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Razorback — Description

While the hair fields offer valuable resources for any household or village, like any wild place, one should be wary of danger. Even in a place as luscious as this, caution should be taken. For stalking these fields are predators, with one of the most common being the Razorbacks. These large fleas are on the hunt for prey, using their thin bodies to slip through the thick hairs with ease. They are quiet and they are fast, usually traveling in packs of three to five. Usual targets are beasts like the field louse and demodon, which they sneak up on and take down in a flash. Their powerful hind limbs allow them to pounce with great speed and strength, and their modified fore limbs are like giant fangs to pierce prey. They typically try to blindside their target and attack where they cannot reach. For the likes of demodons, they try to get them from the side, targeting between the rows of legs so that these large limbs block the brunt of the spiny tail's attempts to thrash them.
Their weapons and numbers make them efficient hunters, and their packs are highly coordinated to pull off these attacks. Pack leaders are typically signified by having the largest bladed crest upon their back, usually grown due to receiving more food than the others. These same sharp growths can also serve as weapons in a pinch, particularly against predators who would threaten them. They will launch themselves at their foe and spin their bodies, turning them into a razor disc that can cleave deep into flesh. Due to the spinning and the use of their own body as a projectile, their aim is not the greatest. This is why it isn't used for hunting and more for fighting off attackers, as often the mere threat of being sawed in half by this is enough to drive away foes, which means they don't have to land the hit for it to be effective.
As predators who can down a variety of prey, Razorbacks don't hesitate to put man on the menu if there are no better options. Obviously a nice juicy demodon would feed them for far longer, but one doesn't always have the luxury to be picky. Thus, folk who go into these fields to harvest keratin or eggs need to be wary and armed. Keep an eye on the hair, and watch for any movements that don't match the natural flow. With a sharp eye, you may be able to spot the tips of their blades poking out in shorter patches. If one does suspect they are being stalked by Razorbacks: do not panic and do not run. They are counting on fear driving prey to blind escape, and they are most certainly faster than you. Instead, have your group go back to back, so that you have no blind spots. If they charge, stand your ground, as it is often a fake out that is meant to make you run. Stand tall, try to make yourself look bigger and make a ton of noise. Razorbacks rely on ambush and striking weak points to drop prey, so if this stealth and surprise is taken away from them, they are less likely to attack. And if you are by yourself in the hair field without anyone to watch your back.....well that was a mistake you shouldn't have made today.
Though Razorbacks tend to be seen as scary predators of these fields, there have been instances where they can be trained as hunting companions. Beastmasters obviously are capable of such a feat, but some more regular folk have been able to rear them from larvae and develop a partnership. With strong senses, quick speed and sharp blades, they serve well as trackers and ambushers. Some fools have suggested that trained Razorbacks are finer hunters than hyaenas, which may be true in some areas, but one must remember that these bugs are not fully domesticated like those beasts. As social creatures in need of a pack leader, there can be times where even trained Razorbacks begin to wonder about their status in this strange "pack." Running into others of their kind may awaken a need within them, or the stumbling of their owner may present an opportunity of "advancement..."
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Alright, last of the hair field denizens! For now at least. Also, this is like round two or three of me turning fleas into wolves.