Ninetales had occurred to me! I just hesitated to say it because I assign Vulpix to far too many characters. But, yes, I think it definitely works.

And I rather love the idea of Arthur with a Cubone.

(OH, YES. HE WOULD NAME IT MERLIN. And then he would take great pleasure in saying 'COME HERE, MERLIN' and then 'no, obviously not you, I was talking to my Cubone.')