I'd have to pick gryphons, for a variety of reasons:
- Lions are badass, eagles are badass, making gryphons badass squared
- Historically associated with strength and protection
- They're often portrayed as having human-level intelligence and how fucking cool would it be to talk to one
- They would give the absolute best cuddles and you cannot convince me otherwise
In Scottish Myth, they have a version of a Werewolf that, it finds fish, and leaves them on the windowsills of families that are economically struggling. It is called the Wulver. He would make a home by carving a cave out of a mound. They are fond of catching and eating fish, and don't bother folks if they don't bother the Wulver.