Artwork is commissioned from FluffyChimera. Thank you for the art!
This is a submission to PonePone’s December Subspecies Competition
Introduction
Dottyfluffs, or Dotties are a recent discovery of fluffy subspecies that have fascinated researchers. Found mostly in the wild, they were initially have been theorized to have evolved to adapt to their environment similar to bowl fluffies or sea fluffies. Now the common belief is that they were artificially created and then released into the wild for unknown reasons. Whether it was in an attempt to compete with and displace the currently existing subspecies or to simply add another invasive creature into the ecosystem for more selfish reasons is a matter of debate among environmentalists.
Despite the arguments, one thing that can be agreed is the rising popularity of Dotties and how many private breeders and stores have now added them to the list of products available to the public.
Biology
Dotty bodies are similar to the standard fluffy with a key difference in their mane, tail, and hooves. Due to their semi-aquatic lifestyle, their fluffs are denser, shorter, and water-resistant to assist them in the water. Their manes are longer, but just as thick to provide their necks and head crucial warmth during the winter season. Another distinguishing feature is their paddle tails that they use for swimming, nest building, and communication.
Their fat is unlike a fluffy’s, as it’s a thin but dense layer that behaves similarly to seal blubber. This allows them to survive the winter chill and make temporary dives into deeper water levels. Despite the sometimes rough appearance, their manes are very soft to the touch.
Their coats can come in a variety of colors, though their coats tend to be duller compared to the regular fluffy. With the work of dedicated breeders, it is now possible for domestic Dotties to be just as vibrant as standard fluffies.
Dotties have litters ranging between 1-5 foals with them being born with only their fluff and tails. Their manes don’t start growing in until they reach the talkie stage of their development. Unlike their parents, their dots go all the way across their back from neck to rump, allowing the more natural colored foals some sense of camouflage. Foals can easily swim in the water, but they cannot make deep dives as their baby fluff is not as water-resistant and they risk hampering their swimming if they do so.
Another feature that separates them from standard fluffies and gives credence to the theory of being created is their hooves. Ending in four toes, they leave a distinct hoof print and allow the Dotty to balance itself on slippery ground and paddle across the water.
Unicorns and pegasus variants are possible, but the majority of them are born as earthies.
Behavior
Dotties are very social creatures, with a wild herd consisting of a dominant pair and several other members and their foals. Dotties will use their hooves and tails to scoop up mud, plant material, and if found, clay to create a hollow nest similar to a beaver den. Sometimes it is partially submerged with underwater access to deter predators or rival fluffy herds. When bored or just wanting to play, Dotties will often stack up mud and either flatten it with their tails or use their hooves to make rough shapes to use as ‘blockies’. Both adults and foals will also use their slick fluff to slide across wet surfaces like a slide.
They also have been observed to stick pieces of wood upright or create simple barriers and fences with rocks before tearing them apart. It’s been theorized they have some kind of pre-programmed need to create structure and this is how they practice before making their den.
When it is time to search for food, the herd usually sends out a portion of the adults to go forage while Dotties who are either too old or too young are tasked with babysitting the foals until they return. If they need to be left unattended, the foals are gathered in a nest with raised edges to discourage them from wandering off.
Dotties rarely clash with the other fluffies in the wild. They easily outmaneuver hostile bowl fluffies and aqua fluffies typically favor waters deeper than what the Dotties can easily access. When they do encounter them, they’re often friendly towards them and will sometimes play and share their food.
If Dotties ever have to fight another fluffy, they will try to smash their hooves into their target or use their tails to deliver painful slaps. Dotties have been observed to goad fluffies to come fight them into the shallows where they can grab and drag them underwater.
Fights between herdmates rarely end in death but their toes are often hardened from digging and they often injure each other.
Smarties among wild herds are uncommon, as many of them are ousted before they have a chance of becoming the dominant fluffy. When they do, the herd can potentially fluourish under the guidance of a more intelligent Dotty, but more often than not, the smarty’s ego often leads the herd into building nests at areas at high risk of destruction or challenging creatures capable of decimating them.
Dotty mares do pick out a bestest baby in their litter, usually based on whoever develops the fastest, but they do sometimes pick them based on a unique color or if they’re born as a pegasus or unicorn. It is rare for them to reject foals that have bad colors, as many of them had learned that the foals had a higher chance of survival compared to their more vibrant counterparts. The foals try to mimic everything the adults do and by the time they’re adolescents, they are capable of assisting the adults with creating or reinforcing their nesting structure.
Utilities
When they aren’t housepets, domestic Dotties are used for various jobs. Despite their laid-back nature, trained Dotties can be dutiful if properly trained.
Dotties have been used in minor construction projects where they’re tasked with either flattening the land with their tails or using their hooves to scoop out material where human hands or tools could not easily access.
They also popular with sculptors for their ability to locate and dig up clay. There has been several works from well-known artists where their Dotty has been credited in helping them with their work.
When trained properly, Dotties can be tasked to patrol farming plots with submerged crops and ward off other fluffies from consuming the produce.
Due to their love of water, they are also used to assist trainers in swimming schools, usually by allowing an infant or child grab onto them if they’re struggling to swim.
Thank you for reading!