Haza

Haza are a bit like gigantic kiwis. They live in Southeastern Karthack and parts of Iber (via Nisperada) and are sometimes used as mounts. They lack the endurance and speed of horses, but they are much more sure-footed, and they can jump decent distances, and they have dewclaws that can shear open a horse's belly with one stroke, and legs strong enough to kick the lower jaw of a lion clean from its face. Their instinct is not to flee, but to kill.
Despite this they aren't often used in war, because they get tired quickly when armored, and unarmored they're much easier to injure and trip up than horses (two-legged and all that). As scouts, though, they are great animals.
They also have an unusual advantage – their very long beaks, which they normally keep tucked up under their breasts when running so as not to catch them on anything – can be used to pierce deep into the ground, letting them look for water in dry places where other animals would die of thirst. They can even be trained to spit it back out into bowls, for their riders (gross, but better than dying). Haza are thus equally useful in dry climates, like the Kedouan Desert. Additionally they can outrun camels easily, and are also not intimidated by them as horses are. On the rare occasions that Karthack has sent punitive raids into Kedoua, their Kals tend to ride Haza. This is considered undignified and unsoldierly, but those who have tried it (mockingly called Hazakals) know its value.
Category:Fauna