Species Information

## Stats

**Male**

Attack: 7/10

Defense: 8/10

Speed: 5/10

Agility: 3/10

Stamina: 8/10

Strength: 9/10

Stealth: 9/10

Flexibility: 4/10

Intellect: 7/10

Jump: 8/10

Hearing: 8/10

Sense of Smell: 8/10

Vision: 9/10**Nighttime**

**Female**

Attack: 7/10

Defense: 5/10

Speed: 6/10

Agility: 7/10

Stamina: 7/10

Strength: 7/10

Stealth: 10/10

Flexibility: 6/10

Intellect: 7/10

Jump: 6/10

Hearing: 9/10

Sense of Smell: 9/10

Vision: 9/10**Nighttime**

## Summary

A rather unknown canine-like creature, not having a specific name to the species. They are more of the solitary type of creature, their origin shrouded in mystery and superstition, some even denying their existence entirely. The species usually live in groups which consist of family and offspring, and on rare cases forming a group with others of the species. As time had gone on, the species began to grow more and more intelligent of the world around them, some even figuring out the language of humans and their society. Eventually, most have gone

    out of hiding to form these so called groups, to attempt to bring their species back to thrive once more.

They have great eyesight during the night, able to blend into their dark surrounds. However, they are immensely blinded by the sun, unable to stand the heat of it as well. Because of this, the species is nocturnal, only venturing out in the open at dusk and nightfall. The males of the species are quite slow, but make up for this with high stamina and strength, while it is the opposite for females. A feature of the species, is that the tips of their tails depict their age. All pups are born with the tips of their tails black, while elders have ones which are white or a very light gray. They are noted to have a forked tongue as well, which is thought to function like that of a snake's.

## Diet & Habitat

The species have a strange diet, consisting mostly of aquatic animals such as fish, crab, seals, etc. When their food supply runs low, they will turn to scavenging on corpses of anything they can find, and will even feed on dead wolves and defenseless injured or sick creatures. If this does not even work, these creatures will hunt down younger or aged creatures to consume instead, for they are weak and defenseless as well.

They tend to live in colder climates, and to migrate to escape the warm late spring and summer. They can survive in bellow freezing temperatures, in fact they thrive in it. If they are in a warm area for long periods of time without cooling themselves off in any way, they are able to easily die from sorts of heatstroke, which is also why they stay away from sunlight. If the species is engaging in activity in cold weather, their body temperature does not increase. It will however, stay the same, and will match the temperature of its surroundings. Which is why heat is such a danger for them. The species does well in low temperature caves, mountains, and any area with a usual cold climate, except Antarctica; which is most likely one of the coldest areas of the Earth.

## Beliefs & Religions

Unlike most canine creatures, these have a 'religion' of some sort based on the moon and sun. They have come to believe the moon is their savior and gave them refuge in the darkness, and the stars being their fallen ancestors who have passed on to live forever under the protection of the moon. They believe that a selected few faithful followers will be the only ones who are blessed with this right, to be able to live in paradise with past rulers of their kind. They also believe that the moon has special abilities, and that the first of the species have extended lives or even immortality given to them.

Along with worshipping the moon and stars, certain events are held to celebrate or give thanks. During a harvest moon, the species believe this to mean food will be plentiful. During a blood moon however, they believe the moon is demanding a sacrifice of those who relish in the sun. During this time is where most of the pack heads off to bring ones of that nature, of course many remain at camp to make sure everything is in order while the rest of the pack is away, and to guard the Shaman until the others return with the sacrifice. All who sleep peacefully and ignore the factor of staying awake are never safe during the time of the blood moon, since they are believed to have shunned away the moon.

Once another creature is found asleep during the blood moon, the species will somehow attempt to drive it out in the open, making scratching sounds on trees, rustling in bushes, anything that will drive their prey in the open. They all attack the creature or creatures, using brute strength to eventually drag whoever will be sacrificed back to camp mostly unharmed. They will bring the creature straight to the Shaman, who will preform a sort of ritual upon the sacrifice, offering them to the moon. However, when the sun rises the next day, the sacrifice would be dead, and displayed for the sun to see what was left of the poor creature.

There are other ceremonies during the moon phases as well. Such as during a full moon, it is a time for the preteens who must pass a type of 'initiation' right, titled as the Coming of Age ceremony. They will be told to sit outside underneath the moon, only able to gaze upwards into the sky. This is to prove their loyalty to the moon, and that they are devoted to do what is needed for it, and the ceremony must be done before the preteens are of the age of a juvenile. If they at any moment grow tired and unable to remain sitting, a punisher, who is observing them with the Shaman, will come by and snatch the preteen up, and will kill it without remorse. The other preteens must not pay attention to what is going on around them, only the moon. For ones who pass this ceremony however, and managed to stay awake throughout the whole night, are now considered truly apart of the group. When they become juveniles, they will be assigned to a teacher, who will teach up to five at a time until they become young adults, and are able to become the rank they chose, and were taught.

## Parenting & Puphood

The species don't have a certain time for mating season, but males will fight for females and vise versa. They will be able to mate when they become young adults, or are much older juveniles. When mates are chosen and a female becomes pregnant, for a certain period of time they are to abandon their past rank and temporarily become a Forbearer. The pregnant female will be casted out of the group, leaving her mate behind and having a Nanny accompany her.

The two are to stay in a den until the Forbearer will give birth, away from the group. The nanny will be there to aid her, to provide food, water, and protection. When the pup is born, it will be blind and deaf for the next nine months, and be dependent on its mother's milk to survive until it is eleven months. It is born with floppy ears which will prick upwards when it becomes a preteen, and nearly white eyes that are thought to receive color when it comes into contact with the moon for long periods of time, to gain their color after they must go through their Coming of Age ceremony.

When the newborn becomes the age of a pup and are able to somewhat handle themselves, their mother and their new nanny will be able to return to camp and be taken care of. As the pup grows into a preteen, the tip of its tail will become a dark gray, and grow lighter as they grow up.

After they do pass their ceremony when they are a preteen, they are able to be assigned to a Teacher at the age of a juvenile, where they will now have their eye color and fully pricked ears. The youngsters will be assigned to a teacher depending on what they wish to learn, and will be able to become that rank when they become a young adult or when their teacher feels they are ready.