The Yandorei

Yandorei

General: Very strange creatures, the Yandorei were named by an imaginative Bard, though whether anyone else had seen them prior to this discovery, other than him, no one knows. The Singular form of their name is 'Yandori'
They are unique to the lands of Shai, and are found nowhere else on the planet. They seem to be most numerous in the Grasslands, but can be located all over. They are tamed as Pets, or Bonded to by Nobility. Not often found in the lower classes.

Appearence: Very strange creatures, they look like winged snakes at first glance. They have 4 spindly legs, that are long and slender. The forelegs are very slightly shorter than the length of the hind ones, attached to a very narrow body, with a long tail draping behind. The wings are about the same length as the creatures from nose to tail. There is a sort of grace about the odd looking things, that one didn't usually see in firelizards. When they fly, they are ungainly and not particularly pretty, but when they run, their long legs carry them swiftly and smoothly, with far more elegance than one sees in them in the skies. They grow up to about 1 foot in length (not including their long tails)
Like the dragons of Shai, Yandorei have scales but theirs are not as thick, and they tend to be slightly gleaming.

Maturity: Yandorei cannot fly for several weeks, but they gain the speed on ground that is native to their species as soon as they can stand, which is about 2 days after their initial hatching.
Like the dragons that they vaguely resemble, Yandorei come from eggs, that tend to be buried in a mound, and covered with grass. The adult Yandorei watch over them until they hatch, which is about 2 weeks after they are laid.
Female Yandorei mate when they reach about half a year, and they are egg-heavy for 1 week before they clutch. Yandorei mating is not in the air, but more of a chase over ground. The first male to catch the 'Running' female becomes her mate. They tend to mate for life. They come in different hues, and tend to have a designated 'Queen' and her mate, the 'King.'
A Yandorei female will Run every 6 months or so.

Intelligence: The Yandorei have limited intelligence, but it is pretty impressive; a few generations of breeding in the Courts of Shai, and they have gained the ability to communicate in pictures, but for the most part they will only speak in chitters, chirps and the normal sounds of bird communication. They tend to use shrieks when they particularity want something.
Yandorei can tell how their Bonded's are feeling, and are not particularly sensible when it comes to food, but even that is a lot like the firelizard range of brains. They are very empathetic; some are even aware what those besides their Bondeds are feeling and can act on this. Responsive creatures, they love attention and positive emotions.

Colors: The Yandorei have several colors that are considered 'Kings' or 'Queens' The rest obey them. When there is danger, these creatures (with the exception of the Kings or Queens) take shelter in stone 'Dens.' The Queen's job is to tell them when it is safe to come out, and when to go in.

Moonstone (Queen)
Clutch-yes (10-30 eggs)
Gender-female
Caught by-Obsidian, Diamond
Description-The highest queens of the Yandorei, they are very rare. Imperious and commanding, they are rather vain. Their scales are a dark black-purple, with an over sheen much like those found on Opals, though rather than being pastels they tend to be rich metallics. Sometimes they are a cloudy blue.

Opal (Queen)
Clutch-yes (5-15 eggs)
Gender-female
Caught by-Obsidian, Diamond, occasionally Garnet
Description-The secondary queens, they are slightly more common than Moonstones. Their scales range in hue from black with what could be white-ish/beige, tinged with the same rainbows. That is the deciding characteristic. Whatever the base color, they always have a multi-hued sheen over top.

Obsidian (King)
Gender-male
Catches-Moonstone, Opal, Amethyst, Marble
Description-Obsidians are the higher Kings of the Yandorei. Their scales are a deep black, unmarked by any other hues. However, while some are glossy and sleek, others can be completely matte and lacking gloss. Others are a mixture of both. They tend to be a bit bossy, but devoted.

Diamond (King)
Gender-male
Catches-Moonstone, Opal, Amethyst, Marble, Jade
Description-Diamonds are the secondary Yandorei Kings they have scales which can seem transparent and though they might look as if you can see through their crystalline hides, it's only their facets reflecting. Delicate and regal, they have a mostly blue-ish tinge but others seem completely clear. More temperamental than Obsidians, they are rather fierce.

Amethyst
Clutch-yes (2-7 eggs)
Gender-female
Caught by-Obsidian, Diamond, Garnet, Topaz
Description-Ranging in shade from a pale violet to a deep, rich purple which signifies nobility, Amethysts are the daintiest of the Yandorei. Lithe and quick, they tend to be quite sweet and the most empathetic of all.

Garnet
Gender-male
Catches-Amethyst, sometimes Opal, Marble, Jade
Description-Crewdly called 'red,' Garnets can be anywhere from a translucent pink to a deep crimson, even to a blood-red. Slightly metallic, they have no one 'base hue.' They are swift and full of energy, and about the same size as their Amethyst sisters.

Topaz
Gender-male
Catches-Amethyst, Marble, Jade
Description-Topazes can be either blue, or a sort of golden-brown shade, though the former is more common. Easily confused and with short attention spans, their hides are usually a turquoise-blue. Their scale-shades are solid rather than apparently translucent.

Marble
Clutch-no
Gender-Female
Caught by-Topaz, Garnet, sometimes Diamond, Granite
Description-Marbles have the most variety in scale, of all the Yandorei. Sometimes they are dominantly beige, with streaks of brown or gray, while others are white with green...and still others have many different colors! However, their bases are dominantly plain. Quiet and withdrawn, the only way to classify a Marble is by whether they have more than one color on their hide.

Granite
Gender-Male
Catches-Marble, Jade
Description-Granites are simple Yandori, with curious but cautious natures. Their scales are usually gray, though some have hints of black or even white. The shading ranges from a dark gray to paler, nearly white tints.

Jade
Clutch-no
Gender-female
Caught by-Topaz, Garnet, Diamond, Granite
Description-Competitive and bright, Jades are always on the go. Their scales range from darker greens to nearly gray-green. They are rarely solid in shade: other tints of green often intertwine with their base hide, which sometimes may seem translucent.

Tiger's eye/Hawk's eye
Clutch-no
Gender-Male or female
Catches/Caught by: Tiger's eye/Hawk's eye
Description-Always twins, they Tiger's eye and Hawk's eye Yandorei always share a shell. If they are found in a clutch, there is sure to be one of each. A tiger's eye and a hawk's eye are always twins. There is usually one male and one female, but sometimes there are mixes. Tiger's eyes are an orange-ish-red hue with a pale stripe of lighter orange or yellow, while Hawk's eyes are deep bluey-black with a paler strip of lighter blue. They only fly their same hues.