Cackler

If there ever was a need in the world for an eater of scraps, the Cackler fits that niche.

These vocal canids have evolved to call back to their early mammalian roots, and, just like those first furred beasts, they are… for better or worse… one of the most adaptable species on Atalav. They're known to survive in nearly every environment they can step their paws into, though some say their origins could be tied somehow to the vastly unexplored Mesa Ruins. They are true omnivores, and they love trash.

A Name That Speaks for Itself 

Cacklers earned their name by the sheer amount of vocalizations they use to communicate. They have a wide range of social calls, warning calls, and aggressive sounds to make. They tend to live in large social groups that thin out through the course of the day as they search for an easy meal. It is common to see two or three together during the day, though you'll find that there are twenty lurking close enough to pose a genuine threat if one makes a call for backup.

Not So Spineless 

Their spines are most prominent around their head, neck, and back. These spines aid in communication through the process of stridulation. Cacklers have the ability to control their spines to make additional high-pitched chirps and clicks that further broaden their communicative expressions.

The coloration of their spines and the wide range of muted undertones seen on their pelts allow them to camouflage themselves somewhat depending on how dense the brush is around them. They would blend in with wild olive trees very well (which is good for them, as this is their favorite treat!). Their vivid side striping, which is usually seen in some way on all Cacklers, is another protective adaptation that shouts, ‘hey, I'm poisonous, so don't you try and eat me!’. 

It makes you wonder… What's out there that wants to make the Cackler its meal so badly that all of these protections are necessary? 

Stretched to Proportions

Their large ears aren't just for show. With those ears, they can identify a wide range of sounds from their own species at vast distances. They can even locate specific types of trees by how they sound when other creatures pick nuts and fruits off of them, or even by how the wind rustles through them. 

They seem to be evolving quite rapidly, having grown usable thumbs which help for reaching up into high bushes and trees. They have a very long, angular skull, and a large mouth. Their tails have started to thin out, growing less fur as they find more uses for it as a dextrous appendage. 

A Social Butterfly 

Cacklers form packs as large as the abundance of resources in any place they occupy allows. They prefer a nomadic lifestyle of opportunity rather than protecting an established territory. Pups are raised collaboratively within the pack, which is usually composed of familial bonds with an experience-based hierarchy. It's not uncommon for an experienced stranger to earn the trust of a pack and tag along with the group, especially when resources run thin enough for the craftiest among them to make the difference between life or death. 

The larger the pack, the more bold they become. Tricksters at heart, these leftover clean-up crews often spend their free time socializing, which often involves playing pranks on the local wildlife. 

Relationship to Faunidkind

It's not hard to win them over. Farmers have found that leaving a few piles of discarded produce around their crops will keep them away from more valuable resources, with the additional benefit of Cacklers warding off a wide range of much more hostile predators. These arrangements can have drawbacks if the pack is too large, and their mischievous nature may bring all sorts of trouble. 

While they coexist often with many species, they're seen as a mild nuisance more often than not. As companions, they are free spirits who prefer to come and go as they please than stay cooped up in one place. 

While many unpleasant things can be said about the Cackler, disloyalty is not one of them. Wayward pups who find themselves in the company of a Faunid often come to see them as fellow packmates, and may even return from their daily wandering back to a Faunid they know to bring a smelly gift or two. They are excellent companions for gatherers, if you're willing to lose a few of the mushrooms or berries you find together.