Metal Dog
The Dog is the moral compass of the cycle - fiercely loyal, and instinctively protective of the people and causes it commits to. Trust, once earned, is not given lightly to begin with, but once secured, it runs deep.
Metal brings precision, discipline, and high standards - it wants clarity, structure, and results that hold up under scrutiny. Paired with the Dog's natural principled character, this produces someone who is protective but rarely passive about it.
Their strength is integrity - a consistency between what the Dog believes and what it does. With Metal's influence, that tendency is expressed in a distinctly sharp way.
Where to watch: The caution is worry: a tendency toward suspicion or anxious over-preparation. In excess, Metal can turn rigid or unforgiving, of others and of themselves.