Male Hatchling
Name: unnamed
Species: Os Raven
Birthday: Sunday, September 2, 2018
Owner: Jeh
Mother: unnamed
Father: unnamed
Element: Neutral
Os raven chicks hatch larger than their yagaratsu and corax siblings, but offer little competition, often taking only what the other chicks in their nest leave behind and refusing fresh gobbets of meat offered by their parents. They make little noise and are unable to caw, instead giving off a faint screech when disturbed. They are the first of their cohort to leave the nest, learning how to survive with minimal help from their parents, and relying on their larger size to fend off predators. The first year of life is often the hardest for these birds, their white coloration a distinct disadvantage in the summer forest, but if they survive these hardships, a young os raven may expect to live for thirty years or more.
Typically larger than their corax and yagaratsu progenitors, os ravens are named so for their lustrous white plumage. Because of their unusual coloring, hybrid os ravens typically leave their birth lands at the end of their first winter, following the snows north to cold Boreus and the Arkene. Their large size and exceptionally downy coat helps them survive the cold climate, and their color, which elsewhere would make them easy targets, acts as the perfect camouflage amongst the snow and ice of the far north. One might expect from their great size that these creatures might hunt to survive, but they have a surprisingly low metabolism and survive only on bones and marrow. They crack open the frozen desiccated carcasses of other northern animals they come across and use their heavy bills to break the bones into smaller pieces which are consumed slowly, one at a time, to prevent the bird from getting chilled. Because they eat so little, os ravens will often carry off especially delicious parts like the leg bones and store them under rocks to eat later. Their affinity for polished stones makes them easy to appease, and magi will often provide a large carved stone to act as their companion's prize piece.
Sprite art: Tekla (hatchling) | Description: PKGriffin