Drootle

Drootles take on some distinctly insect-like traits, with bark on their backs forming a sort of carapace covering what looks like wings, although they don’t actually allow Drootles to fly. Their heads become less rounded and more angular, while a sharp, great horn grows from their foreheads. Their eyes lose the warm amber glow of the Droot, replaced by an unsettling pale ring where the glow serves as the pupil.

Instead of moving along on root-like appendages, Drootles have two proper legs. They are slow, but they can cross challenging terrain and even climb, thanks to the enormous hardened claws.

Like Droots, Drootles must occasionally root themselves to the ground to feed, entering a slumber-like state as they draw nourishment from the soil. When they’re not resting they serve as guardians of the forest, protecting it from unnecessary harm.

They still allow some harvesting of timber and such, as death is a crucial part of the forest’s lifecycle. While great trees may be impressive, they soak up so much sunlight that new generations of trees and other plants struggle to grow. Therefore, sometimes trees must be culled to make way for new life. In this way, humans have inadvertently made themselves useful tools for these creatures.