Strong, amphibious predators, Avka Felos make their homes in and around any body of fresh water they come across. As ambush hunters, they wade through shallow waters or along the shore, waiting for unsuspecting prey to swim by before pouncing. Mated pairs often hunt together, with one Avka Felo stalking from the shore and the other hiding in shadows underwater where they navigate using their sensitive whiskers. When fishing is not possible, they employ a similar hunting strategy on land, ready to eat anything they can catch. Avka Felos will either build or claim riverside dens for themselves and prefer shelters with both aquatic and terrestrial exits connected by one large chamber. Juveniles remain within the den until they are able to join their parents on hunts and often learn to hunt terrestrially before they practice fishing. Once they are full grown, males seek out dens of their own, often around the same body of water as their parents, while females travel afield to find a mate before settling down.

The creatures that dwell in this rather desolate world still display some diversity in appearance, eating habits, and social behavior. Whether they have fur or feathers, skin or scales, their unique genetic makeup allows for a variety of colors and markings within each species. Despite limitations in food sources, herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores are all present in the food chain, and each species requires specialized care within a laboratory. Although the artificial setting of housing units and breeding pods precludes most opportunities to study true interspecific behavior, the interactions within and between species has been studied extensively in the wilderness by scientists daring enough to venture beyond the outpost’s walls.

Creature Notes

• Leaf is named for his love of leaves. His favorite season is autumn, and when I take him out of the lab, he will go to the nearest leaf pile and jump in it, sending leaves fluttering in the sky.