MagiStream

Lynx cabbits are the size of a housecat when they emerge from their eggs, and already always pleasantly warm - a blessing during the early spring, when nights are still chilly and days can turn unexpectedly cold. Soft, cuddly, and playful, they are a well-loved springtime companion. Given their usual hatching time and their relative fertility compared to most magical creatures, they have come to symbolize the return of spring and it’s not uncommon for people to gift each other lynx cabbit hatchling plushies in the early spring. Some people gift actual hatchlings, since the hatchlings are pleasant and easy to care for, requiring only to be left a bowl of milk and some vegetables every day, and some toy mice to play with when not seeking pets. Since most people are not prepared for the hatchling to grow into an adult predator the size of a small pony though, this practice is now heavily discouraged by the magi at the Keep.

After three months as a cute, affectionate, carrot-munching hatchling, lynx cabbits hit a sudden growth spurt, whereupon they grow so fast they are noticeably larger each day. At this point, lynx cabbits are no longer content with only milk and vegetables, and begin to hunt, consuming a great quantity of meat to fuel their growth. While still affectionate towards the magi that raised them, adult lynx cabbits are generally slightly more aloof and dignified, preferring to wander off for days at a time to hunt and explore. However, for some unknown reason, they all like to converge on the Keep and stay there at the start of spring, just in time to shed their winter coats all over the castle. Magi think this is most likely because the shedding process itches, and the residents of the Keep obligingly provide plenty of scritches. It’s not uncommon during this time to spot a fully grown lynx cabbit forget its massive size and attempt to park itself in its magi’s lap for pets, engulfing the poor magi in fluff.

While lynx cabbits have some vague control over heat and life magic, magi generally agree that their true power is the ability to fill an entire room with fur. Lynx cabbits have some of the softest, warmest fur known to exist, and come spring, they take it as their solemn duty to shed an unfathomable amount of it. Magi attempt to combat this excess of fluff by combing their companions regularly and gathering up the soft fur. Being considerably larger than most other cabbits, measuring about half the height of an average magi at the shoulder, a single lynx cabbit can produce enough to fill several large bags, and still somehow shed more the instant they are let loose. During this season, magi armed with brooms and many other cleaning spells work overtime to sweep up the fur all over the Keep, and those poor souls who are allergic find excuses to be far away. Nesting birds take full advantage of the bounty, as do many other creatures who like lining their dwellings with soft scraps. The gathered fur is spun into yarn and used to make soft, warm clothes in preparation for the following winter.