Adult Female
Name: Keke
Species: Bell Squirrel
Birthday: Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Owner: eearz
Element: Fire
As adults, bell squirrels possess some control over fire magic. They can create small plumes of fire, but more commonly they simply radiate a great deal of warmth, enough to melt ice and snow and warm their nests. This ability is particularly useful for these winter creatures as it allows them to melt away ice and snow from around their nests, which are settled very high up in tree trunks. They scamper around and leap from branch to branch, seeking out objects they can hoard with the rest of their colony - typically small, round objects like nuts, berries, and rocks. It's very difficult to take an object from one of these creatures and they're not easily fooled, but crafty magi may be able to distract them long enough for someone else to snatch back their lost brooch from the nest!
Bell squirrels are small for squirrels, sometimes not even being as large as a magi's palm. These pudgy little squirrels are capable of gliding with the thin, shiny flap of skin stretching between their front and back legs, although they often grow too heavy for it to work well as they get older. Males are more striking than females, being mainly green with a bright gold skin flap, but it is their mating ritual that attracts attention. During the holiday season, magi often notice bells missing - but only red bells. Male squirrels seek out red bells - ones living far away from magi use red berries - and polish them to shine before presenting them to a female. If she accepts, they pair for life.
Sprite art: Tekla (adult) | Description: Tekla