Hucklebear
Honey Hunter Florabeast
The mountain huckleberry holds a special place in the annals of botany; while the fruits of the plant produce seeds that can be extracted and saved, these plants are not suitable for agriculture at the small or large scale. The seeds will sprout and grow into woody bushes just like those found on the rocky slopes of the western edges of the Frontier, but they will never produce any more new berries. Botanists have long debated the reasoning behind this mechanism, but whatever the cause, it makes huckleberries a valuable commodity.
As with most of their kind, the Hucklebear both adheres to and defies the rules that govern their derived plants and animals. If they stuck closely to their plant natures, they would only ever exist in the wild, and no planters would ever be able to tame them. But, since they have been registered in the Winston & Overstreet Handbook, they are part of the catalog of Florabeasts available to the general public.
Hucklebears are ursine creatures, usually dark blue to nearly black, but some can be red depending on their varietal. They tend to run on the small side, at least when compared to other bears, usually topping out at five feet when standing up. While they aren't as massive as their other New World brethren, they are still quite handy to have around. Large woody claws on their front and back paws allow them to dig through many substances or ward off foes. They are valued by Guardiners for their stoutness and their tenacity, especially when their planters are in danger.
Female Hucklebears are sought after for a different reason altogether. During the springtime, these creatures will seek out wild hives of bees, much like their animal counterparts, but rather than eat the honey, they rely on the bees to pollinate the myriad flowers that bloom around their heads and shoulders. Planters with the right equipment can then move in and collect any prizes they may wish.
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