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| Two-Claw Raptor | |
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| Fauna | |
| Official Name | Two-Claw Raptor |
| Common Nicknames | Konzzo-Rzzrasslo, Ch’issâ-intëlí |
| Classification | Reptile |
| Habitat | Jungles of Sendras |
| Domesticated | Yes. |
| Current Status | Common |
An agile nightmare to some, and a loyal companion to others, the Two-Claw Raptors have been used as battle-mounts and hunting dogs for almost as long as the Mu-Allar have existed. It would seem as if the two reptilian hunters share a bond not only through physical appearance, but by their like-mindedness. They live in large packs in the jungles of Sendras, and are prone to conflicts with opposing raptor packs.
History
The Al-Allar are said to have discovered the Two-Claw Raptor as soon as 1000 BC, if not earlier, but almost all documents from that time have been destroyed by the Cataclysm and time itself. They never saw much potential in these ferocious predators, considering them just another one of the brutal creatures that scourged the jungles. As one of the most intelligent beasts in Sendras, they proved to be a great adversary to the Al-Allar, who had lacked the physical capacity to fight back effectively.
Ever since the Al-Allar can remember, the Two-Claw Raptor have been a menace to their existence; it frequently steals food and even eats Allar, if given the chance. Over time, the Allar developed better defenses and traps to play against the pesky beasts, however they were far better at adapting than the Allar had first anticipated. For several centuries, the Allar were locked in a constant game of tag with the Raptors, engineering new traps, only for the Raptors to then overcome them. This conflict worsened for the Allar with the appearance of the Mu-Allar.
At around 21 AC, as the cataclysmic event referred to as “The Opening” wreaked havoc across the continent, the Mu-Allar were birthed. They were inherently similar to the Raptors in both looks and instinct. The Mu-Allar shared their ferocity and pack mentality, so bonds quickly rose between the two species with the Mu-Allar now using them as battle mounts and bloodhounds. Even so, a considerable amount of the raptors were wandering freely.
Physical Appearance
The Two-Claw Raptor bears a striking similarity to the Mu-Allar, sporting vibrant blue feathers on their heads, arms, and tails. They have long snouts and round heads with small horns like most Naylar races, scales coming in shades of green and brown, with occasional black stripes along their backs and necks. On each of their feet sit two deadly, curved claws, reaching up to 9.5 inches in length. Their edges are sharper than a standard kitchen knives’ and is capable of leaving grievous wounds in a matter of seconds. It can grow to a length of 10-23 ft, and stand at towering heights of 6-10 ft.
Peculiarly enough, the Raptor is very light for its size, allowing its strong legs to carry it at tremendous speeds; just barely outpaced by a good horse. Allar scientists theorize that they possess hollow bones like birds, allowing them to reduce their weight extraordinarily. Additionally, they possess a pair of wing-like arms, comparable to a large chicken with a single claw on each arms. The claws are designed to latch onto their prey, being slightly barbed on the underside so as to allow the raptors to cling on and be practically irremovable. Sometimes the claws are ripped out in the process of hunting, but a new pair regrows in the span of two weeks. Their eyes are either orange or yellow with darkened eye-whites and slitted pupils. Inside their jaws, they possess two rows of short teeth on both bottom and top.
Diversity
The most apparent differences between the genders are the colours and the amount of feathers. The females often bear better camouflage than the males in form of darker colors and duller feathers. Females generally have less feathers as well.
There are far more females than there are males in the species, therefore the males are prized battle mounts for only the strongest of clan leaders. Additionally, males have an incredibly keen sense of smell, that allows them to pick up the scent of females, and especially other males within an area of up to two kilometers, if the wind is blowing the right way.
Life Span and Development
The Two-Claw Raptor undergoes a two month incubation period, during which their eggs are gathered in large circular nests, often protected by several females. When the Raptors hatch, they are around the size of a large cat, and their forearms are roughly the same size as their hindlegs. As a result, hatchlings spend the first two weeks of their life in a quadrupedal stance while their legs grow. The first thing that comes is the growth of the tail and the legs, after that the torso, neck, and head will grow, after which comes the arms and feet-claws. Topping it all off comes the second row of teeth and the feathers. This process takes about 3 months, during which the hatchling must eat three times a day to sustain its growth. The average Raptor can live to an age of 35 years.
Mental Overview
The Two-Claw Raptor possesses an astounding intellect for an animal. It is capable of distinguishing trip wires and snares, and even, in some cases, disable them. A recorded example set in 56 AC told of an Allar scouting party that had lost one of it’s members to a Raptor ambush. They managed to climb a tree where they could not be pursued. After some time, the Raptors left and the crew saw their fallen comrade waving at them for help. Half of the party cautiously ventured down, only to find that the corpse had a branch stuck to his sleeve, and something was controlling it from within the bush. As soon as they came close enough to see the branch however, the arm fell limp and three raptors descended upon the remaining Allar, tearing them to shreds. The Two-Claw Raptor is hostile to most other creatures, with the exception of their pack members and the Mu-Allar, which they seem to share a strong bond with.
Territory and Groupings
The Two-Claw Raptor is strictly a flock animal. Comparable to other group predators, the raptors form in packs consistent of mainly females, with up to three males leading the pack with one Alpha and two betas (Depending upon the size of the pack) and all from 3 to 30 females. Additionally, conflicts with other packs are not uncommon. Usually, the males tend to duel it out, and the strongest male absorbs the opposing clan and their territories. On rare occasions however, this is not the case and the females will engage in large scale combat alongside their male alphas.
The female raptors typically form group nests, consisting of 2-6 large circular burrows next to each other where the females lay their eggs together. The nests are then watched over by all of the females within the pack. Females do much of the work in the pack, such as watching the nests and gathering food, whereas the alpha rests, eats, mates, and keeps a lookout for hostile groups.
Trivia
- In wartimes, the Mu-Allar will equip their raptors in armor made from skulls and ribcages, along with dyeing their feathers crimson red.
- The claws on the Two-Claw Raptor’s feet are extremely common in Mu-Allar weaponry, such as knives or spears.
- Strangely enough, the Two-Claw Raptors show complete the inability to climb trees.
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