This sweet-smelling egg almost looks like it was carved out of wood.
No dimorphism
Hatchling
Spoiler
Yule castor hatchlings learn to carve wood as they age. The first few dozen carvings are not exceptionally beautiful, many of them resembling odd shapes that would never be hung on a tree. More often than not, a carrot-like carving or an ear-shaped one had to be removed because it simply ruined the otherwise beautifully decorated tree. But as they age, the hatchlings become more skillful. They revisit their works and reshape what can be reshaped, making new decorations from the scraps. It might take a few months for the hatchlings to reach a desired level of wood carving mastery, but they never give up, and the improvement is visible with each passing day.
Spoiler
On the few occasions when the yule castors aren't wood carving, they offer rides to those interested. It might be inconvenient for the rider, as the castors might make a trip in the water, but it is an experience one should try at least once in their lifetime. Although they are big enough to reach a man's hip and could become a real threat, the castors are very affectionate towards humans. So affectionate that they might temporarily move into a person's house, suddenly becoming part of the family. When this happens, it is best to supply the castors with plenty of wood; otherwise, they will start chewing on the furniture. Once the castors have enough carved figurines, they wander into the woods, where they use them to decorate small pine trees. Sometimes they also decorate the pines that happen to be on the Keep's grounds, and random pine vosmari accidentally end up decorated as well. But no matter which tree they decorate, it will always look nice, as their carved trinkets are some of the most delicate wood ornaments one will ever see.
Spoiler
After the first snowfall has fallen, one can hear the sound of wood being chopped deep inside the forest. The creatures that chop the wood are benevolent and love to have spectators as they carve intricate decorations with their nimble fingers and skillful teeth. They live near rivers, where they laze around when not shaping something out of wood. Adept swimmers, the yule castors can travel for great lengths even upstream if they sniff out a sweetly scented wood. Although they can carve things out of any wood, they prefer the scented ones. There is no explanation for this other than the wood probably smells better and makes the carving more pleasant for the castors while they are at it. Each individual focuses on its task, caring little about what the other castors do around them, but they do work together in a sense. If one of them chops off a tree, then more castors will gather around, each taking a chunk of the trunk to carve so no wood would come to waste.
