Caelve
From ElanVital
Tiny, fluffy and generally considered to be exceptionally cute, the caelve (singular same as plural) is one of the most merciless predators of Voltumnus, feared and hated by those with experience of the plains of the Titania Plateau.
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Physical Description
Caelve are typically about a foot tall, resembling a cross between a fox and a kangaroo. They have short, exceptionally soft fur of a dappled dark shade, excellent for hiding, along with exaggeratedly large pointed ears and wide eyes. Their sensory systems are known to be excruciatingly keen. Their back legs are long and exceedingly powerful, allowing them to jump nearly six feet up or ten feet horizontally, and their fluffy, poof-ended tails are prehensile- usable both as a steadying force and an impromptu weapon. Caelve have three-inch retractable claws between each of the three toes of their short front legs, which more resemble arms; these are their primary mode of attack, along with inch-long fangs that extend from their upper jaw.
Magical Properties
Caelve are known to be biomancers; the individuals who have survived their unfortunate run-ins with the nasty carnivores report feelings of dizziness and exhaustion upon seeing them, a technique the caelve use to soften up their victims. They also have been observed preying on neta; caelve will approach the neta in a swarm, climb all over them, and while the neta staggers use their claws to pry out the 'plates' of armor.
Habitat
The primary habitat of the caelve is the Goldsea, on the eastern side of the Titania Plateau. They are fond of wooded areas as well, however, being excellent at climbing trees and leaping between them, and have also been spotted in the Red Goose Marsh and Last March Forest.
Social Behavior
Herds
Caelve almost always travel in packs; like a group of crows, a group of caelve is called a murder. Undoubtedly for more literal reasons.
It usually takes between 10-20 caelve to take down a neta; 5 or so are often a death sentence for a human, though people have faced them and survived. The pack sizes reported in the wild vary hugely; anywhere from 2 to nigh-50, though the latter account is often disputed as a result of hysteria.
No one has yet dared study them enough to know about male/female dominance or other social traits of the murder.
Mating
Caelve have been observed mating on several occasions; though usually one couple simply pauses in the midst of idle behavior to indulge, two wild affairs where all males and females spontaneously partner off have also been seen. No one is sure if the partners are random or if caelve practice lasting bonds between partners, due to the scarcity of observational studies.
Young
Young caelve are born quite dangerous, and extra fluffy. Their fur is a lighter beige at birth, only slowly darkening; the final color it takes often seems to be somewhat influenced by the surrounding area, possibly another way in which they benefit from their biomancy.
Danger Level
High. Small, cute, and out for blood.
