Male Hatchling
Name: unnamed
Species: Bloodpeck Spider
Birthday: Monday, October 28, 2024
Owner: Baikala
Element: Neutral 
Hatchlings resemble typical spiders, the only clue that there is anything unusual about them being their rubbery abdomens, full and taut despite the spider not appearing to eat at all. At this stage, the fungus inside their bodies serves only to help the spider absorb nutrients through its feet as it travels, giving it vast amounts of energy to prepare its future job of spreading the fungal spores.
Many superstitions surround these creatures, and all of them cast it in a dark, unfriendly light. Legends say they swarm when death is near, and they bring with them a foul, bitter scent that evokes rot and decay. Only recently, however, were they studied further, and the reason for these stories determined. Bloodpeck spiders are a neat fusion of creature and fungus, each organism helping the other. The fungus mingles with the spider, helping it absorb nutrients from the ground as it walks. In return, the spider weaves webs of red spores across vast swathes of ground, spreading the fungus and helping break down dead plant and animal matter. Old stories tell of ancient mage war battlefields teeming with them, and webs of blood decorating every surface.
Sprite art: Mysfytt (hatchling) | Description: Raneth