Strongest Son is a Red Talon Kucha Ekundu Galliard.
Overview[]
The Red Talons' agreement with the Mokolé of southern Africa, that the tribe could stay and aid the werecrocodiles in protecting the land if they could breed with the native Cape hunting dogs, has worked out very well for all involved. All African Red Talons - the Kucha Ekundu - remember the name of Looks-to-the-Sun, the Philodox who pioneered that agreement. He is long dead, of course, but his lineage remains strong among the Kucha Ekundu. In fact, the current leader of the Caern of the Bloodied Rock is a descendant of Looks-to-the-Sun, with an interesting story of his own.
Born under the hot African sun in his Kucha Ekundu mother listened fearfully to the shots of poachers not a quarter mile away, the pup that would become Strongest Son learned about family early on. His mother did not kill the poachers, as she knew that an area that gains a reputation for housing dangerous animals merely attracts more hunters. Instead, she worked during Strongest Son's childhood to help other animals in the area hide from poachers, and finally they assumed the area was dead and stopped hunting there for a time. Several months after his First Change, however, they returned.
The poachers had stopped hunting elephant and lion near the Caern of the Bloodied Rock, but the river not far away still housed crocodiles, and the poachers hunted them for their skins. Strongest Son, then known as Lion-Howl for his odd, rough manner of howling, knew that the river was home to a mighty Mokolé warrior who had no patience for humans (especially hunters). He waited on the bank of the river until he saw this Mokolé and, as the poachers loaded their weapons not far down the bank, asked him to leave the humans in peace but to make sure the crocodiles in the river were safe. The Mokolé argued, saying they would return if not killed, but Lion-Howl retorted that they would never return if the hunting was poor. The Mokolé said they deserved to die, and Lion-Howl answered that they would someday; surely it didn't need to be today. Finally, the Mokolé growled in rage, and Lion-Howl, afraid for the safety of the crocodiles and for other Fera in Africa, reminded the Mokolé of the agreement between his ancestor and the werecrocodiles.
At that, the Mokolé had no response, and as the poachers made their way down the river, bade his reptilian brethren submerge and not resurface until the danger had passes. When the hunters left, disgusted, Lion-Howl thanked the Mokolé for honoring the pact. The werecrocodile responded, "No, I thank you, the strongest child of Looks-to-the-Sun, for reminding me of the lesson he brought - that the mistakes of the past need no cost us the future." From that moment on, Lion-Howl was called Strongest Son.
He still lives, and new leads the sept at the Caern of the Bloodied Rock. He allows Fera of any breed to visit the caern, as well as Garou from other lands, provided they bring no taint with them. Perhaps he is so tolerant because, as a Galliard, he loves sharing stories with visitors. Perhaps it is because he recognizes the good that diversity had done for the Fera of his land. Or perhaps it is because he appreciates the gravity of taking life well enough to understand the value of restraint.
References[]
- WTA: Tribebook: Red Talons, p. 94-95