Loomliiki
There are a few various subspecies of these quadrupedal creatures, but they are commonly bound by certain traits. They all are as mentally capable as humans, but are much more innately instinctual, behaving on whim and desire, but also a critical drive to survive. They all run on rut/heat cycles that vary from sub-species to sub-species. They are isolationist creatures that either operate entirely alone post early adolescence or in loosely connected groups dedicated to hierarchy rather than respect or meaningful connection, generally speaking; they are smart, but socially inept. They are athletic and agile by nature, but not inherently strong.
More abundant earlier in history, but with small cloistered troops into modern and post modern settings, a precursor species first establishes itself apart from humans, known simply as "Loom" or "[those] looming", with varying reasoning behind the name. Among their kind, the word for their race is derived from a word meaning 'beast', though it is meant with the feeling of strength, and a subversive kind of honor, though very uncommonly seen. With varying fur types and colors, these original night-creatures were not in fact naturally nocturnal, but forced into underground situations due to being ostricised from humanity, and slavery. They originally maintained darker skin, until the melanin became irrelevant.
Their physiology is marked most prominently by long forearms, thorough fur across various parts of the body, and padded palms and soles. Female forearms are coated wrist-to-elbow with fur, males have fur but around their wrists. Typically it is of more socially banded troops to exchange ceremonial tattooing of the forearms for varying reasons. They can have any variation of fur one might correspond to human hair colors and textures, and in some cases more. Fur covers the shoulders and down the back, growing specifically from around the neck and collarbone, and down the spine. It also covers their pelvic area, although abating entirely around the rear beneath the tail throughout the pubic area. Fur particularly grows from the hips around the hip-line, and throughout the front and sides from there. Fur is also grown on the shins and around the ankles throughout genders. They tread with a wide jovial gait, Giving many the appearance of large Fox-dogs or dog-lions when they move, especially with their large attentive canine or feline-like ears. They are relatively human in the face, with nose and jawline relatively indifferent in shape, although the underside of the nose is moist akin to a cat, and their jaws are slightly stronger, their teeth much sharper. The mouth itself is adjusted somewhat abnormally, giving a cat-mouthed look, yet being humanoid entirely otherwise in essence. Males are noted for having dark eyes typically, while females are commonly privy to wild, bright colors.
Reproductively, males and females mature at similar rates as humans, although relent on acting on desires. Commonly due to human abuses and cruelty, combined by their innate social reluctance, they generally avoid getting close to one another in any capacity. The historical usual for their species survival is due to the way post-pubescent maturing progresses for them. Earlier in history, males would experience a gradual build of hormonal influence which would worsen until he had successfully mated. At its extremes, a male would uncontrollably seek out a heated female and forcefully mate with her in gratuity. Females peak at a point for a matter of years, experiencing varying cycles of fertility and hyper-fertility. Females are in naturally greater numbers throughout the species, due to their biological variety. Females who are courted, naturally eased into a heat through falling in love or being aroused, will experience frequent intense sexual craving with peak fertility twice a year throughout 15 to 20 years of life. A female who is forcibly taken will be less privy to hormonal demand and will be less driven to mate, but those studied have express awareness of a peak stimulative period once annually. Furthermore, a female will develop differently when mated with in the first 3 years of sexual maturity. Her clitoral hood will pull back; this will happen pre-mating if she is courted, exposing the most sensitive budding of her clitoris. As she has sex throughout her life, depending on how much and with whom, her clitoris will become more prominent and sensitive. It can eventually end up grown into itself, forming a highly sensitive ring that serves many purposes. If left intact and not frequently interacted with, it will knot back down and shrink to a hypersensitive bud, assisting the female in biological reaction indicating she lacked sufficient sex drive. If removed, the female will remain fertile and capable sexually, although it will develop functioning male sex characteristics as well, with even deeper levels of variation on ability or physiology.
Childbirth is left primarily to the hormonally inclined females, while child-rearing is normally done by the less sexually active females, and certain variations of males. Birthing females tend to travel, bestowed with alternate names, in the effort to produce the most successful surviving young across the most area. The simple vastness in variety in both culture and physiology makes it hard to narrow the whole of the kind down much further.
A more recently evolved sub-species can be found primarily in modern settings. The are otherwise the same as the precursor species in capacities not covered here.
Their skin is a pale grey at birth and throughout their life. Thick, shaggy black hair frames their face, growing on the scalp like a human, and down their neck to about between their shoulder blades like the mane of a horse. The outer flanks of their forearms and their shins sometimes also bear the fur. Generally their pelvic area is nicely concealed by fur, as well. Their eyes are large and dark, with vibrant pupils in a very wide range of colors for all sexes. They have clawed hands, though nothing beyond the sharpness of a dog's paw, and longer feet to better suit quadrupedal movement; they are also very adept in staying hidden and acrobatic movement.
They are a far more organized, yet still 'uncivilized' spiritual peoples, with a reverence for the rituals and practices involving mating, coming of age, and death. They have a deep connection to the stars, and night in general, being critically nocturnal and easily hurt by the sun. They are minor-ly shamanic, certain bloodlines in their clans dealing in healing magics. They are inherently interwoven with their clans, sharing anything from a loose empathetic form of telepathy to personality traits, and when separated from them this bond loosens.
In particular, when bonds are formed closely for an individual [or multiple individuals] in a capacity that lies outside of the standard connections in the clan, they are known to form colored luminescent sigils anywhere on their skin. It is said this is in the fashion of the belief that the feeling of connection to another is something that must never be hidden.
They are critical of outsiders, but trusting of one another; a connection between someone in a clan and an outsider eases their suspicions. This is primarily due to their latent telepathy, which is better examined as a strange ability to sync up to one other, while one becomes like the other, the same happens transversely; any outsider can be brought into the fold eventually, seamlessly.
They're innately whimsical to some point, enjoying both 'fun' activities and dialogue, more childlike and fantastic than their ancestors and more reserved cousins.
[ONGOING WIP]
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