bettsplendens:

I may change the name eventually, but for now I’m calling these guys Mothim.

Mothim are smallish, humanoid creatures, usually about 5′ tall, who live on a heavily forested planet. They live among the massive, arched roots of the giant trees, usually not climbing much higher than that, and eat a diet mostly of things that you find among the roots of trees. Lots of fungi, some of which they cultivate themselves, supplemented by insects, certain types of moss, and the occasional scavenged animal carcass. 

Most of the large life-forms on their planet live higher in the trees, and they have no living natural predators, though a few species of canopy-dwellers can be trouble for them now and then. Each village generally has a few guards who keep watch in the upper levels and call an alarm if something dangerous turns up. 

They have soft greyish fur all over their bodies, interspaced by armor plates. The armor is mostly over their chests and limbs, and is covered by fur in the younger ones. As they get older, they start to lose the fur on their armor to wear and tear, and bald areas on the chest plating are a sign of mid-to-old age. Not unattractive to other Mothim of the same age, but not generally a positive thing on younger ones. They have short fans of antennae with many branches, more branches on the males, and small claws on three-fingered hands. 

Mothim are mostly gatherers by nature, and are friendly to other species. They can be shy, though, especially the males. The males, thanks to a now-extinct predator that liked to hunt them down and eat the eggs in their brood pouches, are especially timid in nature and quick to flee from threats. They sometimes have pets of small animals, especially a large variety of terrestrial isopod that makes a helpful scavenger, and get along well with most of the animals around them. 

The thing that tends to get the attention of other species is their entire breeding strategy. Mothim come as males and females, and are egg-layers. The females produce a batch of eggs every so often, a few times a year. A female releases pheromones when carrying a batch of eggs that are half mature or more, a soft scent that gets the attention of males, and will generally apply a small amount of scented paint to signal disinterest if she wishes to lay the eggs un-fertilized. Un-fertilized eggs are generally eaten by the parent, or may be used in certain cooking, as there is no attachment to them and the nutrients should be put to use. 

The interesting part is the fertilization. 

(NSFW discussion below, clearly)

Keep reading

Additional miscellaneous facts: 

Mothim are especially welcoming to members of other species that are naturally furry, and will often offer to preen them and snuggle them, but they tend to think that any being entirely covered in fur is still fairly young. Likewise, any being with exposed armor plates on their chest will often be mistaken for an elder. 

They have a slang word that can mean either “tongue” or “penis” due to the similarity between said appendages, and it is always used in a sex-for-entertainment context, generally as a suggestion about where said appendage should be put. 

A form of sex tourism has become relatively common in some of the more easy-to-access areas, as Mothim have been discovered by other species. This is mostly due to the fact that Mothim come with ideal equipment to oblige several kinks, and are generally rather open to, albeit puzzled by the interest in, kink-play like stuffing and oviposition. Said tourism occurs entirely with the permission of the Mothim, and any who attempt to overstep any bounds are harshly dealt with. Rapists who try to take advantage of said tourism generally never leave the planet- Mothim are shy, but are more durable than they look, and do not tolerate violence against them or others they care for. 

Mammalian species are generally horrified by the treatment of babies, but it’s practicality-based and shows no signs of changing. In fact, Mothim have recently refused offers to try to find a cure for their genetic defect. They are aware that such a high survival rate among their offspring would lead to overpopulation very quickly, and are leery of genetic modification and worried about the side effects.