Since ever and ever the world began They have danced like a ribbon of flame, They have sung their song through the centuries long, " And yet it is never the same. — Rose Fyleman, "The Fairies Have Never a Penny to Spend"Animate Chimera
The other side of the coin is animate chimera. From imaginary friends and invisible playmates to animated teddy bears, childlings are especially fond of animate chimera that they consider safe and controllable. Of course, they are also fearful of chimerical monsters, which definitely are not cozy or friendly (except in the rarest of circumstances). Chimera do not take human form, though humanoid shapes such as gossamer-winged folk are popular — again, particularly among childlings, who thus "acquire" a brother or sister willing to play with them.
Friends and Helpers
Animate chimera are almost never created deliberately. Rather they spring from a changeling's unconscious mind. Many changelings create counselors for themselves, speaking to human-seeming, animal-like or fantastically shaped creatures, and revealing their problems and aspirations to them. Some of these chimera have the power of speech, which they may use simply to be reassuring or, in the case of sentient chimera, give good advice. These companion chimera may travel with those who dreamed them into being or may act as servants,entertainers, guards or decorative residents in a changeling's home. A very popular form of companion (especially among the sidhe) is the fairy steed. These beasts are usually depicted as beautiful horses with flowing manes and tails. Decked out with chimerical finery, such as bejeweled bridles and saddles and covered with embroidered velvet saddle cloths, chimerical beasts provide proud mounts for the nobility when they ride to the hunt or the joust. Some few may be unicorns, griffins or other fantastic creatures rather than horses, but these are far less common and usually do not last long as Banality erodes their delicate fae natures. Some among these chimerical beasts achieve sentience. These may assume the roles of counselors or leave their Kithain creators to travel into the Dreaming.
Adversaries and Foes
Some animate chimera become foes or adversaries to the changelings who birthed them. Whether given human, Kithain, animal or fantastic forms, they basically serve as cannon fodder for fae who want to practice their swordplay, jousting or hunting skills. Tracking a "wild and dangerous" chimera through the woods is a favorite pastime of some nobles.