Field Skitters

Written by Malin Description: Field Skitters are classified as bugs, although they are much more dangerous. They are thin beings composed of a hard shell and fleshy soft underside. Their shell is circular and comes to a ribbed sharp edge. They have four pars of limbs, all legs that retract into their underside. Their shell and lags are generally the same length. Therefore a Skitter with a shell diameter of one foot would have foot long legs. Their legs are thing structures with joints in three to four locations, depending on age. The ends of their legs come to a sharp point. Habitat/Distribution: They hide in wheat fields and other places that are not heavily trafficked. They prefer flat lands and travel in groups. Young Skitters can be found in shallow water bodies. They generally prefer a warm climate. This being said, Skitters have been seen all around Aram, and as far as the base of the Ribs. Food: Skitters are the Sharks of the land. They will eat any number of things, from plants to humans. They have a renowned stomach that can filter even poison. This makes them incredibly hard to kill. Size: When born they are merely centimeters long, and have a soft body. They spend a month in water, and in this time grow to be about fifteen centimeters in diameter. They also grow out a shell in this month. Over the next eight or so months they can grow to be thirty to even sixty centimeters in diameter. Reproduction: Their reproduction methods are some of the most dangerous observed in the wild, due to their many sharp claws. During reproduction the male falls on it;s shelly back, and the female climbs on. The danger for the male comes during this part, if a female slips or falters in any way, the male will probably be pierced and die. Half of all mating pairs experience this difficulty. It is not uncommon for a male to attempt to push the female off after being pierced, hence killing both parties. Of the successful mating rituals, they produce about fifteen eggs in the next month. The eggs are instinctively laid in a body of water. They stay with their "pack" all of their lives until mating. After reproduction, Skitters burrow about a foot underground and wait to die alone. Temperament: Skitters are fairly dull creatures. Study has shown that they live to eat and mate. Very few variations happen. It is also believed that one "pack" somehow shares a collective conscious. This belief is based upon their incredibly skilled and unified hunting methods. Predators: As predators they do not search for food, but wait for it to come to them. Anything from a stray child to a wolf separated from it's pack will do as food. They often hide in crop fields and eat the stray vegetation as well. When a living creature enters their territory, they will freeze and wait for it to walk into the center of their "pack." Afterwords, as if they share one mind, they will all propel their bodies toward the target with immense speed. Their sharp shell will easily break skin. A single Skitter would not be entirely threatening, as it may graze the chest badly, but a pack can take down even large threats. They then enjoy their recently mutilated meals. Mutations: It isn't uncommon for skitters to be incredibly huge, or small. Some Skitters do not develop shells, in this case they are usually left to die. Skitter shells will have color and pattern variations based on location. Relatives: Skitters are believed to have developed from the same ancestry as most bugs.