Frozen Female Hatchling
Name: unnamed
Species: Light Atramentum
Birthday: Monday, May 7, 2012
Owner: ContemplatingYou
Element: Light
Unlike other hatchlings, this kitten prefers creeping through the castle's halls to socializing. One never knows where an atramentum hatchling may pop up, and it's common courtesy to leave a sleeping one alone. If a kitten happens to be sleeping on a bit of parchment you need, you'll have to either very carefully move it, or wait until it wakes on its own. Waking a sleeping atramentum could result in unpleasant consequences. It is not unheard of for one of these young cats to get revenge on a magi by painting on them when they are unaware, or by re-writing the magi's notes. Giving an atramentum hatchling a bit of ink and parchment will keep it entertained for hours, although the words are nearly indiscernible and the topic rarely changes from food.
These cats can generally be found in the libraries, either lounging on desks or sleeping amongst the books. They seem to sleep even more than most cats, for it is when they are unconscious that atramentums work best. For hundreds, perhaps thousands of years, these felines have been used as scribes. Their nimble tails allow them to write far quicker than humans, and as they work when asleep, they never tire. Any magi with much research to undertake usually has one of these cats take notes. Nobles also use atramentums as letter writers, and even some dignitaries use them. The only issue with this is that the cats occasionally wake up. When awake, atramentums are often distracted by passing insects or interesting bits of paper. When this happens, the notes abruptly change to whatever topic has caught the cat's fancy, and unless checked, the notes will show information about chasing mice or eating fish. The atramentums sometimes write on a surface as they pass it, and if left alone a magi may come back to find their study covered in graffiti detailing the cat's activities throughout the day. Although their tongues erase whatever work they have done, an awake atramentum is usually too busy to fix their mistakes. For this reason, two atramentums usually work together, so that their work is as precise as possible. When these cats are done with their writing, they simply lick their tails clean so they don't leave a trail of ink behind them when they walk.
Sprite art: DarrkestDrow/Munin (hatchling) | Description: Damien/Lazuli