Brother/cousin of the North Wind, and great uncle of the “cubs”. The West Wind appears as a Native American, and goes by the name of Yaponcha, the wind god from Native American legends). He is also known as Zephyrus, the Greek god of the west wind. Another reference to Native American mythology is made when he compares wolves (more specifically, Bigby) to the mythological coyote.
During the process of choosing the North Wind’s heir, the three other cardinal winds arrived, intending to take possession of the “cubs”. They believed that the “offspring of one of the great houses” should be fostered for a time in the courts of other kings and that the cardinal winds themselves were best suited to determine who might be the most fit to rule Mr. North’s kingdom. Bigby, father of the cubs, was furious and would not allow this, and the West Wind then secretly attempted to persuade the East Wind and the South Wind to join him in taking over the North Wind’s keep and kill his family, including the children. Thus, they could construct a new north wind from pure materials. However, the South Wind accuses him of wanting to do this out of personal revenge on the North Wind. Both she and the East Wind remind him that he has been on bad terms with the North Wind for some years, even naming the “zephyrs” after him to insult him.
Winter, one of “the Cubs”, was eventually chosen as the new North Wind. When this happened, the West Wind referred to the new situation as “a setback”, but did not interfere.