A I: Prowler

Written by Neons-Mindrealm

Prowler
Cunning Predators of Alterna I: The Lands of Paradise

Origins:

It is believed that the Prowler were one of the first primal predators of Narcana's vast open plains. Tracing back to the earliest years of the Throne War of Origin Race, where documentation and research of the lands' wildlife wasn't as thorough.
Which is why their exact origins remain unknown.

Current Habitat:

Just like back on Narcana, the Prowler inhabit vast open plains with lush grass fields, to sneak up on and ambush unsuspecting prey.
Which makes the remaining fields of the Evergreen Veldt their current home on the Lands.
With the strong assumption of also having adapted to other biomes as well, and evolved into never before seen species there.

Average Size / Height:

Prowler stand on average at a height of around 60 centimeters tall, with a long body reaching up to 1.6 meters.

Diet:

The main source of food for Prowler comes from medium till large-sized prey, mostly docile herbivores, they hunt and ambush in the plains.
Once successfully slain, Prowler then carry their prey back to their den, and feed on it for a couple of days.
But in cases of long periods without a successful hunt, mainly occurring in the form of a Prowler who has been exiled from its pack, they also feed on plants they find in the plains. Or try to steal the prey of other predators.

Physical Appearance:

The Body of a Prowler is like a long flexible tube. With four rather short legs, able to almost bend down to ground level, whilst still being capable of swiftly moving through high grass, in order to sneak up on their unsuspecting prey.
Their necks seem like an extension to their already long and flexible bodies, with a strong reptilian snout, able to easily break the bones and muscle tissue of much larger prey. And long narrow ears, mainly used to communicate with pack members, and coordinate their hunt.
Also, unlike many other predators of their size, they do not possess a tail, nor weaponized claws.
All their short claws are capable of, is digging through loosened soil, or holding their prey in place whilst feeding.

Behavior and Social Structure:

Living in medium-sized packs of 5 to 6, Prowler build dens with narrow entrances in the small hills of plain biomes. Where after a successful hunt, they spend most of their time just carefully rationing their hunted prey over a couple of days, and rest until they have to eventually leave their den again.
Due to the tight entrances to their nests, they also do not seem to care much about defending their dens, even if they have young.
Since even if another predator would try to invade their nest, they would most likely just get stuck in these narrow tunnels, and turn into a free, defenseless meal for the Prowler to claim.

Role in the Food Chain:

In the plains, Prowler are seen as mid class predators, who are able to slay even the largest herbivores with ease, due to their strong jaws and pack hunting ambushes.
In which they sneak up on their unsuspecting prey through the plain's high grass. And wait for the perfect opportunity to strike their legs to immobilize their prey before finishing them off.
But when facing another predator or hunter, they immediately go into hiding and just observe, hoping that they will eventually weaken themselves so that their pack can achieve a riskless kill.

Special Abilities and unique Physical Traits:

Besides their incredibly strong jaws and flexible bodies, Prowler also possess the ability of Channeling on a primal level.
With which they are able to temporarily cover the fur on their backs in a thin layer of grass, to blend with the meadow of the plains and turn near invisible on their hunts.

Additional Insights:

Even though the Prowler are only seen as mid to lower-class predators of the Evergreen Veldt, it is believed, due to similarities in anatomy and behavior, that during the evolution of the Lands, some packs have turned into quite dangerous descendants of these reptilian-wolf-hybrids.
With the malicious Sea Stalkers, threatening the beaches of the Singing Sea with their insidious ambushes.
Or the ferocious Malgrems, who rule over the Endless Forest like bloodthirsty monarchs.

Genetic Descendants

• A I: Malgrems