The Centaurpede

Habitat

The alien world of Ailurasha is not disimilar to Earth in both landscape and climate. However, unlike Earth, oceans only cover about 30% of its surface area. The Centaur-kin, who now considered themselves "Centaurpedes" disembarked from their ship at the edge of a long grassy meadow. The voyage had been very cramped and they had been placed in suspended animation for the duration of it. The craft had made a very hard landing, during which Storm felt and broke one of her forelegs.

Hurt and famished, they entered the strange new world. At the edges of the meadow was hardwood forest, and beyond that a spine of mountains that trailed across the middle of the continent. Luckily, food was plentiful, albeit different, and the newcomers happily gorged themselves on the long grasses and strange fruit trees. Alas, as they remained there they found out, the hard way, about the rather erratic weather patterns experienced in Ailurasha. A sudden hailstorm assailed them, forcing them to seek refuge in the forest. It was there that Mozdoc and his family first met the Alicorns - the sentient race of Ailurasha.

Description and variation

For the most part, a Centaurpede resembles a rather elongated and deformed horse. Like a Centaur, it has the upper body of a human, attached to the body of a horse. Unlike a Centaur, the head is that of a horse, from the forehead of which protrudes a long spiral horn. Beneath this horn, is the Centaurpede's third eye - which allows them to have not only the exaggerated peripheral vision of a horse, but also the frontal vision of a human.

Centuarpedes are made up of a series of horse bodies, connected together by a strong connective tissue, a little like a neck, but more flexible. Each segment is equipped with a pair of wings, which are normally kept folded close to the body, and fully operational genitalia. Whilst most segments have the usual structure of four legs, in rare cases some have as many as eight. This is the outcome of interbreeding with the Alicorn. Whilst most Centaurpede have between three and twenty segments, as many as a hundred or more have been known to occur, in rare cases.

The Centaurpede has been found in most of the usual range of horse colors, with overall red-brown being fairly common, as well as silver-white, thanks to the shared ancestory. As the genetics became more variable however, dappled individuals or even striped ones have not been uncommon.

Centaurpede have highly unstable DNA, particularly at the onset of puberty. This is quite a risk, because they can actually collect DNA from an outside source and assimilate it with their own. Whilst grass and products of a vegetable nature do not react in this manner, if the creature consumes meat in the process they may well find themselves sprouting extra wings, or even growing extra heads.

Physiology

The very long Centaurpedes (those with over a hundred segments) require a huge amount of food and one, whilst gorge feeding during the Change, devoured an unlucky lizard, that just happened to be in the way at the time. She found herself sprouting not one, nor two, but three heads from separate parts of her body. These heads were basically eating machines - with nothing but simplistic brain functions. For her long size, they turned out to be extremely advantageous, because the longer the specimen, the more food and oxygen it requires to survive.

These extra heads have a jaw like that of a snakes - able to unhinge in order to consume rather large prey. The ears are very sharp, and twitch constantly as the creature feeds, on the lookout for any danger. The eyes, too, are very powerful. It has a long and flexible neck, in order to reach the grass and the tops of trees. The brain itself is very simplistic, capable only of starting movement and alerting the animal to pain or danger.

For all their length and ungainly appearance, Centaurpedes are surprisingly agile. It is impossibly for them to fall over - and even breaking a leg is of little difficulty. The flexibility of the connective tissue allows them to maneuver around relatively close areas - including forests.

When reduced to its skeleton, a Centaurpede is a very strange beast indeed. The upper, human parts, are those of a normal human (save for the skull) but the hipbone has been modified into a shoulder blade for the wings. The keel, the anchoring point for the wing muscle, replaces the breastbone, and is cartilage, not bone.

The tailbone now protrudes awkwardly from a new position, at right angles to the spine and the old tailbone has been modified into the connection tissue between segments. This too is cartilage instead of bone. The cartilage adds for greater mobility.

In the female there is an opening in the hipbone, just beneath the bony tail structure. This allows entry to her uterus.

The spine protects the nervous system of the Centaurpede, which is very complex. Each segment has a very primitive brain, capable of recognizing simple commands, like movement and pain recognition. This means that if one of the segments is bitten by something, or is hurt, the pain is felt almost instantaneously. The point of pain is also very precise - so that the horse could tell you immediately on which section it was hurt.

