Kaiila

 

GENERAL ANATOMY

KAIILA are a large, usually carnivorous mammal with a long neck and silky fur, standing on average twenty to twenty-two hands high.

They have long, triangular tongues, long ears, and four rows of fangs, as well as retractable claws which are used for digging and defense.

Its head bears two large eyes, one on each side, which are triply lidded so that it can travel in difficult weather such as storms. The third lid is transparent, permitting the animal to move freely under such conditions, and it is often then that the wild kaiila chooses to hunt.

The kaiila has incredible stamina, capable of covering six-hundred pasangs in a day. They are also graceful and extremely agile, easily able to outmaneuver a high tharlarion.

KEEPING AND TRAINING

In spite of its naturally vicious temper, kaiila can be domesticated. They are never completely tame though, and may often attempt to bite a human if in a foul mood.

They are probably the closest thing to a domesticated larl.

Other than swift riding, kaiila can serve many purposes ... such as a means of herding, hunting or as a war mount. 

The Wagon People and the Red Savages are known for using the lance and bow, or the bola and quiva, on kaiilaback. The people of the desert often use the scimitar and buckler.

They are also kept for their milk - which is red in colour and salty in taste.

Kaiila require less food than a tarn, and they also have storage tissues which enable them to go longer periods without water.

They aren't easy creatures to train, and special ranches exist for the purposes of breeding and training kaiila.

Stableboys and slaves are often utilized in the care of the kaiila.

A kaiila quirt is a long and thin whip, like a riding crop, used in the training and control of the kaiila. The boots are the rider are often adorned with spurs or pointed kaiila goads on their heels.

The handling of a kaiila is simple ... draw the reins in the direction you wish to turn, draw back to halt and use the spurs to hasten the animal.

SOUTHERN PLAINS KAIILA

There are three main varieties of kaiila on Gor ... lets start with the SOUTHERN KAIILA, or PLAINS KAIILA.

The coats of these animals can range from rich gold to chestnut brown, or pure black such as this one.

One distinguishing feature of the southern kaiila is that they do not suckle their young. Rather, the mothers instinct is to deliver the young near game and they will hunt as soon as they struggle to their feet.

Thus they are born vicious and purely carnivious creatures. The southern kaiila has a storage stomach, enabling it to eat its fill and then go for days without meat.

The Wagon People are most famed as riders of the southern kaiila, which they use in herding bosk, in hunting and also in battle. The kaiila are also used in recreational sports of the Wagon People, such as the bola run.

They are often kept fed with slaughtered verr.

The Wagon People train their kaiila to avoid the thrown spear, not allowing them to breed until they are proficient at this maneuver. Those who can't learn it are slaughtered.

The need for a swift, agile and quick-witted beast means the very life of the rider.

    

SAND KAIILA

The DESERT KAIILA, or SAND KAIILA, is thought to be a desert mutation of the southern kaiila, with several important differences.

Most notably, the sand kaiila do suckle their young. With game being sparse in the Tahari, the suckling is a valuable trait in the survival of the newborn animals.

Also, the sand kaiila is omnivorous - feeding on vegetation as well as meat, unlike the southern variety which is purely carnivorous.

The paws of the sand kaiila are much broader, the digits webbed with leathery fibers and heavily padded to enable swift movements through the desert sands.

These beasts are used as a mount by the desert warriors, and also by merchants for transportation.

The saddle worn on the sand kaiila is high and light, most likely due to the extreme heat of the desert. It is customary to place bells on the harness to identify your intentions as friendly.

In training, the beasts are made to wear sheaths over their claws and have their jaws bound with leather.

The hair of a kaiila is never sheared, though it is gathered when its shed and used for various purposes depending on its fineness. The most prized hair is found on its underbelly, and commonly used to make cloth. The long, outer hairs are coarser and used to make ropes or tent cloth.

Kaiila are very useful creatures in desert travel, due to their effective ability in locating a water source.

The weather is, however, a threat to the kaiila. And inparticular the sand flies, who emerge after desert rain to feast on the blood of kaiila and man.

The kaiila must rely on a small bird called the zadit, which feeds on the flies, though it also leaves small wounds on the animal which can later  be treated with poultices made from kaiila dung.

BARRENS KAIILA

The third and final variety of kaiila is the BARRENS KAIILA.

These are closesly related to the sand kaiila, but with the difference that they are strictly herbivore. They are a grazing beast, like the kailiauk.

The Red Savages are noted for being extremely talented riders of the barrens kaiila.