Flying Skunkirrel

Believe it or not once upon a time skunkirrel were tamed by humans and treated as nice and cuddly pets for the children. Out in the wild they used to be the food, they used to be the prey for many bigger creatures because they would prefer a solitary life in hiding.

Everything changed on a day when all the towns and villages that participated in the tradition of having them as pets decided to gather them all in one place "so they can bond and find friends". Things quickly turned ugly when the skunkirreles formed a wall around the humans only to lift up their tails and stink up the place with the weapon they'd been hiding all along up to that moment. After that they flew off together to the wilderness where to this day they are known as a pack of surprise stinkbombs that can attack you and claw your face off in a vicious rage, eventually even killing you with their speed, numbers and vile aroma.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Just a bit above the size and build of a classic flying squirrel, with larger tail that it can lift up even mid-flight to spray at enemies or any selected target. Flies with patagium and holds up for longer times and distances of flight by using air currents and the pack system of "I'll chill on your back for a bit, then you chill on mine".

Dietary Needs and Habits

Even when kept as pets, the skunkirrelles have been fed with bugs, small lizards and smaller creatures - like mice. 
They have always been a predatory species but as a pack - when decide to attack in order to feed - they can tackle anything from dogs to humans and even small dragons.

Additional Information

Average Intelligence

Skunkirrelles have proven to be very sharp and quick thinking beings. They recognized each other on that faithful day and formed a giant pack-wall in less than three minutes, they can remember their steps for up to a kilometer of distance travelled and they can remember the unique scents of a pack of up to 60 members. 
They do understand human speech even if they don't have the slightest clue how to reproduce it and they would eventually come closer to a human if they are told they won't be harmed. However upon the slightest sign they might be endangered they'd summon their pack and attack. The bond between the pack members is extremely strong and one of the closest in the animal world of Forice.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

All skunkirrelles have good nocturnal vision able to see and recognize black & white figures in a moonless night up to 300m. Their hearing itself is not the best but the little tufts of fur they have on the tips of their ears help them pin-point with more precision where noises come from. 

It has been theorized - and then proven to a point - that in the wild the skunkirrel uses its signature spray to scent mark its path and attract mates as well as to find the members of its pack. 

"It seems that every member of a pack knows the unique scent of everyone in that pack. No two skunkirrelles have the same spray-scent. If one of them is lost in the woods and finds itself alone it can easily sniff around to see if there's a pack member who's walked around or if it's in enemy territory. If it finds that there's a pack member nearby it can call for help or run to hide with said pack member. If alone it will mark the place for itself in hopes of the smell repelling bigger animals then turn around and run in the exact pattern it used to get to that "lost" point."

 - unknown researcher's notes.

Written for: Bestiary February

Covering prompts: Food, Prey, Tamed, Pack, Bond, Stinky, Vicious and Predator

Scientific Name

Pteromyini Mephitis; Striped Flying Skunk Squirrel