Female Hatchling
Name: unnamed
Species: Riguang Fenghuang
Birthday: Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Owner: Kestrad
Element: Light 
Riguang fenghuangs are born when the egg of a riluo fenghuang doesn't get quite enough light, remaining in the shade for most of its time as an egg. These diminutive chicks very quickly gain their brilliant, iridescent plumage, which is darker than that of a riluo fenghuang. Despite their altered appearance, they still love to bask in the sun's rays, and will often stand with their wings spread, angling to catch the sun. They look like they are preening in order to show off their beauty, but in truth these hatchling are practicing to catch the angle of the sun correctly to set their feathers, and whatever prey they may find, aflame. The flames on their tails are more difficult to set alight, and the feathers are thinner, making the birds look almost as if their tails are small sparklers. These hatchlings stand out either at night or during the day, but few predators are willing to hunt something that has such mastery of fire.
Riguang fenghuangs are beautiful, but in the wild their beauty is a clear warning sign of one of the deadliest hunters in their habitat. They hail from the deserts of Voltar, but these birds do well wherever they are introduced as long as they have access to the sun. Their feathers are gorgeous, but do more than give them the power of flight and their lustrous color. Each feather can act like a piece of glass, refracting light perfectly and focusing it on a single point in order to concentrate the sun's rays and set it aflame. Their favored prey is actually other birds, which they burn out of the sky by using focused light, or by simply striking with their long, fiery tails. Riguang fenghuangs are not as bright as riluo fenghuangs, and with their ability to keep their flames low and harder to see, they can even hunt at night using just their powerful talons. Though they are efficient hunters, they are not violent, and when not hunting are content to bask in the sun. They are very careful not to accidentally burn anything in their environment, and it is noted that they will fly long distances to avoid nesting and potentially setting alight a dry forest. For this reason, they are not often found in wooded areas, preferring to nest on rocky mountain peaks. True to their name, these birds live an incredibly long time. It is only when they have no access to the sun that they will burn themselves up using the light from their own waning fires and wait to be reborn during a sunnier time.
Sprite art: Mysfytt (hatchling) | Description: Raneth