Pompods

21

Kashas are interesting little creatures. They are small feline-esque in stature with incredibly tough skin and edible fur. This makes them quite resilient to attack since once their fur has been consumed, their attackers are usually too full to consider them dessert.

They are playful, curious creatures that have a tendency to seek out and play in anything rough or sharp. Their presence amongst the Pompods has become as ubiquitous as the tufts of fur that can be found scattered about everywhere. Yet their true nature had become forgotten over time when they were cut off from the rest of the world, so very long ago.

They are not native to this world but had been a part of the ship's food stores that had landed here with the ancient ones. On the ship they were free to roam as they provided companionship as well as nourishment for the crew. They had disembarked with the crew and mingled in with the local inhabitants who had accepted their presence as they had the ship's crew. Soon they had simply become a part of the scenery as had the ship's Memees.

Their presence was never questioned but merely accepted. For most of their time they wandered the landscape to seek out brambles or the rough bark of trees to help shed their fur. Without constant shearing it simply continued to grow unabated. Many of this world's creatures had come to discover their fur edible mostly by accident as a tuft of fur casually drifted on a breeze or ended up caught in a branch.

The fact that the fur was a natural source of healthy nutrients and easily digestible was lost on most creatures who sought them out based merely on how delicious it was.

They seldom sought out any one creature but had found one that had a quality of attributes that they enjoyed and had come to see it as a favorite thing to frequently return to. It was tolerant of them as they rubbed themselves against its sharp skin which allowed them to shear large quantities of fur in a short time. It also had a healthy appetite and would routinely consume almost every piece of fur on their tiny frame except for one small tuft of fur that it always left untouched atop their heads.

The creature was also surprisingly gentle with them when it consumed their fur. Often it would hum lowly as it devoured their fur. So comforted by the sound that most Kasha's would purr in response to this gentle caressing and fall asleep in its grasp. They would regularly wake up next to several others who had also been thoroughly sheared and would wander off as the small tufts of fur on their heads gently swayed on a cool breeze.

They were never hot or cold as their multi-coloured fur served no natural purpose as insulation. It was purely ornamental in nature and the fact that it was edible was an accidental benefit.

The day had started off as most days did. They awoke in the forest, nestled together more for comfort than security as any creature that wandered by would merely question if this large multi-coloured bush had always been there or not. Some awoke to find that a large portion of their fur had been consumed as they slept. Seeing as a vast portion of their daily activities had been cleared thanks to this silent consumer, they would see it as an opportunity to find a nice warm spot to bathe in the morning's sunlight for a well-deserved nap.

The rest of the group trotted off to find the nearest path out of the forest and followed it into the village where many of the varied creatures that dwelled within it were always happy to see them.

As they passed among the creatures in the village, many would stop to pet them or remove a small tuft of fur before continuing along. A creature soaring above them landed beside a few of them, scooped them up in its tentacles and threw them into a crablike creature's cylindrical tooth-lined maw.

"Head's up!" said Gato as she tossed four Kashas at her sibling.

"Wait, what? Oh cra..." replied Toko as he shifted sideways to catch three of the furry creatures in his mouth as the fourth landed on his head. He leaned forward to allow it to tumble down and sucked it in just as it fell off his head. "Mmm, tasty," he growled as the tiny creatures slid down inside him.