Sahra Hare

One might not expect to find hares in the desert but this species is hardy and adaptable. Whether the sands they travel are frozen, irradiated or impossibly arid the Sahra Hare will emerge as the sun sets and the sky darkens, seemingly summoned by moonlight. They have even settled into the sweltering mountains of Gaarreen Ho'aa and the unpredictable lands of KwaZulu. The Sahra Hare is an ubiquitous animal of northern and southern Alkelbulan, a staple food for would be predators. Herbivore Prey Nocturnal Hearing Fast Camouflage

Kaithur

First Ability Rithaldis' Diet Those with Rithaldis' Diet are able to consume or absorb radiant energy as sustenance, to heal or to replenish their magic energy. They cannot be harmed by radiant energy, absorbing it instead. This includes radiation. Emryl's Skin Sahra hare with Emryl's Skin can generate heat from their skin and fur into extremes and expand this into a pocket around themselves. They are also heatproof but generating pockets of heat or extreme temperatures quickly eats up energy. Second Ability Maralith's Sense Those with Maralith's Sense are able to feel or sense mammals present in their environment, within a given distance, and sense what kinds of beast they are despite barriers. Used to sense stealthy mammalian predators. Sylthari's Sense Hares with Sylthari's Sense can sense its own fate and future as it continues to shift and change, especially sensitive to when they are in imminent danger. They get an uncanny and overwhelming "bad feeling" if their life is at risk, even when there is no signs of a threat. This is strongest at night and when the moon is fuller and weakest at noon or during a new moon. Fliris' Step Those with Fliris' Step are able to step into and out of Fliris' Plane, using their own bodies as a portal if they can attain a certain speed. They can only stay in the plane so long as they keep moving. They can bring another with them if they maintain contact.

Anatomy

Original Ancestor Lifespan Lepus capensis Cape Hare 1-5 years Height Length Weight 1-2 ft 41-56 cm 20-23 in 52-60 cm 9-11 lbs 4-5 kg Coloration Light brown to reddish to sandy gray in color, their coat fine and soft with white rings around their eyes. Its magic form varies from region to region. Those with Rithaldis magic have a stark white muzzle and belly while those with Emryl magic are marigold or amber. Sahra hare with Fliris magic have robin blue paws and limbs wheras those blessed by Sylthari have gleaming silver or white patterns across their body.

Habitat

Shrubland Savannah Semi-Desert Desert Grassland Montane Rural Steppe Sahra Hares make their homes in shrublands, grasslands, bushveld, deserts and semi-deserts. They hide in shallow scrapes during the day underneath shrubs or bushes, mostly napping and still wary. They rarely sleep deeply. They can be found throughout northern and southern Alkelbulan including the Shamsi and Arabiyyan Desert, Balkurtiz, Birit Narim, Kna'an, Kemet, Parsa, Kasar Wuta, Gaarreen Ho'aa, Nyasi za Rangi, KwaZulu and even into the Frozen Wastes and Bharat!

Life Cycle

Solitary Viviparous Promiscuous Precocial Sahra hare breed throughout the year but are especially active from January to June, pregnancy lasting about 42 days. They have 1-3 babies which are called leverets, immediately able to move around within two days of being born. Their mother provides minimal care for these relatively self-sufficient leverets, providing them milk once a day but failing to provide them a nest or protection--they must learn to survive on their own by the end of their first month of life! Extremely prolific, sahra hares have around four litters a year and leverets fully mature at 8 months, remaining solitary outside of breeding.

Diet

Herbivore Folivore Xylophage Radicivore Frugivore Fungivore These are nocturnal herbivores, feeding on leaves, stems and rhizomes from grasses like Jari Tamal, Satie Drinn or Mashe Lovegrass. They will also eat the leaves, buds, roots, berries, fungi, bark and twigs of other plants like shrubs and weeds. While solitary grazers, sahra hare may spread out into small groups of their own kind, alerting each other if they notice a predator. They do this by grinding their teeth or drumming their feet against the ground. In the presence of predators, sahra hare first freeze and press themselves to the ground, relying on their natural camouflage. If hiding fails, they dash and zigzag for their life, capable of running up to 48 mph (77 kh/h). Cheetah are one of the only predators which can outrun them without magic, most often caught by surprise or worn out by a long chase—something far more difficult to accomplish with the hares with Sense manifestations. And those with Fliris' Step can flee into Fliris' Plane for shelter while those with Emryl's Skin burn unwary foes. Whatever their kaithur, all will kick violently if caught. At the bottom of the food chain, their predators include Giant Cheetah, leopards, caracal, Wata Jackal, Isk Viper, Asp Viper, Jah Eagle-Owl, ǁKo Wild Dog, Manid Hyena, Paraa Falcon, humans and others. Despite this, their population is fairly stable thanks to their rapid reproduction and sensory magic.

Mythology

Its no surprise this beast has become a symbol of swiftness and fertility or that it features in a number of folktales.. They are seen as a clever creature with keen senses, gifting humanity with drums and music in some tales. In other regions of Alkelbulan, hares are viewed a stupid, greedy or tricksy beast which deceives other animals in order to take the fruit of their labor. This is why they say so many other beasts chase and devour it in revenge. Most famous are the Saan ǂKhomani tribe in KwaZulu whose magic form carries features of a Sahra Hare. They are in fact cursed to turn completely into hares under the full moon, hunted throughout the night. To this day Saan will not eat these hare, fearing they might eat a member of the ǂKhomani tribe by accident! They still tell the story of The Hare, The Moon and the Hunter in KwaZulu.