Okay, so if you've seen my Ghdaybrus Vulture [link] and this picture [link] you know that I've thought about a shapeshifting thing for Thano, like this: "in order to be able to morph into another shape, [he] has to take out the heart of the species he wants to be able to transform into, eat it, and have the person still be alive when he's done."

well, that sounds really stupid, even to me. But I've thought about it for a couple of months, and I can't find a way around it.

WELL, LOOKIE HERE. CAUSE I THOUGHT OF AN ALTERNATIVE.

so, what do you think about, if, instead of the whole heart-ripping-out-thing, each ghdaybrus vulture, before death, chooses a Guardian for that vulture. and the Guardian makes sure that the vulture survives at least until it's old enough to pick a new Guardian, but preferably until it dies from old age. The Ghdaybrus Vulture is born in the form of its Guardian, and stays that way until a point (weaning? puberty? maturity?) in its life.

I NEED YOUR OPINIONS. What's cooler? Do you have an even better idea? What other things do you think I should consider?

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ANSWER IN COMMENTS. PLEASE.