Gecko - Pig

Appearance:

A pig with the sticky feet of a gecko.

The Piggex is about the size of a large housecat, with the squat, round body of a pig but the sleek, mottled skin of a gecko. Its back is covered in small, iridescent scales that shimmer in the sunlight, blending seamlessly into the jungle’s leafy backdrop. The creature’s tail, long and prehensile, is segmented like a gecko’s, capable of curling and holding onto branches for stability. Its face is a strange mix of features: the broad snout and rounded ears of a pig, paired with the wide, blinking eyes of a gecko that can rotate independently, giving it a 360-degree view of its surroundings. Its legs are short and sturdy, with webbed feet—ideal for both climbing and rooting through the dense undergrowth.

Behaviour:

The Piggex is primarily nocturnal, emerging at twilight to forage for food. It has a curious, almost comical gait—like a pig with the agility of a gecko, darting between trees and scrambling up trunks in pursuit of prey. Though it’s a solitary creature, it occasionally communicates with soft squeaks and chirps that echo through the jungle, blending with the sounds of crickets and distant frogs. When startled, the Piggex can climb at astonishing speeds, its tail coiling around branches like a snake to hold its position.

Despite its pig-like appearance, the Piggex is surprisingly shy, avoiding direct confrontation with larger animals. It’s often seen scurrying into the underbrush when a predator comes too close, blending into the environment thanks to its patterned skin. When it feels safe, it lets out a high-pitched "oink" followed by a series of clicks, almost as if trying to establish some sort of rhythm or language.

Diet:

Omnivorous in nature, the Piggex has a varied diet. Its gecko traits allow it to feast on insects, small rodents, and fruit, but its pig instincts drive it to root around in the dirt, searching for tubers, roots, and even fungi. It’s especially fond of mushrooms that grow in the damp, shaded corners of the jungle, as they provide both nourishment and hydration. The creature is also known to munch on the occasional leaf or tender shoot, but it’s the earthworms and insects that make up the majority of its meals. Its snout is sensitive, allowing it to sniff out food buried deep beneath the forest floor, while its tongue—slightly sticky—helps it catch smaller prey, much like a gecko catching a fly.

Habitat:

The Piggex calls the dense, moss-covered jungles of the equator its home, thriving in the humid, shadowy underbrush where the sun’s rays barely penetrate. The environment is a labyrinth of vines, overgrown shrubs, and ancient trees, their gnarled roots entwined in a silent struggle for space. Here, in the damp, rich soil of the jungle floor, the Piggex digs burrows beneath the roots of massive trees, where it rests during the day. These burrows are typically lined with fallen leaves and bits of moss, and the creature adds a few shiny objects or small bones it finds in its wanderings to its nest, perhaps out of some deep, instinctive desire to collect.

In the cooler, drier months, the Piggex may retreat deeper into the jungle, seeking the humid, damp caves where it can shelter from the heat. It has an uncanny ability to adapt to its changing environment, blending into both the thick foliage of the forest floor and the hidden crevices of the stone caves.

Though few have ever seen the Piggex, those who have are often left with the impression of a creature both bizarre and endearing—a reminder that nature has a way of blending the unexpected into something entirely unique.