Bothawui: Predators
Bothan Sky Dragon is an endangered species of avian reptile.
Halkra, AKA Strangle Vine, is an arboreal predator native to the forests of Bothawui. These creatures appear to be nothing more than a tangled mass of vines and plant material, with a main body sack, which is covered with cracked, bark-like skin. Halkras allow various lichens and small seeds to grow on their skin, to further enhance their camouflage. Each halkra has twelve tentacles that it could sprout from its sides; to tangle its prey and constrict it, and then draw it into the central sack for digestion. Halkras often settle near watering holes and other locations where other wildlife gather, hanging from low tree branches and seeming to be a part of the forest.
Krak'jya is a sleek, muscular feline predator native to the plains of the planet Bothawui. The Bothans named this creature after the loud, deadening growl it makes while hunting. The average krak'jya measures over two meters in length, and stands nearly two meters in height when walking on all fours. The thick fur of the krak'jya grows to match its surroundings, and could range from green with gray stripes for forest-dwelling individuals to red with white spots for those that live near deserts. A species of krak'jya even live in the snowy mountains, and has a stark white pelt dappled with gray spots. These creatures are extremely intelligent and quite territorial, and often hunt in pairs. Bothan hunters prize their fur as a status symbol, and the krak'jya are nearly hunted to extinction for their pelts. Only the work of ecologists help to curb the slaughter of these predators.
Skar'kla, AKA Glitterclaw, is a predatory beast native to the planet Bothawui. The skar'kla are distantly related to the krak'jya feline, having evolved more for speed than power. Skar'klas rely on stealth to get close to their prey, then burst from cover and attack before the prey even knows they were being hunted. If a prey should ever escape, the skar'kla has plenty of speed to catch them and bring them down. Skar'kla are native to the mountainous areas of Bothawui, and tend to stay well away from civilization. However, as the populations of krak'jyas were hunted down for its pelts, the skar'kla numbers rose, and they began to encroach on urban areas. This results in attacks caused more by mistake than by deliberate planning.
Ral, AKA Stone Ray, is a reptilian predator native to the planet Bothawui. These reptiles are named after aquatic rays, because of their similar shape and because they fly through the air. Their coloration resemble that of pure glitterstone, and rals can exist on rocky outcroppings without being detected. The average ral has a wingspan of more than half a meter, and their wings are formed from leathery membranes stretched between the bones of their spindly arms. Rals are cold-blooded, and have to sun themselves before flying after their prey. Their thick heads are tipped with a small beak, and their long tails serve to balance them.
