Anzu

[Anzu]

The White Talon

Name: Anzu, White Talon
Tribe: Hawk(Bird)
Age: 43
Born in: Mountains of his Home Island

Apperance:

Human Form: Perhaps the first feature that causes him to stand out from the rest of his small tribe. Anzu has white hair, and pure white wings. Entirely contrasted to his tanned skin shade, they stand out to his environment well enough to make him rather easy to notice. Like most of his tribe, his skin is fairly tan from constant exposure to the light of the sun. He is extremely tall, at six feet eight inches, and his wings span out from tip to tip at almost twenty feet. His body is exceptionally toned, with muscle not only visible but to a degree that makes it look as if he has not an ounce of fat upon him. His body otherwise almost entirely resembles a humans, though increadibly strong, razor sharp talon like nails protrude in place of finger nails upon his digits. As one of the hunters for his tribe, he spends most of his time fighting or on the move and seldom eats beyond what is necessary to maintain his body's stamina; allowing for him to maintain this physique. However his deep red eyes stand out, should he let others close enough to notice them. Between this shade of gaze and his usually cross expression, he seems perpetually displeased. Often, his dress is simple. He wears the black tunics and lower wraps woven by his tribe for all their members. Otherwise, the only other object he wears is a rather long brown necklace made of a sturdy yet thin leather with a series of three white feathers bound to it. Feathers of his yougner brother, just as his yougner brother has three of his own white feathers. A symbol of unity between the two.



In his hawk form his entire body is white like the snowy peaks of the mountains his tribe lives around. Even his beak and talons are a similar snowy shade. With the same piercing red eyes however, he strikes a cross between meneacing and angelic in apperance. Unlike the his other hawk taguel who are adorned in shades of brown or grey or sometimes blacks and whites as a faded color, his remains the same shade. Being increadibly large even for his own people, at 2.4 meters from talon to beak with a monstrous wing span of 6.4 meters.

Personality: Anzu is a hunter. From an early age he showed a ferocity that his father had been known for. However, it is a tempered ferocity. Controled. He is patient, and often composed otherwise with a simple frown to convey his generally serious nature. He is seen as brave, to the point of stuborn or headstrong when facing danger. While he won't blindly rush into unimaginable odds either, smart enough to gauge and adequately plan ahead. He has a sense of honor handed to him by both of his parents, and as such also has a serious issue forgiving wrongs he felt have been done.

He settles for nothing less than the best from himself. Despite his level headed nature in terms of violence, he can get easily frustrated despite his aptitude for hiding it. Especially if he has fallen short of his own set lofty expectations. In this frustrated state, he will often leave things unfinished if they are menial tasks like learning to acquire another talent or skill set; at-least until he is in a better state of mind.

When around his family, or more primarily, his younger brother; a softer side is seen. One where he is easier to smile, quicker to laugh and make jokes, and even generally seem to enjoy a day for its own sake. This could also be in part due to the contagious upbeat attitude of his yougner brother.

Anzu is not as friendly to outsiders though. Taguel of the bird tribes are acknowledged and treated with due respect, but he is not as found of other tribes, much less those who try to encroach upon his peoples lands. This has led to more than one fight between him and other tribes, especially the wolf and bear Taguels. Though he has yet to speak to them..he's observed the humans and their small wooden walls that they hide behind. Like a portion of the Taguel, he does not trust them. They are unknow, and unfamiliar. Which mean that a certain threat airs about them. The natives to the island, at-least, are familiar and provided some benifit for that.

Story: Surviving the wilds, even with the strength of a tribe, can be grueling. Harsh realities constantly crashing into the soft peaceful bubble that most tried to establish. Even from his youth, Anzu was forced to acknowledge this. Occasional deaths of a member of his tribe from the common desputes with other Taguel tribes or the wild monsters through out the landscape made it difficult. His tribe was not particularly large. Numbering at 73, their tribe functions more like a large family than multiple ones working together.

At his birth, he wa notably different from the others of his tribe. With snowy white hair, and feathers of a similar plumage in his avian form, he did not match any shades of brown or grey that his other tribe members sported. Something not seen to their tribe in generations. White hawks were believed to be the pinacle of power, able to attain feats and hights at their prime that others could not. Perhaps the rarity of them housed a supersticious wonder to prompt such legends. One thing was certain however, great expectations would be had of him.

Those fit to fight, are hunters. Those unfit to fight maintain an adequate supply of other essentials. Keeping the tribe clothed, their dwellings maintained, and ensure the stored food is kept from wasting. Anzu, like his father and his fathers father, was born to hunt. Something that fit perfectly with the various assumptions made of he, the white hawk. This lofty almost mythological standing that his tribe had of those with his feather color did not lead to a life of luxury however. It was one of intense struggle. Greater challanges were thrown onto him at a yougner age. To compound these ordeals, when his younger brother Iris was born into the same white hair and plumage that he was, their tribe believed a new time was coming for them.

However...where they believed they would see two great warriors, they were really destined to simply see a fabled story turned on it's head. His brother was small, even at birth. He was thin, and as he grew, it was obvious that his heart did not lay in the hunt or bolstering his physical might. He had a quick mind, and seemed to absorb information that come to him in great pools. Everything he was exposed to was a non-physical trait he seemed to master in swift leaps and bounds. Any time he was required to exert himself though, at-least beyond standard flight,

Suddenly the standard was different. Were the legends of this white hawk incorrect? This meant that other myths and beliefs of the tribe were called into question, implying that the past as they remembered ws inherrantly different, or wrong. On the other hand, was it simply..a misunderstanding? Iris still excelled, but where Anzu excelled in physical prowess, he was gifted in talents of both magic and scholarly ways. The ingenity he displayed was far beyond his years, and perpetually expanded. If they were to still believe White Hawks to be a creature of unparalleled talent, they would have to accept that they had made the error, in turn leaving open room to debate their understandings as a whole. Never before had they been forced to question so much, as with this. This younger child that defied their standards.

