When seen in its true form a firebrynd is nothing like a cat, but a but a nondescript four-legged fire elemental that glows softly with opalescent rosy flames and its fire-flesh will burn anyone it doesn’t want touching it whilst in its true form. It flares its flames to guide those dying before their time back to life, or as a presence of warmth and contentedness to those whose time has come. If it is in its tabby cat form when someone is close to passing over, it’ll often curl up on their chest or next to them and purr softly to calm them into a pleasant sleep making this creature almost a mirror to the khavina, being a portent of death yet one more of maintaining life over death where it can.

For many unelmuns with no understanding of magical or ethereal creature, this leads them to thinking that ginger tabbies are an omen of death and unlucky to own, while those who are unfazed or non-believers who have a firebrynd come into their life never go cold and the families live long and prosperous lives (though they’d never put it down to the presence of the cat.)

For the spehirikin who have a firebrynd come into their lives, they are also able to share in the magical abilities of the firebrynd which are many in the fields of healing and fire – particularly anything involving fire, be it magic or machine. Svuczen, son of the Emperor of Daehilu is said to have a firebrynd by his side and that it powers the dirigible he pilates.

Original article: Firebrynds.