Warning call

Kioh Twan

The best-known episode associated with the figure in Western retellings has such a beast intercepting a military campaign and addressing the commander directly, warning that Heaven was displeased by the killing already done and urging a withdrawal — a portent-and-messenger role rather than a combative one.

Centicore

Its trumpet-like calls can be heard echoing across desert dunes and rocky outcrops, serving both as a warning to potential threats and a haunting reminder of its presence to local inhabitants.