The digestive system is also, necessarily, very complex. When the Change occurs, the internal system undergoes a massive alteration. A stomach is replicated in each segment, through which all food passes before deposited. This guarantees that everything is assimilated from the food that could possibly be useful in energy production. The intestines, curiously enough, are no longer then those found in a normal horse, however instead of being coiled up, they are spread throughout the horse, running from stomach to stomach.

Respiration is very complex. Since most Centaurpedes only have one mouth, they need a very efficient pair of lungs and a powerful heart. The Primary heart, a powerful pump, resides in the chest of the first horse, but the human foreparts have their own heart, called the Tertiary heart. This heart is concerned only with supply oxygenated blood to the brain. The Secondary hearts, found in each segment, act as smaller pumps and distribute oxygenated blood to that segment only. A huge vein passes down the spine of the animal, protected by the backbone. The feeds to all the hearts individually, meaning that if the blood supply were cut off to one segment, it would not instantaneously result in the death of all the other segments as well. However, if blood flow were not restored, decomposition would result and kill the animal just as effectively, only slower. For the longer lengths, with the extra heads, each segment with a head has a huge and powerful Primary heart.

Centaurpedes about 24 segments in length are at the most disadvantage - they lack the extra heads for feeding and respiration and thus tire more easily and cannot ascend to the mountain tops, thanks to the thin oxygen.

Diet

Whilst derived from herbivores, a diet of grass and other plant matter does not provide sufficient energy for something the size of a Centaurpede. If they were to lead an entirely herbivorous diet, the entire day would be spent eating. Thus early on the Centaurpede kin began hunting. Meat, being high in protein, provided enough energy so that they would only have to feed for about an (uninterrupted) hour a day in total. Hunting became a very necessary part of survival, and parties were sent out every morning to catch as many of the Prongshots or Tuskendigs as possible. Gryfalco caught hunting the Centaurpede often fell to their arrows and wound up in their cooking pots. Centaurpedes are thus, by necessity, omnivores, and will eat almost anything.

Reproduction

Centaurpede reproduction is a very complicated process indeed. Each horse segment of the animal is fully equipped with genitalia. In the females, the vaginal opening is positioned on the rump, just above the connective tissue. It is well protected by the mare's thick tail. Mares have two different types of uterus, which vary significantly.

The first, the Primary womb, is found in every segment of the horse. When the mare is mated, the embryo settles in this uterus and begins to grow. In this manner, the mare can actually be pregnant in every horse, depending on the virility and the length, of the stallion.

Here the foetus develops for six weeks, and then, barely formed, it makes the long journey through the reproductive system of the mare and into the Secondary womb. This is situated in the final segment of the Centaurpede. Still blind, the foetus has a very well developed olfactory system. It follows chemical signals.

Because of the length of the creature and the fact it can be mated multiple times, simultaneously, it can be assumed that several embryos will be making the journey at the same time. However, the first foetus to reach the Secondary womb has the distinct advantage. Inter-uterine competition is fierce. The journey requires a lot of energy, and thus foetuses from the frontal regions of the mare stand a greatly reduced chance of surviving to implant in the Secondary womb. Any that die within the reproductive system are absorbed back into the mare, and the energy produced used to feed to the Secondary womb. Once one foetus implants, it fiercely defends the Secondary Womb against any latecomers and those that fail are absorbed back into the mother and thus recycled. In very rare cases, twins have been known to occur. The gestation period of the Centaurpede once it has implanted in the Secondary womb, is 11 months.

Stallions, like the mares, have multiple reproductive organs. Unlike mares, however, the stallions is very simple and varies little from that of a standard horse. Each segment is equipped with a perfectly functional, entirely unattached, male reproductive system. Stallions can mate a mare multiple times, simultaneously, but as discussed above, it is infrequent that more then one mating will produce an offspring. Indeed, several shorter length males can mate the same female at the same time. Here the offspring produced would truly be the strongest of the bunch. This rarely occurs though, since mares do not tend to allow two or more males to mate them at the same time.

When the offspring is born, it resembles a "normal" centaur foal, with no additional segments. The wings are folded across the back, and do not develop fully until the infant is about two years old. Up until the onset of puberty, the young Centaurpedes can actually fly - just as their Alicorn ancestors still do.

