Geb - Flagepullus

Name: Flagepullus
Name meaning: Whip Chicken

Phylum: Pteropod

These turkey-sized aliens are one of the biggest "moochers" of Geb. They are always found alongside herds of larger animals like the massive Arm Gravivultuses but are far more commonly seen along the sentient Lacertacredos. They rely on the tall Goblivultus for defense as they are too small to fight back against most predators. Flagepullus feed mainly on vegetation and pararthropods but they will also snatch scraps of food left behind by their giant companions. Sometimes, one will even see young Lacertacredos' throwing their leftovers at these animals for amusement. Since the Flagepullus have a diet as wide as as our own seagulls or crows, a Flagepullus that lives alongside the Lacertacredos is bound to be the most well fed.

The truth is, Lacertacredos eat Flagepullus. The large curled tail which stores fat and lots of muscle tissue is especially preferred. If a Flagepullus gets too obese, it becomes incapable of running or simply dies of a heart attack, allowing the natives to catch and cook them. Despite this scenario, Flagepullus are not yet domesticated, and their relationship to the sentient creatures is more comparable to our relationship with pigeons.

Despite this cruel twist of fate, Flagepullus are not completely helpless. They get their name from their tail which is also their best weapon. First off, the tail looks and is colored the same as a poisonous plant. Few predators are able to see through this disguise. Even herbivores will avoid getting too close to a flock of these sharp beaked pteropods who tend to stand together while covering their eggs. So the eggs are less likely to be crushed. Finally, the highly muscled tail can spring out like a whip, delivering a painful bruise to anything getting too close.

"Every alien world deserves its own comical looking alien. Flagepullus is essentially based on fat birds and its tail is reminescent of the chameleon, both of which are fun animals. Heck, even the name "Flagepullus" sounds funny when you say it."

To breed effeciently, Flagepullus must only accompany herds that are stationary and that will are less likely to run in a stampede when attacked. That's why Gravivultuses are preferrable because of their armor bodies. Other herd animals such as Dazzlers will run away carelessly when attacked, meaning the herd will leave the nest behind, or worse, could risk all the eggs being crushed in the confusion.

FUN FACT
Scientists believe studying Flagepullus' relationship with the Lacertacredos could help reveal how our relationship with chickens came to be.