Krystal Zanguzen *UPDATED* -10/23/07-

[Krystal Zanguzen]

Krystal Zanguzen

Special thanks to Silvanus for the drawing ^^


Special thanks to Shunke for the banner ^^

Description:

Name: Krystal Zanguzen

Age: 3 Years

Gender: Female

Species: Timber

Body type: Lean body, toned muscle and frame for speed (scout type)

Appearance: White fur along her stomach, inner hind and fore limbs that leads up to her neck. The rest is covered in black fur.

Personality: Kind hearted but secretive if her past is ever brought up. Not one too be shy, she has no problem engaging in conversation with friend or stranger, but has trouble speaking to Alpha Vargs due to her past. (Read Background for more info)

Distinct Markings:

1. Born with Pinto Eyes. Her eye color is mostly Ice Blue but along the edges of her irises can be found a green crescent which become her eye color when taken by blood lust. (Read Background for more info)

2. Emerald green colored crescent symbol of the Zanguzen pack on her left hind leg and right shoulder given to all members of pack upon reaching proper age. Method of placing symbol on fur is kept hidden by elders of pack. (Read Background for more info)

[Krystal Zanguzen]

Background (Part One):

In the lands far west of Transylvania, food was not as plentiful. And neighboring packs would often find themselves waging war with each other for territory and game. But no pack of wolves was feared more then the Zanguzen clan, a pack of ruthless mercenary Vargs that were often called upon to tip the favor between two rivaling packs. Taught to harness their bloodlust, at an early age they are trained to fight against other wolves. Each one born with the heart of a warrior, they are skilled in the art of fighting and stealth. Killing other wolves was no problem for these merciless Vargs. They were after all trained to do so. Most of them were arrogant, conceited, and egotistical. They weren’t hard to point out from other Vargs, as they would proudly wear the symbol of the Zanguzen clan on their left hind leg and right shoulder. And if that wasn’t enough, all Zanguzen wolves were born with emerald green eyes.

Since territory is always hard to come by, for Alphas too employ the Zanguzen mercenaries was to allow them total access of their lands and game. And even though the war would end swiftly soon after, in the long run the Zanguzen would always wind up with all the spoils of war. It would only take a few suns to notice the change. Game would grow even scarcer as the Zanguzen sucked every ounce of life giving meat from the territory. They’re after all, a large pack of thirty some last counted. And it wouldn’t be long after that before the pack that had once hired the Zanguzen would become food themselves. Once the blood shed had passed and the bellies of the wolves satisfied, they would simply move onto the next war. This is the lifestyle of the Zanguzen clan. And there was never any concern about loss of work.

Krystal was one of six pups to be born by Jagen and Sati. Not low enough to be considered Siklas, or skilled enough warriors to have earned the privilege of mating, the pack wasn’t pleased with the birth of Sati’s six pups. But the council of elders had surprisingly allowed it. They were intrigued on what could develop between the two middle class warriors. Jagen and Sati from the beginning were never liked by their pack members. So Jagen would hunt for his mate and pups while Sati nursed them in the safety of the dens. Unlike the others, their hearts did not enjoy the killing of other wolves, and they were not pleased with their lifestyle. But because of the Zanguzen symbols on them, and the classic green eyes, they could never leave and expect too be looked upon by others as decent Vargs. They had no choice but to accept the way of the Zanguzen, and they soon found comfort with each other.

Once Sati’s pups became old enough to leave the dens, it was time for them to be brought to the council of elders. The Zanguzen had evolved from simply having an Alpha male and female to rule a pack, and believed that a council of the most skilled and wisest mercenaries was better suited for their kind of living style. The council was mostly pleased with Sati’s offspring, much to the displeasure of the rest of the Zanguzen. But when it was time to view Krystal, they were all but pleased. “Her eyes,” one of the elders pointed out. “They are flawed!” “And she is not aggressive like her brothers and sisters.” Another noted. “Where is her warrior spirit?” Sati and Jagen feared for their daughter. For they well knew what happened to pups deemed by the council as “Imperfect”. “Please elders,” Sati pleaded. “Please do not judge Krystal by her eyes alone.” “She is still young.” Jagen added. “She will learn the ways of our pack. This I promise.” “Very well,” The council agreed after some deliberation. “Sati’s pups are all to have the packs name as their last name, signifying their status as members of the Zanguzen clan. They will receive the mark of our pack when the last bit of snow melts.”

Time seem to pass quickly. Before Jagen and Sati knew it, the first snows began to settle on the ground. The Zanguzen had recently ended a war between packs, and had made rapid work of pack that had employed them. They had decided to settle down for the winter, leaving enough game alive to last them through the cold season. Training had gone well for Sati’s young. They were quickly learning the ways of the Zanguzen, honing their skills in fighting with daily training exercises. Like the council had noted, Krystal lacked the aggressive behavior that was textbook for a Zanguzen mercenary. And she dreaded each and every training session. Its not that she was bad at fighting, on the contrary, she was very good at it. But Krystal saw no purpose for this kind of training and living style. And rather hated it. “But why,” Krystal asked her mother. “Why do I have to learn how to kill my own kind? Why do we have to live this way?” “It is as I’ve said before,” responded her mother. “This is the only way we can survive. If we were to leave, no pack would ever accept us. And there is not enough room in this land for any Varg to establish their own pack.”

