Lao-Ying

The Lao-Ying are a species of huge Eagles bred as beasts of burden for thousands of years. They ferry goods and people between the World Below and the Floating islands.
They have a huge wingspan of 150 feet. Usually brown feathers although flecks of white and black are not unknown. They have large heads with piercing green eyes and either yellow or black beaks. The birds are very gentle, bred for work not for aggressive behaviour or fighting.
Their eggs are 15 foot tall - once laid they take 2 years and 4 months to hatch. A female once on her nest will never leave it and is entirely dependent upon her partner for food during the gestation period.
Whilst take off requires little space, a fully laden Lao-Ying requires a considerable flat landing area at least 1000 yards long and 200 feet wide. It has to be a smooth surface cleared of rocks and obstructions or the Lao-Ying will badly cut their talons as they come into land. In Kaisawa the only landing strip remaining is just outside of Nakamura. The Lao-Ying are frequently seen flying through the Eye on their journeys to and from the World Below.
The journey from the World Below and the floating island of Kaisawa takes about 90 minutes. each bird is capable of ferrying between 2 and 3 tonnes via the saddle harnesses strapped to them by their The Hae Ling  (or keepers).
The The Hae Ling are a secretive group who keep themselves to themselves. Although it is rumoured that they are very wealthy they display no outward signs of wealth at all. In Kaisawa they live as a small clan in a small group of non-descript buildings close to the landing strip. They have their own language and there are rumours that they can communicate telepathically with the Lao-Ying. They perch on elaborate and ancient saddles strapped just behind the head of the Lao-Ying.