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The largest creature to inhabit the island of Staves Rest (And possibly the entire archipelago!), slunks are heavy, powerful creatures, which are thankfully, almost exclusively detrivores. Standing twice the height of the average biped, and twice the length of the average quad, slunks dwarf even the largest giant staxies. They're covered from head to toe in thick, leathery skin, and then a layer of fine, soft hair. Large, folded ears stick out to either side, or lay back toward the front shoulders at rest, and a highly sensitive proboscis houses an extremely long, thin tongue. Their eyesight is below average, as they often rely on their highly tuned sense of smell and hearing. A short, plump tail keeps itself away from tack and harnesses, and their six legs, each with flexible hips, knees, and ankles, propel them ever forward in the great quest of all
slunks: food. Slunks feast on anything and everything dead or rotting, and are very helpful when it comes to keeping the island clean. Dead animals, food waste, even scrap wood or bare soil, almost nothing is immune to the powerful nose and hunting tongue of a slunk. Instead of sharp teeth, or a crushing beak, slunks rely on corrosive saliva to ingest their food, licking and slobbering over it until it goes soft enough to be eaten with their dexterous tongue. Their saliva is often diluted, and used as a cleaning agent, said to be the only thing to strip algae off of anything at all!
Slunks will eat anything they can reach, though they greatly prefer fresher, more nutrient dense food. Unless kept well fed, slunks will begin to whittle away at wooden fencing, the soil in their paddocks, even leather tack and harnesses. Some say for this reason, it's best to build a slunk's stable entirely of stone or metal. Others simply say to keep them supplied with brush and forage.
Large and strong enough to carry two fully grown adult staxies on their backs, or pull heavy loads, slunks are primarily used as beasts of burden. While their speed is nothing special, nothing (known) on the islands can match a slunk in terms of a endurance and strength. Slunks make wonderful mounts for long journeys, though deep forest proves difficult due to their size. They can move at a steady pace for twenty-four hours or more, making them essential to moving large loads, or taking on long overland journeys.
In addition to their labor and saliva, slunks are also prized for the fertilizer they produce, as well as leather, which, while not as soft and supple as schnip schnopp leather, is still utilized for heavy duty needs.
Slunks, when left to their own devices, generally will knock down trees, eat dead creatures, and even invade trash and compost heaps to feed themselves, eating essentially all of what they find, leaving nothing behind. Considering that slunks generally live in social herds, this can leave area's devastated if their grazing isn't well managed. Slunk owners usually offer their beasts to farmers after the harvests, and in early spring before planting, to clear the
fields of remaining vegetation, and till up the soil as they dig for roots. They're also indispensable when large creatures, such as fogtrotters, wild mancakes, and porposetties die and wash up along the beaches of the island. Without slunks, these carcasses may take weeks or months to break down, and attract predators; with them, even a large fogtrotter is broken down within a week.
Slunks are rarely found on other islands, as unlike many animals, they're not strong swimmers, and have no ability to breathe while under water. In order for one to be taken to a different island, it must be carefully guided onto a large ocean vessel, and sailed to its destination like any other cargo, while also being fed enough that it doesn't begin to lick at the hull of the ship!
Slunks give live birth to a single infant, called a Lump, at a time, and raise them until the age of four at the earliest, at which time the lump has finally developed the ability to make their caustic saliva, thus allowing them to feed themselves, and join the herd as a young adult. Lumps are born with floppy ears, dull colorations, and tongues that hang out of their shorter snouts.
Hand raising lumps is difficult, as they require large quantities of liquid nutrition, more than what even very devoted handlers can often provide. For this reason, orphaned lumps are often paired with already nursing cows, who take to them just fine. They become fully mature, and able to carry and pull full sized loads at the age of six or so, which is often when their colors take their final form.
Slunks are social animals, and love to play with one another, as well as engage in foraging and eating as a group activity. A loud snort may alert the rest of a herd to delicious tubers found nearby, or a mighty rumble may warn of poisonous mushroom growing on trees. When food is scarce, or particularly exciting, however, they may use their large forelimbs to grasp and carry away food to enjoy in solitude.
Slunks are often kept privately by farmers, breeders, or wealthy families who can afford to stable, feed, and exercise them, but a fair few are owned and cared for by the town at large, available to be rented for those who may need to move a large stone, or move the family's belongings to a new house. They're found stabled just south of town, and many staxies work caring for them for a time. Stumps are told to be careful, and treat them respectfully, should they see a slunk working. Some parents go as far as to say that a slunk may slurp up a naughty child, but this is of course, only a rumor.
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