Taraka

Summary
The Taraka are hirsute crepuscular mammals known for their impressive dexterity and keen eyesight in varied light conditions.

Overview
Hailing from Grotta, Taraka stand between four and six feet tall. They have evolved as hunters adept at stealth and equipped with retractable claws in their fingers sharp enough to slice through impact cloth. The prefer quiet and solitude most of the time, which has given them a reputation as being standoffish. This is not quite accurate. They can be very friendly and outgoing, but only if they are the instigators of a social interaction. They spend the majority of their lives either asleep or in a resting state, meaning that they often lack the energy to engage in even casual conversation.

Culture
The culture of Grotta revolves around celebrating and propagandizing the war between the Taraka and the Arsene. The disunity between the two races is the unity of Taraka. They view the Arsene as foolish brutes whos successes are all a result of their strength and fortitude, while the successes of the Arsene are due to their wit and bravery. Their narrative of skilled warriors bringing down herculean foes has created a measure of personal worth relative to one's adherence to that fiction. Those who live peaceful lives as craftsman or farmers are seen as lesser when compared to soldiers or even scavengers. Skulking into old battlefields to find treasure or even makeshift replacements for household items is seen as inherently superior to crafting or purchasing them. It is not uncommon to see an old arrowhead being used to hang pictures or a reclaimed combat knife being used to slice bread.

Those who dare to venture off the planet are seen as too weak to have survived on it. Without extenuating circumstances to explain their absence, they would be shunned upon returning to their world. This is of minimal concern, however, because very few who leave Grotta ever feel a need to go back.

Physiology
Taraka are warm blooded bipeds with short fur and tails. They can live to be ninety Federation years old. They have a unique skeletal structure for a vertebrate. Their spines are connected by muscles, rather than ligaments, allowing them to expand or contract their backs to some degree and substantially improving their flexibility. This particular adaptation also provides them significant improvements to their control over their orientation when falling. They can quickly and efficiently reorient themselves to land on their feet and instinctively roll to protect themselves from falls from dangerous heights.

Taraka spend less time fully awake than other Federation races. They sleep between eight and thirteen hours a day. If they lean towards less sleep, they will make up for it by spending up to eight hours of their waking time in a state of partial sleep. Their bodies and minds relax, allowing for only the most sluggish and mentally simple tasks to be completed, such as eating or data entry. However, they can become fully awake from this state instantly if necessary. They are naturally crepuscular, with eyes that are capable of seeing without hinderance in both low light and bright environments. However, they are fully capable of adapting to other sleep schedules.

Taraka have evolved as specialized hunters. They have simple digestive systems that gain little nutritional value from foods other than meats. They are capable of noiselessly lying in wait for their prey for several hours. Their digitigrade gait allows them to silently stalk their prey or sneak in for the kill. Once in range, a Taraka can use the retractable claws in their fingers to slash at their prey, though a modern hunter is more likely to use a spear, bow, or firearm.