Simourv

[Bre]

THE GUARDIANS

Simourvs are a very special native species of Pohono. The smallest of their kind are the size of small whales, though they're more comparable to birds. They come in color classes with differences similar to gender differences in some species of birds. In truth, they greatly resemble mythical griffins. They have hyena-like faces with wide, oddly muzzle-like beaks and big, bat-like ears. Their bodies are feathered. While they are quadrupedal, their legs look exactly like those of a bird. Two sets of horns adorn their heads. A tiny, stubby pair protrudes from their forehead, while a larger set sticks out from between their ears. Their eyes are usually amber but can range to yellow or black. They possess long tails covered in fine, fuzzy feathers that greatly resemble a bush baby's. Huge wings extend from their shoulders, capable of carrying them in flight.

Highly empathic, simourvs are easily capable of telepathy, but they rarely choose to speak with those outside their species. They rely heavily on empathy, showing a feral side despite their intelligence. They are bound to the world where they live, in tune to changes in environment. While warriors to a cause, they don't like unneeded bloodshed. They're omnivores, enjoying eating both the giant nuts of Pohono's forests and whatever acceptable meat they can find. Xymokoxi are their favorite food, as the giant lizards are the only other natural species that they absolutely abhor on principle. Untamed instinct and violence are horrible to them, tampering with their natural empathy. While each of them is an individual, all of them have some understanding of how the natural order works. They instinctively only take what they need, despite possessing a limited memory.

When a simourv hatches, they are capable of bonding to a human. They themselves know their names the moment they are born and they will turn their rider's name into an honorific upon bonding. All simourvs' bear names that end in -ph. The bond of a simourv and rider is complete and unbreakable. Should one of the pair die, the other will go insane. Some react violently to the loss, raging until they're killed in the battle they create. Most simply seek out a peaceful end in suicide. This horror about bonding isn't really known yet and the rewards of the bond far outweigh any disadvantages. Once bonded, a human can never be alone. They are complete. They are loved. A simourv can survive in the wild, just as a human can obviously survive without a simourv, but they show a huge preference towards human companionship and bonding. Constraints in their breeding mean that populations are dying off in the wild. There have been no sightings of wild simourvs in two years. Bonding is considered an honor.

After reaching sexual maturity, a female simourv rises in flight in order to mate. Sexually mature male simourvs rise to chase in pursuit of her. The flight ends when either a male manages to catch her or she selects a male as her victor from those who pursued her. Gray and tawny simourvs rise once every one or two years. Greens usually rise about once a year, though the occasional one will rise twice in the same year. Female rainbows very rarely rise, usually only mating once every three or four years. Females reach sexually maturity and start to rise at different points. All males can chase once they're around two years old. Due to the genetic organization of simourvs, inbreeding cannot effect their health. When a simourv rises to mate or chase, their rider is deeply effected by the lust. They will seek out the rider of their simourv's interest or a forceful substitute without question in order to work out the inhuman desire.

The majority of female simourvs are infertile due to their class system and hierarchy. Only grays and tawnies clutch. Grays produce clutches of ten to twenty-eight eggs that hatch any coloration. Tawnies produce clutches of one to three eggs and cannot produce any gray eggs, which are known to be distinctly metallic. The eggs of a simourv can come in any coloring and are typically patterned. Most eggs are matted in color, but eggs that contain grays are, as mentioned before, typically metallic and few simourv eggs are dull in appearance. The often bright coloration of their eggs has been a factor in their rapidly increasing extinction. Aside from grays coming from metallic eggs, it is impossible to tell what eggs while hatch what colors. Guesses can only be made based on size. Eggs are laid two months after a flight and hatch two months after that.