Furred Catworm
Basic Information
Anatomy
This parasitic creature is rather large for what is considered a worm. Though it's more comparable to a leech, about as long and wide as a cat tail. covered in short fur covering it's entire skin. It has no bones and it's body is mostly muscle, having a similar body structure more akin to snakes, only having bones that are loosely connected to each other and where it's face should be, if it had one. Instead it perceives the world using it's internal organs like it's tongue which can percieve taste and it's nose is inside it's body, above it's mouth. Which means it has to open it's mouth to smell whatever is around it. Usually the creature uses it's tongue to identify it's surroundings, it's rather, long and thin. Even longer then it's actually body and is actually part of it's stomach, acting as it's esophagus as well. It has small teeth that can attach itself to anything. Other that that it has two rows of incredibly small teeth inside it's mouth to attach itself to a creature. The color of their fur is usually a mix of black, dark brown or lighter shades of brown.
Genetics and Reproduction
Since they are hermaphrodites they both impregnate and become impregnated by each other. However they can only do this once a year and stay pregnant for 2 months. During the gestation period they are incredibly tired and will barely move, not even hunt, then once the moment is there it leaves a cocoon with eggs somewhere inside dead trees, small cracks or crevices. Somewhere where not many dangerous creatures can come to harm them.
Growth Rate & Stages
They are born from a mass of 10 eggs stored inside of a cocoon that is left by the parent, during this time they develop over the course of 3 months. The first month they break out of their eggs and eat the eggshell and cocoon which is rich in soul energy. They look like slimy worms in this stage and during the second month have grown quite a bit. During the third month they finally grow fur and are about half the size of an adult. Over the course of a year they become the size of an adult, usually they are between 40 and 50 centimeters long and 5 centimeters wide, excluding the fur. They can reproduce once they are 5 years old, once they reach 20 they can no longer reproduce and become bigger in every sense, also becoming a lot more aggressive when on the hunt. If all goes well they can grow old to 30 years and die of old age.
Ecology and Habitats
It lives mostly in grasslands where the grass reaches high so they can hide easily and trees here and there. They like to hide in hollowed trees or high grass and usually wait for prey or hide from potential predators. They avoid water like the plague as while they can swim they do not like being wet at all, so when it rains they usually take shelter around trees. They love sunny weather and usually bathe in the sunlight unless they need to hunt, when it comes to hygiene instead of bathing in water they do dust bathing to keep themselves clean of any bacteria and parasites.
Dietary Needs and Habits
In the third month of their life, they bgin to hunt. They do this by attaching themselves to furred creatures like bovinae, felines, canines, vulpines. Usually they bite around the tailbone of their prey which wouldn't notice it as the bite isn't that painful. Most of the time they don't need to suck much soul energy but sometimes they stick around longer if they haven't been noticed or if the animal they are attached to hunts for soul energy as well.
Though when a more humanoid creature comes along, just like with an animal they attach themselves to the tailbone of the person but their long tongue inflitrates the body. the small teeth on the tongue bites and attaches itself to the nervous system. This causes a shock through the nervous system as the catworm becomes part of it, feeding on the soul energy of it's host. The host can move the tail as if it is part of it's body and it's not quite sure if the creature can't move of it's own volition, if it tries to act as if it's always been part of it's host or if it's in a symbiotic relationship with it's host. At some point the host may feel different and act differently, more like an animal. It can't attach itself for longer then a month to a humanoid host or else it let itself be assimilated by the host as part of it's body, growing used to being just a tail. Usually the creature avoids and let's go after around 2 to 3 weeks, the host feeling possibly drained and tired after the soul energy that was taken from them.
In their older years they will drain as much soul energy as possible from whatever host they can attach themselves to and kill whatever animals smaller then themselves they have latched their teeth onto, this even includes their own species which they consume, both body and soul. Adding it to their own. It isn't unusual but younger catworms will avoid the older catworms expel a certain pheromone warning them that they are entering the territory of one.
Though when a more humanoid creature comes along, just like with an animal they attach themselves to the tailbone of the person but their long tongue inflitrates the body. the small teeth on the tongue bites and attaches itself to the nervous system. This causes a shock through the nervous system as the catworm becomes part of it, feeding on the soul energy of it's host. The host can move the tail as if it is part of it's body and it's not quite sure if the creature can't move of it's own volition, if it tries to act as if it's always been part of it's host or if it's in a symbiotic relationship with it's host. At some point the host may feel different and act differently, more like an animal. It can't attach itself for longer then a month to a humanoid host or else it let itself be assimilated by the host as part of it's body, growing used to being just a tail. Usually the creature avoids and let's go after around 2 to 3 weeks, the host feeling possibly drained and tired after the soul energy that was taken from them.
