Alphyn

     Celebrated by the elves in song and tales, the Alphyn have their full protection and are free to come and go as they please. Far from dangerous toward humanoids due to their trusting and rather playful nature, their main diet consists of birds, deer, wild cattle, water buffalo, big cats such as tigers, leopards or lions and any dinosaur that is below 30 feet long. The Alphyn itself measures about 25 feet long and weighs close to a ton, and despite this size, it is lithe and agile, with a long, flexible and bushy tail for balance. It is also capable of climbing trees thanks to the locking joints in its ankles. In color, it has fox-red fur with iridescent feathers on its neck and shoulders, and in the dark, this makes it very hard to spot, perfect camouflage for attacking unsuspecting prey. Alphyn are also generally solitary, but males often raise two or more families with different females, traveling between them to teach the cubs how to hunt and forage. 

      Though Alphyn are celebrated by the elves, they do not domesticate them, feeling the animals should be free to make their own choices. Because Alphyn often stay near elven cities by what could be personal choice, it is possible they are semi-sentient. The elves themselves agree with this, because Alphyn are smart enough to understand what a person says. Legends  say that this began when an Alphyn aided a wounded Elf Lady of high rank when her horse threw and left her stranded in a dangerous area of the forest. The Alphyn cared for her for three days and helped her reach Treehaven. The Elves were so grateful that she was safe that they bestowed protection on the Alphyn and its kind ever since. As such, it is punishable by death to harm an Alphyn, and woe betide any poacher or trophy hunter who kills a cub, for the mother will pursue them until their death.