Kitsi

The Kitsi (Kits-eye) are one of the many artificial beings created by the Elders to populate Laridia. Based on the idea of a fox with nine tails, the Kitsi are born with all of their tails and hold the title of being the most dominant animals in Laridia. Their average life expectancy is anywhere between 110-145 years with the exception of those baring the Eternal gift able to live indefinitely. Much like the Idran, Kitsi do not show visible forms of age nor do they feel the effects of it.

## Behavior

Kitsi, like other canines, are pack animals. They usually roam in packs of four six with any offspring branching off and forming new packs once of age. Despite being an animal, the Kitsi share an increased level of intelligence much like their artificial cousins the Great Wolves. Nearing sentience, the Kitsi have been known to bond well with Idran and even learn to understand spoken as well as written languages.

Kitsi are known to be mostly passive creatures. Wild Kitsi, those who have not been tamed or interacted with Idrans, tend to be cautious and protective. Even still, it doesn't take much on the behalf of Idrans to gain their trust. Bringing harm to one, however, will often cause a distrust that lasts their lifetime. Such distrust may involve only the one who had harmed them or, depending on severity, may cause a distaste for Idran all together. Causing distrust among one in a pack is likely to spread across the pack entirely, even possibly neighboring packs. Thus, it's advised to play nice.

As expected, Kitsi mothering a litter will often be protective even when interacting with Idran regularly. Wild Kitsi may show slight signs of aggression as a warning with the alpha of the pack usually stepping in to ward away unwelcome visitors.

After having been granted full sentience and divine power through the Eternal Gift, Kitsi adapted into controlling or simply living in villages following the Feral War. Those with the gift no longer followed their ancestors pack behavior, instead beginning to form single families and spread bloodlines.

## Diet

Kitsi while technically omnivores, they generally prefer a diet of raw meats. It's not unusual to see them occasionally snacking on berries or the like, but normally such would only occur between meals or when food is scarce. Being the dominant animals of Laridia, nothing is off limits. Their large size results in them hunting large game more often than anything else, such as deer or wolves. With the Great Wolves being the opposing species in the food chain, they would often be the core targets of the Kitsis hunts. Kitsi being immune to sickness or otherwise, they're capable of eating things that would otherwise kill most other creatures. Once devoured, their bodies negate harmful effects almost immediately.

The Eternal Gift negated their obligation to eating, allowing them to survive without sustenance entirely. Such does not mean, however, they do not feel the effects of starvation or hydration.

## Mating

Kitsi are loyal creatures. Unless something comes between them, they mate for life. Sticking together within a pack, two mated Kitsi usually have anywhere between three to four litters in their lifetime; each litter ranging from six to eight kits. In the event of a mates passing, it's unusual for them to mate again. They'd often spend the remainder of their time in prolonged mourning, distancing themselves slightly from their pack and even sometimes leaving the pack entirely; beginning a life of solitude.

With the grant of immortality through the Eternal Gift, gifted Kitsi often only bare one litter. Out of the six to eight kits, only one is allowed to survive as result of the Feral War. Should it be discovered this rule was ignored, the entire bloodline is at risk of extinction. Being immortal and fully sentient, gifted Kitsi often move to a new mate in the event of a previous mates passing. Even still, there is a prolonged period of morning that may last for centuries.

## Appearance

Naturally large creatures, Kitsi range anywhere between eight foot to twelve foot in height. Their bodies are quick to adjust, allowing them to easily roam between warmer and colder climates; their fur growing or shedding quickly to enable such. Their fur is naturally one solid color and comes as either black, white, gray, or more rarely brown.

As a result of the Eternal Gift, those born with the gift bare a second color in the form of markings. These markings may come as either black, white, red, or blue. Furthermore, the gift negates the necessity to grow and shed fur. Instead, their bodies regulate their internal temperatures involuntarily; allowing easy and seamless integration into new environments. Additionally their bodies naturally maintain their physique, preventing negative changes in any form.

## The Eternal Gift

The Eternal Gift, the gift of sentience and divine power, was first gifted to the Kitsi. Favored by the Elders, they were chosen to become the first line of sentient feral beings. What started as a single kit in a litter quickly spread from pack to pack, eventually resulting in families emerging and splitting apart from the usual pack behavior. While different, the gifted variations of the Kitsi are still simply referred to as Kitsi. The only immediate way to separate them apart is from their markings. Those with the gift bare markings of a different color than their base while those without the gift remain as only a single color.

## The Feral War

Nearly a century after the Eternal gift was given to the Kitsi, the same gift was granted to the Great Wolves. As the natural prey of the Kitsi, this lead to a conflict between the two species that quickly grew out of hand. Battles between packs and families ravaged the lands, causing devastation amidst the forest and villages unfortunate enough to be in their way.

The war raged on for nearly two cycles before the Elders finally stepped in, working to bring a quick end to the blood and fang filled battles. A century later, the war was over with Elders giving the two feuding species an option; Both species could either be eliminated entirely or they could drop the feud permanently with the inclusion of baring only one offspring per litter every five centuries.

While very much an oversight on their behalf, the Elders imposed such a rule as a precautionary measure; aimed at ensuring neither the Kitsi or Great Wolves would be capable of becoming a greater threat in the future. With each offspring between two gifted Kitsi or Great Wolves being divine, each litter from either species meant a drastic increase in divine power among both species. Biologically incapable of baring only one offspring, such meant that one had to be chosen from every litter to carry on their families bloodline.

## Trivia

* The Feral War is recorded to have started during the fourth cycle and ended in the sixth.
* The Feral War was the first war to have occurred in Laridia and is one of only two.
* Kitsi, in Laridian, translates to 'Nine-tailed fox'.
* Out of the four Elders, all but one favored the Kitsi. Such is what lead to the Great Wolves being granted the same gift, and thus setting the Feral War in motion.
* Kitsi were the final creation of the Elders. While all the other animals in Laridia were made to have their own unique constructs, their construct was built atop that of the Great Wolves; demeaning them cousins of sorts.
* Kitsi, like the Great Wolves, are enhanced variations of their inspirations. Kitsi are to foxes as Great Wolves are to wolves, both lesser forms existing in Laridia all the same. While similar, these creatures still occasionally feast on the lesser forms.
* Leading up to the Feral War, Kitsi and Great Wolves had many uses. Acting as guards, pets, and even forms of transportation due to their size. Following the Feral War, however, such uses ceased as it became considered disrespectful by those of their kind baring the Eternal Gift.