In their older years they will drain as much soul energy as possible from whatever host they can attach themselves to and kill whatever animals smaller then themselves they have latched their teeth onto, this even includes their own species which they consume, both body and soul. Adding it to their own. It isn't unusual but younger catworms will avoid the older catworms expel a certain pheromone warning them that they are entering the territory of one.
Biological Cycle
The seasons may affect the color of their fur, turning into lighter shade during spring and summer. During these seasons they are very active and especially during spring they express unruly behavior, though with age that calms down. During autumn they are less active and take a more "waiting for the right moment" approach on hunting, during winter they barely take action.
However once they reach 20 they are rather agressive no matter what season, almost as if they are in constant desperation. During spring and summer they hunt even outside their normal habitat. When autumn comes they grow thicker fur, which helps them in the winter to survive, though sometimes they might even cannibalize their own species to survive. At the same time, they expel a pheromone to younger ones of their kind warning them not to get close, if they ignore that warning, they are food for the old catworm.
However once they reach 20 they are rather agressive no matter what season, almost as if they are in constant desperation. During spring and summer they hunt even outside their normal habitat. When autumn comes they grow thicker fur, which helps them in the winter to survive, though sometimes they might even cannibalize their own species to survive. At the same time, they expel a pheromone to younger ones of their kind warning them not to get close, if they ignore that warning, they are food for the old catworm.
Behaviour
Generally they live alone and only come together to reproduce. Outside of mating season they do not really show any agressive behavior and have shown to at least be able to live and work together in groups from 2 to 5 maximum. But otherwise they just go past each other, not really bothering with each other. They have no territorial squabbles among themselves for most of their life.
When they lose their reproductive properties they become more agressive and a lot more territorial. Attacking whatever comes close to them, even if the creature is larger then them. They will take as much soul energy as they can without killing their host, but it will leave their host quite tired, this is unavoidable with creatures smaller then them though, even their own kind is not safe from the adults in the last years of their life, eating the younger generation to get even more soul energy. They might even consume the soul and add it to their own. They do this because once in this stage they burn through a lot more energy, thus they are desperate to survive until their 30th year. However, if they find a humanoid to become their host, they will drop everything else they are doing and will attach themselves to that host, allowing themselves to be assimilated. It is not known, whether they do this as a way to avoid death or for some other reason.
When it comes to communication with other creatures or their own, they show this by both body and sound. When they are relaxed they make a weird purring sound that almost sounds like gurgling. When threatened their hairs point up it's a clear sign they feel threatened and will emit a high pitched shrieking sound when something get's too close to scare it off, after the shriek they will usually repeat the sound until the threat goes away or it will attack, several if others of the same species are close by biting at the first contact they get with a threat. When angry they use the tail end of the body to slam on the ground, maybe even slamming their tail against the target of their anger, telling them to go away.
When they lose their reproductive properties they become more agressive and a lot more territorial. Attacking whatever comes close to them, even if the creature is larger then them. They will take as much soul energy as they can without killing their host, but it will leave their host quite tired, this is unavoidable with creatures smaller then them though, even their own kind is not safe from the adults in the last years of their life, eating the younger generation to get even more soul energy. They might even consume the soul and add it to their own. They do this because once in this stage they burn through a lot more energy, thus they are desperate to survive until their 30th year. However, if they find a humanoid to become their host, they will drop everything else they are doing and will attach themselves to that host, allowing themselves to be assimilated. It is not known, whether they do this as a way to avoid death or for some other reason.
When it comes to communication with other creatures or their own, they show this by both body and sound. When they are relaxed they make a weird purring sound that almost sounds like gurgling. When threatened their hairs point up it's a clear sign they feel threatened and will emit a high pitched shrieking sound when something get's too close to scare it off, after the shriek they will usually repeat the sound until the threat goes away or it will attack, several if others of the same species are close by biting at the first contact they get with a threat. When angry they use the tail end of the body to slam on the ground, maybe even slamming their tail against the target of their anger, telling them to go away.
