greater ourin

Greater ourins are terrestrial carnivorous hydrens that inhabit the tropical forests of Grimoria. Greater ourins have a unique relationship with lesser ourins, with them both working together for mutual benefit.

Description

Greater ourins are muscular and lean predators. They are large, being on average about 12.2 meters (40 feet) long. They have a body plan vaguely like big cats, and their jet black fur and scaly skin makes them resemble a black panther. Their forelimbs have small wings that have shrunken to the point where they are unable to sustain powered flight, but they're still able to glide. They also have deadly claws on their forelimbs that can rip apart the hides and flesh of their prey with savage efficiency. They also have long sabertooth-like teeth that they use to suddenly inflict fatal damage to their prey by specifically targetting their prey's throats. Ourins have long tails that are covered in black fur, and they have long quills coming out of the end of their tails.

Behavior

Greater ourins have an extremely unique symbiotic relationship with lesser ourins.
Lesser ourins are small, and relatively slow, making them easier prey. They, however, are able to release a loud booming call that can overwhelm their predator's ears and stun them, although this doesn't give them usually enough time to escape. This booming call however isn't primarily used to stun prey, but it is used to signal for the greater ourin to attack, pouncing on whatever is threatening the lesser ourin, killing it with its huge saber teeth and savage claws, and then eating it. This relationship benefits both species because they lesser ourin gets protection, and the greater ourin gets a reliable source of food.
Greater ourins are surprisingly intelligent, and they sometimes will use this intelligence to take advantage of the much less intelligent lesser ourins. Greater ourins will sometimes knowingly lead lesser ourins into areas with a higher number of predators in order to give the greater ourin a higher chance of killing prey. The relationship between greater and lesser ourins seems to vary. In some instances, the greater ourin may genuinely care about the lesser ourin and go out of its way to protect it, while in other instances the greater ourin will use the lesser ourin solely as a way of finding food.