Kasutagi

Kasutagi is a fictional mammal featured in contemporary fantasy literature and online media set in the world of Lyria. The name comes from a constructed language within the setting, combining elements meaning foot and footwear to reflect its distinctive foot pads.

Kasutagi are medium-sized arboreal mammals. They measure about 45 to 60 centimeters in body length, with a 25 to 40 centimeter tail, and typically weigh 2 to 3.5 kilograms. Their fur is dense and earth-toned, often with a lighter ventral surface. The most distinctive feature is their four-toed feet with flexible, shoe-like pads that allow silent movement and a strong grip on bark, aiding climbing and perching in the forest canopy.

They inhabit the high-canopy temperate cloud forests of the continent of Aelora in Lyria, where they are adapted to living among vines, branches, and hollow trees. Kasutagi are primarily nocturnal and solitary or pair-bonded outside the breeding season. They communicate with a combination of soft vocalizations and percussion sounds produced by their specialized foot pads.

Dietarily, they are omnivorous, feeding on fruit, seeds, insects, and occasional small invertebrates. Reproduction occurs seasonally, typically yielding one to two altricial young after a gestation of about two to three months. Juveniles are weaned after roughly three to four months and reach maturity in their first year.

In-universe folklore, kasutagi are regarded as guardians of the forest, a symbol of quiet resilience. Some cultures craft tokens resembling small shoes as charms for good fortune and ecological balance. See also: List of fictional creatures, mammals in fantasy.