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Yinrih lack the raging hormones seen in human teenagers, so what's an adolescent monkey fox to do with all that extra time and energy? Why poke his pointy wet nose where it doesn't belong, of course.
Urban exploration is a common hobby among older pups and young adults. Cheap respirators such as one might find at a hardware store are worn to prevent mold inhalation when rummaging through abandoned buildings. The masks have become emblematic of the pastime among the general public, and in the Commonthroat-speaking world, the word for respirator, qlqlg (pronounced /huff, short low weak grunt; huff, short low weak grunt; short low weak growl/), has become a term for urban explorers in general.
While most explorers are in it just to see where they can go before being politely asked to leave, there are other reasons why a young monkey fox might want to skulk (hehe) around areas not frequented by the public. There's a large overlap with the drug scene, as many explorers are looking for a place to trip on mind candy. In fact, many of the species of mold that their iconic masks protect them from produce spores that are hallucinogenic when inhaled, and there's a subset of so-called h Hqlqlg (no-maskers) that specifically seek out areas where this mold grows in order to huff it.
Among the Outlanders of Moonlitter and the Outer Belt, urban explorers are called spaprql (singular spapr, pronounced /yip, overlong dipping strong grunt, chuff/), which is a type of thick but flexible paw covering worn to prevent lacerations and punctures. The term spapr has a narrower meaning when used by explorers themselves, where it refers to someone who is new to the hobby or otherwise overly cautious. Yinrih avoid covering their paws if they can help it, so someone who insists on covering them in spite of the discomfort is seen as either exceptionally well prepared or overly cautious, depending on who you ask.
Comparing Outlander and Commonthroat Words
Just for fun I took the lexicons for Commonthroat and Outlander, imported them into sqlite as database tables, and inner joined them on the definitions column to see what words matched. Here is the result. As you probably guess, these are mostly words from the vulpithecine Swadesh list that formed the foundation of both lexicons.
| Commonthroat | Outlander | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| rfbr | Fbr | walk |
| sgHqg | Jh | grass |
| sBCq | khj | empty |
| sPlr | lm | float |
| HJqg | lpl | tree |
| PMqg | Lsc | muzzle |
| Pq | mp | to burn |
| rnL | N | not |
| rFB | NP | fly |
| rLPqg | PLr | light |
| rbfq | qB | old |
| qg | qbf | wide |
| qFrg | qbF | fire |
| sjHg | qBF | sky |
| rpM | qcof | small |
| jr | qDbq | big |
| qBf | qdc | two |
| sjgqg | qDC | head |
| rDFr | qdr | near |
| rbCq | qFD | cold |
| rGg | qGH | rope |
| rFbrg | qGJ | bone |
| qbf | qGJq | if |
| rmn | qjhr | long |
| qcb | qgkq | narrow |
| j | qhj | and |
| Bd | qjg | wet |
| rkq | qJGq | sharp |
| qMNrg | qjh | sun |
| Grg | qkg | fog |
| qCFqg | qKJ | female |
| scg | qLM | liver (analogous organ) |
| MNqg | qLN | day |
| rFg | qLm | name |
| sGKqg | qmqf | road |
| rpLqg | qN | wind |
| scfr | qNL | smooth |
| rHgg | qnlr | male |
| rBg | qnm | ink |
| rNlr | qPL | good |
| sHKrg | qPM | root |
| qmLrg | rbc | neck |
| sHJrg | rbd | ashes |
| qMLq | rC | five |
| qlnr | rcb | thick |
| qhqg | rcd | sire |
| rfbr | rf | walk |
| smnrg | rfD | leaf |
| hgq | rG | because |
| qNLrg | rGJ | lake |
| spLr | rgjq | round |
| rhGr | rGqscD | rotten |
| sfqg | rhgr | earth |
| Dcr | rjgq | to scratch |
| scBqg | rjhq | water |
| MLqg | rjHr | tooth |
| sgH | rjK | thin |
| slM | rkg | six |
| rnqg | rKG | paw |
| qhg | rkJ | full |
| LNr | rLM | few |
| KJq | rMn | three |
| sbfr | rmnr | far |
| sKGqg | rMp | stone |
| qFdqg | rMPq | ear |
| qDCg | rN | mountain |
| qjkqg | rNp | dust |
| qbC | rNpr | correct |
| dqg | rPL | forest |
| sKhg | rpLr | tongue |
| qNPg | sbcq | ice |
| sng | sbd | skin |
| qCrg | sbf | mouth |
| sPLg | sBfr | salt |
| pLg | scb | cloud |
| qkgg | scbr | smoke |
| rpMr | scsc | happy |
| rFcq | sd | straight |
| rKgq | sDc | other |
| qfr | sDF | at |
| qKgrg | sfb | heart (analogous organ) |
| jhqg | sFb | sea |
| scrg | sfDr | star |
| sKHqg | sheg | seed |
| qNmqg | shJ | stick |
| Kqg | shq | egg |
| qgJr | sJ | many |
| qcDg | sjGq | fruit |
| FDg | sjgr | sand |
| sCF | sk | new |
| cbqg | skg | blood |
| qJKq | skgq | bad |
| sDc | skGq | heavy |
| sGkg | slp | eye |
| qBdg | sm | river |
| rBFr | sMP | four |
| rdr | snl | one |
| BC | sp | all |
| rLmqg | sPL | animal |
| JGg | faf | word |
| qNLg | rgug | cloaca |
| qnlq | rJkr | sick |
| rKg | grrg | opine |
| rjrCFqg | rMrMr | food |
| rfCr | PN | sad |
| rGhqg | lul | home |
| qGHqg | cBqrl | martyr |
| snp | lel | holy |
| rMLcdrg | sbebr | computer |
Urban Explorer
A sketch of an urban explorer wearing a respirator. In Commonthroat, the brand name of the respirator, qlqlMr has become the name for members of this subculture of older pups and teens who explore areas of their urban environment not open to the public, such as abandoned buildings and utility infrastructure.
The mask prevents mold inhalation when exploring long abandoned buildings. It doesn't serve to hide the wearer's identity from guards or cops, since yinrih are already face blind and use odor or fur pattern to recognize individuals.
Funny perfume
Yinrih can derive humor from particular odors. Perfumes exist to exploit this. In particular, it is possible to synthesize a reasonable approximation of a yinrih's ambient musk, though yinrih who smell it will describe it as “exaggerated” or “caricatured” in the same way humans might regard clowns or cartoon characters.
Spraying this perfume on inanimate objects is a very common prank. It's also a way to personify an inanimate object, as humans might by sticking googly eyes on it.

