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(An example of a Woodland kestrel during the cold seasons) The Atheran kestrel Although small, the Atheran Kestrel is a specie of bird located within the many regions of Athera. They are quite intelligent yet tend to remain wary of many races that try to approach them, often flying away whenever one would step into a close radius of them or watching them carefully. The Atheran Kestrel also holds the ability to hover in the air. Physical Description The Atheran Kestrel are very small in size, heighted mostly between 30–39cm from head to tail, with a wingspan of 63–82 cm. Females are noticeably larger, with the adult male. The Atheran Kestrel's appearance depends on their habitat: Woodland, Mountain and desert. Woodland and grassy plains - In woodland, the birds' feathers tend to be sleek and smoother. The main part of the bird is a brown colour with a lighter brown underbelly and on its face and top of eyes. A black stripe runs up from the bird's grey beak and all the way down to the end of its tail. The underside of the wing is a light brown. The Atheran Kestrel's claws tend to be average sized and suitable for catching food, such as mice or fruit, and gripping onto the branches of trees. Lastly, the tail of the Atheran Kestrel is split into three long feathers; the two outer feathers are brown with black tips while the middle is white. Atheran kestrels tend to have brown or black eyes. Mountain and snow plains – Atheran Kestrels that live further in the mountains and within snowy plains have a very similar appearance to their Woodland counterparts. Mountain Atheran Kestrels are a very light shade of grey with the white underbelly and slightly darker grey markings, instead of black. Their eyes are either light grey or sometimes even white. This change in colour is so that the birds can easily camouflage within the snow and rocks from bigger birds and predators. Lastly, Mountain versions of the Atheran Kestrel tend to be more feathery and more ruffled in order for them to adapt to the vicious cold up in the mountains. Also, their tails tend to be longer, almost being around the length from the tip of a twelve year old's fingers to their elbows. Desert – The Atheran kestrels that live within the desert are adaptable to the heat of the scorching sun. They have very thin feathers and they are a sandy colour in order to blend in within the sand. Unlike most kestrels, these kestrels have longer and sharper claws which they use to dig up their prey that are hiding within the sands. Their eyesight are much sharper, allowing them to notice the slightest movements in the sand. Their beaks are longer so that they can extract water from within cacti without much difficulty while hovering close to the cacti, much like a hummingbird. They tend to live within caves located nearby oases or large cacti forests. Their tails are also shorter. Habitat and Behaviour The Atheran Kestrel tend to hunt alone or in pairs, these kestrels tend to live with other kestrels in vast nests built within large trees or caves as a group. These groups of kestrels are known as 'Covens' or rather a family. Each kestrel would have a job in these Covens : gather food, look after the hatchlings and eggs, or watch over the nest in case of intruders or another Coven attacking. The Atheran Kestrel are known to being fearless and very protective over other members of their Covens, willing to come to protect the Covens they are in and prepared to die if their nests are attacked. When an Atheran Kestrel spots another animal (or a race) while out hunting, they tend to become curious yet wary if the animal or race means harm to its Coven. One would feel the bird's eyes focused on them as they walk by the bird's current perch. Sometimes, an Atheran Kestrel would even flutter into a camp and investigate the camp without being afraid, although will fly away when one is too close. Some Atheran Kestrels can be trained, mostly used to send messages from one place to another. As the bird is quite intelligent, it can understand a simple amount of instructions, may know who to trust or may even know where to go to deliver the letter is has. In order to train an Atheran Kestrel, one would have to attempt to 'befriend' the bird through either offering the bird food or by tending its injuries if the bird is hurt. The Atheran Kestrel would then decide if you are not a threat if you show it kindness, it may even consider you as a friend or member of its Coven. However, being considered as a friend is quite rare as those who want the birds capture them in cages or traps, making the Atheran Kestrel slightly wary of anyone who they come by. An Atheran Kestrel may leave its Coven if it's either banished or if the bird decides to stay a traveller who had gained the bird's trust. Depending on what the kestrels eat depends on where they are located. Woodland and plains – Berries, insects, small mammals (such as mice or squirrels), small fish from rivers and nuts. Mountains and snowy plains – small mammals, insects, perhaps the carcasses of dead animals, also gathers berries from further down the mountains and plains. Desert – insects, dead carcasses, cacti, Desert Bush berries. May also eat small fish if there is a river nearby. Also sometimes feeds on the eggs of snakes. Sometimes, the Atheran Kestrel would stock up on food for its Coven and mostly remain within the nest in the cold seasons, although some Atheran Kestrels still venture outside to hunt but not as vast as during the warmer seasons This food stocking is mostly seen in kestrels from the mountains and snowy plains. They are not known for migrating to other areas. First recorded encounter Many of the races were amazed by the birds' bravery and lack of wariness towards them as the birds never seen much of people before and didn't see a reason to be wary, although this wariness began to grow when Atheran Kestrels were hunted for their feathers, being pets or purely for fun. They were also used a messenger birds as well for delivering messages across a long-distance. History Although they weren't hunted for food (as they tend to not contain a lot of meat), the Atheran Kestrel were hunted for their feathers, which were used for quills, ends of arrows and more. Sometimes, an Atheran Kestrel would be captured (both willing and against their will) for the use of