Past: Li Ying Long Dau
In order to grasp the evolution of Wingul (the wild cousin of Pelipper), we must first examine his origin:
He was a nerd – the type of intellectual who read complex military books and could probably outdo every warlord in a game of shogi by the age of eight, on top of studying flower language and writing songs. In a country that prized brawn over brain, this was a problem. To top it off, Wingul – then known as Li Ying, the bookish scion of the Long Dau tribe – was pretty lousy at the sword; in fact, his playmate and retainer, Nils, was a whole lot better at being a swordsman than him.
Li Ying's mother urged him to continue his education, though his uncles didn't extend him the same respect once he became chieftain of the Long Dau tribe. Their dismissal of his strategy and tactics in the ongoing war waged by Taurus was understandable, what with Li Ying being a boy and his uncles veterans on the battlefield. Unfortunately, there was a reason his birth was celebrated by his people: His uncles were kind of stupid, and nobody wanted a stupid chieftain (let's frame it this way: Li Ying's name in the original Japanese release of Tales of Xillia was "Rein," derived from the word "reincarnation." That raises questions about what was going through his father's troubled mind for being unable to produce an heir for so many years). Predictably, all three of his uncles perished in the war, causing morale to fall in the tribe, which then led to a sizable chunk of its members defecting over to Taurus. Li Ying's mother committed suicide. Through it all, Nils remained faithfully at Li Ying's side, for which he was grateful.
Considering all that transpired, it was no wonder Li Ying wanted to end Gaius, the rebellious leader of Taurus. To that end, he chased and eventually cornered Gaius with his brilliant strategies, earning the nickname "Little Resourceful General." At this stage, the war was being led from both sides by children; Li Ying was 13 years old, and his nemesis 17. Auj Oule really won the genius lottery here, considering, if we convert Rieze Maxia's calendar to ours, they'd be 12 and about 16, respectively. Anyway, Li Ying had Gaius where he wanted him at the Mon Highlands when the deviant delivered him unsettling news of an impending avalanche in a catty meeting.
Li Ying: You're telling me to believe the words of a 17-year-old man?
Gaius: Yes. I, Gaius, am telling you, a 13-year-old.
Ladies and gentlemen, your prodigy warlords of Auj Oule. This exchange did, however, highlight the competence of boys so young that even they challenged one another by emphasizing age.
Before Taurus was conceived, Gaius (birth name Erston, or Arst in Japan, or – my personal favorite mashing the two together – Arse Ton) had warned Li Ying's father of a flood in the previous war. He was ignored and the flood caused massive casualties, which brewed discontent within Long Dau and its subsidiary tribes and gave birth to Taurus. The difference between Li Ying and his father was that the former listened to Gaius' freakish attunement to natural disaster, more so after hearing a moving speech on challenging the current hereditary system of Auj Oule. Li Ying's preference for brain over brawn and subsequent appreciation for words convinced him to withdraw his troops and surrender himself to Gaius.
Of course, that was a drastic move for the chieftain of a prolific, if waning, tribe. Nils begged Li Ying to keep Long Dau alive. In the end, Long Dau was dismantled; Li Ying joined Gaius; and Nils followed him.