Adult Male
Name: unnamed
Species: Kestrel Fox Simurgh
Birthday: Wednesday, May 31, 2023
Owner: Inari
Element: Neutral 
While hatchling fox simurghs are generally quiet in their stillness, only sometimes yipping when they want attention, adults are another matter entirely. As they mature enough to seek a mate, fox simurghs take up screaming at all hours. This is, understandably, very annoying to anyone nearby who wishes to get any work done, and so adult fox simurghs normally residing at the Keep are banished from the place starting from late winter to mid-spring, to do their screaming in Silva Forest. After the matter of partners has been settled and the constant caterwauling has ceased as a result, they are welcomed back to Keep to lay their eggs. Fox simurghs still sometimes scream during this time, but far less often. Magi speculate that there might be some magical component to the screaming, much as their wolf-based cousins communicate wisdom through howls, but if so, it is far less pronounced.
With the cleverness of their fox half, the flight ability of their bird half, and the combined hunting prowess of both, kestrel fox simurghs are a sight to behold when taking down prey, and frequently kept for this skill. Significantly smaller than their wolf-based cousins, they most frequently catch rats, squirrels, and small birds, but it is not an uncommon sight to see a well-trained fox simurgh happily trotting up or winging over to its companion with a large hare or wild goose in its mouth, and much of the game that the Keep supplements its food for residents with is brought in this way. While these days, the Keep heavily frowns upon hunting for sport, there are records suggesting that long ago, Synaran nobles would make great social events out of hunts, and kept a great many fox simurghs to employ on these. Nowadays, they are still popular in Synara, but as pampered pets with the added benefit of keeping the city???s vermin population low.
Sprite art: Mysfytt (adult) | Description: Kestrad