Shortwing

Overview
Shortwings are popular among Riders for their stability and mellow temperament, in addition to their inability to fly. While these pegasi may be able to glide short distances, they cannot truly fly like broadwings and longwings can, and thus are used primarily for heavy farmwork or transporting large quantities of goods by land.

Both in the wild and among humans, shortwings prefer having access to shelter like thick forests or barns as protection against airborne predators. They are large enough to fight off most land-bound predators, and generally live in flocks of 15-20 with a single protecting stallion or small band of related males sharing the harem.

Coloration/Conformation
Unlike their flying cousins, shortwings frequently come in exotic colors, easily breeding green, blue, red, or yellow markings on the face and wings. In the highest weight class of pegasus, shortwings are frequently heavy-set or just plain large, which prevents them from getting airborne in any meaningful way.

Artistically, shortwings are a combination of heavy draft breeds like percherons and shire horses, and small backyard birds like robins, finches, and jays. Some breeds may reflect colors or patterns common to ducks, pheasants, and peacocks, which are unique to specific islands but highly sought-after for their beautiful coloration.

Behavior
Shortwings are generally mellow in temperament, and as such are sometimes used as companions to nervous or aggressive broadwings. More commonly, due to their great size and dependability, shortwings are put in harness my traders, farmers, and tinkers to haul carts or ploughs.

The majority of a shortwing's diet is made up of seeds, nuts, and grasses. Like broadwings, they may occasionally eat fish, frogs, or small mammals, but they do not tend to hunt for them intentionally. Some smaller shortwings have been known to kill and eat mice and rats, and thus are good for keeping pests away from the barn in the winter.

Breeding/Nesting
The protecting stallion will jealously guard breeding rights to his mares, and may become unwilling to work in the late spring, when his mares are coming into season. In situations where a brother band (usually no more than three stallions together) has taken over a flock, they will frequently fight among themselves, though it's unclear whether they're fighting for dominance or showing off for the mares. It is uncommon for fewer than two brothers out of a protecting band to win the right to breed with the mares.

Like their broadwing cousins, shortwings prefer to nest in the cover of thick forest growth, and show a preference for evergreen trees, though it's unknown why. After finding an appropriate tree, the mare will dig a shallow nest in the topsoil in which to lay and incubate her clutch. Older shortwing mares have been known to assist in incubation and may even come into milk to help feed the foals.

Variations
As with all other creatures, there are some breeds that blur the line between one category and the next. Subclasses of shortwings include Light Shortwings, Pony Shortwings, and Bright or Show Shortwings (colloquially: show-wings).

The Light Shortwing is in a weight class between the Standard Shortwing and Standard Broadwing category, but retains the characteristic shortwing wing structure, and so cannot truly fly. They have been known to glide a fair distance if they have a hill or cliff to jump off of, but do not tend to do this willingly.

Pony Shortwings are in a lighter weight class, but usually keep the shortwing's stocky, muscular build. These pegasi are much sought-after as companions for children and beasts of burden, as they are perfectly capable of carrying or pulling a heavy load. They cannot fly, and do not seem bothered by this fact.

The Bright Shortwing or Show Shortwing is a comparatively rare domestic subclass intentionally cultivated for bright colors and unique, lustrous crests. According to many pilots, these creatures are worse than useless, as they have been bred only for appearance, and have a tendency to show unfavorable temperaments or unhealthy conformation. Nevertheless, a healthy Bright Shortwing stud may be sold or his services hired for unrealistic amounts of coin, because people love to have pretty things.