Azzan, the first son of the cursed Skinwalker Aderes, was an accident. The act itself was not, his mother had been told that it would relieve the mind altering feelings of being in heat, but the young skinwalker was unaware that the act had such a high chance for consequences. Instantly after birth the skinwalker turned on the baskets that held her children, severely damaging both baskets, before abandoning them. Azzan and his sister were found by their father, Sadiki Iah, who could not leave his children to die. He, however, could not care adequately care for both baskets. A mare named Harlequin, taking pity on the overwhelmed male, offered to take and care for Azzan's basket. To Azzan's dismay though the inexperienced and clueless mare often forgot about and lost the basket. The already traumatized foal spent much of his baskethood alone and shivering in the cold.
A close friend of the mare, Syipher, could not tolerate this and, after speaking with Quin about the issue, took charge of the basket. Syipher and his mate at the time Scarlet had been longing for children, and though he was a regular sized soquili and they were usdia's they cherished the basket as if it was their own. Quin still remained close to the family and on occasion babysat Azzan. One day though while the basket was once again under her watch she managed to misplace it. Syipher, knowing that the seal that kept the ever growing foal inside was weak and the foal could emerge at any time was frantic with worry and searched everywhere.
Neither Quin nor Syipher knew that the seal had already broken, and all the while they were looking for a basket a scared, lonely, and frightened foal wandered about attempting to find where it was that he belonged. He came across an adult male, Amadour. Though they were vastly different in some aspects they shared some characteristics- they possessed the same colored hooves, eyes, mane, and tail. Azzan became quite excited, assuming that the male was his father and bluntly wandered up to him and asked. He was a bit distraught to find out that the male was not his parent, but was greatly relieved to realize that Amadour was Quin's brother. It was not long before Azzan was reunited with Syipher and taken home. He never forgot the kindness of Quin's brother, and he lovingly thought of him as a close enough friend to dote upon him the title of 'uncle'.
The young foal knew instantly by being the same height as his 'father' Syipher that he was adopted. He had even presumed that Syipher was his only guardian. But upon return to his 'home' the newly arrived Azzan was introduced to his 'mother', a young and spunky mare usdia named Scarlet who was Syiphers mate. They both cared for Azzan as if he had been born by them. With the memories of long nights shivering in the cold suppressed by the love and care of his new family Azzan flourished. He was an ever curious and energetic young foal, full of life and joy. As the foal was beginning to grow into adulthood though his parents called him to them for a discussion. They had news to break to him; they were expecting. The thought of siblings excited Azzan and though he knew that he would, by time they were born, tower above them he could not wait to romp and play with them. Two baskets wibbled and wobbled around his family home, and a proud Azzan, now at a full grown size, took it upon himself to be their guardian and protector - to make sure that nothing and no one would harm his siblings to be. He rarely left them, always watching and playing with them until the day that their seals broke and two young boys crawled from their wicker casings. Immediately Azzan began to form a stronger bond with the younger of the two brothers, Ranulf. Ranulf and SweetPea were like polar opposites. Ranulf was the quiet and shy type; he had extreme difficulties socializing and making friends - While Sweet on the other hand was quite wild and talkative and had no issues meeting new soquili. Azzan took pity on Ranulf, and his efforts to always include the young usdia and ensure that he wasn't alone drew him closer to his brother.
This protective sense grew and grew. Azzan felt as though it was his duty to protect those that he cared about, which included non-family members, to ensure that nothing were to happen to them. Though protective Azzan had never shown any indication of violence or aggressiveness, even in play or jest. This all changed though one day when a young usdia foal bit Scarlet hard enough for her to cry out in pain. Almost as if something inside of Azzan's mind snapped He lost his temper, and lashed out at the foal. No harm was done though, and with Scarlet's reassurance and Amadours distraction Azzan's rage was assuaged. Despite lacking in wrath Azzan chose to stay nearby, shadowing Scarlet to ensure that no mare harm would befall her.
