Male Hatchling
Name: unnamed
Species: Cootie
Birthday: Thursday, February 14, 2013
Owner: Fairytales
Element: Neutral 
You grudgingly let the tiny, newly-hatched invertebrate crawl onto your arm, keeping a close eye on it so that you don't end up losing it. It clambers down a hair clumsily, the hooks at the end of its legs not quite large enough to let it cling to you securely. Young Cooties are fairly hardy, and because of their small size, nigh-impossible to remove by physical means. Luckily, when they're young, they aren't prone to spreading the affliction for which they are famous.
Cooties are pests that bestow an odd affliction through their bites; their hosts become extremely friendly, to the point of foolishness. Prey will venture forth to snuggle with predators, and predators in turn will reciprocate, refusing to injure what would normally be a tasty meal. Some Magi see the odd Cooties as a blessing upon The World, spreading love and peace wherever they go. However, the reality is not nearly as nice as some would want to believe. Oftentimes, afflicted prey will be eaten by non-afflicted predators, and afflicted predators will starve to death, refusing to kill or eat. Untreated sufferers will rarely recover on their own. However, a simple potion-laden bath is often enough to eradicate Cooties from an unfortunate being, leaving them free to recover while the bites' effects wear off.
Sprite art: Cassowary (hatchling) | Description: Damien