Male Hatchling
Name: unnamed
Species: Zebu
Birthday: Friday, August 16, 2024
Owner: Sukunana
Element: Neutral 
Newly hatched zebu are stocky and plump, belying their already impressive physical capabilities. Within a few minutes of hatching, a zebu can leap well over the height of a tall magi, or drag around a fully loaded wagon left carelessly unattended, or both at once, in at least one documented unfortunate case. It is fortunate they tend to stick closely to their parent, whether zebu or magi companion, or a magi seeking to raise one would be hard-pressed to keep up with their hatchling. Hatchlings live on milk for the first month of their life, and then switch over to browsing whatever tender greens are around. At this age, they can also start being trained to pull large, heavy carts, though care must be taken to untie them before nightfall during full and waning moons, as young zebus, while not yet capable of leaping fully into the night sky like adults, will try repeatedly as soon as the the sun has set regardless of what they are carrying.
Though they are now common in the hotter lands of the known world, the origin of zebus is shrouded in mystery. The oldest scrolls in the Keep's library with mention of them claim they come from unknown lands across the ocean, where they are revered by a moon cult, a sky cult, or the dominant religion, depending on how one interprets the text. Since adult zebus that aren't caring for a young one have a habit of jumping into the sky on the night of the full moon and not returning until morning, and repeating this every night until the moon has fully waned, it is not difficult to see why they might be held in some religious significance in their land of origin. In the lands around the Keep, Zebus are kept primarily as draught creatures for their great strength, calm dispositions, and ability to eat any plant regardless of its toxicity, though they do not do well in cold, and therefore are rarely seen north of Synara. Occasionally, a zebu might bring a particularly well-liked companion strange grey rocks upon returning from their nighttime disappearances. Magi who study the night sky speculate that these rocks might be from the moon, especially as they resonate particularly well with rituals involving the moon, but so far have been unable to prove it.
Sprite art: Mysfytt (hatchling) | Description: Kestrad