Horsiat
The horsiat is a wild creature that is mostly related to Chimeras in myths and legends. With the body of a horse, the mane of a lion, the wings of a bat, and the tail of a scorpion, people wonder how they came to be.
The (Story) Legend: It is said that the beginning of the horsiat came around during the beginning of the Roman empire. Of course, the Roman people did not see it this way. It is an old legend that the Roman god Neptune, not only the god of the sea, but also the god of horses, wished to make a new equine creature. He started with a horse and added the fearsome lion so that this equine could defend itself. Then, he added a scorpion, offering its tail to add to the ferocity of this new creature. Finally, he wanted this equine to be able to fly, being a master of the ground and air. He chose a bat's wings, which he saw as graceful and powerful. He merged the four creatures together to form the horsiat. When Neptune stepped back from his creation, he admired its beauty and sent it down to Earth to populate.
Obviously with today's common beliefs with science, it is shown that the horsiat has evolved to become more efficient through the ages, just as all animals have evolved. They are related mostly to equines, but have a common ancestor with the lion as well.
Where they originate: They originate Northern Europe to the most southern parts of the Sahara Desert. Mostly seen in mountains, some can be found in the plains. The desert horsiat is commonly found flying over oases. They don't wander too far, unless the oasis runs dry of water.
What they eat: Horsiats are a omnivorous creature. In the mountains, they will eat shrubbery, leaves and berries, but will also take down small animals. In the plains, they eat the wild grasses and hunt nothing bigger than an opossum. The desert horsiats are different than their temperate cousins. They eat everything that can grow in an oasis, however, they do not hunt. Instead, they fly over the oasis, catching bugs.
What males are like: Males behave mostly like male lions. One male travels with a pride of horsiats. They are, of course, territorial and will go after other males who try to mate with their females. The difference is that male horsiats are more caring than male lions. If a male horsiat discovers that a cub is not his, he keeps it and raises it as his own. A male horsiat also plays a part in child development to teach then how to hunt.
What females are like: Females do most of the hunting, just as lionesses do. They also care for the young and teach them the things they need to know about hunting and the different types of plants they eat, no matter where the region.
Range of colors/Types of markings:
Temperates in General: They have hooves and have darker markings than their desert cousins.
Temperate Male: His mane can be from a light yellow/tawny color to a reddish-brown. His body is mostly singularly colored except for his back hips, which give an appaloosa-like look to him. His body can be a light brown to black in color. His markings on his hips are normally a light color that is somewhat similar to his mane. The tail is normally dark brown to black. The wings are also gray to black in color.
Temperate Female: The female mostly looks like this. Her mane is much smaller compared to the male and can range from a dark yellow to a dark brown. Her body is mostly one color ranging from light brown to an almost black. Her hips give an appaloosa-look with colors ranging from light brown to more similar colors to her full body color or the color that is most like her mane. The tail and wings have near the same coloring as the male.
Deserts in General: They have split hooves, much like camels, and are relatively lighter in color than their temperate cousins so as to blend in to the sand.
Desert Male: Coming soon.
Desert Female: Coming soon.
If you have any questions, post here or PM me.
