Ahuizotl

The Ahuizotl is a carnivorous beast that inhabits the wetter parts of the world. They are nasty and vicious, always seeking fresh food or a fight, and usually travel in small packs. They desire most of all human flesh and are drawn to war zones like fleas to a rat. Not individually a threat, they do pose risk to those who would travel the waterways in small boats or by them on foot, as well as being a carrier of many a disease.

## Habitat

The Ahuzotl live in wet areas, like lakes, coastlines, or wet caverns. They are great swimmers, and will always make their nest right next to or even on a body of water, similar to beaver dams. Their preference for watery areas seems to develop from a biological necessity, growing sluggish and weak away from it. They prefer smaller bodies of waters like lakes or rivers, and while they do nest in saltwater, most prefer freshwater sources.

## Biology

Ahuizotls are dog-like animals. They differ from them in having a monkey-like face, as well as hands with a fifth "hand" located at the end of an abnormally long tail. Their claws are less than an inch in size but very sharp, allowing them to tear through flesh and linen with relative ease. Armour proves to be near resilient to their claws and teeth, though their tenacity is unmatched.

They live their lives in a simple repetitive pattern. They stalk up and down coastlines and bodies of water looking for prey, eating their fill and staying in an area until killed or the prey moves on. Once their homes lack food, they will move on to find a new hunting area, always sticking close to water. Ahuizotl who travel too far from water will become sluggish and slow, and eventually parish. Some think they have fish like qualities in this aspect.

When not eating or sleeping, anAhuizotl will only do one of three things. They will stalk their prey, planning their next meal much like a feral dog, and jump to attack it if an opportunity presents itself. They will also fight among themselves and the more deadly beasts of their habitat, being fiercely territorial. Lastly, they will build a nest of twigs, bone, and moss to sleep on, or their cubs to settle in.

## Sociology

They have a biological age of around ten years, being considered mature animals at the one year mark and mating twice a year or so. They have between 1 and 3 cubs per mating season and care for them until they near maturity, in which the cubs will move on to new areas in the search for prey. They mature through the development of their tail "hand" which starts off as an unformed stub and will slowly develop over the course of a year. Their claws and teeth will also grow in this time.

Most Ahuizotl travel in small packs, sharing their prey and fighting among each other for the more tender bits. Rarely do they kill among their own kind, though it is not unheard of. As the presence of food diminishes in an area, so will the size of the pack as they move on to new areas and form new packs. Due to such, packs are very temporary in nature and rarely will stay together beyond one or two migrations.

## Trivia

A tell tale sign of Ahuizotl in an area would be the absence of other animal life. Birds would an exception, though even they migrate quickly upon the Ahuizotl's arrival. Bones or rotten flesh might be found strewn across a small area, and paw prints in mud or sand can be found. They also have a preference for human flesh, and will always attack a human over any other choice of prey.