Surprisingly enough, a Fornax isn't part of the canine family. They are caniform, but are more closely related to the feline family. They are about as large as the average adult male grizzly bear, but have a more gentle temper. Even in the wild they rarely attack humans or start fights among themselves. They live in mostly cold climates and are rarely seen south of the Canadian boarder. Their markings closely resemble that of cats, horses, and even cows. They can be any color of the natural spectrum, but their eyes are always a 'neon' color. They have three toes on their back legs that sport a type of hoof like claw that they stand on.
When they were first discovered humans started to tame them and use them for riding, competitions, labor, sled pulling, companions, and herding. Because of their large size, they don't usually live in 'packs'. They are more commonly found alone or in groups of two or three.
Stats:Sprint speed: roughly 105 km/h
Running speed: roughly 80 km/h
Lope speed: 10-11 km/h
Gait: Similar to the gait of a wolf, though capable of a trot, collected canter, Spanish walk...etc
Anatomy:Fornax are most commonly perceived as being closest in appearance to a mixture of polar bears and wolves, though, they have a unique profile with an thick stocky snout, long stocky front paws, thick hoofed three toed back paws, and hooked canine teeth that and slightly longer that their upper lips. Their facial anatomy is far more angular from that of a wolf, and far more canine than that of a bear, and too long for that of a cat.
The neck, crest, and withers are protected by an insulating two inch layer of fat, and the fur consists of a dense under layer with an exterior layer of guard hairs, which protects them from the cold, when swimming in the artic waters, and against the harsh climates. The fur on their chests and tails are three times the length of the fur on any other part of their body. It sheds annually, but always retains it's length.
Fornax stand with an average shoulder height of 137 cm, are well muscled, and with a deep chest and sloping back, are extremely suitable for mounts. Ideal weight is 700-800 lbs. depending on height.
