yinit

  Yinits are small, warm-blooded animals well adapted to life in the coldest regions of Janikk. They possess thick, curved claws on all four paws, surprisingly large for their diminutive size, allowing them to easily dig through the deep ice and heavy snow. Their back paws also possess webbed toes which can be spread apart to more easily kick loose snow aside, or assist in propulsion underwater.   Their long snouts contain two rows of teeth, an outer set more focused on sharp reinforced teeth used both to dig through the ice and grip any object which catches their interest, with an inner row of molars well adapted for chewing the surprising large variety of plantlife growing beneath the snow. Their bottom jaw is actually split into an inner and outer jaw, allowing them to move both sets of teeth somewhat independently, although the skin along their chin limits this movement.   Yinit tails are equal again to their own length from snout to rump, their fur even bushier than that along their neck and bodies. A special arrangement of blood vessels within their tail allow the yinit to respond quickly to changes in barometric pressure, warning them to find safety from potential inclement weather. The air trapped within their fur also serves as an effective insulator, while a thin layer of oil – frequently replenished through communal grooming, courtesy of a small gland in each cheek which also releases a scent to help the yinit recognize those from their social group – protects against the damp.

Omnivores by necessity, yinits will eat anything they can get their paws on. This most often translates into a diet of the many small plants and insects growing beneath the snow, augmented by fish, shellfish, and arctic seaweed caught in the shallows. While excellent swimmers, the yinit will rarely venture into deeper waters.

Social by nature, the yinit live in large colonies or packs known as "troubles". Most time is spent in a state of hibernation with the yinit cuddling close for warmth, their tails positioned along the outside of the mass for added warmth and insulation. Once awakened they rush to the surface in a quest for food which is rapidly consumed into their preliminary stomach. Upon returning to their burrows these findings are regurgitated into a communal pile to be shared as a strange, potluck sort of feast.   Yinit are good parents, their community split between foragers, lookouts, and nursemaids, with most yinit serving in the first role. No formal hierarchy has been discovered, not even among the selection of roles, with yinit often switching their tasks between seasons and even sometimes from one day to the next. Males are also just as likely to serve as nursemaids as the females, especially once the young have been weaned.

Attempts at domestication are most often discourages by the yinit's inability to thrive in warmer climates. Expeditions to the antarctic regions of Janikk have reported cases where yinit troubles seemingly recognized returning explorers, particularly those who had fed them. It is therefore inadvisable to feed the yinit, as they have been known to find ways into even the best protected packs and belongings in search for additional treats.

Yinit make their home in the inhospitable antarctic regions of Janikk, carving their dens throughout the heavy snow and into the shifting ice of the glaciers beneath.