Mating Rituals

In an effort to try and encourage civilized behaviour in his descendants, Mozdoc introduced betrothals and marriage to his herds. This was accepted by some of the Centaurpedes but there were others that inherited the wilder ways of their horse ancestors. These wildings shrugged aside all efforts at civilization and eventually abandoned Mozdoc and his supporters, heading into the mountains to live wild and free, as they called it.

Mating rituals are fairly simple, demanding the presence of at least one Elder. The two Centaurpedes stand facing each other, and repeat their vows, a much simplified version of the human ones. Then they walk around each other, entwining their sinuous bodies together. The Stallion then places a ring about his wife's horn, and the Mare then places one upon her new husband's.

Centaurpede will quite happily mate outside of the bonds of marriage, however. The mares come into season every year if unmated, or every three years if they do get mated. Females show a marked preference for Stallions of their length or slightly longer, possibly because the more simultaneous matings that occur, the more likely the produced offspring would have the best possible survival rate. Stallions, on the other paw, show no marked preference at all, although they do tend towards shorter lengthed mares.

The Onset of Puberty

Centaurpedes are long-lived, yet they age much faster then humans until puberty. Normally the mares will come into season at around age 4-5, males 6 or upwards. The first warning that puberty is pending, is extreme pain in the spine and abdominal region, compounded with a great hunger. When these symptoms strike, the individual is immediately escorted to the "Growing Meadow". Here they are watched, and guarded, around the clock - for it is a most vulnerable time for them. Generally one or two Centaurpedes, usually parents or older siblings, will stand guard, and any younger relatives will gather food. It is a time of great fasting for the adolescent - massive amounts of energy are required to assure the growth is as quick and painless as possible.

Then, over a period of one day to a week, the Centaurpede will grow, gaining exra segments. It is almost impossible to tell how long an individual will be, even when its parents are taken into consideration. Generally speaking, however, the pattern will follow that they will be of similar length to the mother, with variance occurring towards the father's direction. Therefore, a 12 segment female with a 5 segment male will generally produce offspring between 9-12 segments long, whereas a 5 segment female with a 12 segment male will produce offspring between 5-9 segments long.

With the growth of the extra segments, the entire digestive and reproductive system changes spectacularly, and after the initial gorge eating, the newly grown Centaurpede will fast for a period of time.

After the change has occurred, the individual undergoes a period of clumsiness and confusion, as they adapt to their new body and extra limbs. It is a very stressful time for the youngsters but the parents try and aid as they can, and older offspring provide support.

Hybrids

Whilst Centaurpede usually prefer to mate with other Centaurpede, their occasionally comes a time when they will take an Alicorn for a mate. Offspring of this pairing are split 3:2 between pure Centaurpedes (generally measuring 2-6 segments in length) and multi-legged Centaurs. Whilst investigation on genetics would suggest a 1:1 split, it is suspected that a percentage of the multi-leggers have so many limbs that they die in the womb, thus skewing the ratio. These multi-leggers have only the one barrel body, but can have up to six pairs of limbs. Often these show in two pairs of arms, and four pairs of legs.

Multi-leggers are clumsier then their kin, and frequently trip over their own feet. When a multi-legger (MM) is paired with a Centaurpede (CC), the offspring are always multi-legged Centaurpedes of variable length (CM). These Centaurpedes can have up to four pairs of limb per segment.

However, due to genetics, if two multi-legged Centaurpedes (CM) pair up, the young are split 1:2:1 between normal centaurpedes (CC): Centaurpedes with multi-legged segments (ie: more then four legs per segment) (CM): multi-legged Centaurs (MM)

The Centaurpede were not sent into this Brave New World entirely without resources. The craft that bore them contained simple necessities - tools, seeds and several books on agriculture and craftmenship. Soon after they landed, Mozdoc and his offspring salvaged as much from the craft as they could. Some of these items were such things as matches, cigarette lighters and assorted bits and bobs. From these few items and what he could gather from the landscape, Mozdoc set out to start a new life for himself.

Shortly after landing, Storm, already injured was killed by a Gryfalco. Mozdoc realized that his kin and offspring were too vulnerable to such predators. It was then he decided that he needed to create a city - a place his people could live without fear of death from the heavens or the forest. Thus the herd set off into the mountains, and eventually found a valley with the resources he required and the space for his people to live. Centaurpedes have good upper-body strength, and thus the task of hauling wood and stone began.

