Jump to: Flora || Herbs || Fauna

Rushwater Holt holds an extensive list of flora and fauna - a biologist's delight! Below is a brief listing of the main plants and animals found near the holt. This list is no where complete but it should give you an idea. If you require more detailed info concerning flora and fauna, let me know.

Flora

Dreamberry Bushes
Medium sized, robust bushes ladden with dreamberries - an elf's delight! Dreamberry bushes have average looking leaves: dark green with a single, mid-sized central vein running down the pointed, oval-shaped leaf. They are most easily recognized during mid summer through late autumn when the bushes bare their fruit - plump and round dark purple berries. Also during fruit bearing season, these plants give off the pleasant aroma of intoxicating dreamberry scented juice. The bushes are common throughout the deeper recesses of the forests in the bottom of the canyons around Rushwater Holt. They are rarely found in more shallow earthed areas beyond the forests and out in the rocky canyons themselves.

Puckernuts These sour tasting nuts grow on medium sized trees interspersed through much of the forest within the canyons, although often greatly overshadowed by the huge redwood trees. For this reason, the trees tend to grow around small clearings and around the edges of the larger forest. Leaves are long and pointed with sharply jagged edges and a dark green with a single, thick central vein. The bark is a smooth, light grey colour while the puckernut itself has a rich, dark brown colour with a white crest on the top and often appears flattened in shape. Nuts begin to sprout in late summer and fall during autumn.

Strangleweed
Thick, clustering long vines that can move and literally strangle a creature caught in their grasp. Light green in colour, strangleweed can be difficult to see laying on the forest floor and its leathery exterior is difficult to cut through. Strangleweed thrives from spring through autumn, feeding as much as it can for its dormant winter rest. Thankfully, this deadly killer is not found among the treetops.

Herbs There are many varieties of herbs, specializing in medicinal and cooking purposes. Herbs come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and colours with or without flowers. Seasonal availablities depends on the individual plant. Some herbs, however, are poisonous. Firemoss and Dawnmist are the herbal experts of the tribe.

Herb Description Properties Bittergrass Fine, spiky light green grass found in clumps is moist forest areas. Thick shoots sprout from central clump flowering purple globe flowers. Sprouts in early spring and flourishes through much of the year until cooler climates of winter Removes scent. Break shoots, smear on skin. Blackbark Smooth pitch black coloured bark found in forest. Tree is very large and many branched with large, curling roots. Leaves are wide medium green and bears cones of white flowers in late spring forming into spiked nuts in autumn. Bark available year round. Tanning agent. Soaked with leathers in pool or buried underground. Bloodroot Extremely rare medium sized blood-red coloured root found in rich volcanic soil of World's Spine mountains. Medium sized bush with blackened leaves and reddish stem and branches. Available year round but difficult to harvest in winter from snow and ice. Purifies blood from disease, poisons, internal parasites. Duskberry Small oval shaped clumping black berries found throughout canyon floor. Large overgrown bushes with tiny, sharp thorns. Leaves are bright green and oval shaped on small sprigs. Bears multi-coloured rose-like fragrant blooms. Berries sprout in mid spring and ripen by mid summer. Antidote for floral poisons. Berries eaten raw. Fire Moss Violet to red shades of moss found in canyon caves. Carnivorous plant which creates its own light source to attract small insects as food. Light created is soft pastel colours, usually pink, violet or orange. Firemoss lines her den with this moss. Available year round but usually dormant in winter due to less insect prey. Luminescent moss. Provides soft pastel glow. Glimmer Root Bland tasting tuber found in moist and shady foresh and marshy areas. Root is thick and rounded with a bright yellow colour when cleaned. Plants have narrow bodies with tall, spiky, nesting waxy leaves. Long flower stalks are topped with a bright yellow, edible flower with a slightly sweet taste and long stemens. Strength fortification for expectant mothers and unborn cubs. Root chewed or soaked to make tea. Goodleaf Thick purple coloured leaves found throughout forest. Trees easy to recognize due to purple leaves and rough, curling layed bark. Leaves sprout late spring through to mid autumn. Disinfects wounds. Apply directly to flesh. Hair Moss Fine fibered clumping moss found in moist forest floor areas. Moss is silvery green/white colour and thick, has sweet scent. Available year round except in extreme cold snaps when it wilts slightly. Anti-infection, stops bleeding. Used to clean and pack wounds. Handleaf Large, four-fingered hand-shaped leaf found around forest clearing edges. Tree is tall and slender, requiring much light. Leaves sprout in early spring and fall in late autumn. Medicinal use only good in fresh leaves. Burn antidote. May be wrapped around burn or made into a salve. Marsh Tree Growth Bright red/orange fungus with smaller red spots found in marshes. Grows around tree trunks in large, soft ledge shapes. Frilled underside and meaty with a sharp taste. Available year round although most potent in late summer to late autumn. Antidote for snake bites. May be eaten whole or made into a salve. Oilberry Short, narrow hardy bush found in forest and canyons. Leaves a medium coloured green, short and narrow with a waxy exterior. Thin branches sprout thin and sharp thorns. Late blooming berries are large and white with waxy exterior. Berries sprout in late fall through winter. Removes scent. Oil obtained from crushed berries, smeared on skin. Sour Bark Bark is torn off in thick strips from its trees found at forest edges near canyons. Bark is a medium grey/brown, rough and worn on the outside, pasty yellow and meaty on the inside. Sour bark trees have a twisted, bulbous shape, intertwining branches and frizzy looking foilage. Leaves are relatively narrow and slim and are of a silvery green colour. Bark available year round. Pain relief. Yellow meaty bark chewed or soaked into a tea. Starflower Small, five-petal purple flowers found in forest and canyon clearings. Plant is thick and creeping vine-like nature, spreads readily. Leaves are almond-shapes, very dark green and small. Blooms very early spring to late spring. Lowers fever. Flowers chewed or soaked into tea. Wackroot Knarled root from large bushes found in forest and canyon edges. Bushes are large with thick stalks and deep buried roots. Leaves are dark reddish/purple colour, thick and rounded with many fine veins. Blooms tiny orange flowers during wet spring season. Pain relief. Root chewed and swallowed. Whistling Leaves Small, fleshy plants found in marshy forest areas, rare. Leaves are a soft green, wide and thick with several wide slits. Renowned for make a whistling sound when wind blows through them at just the right angle. Sprout in early spring and begin to die out by mid summer. Diuretic, cleanses body of poison, disease, infection. Leaves must be chewed, vomitting results.

