Flox are a species of small fae creatures most often found in woodlands and fields. Some say that they cross freely between our world and the world of Faerie, but it may be that they’re simply very good at hiding when they don’t want to be found. They most often den in the roots or upper hollows of trees, although Flox who live in meadows might weave themselves a shelter from tall grasses or nest in a tumble of stones. They thrive on starlight and love to watch the moon, which they appear to revere in a religious fashion, so dens with access to clearings where they can observe the sky are preferred. A Flox’s nest is often an elaborate affair, constructed from natural materials and heavily decorated with small treasures they collect from their environment. Smooth pebbles, large acorns, shells, dried flowers, and lost human trinkets are favorite finds for any Flox.

While Flox are not always found in family groups, they form small clans without any difficulty and seem to enjoy the company of unrelated individuals just as much as their kin. They do speak a language of some sort, although no one has been able to interpret it. Their language consists of a kind of high whistling and chirping which is difficult to distinguish from birdsong. Flox usually have just one baby, also called a kit, at a time, but may have up to a dozen over the course of many years. Kits usually stay with their parents until at least the age of 5, and then decide whether to go exploring and find their own home or build a nest nearby. Flox are highly curious creatures, and often choose to spend a period wandering the world before they choose where to settle down.

Flox can be anywhere from 6 to 10 inches tall, with delicate limbs and paws and large tails. Their mask-like faces may seem to lack expression, but they communicate extensively with their highly mobile ears and tails alongside their musical language. A Flox might have longer fluff or feathers on their body, most often in a long narrow mane running along the spine, and their tails can be anywhere from a couple of inches long to the same length as their body. Some individuals also have delicate horns or antlers. Others might have wing-like markings, although a Flox with fully formed wings has yet to be found. Flox kits have all-white eyes, but adults can have eyes of any color.

Male Flox typically have short, pointed ears while females have long, rabbit-like ears and a mane of fluff or feathers running from the crown of the head to the hips. However, Flox are universally fluid in their apparent gender; many show a combination of sex characteristics, and others shift from one sex to another several times during their life. In particular, a kit’s apparent sex is almost always meaningless; they can grow into any set of characteristics regardless of how they may have looked early on. Flox pairs or co-nesting groups can form between individuals of any gender.

Flox can come in any color or combination of colors, with no apparent regard for camouflage. Their face masks are often dusted with pearly or iridescent colors, and their eyes often sparkle brightly. They may have partial control over their own appearances, as many individuals appear to have nature-related themes in their markings. Bird-like colors and markings are common, and Flox are well known for admiring birds their connection to the sky. Bright, complimentary colors are the most common, with bold markings and multi-hued gradients. More subdued examples tend to show gradual color shifts and subtle spiral markings, and are often free of the elaborate crests of their brighter kin. These types of Flox are more likely to have antlers and other embellishments reminiscent of earthly animals.

Flox have complex social lives and exhibit signs of organized semi-religious behavior. As passionate stargazers, they often gather in huge numbers during significant astrological events, and have a special reverence for the full moon. These groups have been seen to build temporary structures and offer up trinkets from their own stashes to decorate them, often leaving the entire construction in place when they depart. What appears to be a naming ritual has been observed at large gatherings, with parents presenting new kits to the group and other members reaching out to touch the kits’ faces. Until a translation can be made of their language the precise details will remain mysterious, but it’s clear that Flox are highly intelligent and organized, and follow a unique set of social customs and rules.

Flox are a closed species. You’re welcome to create a Flox character based on a Flox or Flox kit art doll that you’ve purchased, but you may not make your own from scratch unless you commission that design as a custom art doll from me. You may not make a character based on an existing doll that you don’t own. If you’d like to commission a new Flox, please look over my commission information sheet and contact me by email so we can discuss it! I’m happy to work with you to create a Flox of your very own.