If looked at it in pictures without an environment, you'd think these were your average
Otters and Llamas. Add its natural surroundings and you would see its head billowing in the canopy of rainforest
trees. They stand like giraffes, with their head height reaching up to fourteen feet tall, depending on the breed.
"Okapi" (Oh-kah-pee) is one, while "Okapai" (Oh-kah-pie) is more than one. At birth, they stand
six foot, and leave their mother within two years, where they grow rapidly and live a long life of solitude. Their
deaths are mysterious and rarely are any remains found of an Okapi carcass. Most prove acts of kindness to the
little-ones below, like Ingrim and Hodges, by letting fruit fall passed their mouths to land on the forest floor.
Repayment of a friendly chat is usually in order when the little-ones had their fill of fruit. After all, with
leading such a lonely life, one would long to hear the sound of anothers voice and maybe catch up on current events.
Okapai can reach up to 70 years in age.
The Okapai Homes
For their height, they take shelter under tree canopies, and haven't any other sort of
shelter. If in cases of hurricanes, tornados, or severe storms, some get down on their knees, wrap their neck round
their body, and hide their face beneathe their tail. Those that are water-baron, seek shelter in under the depths.
They live where trees are abundant in great masses, so they never run out of food or cause any other creature to
starve.
The Diet
Legend has it that they get their nuitrition and energy from sunlight, absorbed through
their fur and could last five days without eating, though an Okapi spends most of its time eating. If you were
to peel off the fur, you'd find pure muscle. Their repetitive eating is caused by the excessive burning of food
they consume. Such giants need enormous portions of food for moving their heavy bones and massive neck weight.
So they eat the most flourishing plants; leaves of trees, grass, bark, and any sort of tree-fruit.
Common Tradition
Okapai never really battle unless over a mate, which they size eachother up, then swing
their thick necks and tails until their opponent limps away in pain. They do not worship anything, but do sometimes
form imaginary friends of sorts. They all share the joy of a sunny day, seeming to be happiest and most lively
when the sun is brightest, and seem like they have cabin fever in winter.
What's In?
Okapi Domest-Cats
The most unique for having 23 different
breeds of Domestic Cats with colors varying from stripes to solids and from tortoishell
to calico.
Okapi Red Fox
They take to burrowing shallow holes in the turf on hot days to keep cool,
and even surround it with high stone walls to form a temporary home.
Okapi Otter
Show-offs and extremely active are two words to sum up the Otter, brother
to the Ferret. Otters enjoy the out-of-doors more than being inside, diving underwater to eat kelp and shellfish
in large amounts. With their short, paddle legs, they've often been mistook for the Loch Ness Monster.
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Okapi Ferret
These hang out, eating fruit in the trees, and at some occasions, welcomed by the Ingrim
to eat the bugs around their homes. Friendly and playful, they're willing to play with any creature. But most creatures
aren't willing to play with it, because of its enormous size!
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Okapi Llama
Lovely curly coats and long eye-lashes make it a sight worth seeing! Being the only hooven
Okapi, they have the advantage of walking in thick mud or river beds, but have the disadvantage of them chipping
away and getting foreign matter, like rocks, lodged in them.
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Okapi Hyrax
The Rock Hyrax was thought to be the closest living relative of the elephants ancestory,
even though it looks more like a guinea pig. The evolutionized version was thought to have disappeared, but that
is not so. They have lived amongst the Lyzbeth for most of their lives, and now is revealed.
Okapi Names
Male
Aaron: mountain
Acajou: white mahogany
Ashley: meadow of ash trees
Barclay: meadow of birch trees
Boyce: woods
Birch: the birch
Drake: dragon
Elwood: old wood
Forrest: woodsman
Guy: woods
Keith: forest
Laurence: bay tree
Montgomery: hill/mountain
Oliver: olive tree
Oren: cedar tree
Okapi: giraffe-like animal
Rex: king
Murray (Maurey): dark-skinned
Female
Brooke:
Cynthia:
Iiana: tree
River: the river
Myrtle: the tree
Odina: Mountain
Olive: tree
Shino: slender stem of bamboo
Sylvia: of the woods
Tamara: palm tree
Being that they spend their time alone, their first name is usually created to suit themselves
and their last names are usually names of trees, berries and flowers. If they find a place that they fancy or that
is serene, they combine two words that describe their favourite place, like "Sunnyhill" or "Olivefield".
