An Ahuizotl is, at the base of it all, a creature from Aztec mythology. Ahuzotl is the Nahuatl word for "spiny aquatic thing", which, they're named for their love of water and their waterproof fur, which collects into spikelike clumps.
The Ahuizotl has the head and body of a dog, with a long muzzle, sharp, pointed ears, and a canine body shape, but instead of paws, they have hands resembling a monkey's or a raccoon's. Along with this, they have a long, prehensile tail that also has a hand on the end. They can come in varied colors, black, grey, and various shades of blue, though they tend to stay in darker tones. Their eyes range from yellow to green, with very rare cases being brown or blue. Males are slightly larger than females, but they tend to both be smaller and slighter in scale than wolves and dogs.
While they're not the biggest and strongest of creatures, the Ahuizotl are able to survive due to their enhanced intelligence and the advantage of hands over some of their neighbors. They live in large tribes, usually ruled by two monarchs and then descending down into a detailed hierarchy.
Ahuizotl are carnivorous, and while their preferred prey is humans, in the absence of humans, they feast on fish, water fowl, and reptiles.
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Ahuizotl typically mate for life, and can have litters of pups once a year, usually birthing around two or three pups per litter.
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They can technically live anywhere, being semi-aquatic, but they prefer to reside somewhere near a body of water, the deeper the better.
