Ku'ati

A powerful semi-aquatic predator of the ice sheets of Lake Ulala on the planet Paperweight, the ku'ati is a great social feline that grows up to two meters long, with four clawed and webbed paws, dense white and silver fur, and a fat paddle-like tail which it uses to swim speedily through the water to hunt. The ku'ati has nictating eyelids that allow it to see clearly underwater without risk to its eyes, and four very long and almost prehensile furry whiskers which it seems to use as secondary sensory organs. Despite their position at the top of the food chain, ku'ati are considered to be harmless when treated with respect. They are social creatures who treat terrestrial creatures as friends or games as long as they are not threatened, and enjoy wrestling, chasing and showing affection even with alien species.

Belaul fisherfolk work with ku'ati to herd fish into nets, earning their assistance, protection and companionship by sharing the catch with them. Ku'ati fur is prized among the tribes for its beauty and its cultural significance, representing innocence, longevity and community, and as such, the hunting of these joyful giants is viewed with no small amount of contempt by Belaul settlements.