FRUIT-BAT-PHOENIX

Mmpoffs are small, shy, mostly nocturnal creatures which appear to be part spider, part adorable floof. Most mmpoffs are found in coastal areas on nights when the aurora is at its brightest. They may amass in groups of up to thirty individuals and sit watching the sky. However, mmpoffs in yellow and orange colors exhibit different behaviour - they are interested in the glow of lava and are found on the slopes of active volcanoes.

Not much is known about their rather unusual physiology. They have an enormous head to body ratio, with long, colorful fur on the head, a fluffy black tail, and shorter black fur on the rest of the body. Each of the four feet has two claws. Every Mmpoff has two large main eyes, and several smaller auxiliary eyes, whose placement and number vary by the individual. Mmpoffs are furry land-dwelling vertebrate quadrupeds, but it remains unclear if they are mammals or not. Their diet is unknown. Mmpoffs have been observed thus far in a range of colors, but some are far more prevalent than others. The aqua-teal-green range is by far the most common, and shades of purple more less often seen. Pink is quite rare, and red is exceedingly unusual. Yellow and orange were thought not to exist, but recently it has been confirmed that they do; they are just attracted to lava instead of the aurora borealis. These mmpoffs do not appear to be affected whatsoever by the poisonous gases emitted by the volcano, which means that they can hide in places that people will not dare to go to. However, the volcanic mmpoffs are still prone to incineration should the volcano erupt too violently for them to move to a safe distance in time. All in all, it is no wonder that they remained largely unknown for so long. (Note: no mmpoffs have been found on Hawai’i. We are not certain why, but it may be because it is so far from other landmasses. Or perhaps there are other lava beings there that outcompete the mmpoffs.)

Many people believe that mmpoffs exhibit hypnotic and/or telepathic powers, but this has yet to be scientifically proven. The effects are mild, and tend to make the observer feel gentle and loving towards the mmpoff. It seems likely that this is a self-defense mechanism to protect the mmpoff.

All mmpoffs make good pets. Once they become comfortable with you, they are quite playful and affectionate.

Mmpoffs are a fictional species designed by me, Calyn McLeod. They are approximately 21 cm (8.25″) long and 14 cm (5.5″) tall. Each mmpoff is crafted individually, so there are slight variations to each one. Mmpoffs are fully posable thanks to an internal wire armature – even the claws can be positioned independently. They are well balanced despite the enormous head, and can stand on their back legs, or even do a handstand. The eyes and claws are sculpted from polymer clay, painted with acrylics, and sealed with polyurethane for durability and shine. The soft faux fur is hand sewn onto the body and trimmed into shape before color is added to the fur on the head.

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