being a messenger bird, companion or pet. How they were captured were by luring them into camps with shiny objects before trapping the birds in nets and boxes, very few would attempt to befriend the bird. Some would even go to the Coven's nest and capture the hatchlings or the eggs. Some hunters would hunt Atheran Kestrels for fun. These kestrels had gained wariness for travellers and would keep their distance, unless their curiosity takes over them. Triva Atheran Kestrels were mostly seen as a symbol of family, curiosity, loyalty and bravery, a picture of an Atheran Kestrel would mostly be used on a Coat of arms to represent these traits. Atheran Kestrels that are from the mountains, snowy plains and deserts were less hunted than their woodland and plains counterparts, this was due to the birds being difficult to find within the environment and because very few travellers ventured through the harsh conditions. Although they are small, the Atheran Kestrels are capable of putting up a fight. They tend to scratch and peck furiously if someone they dislike or see as a threat has hold of them. Their cry tends to be loud and shrilly while they are hunting or out in the wild but the Atheran Kestrel emits soft and gentle coos or ‘kees’ when with their Coven or with someone they chosen as their companion. Sometimes the kestrels would befriend those who are friends with their owners, although not being as protective with them as they are with their owners. Rumours go that the kestrels can see into the hearts of people, allowing the birds if they are good or a potential threat to their coven. However, this has not been proven correct. The lifespan of an Atheran Kestrel tends to be between ten to twelve years. However, there have been evidence of kestrels living further than the average lifespan, mostly living up to their twenties and sometimes thirties.

( Credit to kateemoon.blogspot.ca ) An Introduction: The rare Spined Feasel is a member of the mustelidae or 'weasel' family, living in densly forested areas generally to the south of Anthos, although they can be rarely spotted on and around the grounds of the Monk's monestary. These small, scittish creatures strikingly resemble a mix between a fox, a weasel, and the porcupine, and it goes without saying that it is this resemblence from which the creature draws its name. The Spined Feasel is indeed a very unique and interesting fauna in the realm of Anthos, being one of the rarest, and the most adorable creatures in the land. Appearance: To call the Spined Feasel's appearance unique would be an understatement. A more suitable word could perhaps be 'outlandish'. It goes without saying that the creature's appearance in general is rather shocking, its head and face resembling that of a fennec fox, its body that of a common ferret or weasel, and its' quills like that of a porcupine. On average, the Spined Feasel's fur ranges in color from deep, reddish mahogany, to a soft, pale orange. The markings that adorn their soft, short-haired coats tend to change as well, the most common markings being a line of lighter color that outlines the muzzle, eyes, and often ears, then trails down their front and colors their underbelly and the bottom of their tail (as is shown in the illustration). It has also been seen that they are able to have dappled, or even striped coats, the lighter markings almost always being a cream white, or simply a lighter shade of the rest of their fur. It is theorized that there is really no limit to what patterns can mark their coats, as only four have been studied up close, two of which having the 'most common' markings as shown in the illustration, the others both being different, one having stripes and the other being dappled. It has also been noted that their fur seems to lighten on the face and tail, and darken as it approaches their midsection, any patterns to be seen usually most prominent on the face and tail, fading as they work inwards. The Spined Feasel, if it were to stand on two legs, would be approximately two feet tall, not including the tail. On all fours, they are only a little over half a foot tall (not including the height of their quills.) Lineage and Life: It is presumed by the biologists of Anthos, that this scittish and timid creature is the result of an odd occurence many generations back that lead to the mixed blood of the three creatures it resembles... Albeit, how this could happen baffles the biologists, but nevertheless, they see no other way that this creature could have been created. From what tests they have been able to perform on the creatures without harming them, or the scientists harming themselves, it has been discovered that they are most closely related to the weasel, being something of a distant cousin. It has been found that the creature is remarkably long-lived, generally living to the age of thirty to, in some special cases, even fourty. This long life is suspected to be something of an anomaly in the mustelidae family, aimed to give the creatures more chance to procreate, as they are quite infertile. The young of the Spined Feasel species (being those below the age of seven) are very fragile creatures, especially defenseless when it comes to defending themselves from their natural predators, which we shall move in to later. Now, the reason that the young of the species are so fragile is because it takes an unusually long time for their bones to become fully developed and strong, along with the spines on their backs. They are at the most risk from the ages of zero to three, as this is the time it takes for their bones to strengthen and become strong enough for them to actually venture out of the burrows or small caves in which their species tends to reside. Once the bones have become strong enough, the children are slightly less fragile, but still totally defenseless, as it is not until they reach the age of seven that the spines along their backs have become as rigid and strong as that of their parents'. Due to this fragile nature, the young of the species are very mellow and calm in temperment, versus the rambunctious nature that many young fauna have. They spend most of their time sleeping, and eating. It may be worth noting that the children tend to nurse until the age of three, which works well, as it is in the mother's nature to stay at home and protect her young. Once a member of this species has