[Krystal Zanguzen]

Background (Part Two):

Winter came and left like a breeze. The final bit of snow was beginning to melt in Fenris’ sun. During the winter time, the council had been observing the progress made by Sati’s pups. They had grown strong from the training they had received, but were troubled by Krystal’s gentle personality. It was time for them too receive the mark of the Zanguzen. Despite many of the council believing it best that Krystal be purged of this world, all of Jagen and Sati’s pups were taken from them to have the Zanguzen symbols placed on them. Night would fall and Fenris’ eye would rise again from the east before they would be brought back to their parents. Like all Zanguzen Vargs, they were put in a deep trance by the elders and woke up the next day with the symbol on their left hind leg and right shoulder. Only the elders kept the secret of how they placed a permanent green symbol on the fur. “Tell me again,” one of the elders said to the other as they departed from Jagen and Sati’s den. “Why we are allowing Krystal to breathe from our air? What good is she to our pack?” “Her eyes,” responded the elder beside him. “They change from light blue to green when bloodlust takes hold of her. She is special, and worth keeping around, at least for the moment.”

A full year had now gone by since Krystal’s birth. Jagen and Sati’s children had responded to the training normally. They no longer listened too their parents, and only obeyed the word of the elders. Except Krystal who stood by her mother and father’s side. She feared the authority given off by the elders, and would often hide behind her mother and father when confronted by them. The time had come at last. A new rivalry was starting up between two packs close by, and the elders were ready to put Jagen and Sati’s children to the test. The entire pack stood outside Jagen and Sati’s den. The elders in front, five of Sati’s offspring somewhere amongst the other Zanguzen. “Present yourselves!” One elder called out. Jagen and Sati emerged from the den. Krystal came out behind them. It would be a moment in her life she would never forget. “Jagen, Sati,” one elder began. “Your daughter, Krystal Zanguzen, is too weak to benefit the pack as a whole. You both know the punishment for this. Sati, by the law of the elder council, you are to present your daughter’s head to us.” Fear gripped at Krystal’s heart with its iron gauntlet. It was the moment that Jagen and Sati had feared since the birth of their pups. And at the same time, the moment the entire pack had been longing for.

It did not take long for a decision to be made…

“No.” Jagen said firmly. “Our daughter deserves to live. Only Tor and Fenris have the right to decide life and death. We won’t allow you to play ‘God’ with our daughter’s life.” This act of rebellion infuriated the Zanguzen pack. No one had ever stood up to the will of the elder council. And they certainly weren’t going to allow two middle class Vargs to besmirch their reputation. “Kill them!” the whole council ordered. It was all Jagen needed to hear. His purpose in life was clear to him. He lunged forward, his ivory incisors gleaming in Fernis’ sun for only a moment before being thruster into one of the elder’s jugular. Time seem to stand still at that moment, as blood leaked into Jagen’s muzzle and splattered to the floor. The Varg lay limp in Jagan’s jaws, killed instantly. “Go!” He cried out too his mate and daughter.

The rest remains clouded for Krystal. She remembers running by her mother’s side from her own siblings who were sent to kill Krystal and Sati. But only after a day of running, Sati’s front paw had been ensnared by a human’s trap. Krystal tried to pry the strange gleaming jaws away, but to no avail. Krystal could hear the snarls of her brothers fast approaching. “Quickly my daughter,” Sati pleaded. “Run as far and as fast as you can.” “No mother I won’t leave you!” Krystal replied. She had lost her father, and was now going to lose her mother nearly one sun later. “Follow Fenris’ setting eye. Make sure when his ball of fire rises, your back is facing it. Keep traveling, and you’ll come to a land where no one will know the name ‘Zanguzen’. Please Krystal. You are meant to live. It is Tor and Fernis’ wish, as well as mine and your fathers. We will always love you.”

It was the last moment Krystal saw her mother. As she ran, Sati managed to gnaw at her forelimbs and spill her own blood before her own sons came and took her life. There was so much blood in the air that they could not pick up Krystal’s scent. Krystal traveled many long suns in the path her mother had instructed, mourning the death of her mother and father the entire away. Their sacrifice is the only reason why she is alive. That reason alone is why she keeps the name ‘Krystal Zanguzen’. Not to honor the pack, but to honor the sacrifice her parents made. For in her mind, to erase that last name would be to surrender the memory of her parents forever. She would wear her last name like she wears her symbols. In memory of those who truly loved her.