World: Midgard
Diet: Meat, fish, eggs, birds
Length: 5 feet
Lifespan: 10 years
Habitat: Rivers in temperate and tropical climates
Activity Cycle: Nocturnal
If you are in the old country, the most ancient civilizations of the world, do not respond to the crying of infants from the woods. Most likely, it is the mimicry of an ahuizotl. These predators can copy nearly any sound, using them to lure in prey. They see and hear through unknown means, lacking eyes and ears on their rubbery heads, sensing movement in water more easily than on the land.
Ahuizotls regularly use their mimicry to capture prey, but only rarely hunt sapient beings. During bird mating seasons, they make bird calls at the water’s edge, devouring amorous avians who come to check in. Underwater, they make strange subsonic sounds to lure in fish.
The hand at the end of their tail is, of course, their other main weapon in hunting. Strong and flexible, this tail can extend several time the animal’s regular body length, allowing the animal to grab prey from a distance. They also use their tail to climb trees, grab eggs, and grapple rivals during mating season, a ritual so famous that local cultures practice a sport called “Ahuizotl wrestling” where two men lock one hand each and try to push each other out of a designated circle.
