Nomads

Summary
Nomads are a breed of Erevè. They are considered to some of the smartest species on Tao Centarum. Their appearance shares the likeness of a grasshopper mouse with four long ears, winged arms, and a long slender tail with fluff on the tip. These creatures are winged, and has the ability to glide to other islands with aid of wind currents.

Biology
- (Sight) Two medium sized eyes with variating colored irises amongst others. The iris has monochromatic shades, and a different colored ring around the retina. The retina can focus up to 1.2 miles away. (Average human sight sees up to two miles away.) Can see 10.5 million colors. (Humans see 10 million colors.)

- (Hearing) Hearing is 2x more acute compared to a Wicken's, due to their extra set of ears. They can hear high and low frequencies. The lowest frequency they can hear from a short distance is a heartbeat. The highest is around the same frequency of a dog whistle. Also; they use echolocation in dark areas such as caves by producing a unique verbally produced sound, which is a yipping sound. (This sound is also used for Nomad mothers to identify their newborns.) Echoes create a mental 3D image of their surroundings.

- (Scent) Along with their sense of taste, scent is slightly more acute.

- (Respiratory and Cardio) Nomads have three lungs, a thoracic diaphragm and a strong heart that pumps blood and oxygen to their organs at a faster pace. On top of that, they have a higher maximum VO2 limit. In a nutshell, Nomads can do any physical activity for a while without getting winded. This enables Nomads to hunt, glide, and run for many hours, depending on how fit the Nomad is.

- (Wings) Though their wings don't provide full flight, and the lack of a keel and hollow bones; Nomads can still use them to be airborne. However; they can only glide whilst slowly descending. When they need to travel to different islands, they will use strong wind currents and jet streams to aid them during flight.

- (Reproductive Organs, and nurturing methods) Nomads have reproductive body parts similar to the Wicken, Shogun, Vanguards and Humans. (Male: Penis and Testicles|Female: Vagina and Uterus) Woman also have breasts, but are generally smaller than other specie's, and is usually covered by fur. Though sex may never be witnessed within the course of the story; it is suggested that they have intercourse like others. At a certain age during a Nomad's childhood (8-12 years of age), they will start to go through changes that alter both his/her personality and physical appearance. Though it pretty much is puberty, it starts earlier than other Sentient life. Though the average age for a Nomad's body to be ready reproduction is around 15 years; most Nomads choose around the age of 17. Every spring, virgin Nomad females go into heat; which is natural for their mating ritual. During their heat; they will find their soulmate, and breed with him. During their nine month gestation period, they will not experience being in heat, and their stomach will begin to expand as the fetus grows. Nomads experience contractions when going into labor. Despite contractions being extremely uncomfortable, the most painful part is when the baby is being delivered through the cervix canal, with it being more narrow than other mammals. After delivering the infant(s), they are kept nourished by the mother; who feeds her newborn by letting them instinctively suckle her nipples, which produces a milk-like substance. They will continue doing this method of nourishment until the newborn's teeth grow in. Like all other breeds, minus Lapin Females; they CANNOT breed outside of their species. Doing so will not impregnate the female. Again, interspecies reproduction is impossible. No joke, look it up. A Nomad will usually have a litter of 2 offspring each impregnation. The biggest litter size to be recorded was four offspring.

- (Teeth, Claws and Tongue) Nomads are omnivorous: thus, their teeth serve both purposes. In the front row, they have mouse-like incisors, but they are relatively shorter in length, and next to their incisors are canines, which are of course, meant for tearing meat, while their backset are molars, which are used for grinding wheat and other foods. During a Nomad's youth, they will instinctively teethe on objects to sharpen and grow their canines. Teeth growth works the same as humans; there are baby teeth and adult teeth. A Nomad's tongue is covered in backward-facing papillae, which is used for grooming their fur.

- (Body waste removal, digestive system and food intolerance) Nomads are like any other living creature; they defecate, urinate and belch on a regular basis. Their digestion is aided by stomach acid, and intestines. To dispose of any harmful/disgusting things that were consumed by mouth, their body will enter a nauseous state triggered by their body's regulations, then will regurgitate the consumed object. A Nomad is typically tolerant towards many kinds of foods, but seems to be intolerant towards an herbal plant called the Rosendale Angel Wing Plant: which is used in a few selections of alcoholic beverages. Upon consumption of the Angel Wing plant, the Nomad's body temperature will dramatically rise, and will enter a slight state of trance: after that, he/she will become nauseous, vomit, then fall into a coma-like state. Any more than a half of a bottle of Angel Wing Ale will more than likely result in the poor Nomad's death. If lucky, recovery will take merely less than two days at most. Now onto alcohol consumption. Alcohol and distillation is apart of Nomad tradition, and is enjoyed by most Nomads. Nomads usually begin drinking at the age of 14. Intoxication is easily achieved, but they will not wake up with a hangover. The reason remains a mystery.

Author Notes

 * The Nomads were originally inspired by the Avali race, but I decided to go a different direction. Some similarities still remain.
 * Nomads did not exist in the first phase of the story. They came around after the second reiteration, which I was hoping to add two more protagonists to the story. This was the initial introduction of Yosu and Momo, the first written Shogun.
 * If it wasn't obvious before, Yosu'zume is the first written Nomad in the story.
 * Initially, I wanted Yosu and her unborn daughter to be the last Nomads on Tao Centarum. This changed however, when I played around with the idea of her species extinction was somewhat false. Instead, there is approximately 20 more left in Aris, and over one million in Faron.