Stone walls were built in the parts that weren't protected by sheer cliffs. These were topped with long spears, slanting outwards and close together. The task fell upon the youngsters to frequently smear these spears with grease, thus making them impossible to scale. A moot-style pit was dug about the outside, its bottom filled with sharpened sticks. This may sound rather paranoid behaviour - but this was a strange and very dangerous world, and the predators were particularly cunning. A ramp provided access to the outside lands.

However, there was little they could do to protect from the Gryfalco soaring over the walls and attacking the flanks of the mid segments. Towers were built at strategic points around the walls, and these were manned by archers during the diurnal hours. The Archers tended to be shorter length Centaurpedes, or multi-leggers. A catwalk atop the walls allowed easy access.

It was not until the walls were erected that Mozodc permitted the interior be constructed. The city was created a series of open-ended pavillions, thus permitting easy access. Steps led to the roofs, and these were covered in soil and planted with some of the more hardy native flora. These small gardens, however, did not provide enough to satisfy the hunger of such large animals. The city itself is huge, and due to the nature of its inhabitants, most structures are positioned a goodly distance apart, arranged in a triangular shape. At each point of the triangle the Centaurpede's are divided according to length. The shorter length ones (with only a dozen or so segments) inhabit the most crowded area - being that they don't need so much space to manouvere, whereas the mid-length (up to 150 segments) have a larger, less cluttered area, and the very long Centaurpede (over 150) have the largest area, with shelters being erected from the walls to avoid too much clutter. All meet in the middle of the triangle, in the open area that provides the area for recreation and trade.

The surrounding hills were cleared and planted, with hay being prepared for the long winter months and the fast-growing, resilient native grasses being harvested the rest of the year round. The diet of the Centaurpedes was far from herbivorous, however, with the native Tuskindig, Prongshot and even Gryfalco, supplementing their diet.

The Growing Field chosen for the first city was a great flat ridge, completely barren of trees, an easy days walk from the city walls. Small huts were built to store and dry fruits and meat, and other food high in nutrients and necessary for the growth to proceed smoothly.

As the city grew, it soon became clear that Mozdoc would not be able to rule on his own. As it was, he was something of an unwilling leader, but as he was related to the entire tribe, the responsibility fell to him. And so he nominated a committee of five to act under him. These five were mostly chosen from the first-born Alicorn/Centaurpede hybrids. It fell to them to make decisions and punish where punishment was due.

Some things had still carried on in the blood. Despite the fact that none of those born in the new world had ever experienced it, it was quickly found that they haltering and chaining their ankles to posts were both feared. Mozdoc had a special bridle created, complete with bit and a lock. Those caught committing small crimes - pilfering food, gambling, causing mischief, were forced to wear this dreaded bridle for an entire day. It was reported that the experience was demeaning and humiliating.

For more serious crimes - thieving, bullying, the persecuted was made to stand atop the central pavillion, legs shackled in place and bridled, for a length of time determined by the strength of their crime. Up there and bound, the criminal would feel very exposed and vulnerable - unable to defend himself should the cry of "Gryfalco!" Be called.

In truth, he would be at little risk - after shooting and eating rather a few of the Gryfalco, the species became extremely wary and were generally only to be seen circling the mountains high above.

As the crimes grew worse, the punishment increased greatly. In rare cases, such as murder (which was particularly uncommon), the criminal would be shackled and bridled far above the city and then left for a while, until the Gryfalco or starvation took him.

A somewhat lesser, but no less dire, punishment was invoked should an individual be found to be particularly antisocial or considered somewhat dangerous. Then, blind-folded, he would be marched for a week, bound tightly and abandoned a distance from home. By the time he had freed himself, he would be completely alone. Tracking, although possible, was very tricky - because of Ailurasha's highly changeable weather patterns, it was more then likely that a sudden rainstorm would have obliterated all traces.

For every crime committed, the prosecuted would be marked with a brand, displaying his shame for all his kin to see. For small crimes, these were subtle tattooes, sometimes proudly displayed by rebellious youngsters. For more serious crimes, however, the marks were huge and vivid and marked the individual as anathema.

There was little need for education in the early days of Centaurpede civilization. Much effort was put into training the offspring to farm the land, making use of the Centaurpede's own waste matter to fertilize the fields. The short-length Centaurpedes were trained in archery, for they had to defend their longer kin. In all honesty, after a Centaurpede reached a certain length, about fifty segments, their usefulness deteriorated greatly - being that they were so long they had trouble moving in smaller spaces and that shorter-lengthed individuals must protect their vulnerable mid-quarters from predators. However, because Mozdoc was rather longer then that, the very long Centaurpedes were revered and considered wielders of great power and knowledge.

