Auzerk

Very curious and inteligent creatures, Auzerks are more commonly found in darker places, as they are sun burned very easily, while typcially highly aggressive during the night, during the day they're more docile and timid. Extremely quick and agile, they tend to be loners, only getting together once a year for a type of orgy breeding session, the males go back on their own while the females lay eggs and tend to their young over the next several months before being eaten by the young as they enter adulthood.

Physical Description

• Size & Build: Auzerks are medium-sized, about the height of a large dog, but much leaner and more elongated. Their bodies are covered in a mix of tough, leathery skin and sparse, wiry fur that offers minimal protection from sunlight.
• Eyes: Large, pale, and adapted to low light, their eyes are highly reflective and can see in almost complete darkness. They might have a secondary, transparent eyelid to protect against the occasional exposure to light.
• Mouth & Teeth: Their mouths are filled with sharp, needle-like teeth that can inject a mild paralytic toxin, making them efficient hunters at night. The lower jaw splits into two at the chin, allowing them to take wider bites.
• Limbs & Movement: With elongated limbs and webbed toes, Auzerks are incredibly agile, able to leap long distances and climb vertical surfaces with ease. Their tails are prehensile, helping them balance and even manipulate objects.
• Coloration: They are darkly colored, ranging from deep purples and blues to pitch black, blending into the shadows of their environment.

Behavior

• Hunting: Auzerks are nocturnal predators, stalking their prey silently in the dark. They hunt alone, relying on their agility and intelligence to outmaneuver and outthink their targets.
• Communication: Though solitary, they possess a complex language of clicks, growls, and body movements, which they use during their yearly gatherings. These sounds can also be used to disorient prey.
• Breeding: The annual breeding session is a chaotic event where hundreds of Auzerks gather in hidden caves or abandoned structures. The pheromones released during this time drive them into a frenzy, ensuring the survival of only the strongest and most cunning individuals.

Ecology

• Habitat: Preferring dark, abandoned urban environments or dense forests, Auzerks thrive in places where sunlight rarely reaches. They’ve been known to inhabit subway tunnels, old sewers, and the ruins of cities.
• Diet: Carnivorous, they feed on smaller creatures, but have been known to scavenge when necessary. Their sharp teeth and powerful jaws allow them to break through tough bones and carapaces.
• Reproduction: Females lay eggs in secluded, well-protected areas. The young are born with an insatiable hunger and, within months, grow large enough to overpower and consume their mother, ensuring only the most fit survive.

Interaction with Survivors

• Threat Level: During the day, survivors might be able to pass by a sleeping Auzerk unnoticed, but at night, these creatures are a major threat. They are smart enough to set up ambushes and work through simple traps.
• Potential for Domestication: Highly unlikely due to their aggressive nature, but there could be a rare instance where an Auzerk pup, raised from birth, shows loyalty to a survivor, though still volatile and unpredictable.