Editor's Note: The following is another new species, part of a challenge Inception put out in Spring 2002. Please note that the author of this piece claims copyright to these ideas. "The species I described may well have been inspired by Wraeththu, they aren't anything like Wraeththu anymore and I intend to use them in a saga I intend to get published." So nobody copy!

Introduction
A little known species of unknown origin, the Catchia are thought to have evolved from human beings, though how this can be possible remains a mystery. The Catchia hold many secrets about themselves close, revealing only certain snippets of juicy information. They are often times referred to as a women lacking in breasts, though how this is possible one struggles to understand.

Catchian are both male and female, though never at the same time. When playing their feminine role, they are extremely beautiful with narrow waists and wide birthing hips, along with incredibly fragile features. When obsessed with their maleness, they become slightly more threatening and are known to possess parts of the male anatomy, if not modified in various ways.

The Feminine Obsession
During their feminine obsession, as mentioned above, Catchians possess narrow waists and wide birthing hips, plus small tightly closed slit between their legs, which only opens during periods of extreme arousal or when coaxed open by the males of their family. This, however, is not how they give birth.

Birth can be a very complicated procedure for the Catchian -- either that or it can be one of the simplest, most boring acts of their life. A Catchian can carry a "kitling" for up to and beyond the nine month average gestation period of a human child. There are differences, however, from a human pregnancy, as the kitling may be transferred at anytime from the host's body to a bubble, very much like an artificial womb. This bubble will provide the same life support as the Catchian's own body would. The Catchian bearing the kitling must continue to care for the bubble as if the bubble were an extension of itself. Catchian kitlings may have a gestation period anywhere between two weeks to 20 years, depending on the type of Catchian being formed.

Another thing unique amongst the Catchian race is that they cannot breed amongst themselves and therefore must seek out healthy, male, humanoid partners in which to procreate with. This also has its own problems, for a Catchian cannot procreate without being bonded to its mate. Much like the human concept of marriage, a life bond is taken beyond all limits, connecting the Catchian to its mate in such a way that they share every thought and feeling.

One may wonder why the Catchian is so named, why they as a whole have called themselves Catchian and or Catchia, both names representing a single or a whole. The reason being is that the Catchian possess feline DNA and are able to change from humanoid to feline in mere seconds. You may ask how this is done. Is there a shifting of muscle and bone or a large puff of smoke? The truth is that there is neither, for the Catchian will appear to have been feline its entire life, that is until it returns to its humanoid form. Some may also possess cat ears and a tail even while humanoid; this is often referred to as akai-nero, the closest translation meaning human cat.

The Male Obsession
When the male obsession presents itself, the Catchian will often take time to "phase" (a term given to the changing between obsessions) in a well insulated, safe place. Here the change will begin, taking anywhere from a few hours to a few months. The change from male to female takes a similar amount of time.

With the male obsession along comes certain parts of the male anatomy. Catchians continue to possess the small slit between their legs, because even when in possession of the male obsession the Catchian will still seek to please its mate. As mentioned, the male obsession brings with it certain changes, such as certain parts of the male anatomy, such as a penis and accompanying packages, though it does not serve the same purposes for a Catchian as it does for a male.

For a male obsessed Catchian, the penis is of little consequence, serving as a minor inconvenience, for the Catchia do not pass urine, instead passing all bodily waste through feces alone. However, during the male obsession the Catchian will pass urine, something of a small wonder to young kitlings. This is one of the two only uses for the male penis Catchians have. The passing of urine for Catchians is seen as a giving back of what is taken as their urine is an extremely powerful liquid, able to bring about life to deadened earth and to heal almost all ailments, or so it is said.

The second use a Catchian has for the male penis is to pass dirata; passing dirata is done in much the same process as a male orgasm achieved via fellatio (a.k.a, blow job). This is done only with a male the Catchian trusts intimately, as dirata is an extremely addictive liquid. Dirata enhances the male drinking of it and its only purpose is the enhancement of the male, to fulfil the Catchian's sexual wishes. It also causes the man's orgasms to be much more intense.

When phasing back to the female obsession, the Catchians male genitals will pull into a special cavity in the pelvic area. This is why it often takes a month for most Catchians to phase between obsessions. Once the genitals have sunken into the cavity, a flap of skin grows over the area. This flesh is as sensitive as the genitals, though during the phase it looses all sensitivity, thus allowing for it to drop off to reveal the genitals which by then have pushed up.

