CABGNAT - TIMELINE #12209734

(Timeline Tuesday #18)

Cabgnats are small, six to ten-inch wide creatures that resemble a metal cabinet commonly used for storage. Their bodies are perfectly cubed in shape, with distinct edges that bend sharply to create their unique form. The doorlike feature at the front of this species can range in color, from red, blue, green, or yellow, and even vibrant shades of hot pink. The cabgant’s body, however, is always a specific shade of grey. The creature’s wings are typically yellow, with rounded tips that resemble those of a common housefly.

Similar to houseflies, Cabgnats are technically insects. While their body is incredible hard, this shell is not actually constructed from metal. Instead, it is a tough carapace like that of any other insect or crustacean. Cabgants also possess six crawling legs that tuck into the underside of their body, but these appendages are rarely needed.

Cabgnats use the door at the front of their body as a method of catching and consuming food, however this orifice is not dangerous for most creatures. While a small bird or insect could easily fit within them, cabgants will not eat them thanks to a distinct filtering system on the inner walls of the cabgant body. These creatures are only capable of digesting very small, almost particle-like insects that flutter through the air unnoticed. In this way, they are similar to whales who use baleen to filter nutrients from ocean water.

Because the inside of their bodies are hollow and quite secure, these creatures are often trained to make speedy deliveries across long distances. While a cabgnat lacks the intelligence to read or understand a given address they have never been to, they will follow specific known routes with very little training.