At Furpocalypse this year, brombear had me draw in his naturalist sketchbook, so after a bit of thought, I decided on the Gate Guardian creatures that have been popping up in my work lately, and finally figured out a proper name.

The Zaevíi are a faean species that are quite common in the faelands, and along the borders. "Zaevíi" is a plural term, with a singular creature (a Zaevii) lacking the accent over the second to last letter. Unfortunately, Zaevíi who live on the outskirts of the faelands are often subject to predation by creatures not found within the protective faean borders. Quite a few Zaevíi are eaten, and a few escape with their lives, though often missing limbs. Many fae are quite proud of their appearance, and Zaevíi are no exception - losing a leg or wing is an incredible psychological blow, and many never return to the faelands out of shame of their appearance.

These creatures love sweet foods and anything with milk, cheese being a particular favorite. In the mortal world, they often disguise themselves as cats in order to sneak around undetected as magical creatures. If you ever see a cat who seems a little too clever, or stares a little too long with knowing eyes, it may be a Zaevii in disguise. However, it is unlikely to see one unless you live close to the faelands - they must stay close to the border, otherwise their magic begins to ebb.

Their common name, "Gate Guardians," come from their ability to create borders, and also to block the unwanted entry of beings via energy portals. For this ability, they are often kept as companions in the households of fae to keep unwelcome visitors from simply appearing without warning.

Zaevíi tails lengthen with age. Very old Zaevíi can have tails thirty times the length of their bodies. Five 'ancient' Zaevíi serve as guardians to the faean throne, protecting the king at all times from anyone who would try to enter his court by force.