Male Hatchling
Name: unnamed
Species: Tiexos Ixsu
Birthday: Tuesday, October 1, 2024
Owner: Mysfytt
Element: Neutral
Tiexos ixsu hatchlings don't look much like the adults they'll become: they're much slimmer and sleeker than their parents, lack the distinctive adult horns and facial ridges, and are only the size of the average magi adult. As they mature, air sacs within the ixsu's face help to inflate its features, and it loses its thin baby teeth to grow in the much larger adult teeth. Male and female ixsu hatchlings are roughly the same size at hatching, but within a few weeks the females begin to grow bigger than their male counterparts and their skin changes from blue to brown. For the first 14 years of a hatchling's life, they remain relatively small and a magi can easily feed them on small, easy to catch creatures. After this time period, magi may find themselves suddenly struggling to find enough food for their hatchling's rapid growth rate - and with the ixsu's vocal capabilities, making sure they don't have cause to complain becomes a top priority. Hatchlings begin to make experimental noises almost as soon as they hatch, and while they don't have the same power or control as an adult, a hatchling's roar can still cause pain or break nearby items. Ixsu hatchlings display a mischievous streak, and they can be quite fast before they begin to bulk up; their games of tag with other young ixsu can get rambunctious and loud.
Tiexos ixsu were thought to be extinct for many years, until an explorer brought back an unusual egg. They are still very rare even inside the rainforests they call home. Ixsu are sensitive to the cold and cannot be kept by any magi in a snowbound area, but they do occasionally venture into marshy areas or the desert while looking for food. Some magi claim that ixsu have an odd dislike of legal advocates, but this can't be proven as ixsu can't be kept in towns, castles, or any fenced-in area. Males and females differ in colouring and size; females are larger, brown, and sport a distinctive black stripe along their nose and jaw, while males are blue or blue-grey in colour. Most ixsu grow up to forty feet in length and 15-20 feet tall, but it's possible that they can grow even bigger in isolated areas like the heart of the rainforest. The ridges and horns on an ixsu's head and neck are used to tell specific tiexos ixsu apart by both magi and other ixsu; the size and pattern of the ridges is unique to each creature. Their ability to use sound to their advantage helps them in hunts and can be harnessed by their magi for use in battle - one ground-shaking roar from an ixsu is enough to send most opponents running, while their ability to use low-frequency crooning can hypnotize prey until it's too late.
Sprite art: Tekla (hatchling) | Description: Sochitelya