The Education of Kala Leukos, iv: Birds of a Feather
Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2020 2:13 pm
68 Ash 120
The Academy of Kalzasi
"Of the diurnal raptors," the natural philosopher continued, "distinct morphology suggests behaviors and traits."
Neither Kala nor Kaus had expected to be rapt through a lecture in natural philosophy, of course, but the woman was speaking to their obsessions. Flight was Kaus' favorite activity and wings were Kala's obsession. Sometimes she wondered if she might not fashion her own out of clockwork and magic if the Gods didn't see fit to gift her with a set like her brother's. But that was a discussion for another class. The natural philosopher could speak to the morphology of wings, but a priest was more likely to have an answer why the Gods chose not to grant the female of the species similar plumage.
"Falcons, of course, have the edge in sheer speed. If you have ever seen one stooping down upon its prey, then you have quick eyes. Their wings are long and pointed for flying low to the ground, helping with the element of surprise. When they stoop, they bring their wings in, in essence reducing their resistance as they pass through the air like a loosed arrow. As you can see, their wings are much narrower than the broad wings of their cousins, the hawks." She shifted her glass lens over the desk and the inherent magic of the bauble bent the light to project the drawings under it into the air like the ghostly illusion of bird anatomy.
"Notice also the relative size of the hawk's talons, which need to be strong since their prey tend to be wriggling mammals and their hunting style often relies upon a high vantage point, using their excellent eyesight to spot movement below, and when they attack, they will not let go. Some hawks will use their broad wings to steady themselves over a hunting patch, as well. While fast, they aren't quite built for speed the same way as their falcon cousins."
Shifting the magic glass also gave the students a moving image of the various named species in flight, at the hunt.
"Harriers, close cousins of the hawks, tend to hunt in marshes and fields where there are no trees or even buildings to perch on. Their long wings and tails help them fly low and steady, the better to make use of their keen sense of sight. They even have facial disks similar to owls that are believed to act similarly to our ears. And, of course, vultures and other carrion-eaters have better developed senses of smell in order to find their meals, although their eyes are keen enough to see the movement of other scavengers."
Here the twins found a lull in their interest. Kaus glanced at his sister, knowing some sort of thoughts were brewing in her head. He sent a note of curiosity through their bond. While it was strong enough to communicate in words as if they were speaking, they had been communicating with each other since before they had words and sometimes they didn't require them still. She smiled quietly and made a dismissive gesture. She was having thoughts, but they weren't fully formed yet and so she couldn't share them.
Listen, she sent, and turned her own attention back to the instructor.
"...goshawks and sparrowhawks and the like," she continued, "tend to have short, rounded wings and long tails that act as rudders for added agility. They hunt in forests and the like where there are more obstacles. Their smaller cousins, the kites, are truly graceful in the air, though their wings are narrow and pointed, more akin to the larger falcons." The images kept pace with their instructor's lecture. "You will see them hanging motionless in the air, swooping and gliding, rolling upside down, and then speeding high in the air with scarcely a motion of their wings. They will snatch an insect out of the air or a serpent from a branch. Just beautiful..."
Their instructor's passion for the topic began to seep into the lecture. The information was all good, though more and more she just seemed to be showing off her collection of pictures and such, but the twins certainly didn't mind.
"Eagles! Eagles and osprey are built for sheer power. Golden eagles have been known to take down wolves, to knock goats off of cliffs. Notice the osprey's heavy talons. The fish they hunt can be even more slippery than a hawk's supper. Eagles, osprey, and hawks all have death grips, which makes sense considering their prey."
While the natural philosopher waxed eloquent and grew more excited, Kala began to regard her brother with a calculating eye. When he caught her looking at him like that—a look that sometimes boded trouble—he whispered, "What?"
"Any questions?"
The Academy of Kalzasi
"Of the diurnal raptors," the natural philosopher continued, "distinct morphology suggests behaviors and traits."
Neither Kala nor Kaus had expected to be rapt through a lecture in natural philosophy, of course, but the woman was speaking to their obsessions. Flight was Kaus' favorite activity and wings were Kala's obsession. Sometimes she wondered if she might not fashion her own out of clockwork and magic if the Gods didn't see fit to gift her with a set like her brother's. But that was a discussion for another class. The natural philosopher could speak to the morphology of wings, but a priest was more likely to have an answer why the Gods chose not to grant the female of the species similar plumage.
"Falcons, of course, have the edge in sheer speed. If you have ever seen one stooping down upon its prey, then you have quick eyes. Their wings are long and pointed for flying low to the ground, helping with the element of surprise. When they stoop, they bring their wings in, in essence reducing their resistance as they pass through the air like a loosed arrow. As you can see, their wings are much narrower than the broad wings of their cousins, the hawks." She shifted her glass lens over the desk and the inherent magic of the bauble bent the light to project the drawings under it into the air like the ghostly illusion of bird anatomy.
"Notice also the relative size of the hawk's talons, which need to be strong since their prey tend to be wriggling mammals and their hunting style often relies upon a high vantage point, using their excellent eyesight to spot movement below, and when they attack, they will not let go. Some hawks will use their broad wings to steady themselves over a hunting patch, as well. While fast, they aren't quite built for speed the same way as their falcon cousins."
Shifting the magic glass also gave the students a moving image of the various named species in flight, at the hunt.
"Harriers, close cousins of the hawks, tend to hunt in marshes and fields where there are no trees or even buildings to perch on. Their long wings and tails help them fly low and steady, the better to make use of their keen sense of sight. They even have facial disks similar to owls that are believed to act similarly to our ears. And, of course, vultures and other carrion-eaters have better developed senses of smell in order to find their meals, although their eyes are keen enough to see the movement of other scavengers."
Here the twins found a lull in their interest. Kaus glanced at his sister, knowing some sort of thoughts were brewing in her head. He sent a note of curiosity through their bond. While it was strong enough to communicate in words as if they were speaking, they had been communicating with each other since before they had words and sometimes they didn't require them still. She smiled quietly and made a dismissive gesture. She was having thoughts, but they weren't fully formed yet and so she couldn't share them.
Listen, she sent, and turned her own attention back to the instructor.
"...goshawks and sparrowhawks and the like," she continued, "tend to have short, rounded wings and long tails that act as rudders for added agility. They hunt in forests and the like where there are more obstacles. Their smaller cousins, the kites, are truly graceful in the air, though their wings are narrow and pointed, more akin to the larger falcons." The images kept pace with their instructor's lecture. "You will see them hanging motionless in the air, swooping and gliding, rolling upside down, and then speeding high in the air with scarcely a motion of their wings. They will snatch an insect out of the air or a serpent from a branch. Just beautiful..."
Their instructor's passion for the topic began to seep into the lecture. The information was all good, though more and more she just seemed to be showing off her collection of pictures and such, but the twins certainly didn't mind.
"Eagles! Eagles and osprey are built for sheer power. Golden eagles have been known to take down wolves, to knock goats off of cliffs. Notice the osprey's heavy talons. The fish they hunt can be even more slippery than a hawk's supper. Eagles, osprey, and hawks all have death grips, which makes sense considering their prey."
While the natural philosopher waxed eloquent and grew more excited, Kala began to regard her brother with a calculating eye. When he caught her looking at him like that—a look that sometimes boded trouble—he whispered, "What?"
"Any questions?"
