Snow irakis

Snow irakis (*Ee-rah-kee-s*) are a non-sentient subspecies inhabiting Ixotis. They are a subspecies of irakis.

## Biology

Snow irakis are a subspecies in the family Irakidae and are closely related to woodland irakis. Their more distant relatives are plains irakis and desert irakis.

## Appearance

Irakis, at first sight, bear the closest resemblance to a dog mixed with a rabbit (though the snow and plains variants are undeniably the most rabbit-like. Their fur is longer on the neck, belly and tail, and very thick to keep the animal warm. They have four dog-like legs with five claws on the front ones and four on the hind legs.

Their muzzles are pretty short, but this doesn't limit their sense of smell in any way. They have big foreheads and small noses.

Snow irakis have four distinct ears, two on each side. Snow iraki ears are tall and droop. The ears are primarily made out of cartilage, so they don't notch or tear easily. They also aren't really mobile, and are not used for communication.

Irakis have big, round and somewhat inexpressive eyes, the color of which depends on the subspecies. Their tails are deer-like.

Irakis teeth generally are close to that of an omnivore, however, they have four distinct incisors that bear a resemblance to those of rodents. These are used for getting a good grip when attacking a prey.

Snow iraki coats are white with hairless blue ears and pale blue markings below the tail and on their forehead. The forehead marking usually bears resemblance to a diamond. Their skin, inner mouth, nose, lips, paw pads and tongue are blue, too. The eyes are dark brown with round pupils.

## Behavior and diet

Irakis are a highly social species and cannot be without others of their kind. They communicate mostly by using their tails, scent marking and making high-pitched noises.

   Irakis cannot be kept as pets; they simply aren't tamable and start to literally wither away when kept in a domestic situation. They need to be able to roam and live in a pack of at least four adult animals. Even young separated from their parents and kept as pets will simply become lethargic if they don't get their needs.

Still, since Elves and Men like having a form of pest control for their villages, they'll usually bring in a wild pack which they keep close by providing food and water for them, thus making them roam close around the village and work there of unwanted vermin. Sentient beings generally leave these kinds of "barn irakis" alive. Petting or even approaching them is ill-advised: they can and *will* bite. They're just fed and given water from a safe distance, and that's enough.

Irakis live in small packs where they individuals have very close bonds with one another, which is why they especially can't be kept alone. Packs usually consist of related animals, but unrelated lone irakis may also team up to form their own, as they prefer being with others of their kind over being alone. Packs are usually very structure-less and they make decisions together, rather than having a leader or leaders like other animals. Small iraki packs consist out of only four animals, whereas big ones may have over ten animals. However, if the pack gets too big (about 12-15 animals), it'll usually split up into several smaller ones. Iraki packs are not very territorial and don't mark their living areas, but they do often have a favorite roaming ground they return to every few weeks.

Irakis can mate year-round, though the females can "postpone" their whelping until she has found a comfortable enough place and good enough circumstances to bring them into the world.

   Irakis are omnivorous, but will usually lean towards killing their own prey for meat, which is the much-preferred meal. They will also feed on carrion, nuts, berries and eggs, though.

## Abilities

Irakis have very close bonds with their packs, much closer than the usual animals. Their strength also comes in numbers: if you pick a fight with one of the pack, you'll have to deal with the rest, too. Irakis are rather fast and can sprint short distances very well, especially plain irakis, which are the fastest subspecies. They can also give a nasty bite and may carry diseases, which is why it is usually said that it's best to leave these animals alone. They have non-retractable claws for grip.

## Aging

Irakis generally live up to ten years, but those roaming close to villages that have food and water provided to them and stay close enough to civilization to the point that no predators will go after them may grow to be even older.