Defending the Castle

This took quite a while to make, but I'm glad to have used this opportunity to test out some new details and actually try shadows for the first time.

Prickles are small, round creatures that feed on the blood of other animals. They travel in packs, usually at night, in search of their victims. This includes their favorite prey, the slow and docile guzzlebug. Closing in on the guzzlebug, the prickles shoot their sharp proboscis from their foreheads into its flesh around where the blood vessels should be. The prickles can then drink blood to their heart's content, filling up their blood sacs for later use. Blood loss is usually not a serious issue for the guzzlebugs, but prickles are noted to be a potential source of transmittable diseases. Entire guzzlebug populations can be wiped out at the hands of these seemingly innocuous critters.

The only thing standing between the oblivious guzzlebug and danger is the avian-like raptite. There is a distinct "tribe" of raptites for each guzzlebug. These tribes can be distinguished from one another by the crests on their heads. The raptites use both their colorful crests and their painful stingers to ward off any threats to both them and their guzzlebug companion. These fierce defenders have a strong, mutualistic bond with their guzzlebugs. In return for fending off predators, scouting out areas and guiding their hosts to feeding pits, the raptites can use their guzzlebugs as mobile shelters as well as feed off of the nutritious, almond-shaped fungi that grow on their backs.