The Mimsy, also known as "Striped Bandit", is a medium sized mammal that inhabits most of the Sarvonian continent. It is about one ped long from snout to tail tip where the long bushy tail is one fore long. Being a very popular pet since it is easy to train and lovely to look at, the soft fur however has also made it a favourite target for pelt makers as they use it to make fur coats and thick warm blankets, to the distress of many children who fear their favourite pet might end like this. Therefore most domesticated mimsies wear a collar to keep hunters from killing them.

Image description. A typically cream striped common Mimsy climbing down from its hideout, curiously investigating the surroundings. Picture by Quellion.

Appearance. The Mimsy has a long body with short but stout legs. The hind legs are a bit longer than the forelegs giving this creature a rolling walk. It has large paws with retractable claws that it uses to climb with and also for defence. The head is triangular with a broad skull and a short muzzle. The eyes are placed close to each other giving the Mimsy a very good binocular sight. The ears are placed on top of the head with a good distance between them. It has a set of short but sharp fangs that it uses to catch fish and break the shells of the eggs it finds. The common Mimsy is covered with long cream coloured stripes that run from the snout to the tip of the tail, the rest of the fur is normally a reddish brown but there have been found Mimsies that have dark brown or even black fur, these Mimsies are very rare and hunters don't ever kill them in fear that it will bring bad luck.

The Northern Mimsy, found in cold and snowy climates, has pure white stripes on a cream coloured fur, and they are the most hunted kind. There have also been found Mimsies in the desert, this kind having cream coloured stripes on sand coloured fur. The Desert Mimsy is smaller than its northern and more common cousin and it has a less thicker fur and a much smaller tail, this making it unattractive as a pelt animal. In contrary to his northern relative which hibernates during wintertime, it goes into aestivation when water and food are scarce and the heat overwhelming. The male measures 1 full fore from snout to tailtip and weighs about 2 hebs 1 hafeb. The females can be a few palmspans shorter and weigh only 2 hebs.

Special Abilities. The Mimsy is very intelligent and can be trained to perform simple tasks as guarding and fetching things for its master. It is not only an excellent climber - some tribes use them for egg gathering in the forests -, but has very agile forepaws as well, which it uses quite efficiently, being able to carry things in them while walking on its hind legs.

Territory. The Mimsy can be found on all the Sarvonian continent.

Habitat/Behaviour. The Mimsy doesn't form packs but pairs up. The pair of Mimsies is usually a couple that will stay together until one of them dies, they only mate with each other and will drive away any other Mimsies that triy to join them. The Mimsy will hibernate if the temperature lowers too much or if there is not enough food. The long tail of the northern and common Mimsy is a reservoir of fat that it stores until it is needed during a hibernation or during times when food is scarce. The Desert Mimsy does too store fat in its tail but in less quantity.

Being very intelligent the mimsy has different ways of behaving when it is threatened. If the enemy is the same size the mimsy will fluff its tail and lift it over its head to scare away or intimidate the rival. If the enemy is bigger and the option of escape is not possible the Mimsy will play dead until the danger is over. It has a wide register of sounds, from dog-like barks to small whistling noises. If the Mimsy is captured being still a cub it can easily be domesticated and is a fun and loving pet, especially for children. It will also keep the house free from mice as efficiently as a cat. The Mimsy can also be trained to collect eggs or to fish after crustacean for its master. The Mimsy can live up to 10 years before dying of age.

Diet. The Mimsy is an omnivore. It feeds on almost anything it can find, from the red vinterberries to the eggs of the birds that inhabit the forest. It is also a very good swimmer and this allows it to catch fish and crustacean from the rivers and lakes.

Mating. The Mimsy mates at the end of the winter between the months of córt'ometrá and smól'evathón, usually coupling for life but occasional loners can also be found. The coupling is very successful since both genders are peaceful and there is rarely any aggression between them. The female Mimsies choose their mates based on their hunting skills. During the courtship period the males will bring offerings of food to the female to show their skill. The time of pregnancy is from 60 to 65 days. The litters usual hold from 4 to 7 cubs and are born in a temporary den digged into the ground and covered with leaves. The cubs stay with their mother until they are three months old to live on their own.