Skadinger
Across the known world, skadinger hunts are a favorite pastime of woodsmen and aristocrats alike. A small, plump relative of the gryph, the skadinger is an inoffensive grazing fowl that inhabits long grass, shrubbery, and virtually any other sort of ground cover it can find. Some species of skadinger are adapted to life in sand or heavy snow, as well, making them one of the few creatures found almost everywhere.
A round-bodied bird roughly the size of a hen, the skadinger's short, fluffy tail feathers and long, forked crest give it an uncanny resemblance to a rabbit, especially with the tuft of feathers that conceal most of its beak. Its short but powerful wings bear small claws that it uses to sift through debris for edible morsels such as seeds and insects. Though a poor flyer, the plucky little avian's legs are shockingly strong for its size. The skadinger moves over the ground in short hops, and when frightened is capable of launching itself surprising distances, wings beating furiously to control its trajectory. Their habit of traveling overland in great, yards-long leaps has earned them the nickname of 'bounders' among rural folk.
Though too skittish to domesticate, skadingers make rewarding prey for hunters, providing a reasonable challenge but little danger (though more than one novice hunter has earned a nasty scar by underestimating the strength of a skadinger's taloned feet). Their leg meat is tough but flavorful, and the rest of the animal is succulent and tender. Often associated with fertility and vigilance, they feature prominently in the art of Aluvia and Silvera.
