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Ferehen, Winged Death
One of The Enemy's less widely known monsters is the Ferehen. Not only are they a completely unique animal in terms of what they are classified as, but they are very powerful and mysterious.
Above: A Ferehen perched on a stone. AppearanceFerehen most resemble a large canine, though their large feet and odd tail have often been referred to as rodent-like. They have a thick, powerful neck, with a bird's head set with a crown of feathers. Their fingers are long and thick, like a reptile, and they have talons like an eagle. Two wings enable them to fly at terrifying speeds and with great accuracy considering its bulk. The wings, like the body, are feathered, and coloured earthy yellowish-orange with dark stripes. Male Ferehen boast claws on the wrists of their wings and they use these to fight with other opposing bulls for mating rights. From the beak to the end of the outstretched tail, the average Ferehen measures about 6 metres, and they are about 3 metres at the shoulder. They have been known to have wingspans of 8-10 metres.
BehaviourFerehen have been observed more than most other monsters have and so more is known about the way they live. At numerous points in history, they have been mistaken for normal animals, but their violent tendencies towards all living things and their unique bodies are testimony to their unnatural origin. Ferehen live in high places and build strong nests made mud and sticks in crevices. There, the female will lay eggs and then go out in search of food. The male will stay and circle the nest, keeping watch for predators. It's not known how they treat their young, and they are almost never seen. A distinct ascending shrill is their call, though they usually only make this noise around others of their kind. On their own, they are usually quiet unless provoked. They are unpredictable, wild, and very violent; they will attack any other living thing which appears even remotely threatening. They use their sharp claws, beak, and wing spines to attack, and can also smack with their wings or tail, or even pick up items with their front legs and throw them. Despite their bravery, they are easily deterred by well-placed arrows to the stomach or any other area where there hide is too thick. If struck and pierced, they will often retreat and hide somewhere, carefully remove the arrow, and tend to the wounded area with peculiar care and delicateness. However, as they are so large and wild, it is hard even to strike one in the right place. If given the opportunity, they will hunt and devour any living thing -- including humans.
AbilitiesStrangely, Ferehen have more weapons than what can be seen. They have been known to use what appears to be wind magic. To list a few examples: they appear to be able to summon whirlwinds simply by flying in a spiral, they can create far more opposing winds than would be expected when beating their wings, they can heat up or cool down their surroundings to suit themselves, and they often send a blast of air upon their targets just before they strike in order to disorient their prey. While this phenomenon remains unexplained, it's been confirmed that this ability is certainly not exaggerated memories or an overactive imagination. The Ferehen have long been called "masters of the wind", after all.
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