Long-length Centaurpede, whilst safe in the city, were at risk from predation when they ventured out into the fields around it. Because they can not defend themselves perfectly, due to their extreme length, guards are required to protect their mid segments from predators. In practice, one short-length guard was required for every fifteen segments the individual had. These guards carry spears or bows and also keep an eye out for insidious things such as the Vampire Grass.

Trade was introduced as individuals began to stand out in their craft abilities. The simple currency was an exchange for food. Each individual was allocated a certain amount per day of the city supplies (this being the delicacies, such as fruit, vegetables and meat, grass being free-for-all) and these could be exchanged for commodities such as weaponry, jewelry and household items like baskets and boxes. All hunters were provided with a simple spear and all archers with a bow and arrow. It was a simple system, but it worked, for the most part.

Centaurpede are long-lived, with a hundred years being a normal age to attain, excusing accident or aerial murder. Therefore, their memories are long and over-crowding also started to become a problem. Thus formed the Rebels. The Rebels had never fitted quite in with Mozdoc's ideal civilization - there was too much of the Alicorn blood still in them and they dreamed not of calm, content living, but of roaming the hillsides and living without the restraint of rules. They tended towards the short-length and the multi-leggers. One of their main complaints about the Civilization was that the "useless" long segmented individuals were elevated into a point of power and reverence. Their protests strong and forceful, they traveled the streets of the City, trying to force their beliefs on anyone that would listen. Their complaints largely fell on disdainful ears, given that their beliefs went against the great ancestor-of-all, amongst others. However, the protests got too much and the Elders Committee gathered. The Rebels must have suspected the verdict, for whilst the committee were still deciding, they declared that had had enough of the city, and left.

Life for them was rough indeed - crossing the mountains, facing off the Gryfalco, Katamount and other predators. They are hunter-gatherers, feeding where they can and wintering out the short cold days in caves and other natural caverns.

Language

After the initial transformation, Mozdoc was unable to speak English as he lacked the important vocal chords and facial structure. His human caretakers made a concerted attempt to teach him sign language, which he combined with a few horse phrases. Horses, in general, communicate more by movement, touch and nickers and whinnies. However, upon arriving in Ailushura, some rather stunning changes came to hand.

When Mozdoc sprouted the Alicorn horn, he found he could communicate with the Alicorns via a form of mind communication - telepathy. It seems the horns act not unlike antennae, allowing the individuals to share thoughts with one another.

After discovering that he could alter his DNA by himself, Mozdoc took it upon himself to modify his vocal chords so that whilst he could not speak perfectly clear English, he and his descendents could communicate verbally. Their language has its basis on English, but some of the words and the structure are greatly simplified and are frequently punctuated with whinnies, snorts, nickers and neighs.

However, the offspring do not develop this ability until they undergo their lengthening at Puberty, and thus remain mute, reliant on simple gestures, telepathy and the horse language.

Whilst a written language has not been practised in great detail, Mozdoc has chronicled his life and times and the Centaurpede people as much as possible and the descendents have been taught the basis of reading and writing.

Death and Dying

If their death is not due to accident, Centaurpedes know it is going to happen. How they know is an interesting question - if you ask them, they will merely say they just know. As soon as the Centaurpede experienced this feeling, he will make on final journey.

Up the mountains.

Whether it is instinct that draws them, or whether it is something that has been fed into the culture. The Centaurpede climbs up the mountainside, without eating (after all, there is no purpose) until they either reach the highest peak, or become too weak to climb further. There they lie down, looking over the city, the meadows, the ocean, and die.

Gryfalco rarely eat carrion, and therefore the corpses are safe from being carried away or torn apart. Smaller birds, four legged ravens, will strip the corpse of flesh and the elements will turn the bones to dust. With the devouring of the birds, the soul of the Centaurpede ascends to the clouds, and the body becomes one with the ground.

In cases of accident or murder, the deceased will be carried, with great ceremony, to the mountainside overlooking the city. If the deceased is too long, many Centaurpede shall carry it as high as they can.

Agriculture

There is a particular grass that grows most places in Ailurasha. Remarkably resilient to all climate changes, it produces two types of seed.

