Frozen Female Hatchling
Name: unnamed
Species: Opaline Synaran Aericorn
Birthday: Sunday, January 11, 2015
Owner: latiosp
Mother: Opal
Father: Labrador
Element: Life
At first, one can easily be fooled into thinking that these small creatures are noble and almost arrogant, as they like nothing more than to stand and observe the world pass them by, their wings folded tightly on their backs. However, it quickly becomes apparent that these hatchlings spend most of their time dozing, their eyes half lidded as they sleep on their feet and conserve energy. Aericorn hatchlings sleep nearly 20 hours a day, more than any other species in the Keep, and their time awake is spent eating. While they lack the refined plant growing abilities they will have as adults, their power clearly still functions, and sometimes a hatchling will awaken to find itself covered in strawberry vines or to the sight of moss growing on their fetlocks. It does not bother the hatchlings, though, and they will simply eat the plant life that grew on them. Some magi think they dream of growing food, and thus it happens. At times, aericorns have caused plants to grow while sleeping within a stable or while standing on a stone floor, and as a result caretakers of these creatures permit them only to sleep outside.
While they are most commonly found in Synara, aericorns are actually native to the jungles of Raza, where their bright colors help them hide among the vines and flowers of the rainforest. Their survival depends on their camouflage, as aericorns are clumsy flyers and even worse runners. This is mostly because they will never expend an ounce of effort if they do not have to. Unlike other free ranging equines, aericorns have no need to migrate or even to move. They can simply summon the growth of whatever food they desire straight from the ground with their power, and they can do it within seconds. Even in captivity, they will eat only food that they grew using their powers. They glean all the moisture they need from the sweet fruits and nectars they grow and eat, so finding water is similarly unnecessary. In the wild they travel only to find mates or to find a suitable spot to give birth. Their lack of movement sometimes results in moss growing upon their legs and tails, and makes them ill-suited to physical activity. Unfortunately for these creatures, their lifestyle makes them easy prey for the dangerous carnivores in the Razan jungles, thinning their numbers to the point that for a very long time they were considered a myth. However, once magi found them and they became desirable as pets and novelties within the city of Synara, their population exploded. Wild aericorns are still found in the jungles, but they are exceedingly rare. Breeders in Synara have cultivated three primary breeds of these creatures, with the pink and purple colorations being in highest demand.
Sprite art: Jrap17 (hatchling) | Description: Raneth