Herja

Summary: The herja, also known as cephel or manotan, is an omnivorous canid-like equinoid native to plain habitats in the north of Eraden. The herja is a headstrong and powerful animal that is hard to control if born in the wilderness. Herja have shown themselves to be the superior mode of transportation for ghalla due to their endurance and speed. In wild, herja live in large herds in a cooperative relationship with their much smaller canid-like equinoid cousin, tetenka.

Herja, Cephel, Manótan
These are all names for the same animal, henceforth referred to as herja. The herja is an omnivorous canid-like equinoid that serves as Eraden's horse equivalent. The herja is a powerful and headstrong beast and can be seen as both wild and domesticated in almost all regions of Eraden. Herjas have shown themselves to be the superior mode of transportation for ghalla, thanks to their incredible speed and endurance.

Lords of the Steppes
With the biggest population of wild herja, it is believed that Alvecharre steppes are the origin of the species. Over time, migrations of wild packs in search of new territories and food have spread the species all across the continent. The expansion of the herja domain was accelerated once ghalla managed to tame the animal. Soon after initial domestication efforts the herja became one of the most spread out animals in the world after the ervasar and the mana. 

Breeding and natural selection have reshaped the incoming herja to be better adapted to the conditions of their new territories. In their original homeland in Alvecharre, as well as regions of Tarrterra and Sterkhmas, herja have retained their large frames and thick, winter-proof coats. In the southern desert regions of Greater Auritas, herja have adapted to the arrid sands with a much shorter coat and airways specifically designed to maximize air intake while shielding the animal from the sand. Expert breeders in the west-most region of Eraden, Carmedil, have created a breed of miniature herja, ideal for pulling carts in gold and azurette mines.

The Demons of Alzheren
The most notable trait of the herja is its ferocious temper and taste for violence. Herjas primarily sustain themselves by hunting large game such as wild dermar and [TBA]. While it is similar to the jerda when it comes to its temper, the herja will not lash out unless provoked. Through what "provoked" means is up to the herja to decide. The herja must retain its fiery spirit in order to survive both its habitat and its felllow herja. From very early on, herja mothers teach their offspring to be aggressive and fight. Sparing between young herja of all ages is a very common site in a pack.

Queen Mother and her soldiers
The herja is a matriarchal animal. The Superior female, also known as the Matriarch or Queen Mother, is the tyrannical ruler of her pack. Right beneath her on the social hierarchy are her deugthers, than other females of the pack, then her sons, and the non-related males at the bottom.
As soon as a male herja reaches sexual maturity his mother banishes him from the pack and he must embark on a journey to find a pack that will accept him. In order to be accepted into a new pack, a male herja must show absolute subordination to the Matriarch of the new pack by grooming her and bringing her prey he catches.

During the mating season, male herja within a pack fight amongst themselves to gain mating rights with the Matriarch. After the Matriarch has picked out the champions for herself, the females engage in ceremonial fights between each other to see who gets to pick their mate first among the rest of the victorious males. Once chosen by a female, the male has no say in the matter.

After a 12 month pregnancy, the female herja usually gives birth to 1-2 young, though triplets are rare but recorded.

Brothers in arms
Herjas aren't the only animals within their packs. They share the pack and territory with the tetenka, their much smaller cousin. These two species live in an eternal cooperation: the tetenka hunt smaller prey and patrol the borders of the pack territory, and the hejra hunt the larger prey and protect tetenka from larger animals such as jerdas. Mothers of both species take care of all pups within the pack, herja or tetenka. 

When a male herja is banished from his mother's pack, one male tetenka might follow him on the journey.

Taming the demon
kako ukrotiti heržu