Listener, destined to not only stop the demon bear, but also its creators, the Soul Eaters, a group of corrupted mages who aspire to rule the Forest and are determined to eliminate the offspring of their former member (Torak's father). After destroying the bear, Torak lives with the Raven Clan for the following three summers, facing off the Soul Eaters one after another.

During these adventures, Torak discovers that he's a spirit walker, a creature whose souls are capable of entering into other creatures. The World Spirit proclaimed to Torak's mother that the boy's fate was to destroy the evil his father had helped to create and made him a spirit walker to aid him in this quest. But his mother had to declare him clanless because no clan must have power over the others, and soon after she died. The infant was taken care of by a wolf until his father could raise him by himself. This made Torak able to communicate with wolves.

At the end of the last book, following the Soul Eaters' final defeat, Torak re-enters his nomadic lifestyle, only with as company his mate Renn, Wolf, his mate Darkfur, their cup Pebble and the ravens Rip and Rek.

Personality
Having grown apart from all human contact except that of his father, Torak isn't very good at socializing. He's impulsive and short-tempered, traits that often get him into trouble. But he’s also clever, strong-willed and protective of his friends. He hates being destined to defeat the Soul Eaters and being made a spirit walker, but he nonetheless fights hard to put an end to the Soul Eaters’ evil disrespect for the Forest' lifes. The entire series is practically a maturation story for Torak.

Powers and abilities
Torak has been trained by his father to use his gift at tracking (inherited from his mother) to the point that he can track better than adults. And he gets better at surviving as he grows older. He can also communicate with wolves easily.

As he’s a spirit walker, Torak’s souls can leave from his body and enter those of other living beings. He can feel and think as the creature he’s in while still remaining himself. And if he’s strong-willed enough, he can control the body of said creature.