Female Hatchling
Name: unnamed
Species: Bathyal Dunkleosteus
Birthday: Sunday, March 5, 2017
Owner: Amp
Element: Neutral 
Unlike many hatchlings, dunkleosteus hatch out of their eggs fully formed and able to take care of themselves. They receive no care from their parents and must avoid any dunkleosteus large enough to see them as a meal. Already the youngsters sport their own heavy plates that allow them to crush the hard shells of mollusks and pierce through nearly anything that can fit in their mouths. They do not seem to care much about land creatures and only really pay attention to large flying creatures if they are near the surface; the dunkleosteus are already heavy enough that most common birds cannot lift them. The hatchlings may occasionally watch their magi from within Lake Lakira with their wide, lidless eyes, but otherwise they are not especially responsive. Even the most foolhardy young magi know not to dip their toes into water where dunkleosteus dwell, otherwise they may not have toes for much longer.
Bathyal dunkleosteus are reclusive creatures that live in the depths of the open ocean, steering clear from most landforms and feeding on whatever creatures they come across in their travels. They are rare, but widespread, circumnavigating the globe many times throughout their lives, and never settling on one place for long. They may go years between visits to the surface waters, so sightings are exceedingly uncommon, leading to the myth among sailors that there is only one bathyal dunkleosteus in the whole world, and that she has been swimming in the ocean since fish first appeared. Water magi will occasionally go on expeditions to find bathyal dunkleosteus in the open ocean, swimming down to their depths with the help of magic and koi fish, but they are more often found as eggs that infrequently wash ashore. Bathyal dunkleosteus grow larger than their euphotic cousins, though they still seem to enjoy swimming around in Lake Lakira.
Sprite art: Tekla (hatchling) | Description: PKGriffin