female shifter - http://www.furaffinity.net/view/14284826/
male shifter -


their full spectrum name is Ke'kahla (pronounced Keh kaah laa). this name covers ALL the variety of shifters.
forest shifters
desert shifters
jungle shifters
arctic shifters
ocean shifters
sky shifters

They are indigenous to no one location, and are peppered throughout the world. a very rare elusive species that is all but hunted to extinction. they will sometimes congregate in family groups, and other times will be lone. they have no real established "society" and live in harmony with nature. so no buildings, no jobs, no houses. they live just as much in harmony with the land as the common animal. they are fully intelligent and are fast learners, made for adapting. they are very social with one another and rely heavily on touch for interpersonal interactions. hugs, patting, tail wrapping, hand holding, cheek kissing. these are very casual exchange methods as they become quickly familiar to people they like. not to be confused with romantic approach, there are some things that are reserved for romantic partners such as nuzzling, rubbing, licking, nose rubbing. esentialy prolonged contact. a breif hug or pat would be for a friend or family member, but you would lay and rub your face into the neck of your lover, or lick their ear. rubbing essentially leaves a heavier scent, and its comparable to "claiming". they will take territories and often pick one location as a nesting spot, often developing a sentimental value to one tree, or cave ect. this is now theirs and they wont share with just anyone.
they dont sleep every night. will often go a week or two in between, but if they are around too many sad people it has a draining effect on them and they may sleep more often

often they will find Dryad protectors. Dryads protect certain forest areas and being people of nature, they benefit from a very symbiotic relationship. the dryad protects a large peramiter of wilderness, and the shifters will maintain, nurture and flourish said place. they see dryads as spiritual leaders and guidance. they have a immense respect for Dryads, and often will bring them gifts.
together they protect one another and ensure the forest is not molested.

as people, they mate for life as well as not. some males will elect to maintain a family, while others may elect to breed and leave. but will stay around to ensure mother and child survive. they dont typicaly wear clothes, as usualy they just merge with nature as cover. they MAY make outfits out of nature, just not really going to see them wearing shirts or pants or anything of that sort.

They as a species are very unique and individual, but there are a few things that EVERY ke'kahla have.
their Heartstone.
this is on them at all times as it is their most valuable possession, and is either carried, imbedded in their body, or maintains a hover over a part of the body. the heartstone has many purposes. it serves as a internal compass, so that no matter where they go, they can find home. so take it from them and they would become lost. it retains their shifting power. the stone lets them take many forms, take their stone and they cannot shift. also if they are IN shift, the stone merges to them, and will not separate till they revert.
the stone also provides rapid healing, to themselves and anyone in their close immediate space. for that reason very wealthy folk will purchase them from rare hunters as sleeping companions. their aura is relaxing and revitalizing.
their stone also is for interacting with other shifters. when two shifters meet, they can "feel" one another. this can be an exchange of many things, such as mate compatability, a sensation of their personality, a sense of mood, and feel for one anothers health.

another thing they all do is dress their bodies in material from their immediate surroundings.
to hide in whatever place they live, they will actualy take things from the ground and put on their bodies. their bodies will actualy merge with these and become ingrained and apart of them. things like flowers, moss, ivy, poisonous things, bark, branches, coral, shells, rocks, precious stones, absolutely anything they feel will help them hide better. and their body will not just merge with it, but will support it. so a shifter can imbed flowers, and her body will now grow that flower. it will not die. it will also hurt if ripped out improperly. they will do this for safety as much as personal prefference. they may just like how something looks or may try to be attracting a potential partner, so some shifters can look very "cluttered". to add or remove things, they also require their heartstone.

they all have LARGE color pallates. another reason they are so hunted, they make very exotic looking pets, bed partners, clothes, jewelery, skins and house slaves. 5 colors is a modest minimum, often going WAY higher



forest type is the standard. and they eat fruits, nuts, berries and sometimes flowers (they preffer to eat things that are a product of nature, and not harm and eat the nature itself.

desert shifters survive solely on cactus, beetles, and the energy from the sun - are also typicaly the more agressive of the shifters

sky shifters tend to be more carnivorious, and will eat fowl, their eggs, fish, and berries - they are more seclusive but not inherantly mean

sea shifters eat fish, kelp, various clams and other sea plants. - they are very skittish, and a little mean spirited

arctic shifters are omnivorous and eat whatever they get their hands on. and are typicaly rather friendly, if not a tad shy

jungle type is closest relative to the forest type, they are the same as their forest bretheren, but are typicaly more exotic in appearance, and are mischevious. quick to anger, and often venemous or more deadly by nature. may also eat animals occasionaly


their anatomy can have
-wings
-tails
-horns
-feet paws
-dragon feet
- multi eyes
- multi ears
- fur scales or skin