Wastehunter

Born in the walls and the valley floor of the Carrion Canyon, Wastehunters are perfectly adapted to the dry and dangerous circumstances of their environment. They are often colored in light browns to gray tones with either light stripes and spots in order to better hide. Their forelegs are stronger than those of the normal mirror species, built for burrowing holes into the walls of the valleys. Although, mostly they prefer to simply take over old abandoned tunnels of ridgebacks.

But the most interesting adaption is their ability to live without any sources of water. Research has shown that the Wastehunters can sustain on their prey alone using a vast cavity on the lower body to store the blood and other fluids, which they drain using their two lower fangs. A strong immune system and big kidneys allow an adult individual to survive for almost 3 months with neither food nor water.

These abilities make them excellent guards of the inner Shifting Expanse. Any raiding band of another flight would have to make it past the Carrion Canyon in order to reach the Lightning Farm and Spire. The sun and heat would make it hard to cross during the day and thus the crossing is made mostly during the night where the intruders are constantly harassed and getting into skirmishes with the nocturnal Wastehunters. Their attackers are trained to steal supplies, especially water rather than taking out the intruder. Only after a few days when the enemy is too exhausted too resist, the Wastehunters go for the kill. When they leave again only bones remain of the carnage.

Wastehunters normally live together in pack of about 15–20 individuals and live in underground caves. These are often large tunnel networks with multiple caverns and exits. A pack doesn't stay in one tunnel system forever but rather wanders in a semi-normadic cycle, and even climbing out of the valley during mating season. The pack itself is like a big family. Hunting, watching, building and childcare is shared between members. While the pack stays together for the most part, individuals, especially young adult ones can leave and will try to find another pack, or even clan to join. In other clans they have been known to be friendly and communicative, while also lacking a sense of personal space.

Occasionally packs of up to 50 members have been observed. Larger packs happen when food gets scarce in the valleys and parties have to forage outside their home territory. During that time they often enter other lands such as the Sunbeam Ruins or Ashfall Waste. This has also led to an adaption where Wastehunters closer to the Waste show a darker brownish coloring while near the Ruins they are sandish yellow. In the central valley and close to the Tsunami Flats they appear more grey and light brownish.