Moss and Lichen The area surrounding Rushwater Holt throughout the forests contains a large variety of moss and lichen due to the temperate climate and available water sources. Mosses tend to be thick and soft with a range of colours from dark green to yellowish green and even silvery green. Moss can often be found across the forest floor creating a thick green carpet but can also be found on trees and dead logs. Lichen is slightly different from moss, being a thinner variety of plant with a rougher texture. Lichen are typically grey to white in colour, sometimes with green flecks. Lichen commonly covers dead logs, trees and can be found out in the more expansive canyons on rock faces. Lichen is also more hardy than most of the mosses and weathers the winter months well.

Vines
Vines are numerous throughout the forest around Rushwater Holt but are not found out in the more baren canyons. The majority of vines are thick and strong, often of a dark green colour. Spring through summer is the best time for vine growth and although they are still found in winter, they tend to be rather brittle and snap easily.

Ferns Numerous verns abound throughout the forest, mainly covering the forest floor but some varieties are occassionally found higher up in some tree crouches. Light greens are the most common colours for ferns and they tend to have feathery light leaves with serrated edges. Ferns vary in their hardiness and the area surrounding Rushwater Holt has both hardy and delicate types.

Wild Flowers An abundance of wild flowers can be found not only around Rushwater Holt but the entire forest and canyons. Many bushes have small flowers or flower clusters on them plus a multitude of flowering plants and even a few flowering vines can be found. The majority of flowering plants grow on the forest floor but several types also dwell up high from the trees, settling in tree crotches where water collects. Bloosoms tend to be of rich and vibrant colours to attract birds for pollination. Petals are often large to collect water and leaves are also typically large with size and shape varying on the specific plant. Flowers may start blooming as early as late winter during the start of the thaw (although rare) and may last until late autumn.

Giant Redwoods These giants of the canyon forest make up the majority of the trees. The redwoods are also the homes of the elves, their large trunks making for spacious denning quarters hollowed out by the tribe's tree shapers. The giant redwoods easily tower over any of the other trees and have slim branches and moderate foliage in the upper levels. The bark is reddish in colour, giving them their name and the leaves are dark green. A single tree trunck may take 4-5 elves to encircle it holding hands.

Capnut Trees Capnuts, although bitter in taste, are sometimes eaten by the elves, especially in times of famine. The trees that bare these small nuts are large with a full foliage spread and grow happily amongst the large redwoods. The bark has only a slightly rough texture. Leaves are large and long with wide frilled edges and a single, central vein. Nuts are produced in small clusters during mid to late summer and fall during autumn through to winter.

Fauna

Bristle Boar Ill-tempered wild pigs found in the wider open areas around Rushwater Holt, most often out in the canyons veins. Bristle boar tend to be solitary animals except during mating season when pairs may be found together. Litters are large with usually 5-7 piglets born which stay with the mother for several months before beginning their own solitary life. Bristle boar feed on short, tough grasses, moss and lichen and other low level shrubbery and require much water. Elves must be careful when hunting these animals as they have a nasty tendency to turn on their attackers, gorring them with their thick tusks. They are especially nasty during mating season.

Crocodilian Large and ferocious crocodile-like reptiles that live in many of the larger river inlets. They are active predators eating fish, snakes and animals foolishly getting too close for a sip of water - elves beware! Crocodilians are fairly social animals, often found in large numbers and lay large egg mounds of approximately 30 eggs with hatlings self-sufficient at birth. They are faster in their natural water habitat than on land and thus prefer to attack in water, however, they will attack on land if provoked.

