Masi
Pronunciation~ MAH-see
Height at Shoulder~ When standing as bipeds, they can be anywhere from 4 to 7 feet, though around 5.5 is average. On all fours, they're only about 2 to 3.5 feet.
Weight~ Anywhere from 100 to 300 lbs. Fat Masi are non-existant, but tall and muscular aren't uncommon.
Length Without Tail~ This as quadrupeds, about 2.5 to 5 feet.
Length With Tail~ Add 3 to 5 feet on their original length. Masi have long tails.
Coloration~ Masi are a very diverse race when it comes to hues and markings. They're only in earth or metallic tones, which only barely limits the possibilities. They can have any type of marking or none at all, or any combination of markings. Masi also can be shaded, in one hue or in many. They can be both shaded and with markings, or only a few markings, or a full-body pattern. It is rare, however, for a Masi to be a solid hue, but when this happen, it is most commonly black. Albinos are exceedingly rare and usually don't survive to adulthood, due to their mangled vision. Speaking of which, Masi eyes can be any color, though earth, metallic, and jewel tones are by far the most common. Noses are black or pink, or a combination of the two. Whiskers tend to be a similar shade of their fur. Claws are either silvery grey, translucent, or black. Most Masi have a solid color tipping their tails, often black. They also have either black or white eartufts, which occasionally may be another hue entirely. Their manes, however, are usually interestingly-colored and often tipped in a different shade, or flecked. Masi like fur-paint and will often decorate their fur in jewel tones with symbolic or stylized images.
Clothing~ Masi don't need to wear clothing, according to their anatomical structure. However, as denizens of Lavana, companions to Olashi in many things, and spacefarers, clothing is often required to be socially acceptable. Masi who work with Olashi on Lavana tend towards Olashi fashion and nothing more, usually sticking with a bottom-piece. On Base, Masi are more inclined to trousers or breeches with a loose, short top. In their own ships, they also tend towards bottom-pieces only, preferably non-interfering wear such as a sash or short breeches. But they will and do conform to alien clothing standards as needed. Masi like jewelry, in fact they like anything shiny, and thus their clothing will often be shimmery. Jewelry, if worn at all, is multi-functional. A row of earrings will provide chiming music with an ear-flick, finger-rings will double as a game, necklaces can be used as strings when needed.
Temperament~ Masi are very much feline. They're playful and loving, not always convinced that a kill-or-be-killed attitude is the way to go, despite their home world trying to eat them alive at every opportunity. They're generally care-free, not anxious over much, and loving to sprawl in the sun and do absolutely nothing. However, they do anger, and when this happens, they can be quite vicious, doing and saying things that they may regret when their vision clears. Masi respect others and also have a healthy respect for themselves. They're very proud of their Lavanian heritage and occasionally seem to snub those aliens who've had it 'easy' on their home planet. Masi, when they get going, can be very determined and stubborn, even to the point of stupidity, but a hard argument usually brings them out of this state. But, as with every sentient race, individuals will vary from the norm.
Description~ Masi are, first and foremost, felines. With arms and legs of nearly equal length, they can go either as quadrupeds or bipeds, though bipedal movement is more common and preferred due to their connection to Olashi. They have long, backwards-canted, and tufted ears, long whiskers, and extra-long fangs that protrude slightly when their mouths are closed. Longish and muscular necks continue into a deep, vaguely humanoid chest, which wraps protective cartilage and extra-wide ribs around vital organs. Their heart and lungs are enlarged slightly for maximum efficiency. Their arms are humanoid, and unlike almost every species on Lavana, they have five-fingered, retractably clawed, paw-padded hands. Each finger only has one joint, however. Their legs are also humanoid, but digitigrade - that is, resembling a human walking on the balls of their feet. Their paws are heavy, short- and three-toed, and with thick, curving, unretractable claws. Their tails are very long and rather thick, mostly for balance but they are prehensile and can lift light things; their tails aren't very strong. Masi have short, thick, glossy fur, which may be curly. Their manes come in a variety of styles, and through a little subconscious control, a Masi can alter the style. Styles include humanoid hair, a leonine mane, a mane which continues down their neck and possibly down their back, an equine mane, or perhaps no mane at all. Curly or wavy manes are very common, spiralled and straight not so.
Masi are grown in nine years, and live into their 200s. Masi young are called a variety of things, cub and kitten the most common. Masi do mate for life and consider their bond with their mate somewhat less of a serious, earth-shaking matter than some Lavanians. As easy-going as most are, they love their mate freely, never consider leaving nor 'cheating' on them, and thus keep a good relationship. Masi love their children very much, but when a cub is full-grown for a few years, the parent-cub relationship changes. Once their children are a few years past adulthood, the parents stop considering them children and simply consider them equals. Masi honour blood relations but do not give them the same weight as do most Lavanians. They're very social creatures and often become somewhat… disarranged… when forced to be alone for prolonged periods of time.
Masi senses, as befits a child of Lavana, are very keen. Their sight is unarguably the best, with hearing and then scent falling in right behind that. They're also pretty good with taste, and as omnivores they get the best of both worlds. Their healing system is average amongst Lavanians as well. First, they have the 'normal' system of very advanced blood clotting, stopping bleeding very quickly. They also have a special chemical in their blood that rises to the surface on wounds and begins to grow and form as new skin. In their saliva is another chemical which enhances their healing systems further and also acts as an antibiotic, so when they groom their wounds not only are they cleaning them but also helping heal faster and prevent infection as well. Their tissues rejuvenate very rapidly, hence any flesh wounds are very quickly healed.
Technology~ Masi still mostly use Olashi technology. (Click here for that.) However, as students enter their later courses and their grade depends on building a craft, be it a terrain vehicle, atmospheric flier, or spaceship, things are being invented to match Masi tendencies. The most common type is a mecha, a type of machine that is usually only fits one Masi, and is shaped much like Lavanian species (often a Masi itself). These crafts can go on the ground, in the water, in the air, or in space… or any combination thereof. Often, a mecha will be the 'core' of a 'normal'-appearing spaceship, and the shell can be discharged at will. Mechas have many abilities, including hull camoflauge, hull transparency (so that the Masi can see out at will), and hull-records (every inch of the outer hull visually records everything, either stored in memory banks or directly transmitted to an Olashi holocenter).
History~ Masi were Created fairly recently on Lavana. Though the Original and thus his/her Line is utterly unknown, the species has already grown and thrived, despite their sub-average physical attributes. However, through even more recent efforts on the part of a Masi husband-wife pair Wuyohu and Hintoti, Masi have been integrated into Olashi (and Nila) academies, on Lavana as well as Base and Station. Through this, they've become even more successful, useful, and altogether happy. When that Masi pair retired from their efforts, their many children continued to work their race into Olashi activities, with the most work done by their daughters Soyoko and Rioso. The most recent project is the search for a world to be colonized by Masi only.