Additional Information
Average Intelligence
At the the creature can make basic assumptions on both sound and vibration of whatever creature comes close to it. Loud noises depending on the tone of that noise could be interpreted as a threat while smaller noises could at best be a nuisance. If the creature has no ill will against them, is relaxed and isn't approaching at a fast pace they will ignore them unless they are potential prey. Unless you plan to attack them a catworm that already had it's fill is one of the least threatening creatures you could encounter.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Internal Receptors
Just like some snakes the catworm has something akin to a pit organ inside of it's mouth allowing them to sense heat of their prey. However, it can't perceive anything optical, as it can't see at all. The organ is under it's tongue and is sensitive to vibration, temperatures and soul energy. When someone takes a step 10 meters away from them, they can feel the faint vibration, sensing something radiating soul energy, depending on how great the vitality is of that living being. The closer something comes from those 10 meters the better they are able to distinguish if it's prey they want to go after.Taste and Smell
Inside it's mouth is both it's tongue and mouth. It usually has it's tongue out to "taste" what it's surroundings are. When it has to smell, it opens it's mouth surprisingly wide and breathes in deeply, taking in and distinguishing all the different scents into it's internal nose.Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms
Catworms are a parasitic species akin to a leech, though instead of blood they heavily depend and feed on soul energy. When attached to a host it is like a secondary soul has connected to the host. Because of that, the host gains a slight boost in physical capabilities, becoming more sensitive to sound and vibration just like the creature attached to it, their baser desires, like eating, cleaning and lust influence their overal behavior. Over time, the longer the the catworm is attached to the host the more cat-like they might act and look, their ears becoming more pointed and gaining fur, their eyes becoming cat-like, though this is only temporary, as a younger catworm will rarely allow itself to be assimilated. The host may feel less inclined to go into the water as well, though this dislike for water may be easily ignored, there's a high chance the catworm will detach itself to swim to dry land in quick haste. This is the basic explanation of what happens when a younger catworm is attached to a host, animal or human.
When and older catworm attaches itself to a host. The the higher the number of it's own species it cannibalized the greater the overal physical boost will be, the other effects that a younger catworm has on a host will apply. On animals they will feed on them temporarily, but when encountering a humanoid they will attach itself and let themselves become part of the host body. The catworm's size adapting to the overal size of their humanoid host, the dislike for water won't be an effects as no matter what an adult catworm will stubbornly keep themselves attached to their host. Over the time of a month, the adult catworm will slowly become one with it's host, giving up control of it's body. During this time just like with a younger cat worm, host will feel their base desires and instincts influencing them. And similar physical cat-like traits will appear, though in this case it's permanent. In the later stages the host will be able to control their base urges and instinct and while retaining some form a wilder atmosphere around them.
When and older catworm attaches itself to a host. The the higher the number of it's own species it cannibalized the greater the overal physical boost will be, the other effects that a younger catworm has on a host will apply. On animals they will feed on them temporarily, but when encountering a humanoid they will attach itself and let themselves become part of the host body. The catworm's size adapting to the overal size of their humanoid host, the dislike for water won't be an effects as no matter what an adult catworm will stubbornly keep themselves attached to their host. Over the time of a month, the adult catworm will slowly become one with it's host, giving up control of it's body. During this time just like with a younger cat worm, host will feel their base desires and instincts influencing them. And similar physical cat-like traits will appear, though in this case it's permanent. In the later stages the host will be able to control their base urges and instinct and while retaining some form a wilder atmosphere around them.
Civilization and Culture
Common Myths and Legends
When they were first discovered, they were believed to be tails cut off from a feline creature taking a life of it's own or the tails having detached themselves from a corpse of a killed feline creature holding a grudge, the soul possessing it's own tail. The latter causing people to have believed this is the reason why the older catworms were so agressive and desperate to survive, their revenge being that they marked humanoids who have wronged them with this curse. Becoming one with the feline they killed, in some cases this was seen as a reason to expel that person from a community. Treating them like outcasts. The former and more light-hearted reasoning was that all the supernatural powers of a feline creature was concentrated in their tail, a belief which influenced folklore of the people on earth.
Scientific Name
Annelida Hirudinea Catus
Lifespan
30 Years
Average Weight
1 kg
Average Length
40 Centimeters
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Most of the time their fur is in several shades of brown and black. Sometimes grey and in rare cases white.
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