Few who tried actually made it, as the Thorn Forests and Deepwoods were dangerous places for such frail creatures.Īfter the construction of the Waif Trail and Thorn Gate, the waifs of the Nightwoods had a link to the outside world, allowing them to trade freely, and leave their dark homes, if they wished. During this period, many were desperate to flee their home, and attempted to escape through the Thorn Forests.

Life was very harsh, and if they showed any weakness, they would be attacked by fellow hungry waifs.

Wild flitterwaifs in the Nightwoods The Nightwoods First and Second Ages of Flight īefore the construction of the Waif Trail and Thorn Gate, waifs lived wild, solitary lifestyles in the Nightwoods. In the Nightwoods, it was an essential tool for them to 'see' through the darkness, but in cities, it made them untrustworthy, ruining many friendships. This telepathy was both a blessing and a curse for waifs. Some waifs, such as Amberfuce, mastered this ability to such an extent they were able to manipulate the minds and thoughts of others with their own. This meant that two waifs could silently converse without anyone else knowing about it. They were so large, in fact, that they enabled waifs to hear the thoughts of those around them, and also project their own thoughts to others. They also had long fangs to drain their victims' blood.

They were small enough to perch on a fourthling's arm, but were also quite primitive, not displaying the same brain-power as other varieties of waif. They were closely related to bats, and were the only waifs with wings. Waifs had thick, black blood.įlitterwaifs were very different to any other kind of waif. Some, such as waterwaifs and blackwaifs, had scales covering their bodies. Most waifs had smooth skin, while some, such as mottled waifs and greywaifs, had blotchy, mottled skin. Blackwaifs also had barbels hanging from their foreheads, as well as their jaws. Many species of waif, such as copperwaifs and greywaifs, had rubbery barbels hanging from the corners of their mouths. Waifs' eyes varied greatly in colour, but most were somewhere between yellow and red. Their heads, eyes, and ears were disproportionately large compared to their bodies, and their long, spindly fingers were too. Waifs were very small, wiry, and frail an adult waif stood at less than half the height of an adult fourthling.

Perilous waif