Glossary

Aspect
A particular Tufta's elemental affinity, as determined by genetics and the colour of their tuft.

Closed Foster
Pack term; refers to extended breeding fosters. A closed foster pack requires permission before application for a kit, as well as the listing of the foster on the pack's page.

Elements, Inner
The four original Elements: Fire, Water, Earth and Air. Possession of aspects corresponding to these Elements are natural and non-mutation.

Elements, Meta
White and Rainbow-White aspects; Meta Elements have control over some or all of the known elements.

Elements, Outer
Any Element aside from the Inner ones: known Outer Elements include Electricity, Shadow and Ice. Possession of aspects corresponding to these Elements is not normal and are mutations, but are inheritable.

Exclusive
Pack term; refers to Tufta breeding. An exclusive pack is made up completely of mated pairs who may only mate with each other.

Foster
Either the adopter of a Tufta, or the act of adopting.

Great Shifting, the
An event that happened simultaneously with the Earth year 2000, causing a massive amoung ot Wyldmagic to course across Tárakyna and remote parts of Kynn. The Great Shifting caused many changes among the native species.

Half-wild
A special kind of extended breeding Tufta, born packless with only one parent fostered to a human. Half-wild Tufta are fairly rare.

Kit
Tufta young; kits are born singly, not in litters, but are often raised together within the pack.

Kynn, Kynnese
Tárakyna's sister-realm, led and protected by DragonFlight. Kynnese Tufta are subtly different from Tárakyn Tufta, but not so much as to preclude interbreeding.

Lead
Pack term; the leader, upkeeper and main protector of a pack.

Non-exclusive
Pack term; refers to Tufta breeding. A non-exclusive pack is made up of at least one tom and two queens, with the queens always outnumbering the toms. Any Tufta may mate with any other Tufta within the pack, as long as there are no preexisting conditions such as being related or not being social with the particular Tufta. Mated pairs may join a non-exclusive pack, but my only mate with each other.

Open Foster
Pack term; refers to extended breeding fosters. An open foster pack does not require prior permission for a foster to apply for a kit. An open foster pack's keeper must notify me (Or if Tufta are Kynnese, DF) of this change in status.

Pack
A group of breeding Tufta, living, hunting and working as a whole.

Queen
Female Tufta.

Ronin
"Masterless samurai"; within Tufta society, refers to loner Tufta or Tufta born packless.

Saluvidae
Tufta greeting; although falling into disuse in recent years, it as well as the Common "Hello" and the rakishi "Nis'ri" are used in Tárakyna and Kynn.

Second
Pack term; the lead's backup and second-in-command, also serving to test the lead and make sure s/he is strong and capable.

Tárakyna, Tárakyn
The homerealm, led and protected by Jessica Dragontamer. Tárakyn Tufta are the original breed and subtly different from Kynnese Tufta, but not so much as to preclude interbreeding.

Tom
Male Tufta.

Tufta
A species of sentient, inherently magical creature distinguished by the large tufts at the ends of their tails. Tufta have a mixture of canine, feline and equine features, can control elements as determined by their inherited aspect and colour of tuft, and are prone to genetic mutations.

Voidborn
Tufta that appear from the Wyldmagic of the Void/Faery Mists, usually as adults but rarely as cubs. Individual Tufta may have emerged with no past, simply formed whole, while others were born as cubs in the Mists and either raised there or in a distant realm, then using the Mists as a passage to the homerealm. Voidborn Tufta are unique in that many of them wear specially-made weapons or modified pieces of clothing.