Calix

Name:
Calex (Desert runner)

Appearance:
An odd looking creature. The head looks something like a dung beetle as it has pincers for a mouth and a horn ontop of its head. It has the body of a hooved greyhound dog. You would consider it a mammel as it has hair. The Calex is the size of a small horse. Its about 3 feet high. A calex has one ear and thats its horn.

Special Abilities:
The Calex is extremely fast. It is used to carry a person a long distance in a short time. The problem is a Calex can't handle much weight. It has about a 200 pound load limit. Thus they are only used for unarmored messengers. The benefit is the Calex will get you where you need to be quicker then almost any other animal.

Maximum speed = 70kph or 44mph (for ~ 10 minutes)
Maximum sustained speed = 25mph (for up to 3 hours)

Region:
Desert oasis areas.

Habitat/Behaviour:
The Calex loves to play. It will even play by itself. It will run and chase its shadow till it kills it self. Thus Calex's are about the dumbest animals ever. The only reason Calex's survive is they are tamed and bred. Wild Calex are a little smarter as they have been forced to be to survive. So if you ever want to keep a Calex alive you need an enclosed space and someone to entertain the Calex.

Mating:
Very basic. The mate normally as most animals do. The Female has to come into season. There is no mating dance but they tend to play together for a little bit first. If a Calex can it will stay with one mate.

Usage:
beast of burden and food source. It's barely large enough for humans to ride, but it is adequate for carrying supplies, so it is sometimes used as a pack beast in oasis areas where they have been captured and tamed. Their meat tastes like fruity beef and has a wild gritty flavor. Messengers love to use these to make it from city to city the fastest.

Diet:
Normaly leaves, and brush. Any plants it can find. Its pincers are used to break down small trees so they dont have to strain to get the higher leaves. They are also used to strip bark. But there arent many trees so they just eat shrubs.