Leaptrees
"Easy enough to hear if ye listen close, little thumps in the underbrush, like a child playing tag with the wind." -Tracker Yvla Romswell, 290 CA
The Leaptree is a swift, nimble omnivore found in the upland woods and root-cloaked ridges of Everwealth’s mistier highlands. With a body shaped somewhere between a pine marten and a mountain hare, this lively creature thrives in dense, brush-laced environments where it can bound between branches and burrows with ease. Though modest in size, larger than a common ferret but smaller than a fox, its energy and intelligence more than make up for its physical scale. Playful, elusive, and rarely seen for long, the Leaptree is as loved by children as it is cursed by orchard keepers. Its long hind legs provide spring-like propulsion across uneven terrain, while its marten heritage grants it exceptional agility and powerful jaws well-suited to subduing prey. Despite its size, the Leaptree is a capable hunter and a surprisingly skilled swimmer, able to dart through creeks and shallow streams with uncanny speed to snatch fish between its sharp teeth. In a realm plagued by beasts that devour and decay, the Leaptree endures not with brute strength, but with wits, whimsy, and the kind of wild cunning that has allowed it to dance between predators and pick clean the bones of the old world.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The Leaptree is a lean, agile mammal somewhere between a pine marten and a mountain hare, covered in soft fur ranging from stone-gray to soil-brown, sometimes streaked with cream along the underbelly or tail. It grows larger than a ferret but smaller than a fox. Its elongated body and powerful hindquarters allow it to spring several times its own length in a single bound, while its front limbs are tipped with grasping paws ideal for foraging and brief climbing. Long whiskers and prominent, constantly twitching elongated ears aid in navigation and environmental awareness, especially in dense or dim terrain.
Genetics and Reproduction
Leaptrees are rapid breeders, forming seasonal pairs during the early wet months and producing litters of up to 6 kits. Kits are born blind, furred, and helpless, but reach maturity within two seasons. Most females breed twice yearly. The creatures’ high reproduction rate helps offset predation and environmental dangers.
Growth Rate & Stages
- Kit (0-2 weeks): Blind, remains underground
- Hopper (2-6 weeks): Begins surface foraging, heavily dependent.
- Runner (6 weeks-3 months): Explores wider area, plays socially.
- Adult (3+ months): Fully capable of independent survival.
Ecology and Habitats
Leaptrees inhabit the brush-heavy hills and wooded mountains of Everwealth, preferring temperate zones with dense undergrowth and plenty of root hollows. Leaptrees thrive in regions like the Moonpine Forest’s ridgelines, the lower skirts of The Cloudrend Mountains, and tangled groves along The Grandgleam Forest's northern edge. They prefer dry, elevated terrain with plenty of roots or brush cover, where they dig shallow warren-hollows beneath old trees or in bramble beds. Still, their swimming prowess sees them frequenting glades and streams, and it’s not unusual to see them darting along riverbanks.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Leaptrees are opportunistic omnivores, nibbling on berries, acorns, fungi, and the tender roots of forest plants. However, they will not shy from catching small rabbits, martens, fish, or bird eggs when available, particularly when feeding their large litters. Their ability to swim and dive for fish is often underestimated; a Leaptree may vanish beneath the surface of a stream only to emerge seconds later, jaws clamped around a wriggling meal. On land, they use rapid, bounding strides to close the distance between themselves and prey, often striking with marten-like precision and strength that allows them to crush and chew through bone with unsettling ease.
Biological Cycle
Leaptrees are most active in spring and autumn, when food is abundant and temperatures mild. During high summer or winter frost, they reduce their activity, remaining closer to their dens. In particularly harsh winters, some will enter brief torpor states, short hibernations marked by slowed breathing and minimal movement.
Behaviour
Incredibly energetic and social, Leaptrees live in small colonies or family bands, communicating through a combination of chirps, tail-thumps, and low whistles. They play-fight frequently, especially kits, and enjoy chasing each other up trees or across exposed logways. When startled, they vanish into foliage with a flash of tail and a squeak. Known for their curiosity, they may approach camps to investigate, snatching rations or gleaming objects before darting away.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Leaptrees have keen hearing and scent, with large mobile ears and a snub-nosed snout used to root through soil or sniff for hidden food. Their night vision is strong, making them effective dusk and dawn foragers.
Scientific Name
Saltimeles arborlapus.
Origin/Ancestry
Believed to descend from pre-Schism mustelid species that adapted to hilly terrain and rapid predation pressures, especially in magick-touched forests.
Conservation Status
Abundant. Despite being preyed upon by Dancers, hawks, and hedgehunters, their fast reproduction keeps their numbers healthy. They are not widely hunted but are sometimes trapped by farmers.
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