Anzu however, continued to live up to their expectations. At the age of eleven, he was following the hunters and learning from them. Following their example and standards with remarkable talent. His tracking skills growing as swiftly as his actual prowess to hunt. Before long, there would come a time where he would proove himself through their ritual. The hunters first prey. If he could prove himself, not only would he become a recognized hunter for his tribe, but be given the right to train his own hunting hound. The hawk tribe relied upon the large hounds known as Mauthe Doogs as trained hunting partners. Every hunter had one. When prey ran into the thick foliage and jungle treelines, the hawk relied on the doogs to chase, or depending on the prey lure, them into clearings.

The first hunt, was often the easiest despite the inexperiance that hunter held. His, would also serve to establish a long standing rivalry. Anzu, having no war hound yet, was sent out with his fathers hound. Valar, a three headed well aged matron Gwyllgi that had recently given birth to two pups. It was to be her final hunt, and if he succeeded then he'd be able to raise one of her pups as a trained hunting hound.

Everything had gone as expected intially, taking to the sky while Valar ran from below. Anzu scanning the tree lines to detect any prey suitible. His first hunt, he wanted nothing short of a booming success. The rustling of trees and stirr in motion caught his attention after a few passing moments. Through the tree line, he could make out the image of a colossal shadow. A monstrous spider moved through the woods. Hidden from the light of the sun by the teaming branches that made up the forests ceiling, he signaled with a cry for Valar to begin the hunt.
The battle that followed was intense. Though Valar was a powerful hunting hound, her body was still weakened from birth's toll. Thus the reason she had been chosen. Strong enough to ensure he'd live most circumstances, but weak enough that he would have to prove himself. The colossal Bael was skittish enough that it focused on evading the snapping jaws of the three headed hound. It did not take notice to the predator above. The moment the spider had been chased into a clearing, the monstrous white hawk dove with ferocious speed. Anzu's talons found their mark true, and in a brutal series of passes the creature was brought down.

All that remained, was to return the bael to his tribe. No sooner had he started to retrieve it, that a howl pierced the silence lingering from his hunt. This marked the approach of another taguel. A howl belonging to one of the wolf tribe taguel who'd taken up rivaling borders with Anzu's tribe. Though open hostilities themself were rare, they were not unheard of. The taguel in particular of this incident was Jino. A wolf taguel similar to Anzu's age, and with enough of an ego to fill an entire building.

He'd been tracking the bael as it passed through their lands. He believed it belonged rightfully to him. He threatened, shouted, and insulted the white hawk. Until Anzu's fist had foud a mark upon his chest and knocked him onto the flat of his back. Dangerous as wolf taguel were, their true strength lied in hunting as one. A pack. Hawks, used to working alone had an advantage in single combat. Especially so in Anzu's favor, given he wasn't actually alone. Valar herself could've likely handled the young brash wolf taguel. It was here that a rivalry formed. In every instance, Jino would do his best to hinder Anzu's tribe. They would meet one another many more times in the wilds.

When Anzu returned to his village toting the corpse of his kill, his father proud and his tribe thrilled that the White Hawk had proven to be a skilled hunter. So it was, that Anzu would prove to become one of his tribes greatest assets. Iris, would never attempt to follow in this persuit. Though adept in the magical arts and increadibly dangerous, the yougner brother was far more interested in another group. Not the hunters, but the Thousand scales. A uninon of taguel dedicated to keeping the island safe from all threats. Anzu, saw respect in this. Iris, saw heroes.

As years progressed, both Iris and Anzu would become marked within their clan. Anzu, and Morghul his hunting doog, would become a site reknown for ferocity and saftey. Iris, and Aeris his personal companion of a Mauthe Doog, were a sight of both jovial moods and relief. Though Iris had not proven himself a hunter, their father had not the heart to give the pup a life away from its mother. Often, though he could not hunt, Iris would follow Anzu on his own hunts. It was during one of these occasions that he encountered a group of Wolf Taguel being approached. Jino, among them, had been responsible for them causing the deaths of three taguel belonging to one of the rabbit tribes. Two male Raven Taguel were confronting them about it on behalf of the Thousand Scales. Iris, who Anzu had partially tuned out, was rambling with excitment over them being arbiters of some sort. Anzu had his gaze switching between the rival wolf, and the two Rven taguel.

They had instilled in the wolves, a fear that he as a hawk could not. For few wished to earn the ire of the Thousand Scales. An idea, began to form. That Anzu should join, and be one representing not only his tribe, but then having a means to enforce their own lands and deny the wolves vantage. A plan easier said then done.

Thousand Scales were not just powerful. They were smart. Shrewd. Intelligent. Anzu was no fool, but it would take another three years of dedicated teachings, half of which his brother no less had spear-headed, before the older brother was able to become accepted. For the next twenty years he served as both Hunter, and Arbiter. Provider, Peacekeeper, Protector.

This news, that humans had arrived from an outside world, it brought troubling winds. Anzu still distrusted outsiders, and he had less trust for those of another land entirely. He would wait however. Stormwinds could often turn at a moments notice, taking a potentially dreadful storm out to see instead of the islands shores. Though, it could also bring a storm swiftly to the island with little warning. He would judge as time passed. Wait, and judge.


Adaptations: Juggernaut (Mastery) Colossus (Advanced) Shockwave (Basic)