Zurosian
"Ah, but you see, Zurosian's do not tend to find being called a 'cat' an insult, tiny Earthling. We are the fiercest and bravest race to exist on Zuros. The Fenati are weak compared to us. Our might, our sheer numbers, outpace them. Even to the point that we have taken over their most prized ancient ruin, the Freslo Ruins on the opposite end of the planet and turned it into a tourist attraction. So, no, Human. I am not insulted that you called me a Cat. I am not insulted, no. But you have no idea who you're talking to. There are no Fenati left on Zuros because I have killed or enslaved them all! And you, pathetic little monkeys will be next."
The Zurosian main-race, as they've referred to themselves in the past, are a proud race of warriors from the planet Zuros in the Ilios Cluster. This race of tall, muscular felids are proud, strong, and has given rise to many of the greatest (and most feared) pirates to ever sail the endless seas of space.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Zurosians are large felids, tending toward bipedalness, but for a decent chunk of their history were solely quadrupedal. They are a varied and diverse race, evolved from the many different felid species that once roamed their planet. As such, they have a variety of different body types.
The most common race of Zurosians are the Trifi. They are a largely bipedal race, very muscular and strong. They tend to have fur that is shades of blue or green, though spending too much time in the light of a different colored sun can bleach their fur into shades of grey (under a yellow sun) or shades of reddish purple (under a red sun). The most prominent quadrupedal race of Zurosians are the Tigiri, and are similar in color and musculature to the Trifi, but do not stand upright.
It is illegal on Xuri to refer to the Zurosians, be they bipedal or quadrupedal differently based on their markings, leggedness, or size. The only acceptable way to differentiate between "kinds" of Zurosians is by "kit" for children, and "kar" for adults.
Genetics and Reproduction
The Zurosians pretend they can only produce viable offspring with their own species, because facing the reality that a Zurosian can produce a child with a Fenati would force them look deeper at themselves and the realities of their existence.
Growth Rate & Stages
Zurosians are "fast growing, slow aging" as they have proposed their lifecycle be termed. They're fully grown, physically, after only 10 of their solar cycles (20 lunar years), but they can live upwards of 250 solar cycles (500 lunar years) in times of peace, and barring any disastrous epidemics or natural events.
They are born small, but grow rapidly throughout their "kit phase", after reaching a certain point they stop growing physically. At this point they will shed their "kit-coat" losing their soft fuzzy "baby fur" in favor of coarser "adult fur" with the bipedal ones losing the fur on their tails completely to be left with the thick scaly hide that resides under their fur. Scientists aren't sure for what reason their lose their tail-fur upon reaching full growth, but it's theorized this is somehow related to whatever forces helped them evolve to be bipedal in the first place.
Ecology and Habitats
As far as can be told, the Zurosians cannot survive at temperatures below -10 celcius, nor above 40 Celsius. The former can be observed on Xuri, as no Zurosians live in the polar regions, nor in places where there's permafrost. The latter can be extrapolated from the fact that if the Zurosians do not shave their fur during unusually hot months their hearts overheat and they die of cardiac failure. There's not a single place on the planet's surface that both regularly reaches above 40 Celcius and has Zurosian habitation.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Zurosians, despite being capable of eating plant based food, are strictly carnivorous. They can eat and digest plant-matter, but aside from a few genetically modified strains of mushrooms, gain no nutrients from doing so.
It's wrongly believed by some races that the Zurosians are cruel and bloodthirsty because of their carnivorous nature, but this is simply not true at least related to how they treat their food. All their farms and food sources are sustainable, and they treat their prey animals and food animals with the utmost respect. An offering is made before each hunt, before each processing day, and before each meal to the "Spirits and protectors of [the animal]" to thank them for their contribution to the continued existence of the Zurosian species. The Zurosians use every part of the animal, the furs are used for bedding and protection when the Zurosians are faced with temperatures colder than what they can normally handle, the bones used for tools, the skins for leather (which has many many uses). They waste nothing when it comes to their livestock, as it is disrespectful to do so.
Additional Information
Average Intelligence
The Zurosians are quite intelligent, being one of the many spacefaring races of the Galaxy.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
The Zurosians tend to have excellent vision in low light environments, but they also see more based on movement than colors. They can sense vibrations in the air with their whiskers, or feel the changes in temperature with the pads of their paws.
Comments