Waterweasel Biology, Magic & Behavior
In this section we will be discussing major points about how the Waterweasel species… such as mating behavior, life cycle development, sex/gender disparities, social behavior, preferred habitat, and magic. Granted due to the longevity of the Waterweasel species there are still a lot of holes in these studies, so please take this information with a grain of salt.
Waterweasel Life Cycle
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Waterweasels have VERY long life spans! It is not uncommon for a Waterweasel to be recorded to have lived for over a hundred years, in fact the average life expectance of a healthy Waterweasel is between 255 - 300 years. From what we can tell most Waterweasel age the equivalent of one year for us in about 3 years. So they reach adolescence at around 30 years old, and then adulthood by about 45 or 60 years old. This is also likely why most Waterweasels don’t tend to have mates of another species (despite their transformation powers). Since it is likely that they will out live them. It is also unknown what are the most common causes of death in Waterweasels.
Life Stages
of a
Waterweasel
Egg: clear gelatin shell, with the fetus at the center.
Hatchling: fully formed, but blind and weak.
Kit: Much stronger than a hatchling, as well as fully developed sight. But still too fragile and inexperienced to survive on their own.
Adolescence: An almost fully grown Waterweasel that doesn’t own an Oculus.
Adult: Fully grown, and has their own Oculus.
* Also note that they will be about the size of a large cat. Such as a cougar or a leopard.
Despite a lack of proof there are still plenty of theories about how a Waterweasel might face it’s end. One is that a Waterweasel will pass away if they exhaust their magical energy… others claim that if one damages their Oculus during a transformation it will release their soul. And some think that they will never die of natural causes, and their lack in numbers is due to their lazy/slow reproduction habits and poaching. However there is no research to support any of these claims.
The only real proof we have about Waterweasels in relation to death are the rare occasions when we have found what are referred to as “Oculus Graves”. These delicately built memorials that seem to serve as tributes to dead Waterweasels. They are extremely well hidden, and typically consist of a ring of rocks (not unlike their nests), with an Oculus in the center, and some Waterweasel teeth buried underneath.
Waterweasel Mating
Waterweasels seem to be a rather solitary species in general, rarely look for sexual or romantic partners. It’s quite common to see them living alone for large portions of their lives. However, in the rare case that one is interested in finding a mate, they will typically leave their current location and travel far outside of their familiar areas to find one. This is speculated to help protect the genetic gene pool.
Once they find a partner that they find appealing, they will try to court the other into accepting their affection. These displays of affection to catch the eye of a mate are practiced by both male and female Waterweasels. Also the partner that they maybe wooing is not always of the opposite sex, or even of the same species. Granted the possibility of a cross-breeding between different species is unlikely. In their courtship small gifts, and elaborate performances are common. These “small gifts” can be a wide variety of things… However usually nothing of great value since they don’t want to feel like they are buying the affection of their loved one.
*A large kill brought as an offering to court a potential partner.
So the elaborate performances are what truly impress, and endear themselves to their prospective mate. Depending on the Waterweasels talents these performances can be anything from displays of magic, singing, or even fighting! But a Waterweasel won't stop these displays of affection until after they get a clear yes, or no from their beloved. If they say yes, then they will typically consummate the newly forged relationship shortly after. And if the answer is no then they will move on to search else where… or more commonly return home. After the copulation most Waterweasels will want to stay with their mate to rear the kits together. Whether or not they will continue their romantic relationship, or have more kits is on a case by case basis. But for the most part they seem to prefer finding life long partners. However even life long partners seem to prefer living separately to one another outside or child rearing.
Once a Female Waterweasel becomes pregnant she looks for a safe nesting location with her partner. It must be on land, and close to a large body of water. Preferred locations are caves near lakes, waterfalls, or tide pools. The nest is made from a ring of rocks, with vegetation lining the inside and the bottom, with a shallow pool of non-stagnate water.
The eggs will be laid in the nest, and incubate for about 2 to 4 months before they will hatch. During this time the eggs need protection, and to be periodically rotated to ensure they develop properly. Most Waterweasel’s will only lay 2 to 4 eggs, and if given proper care and attention all should hatch and survive to adulthood.
