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          "╘╚┼ ┴╬╟═┴ ┴╥╘╔├╠┼"
            07-╞EB-1989

─OODA ═AN:

   - ╔ REFUSE TO SAY HOW THE
FOLLOWING REMARKABLE TEXT YOU ARE
ABOUT TO READ FELL INTO MY HANDS (AND
APPARENTLY IT IS NOT EVEN THE ╫╚╧╠┼
TEXT, AS THERE ARE CERTAIN LOGICAL
"GAPS" IN IT) BUT IT IS, WITHOUT
QUESTION A...

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╘RANSLATION FROM THE "┼NCYCLOPEDIA OF
╦ASHANTA", (╦ASHANTA BEING THE PLANET
FROM WHICH ╘IMMIE'S ALIEN FRIENDS
COME):

┴╬╟═┴: ┴ GRAY, LONG-HAIRED, POINTY-
EARED, PLAINS-ROVING HERBIVORE OF THE
FAMILY OF ┴╬╟═┴╙╚┼.

─OMESTIC ANGMAS: ╘HE ┴╬╟═┴╙╚┼
╒╧╚┼╟╥┼, OR ─OMESTIC ┴NGMA, IS A
CAREFULLY-BRED VARIANT ON THE WILD
VARIETY (DESCRIBED BELOW).

╔T IS LARGE, ALMOST TWICE THE SIZE OF
THE WILD KIND, AND IS SOMEWHAT
CLUMSIER. ╚OWEVER, THEY RETAIN THEIR
EMPATHIC AND DEFENSIVE ABILITIES, ARE
LOYAL AND AFFECTIONATE, AND ARE
HIGHLY PRIZED AS ├OMPANIONS.
╥ETENTION OF THE EMPATHIC ABILITY NOT
ONLY GIVES THE ANGMA GREAT CAPACITY
FOR AFFECTION, BUT ALSO GIVES THEM
THE ABILITY TO DETECT ANY HOSTILE
INTENT, MAKING THEM EXCELLENT PUOFBA
[LITERALLY,"ATTACK-STOPPERS", OR
GUARD ANIMALS].

├ARE OF ├OMPANION ┴NGMAS:
─OMESTICATED ANGMAS REQUIRE SOME
SMALL CARE. ╘HEY REQUIRE A DAILY
INTAKE OF ╦GELEQ [SEE ╫╔╠─ ┴╬╟═┴╙,
BELOW] AS WELL AS OF IESDA [AMMONIA].
├ARE MUST ALSO BE TAKEN TO INSURE
THAT ANGMAS DO NOT CONTRACT DWRIPOJ
QTIIPEER, A DEADLY AND AGONIZINGLY
PAINFUL AND CONTAGIOUS VIRAL ANGMA-
PLAGUE, WHICH IS FATAL TO 90% OF ALL
ANGMAS WHICH CONTRACT IT, AND FOR
WHICH THERE IS NO KNOWN CURE OR
VACCINATION. [╘HIS ARTICLE OBVIOUSLY
PREDATES ╘IMMIE'S FRIENDS' DISCOVERY
OF THE CURE TO THIS DREADED ANGMAL
DISEASE.] ╘HIS DISEASE INSINUATES
ITSELF THROUGH THE EYES, AND THENCE
THE BLOODSTREAM. ╔N THE WILD, ANGMAS
WILL RUB THEIR EYES IN THE SANDS OF
THE CSILOTIU [NEAREST EQUIVALENT IS
"GRASSY PLAIN" OR "MOOR"] TO REMOVE
ANY STRAY DEBRI WHICH MIGHT CARRY THE
VIRUS, AND THEN SMEAR THEM WITH OILS
FROM THE ╦GELEQ PLANT TO FORM A
PROTECTIVE FILM AGAINST FURTHER
CONTAMINATION. ╔N DOMESTICITY, THESE
ASKS MUST BE PERFORMED MANUALLY ON A
DAILY BASIS.

╨SYCHOLOGY: ┴NGMAS, DOMESTIC OR WILD,
ALWAYS RESPOND IN A STANDARD FASHION
WHEN CONFRONTED WITH ANY NEW,
STRANGE, OR UNFAMILIAR CREATURE, WITH
WHICH IT HAS NO ACTUAL OR INSTINCTUAL
KNOWLEDGE. ╘HE ANGMA WILL ATTEMPT TO
ESTABLISH AN EMPATHIC CONTACT WITH
THE NEWCOMER, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME
ENGAGING IN A RITUAL GREETING WITH
THE CREATURE IN QUESTION. ╔F NO
EMPATHIC CONTACT CAN BE MADE, THIS
WILL INCLUDE A DISTINCTIVE CRY OF
"╓ISHT, VISHT!". ╘HIS CRY, WHICH CAN
BE HEARD OVER A DISTANCE OF MANY VEBS
[╔ HAVE NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO
DETERMINE JUST HOW FAR A "VEB" IS],
IS PRIMARILY USED TO CHALLENGE OR
GREET AN ANIMAL WITH WHICH THE ANGMA
CANNOT MAKE AN EMPATHIC CONTACT.
[╥ECALL ├ORNELIUS' BEHAVIOR WHEN HE
AND ╘IMMIE FIRST MET.]