The peaces and tranquility brought on by Scarlet and Amadour's efforts did not last long. On a day of exploration for Azzan he happened to cross paths with Amadour, who at that time, was interacting with a young filly. To Azzan's disgust the filly was verbally abusing Amadour, bombarding him with insults and bashing him with words. Azzan could clearly see that Amadour was and would do nothing to defend himself, and he could see that the filly's words were causing him great distress. Azzan could not stand for this. He interviened and warned the filly to stop, on several occasions in fact. After several futile attempts though he lost his temper and kicked out at the filly. He had had no intention for the strike to land, and had done it more-so as a warning, but to his surprise his hoof landed. In an instant there was an uproar from the filly's guardian, Scarlet, and even Amadour for his trespass. All Azzan had wanted to do was protect Amadour, and he saw no fault as it had been not only an accident but the filly had been warned several times. The arguments escalated beyond anyone's control, and in the state of heightened emotions Scarlet exclaimed that Azzan was not her son but the son of some Dog. Azzan had always known he was Adopted, there had never been any denying of it. But as Scarlet, the mare he had always admired and looked up to and who had in fact through her own actions had taught him to be so protective over those he cared about, threw this into his face it snapped something inside of him and broke his heart. He could not take it and left to be on his own for a while.
Azzan had much to mull over and come to terms with in his own right. It took quite a while for Azzan to gather his thoughts and even come near his family. He continued to watch them though, still possessing that certain want for no harm or pain to come to them. He had yet to fully come back to the family he had grown up with, he had only remained at a distance and in the shadows as he watched. He could not refrain from approaching though one day when he could see the pain and worry Scarlet had over a friend of hers being in distress. He came to her friend's side to offer protection, to ease her fears and worrys in hopes of easing Scarlets as well. This had been a foolish thought and gesture though - an argument broke out almost immediately as Scarlet berated him for his absence. Azzan stood his ground and argued his point; all he wanted was for Scarlet to see that her words had hurt him deeply. The argument was about to subside, Syipher had stepped in and warned everyone that there was no need for such anger and hostility, but before the breakthrough Azzan had longed for happened Scarlet fled in tears. At this point SweetPea stepped into the argument, having no true knowledge of the events or point that Azzan was trying to make. He was furious that Scarlet was crying and out of anger he, despite stern warnings and chastising from Syipher who was desperately trying to stop all the chaos, banished Azzan from the family, telling him to never return. Azzan knew he in no way had to listen to Sweet. Sweet was his brother, his younger brother in fact, and held no sway over what it was that Azzan could or could not do in the family. Azzan knew though that his absence would hurt Scarlet and, so that he could avoid further conflict and be able to say that all of Scarlet's pain was entirely because of the brash actions of Sweet, he left the family once again.
Azzan, now without any family or a place to call his howm wandered endlessly. The long surpressed memories of his time in his basket and his anxiety upon first emerging from it surfaced, causing a great depression to befall the striped stallion. He met quite a few soquili, though they all came and passed. One soquili though, a dark and devious mistress, a lovely and alluring mare named Ravah stood out from all he had met. He was almost instantly smitten by the mare, as if in some way she possessed some sort of mystical powers and her fierce emerald gaze could captivate and hold sway over Azzan's mind and body. To Azzan the mare Ravah became his world. She gave him a purpose, a family, and a home. Her every wish, whim, and desire was his command - if she wanted something Azzan would make sure that she got it at any cost. She was his world, and he was her toy and pet.
Many moons passed, and the longer Azzan remained in the company of Ravah the darke and darker his personality became. She urged and encouraged not only the slaying of innocent creatures for her amusement, but torturing them as well. It was an intoxicating rush for the once so docile male, and the fact that it pleased and delighted the mare caused Azzan to grow fond of such action. In time, he began to relish the screams; he grew to adore the taste of blood despite his inability to consume the meat. He began to quite literally become Ravah's pet.
Word reached Azzan one day of the condition of his family. He was informed that, after that night he had left, things never returned to normal. The relationships deteriorated and crumbled and in turn the family fell apart. Scarlet and Sweet went one way, while Ranulf and Syipher went another. Ravah had left to go on a journey of her own, and having only himself as company Azzan ventured out to find his father and brother. At first he had been hesitant, unsure as to how they would react to his return. To his relief though he was welcomed back with open arms. He instantly fell into old routines, playing with and teaching his younger brother while watching after Syipher and ensuring that he was alright. It was as though he had never left, and any and all indications that he had ever had a dark thought or done a dark deed were non existent. Though he stayed with them for some time he knew he had to return to Ravah. He slipped away in the middle of the night without a word to Ranulf or Syipher and returned to where he and Ravah normally resided.
Instantaneously, and without realization, Azzan once again fell into his darker habits. If anyone had been watching him in his interactions with not only his family but with his love would immediately conclude that he was either a brilliant actor, or that he had developed a second personality. His darker personality, under Ravah's tutelage, command, and encouragement flourished.
In time, Ravah became furious with her pet.
