Arnakat

The arnakat has one spell that they know from birth, having learned it through magical evolution. They can create bright flashes of light that stun prey that have adjusted to the desert night, and when they are blinded, they surround their prey and cover them, to go in for the kill.

Basic Information

Anatomy

A small, feathered beast. The deserts they live in are populated by large birds of prey, and so they evolved to move swiftly on land so as not to have to compete in the skies. Because they cannot fly, their wings very quickly evolved into a second pair of legs, so that they can very easily move over rock and sand. They have thin feathers, almost like hairs, which is similar to another flightless bird, the kiwi. However, the Arnakat's feathers are stiff and spine-like, and they tense up further when threatened, capable of stabbing the mouths of larger predators. They have a stature and physique resembling a rat, moving about on all fours and scurrying. Their beaks are sharp, for rending and tearing into flesh, and their plumage is short and thin. They are a red-orange color to blend into the arid rocky deserts they inhabit.

Genetics and Reproduction

Arnakat reach sexual maturity rapidly. They will hide their clutches of eggs beneath rocks, half covered in the shade so they don't overheat in the desert sun. They will lay anywhere from 9-15 eggs at a time.

Ecology and Habitats

Arnakat live in arid deserts, traveling in swarms and moving with sandstorms. However, arnakat have a tendency to settle in the ruins of desert settlements, or other places touched by death. Though they have no strong necromantic powers, they have an preference for these locations, for unknown reasons. They will regularly venture out in the day in search of creatures that have been weakened by the sun, but be too weak to hunt because of that same heat. They prefer to do all major hunting and traveling in the night, when it is cool.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Arnakat are primarily scavengers; they hunt in packs, usually multiple families traveling together. They will scout out and track large prey, like humans, wild horses, or other ungulates. Once night falls, all arnakat will swarm at once, tearing into the prey and covering them with enough small wounds all over for them to bleed out quickly. They will not only eat the meat of their prey, but drink any fluids they have access to. However, if they cannot find living prey, they will battle vultures and other scavengers for detritus.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

The arnakat is infamous for its strong second sight. They can sense the life force of prey and predators alike, and though they cannot in any way manipulate this, they use it to scope out what creatures are weak enough for them to kill.