Kin

Kin are intelligent flying creatures found in Emerald territory. They spend spring, summer and autumn on Dread Mountain and winter at the Dreaming Spring.

History
Native to Dread Mountain, the Kin spent the warmer months in the mountain forests, happily feasting on the Boolong trees' cones and leaves and migrate with the onset of winter to their flocks' various wintering grounds. Though they were frequently hunted by the Dread Gnomes, their thick hides repelled the small humanoids' arrows, reducing their hunters to a minor annoyance.

During the reign of King Alton, the giant ooze toad Gellick conquered the Dread Gnomes and provided them with the poisonous slime from his skin for their arrows. The venom was so powerful, the slightest scratch proved fatal, even to the Kin. Fearing for their lives, the Kin flocks fled to their wintering grounds. Without the Kin, the Boolongs overgrew the mountain.

For the Kin, the loss of their homeland was a slow-acting death sentence, as without Boolong cones, they could no longer breed.

Dread Mountain
Lief, Barda and Jasmine rested at the Dreaming Spring on their way to Dread Mountain. Lief befriended a baby Kin named Prin, and saved her from two Grey Guards. Later, as thanks for saving Prin, three adult Kin named Ailsa, Bruna, and Merin agreed to fly the companions to Dread Mountain so as to retrieve some Boolong cones for the others. After they dropped the heroes on the mountain they left. Unbeknownst to them, Prin snuck along so she could see the mountain. After the Kin realized Prin was missing and had followed the companions to Dread Mountain, the entire flock journeyed to the mountain to find her despite the threat of the Dread Gnomes. However, peace between the two species was achieved after Lief and his friends urged the Dread Gnomes to welcome the Kin back as for without them the Dread Gnomes would not survive the growing threat of the Boolong forests.

Return to Del
Ailsa brought Gla-Thon to Withick Mire to represent the Dread Gnome tribe in the ceremony to locate the heir to Deltora. After Ichabod's attack, she returned to the mountain.

Isle of the Dead
Prin, Bruna, and Ailsa offered to bring Lief, Barda, and Jasmine to Tora. Shortly after takeoff, they were attacked by Honora and forced to land at Bone Point. They tried to take off from the lighthouse, but the Shadow Lord sent a hurricane to blow them out of Deltora's borders, hoping to kill Lief. No one was hurt from the assault, and after delivering Jasmine to Tora, the Kin returned to Dread Mountain.

The Sister of the South
Kin were used to transport amethysts and emeralds from Dread Mountain to Del in order to cure the people suffering from poison. Later, Prin, Ailsa, Bruna, and Merin were present at the wedding of Lief and Jasmine.

Anatomy
Kin are winged, brown furry animals with large, dark eyes and plump bodies that end in slightly thick tails. The entire bodies of adult Kin are covered in dense, velvety or silken fur that is like brown moss while young Kin have more of a fuzz, like finer brown moss. The skin on their backs and sides are oddly marked, folded, and rippled. They stand upright and walk on short legs in a rolling motion. Their short back legs are stubby, with paws, while their front legs are longer, with slender front paws. Kin have long faces that end in snouts, with a pair of whiskers. They have a pair of short ears which sit close to their heads. All Kin have velvety wings that let them fly, and which are kept closely folded when not in flight. Female Kin have pouches in which they carry their young. When sleeping, Kin tuck in their head and can be mistaken for rocks. Young Kin are about the size of a large dog.

Behavior
They are mostly calm and peaceful creatures.

Diet
Kin are herbivores who feed almost exclusively on the cones and leaves of the Boolong trees. They are so dependent on the trees that they cannot breed without them. While staying at the Dreaming Spring they sustain themselves on grass.

Notable Kin

 * Prin
 * Ailsa
 * Bruna
 * Merin
 * Prin's mother
 * Crenn

Trivia

 * Kin are somewhat dragon-like in appearance. They are also similar to a kangaroo, having fur and a pouch.
 * As a young child, Lief had a Kin doll (a stuffed toy designed in the shape of a Kin) named Monty. This enabled him to recognize that young Prin was a Kin.