Kuro

Kuro is Kiwi's best friend. He's a little on the skittish side compared to his friend, but his heart is in the right place. He and his father were captured from the wild, and brought to the Academy to be trained for riders. Kuro is still young though, so doesn't quite have to think about this yet. He loves recounting tales of his old home in the wild, though he doesn't admit he prefers being safe at the Academy. 

His bloodline is older than domestic Gryphons, having still retained bird (in his case, Penguin) feet.