Shikari

Basic Information

Anatomy

A strange combination of reptile and insect, the shikari are six legged creatures covered in thick, leathery translucent scales. Their bodies are long and relatively thick, sporting a flexible, sinuous neck. Their back four legs are short and strong, with four-toed feet equipped with claws that allow the shikari to climb walls and even hang upside down. Their forelegs are longer, thinner and hooked at the ends with a single sharp claw each. These are used to catch and hold prey close to let the shikari inject them with their potent venom. Shikari heads are flat and wide and dominated by the two large nostrils sitting on top. They sport a large mouth filled with razor sharp teeth and fangs.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Shikari are carnivorous creatures and require a near-daily supply of meat to survive. To achieve this, shikari have evolved to become peerless hunters in their natural underground environment. In the lightless tunnels they find prey through an ingenious combination of their vocal prowess and incredible sense of smell. By emitting soundwaves below the normal hearing range of their prey, they cause subconscious reactions of stress in them. The shikari are then able to sense the potent pheromones released by the distressed creatures to track them down. This technique is able to effect creatures up to 1-2 miles away through twisting tunnels. Once the shikari have reached their prey, they attack suddenly and viscously. Aiming to grab their target with their sharpened hook-like forelegs, the venomous shikari then use their fangs to inject the victim with a potent paralytic. Then, unable to even struggle, the creature is dragged away to be slowly devoured.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Living underground, shikari are completely blind and lack any sort of eyes. Instead they rely on their incredibly keen sense of smell to find prey, and utilize their forelegs to feel their way around. They also lack traditional ears, as the noises they create would just damage any delicate hearing system they had. Instead, shikari feel the vibrations of others of their kind in their bone structure, allowing them to communicate and find mates.