Kite Serpent

Kite serpents are the apex predators of the Windy Forest.

Basic Information

Anatomy

These creatures can grow over nine meters long, with their wingspan roughly half that. They have two winged forearms that allow them to glide great distances and fly for short times. Time spent in full flight depends on the serpent's stores of ether. Their powerful claws and muscular bodies allow them to climb trees with ease. The back half of their bodies is composed of a light cartilage rather than bone, and drifts up into the air like a ribbon.

Genetics and Reproduction

Kite serpents are ovoviviparous, meaning that they do not lay eggs, but give birth to live young. A clutch ranges from a dozen or two offspring.

Growth Rate & Stages

When a kite serpent hatches, it is only about a meter long, but is able to hunt small prey. It is able to use its claws and fangs, but its feathers and wings take around two weeks to develop, so it cannot fly or glide. Once its wings grow in, the baby becomes able to draw in magical energy for flight, and its tail gains its iconic ability to float. The mother watches over her young for several months to a year. If her hatchlings are distressed, they cry out for her, and she comes to their aid.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Kite serpents hunt using sight and smell. Similar to other snakes, they smell by "tasting" the air with a long, forked tongue. They have highly developed heat pits on their snouts. These organs allow the serpent to sense infrared wavelengths from several meters away. Even in darkness, a kite serpent can detect heat and strike with deadly accuracy.