Squoxe

Called vulkariki in Lashunta, squoxes gained their popular moniker from humans who thought the creatures resembled a cross between a fox and a squirrel, with useful qualities from both animals. Squoxes are furry, vulpine animals roughly 2 feet in length and weighing around 15 pounds. They are quadrupedal, with five-fingered prehensile paws that have rotating wrists and ankles, allowing them to climb down surfaces headfirst like a squirrel. The creature’s other features are fox-like, including a flattened head with triangular ears, a pointed snout, and a bushy tail. Squox fur can come in hues of red orange, gray, fulvous, white, or brown, with white on the belly, neck, and tail tip. The species also has an array of fur patterns and environmental adaptations, such as long ears that allow desert-dwelling squoxes to disperse heat and thick seasonal fur and coloration for those accustomed to arctic regions. Squoxes are among the most intelligent animal species in the Pact Worlds, exhibiting social behaviors and hierarchies along with a vast vocal repertoire. When confronted, squoxes are devious tacticians, especially in groups. They are clever enough to poke eyes, bite sensitive regions, and steal objects to bait enemies away from a den. Although they originated on Castrovel, squoxes gained popularity across The Pact Worlds for their adorable features and ability to adapt to new environments. The people of Asana happily exported squoxes, which lashuntas see as pests. Over centuries, squoxes spread and successfully adjusted to biomes across the Pact Worlds. They’ve even begun to appear in the wild in The Veskarium and worlds in The Vast. Xenowardens have tried to preserve the native squoxes of Castrovel while simultaneously curbing the incursion of the species into other ecologies. The group fears the invasive critters might irrevocably damage invaded ecosystems if left unchecked. Therefore, Xenowardens actively promote squox hunting on numerous worlds, as well as legal controls against importing the animals and releasing them into the wild.

Additional Information

Domestication

Squox Pets Squoxes are abundant across the Pact Worlds, breeding quickly and living for up to 10 years, or double that in captivity. Their intelligence and delightful appearance make them desirable companion animals, and they’re intelligent enough to be easily trained. Squoxes are also loyal, protective, charming, and entertaining, making them great companions for children. As clever and fun as they are, squoxes are also notorious for mischief, such as figuring out how to open cabinets and work simple machinery with the same aptitude as a very young sapient. They’ve even been known to clean up after themselves to hide thefts or accidents from their owners. Nevertheless, squoxes make great pets.