~HOLLOWBACKS~
What are Hollowbacks?
Hollowbacks are dream creatures; they enter this world from the world of dreams. Hallows all appear to lack internal organs; instead featuring an empty chest cavity that has a treasure in it. Hollowbacks find this treasure in the dream world; when they are born, an object that someone once held precious, but was later destroyed, calls to them. When they find it, and place it in their hollow using their tail paw, they fall into the world of Hollowbacks, landing safely as a teenager. This treasure can be anything: a safety blanket that was once thrown out, a small koi pond that was dug up, a tree that was cut down, or even a shop that was foreclosed. Anything that was once loved, and then lost, can be in a Hollowbacks' hollow! It will grow from a seed, or a single blanket, or a tiny bucket of water, into a tree, a collection of soft blankets, or a pond with fish, turtles, and frogs. When the treasure completely fills a Hollowbacks' hollow, they are considered an adult.
The species is known as Hollowbacks.
A single Hollowback is known as a Hallow.
A group of Hollowbacks is known as a Clutter.
Species Specifics
the Hollow
A Hollowbacks' hollow is their most private space; an empty place in their chest, and they fill it with something that was once loved. This can be almost anything; however, it is almost always something small. A shop will be compressed into a few containers, constantly warm, constantly full, and a cash box hidden in their shoulders, a huge tree to about half its size. Those who grow to huge proportions become lazy, sleepy, and content with staying in one place. Hollowbacks use their tail paw to handle their treasure, trimming leaves from trees, serving other Hallows, or arranging trinkets into neat - or not-so-neat - piles. They guard their hollow and their treasure with their lives; so almost nobody but other Hallows know what the inside of a hollow looks like.
the Treasure
A Hollowbacks' treasure is their most sacred item. Anyone who attempts to steal their treasure, or even touch it without permission, is met with anger and a vicious protective nature; this is the only time these creatures are known to be violent. Fruit that falls from a Hollowbacks' tree will disappear; however, fruit that is freely given (or traded) to another Hallow will become fruit they can eat. A Hollowbacks' treasure has to be small enough for them to walk around; it cannot be an entire forest. In the case of Hollowbacks that live a very long time with a very large treasure, they become lazy, sleepy, and hardly move. It is not uncommon for them to protect smaller Hollowbacks by allowing them to reside in the area in their hollow - with permission, of course. Treasures do not ever "run out"; shops will constantly have food of many different types, ponds that spill will refill almost as if by magic, hoards of coins will never run out no matter how many things a Hallow buys or trades for.
Hollowbacks do occasionally lose pieces of their treasure; a coin from a hoard, or a stuffed animal from a collection; perhaps if you find this lost treasure and return it to them, they'll give you something special in thanks?
the Diet
Hollowbacks are, well, hollow! They do not need to eat or drink to survive, although almost all Hollowbacks enjoy consuming tasty treats. The only things they need to survive are their treasure; and they guard this with their lives. Some Hollowbacks prefer sweet foods, some only tart foods, some prefer to drink smoothies all day, and others to eat fruit from trees. They are capable of living side-by-side in harmony with many other species, as long as their space is respected, and love discovering new foods!
the Tail Paw
Male Hollowbacks have three toes on their tail paw, females have four. The rarest of the rare have five toes, although this is mostly mythical and no one knows if any of it is true. It's rumored that… five toed Hallows can have multiple sets of horns, extra toes on their feet, multiple treasures in their hollows, other openings to their hollow than the one in their back (like holes in their shoulders or chests!) and even a third eye.
But that's just story, fiction, no one's ever seen a five-toed Hollowback… yet.
the Pawpads
All Hollowbacks have brilliantly colored skin; any tone of the rainbow except white, as long as it's bright! This includes their tail-paw, regular paws, ears, mouth, tongue, and eyes. Their tongues are short, fat, and forked. Their bright skin always contrasts their coat - blue on a red-coated Hallow, purple on a green-coated Hallow, and on. It is rare to find Hollowbacks with gradient colored skin, but on occasion it does happen. Heterochromia, on the other hand, is nearly impossible, and when it does happen, the Hollowbacks' skin is split down the middle - with one side one color, and the other, the second.
the Fluff
All Hollowbacks have fluff somewhere, be it on their legs, tails, bellies, cheeks, ears, or almost anywhere else! This fur is always characteristically tipped, whether it be in a similar color to the body, a strikingly different one, or even just in simple black or white. This is the trademark of their species; you will never find a Hollowback without tipped fluff!
the Horns
All Hollowbacks have horns; be they small, long, round or curly, big or nubby, looping or straight. These horns are usually dark in color, and some may even have a bright colored marking - stripes, spots, swirls, etc - on them! This usually matches the skin color, although it can also be the polar opposite - blue on a red-skinned Hallow.
the Hair
Hollowbacks are able to grow and maintain hair - and it can be any style! Long, short, curly, straight, even buzzed or waxed into shape; the possibilities are endless. Hollowbacks cannot dye their hair, nor change the style on their own.
the Accessories
Hollowbacks are known to adorn themselves with things - especially those that compliment their treasure! A Hollowback with a beach treasure may have shell necklaces, one with a shop may hold a banner in their tail, one with a collection of coins may wear shining jewelry.
the Mutants
Only very rarely, a Hollowback may carry a mutation. This most commonly shows up as "dwarfism", where a Hollowbacks' treasure will fill their hollow, but they won't get any taller, any longer, or any bigger. They are most commonly infertile, and breedings are only successful 25% of the time, but they are otherwise unchanged from a normal Hollowback. The other common mutation is an excess of fluff; although affecting only a small fraction of total Hallows, this mutation is fairly popular: the Hollowback becomes covered in fluff, from their head to their tail paw, and it even flops over into their eyes! These are known as Fluff Puffs.
Mutations that are impossible include spilt tails, no horns, single/central horns, being completely bald, multiple eyes/ears/legs/etc, a small or non-existent hollow, or any totally solid color.
Growth and Development
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A Hollowback, when born, is as small as a kitten. By the time it has found its treasure, it has grown to the size of a small dog. When it falls from the dreamlands, it is the size of a large cat. The largest Hallows can grow to be the size of ligers; but those with huge treasures can become even bigger.
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A Hollowback begins growing on the day that it is created.
It takes one human month for a Hollowback to become a teenager, and fall from the sky.
It takes another human month for a Hollowback to grow its treasure, and become an adult.
Hollowbacks can become mates, and they can break it off. However, having children means that the Hollowbacks are part of each others' lives forever, and can no longer be broken up for any reason. Hollowbacks that are permanent mates will exchange a piece of their treasure, and wear their mates' treasure on their person somewhere.
Hollowbacks can have children by dreaming them up - they curl together, holding tail paws, and rest their head on the others' hollow. Sleeping like this, they can dream together, and children will be born from this mating. Hollowbacks rarely have single litters, and almost never more than two.
