At the final stage in a Gnawer's evolution, the Gnawer's body will be completely exhausted by Stardust. If the Gnawer is not able to feed on fresh biological tissue, its body will dry up like an old log, with only a small cluster of the Gnawer's brain cells remaining active, so it can continue to expel Stardust into the surrounding air.
In some special circumstances, the Gnawer will be able to change its own physical density and transform into a new form. These new beings, known as Star Walkers, are capable of roaming freely through the air.
The Star Walker floats in the air like ominous ash clouds. Because they are hard to detect, they often launch surprise attacks on humans, similar to a venomous jellyfish stinging an unsuspecting swimmer.
Star Walkers are considered one of the most dangerous Deviants by survivors. This is because, even if you manage to kill one (and that's no easy feat), it will scatter Stardust debris in all directions immediately after death, greatly increasing the risk of infection.
Rather than confront these harbingers of death, it's best to keep a respectful distance.
