Story Flying Steed Study

[Tangerine]

Flying Steed Study

Pegasus
Equus pluma

The pegasus is an equine species with light bones, and what appear to be feathered wings. The feathers are actually specialized clumps of hair, but they are still called “feathers", even though they are different from those of birds. Pegasi are the only member of the horse family that can fly. They are thought to have evolved eons ago at the same time as the common horse. The earliest pegasi lived in snowy mountain regions and had to grow wings to survive. They were likely all white to blend in, as many still are today, but other colors also exist.

They are herbivores, like all equines. The same things used to feed horses like hay, oats, and grass can also be used to feed pegasi. But thanks to their ability to fly, fruit and leaves are also part of their regular diet. Both wild and domestic pegasi have been observed soaring to the treetops to eat the fruit and leaves. They ignore the fruit that has fallen to the ground. At first glance it would appear that they are leaving it for their wingless cousins, but they actually have a low tolerance for rotted and bug infested fruit, it makes them deathly sick. Fruit at the top of the tree is less likely to have gone bad.

A pegasus has a slightly longer life expectancy than a horse. While horses can live for around thirty years, pegasi can reach ages of up to forty on average. Pregnancies last for one year or eleven to twelve months. Pegasi are slightly more likely to have twins than horses, with roughly 75% of births being twins. Foals can walk and run shortly after birth, but the wings on a newborn foal are too small and weak to fly with. They reach their proper size at around two years of age. When pegasi are raised as steeds, they are introduced to their riders at this time, but it usually takes one more year before they are skilled enough fliers to carry a rider.

Pegasi reach sexual maturity at around four years. In the wild, pegasus stallions can become aggressive and uncontrollable, especially when mares in the herd are in heat. It’s not uncommon for them to get into fights over mares that can result in injury. Domestic pegasi don’t have this habit, due to selective breeding by humans. Domestic pegasus stallions, because of their more docile natures, don’t adjust well to wild life. They are often run out of any herd they try to join by the dominant males.

Domestic pegasi will only accept female riders. They will become spooked if a male tries to ride them, but they will allow men on their backs if they are wounded in battle and their rider is present to transport the wounded man to safety. Nobody knows exactly why, but there are a few theories. The most common and widely accepted theory: perhaps in the earliest time of human history, when people were uncivilized, hunting parties made up of men would target pegasi and club them to death. The species evolved a natural fear of male humans as a result.

Wyvern
Draco bipes

The wyvern is a species of dragon. It is the only non magical dragon species, being unable to take human form and/or transfer the magic needed to shapeshift into a stone. It is also the only winged dragon with only two legs. They have fleshy ruffs attached to their cheeks, with males’ being larger. They can be almost any color, for both main body and eyes. Instead of having a magical breath ability like other dragons, they have acidic venom. This venom can corrode metal and burn skin. It often mixes with saliva, so even a lick can hurt.

Like all dragons, wyverns are carnivores. They hunt in packs in the wild, similar to wolves. Ancient cultures believed that the first wyverns were wolves blessed by the gods and transformed into dragons. Dragons have been considered godly creatures almost since the dawn of time, and there are still some religions whose gods appear in draconic forms. Tame wyverns are fed by their handlers, but they sometimes get the urge to hunt, which can result in farmers losing their livestock.

Wyverns can live for around fifty years. They lay clutches of two to three eggs about a week after mating, and the eggs hatch ten months later. Clutches in the wild are laid in nests that the parents dig out of the ground, often in rugged areas like mountains or caves. The parents take turns guarding the nest and hunting for food, much like many species of birds. Domestic wyverns have learned to use the egg boxes that their human companions provide. Wyvern eggs are about the size of a newborn puppy. Baby dragons of any type are called draclings. Wyvern draclings hatch with tiny, unusable wings and no venom. They gain their venom at around six months of age, but cannot fly until they’re about a year old. At the age of two years, they are big enough to carry riders and are often introduced to their riders at this time. They reach sexual maturity at around five years.

All draconic creatures are smarter than the average reptile. Wyverns are no exception, even though they can’t speak like other dragons. They have a complicated social structure in the wild. They will fight other groups over food and territory, and have one individual that serves as the leader. The leader decides when the group will hunt and always gets to eat first. The draclings are kept in caves when the adults hunt, and breeding with a member of another group is illegal in wyvern society. If this happens, the group leader will kick the individual out and smash the eggs. Lone wyverns can join a group only with the leader’s approval. The leader is often the biggest and strongest one in the group. To become leader, a wild wyvern must earn it by beating the current leader in a fight or being the strongest in general if the leader dies while still in that position.

Domestic wyverns retain some of the structure from the wild groups. The leader is often the steed of the highest ranking human in the group, regardless of size or strength. But the overall structure is looser and less strict. The leader doesn’t decide when to hunt, they are all fed by their riders. There are also less rules about breeding, all domestic wyverns are considered a part of the same group, and the riders usually control the lineages anyway. Wyverns accept both male and female riders and are loyal like dogs despite their scary appearance.

Edited February 3, 2016 by Tangerine

[Kakeyo]

I found it interesting that this read like a biological study. Would be interesting to see all sort of Fire Emblem creatures explained this way. :3

[secondworld]

I really like this idea

[Freohr Datia]

Awwwww I love this different format~ I found it interesting to read! c:

[Balcerzak]

The whole nonfiction angle is definitely a unique approach, and not what I expected to see in an entry. There's pretty decent parallel structure between the two entries as well, suggesting you put quite a bit of thought and planning into this.

[Jotari]

I think this piece would go really well if it combined text and fan art. Seems like the kind of reading material that would have photographs and diagrams in it.