The first is a very sturdy seed. In order to grow, this seed husk must be crushed - either by the strong jaws of a Prongshot or a Tuskendig, or beneath the hooves of a Centuarpede or Alicorn. Once the outer protective husk has been crushed, the seed inside will sprout whether it passes through the digestive system of an animal or not. This seed has developed to ensure the plants reproductive capacity in times of drought or if the entire plant is destroyed (such as by wildfire). These seeds are produced once a year via sexual reproduction.

The grass is normally quite short, covering the ground in a layer of greenish-gold, just long enough to be nipped off by grass predators. This is a plant that has developed in order to be eaten. The other seed, a much more fragile vessel, allows the plant to reproduce widely, via being eaten. These seeds are produced via asexual reproduction - meaning they have the same DNA as the parent plant. These seeds will not sprout unless deposited in a nice pile of fertilizer. Thus every time the leaf is devoured, these tiny seeds pass through the digestive tract, with the stomach acid eating away the outer layer. This outer layer is broken down completely by the time the seed has been passed out in the animal's dung, where it then sprouts.

During the spring, this short, silky grass suddenly sprouts long, tall spines, ablaze with large, multi-hued flowers. These attract hoards of Okatu, which crawl into them and get covered in pollen. This pollen is then transferred into the next flower the little pollinators move on to. These seeds then drop from the ground and will not sprout until some sort of traumatic habitat change results in them breaking open.

The Centaurpede kin quickly discovered that this plant was very tasty, and that the seeds could be ground, under their hooves, to make grain, and thus bread. Since the grass grew everywhere, all the Centaurpedes had to do was provide it with plenty of fertilize and protect it from other grazing animals.

A shelter was erected (to protect the Centaurpedes from the harsh midday sun), and beneath this some of the heftier specimens crushed the seeds beneath their feet. When made into a paste with water, these made some fairly

The main grazing animal in the mountains is a type of two-headed cattle, the Faurox. These beasts live in large herds, grazing the mountainside. One head watches whilst the other feeds. The herd are lead by a large bull. These bulls have one head for fighting - complete with long curving horns. The other has much flatter horns, which it uses to crack open the frost on the ground in winter.

The bulls are very aggressive, as the Centaurpede found whilst trying to defend their newly protected fields. After one was killed, it was found that the meat was very tasty, and made a worthy addition to their diet. The cows were found to have multiple udders, set between each pair of legs, to feed their small litters of offspring. Faurox females could birth anywhere up to 4 calves at a time.

With their bull killed, it was not hard for the Centaurpede to round up the remaining females and to herd them back to their valley. A rough fence was constructed to coral them, with plans of a more sturdy one being developed.

However, the Faurox did not take well to captivity, being that they were nomadic by nature, and they quickly broke down the wall. It was then found that instead of forcing them to remain within a single area, it was easier, and better for the milk production, to allow them to roam free with a few of the young, and therefore still airborne, Centaurpedes protecting them. Whilst milking was at first a very complicated technique - involving catching and binding the animal, gradually the Faurox became more docile and tame. Some of the offspring were taken aside and hand-reared, thus taming them.

Clothing

Centaurpede do not generally adorn themselves with clothing, since they cannot possibly come up with enough to cover their entire lengths. Some, however, do adorn their human parts. Females, particularly those approaching their Puberty growth spurt (when their figure is starting to develop but they have yet to extend), sometimes bind their breasts to make flight easier and less painful. Others decorate themselves with necklaces of stones, animal parts (teeth being a favorite). The Elders of the Herd adorn themselves with cloaks made from the pelts of Katamounts or weaved from Gryfalco feathers, as a way of announcing their status.

Other Centaurpede adorn themselves with belts to hold their weapons or tools, but little more.

Technology

The Centaurpede kin make use of the more primitive weapons and tools. They have no access to metal ore, nor the ability to obtain it (being that they are too big and claustrophobic to mine) and thus they make use instead of stone craft and wood. Luckily for them, they discovered the Ironwood tree, although very rare, that protects itself by having a very sturdy bark. This is harder then normal wood, but conveniently softer then rock. From this bark they managed to produce a range of tools.

In the beginning these were naturally, very basic - axes to cut down trees consisted of stones hardened to a point and bound to a wooden handle. In this manner they also created shovels. Shovels were particularly useful, when combined with the strength of the Centaurpede.

