Into the skies, to win or die! [joining]

Eyes of ice blue scoured the land below with sharp pupils, searching the cracked, barren land for food. The sun attacked his back with such a ferocity, that it seemed as if his feathers would melt off, though he knew that it wasn't possible. From his long and powerful beak, of which he parted, a shrill, predatory screech rang out across the desert, as the monstrous avian gave a stretch of his wings before lowering them into a powerful flap, increasing his speed in hopes that the breeze flowing through his polished feathers would offer some relief from the blood boiling weather. It was then, out of the corner of his vigilant gaze, the slightly oversized eagle spotted swift and sudden movement. His head turned in an instant, snapping toward the direction, as he narrowed in on the location and quickly identified the creature as a grey pelted hair. With a small tilt of his wings, and a shift of his weight, the bird of prey leaned in towards the unsuspecting beast, making sure he had and could maintain the correct coordinates before rolling into a dive. His eyes narrowed, his frame tucked in low and sleek as he gained speed, free falling through the air, slicing into the breeze like a knife. As he drew near, he gave a daunting call, and the rabbit lit up with a fear he relished. It made an attempt to dart away, but it was to late. With a mighty flap of his large wings and a grand heaving of his heavy frame, the eagle leveled out just above the ground with a spray of sand as his claws broke the surface of the hot grit, and, stretching, gleaming with the light of death, preparing to embrace the beast with all the affection of hell. Azrael's limbs struck the body of the rabbit with thunderous force, and inside, the small critter's bones crumbled on impact, as talons curled into flesh with a splatter of blood. Pulling himself into the air, the eagle landed upon a sand dusted boulder, staggering on impact, and admired his catch with an avian grin.

His sharp beak tore into the flesh with ease, clipping away chunks of akin and muscle, snapping it up to let it slide down his throat. He gaze a soft coon of delight, having not had a proper meal in so long. Caught up as he was, Azrael didn't notice the cat until it drew up in the sands beneath his perch and spoke. His eyes were quick to change focus, settling upon the feline. Why would prey approach him, and demand his business? His bear sized talons curled into the rabbits flesh, until thin streams of crimson flowed down the stone. The cat was so tiny, so seemingly helpless, that the monstrous eagle was tempted to snatch him up for desert. His head tilted in curiousity, however, as he watched.

As they spoke, his predatory eyes tracked them all, sharp, and glimmering with amusement. The first thought that crossed through his mind, as he watched from the safety of his perch, was how easy it would be to kill these creatures. He was utterly massive, and he could wrap his skull piercing talons around their heads with ease. Only the lion, with its miraculous durability, seemed capable of taking his claws without immediate death, but that would depend entirely on the speed and force in which the Bird King would attack, and he suspected that his usual ambush from the sky would possess enough power to slam a great beast such as a lion to the earth. Of course, in his current position, he was of little danger, as he had little leverage, but the mythical looking raptor would surely have enough strength and time to take flight before attack. As the largest and most powerful eagle in the world, though arguably, on occasion, the Griffin like avian spread his massive wings to display the ivory feathers, showering the group in shadow.

"Hmmm." Came his low hum of acknowledgement. "Yes, I heard your friend's question." Azrael nodded, tucking his large wings back into place after assuring himself of their sturdyness. "But...before I answer, I have one of my own. Who are you, and what is this place? I come from far away, you see, taken by humans to this land, and I am weary." Came his calm reply as he studied the beasts below him.

OOC: All his information is on my profile, second spoiler.

Bump.

Azrael promptly ignored the monstrous striped feline, and instead focused on the other tiger, who was gracious enough to answer his question. With a short nod, he eyed the group more studiously now. "Clan?" He questioned with an inquisitive tilt of his head. Though the tall eagle would keep his word, given his noble qualities. "I am Azrael, of the Philippines, a land far from here. I was king of the sky there, the Forest Griffin, the inhabitants called me. If this...clan..is a place of sanctuary for you, perhaps it can harbor me, as well? I would offer my prowess and hunting ability in return." The large raptor suggested. He snatched the hare up with a single, large and razor sharp talon, letting it drop to the sand at their paws, as if to reinforce his promise.

Swear his loyalty? The bird thought for a moment. The tigress had said that the clan was one of the most brutal of them all, though he personally had no knowledge of any other clans and only had Amour's word to go off of for this one. However, the group before him was a healthy and diverse mix of creatures he had never seen before, and they seemed quite powerful. Strong allies were always a plus in any situation. He supposed it couldn't hurt to stick in one place for long, there was no possible way for him to return to the Philippines, anyway. However, before he would agree to such soul selling terms, Azreal wished to sate his curiosity. "Mmmm. If it's not to much to ask, I'd like to know more about this place. What is a clan, what is it's purpose, and how does it function?"

Ah, he found their sudden will to answer his questions rather refreshing. The intelligent avian listened quietly, as his gaze shifted to the other cat. All he had to do was prove himself to rise within the ranks? Sounded easy enough. He could carry a cat off with a single talon and hold off a bear if he wanted to. How well would a bear hold up against skull crushing talons being driven into his head with the force of such a massive creature diving in on him from hundreds of feet above? Not well at all, he suspected, and being the silent predator that he was, with his pinpoint accuracy that came so naturally to raptors like himself, a fight would end before it had even begun. Offering the felines a whistle of understanding, he nodded, somewhat enthusiastically. "Alright. I will swear my allegiance to your clan. It sounds rather prosperous." Azrael nodded decisively. A close knit group such as the one described was a rather enticing idea to a beast to rarely have ever met one of his own kind.