The Big Book Of Spirits

Chapter 1: Desert Wind Spirits

Element(s): Speed (major), Music (minor).

Habitat(s): Large, dry deserts.

Size: 1-3 ft (30.48-91.44 cm) tall.

Social structure: Large Packs made up of multiple families, with the oldest and/or most respected as casual leaders.

Reproduction: Mating via retractable genitals that are usually non-visible. Females produce an egg after about a week, which takes a few weeks to hatch. Packs usually coordinate mating, as their continuous journey is paused during nesting.

Body Type: Solid, requires nutrients, incapable of levitation, can have open wounds that leak a yellow substance that resembles blood but is used to circulate nutrients throughout the body. Does not require oxygen, but sucks in air to pump through the headcrest and produce various sounds/music. Diurnal sleep patterns, on a daily cycle.

Diet: Solar energy makes up most of their diet, and they get some level of kinetic energy when they run. They have been known to eat desert plants such as cactus, either eating as they run or stopping briefly, and can eat a wide variety of things if given the opportunity. Their needle-like teeth are surprisingly sharp, allowing them to tear into most types of food.

Desert Winds are unique and fascinating Spirits. They are said to be the embodiment of their namesake, thanks partially to their speed and partially to the sounds they make most often, which resemble howling wind. They make these sounds and more musical ones by pushing air through their flexible headcrests, curling and straightening them to change the sound.

They are social Spirits, living in large packs. These pack are fiercely loyal and protective of one another, traveling only as fast as their slowest member. For a species that constantly craves speed, this is certainly saying something.

The longest recorded instance of a conscious Desert Wind willingly staying still without mental damage is ten minutes, which was achieved through regular meditation. Though rare, some seek out this form of meditation to increase willpower and discipline, which has been known to have positive affects on their emotional control.

There are a few scenarios in which a Desert Wind Spirit will willingly stay still. As mentioned before, meditation is one such scenario. Another is when eating, though they don't always actually stop running when they do so. Sleeping is another good example.

They occasionally hang upside from cliffs or branches, using their tails to hold on. They like twirling and spinning around whatever they're hanging onto. Some like to sleep hanging upside down, but this isn't exactly common given the flat deserts they prefer to live within.

They are down right after the sun is, huddling together partially to bond or for safety and partially due to a heavy dislike of cold. They sleep with their legs flat to either side of them, ready to spring up again at a moment's notice. They fall asleep quickly, every part of them slowing down until they barely resemble the hyperactive creatures they're known as. They've been known to occasionally intake air while unconscious, producing music as they dream — it is considered good luck to hear this unusual melody.

Another situation in which they lose their speed, though it isn't precisely willing, is when injured. Extreme injury, especially to their legs, can be worsened if they try to run — for a species where regular walking is physically difficult and stillness can bring insanity, this is a serious problem. They've evolved a special biological trigger to combat this issue, forcibly slowing them down in such a case. Even their minds slow down, making it difficult for them to think but protecting them from the mental strain of staying still. This can be a death sentence if they're on their own, making the loyalty of their pack absolutely vital.

New hatchlings can't run, and it takes up to a decade for them to be able to run all day like adults. A mated pair will carry their offspring on their backs. Though rare, they occasionally have more than two incapable of running at the same time, leading to the parents carrying them on their tails or chests, or just cradling them in their arms. Teenagers and adults without children or with older children will often help parents who can't carry all of their children or just need a break.

They are very nomadic, spending their days running across the deserts they call home, only setting up longer term camps to nest or if one is injured. They do not own much, with most owning nothing, carrying whatever they have in satchels secured around their waists or to their chests. Like most Spirits, they do not normally wear clothing, though tail decorations are becoming increasingly popular.

Desert Winds always have orange eyes as adults, though they range from red to blue as adolescents. It takes about two decades for them to reach sexual maturity. No-one's entirely sure if they have the typical Spirit immortality or not, being both hard to track and dying unfortunately easily if they're on their own, but they have a lifespan of at least a couple centuries.

The 'feathers' on their tails are made of the same material as their claws, capable of delivering vicious slashes when provoked. They are black on a male and yellow on a female.

Desert Winds have three claws on each hand, with the middle being very large and forming a sort of armor, strong enough to block even their own blows. Their feet have two claws capable of extending to over three times their usual length. They have extremely springy feet with fleshy pads on the bottom, making them speedy and capable of great jumps.

They are very agile and hard to hit, and are vicious when they attack. However, they are relatively weak, only able to land powerful hits with help from their speed. If struck in an unarmored spot, they go down easily — but you have to actually hit them, first.

Desert Winds are friendly, social, and playful. Despite this, they are symbols of war and military, especially to the Speargem Tribe of Spiripa. It is said that the first great leader of the Speargem fought side-by-side with a Desert Wind. Their loyalty, teamwork, and surprising viciousness in battle make them excellent warriors.

The exact top speed of a Desert Wind is debated, but it is probably somewhere around 500 kilometers (about 300 miles) an hour. There is a rumor of a Speargem Casted resembling a Desert Wind capable of going much faster, but it is unknown if it is true.