reached adulthood, they seem to, remarkably, resist the aging process for approximately twenty years, longer at times for more fortunate members of the species. This stage of adulthood is when they are at their strongest, and is by far the largest portion of their lives, which will mostly be spent forraging for their children and wives if they are male, or if they are female, searching for mates to have children with, and then staying in the burrow to take care of them. It is estimated that the average couple of this species will have three children in their lifetime, which sounds like rather little, but considering that they must take care of each child for approximately seven years, and that they may only have one pup at a time... Puts it in to perspective. The last stage of this remarkable creature's life is that of old age, and this stage takes place generally after the age of thirty. At this age, the Spined Feasel undergoes a remarkable change in attitude. While they do begin to become more fragile, they also begin to become much more violent and less shy... They also become completely infertile. In these last few years of life, the Spined Feasel acts as a protector for any of its children, or its grand children. The elderly of the species, oddly enough, are the ones who generally accept the position of guard and protector, it is theorized that the reason for this is because they have outlived their usefulness as far as procreation goes, so the change is meant to make use of what time they have left. At the time of death, a remarkable ceremony seems to take place. As the member of this species senses its' end has come, they will use their last few moments or hours to do their best to dig themselves a final burrow, into which they will crawl in to, so that they may die in comfort. It is common that, if the creature cannot do this on its' own, its lifemate will join in to help create the burrow. Even more remarkably, it has been shown that in some cases, the death of one Feasel's lifemate ultimately kills the remaining Spined Feasel, causing it to experience something that we would call depression, leading to starvation and eventually death. Habitat: The Spined Feasel prefers to reside in areas that are generally shaded from the sun, like dense forests, or occasionally even swamps. They are very scittish in nature, so it is rather rare for them to live anywhere near main roads that are commonly traveled, the notable exception to this being of course the Monk's sanctuary. As we have covered before rather briefly, the Spined Feasel tends to live in burrows that vary in their size depending on how many members of the family will be living there, sometimes even expanding far underground to create complex systems of tunnels, with many exits and entrances. These burrows are generally found at the base of trees, where the creatures are able to actually eat the roots of the tree for sustenance in a case of emergency. The species has also been known to live in small caves (small enough that no large animals could get in) and in the hollowed out remains of trees. Burrows are, however, the most common form of home. Defenses: The Spined Feasel, whilst small and (usually) timid, has a surprisingly large array of rather dangerous weapons, the most notable of which being its's spines, which contain a powerful venom that can easily kill most predators that would attack them, and can even lead to temporary paralysis in larger animals... Such as humanoids, bears, and large cats. Luckily for us, however, these spines cannot be shot out like that of its' porcupine relatives. Other than this main form of defense, the Spined Feasel also boasts very sharp, fang-like teeth... All of them, not just the canines. These also have a milder form of venom in them, and they can easily sink in to flesh. Lastly, their claws. The Spined Feasel's claws are quite sharp, and very long. They could be compared to that of a cat, although being larger and generally stronger. Needless to say, that beyond this creature's cute exterior, it is quite dangerous to anyone who feels an inclination to try and interact with it. Albeit, usually the creature would simply run away, if it was cornered, it would be more than capable of inflicting some real damage on anyone. Diet: The Spined Feasel's diet consists of mostly berries, insects, roots, and fruit. They may rarely prey on smaller mammals like mice, but do so rather rarely due to their somewhat weak immune system. For the most part, berries are the main part of a Spined Feasel's diet, and it actually very much enjoys one particular berry that is incredibly deadly to us, nightlock. It is thought that it is due to their ingestion of this dangerous berry, that they are able to utilize some of its' poisonous properties to strengthen the poison in their spines. Predators: Due to its large array of defenses, the Spined Feasel has rather few predators. The second most dangerous predator to the Spined Feasel species is the horned owl, who have managed to figure out that the best way to capture one of the poor creatures, is to flip it over, and grab it by its underbelly. They are also the only creature cunning enough to avoid eating the Feasel's stomach, which generally contains nightlock, and would be deadly, and to avoid its' poison glands. As for the Spined Feasel's number one predator? The Alchemist. Indeed, it is the Alchemist who poses the greatest danger to these innocent, adorable creatures, often capturing and killing them for their poison glands. OOC Notes: -Since I know y'all will want to know, yes they could theoretically be trained and domesticated, but only bY someone who is very skilled at handling dangerous animals. I should note that though it is possible, it would be a rather odd thing to do, considering you couldn't exactly snuggle them. The only real use I can foresee would be as a sort of guard-dog-esque pet, and even then they would need to be in their last ten years of life before they would be willing to do that. Basically, you can do it but... why? -Their use to alchemists would be for their poison, and for their quills which could be used (if done correctly) as hypodermic needles. Their hearts would also be a rather strong earth symbol (following Ithric's Alchemy Lore). -Yes it is acceptable if you read the entire post in the voice of one of those nature documentary narrators.