Howling Shadow
From Reach
A lethal pack predator, Howling Shadows strike unsuspecting victims out of nothing.
Contents |
Morphology
Howling Shadows are shaggy-haired bipeds that stick close to the ground. Their bodies are horizontally aligned, and grow to about two meters nose-to-tail. Long, thick, dark grey fur covers the entire body, providing warmth and natural camouflage in the polar darkness. The head about 10 centimeters long, and almost entirely mouth. Large, curved tusks climb up from the protruding lower jaw and are the Shadow's primary weapon, used for taking down prey, defending against other predators, and in dominance tests. Behind the tusks are two small, beady black eyes, of little use in the darkness. Instead, Shadows rely on smell and taste to track their prey, and are often seen gnawing at the ground when seeking a trail. Shadows also have an accurate sense of hearing, with two small ears perched on the tops of their heads. Shadows have extremely powerful vocal cords, and their collective howling can actually stun small animals, and disorient larger prey. Their bodies are fairly featureless, around one meter long and extremely flexible. Shadows can bend this part of their body in almost any direction, similar to an Earth snake. Their legs are about one meter long, and can fold up under the body to allow the Shadow to crawl stealthily on it's belly. A heavy, meter long tail provides balance.
Life Cycle
Shadows give birth of litters from three to eight whelps. Under the guidance of their mother, whelps spend their first year mock fighting, and trailing the pack in hunts. At the age of one year, the now adolescent shadows actively participate in hunts, and begin fighting other pack members to establish dominance. These dominance tests are rarely fatal, usually ending at the first injury. At this age, their smoke glands become active, allowing them to exhale a thick, dark fog when hungry or excited. At about three years, a Shadow reaches adult size, and begins competing for mating opportunities. Only the pack's most dominant female mates, and usually selects from the more dominant males. When the female gives birth to a litter, she stops engaging in dominance tests, taking a much less aggressive role until the whelps become adolescents, allowing another female to assume pack leadership. Howling Shadows live for about 15 years.
Hazards
Howling Shadows are extremely aggressive predators, and are a significant threat to travel in the Polar Regions. They are nearly undetectable on the approach, wrapped in a cloud of their own fog exhalations and completely silent. Their fog is odorless and opaque, and has a mild sedative effect, causing sluggish, slowed reflexes in prey. Shadows can leap up to eight meters, and will usually remain invisible until this moment. The only warning most prey ever get is the howl of the alpha female, signaling the attack, a fraction of a second before the entire pack howls and leaps into action. Their powerful tusks can cause serious injury, especially to those too startled by the sudden cacophony to properly defend themselves. While individual shadows are not very tough, usually dropping dead with a single bullet wound, the element of surprise and typically large numbers provides a powerful early advantage that is difficult to overcome. However, killing a handful of these creatures can often cause the alpha female to signal a retreat, deeming the prey too dangerous.
Uses
A Shadow's pack mentality can be exploited. Raised as whelps by humans, they can become loyal and make decent guard animals. They are extremely intelligent, and can even be trained to forgo their stealth instincts and direct their ear-piercing howls at trespassers. Their desire to increase their pack status in these situations will often lead them to challenge their owners dominance. Because these challenges can cause serious injury, one must always be aware of this threat and be prepared to physically defend their dominant position at any time. Owners must be extremely skilled in reading their Shadow's moods, and knowledgeable about methods to maintain and establish dominance. Their extreme agility and predatory natures necessitates keeping them fully enclosed. An escaped Shadow in a colony can cause a great deal of havoc, and usually ends up being put down. Owners frequently erect Structure Domes for keeping their Shadows, and keep them leashed when outdoors.
Practical polar colonists have found uses for the remains from their frequent, violent encounters with the Shadows. Shadow pelts provide a great deal of warmth, and often supplement All Weather Gear in the poles. Pelts generally replace the largely unnecessary chemical-proof outerwear, allowing the colonist to survive and even remain comfortable in even colder temperatures than before. Shadow meat, while not particularly tasty, is extremely nutritious, and supplements many polar diets.