╘HE DOMESTIC ANGMA IS FIERCELY LOYAL
TO ITS OWNER, AND WILL JUMP TO
IMMOBILIZE ANY ATTACKER, AND WILL
OTHERWISE DEFEND ITS OWNER AGAINST
ALL THREAT, EVEN AT THE RISK OF ITS
OWN LIFE AND SAFETY. [├ORNELIUS'
BEHAVIOR ON THE PLAGUE-STRUCK
PLANETOID, WHERE AN INHABITANT
ATTCKED ╘IMMIE, WAS ABSOLUTELY
TYPCIAL OF ANGMAS. ╙EE ALSO BELOW,
THE INFORMATION ON THE ╫╔╠─ ANGMA.]

═ARKINGS: ╒NLIKE THE WILD VARIETY,
DOMESTIC ANGMAS HAVE DISTINCTIVE
MARKINGS ON THEIR EARS WHICH
DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE SEXES.
═ILLIONS OF DREVS AGO, THESE ASSISTED
THE ANGMA IN FINDING A MATE; HOWEVER,
THE EVOLUTION OF THE INTER-ANGMA
EMPATHIC LINK, APPROXIMATELY 32
MILLION DREVS AGO, RENDERED THESE
MARKINGS OBSOLETE AND CAUSED THE
TRAIT TO BECOME RECESSIVE IN THE
WILD. ╘HUS, TODAY WILD ANGMAS OF BOTH
SEXES LOOK ALIKE. ┬REEDERS OF THE
DOMESTIC ANGMA, HOWEVER, REQUIRED A
QUICK AND POSITIVE MEANS OF
DISTINGUISHING ONE SEX FROM THE
OTHER, AND HAVE THEREFORE CAREFULLY
BRED THE ORIGINAL IDENTIFYING MARK
BACK INTO ALL DOMESTIC ANGMAS THEY
BREED. ┴S A RESULT, MALE DOMESTIC
ANGMAS HAVE PURPLE MARKINGS ON THEIR
EARS, A FEATURE THAT DOMESTIC FEMALE
ANGMAS LACK. ┬Y LAW, NO MALE DOMESTIC
ANGMA CAN BE GRANTED "PUREBRED"
STATUS WHICH DOES NOT BEAR THIS MARK;
BREEDERS WHO VIOLATE THIS LAW ARE
SUBJECT TO LOSS OF THEIR LICESNSE,
AND MAY RECEIVE SEVERE FINES.

╫ILD ANGMAS: ╘HE ┴╬╟═┴╙╚┼ ╘┴╥╙╚┼╙╘╔,
OR ╫ILD ┴NGMA, ORIGINALLY EVOLVED ON
THE ╘ARSHEN ╨LATEAU 40 MILLION DREVS
[╔ HAVE NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO ACERTAIN
HOW LONG A "DREV" IS] AGO DURING THE
╨ERIOD OF ╨REDIVISION [PRESUMABLY
THEIR EQUIVALENT OF ╨ANGEA!] AND
MIGRATED FROM THERE THROUGHOUT THE
WORLD. ╬OW FOUND IN SOME FORM OR
ANOTHER IN EVERY MAJOR ─IVISION, [A
WORD EQUIVALENT TO OUR "CONTINENT"]
THEY ARE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE
ECOLOGY, AND, IN DOMESTICATED FORM,
ARE A TRADITIONAL SOURCE OF
├OMPANIONS [I.E., OF PETS] THE WORLD
OVER.

╚ABITS, ╚ABITAT, AND ╬EEDS: ╫ILD
ANGMAS ARE SEMI-SOLITARY ANIMALS,
DIURNAL HERBIVORES, WHICH INHABIT THE
VAST CSILOTIU OF THE 22 MAJOR
─IVISIONS. ╘HEY REQUIRE FATTY
TISSUES, AND THEREFORE PREFER THE
╦GELEQ BUSH FOR NURISHMENT; [╫EIRD
WORLD -- A FATTY ╨╠┴╬╘! ╘HAT IT ╔╙
FATTY EXPLAINS ├ORNELIUS' PREFERENCE
FOR SOAP -- SOAP IS A FATTY
SUBSTANCE] IT IS ALSO USEFUL TO THEM
AS AN EYE PROTECTANT, FOR ITS OILS
CONTAIN A POWERFUL ANTI-VIRUL AGENT.
╠IKE THE DOMESTIC VARIETY, WILD
ANGMAS ALSO REQUIRE A DAILY INTAKE OF
IESDA.

