Graceful Arbara Kronos can be found in most forested regions as they readily adapt to different climates. Many herds migrate over the course of the year, following food source to food source or seeking shelter from heat or cold. In more temperate zones, herds may remain in the same territory regardless of season unless food shortages dictate the need to venture further afield. Grass, leaves, and tree bark comprise their main diet, but they will occasionally nibble at berries or nuts. Although only males possess antlers, which are shed during the winter months following mating season, both males and females display short tusks. These tusks are kept polished and sharp by rubbing them against rocks and tree trunks. In late autumn, males and females begin to fight over mates, locking antlers or butting heads to prove their strength. Fawns are born in spring, and their arrival is a signal to the herd to settle down until the juveniles are old enough to travel. Unmated males and females will guard nursing females and their young, chasing off predators and sometimes bringing foraged food if pickings are slim. Swift and agile, Arbara Kronos can easily outrun their main predator, Saltantas. If cornered, however, they will lash out with antlers, tusks, and hooves.

The creatures that dwell in this rather desolate world still display some diversity in appearance, eating habits, and social behavior. Whether they have fur or feathers, skin or scales, their unique genetic makeup allows for a variety of colors and markings within each species. Despite limitations in food sources, herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores are all present in the food chain, and each species requires specialized care within a laboratory. Although the artificial setting of housing units and breeding pods precludes most opportunities to study true interspecific behavior, the interactions within and between species has been studied extensively in the wilderness by scientists daring enough to venture beyond the outpost’s walls.

Creature Notes

• Solstice '23 from Drakine