Dzezhechig

These strange, two-headed cats are native to nadol patches of Vahk'antarr. They are the size of house cats and live in and around nadol plants. Their fur is oily and long; their eyes are large and highly-adapted to the dark. These strange felines grow a special kind of mushroom in their fur, which makes them a target for poachers and trappers alike. The Dzeg mushroom is highly sought after for gourmet foods in Alluum, and the dzezhechig population is wavering around extinct because of irresponsible hunting.

The cats have a symbiotic relationship with the Dzeg mushrooms, since the mushrooms are a hallucinogen to most other animals. Would-be predators avoid the cats, and in return, they give the mushroom a perfect place to live. Pieces of decaying matter find their way into the dzechechig fur constantly, which gives the mushrooms the ability to grow. The mushrooms themselves are on long stalks and the caps are bullet-shaped and silvery, to blend in with the cats' fur.

Dzezhechig are magic cats, and they are highly intelligent. The most intelligent of them can speak fluent Alluumnian, but even the "dumb" dzezhechig can speak with most of the creatures in the forest. The two heads are found to have differing personalities, and those who have owned the cats in zoos or as pets report that the two heads often argue with one another. The cats are able to do basic nature magic, and all of them seem to have an instinctual spell that turns them invisible. It's believed that the mushroom helps the cat pull off the invisibility spell without speaking anything (it is also hypothesized that the cat does speak the spell, in whatever language cats use). Regardless, the dzezhechig can turn invisible.