Pegasi

The pegasus is one of few creatures on Lerulious capable of magic manipulation (the others being Humans and the now extinct Dragons). Pegasi are winged horses that use their magical flow to manipulate wind currents around their wings, allowing them to fly at high speeds with little apparent effort. Pegasi are domesticated for human use as riding animals, both for messenger services as well as military applications. Pegasi are slightly more expensive to feed and house than horses, and as such are relatively common.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Though similar to horses in many respects, Pegasi have several differences that make them distinct from their equine brethren. The first, and most obvious, being their wings. A pegasus has a wingspan ranging from 12-20 feet, covered in broad feathers. While their coat, at first glance, can be mistaken for a short fur like a horse’s, that too is actually made up of feathers. A fully grown pegasus is slightly smaller than the average horse, at 4-5.5 feet at the withers, and about 7 feet in length. Pegasus teeth are large, flat, uncannily hard grinders.

Genetics and Reproduction

Pegasi reproduce similarly to horses, though a pegasus pregnancy lasts an entire year.

Growth Rate & Stages

A pegasus pregnancy lasts for a full year, at which time the young, known as pegasus foal, are born. Pegasus foals are capable of flight mere moments from birth, though will not be ready for passengers for quite some time. From birth, pegasus foals take about 5 years to reach maturity, and grow for another two to three years before reaching their full size. Pegasi live up to 30 years on average, and fly until they pass.

Ecology and Habitats

Wild pegasi prefer wide open fields with few trees that allow them to fly into the air to escape predation from terrestrial hunters such as wolves.

Dietary Needs and Habits

As touched on before, Pegasi eat whatever manner of fodder provided to them, though their preference is for oats. This diet is supplemented irregularly with crystals and gems, usually those small enough that they cannot be used for staff magic. Spent crystals are particularly good for the pegasi, funnily enough, and they can subsist on such crystals for their flight even more easily than on unused crystals.