Catchian Bonding Beliefs
Catchians believe that the life bond is one of the most powerful things existing in the universe, as it can transcend millions of miles and even worlds in its power. A life bond for a Catchian is a sacred act never to be broken, the breaking of which will kill both the Catchian and the person it has bonded too. Catchians can only bond to male humanoids.

The bond can be created in a variety of ways the most common way is during sexual intercourse when both the Catchian and the potential life mate are experience the heights of pleasure. The bonding process involves transcending the barricades created by the mind and linking both parties intimately together, the process of which can either be extremely gratifying or horrendously painful.

Once a bond is in place, neither the Catchian nor its bonded can break the bond. The breaking of the bond can only be done by a third party. This is extremely dangerous, for it is not uncommon for the Catchian, who is dying slowly, to seek out its killer and claim its revenge.

The bond allows both parties to speak directly to each other in silence. While some may dispute this and say humans can do this also, the type of conversation conveyed between Catchian and mate is a world of difference, not just conveying emotions but thoughts and feelings, the inner most core of a person.

Catchian Sexual Beliefs
The sexual beliefs of the Catchia cannot fully be explained without viewing it first-hand, though it will be explained as best as possible.

For a bonded Catchian, it is their thorough belief that they are the sole property of their bonded, though their bonded may be of a different opinion. The bonded Catchian believes whole heartedly that it is owned thoroughly by its mate, and it is not uncommon for the bonded to find himself with a very willing Catchian with which to please.

Unfortunately most bonded believe that it is themselves who are the slaves, constantly bowing down to their Catchian mates. This is in some aspects true, as the Catchian, upon bonding, instinctively asserts a kind of dominance to make sure its bonded will not do anything that may jeopardize their life. Almost always this wears off over time, of which it can be a very long time, for Catchians have impossibly long life spans.

The Catchian belief that it is its life mate's property has been known to be exploited, though only to a point, as the Catchian is an incredibly smart and manipulative creature.

The extent of this belief can be quite expansive, involving a BDSM relationship in the extremes or a simple, loving relationship in the lesser regions. It has been known for a Catchian to bond and yet hate his bond mate thoroughly, enjoying the bond mate only for his sex drive and the care he represents.

Catchian Abilities
Catchians are skilled magic users, able to manipulate almost all types of magic, though these forces do not come from without but from within, lending the Catchian an incredible strength in the field. There are certain levels for the Catchian, who are born at these levels. They will never progress from the level they are born with and it is very rare to be born with the skill and powers of a manipulator. When a manipulator is born the Catchians celebrate and also mourn, for with every new manipulator another must die.

Family Structure
In most cases families are huge, but that is only in human cases, in Catchian cases a family will be huge, but in age and not people. Why, because generally a family of ten will consist of parents, two siblings and their mates, and than two kitlings, of the siblings, and their mates.

As mentioned in a previous section above, the slit between a Catchian's legs can only be opened by its mate and or family members. For this reason these family members must be constantly around and must also be male, or else one Catchian cannot open another's slit.

This family structure provides comfort, warmth and support for all members of the family. This family group will almost always be very close and in some rare cases the entire family will be bonded, though this only ever happens when a family is as tight as a well woven tapestry.

Culture and Religion
Throughout this text there has been no mention of the religion or the culture of Catchia, which may surprise some people.

The Catchia are a warlike culture, not so much in everyday activities, but they have a tendency to invade planets, kill the elderly and women over twenty five and than take over the world. This is done on a regular basis with planets watched for up to sixty years before invasion, though there is almost always a planet being invaded. This is due to the need for male humanoids among the Catchia, as they are unable to procreate amongst themselves.

Their religion is based on the aspects of their life. They worship a god who is the embodiment of war and justice, beauty and masculinity, but they also worship faeries and certain types of their own kind, called Persoplis. Persoplis have blue flesh, very brittle bones and extremely fragile features. They are known to predict the future and one is often taken to battle, to bring good luck upon the troops.

The armies of the Catchian are known on a general basis the Catchian Plague as they are swift and quick, destroying all in their way and yet blazing a trail of new growth behind them. Most worlds conquered by the Catchians are prosperous.