Scuttles

Mira Equitum, colloquially known as "Scuttles," are a species of endemic to the Infinite Cities of Los Angeli. The majority of the population can be found in the area surrounding Al Pastor Memorial Park, but small populations are scattered throughout the Cities.
===Biology===
Scuttles' biology varies greatly between individuals, but there are some common points between all recorded Scuttles. Every Scuttles has a central body resembling the head of a Horse and multiple legs connected directly to the "head." The most common specimens measure approximately 1 foot from the tip of the nose to the back of the "head," but they can be much smaller or much larger. The smallest recorded specimen was two inches in length, found caught in a spiderweb in a janitor’s closet in LA Taqueria. Upon being freed, it stayed still long enough to be measured, only to steal the granola bar out of the janitor’s lunch and flee when it was unobserved. The largest known individual has not been measured precisely, but is estimated to be at least seven feet long. It was sighted emerging from a rift in the Ballpark’s parking lot with Yummy Elliott, a pitcher for the LA Unlimited Tacos, clinging to its mane. Witnesses report xe was shouting something about “the power of friendship.” The Scuttles damaged over a dozen vehicles and three structures before dislodging Elliott and vanishing through another rift.
In addition to their variations in size, Scuttles have been observed with several different arrangements of legs. Many have six small, hooved legs, approximately the height of their head, but other specimens have been observed with legs several feet long. Others have more or less legs--eight is the most common after six, but Scuttles have been known to have as few as four legs or as many as twelve. In rare cases, a Scuttles will possess no legs at all, but instead a single hand on its underside, anatomically identical to that of a human except for its fur. Much like the variations in size, it is unknown if these differences are related to the Scuttles’ lifecycle or inherent to the individual.
===Origin===
Despite numerous surveys through the Infinite Cities, the origin of the Scuttles species is unknown. No LA that has been contacted by the Biological Association of Countless Angeli claims to have seen the species prior to the Grand Unslam, and every individual account of encounters with the creatures has been debunked. Some biologists speculate that they originated during the Season 4 Elections of Internet League Blaseball, through the interaction of residual Unslam energy and Alternate power within Sexton Wheerer. When questioned about this, Wheerer replied, “No, I have no idea where those little... things came from, and honestly, I don’t want to know. I just want them to leave.”
===Habitat===
Scuttles are mostly found in the vicinity of Al Pastor Memorial Ballpark in the center of the Infinite Cities of Los Angeli. The concessions and crowds provide ample sources of food, and the stadium and the tunnels beneath it provide dozens of ideal nesting sites. Outside of the stadium, smaller populations can be found in urban centers throughout Los Angeli, where they are regarded as a pest and known to compete with racoons and possums for food and territory.
Scuttles live in small colonies, usually ranging from 5-20 individuals. They build nests in dark, warm areas such as attics and closets, lining them with scraps of stolen cloth and paper. A Scuttles typically ranges up to a mile from its nest during the day, and returns to it to sleep at night. If a nesting site becomes unsuitable, the colony will relocate together, and if a colony’s population grows too large, some of the members will split off and make a new nest elsewhere.
Recently, small colonies of Scuttles have been spotted in Yellowstone and Hellmouth, believed to be the result of frequent travel and player exchange between the Blaseball teams located in those locations and the Los Angeli Unlimited Tacos. Research is still ongoing as to how well the species fares in these new environments and if intervention is necessary to prevent them from becoming an invasive species.
===Behavior===
Scuttles are omnivorous and largely scavengers, subsisting largely on dropped, discarded, or stolen food. When food is scarce, they have been known to hunt small animals, mostly birds. Most specimens have little to no fear of people, and will approach to beg for and/or steal food. Scuttles are frequently attracted to warmth and can often be found lying in sunlight or on top of sources of heat, including body heat. Visitors to Al Pastor Memorial Ballpark are cautioned that if they fall asleep in the park, they may awaken with a group of Scuttles (known as a skedaddle) on top of them.
If someone frequently feeds Scuttles from the same colony, they often learn to recognize that person, and frequently take to following them around in hopes of receiving additional food. In extreme cases, this has led to the entire colony relocating themselves to be closer to their fixation- sometimes even within their home. For this reason, it is highly recommended that people keep their food to themselves when Scuttles are around--especially since Scuttles can have a difficult time distinguishing dropped food from given food.
Scuttles’ method of reproduction is currently unknown. Examination of Scuttles nests have not discovered any evidence of live birth or egg-laying, and no specimen has been clearly identified as infant or juvenile. Despite this, the population is increasing at a growing rate.
==Gallery==
File:Scuttles glassGoblin.jpg|A Scuttles vibing, by @GlassGoblin
File:Scuttles walk birbteef.gif|A Scuttles walking by @birbteef
File:Scuttles big birbteef.jpg|A large Scuttles with Yummy Elliott, by @birbteef
File:Scuttles long birbteef.jpg|A long Scuttles, by @birbteef
Category:Fauna