Svolf

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Svolves are a species of carnivore from the twilight strip of Vivatus, which live in packs.

Physiology

Long and sinuous, Svolves reach 3m long and mass up to 210kg. Their tails usually make up half their length, and end in a sharp, venomous barb.

Their snouts are filled with jagged, backwards-pointing teeth, each 3cm long. These are effective at shearing and holding on to flesh to tear out large chunks. Svolves cannot chew, so have thick plated gullets to hold the food. The oesophagus has a bony plate running along the centre that acts to cut food in half as it goes down.

Svolves have infrared-sensitive eyes, a good sense of smell, and good hearing. They stalk Hakatun, selecting old, young or sick animals, and leap at them. They work in packs, luring the herds into bottlenecks where they can pick targets off at leisure.

Diet

Svolves are exclusively carnivorous.

Reproduction

Around every two years, Svolf females become receptive, though females together will alter their hormonal surges over time so that they all become receptive at the same time. Males will usually only mate with one female, and the largest males get the first choice in mates. If any females are left over, males may mate with them, but leftover males miss out.

Gestation takes a month, and offspring are born viviparously, usually two or three at once.. The male looks after them, teaching them to hunt and work together. They reach their full size at one year old.