Chiri-Chiri

Chiri-Chiri is Rysn Ftori's larkin, one of only three known larkin left alive.
== Appearance and Personality ==
When Rysn first received her, Chiri-Chiri was about the size of the palm of her hand. Since then, she has grown considerably, to more than two feet long. Chiri-Chiri's general appearance is that of a large cremling with membranous wings. Her sleek head is reminiscent of an axehound, but with solid silver eyes. Typically, Chiri-Chiri's carapace is a brown-violet color, but when she requires a mandra to continue growing, her shell whitens to a chalky color.
Since Chiri-Chiri eats Stormlight, Rysn has to keep a close eye on her or she will sneakily eat the Light from the spheres Rysn uses to light the room or the Light powering her fabrials. Recently, Rysn has had some success in training Chiri-Chiri to not eat Light unless offered, although Chiri-Chiri still disobeys occasionally. When she's not eating, she likes to nap in Rysn's pot of grass or to perch on the lintel above the door. However, if the need arises, she is also protective of Rysn. Chiri-Chiri makes a variety of clicking noises with her jaw to communicate. Chiri-Chiri is able to sense Rysn's tone and respond accordingly. When Chiri-Chiri needs to bond a mandra to continue growing, she curls up and becomes much less energetic, often refusing to feed on spheres. Her normal energy is restored quickly upon bonding.
== Attributes and Abilities ==
Chiri-Chiri eats Stormlight by perching on or hovering over an infused sphere and sucking the Light out in a stream. She can also eat Voidlight. In addition to eating Light from spheres, Chiri-Chiri can suck Light, of both types, from people holding it, such as Fused or Surgebinders. She may even be able to feed on Breath, including a divine Breath.
This eating of Investiture powers Chiri-Chiri's rapid growth. Like all larkin, Chiri-Chiri must occasionally bond mandras from Akinah to sustain this growth and retain her flight. Since the enormous, greatshell-sized skulls in the undersea caverns of Aimia are likely lancer or larkin skulls, it is probable that Chiri-Chiri can eventually reach a similar size.
Chiri-Chiri is a sapient being, fully capable of thought and decision-making. She is even able to understand and mimic human speech.
== History ==
=== First Meeting with Rysn ===
Chiri-Chiri was given to Rysn by the island Relu-na after Rysn fell from its head.
=== The Thaylen Gem Vault ===
When Vstim came to audit the queen's vault with Rysn, Chiri-Chiri snuck in. She saved Rysn by consuming all of the Voidlight from the Fused that was attacking them to rob the vault. After feasting on the Stormlight from the King's Drop and the Voidlight from the Fused, Chiri-Chiri grew significantly enough for Rysn to notice.
=== Expedition to Aimia ===
For several months since, Chiri-Chiri continued to grow until she fell mysteriously ill. This caused Rysn to consider an expedition to Akinah to attempt to get help for Chiri-Chiri. They first traveled to Urithiru, where Queen Navani Kholin marveled over Chiri-Chiri. After seeing the larkin for herself, Navani granted Rysn a deal to travel to Akinah to uncover the mysteries there. Chiri-Chiri came on the expedition and spent most of the trip dozing off. Partway through, upon discovering Nikli's subterfuge, Rysn attempted to use Chiri-Chiri to determine if Nikli was holding Light, but Chiri-Chiri didn't draw any from Nikli's body. Rysn was confident this meant that Nikli wasn't holding any. Upon arrival at Aimia, Chiri-Chiri looked up towards what Cord identified as luckspren. She seemed to perk up for the first time since the illness set in, getting up and flying around. After a short while, Chiri-Chiri dove into the water. Later, when Rysn was bargaining with Nikliasorm in the caverns, Chiri-Chiri returned to Rysn, having bonded some mandras. Her normal coloration had returned and she even instinctively attempted to defend Rysn. Chiri-Chiri's arrival forced Nikli to consider making a deal with Rysn. Chiri-Chiri stayed with Rysn during the negotiations as Nikli revealed that it considered Chiri-Chiri to be an Ancient Guardian. Nikli explained that Chiri-Chiri was the third larkin the Sleepless had encountered, and the first to reach the size that required her to bond mandras. After the negotiations concluded, a fully recovered Chiri-Chiri joined Rysn and the crew as they sailed back to the mainland.
=== Post-expedition ===
Some time after the Aimia expedition, Chiri-Chiri was present during a conversation between Rysn and Vstim. She observed that the humans had an ungainly way of communicating, with a great deal of flapping, wet sounds that came from their mouths. As Rysn and Vstim talked, Chiri-Chiri sensed an ancient Rosharan rhythm that vibrated up from the ground. After Vstim left, Chiri-Chiri wanted to communicate to Rysn about the impending danger that she sensed through the rhythm. By focusing on the sounds of the human tongue, she produced a few words, including Rysn's name. This shocked Rysn greatly.
== Trivia ==
* Rysn and Chiri-Chiri are based in minor ways on the trope of receiving an unusual pet as a gift, as in the books Dragon's Blood by Jane Yolen and The White Dragon by Anne McCaffrey.
== Notes ==
Category: Viewpoint characters
es: Chiri-Chiri