╙ENSES: ╘HE ANGMA'S MAIN SENSES ARE
SMELL, HEARING, AND AN ACUTE EMPATHIC
AWARNESS, WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO SENSE
(1) HOSTILITY (USEFUL IN DETECTING
NEARBY PREDATORS), (2) AFFECTION
(WHICH HELPS THEM TO FIND A MATE),
AND (3) ANXIETY OR STRESS (THEIR
EMPATHIC DISTRESS CALL IS ANXIETY-
BASED). ╘HEIR OTHER SENSES ARE
GENERALLY QUITE WEAK.

─EFENSES: ╫ILD ANGMAS ARE NORMALLY
SOLITARY ANIMALS, GATHERING ONLY TO
MATE, OR IN MUTUAL SELF-DEFENSE. ╔F
ATTACKED, A SINGLE WILD ANGMA HAS FEW
PHYSICAL DEFENSES. ╔T IS AWKWARD IN
MOTION, AND HAS NO TEETH, CLAWS, OR
ARMOR; BUT ANGMAS ARE NOT AS
VULNERABLE AS THEY MIGHT SEEM. ╘HE
ANGMA'S MAIN DEFENSES ARE ITS
EMPATHIC AWARENESS, WHICH ALLOWS IT
TO ANTICIPATE AN ATTACK LONG BEFORE
IT TAKES PLACE (ANGMAS ARE RARELY
TAKEN BY SURPRISE), AND ITS LONG
TONGUE, WHICH EXUDES A VAPOROUS
SUBSTANCE WHICH INSTANTLY AND
PAINLESSLY (BUT ONLY TEMPORARILY)
IMOBILIZES THE ATTACKER. ╔F, UPON
RECOVERY, THE ATTACKER RENEWS ITS
ATTACK, THE LIGHTNING-FAST ANGMAL
TONGUE IS ALWAYS READY TO REPEAT THE
PROCESS. ╘HUS, MOST INDIVIDUAL
PREDATORS WILL IGNORE ANGMAS, NOT
BECAUSE THEY ARE HURTFUL TO THEM OR
BECAUSE THEY WILL FIGHT BACK, BUT
BECAUSE ATTACKING THEM IS USUALLY AN
EXERCISE IN FUTILITY. ╔F AN ANGMA ╔╙
TAKEN BY SURPRISE, THE ANGMA WILL PUT
OUT AN EMPATHIC DISTRESS CALL, WHICH
ANY OTHER ANGMA IN THE IMMEDIATE
VICINITY WILL RESPOND TO BY COMING TO
THE DISTRESSED ANGMA'S AID. ╔N THE
INTERIM, OR IF NO AID IS FORTHCOMING,
THE ANGMA UNDER ATTACK WILL EITHER
RUN, HIDE, OR PLACE ITSELF WITH ITS
BACK AGAINST SOME SOLID FORMATION
(SUCH AS A CLIFF OR BOULDER); AND IT
WILL CONTINUE SENDING OUT EMPATHIC
CALLS FOR HELP.

╨REDATORS AND THE ═UTUAL ─EFENSE: ╘HE
ONE SERIOUS ENEMY OF ANGMAS IS THE
╓┴╬╘╥┴, WHICH HUNTS IN PACKS, AND CAN
THEREFORE OUTNUMBER ANY SINGLE ANGMA;
IN FACT, IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE
EMPATHIC CRY EVOLVED IN RESPONSE TO
ROVING BANDS OF VANTRAS. ┴ SINGLE
ANGMA CAUGHT OUT IN THE OPEN WHEN A
VANTRAL PACK ATTACKS STANDS LITTLE
CHANCE UNLESS IT CAN TAKE SHELTER, OR
UNLESS OTHER ANGMAS ARRIVE TO
REINFORCE IT. ╔N THE LATTER CASE, THE
ANGMAS ENGAGE IN A UNIQUE FORM OF
MUTUAL DEFENSE: ┴LL OTHER ANGMAS IN
THE AREA WILL DROP WHATEVER THEY ARE
DOING AND RUSH TO ASSIST THE
BELEAGUERED ANIMAL. ╘HEY THEN STAND
IN A CIRCULAR GROUP, BACKS TOGETHER
AND FACES OUTWARD. ╞ROM THIS
POSITION, USING THEIR TONGUES, ANY
ONE OF THEM CAN IMOBILIZE ANY
ATTACKER WHICH ATTEMPTS TO COME
WITHIN REACH.

╠IFESPAN: ─OMESTIC ANGMAS LIVE ABOUT
19-23 DREVS. ╫ILD ANGMAS GENERALLY
LIVE ABOUT 7-9 DREVS FEWER.

╙┼┼ ┴╠╙╧: ├OMPANIONS; ├SILOTIU
(WILDLIFE OF); ─WRIPOJ QTIIPEER;
┼MPATHY (IN WILDLIFE); ╦GELEQ
(PLANT); ╦GELEQ, ╒LOR ═OX (BOTONIST);
╔ESDA; ╨UOFBA; ╓ANTRAS.

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