Riaken

Riaken is a bit of a snarky SOB. He is very sarcastic and loves to make snappy jokes at others. He finds them funny; most others don't. He thinks that anyone who is "sensitive" is just weak. He makes fun of them. He has only one "true" friend amongst the ponies, and the rest of his friends are back at his home.

When you actually get to know Riaken however, he is quite intelligent, though confused and a little frightened by the future. He doesn't know what he wants to do with the rest of his life, and fears bringing disappointment to his family.

But when it comes right down to it, Riaken enjoys being an asshole.

Due to Riaken's heritage, he's big and black and kind of scary looking. His feathers are ink black with hardly any sheen, and his fur is similar, though if you look very very closely he's got dark rings, much like a leopard. His beak is deep golden-yellow and viciously hooked, with a silver tip. His eyes are naturally narrow and are an intense lime green colour. His ears are small and end in a sharp tip, with longer feathers around the tip creating a "fringe". His mane is sleek and long, covering his shoulders. His talons are bright white; he is a meticulous cleaner. He doesn't believe any gryphon should allow their talons to be stained. His front legs are feathered right down to his ankle, and the skin on his front feet is very tough. His tail is long and furry, and helps him keep his balance in flight.

Riaken's wingspan is impressive; at least double his body length. The feathers on the backside of his wings are jet black, but underneath they are a warm mocha brown. The longer flight feathers have distinctive white barring.

Riaken's parents are important members of the Gryphon Army. His father is a general, his mother a lieutenant. They expected their firstborn chick to have the same powerful mindset. They were disappointed, however, by Riaken's complete lack of interest in battling. He has the body frame, but he just couldn't be bothered. His younger sister Chiarra however threw herself right into training the moment she could walk. While his parents focused on their new favourite offspring, Riaken sneaked away to study local wildlife.

Eventually his sneaking lead him far away from his home. Lost, he discovered a unicorn about the same age as him. Frostwire was excited to meet someone new, and the two quickly became good friends. They chased each other around the forest until Riaken's parents came for him.

He promised he would return to his friend some day. As he grew up he kept that thought in mind, and once he was old enough he left the next and returned to Equestria, to study. As for what he was studying, he had no idea.