Rocks were collected and these were stacked together in a drywall technique, to protect the developing city from outside forces. The inside pavilions were built from huge segments of these Ironwood trees, and the smaller ones topped with thatch. The larger ones, which were built sturdy enough to stand on, were also created from the wood of the Ironwood trees.

To allow privacy, screens made from wood or by weaving the grasses, are erected inside the pavilions. These can be folded up when not in use, but provide relief from cold breezes and privacy from the neighbors.

The internal living areas are pretty simple. Centaurpedes do not lie down to sleep, merely kneel on the ground and rest their human torso across their back, using their rumps as a pillow. A few blankets, weaved from the grass's cotton, provides padding beneath their knees. For water, which they also require in large doses, a well was dug and several encatchments made for rainwater. Thanks to the frequent rainstorms, water was never really of a shortage.

The only act that required excessive amounts of space and privacy was the act of mating. Whilst the Centaurpedes show some human-style modesty, it is not unfamiliar to see a mare and her stallion rutting in the middle of the city. In such situations, passerbys politely avert their eyes. In most cases, however, the couple prefer to wander into the foothills far from civilization.

Weapons were created fairly early on for hunting. The most frequently used of these is the bow and arrow. Spears are also used, for close combat, but because Centaurpedes are not built for stealth, hunting over distance is preferred. Other forms of hunting frequently used were pit traps or herding the prey over a cliff to its death below.

As their skills and manual dexterity improved, the bark of the Ironwood tree was put to rather more elaborate uses. The skin of the tree remained fairly soft, and was able to be removed with stone edged tools. However, when heated, the molecules change and crystallize into a metallic structure. This is thought to protect the tree during the frequent firestorms that assail the lowland valleys where it grows. When removed from the tree and fire-hardened, the bark becomes as hard as steel and the edges always stay sharp.

Knifes, daggers and even swords were created, with craftsmanship becoming a desirable commodity. Most of the knifes were put to use hunting Prongshot and Tuskendig, with the swords being more ornamental then anything else. There was no-one for the Centaurpede to fight against.

Below can be seen a range of their hunting knives and swords.

A: Curved Broadsword - ornamental but also used for clearing paths free of vines.
B: Longsword - purely ornamental, but can be used in defense if required.
C: Claw Dagger - used to both dig for roots, or attached to a spear for hunting
D: Darkness Dagger - primarily used for killing of prey such as Tuskendig or Prongshot. Blade sometimes attached to spear.
E: Tigershark - mainly ornamental, used for butchering the meat.

These blades (C and D) have also been modified to attach to the animal's leg, allowing it defense down its entire length.

F: Isis Dagger - hunting and butchering
G: Claw Dagger - modified for defense on the animal's hoofs, allowing it protection from predation.

Ailurasha animals are not disimilar to earthly species, although they do vary in one spectacular fashion. Instead of having four limbs, Ailurasha species have typically six or eight. These have evolved in significant ways to increase the species' fitness. Frequently the fore-pair are modified into wings, as is found in the Alicorns, the Okatu and the Gryfalco (whose third pair is also thus modified, making it an eight-limbed creature).

Rival Species

Alicorns:

The Alicorns were once the only sentient race on Ailurasha. They resemble delicate winged equines, from whose forehead a long spiral horn sprouts, and command simple magic. Living in small herds, they inhabitat both the forest and the mountains, making occasional jaunts out into the meadow. They view the meadow as a dangerous area, as shall be discussed later. The Alicorns did not take kindly to the arrival of Mozdoc and his offspring. The leader of the small band immediately challenged him. Alicorn communicate via telepathy, and can read surface thoughts.

The Alicorn stallion charged him, and he twisted, slamming his full weight against the much smaller equine. The horn penetrated deep, and cracked against one of his ribs. The bulk of Mozdoc threw the Alicorn stallion against a tree, where he broke his neck, and died.

Badly injured, Mozdoc retired to nurse his wounds. He could not reach the injury himself, so Storm bathed it and after some struggle managed to extract the broken horn fragment. It measured a little over two inches long. It was that night that the changes began. Whether or not it was due to his less-then-stable DNA, the Alicorn's magic, or maybe a combination of the two, we shall never know. But Mozdoc experienced a sudden itching, burning pain in his forehead. Over the period of a few hours, a horn had spouted from his head. In pure experimentation, Mozdoc attempted to manipulate his own DNA, and the result was the third eye we are so familiar with in the Centaurpede today.

