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The Painted Kinedeer, a trichromat cow descendant that has learned to exploit the hyne's fruit orchards. For the Hyne's Inheritance.

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Kinedeer are the most diverse family of cattle found on Demeter fifteen million years hence. Superficially, they resemble antelopes with long cursorial legs and backwards facing horns. With both browsers and grazers in their midst, kinedeer find a home in both closed forests to open grasslands and deserts. The Painted Kinedeer (bull depicted here) is the most common species encountered by the hyne of the Chrysa Ring. It's a large species standing almost two meters at the withers and weighing 2,000 lbs. Long neural spines and the accompanying hump of muscle give this mid-height browser a proud stance. At rest, it's neck is naturally held almost completely upright. Meanwhile the skin along its lower neck and chest is a loose dewlap, allowing it to expel excess heat and deflect the claws and bites of predators like captors. Most unique about this species and how it earns its name are the bright blue and red skin on its nose, bridge of the snout, lips, and inner ears. They resemble similar markings on earthly mandrill monkeys or fowl like turkeys. It all betrays a more unique adaptation: the painted kinedeer is a trichromat, able to see three colors red, green, and blue. Trichromacy first evolved in this species as they increasingly began to pursue colorful fruits amongst the leaves. In cows, the markings are limited to the nose and inner ears and is more muted, their horns are smaller and straighter. Bulls lead herds of 10-20 cows and their calves. Painted kinedeer are a particular nuisance species for the hyne. These horse sophonts have redomesticated several fruit trees and hold control over large orchards. While they don't need to hunt for food, hyne will hunt painted kinedeer to prevent them from raiding their orchards. But this kinedeer has evolved alongside the hyne and is crafty. They are diurnal and have sparse hair, allowing them to strike in the bold heat of the day.
November 3, 2026 at 12:07 AM