Waterweasel Sex/Gender
It can be very difficult to identify the sex of a Waterwesel since they do not have a size disparity, and unlike mammals they they do not breast feed or change very much externally when pregnant. Leaving only the the genitals to see a difference… but Waterweasels have a cloaca, meaning the all their reproductive glands are internal for both male and female. Hence why unless you see one give birth, or become aroused there is literately no way to tell. It is believed that this general sense of ubiquity between the Waterweasel genders might be why they are frequently bisexual.
Waterweasel Social Behavior & Preferred Habitat
Like stated earlier a mature Waterweasel tend to prefer to live alone, however this doesn’t mean they are antisocial. It’s more likely that these periods of isolation are just perceived by us as very long due to your different perceptions of time thanks to our much shorter life spans. This theory has gained traction since whenever an adult Waterweasel has been spotted crossing into another’s territory they are rarely aggressive towards each other. Suggesting that completion for resources is not the reason for their seclusion like it is for most other species that prefer to live a solitary life.
When Waterweasels have been observed socializing a common greeting is to rub noses, or between family/lovers licking the forehead. Other forms of contact tend to be gentle and tentative… unless they are not yet mature in which case they are much more playful, and less aware of their strength or surroundings. If aggravated a Waterweasel will use their tail to create a loud slap, or create low rumble with the back of their throat. These behaviors are most common when reprimanding kits or instigating a fight.
As for where one might find a Waterweasel the scope is vast. However there are some key features that are consistent… first off is food! Waterweasels are carnivorous and will eat just about anything that will fit in their mouth. However some of the things they seem to prefer to hunt for are Cray Fish, Trout, Squid, Earth Worms, Eggs, and Beetles. Each of these are high in protein and fairly easy for a Waterweasel to digest. Another feature that Waterweasels appreciate is having easy access to a large body of water. This is a given for Waterweasels that live in the ocean, but can be a bit more difficult for Waterweasels that prefer living further inland. This is one of the reasons why you won’t find Waterweasels living in extremely dry areas. Finally the last known trait of a perfect Waterweasel habitat is plenty of material for soft bedding. Waterweasels don’t seem to enjoy laying on the cold hard ground, so they’ll grab whatever is around to create a bed for themselves… common materials are fine sand, seaweed, seagrass, leaves, moss, and clay/mud.
Waterweasel Magic
Waterweasels do have some magical affinity, granted this skill is not homogenous across the species. It can very wildly in strength or weakness from one individual to the next, although every Waterweasel does have this power even if it's so minuscule as to be meaningless. However even among Waterweasels that are quite talented with their magical affinity, they are still not particularly powerful. Despite the legends of Waterweasels granting wishes, controlling the weather, or turning coal into gold… the most an average Waterweasel can do is transform into a roughly bipedal version of them selves. Extremely skilled Waterweasels might be be able to pull of a fairly convincing human form, or create a weak illusion in their general vicinity but not much else. Plus achieving any of this requires a great deal of concentration from the Waterweasel.
Also a Waterweasel can’t transform, or create illusions at will. Instead they focus their magical energy on a spherical object, similar to how Tanuki will focus on a leaf in order to help them control their magic. These conductors of magic are referred to as an Oculus. The power of these transformations and illusions seems to depend greatly on the age of the Waterweasel and the quality of their Oculus. A powerful Oculus will be perfectly smooth, and constructed of a rare material.
Pearl Oculus:
Most WaterWeasel’s can accomplish this level of transformation with some practice, and a regular pearl Oculus. This is martial is also common among beginners since it requires little refinement once acquired.
Coral Oculus:
This level of transformation is a little more difficult, it can be achieved with a pearl Oculus for a short amount of time with lots of concentration… but is more commonly achieved with the use of a coral Oculus.
Metal Oculus:
Only older WaterWeasel’s can accomplish this level of transformation, and only with the use of a metal Oculus.
Gemstone Oculus:
This level of transformation is very difficult for a WaterWeasel to maintain. Records have only shown Gemstone Oculus to be affective in attempts to create this level of transformation. It’s thought that the extra energy needed to create such a powerful transformation comes from the rare crystal structures inside the gemstone.
*If a Waterweasel is skill enough with their Oculus then they can shape shift to replicate just about any living creature… however this can cause a large strain on their body, and can result in permeant damage if maintained for too long.