Flasting

The flasting arose when a sting cell invaded into a flash cell. Instead of killing it, it inserted itself into the flash cell's genome. They now live separate lives from their intact ancestors in the northern waters of the jujubee. Every spring, the flastings float up to the surface of the water, to soak in the ever increasing amount of sunlight, where they are preyed upon by many sea creatures. In about six months, when the days become shorter, they drift down into the Otter Vents to feed on the sulfur that is plentiful below.

To defend themselves, they utilize traits inherited from both ancestors. When down in the vents, the flastings ward off predators by flashing, causing others flastings to flash. This sets off a chain reaction, causing a huge flurry of flashes that scare away any predators. When they're on the surface, where the flashes have no effect in the sunlit waters, they instead release a string of burning liquid that invades the cell membranes of other creatures, which then proceed to rupture them.