Deer A variety of deer inhabit mainly the forest running through the canyons around Rushwater Holt. Most deer are small to medium sized although some larger deer are seen - larger animals usually only during the summer months when the flora is lush. Depending on the type of deer, they can be found in small herds of 10-20 animals or in mated pairs. One fawn is normally born in the spring although twins are common, too. The elves have several names for type of deer as this short list shows:     Branch Horns = Elk (small herds common in forest)     Cup Horns = Reindeer-like (rarely seen, found in more abundence on nearby plains)     Click Deer = White tailed deer (very common, often pairs)

Rock Deer These agile animals are akin to mountain goats and are experts at living high on the canyon's ridges and plateaus. Medium sized at maturity, males often partake in head-butting rituals for dominence of small herds. They are similar to other deer in many ways with an increased dexterity on uneven and rocky terrain which makes them tricky to hunt. Summerset uses their course hair to weave into linen and are one of the elves' main sources of meat.

Finback These dinosaur throwbacks are generally found in swamps but roaming packs are sometimes sighted around the temperate region of Rushwater Holt. Resembling duck-billed dinosaurs, they also have a fin down their back and are herbivours. These creatures are so large and their skin is so tough that they are often avoided rather than hunted by elves and humans. Sky Singers find their eggs and young to be a delicacy, however.

Longtooth Large, prowling sabre toothed cats found in abundence throughout the forests surrounding Rushwater Holt and often also throughout the canyon veins. Strict carnivores, these fierce cats will stalk their prey for long periods of time and kill by lunging at their prey from a short run, tearing huge chunks of the prey's throat out and then allowing the animal to bleed to death. They have sharp, retractable claws which allow them to climb trees on occassion although they tend to prefer the ground. Solitary animals that only come together in pairs during mating season, 1-4 kittens are generally born in a litter.

Tuftcat Larger than longtooths, tuftcats resemble overgrown lynx. They have thick fur often in shades of light greys and sometimes with orange, brown and/or black patches. Strict carnivores, these huge cats are also stalkers, taking down their prey in a similar, although less gory fashion, as longtooths. Although tuftcats also have large, sharp claws, their immense bulk does not allow them to climb easily and are therefore ground dwelling only. They do, however, enjoy water and will often bathe and play in swallow pools. Solitary hunters, they are only seen in pairs during mating season and generally have 1-2 kittens per litter.

Fisher Cat One of several smaller cat species around Rushwater Holt, these cats can be found both in the forests or the larger canyons but always near water. Their main diet is fish and they are adapt at sweeping fish from the water with their paws. Fisher cats are lithe in body with short, grey hair and small, rounded ears.

Treewalker Cat A medium sized cat, tree walkers are found only in the forested areas of the canyons. They feed mainly on small game such as ravvits, nut-crackers (squirrels) and various birds. Highly agile in the treetops, tree walkers have a relatively small head, long legs and body with a richly dappled pelt.

Shellback Similar to the armadillo, shellbacks are shelled mammals. Strict herbivours and very unaggressive due to their near-invulnerability, they are rarely threatening although difficult to hunt (yet not impossible). They have a turtle-like shell covering their back and the top of the head along with an armoured and spiked tail. Generally solitary creatures.

Snakes/Serpents Several different species of snakes, also called serpents by the elves, live in the forest and surrounding canyons. Those found in the forest are often ground dwellers with a few of the slimmer species living in the trees. Canyon dwelling snakes often bask on rocks in the sun and hide under rocks or in caves. Poisonous and non-poisonous occur and the elves find many to be a favourite meal. Size, temperament and colour depends on individual type of snake.

Swordfoot These fast, bipedal, velociraptor-like reptiles are about 8' from snout to the tip of their balancing tail. They are extremely clever and vicious predators that work in a pack formation. In attacking, they will grasp their prey with their shorter forelegs and rack enthusiastically with their scimitar-like hindclaws. When the prey is dead, it will immediately carry its prey off if it is small enough to hold and run with. Otherwise, it will drop it and attack another target until only swordfeet are left alive. Only then does the entire pack eat. Swordfeet will feed on anything that doesn't feed on them first. These fearsome reptiles generally live the hot and swampy areas but they unfortunately have been known to enter the temperate region surrounding Rushwater Holt, although these instances have thankfully been few and far between.

Treewee These strange little creatures resemble small lemurs with their large, glowing eyes and long, tapered fingers. Treewees are skittish tree dwellers and strictly herbivores, mainly eating leaves. Easy prey to the elves, they make an easy, although unimpressive meal and are often hunted by youths on their first hunt.

Leatherwing The elves' term for bats. A variety of bats can be found throughout the forest and canyons. Forest dwelling bats may eat either fruit or insects and tend to roost high in trees or caves. Canyon dwelling bats eat insects and roost in caves.

Raptors Several types of raptors can be found around Rushwater Holt. Small to medium sized birds with razor shape talons and hooked beaks, often with brown, white, black or reddish plumage. Raptors tend to hunt small game and young animals.

Other Animals
A multitude of other animals dwell around the holt, far too many to all include here but here is an additional list, complete with the elves' names:

• rabbits (ravvits)
• squirrels (nut-crackers)
• fish, numerous varieties
• frogs (pond leapers)
• turtles (snappers)
• fireflies (starbugs)
• butterflies (petalwings)
• clams (rock cousins)