Mrefu

While not the broadest, or even the largest, species in Arilyan, the Mrefu is definitely one of the tallest! Wandering the plains and open spaces, it’s not hard to find a herd to spot one of these creatures from miles away. They’re not the smartest creatures, but they are the epitome of a gentle giant.

## Climate

* They prefer warmer climates, mostly because their body doesn’t regulate temperature very well.
* Living mostly on the plains and open spaces, wooded areas do not work for their long necks! If they do wander in a jungle, it’s common for them to get stuck in high branches.
* You’ll never find one of these giants in the mountains, as they’re not firm footed enough to handle rocky terrain.

## Temperament

What the Mrefu lack in brains, they make up for in their kindness. A gentle species with a sweet disposition, they’re very loving and accepting of most non carnivorous species. They’ll even pick up wounded animals to help them out to then send them on their way, although they’re not the best healers, even of themself.  They aren’t great if you’re looking for food, however, as they don’t eat meat at all.  Because of this they avoid the more carnivorous species of Arilyan, and get along best with the Cimma.

## Other Random Facts

* The Mrefu are one of the only exclusively vegetarian species in Arilyan.
* Because they see life as sacred, they have a hard time spending time with carnivores.
* For whatever reason, Mrefu have zero connection with magic and have a hard time wrapping their head around healing. Because of this, it’s not uncommon to find an alkthrow tagging along with them to help them with any illnesses, since Alkthrows excel at this and find the Mrefu to be a fun challenge to help keep healthy.
* Although they are not the smartest they can sometimes surprise in their random bursts of wisdom.

## In Packs

This deeply caring species loves their herds, dearly. They live in small to large family groups that tend to be led by an older female, known as the matriarch. They have very strong bonds to their families, and will mourn so deeply when a loved one dies it’s common for some members of the unit to die of heartbreak. This is true even for the little ones, and some calves will stay with a dead mother, passing away of malnutrition even if the rest of the herd tries to convince them to do otherwise.

In a herd, they’re very much like elephants or orcas, in that generally males live outside of the family unit, or in small bachelor herds, and the main family unit will be mostly females. The males aren’t chased off, however, this is a willing partnership, as males tend to prefer a quieter life and the females are very talkative in nature. Every herd will have a mate to the matriarch, and maybe three to five other young males (often times his sons, or males they picked up along the way) who help the lead male in guarding their family.

They also support open relationships, and while they might have a favorite partner, it’s not uncommon for this species to not know who the father of their children are until they’re born. Males aren’t nearly as territorial as other species, and will raise a calf even if it’s not theirs, seeing all life as a gift and all herd as family.