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@im-with-stoopid pets
I really like books in which the main POV characters are animals. (ex. Warrior Cats, Wings of Fire, etc.) Not sure why, but I find books from animal POVs a lot more interesting. I started planning a fantasy animal POV story, and realized that I could make the creatures as fantastical as I wanted.
So here's one of the creatures I've made. It's called a Sunpelt:
Biology Notes
- Sunpelts are the largest creatures capable of flight in their environment. Adults are around the size of adult polar bears, though they are much lighter to be able to fly. Females tend to be larger and physically stronger while males tend to be smaller and faster.
- Their upper jaws are beak-like and toothless, though they are serrated. Their bottom jaws are mammalian and do have teeth. Sunpelts grind their teeth against the the serrations in their beaks to produce a noise like purring. Sunpelt purrs mean the same as cat purrs.
- Despite being mostly mammalian, Sunpelts lay eggs. Newly hatched Sunpelts can eat soft solid food. They learn to fly from a young age, reach adulthood at around 12 years, and can live to be about 60.
- Sunpelts are capable of walking on all fours, using the paws attached to their wings called talmitts. However, it is slower, less comfortable, and more vulnerable than flight. Their front paws have two conjoined toes, with one talon larger than the other to aid with climbing. Their back paws have five toes - three facing forward and two backwards - that allow them to grab and carry objects while flying.
- The frills on either side of a Sunpelt's head can be flared forwards to show aggression or shock or they can be folded to show fear. These frills also help a Sunpelt slow down in flight. The frill on the tail is not tied to any emotions, and is instead used for steering and speed control in flight. Males tend to have larger face and tail frills than females for more maneuverability in air.
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Just some NatGeo notes on these guys. I'll probably come back to this thread once I feel motivated enough the draw the other major creatures in my universe.
Thanks for reading! :)