With their Stallion killed, Herd etiquette dictated that Mozdoc was now their leader. Whilst this came as something of a shock, the willingness of these mares, with their near human intelligence, was more then welcome. Thus the first Alicorn/Centaurpede hybrids were born.

Predators

The arrival of the Centaurpede heralded a great time for the predators of Ailura. With their large bodies, they must have resembled a literal feast. Unfortunately for the predators, they were not counting on the intelligence and cunning of Mozdoc and his kin.

Gryfalco

These great four-legged, dual-winged birds nest on the cliffs near the sea. With their voracious appetites, they spend their day-time hours gorging on fish and on anything they can catch. Like eagles, they have very sharp eyesight, and are able to detect prey several kilometers away, if visibility is clear and the prey is of reasonable size.

Gryfalco breed once every four years, laying a single egg in a great eyrie of sticks. The chick takes almost a year to fledge, and even longer to reach its full size.

Weighing in at upwards of 200 pounds, the Katamount is a great cat, its pelt decorated with a collection of whorls, stripes and spots. These camouflage it thoroughly within its forest home, making it nearly impossible to tell how big the feline actually is. Katamount hunt, and live, in small groups of between two and five. They pursue their prey and ambush it, often dropping from trees to break the prey's spine. They are developed predators. The forelimbs are modified into grasping claws - which are used to seize the prey, and their canines are disproportionately large, perfect for tearing out the jugular.

Vampire Grass

The meadow, greatly feared by the Alicorns, proved to be a dangerous place for Centaurpede's too. Insidious Tangle-weed grows there. This plant looks deceptively like normal grass, until the animal steps on it, or bends down to eat it. The moment contact is made, the grass rears upwards, tangling around whatever it can touch. Each blade is equipped with dozens of tiny hooks and these claw into the flesh. Once connected, the pores exude a sticky substance almost like glue. This holds the prey firmly in place. The hooks absorb blood from the target. This Vampire grass is capable of draining a creature the size of an Alicorn in just under an hour. And as it drains the blood, it grows faster, until the creature is completely covered. The sticky substrate then acts to break down the flesh of the animal and it too is assimilated with the plant.

In the picture above the hooks can clearly be seen, the "spots" are in fact the glands that secrete the adhesive.

Prey

Tuskendig

This "wolf-pig" inhabits the woodlands, where it uses its tusks and forelegs to turn the dirt, in search of truffles and roots. The Tuskendig lives in small herds, led by a powerful boar who fiercely defends his harem and offspring. A thick mane of hair protects his shoulders from ambushes and he is quite capable of disemboweling a Katamount with his tusks.

Centaurpede hunt Tuskendig with spears, tipped with powerful curved blades. They use their long and powerful bodies to enclose the herd, and then spear them in the upper neck, just behind the ears.

Once speared, a Tuskendig falls into a beserk rage - thus the spears are long, to prevent goring.

Prongshot

A six-legged deer species, Prongshot has large flat horns, resembling those of a moose, but the edges are razor shape. They are kept this way by constant sharpening against the Ironwood trees.

Set just below the barbs are small glands, which excrete a sticky solution. When a predator attacks, Prongshot whirls, impaling it and releasing this solution. The Prongshot itself produces an enzyme in its pelt that nullifies the effect. This renders it immune to its own adhesive.

This substance showed to have a rather bizarre effect on the Centaurpedes that faced it. With their highly unstable DNA, the adhesive becomes synthesized with the Centaurpede's DNA, with one of three effects. In some cases, the Centaurpede acquires the ability to produce this chemical, through glands in the base of their horns. This would be very advantageous- if it happened every time.

In very rare cases, the Centaurpede starts to develop oddly, with lumps swelling beneath their skin. These expand and burst, producing a simplified Prongshot head. This effect continues, consuming all the energy from the animal, until the Centaurpede becomes too weak for it to continue. Then it simply ceases, leaving the victim exhausted and with a damaged immune system.

Centaurpede with this condition sicken frequently and tire easily. They are often listless and drained, and consume vast amounts of food. Thus their lives are greatly shortened.

And finally, in most cases the adhesive cakes along the inside of the victim's bloodstream, "glueing" the blood cells together. The blood slows, until eventually, and very painfully, it ceases altogether and the infected Centaurpede dies.