Stratonike

Nicknamed the Dune Contagion, Stratonike is an agile hunter who roams the dry plains of Dragonhome coming up with new ways to take down prey. Her favored tactic is to infect her unlucky subject with a nasty bite then swiftly harass her prey until fatigue and fever overcomes it. Clan mates tend to give her a wide berth upon her return. She doesn't mind, less chatter allows for more time to analyze her meals and mull upon how to improve her hunt in the future.

On Hunting Harpies
Since the Beastclan uprising, Harpies in and around Dragonhome have been particularly clever; working in organized bands, planning traps and ambushes, even using the shadows of ancient cairns to spy on lone hunters like Stratonike. Of course, Dune Contagion would not take her prey's streak of boldness lying down.

Small flocks of Harpies are easy enough for a single predator to disperse. Simply deliver a few solid, toothy bites to one or two on the ground then the rest will take flight. Like crows the Harpies will try to dive bomb their foe; this is when their cores are exposed, easy to eviscerate without the fluff of feathered wings in the way.

Larger flocks take time though. Infecting the scouts makes for a good start, as any disease is hard to stop when an ill Harpy's instinct is to stay close to the center of the roost. Leading Shadow Serpents to the eggs more secluded Harpy nests is another strategy, albeit a slightly more dangerous one. And if all else fails while working alone, Stratonike will occasionally turn to a talented Nocturne who can imitate the voice of Talona in the night, ordering nuisance garrisons to disperse. The sooner the well-numbered flocks are gone, the sooner the Dune Contagion can return to her solitary hunts.



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