Throwing another lore dump into the void.
The Redsands are Velociraptor mongoliensis, as are a staggering majority of packs that roam (or roamed) the Gobi. They reside in a canyon carved by an ancient, long-gone river from ruddy sandstone, though as a ruthlessly expansionist society, their territory spans red dunes and forbidding cracked-earth plains. Their territory is punishingly hot and arid, more so than usual, and so the raptors lack the thick, insulating plumage of their highland cousins. The Redsands in particular have feathery coats that are marginally thinner than those of other V. mongoliensis packs, though this has not done anything to lessen their full covering of avian plumes.
The feathers of the Redsands closely resemble their habitat. Reds, browns, tawny, and sandy tones are most common, typically accompanied by stripes and speckles. A male's display feathers are commonly red, though recessive blue primaries have been known to show up in some—Kaire, for example. This trait is not seen as very desirable due to how blue sticks out so prominently against the shifting sands.
Redsands females are, like their sisters to the crags of the east, duller than males. They also tend toward the darker side as far as their plumage goes, which makes them valuable assets in any nocturnal ambush. They are somewhat larger than males and possess more down beneath their surface feathers for the purpose of insulating eggs. The communal nesting practices of the Redsands, however, mean males will occasionally be subjected to brooding responsibilities as well.
Sexual dimorphism is not as prevalent in the Redsands and neighboring packs as it is in the Skyrunners. Males are generally dull as well, though they can be picked out by their flashy primaries, tails, and occasional bright markings. They are generally leaner, smaller, and more socially oriented than females, which has led them to overwhelmingly gravitate toward the “hunter” rank.
The Redsands operate by a strict social hierarchy:
Eyes: Two Eyes exist, the Eye of the Field and the Eye of the Hunt. The name of the rank is derived from the concept that these two raptors are tasked with vigilantly watching over their packmates and overseeing daily responsibilities to ensure they are carried out as smoothly as possible. It is the highest rank, and one Eye is elected from the ranks of each standard position (below). They are meant to respesent the interests of these lower ranks and are re-elected every Rain—a unit of time equivalent to thirty moons (about 2 1/2 years).
The Eye of the Field is chosen by the sharpclaws and oversees guard rotations, patrols, battle strategy, and wartime affairs. Deals with interpack relationships and is considered the final authority when it comes to declaring war. Manages proxies, raptors who govern faraway conquered packs in place of the Eyes.
The Eye of the Hunt is chosen by the hunters and oversees the organization of hunting parties, the drawing of borders, the food supply, and domestic affairs. Can declare states of emergency and has the authority to withdraw war parties if the situation back at home is too dire to spare warriors.
The decorative “paint” they wear is donned only on formal occasions, as it is produced by wetting clay. Since water is scarce, it is an inconvenience to make.
Hunter: Pretty self-explanatory. They hunt. Primarily male, as males have the suitable build and social flexibility for the task.
Sharpclaw: Warriors, soldiers, whatever you’d like to call them. Duties range from camp- and nest-guarding to patrols to full-out battle. Traditionally often female. Males have been increasingly accepted into their ranks as the war against the Skyrunners grows more intense, to the point where about half can be counted as male.
Firstclaw: Fledglings in the process of being educated in the ways of the pack; hunting, battle tactics, culture, laws, and so on. Their education is a communal effort. It takes a full rain or until they have physically matured to rise to either hunter or sharpclaw; while firstclaws will have some say in which rank they would rather assume, it is ultimately up to the Eyes representing those respective ranks (firstclaws are promoted just prior to the cycling out of the previous Eyes and the election of new ones).
Fledgling: Raptor chicks capable of taking care of themselves but not yet old enough to begin training. Affectionately called keiri-ki, “little wings,” in archaic raptorspeak.
Hatchling: Young chicks who still need to be under the constant supervision of the pack. Cannot feed themselves and must remain within their nests.
