Xandella Forest

Xandella are small, fur-covered dragons coming up to about an average person's waist, that love to live with humans. They are extremely magical creatures, and act as familiars to people. By this I mean that they help human magicians focus and strengthen their magic. They even enjoy living with nonmagical people because they can still use their own magic to make the human's life more pleasant.

Xandella are elemental, and are closely connected to nature in everything they do. The four basic elements are Earth, Air, Water and Fire, and each get their powers from the world around them. On rare occassions, like in nature, when different elements mix, something new is born. Earth and Air will make a Tornado, for instance, just as Air and Water make a Cloud.

As they grow, Xandella slowly learn the magic that makes them what they are. But until they are full grown, they don't have much power. Once they reach adulthood, the community of Xandella create a staff and teach them how to use it fully. If the staff is ever lost, they can still use their magic, but not as strongly. Staves take one year to make and fill full of magic, so they try not to lose them.

Their personalities are much like those of a cat. They love being in the company of humans and other dragon types, but they're slightly territorial and very independent. When they're determined to do something, they're going to do it no matter what anyone tries to tell them. And when they find that they're wrong, they happily ignore that fact until someone else brings it up. They are very happy to live with up to three other Xandella in one place, but any more than that is over crowding and they become very agitated and unhappy.

These creatures do not speak verbally. Their voice boxes aren't suited to make the same kind of noises that humans and other speaking dragons make, and therefore they communicate with their human friends directly throught their minds. It takes them a few months to learn basic grammar, so although you will hear their thoughts when they're young, it might not make a lot of sense. Their other mode of communicating is by chirps and clucks that other Xandella and some other dragons can understand. It's been said that a few humans in the past have learned to speak the Xandella tongue, but most don't bother trying.

Xandella come in very specific colors and patterns. Each element has its own color set. All Air Xandella, for instance, will all be colored the same light purple and pink. But within these elemental colors, there are fur patterns that they can have. The patterns you can find are Points, Stripes and Spots. The more rare elements, such as an Ice Xandella like Randolf, do not have patterns of any kind. All Xandella, no matter their element, start out life without any patterns at all, and only gain them once they reach adulthood. The patterns come on slowly. First it will be a gentle splotching of the coat, and then later an uneven color. Finally, the baby fur will fall out, leaving behind the shiny new adult coat.

Although most Xandella breed for life, there are a few who would rather spread their genes around and therefore pick up different breeding partners here and there. But even if they aren't sticking with one partner, they are very loyal and very helpful to those they breed with. They generally lay clutches of between four and ten eggs, and while the female is sitting with them to keep them warm, the male will bring her food and keep her up to date with all the latest news of the world. They're very loving creatures and nuture their young much like mammals do.

Xandella live to be about 50 years old, so although they do on occassion outlive their human friends, they almost always stay with their humans through their lives. Sometimes, when they find that they're in a bad home, they'll willfully leave and find someone who they know will provide a better home for them.