Opalfur dragons, as well as other gemfur dragons, are commonly used as mounts in the northern parts of Sykie. Kiera has been Lahar's mount since they were both children. She is a stubborn and grumpy dragon, but her loyalty and dedication to her rider is unrivaled amongst the dragons of Alt City.

As a gemfur dragon, which are known to be sensitive to environmental changes, Kiera is unable to spend much time around people or places with an unclean aura. If she spends more than a few days around tainted energy it begins to drain her magick. Without magick she would be unable to fly, which is a dangerous and stressful situation for a gemfur dragon to be in. They are fairly small and weak by the standards of dragons and other wild beasts on Sykie, and they have little physical strength -- all their power and energy comes from magick. Without it they are vulnerable.

So when Lahar's aura began to grow dirty and tainted around age 10, Kiera grew extremely concerned. It was happening so rapidly, Kiera wasn't sure if she could do anything about it; she tried to warn her rider, but gemfurs lack tongues to speak with, and Lahar was oblivious to her attempts to communicate her concern. She would still stay by Lahar's side until she was feeling drained and sick but eventually, the situation became so bad that Kiera began distancing herself from Lahar. The change was so gradual and Lahar was so wrapped up in her own life that she hardly noticed Kiera's departure, and the dragon figured that was best for both of them. She retreated into the mountains where she could keep an eye on Lahar while also maintaining a safe distance.

Over a decade later, Pounce finally scaled that mountain with a significantly cleaner aura and the goal of retrieving her childhood friend.

How To Train A Gemfur

Gemfur dragons are native to the mountains of Aera Sykie, although they have spread out across all the Aeran lands. They are desired as mounts for their beauty and agility, but aren't commonly owned because they are timid and very difficult to care for.

Gemfurs were given their name due to their eye-catching fur which grows in very thin, brightly-colored, semi-transparent strands that are highly reflective, causing these dragons to shimmer in the light as if they were made of gems. The outer layer of fur is soft and fluffy but the undercoat is surprisingly thick and bristly, much like a toothbrush in texture. Other notable features include small antlers and long, fluffy, drooping ears.

They are somewhat small by draconic standards, measuring about 3 ft from shoulder to foot, 6 ft from head to foot (when head is held upright), 12-14 ft from head to rear (when head is level with body), and 20-25 ft from head to tail.