Yule Hedgelog

The yule hedgelog replaced its ancestor in the upper arid regions of Drake. It has become smaller to conserve resources. The symbiotic relationship its ancestor had with the hopping ketter has driven some morphological adaptations. Its lower bows have become softer, and droop low enough to brush the ground. The pocket space created by these bows provides a safer living space for the hopping ketter, as well as providing shade for water to condensate. Its reproduction has changed slightly from its ancestor. It still produces red flowers which attract pollinators, and it still produces small, yellow, poisonous berries. However, the yellow berries are smaller, and are made in greater numbers. Berry production begins just before the winter months. Most berries are eaten by the hopping ketters, however those berries which are not eaten within a few weeks begin to undergo a change: uneaten yellow berries begin to break down their poisons through a type of fermentation. The hopping ketters detest the flavor of these berries, however most other fauna find this new flavor extremely delicious. This change is completed at the time of the winter solstice, when food is hardest to find, fully fermented berries are deep orange in contrast to the previous bright yellow. In this way, the yule hedgelog ensures its seeds are spread farther afield, since mature hopping ketters don't move very far from their home hedgelogs.