Malaki59: Created page with "{{Breadcrumb |1=Main Page |2=Fauna of Gondara |2label=Fauna |3=Ruunhound }} The '''Ruunhound''' is a large, heavily built, hyena-like carnivorous mammal native to the Wilds of Gondara. A powerful pack hunter and scavenger, it is distinguished by massive forequarters, unusually broad bone-crushing jaws, a coarse water-shedding coat, strong scent-tracking ability, and elaborate family-based hunting tactics. Ruunhounds are not true dogs. Their exact biological rela..."

2026-10-31T14:37:48Z

Created page with "{{Breadcrumb |1=Main Page |2=Fauna of Gondara |2label=Fauna |3=Ruunhound }} The '''Ruunhound''' is a large, heavily built, hyena-like carnivorous mammal native to the Wilds of Gondara. A powerful pack hunter and scavenger, it is distinguished by massive forequarters, unusually broad bone-crushing jaws, a coarse water-shedding coat, strong scent-tracking ability, and elaborate family-based hunting tactics. Ruunhounds are not true dogs. Their exact biological rela..."

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{{Breadcrumb
|1=Main Page
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The '''Ruunhound''' is a large, heavily built, hyena-like carnivorous mammal native to the [[Wilds]] of [[Gondara]]. A powerful pack hunter and scavenger, it is distinguished by massive forequarters, unusually broad bone-crushing jaws, a coarse water-shedding coat, strong scent-tracking ability, and elaborate family-based hunting tactics. Ruunhounds are not true dogs. Their exact biological relationship to Earth's hyenas has not been formally established, although hyenas provide the closest familiar comparison for their general anatomy and feeding adaptations.

The species is especially notorious for its historic association with the [[Kael’Ruun]], who bred and conditioned Ruunhounds to attack fleeing people during their surges. The animals' intimidating behavior was not invented by their handlers: wild Ruunhounds were already bold, socially coordinated ambush predators. Kael’Ruun breeding and training selected for aggression toward humans and reduced fear of occupied settlements. In the modern era, wild Ruunhounds remain numerous in suitable parts of the Wilds, while rare populations persist in other Gondaran forests.

A Ruunhound pack may remain nearly silent while positioning itself along a game trail, then erupt into chirps, snarls, and loud, hyena-like cackling during pursuit. To those who encounter a pack at night, the sound of animals circling just beyond the firelight—interrupted by the occasional glimpse of amber eyes and a broad, drooling muzzle—has given the species a deeply sinister reputation. Its actions can appear almost deliberately tormenting, although the underlying behaviors serve practical hunting and social purposes.

{| class="wikitable" style="max-width:780px;"
! colspan="2" | Ruunhound — Species Record
|-
| '''Common name''' || Ruunhound
|-
| '''Scientific name''' || Not formally established
|-
| '''Animal type''' || Large hyena-like carnivorous mammal; pack predator and scavenger
|-
| '''Native range''' || Wilds, especially the perimeter and Outer Rim
|-
| '''Other populations''' || Scattered, rare populations in other Gondaran forests, possibly descended in part from historically released animals
|-
| '''Adult build''' || Heavier and generally larger than an ordinary hyena; broad skull, exceptionally powerful forequarters, thick neck, sloping back
|-
| '''Adult weight''' || Rough working estimate of 140–180 lb; not established by systematic field measurement
|-
| '''Coat''' || Coarse, relatively short, water-shedding fur with muted, broken foliage-camouflage markings
|-
| '''Distinctive senses''' || Strong scent tracking and effective low-light vision
|-
| '''Diet''' || Opportunistic carnivore and scavenger; young Hookclaw Sloths, boars, other Wilds animals, carrion, and marrow-rich bones
|-
| '''Typical pack''' || A breeding pair and offspring, generally 4–6 individuals; larger family packs occur
|-
| '''Hunting method''' || Coordinated trail and shallow-water ambushes, diversions, flanking, and conditional pursuit
|-
| '''Reproduction''' || Usually twins, frequently one male and one female; occasionally 3–4 cubs
|-
| '''Breeding period''' || Approximately ages 2–15
|-
| '''Average wild lifespan''' || Estimated 10–15 years
|-
| '''Potential longevity''' || Approximately 20–25 years under favorable circumstances, as known to historic handlers
|-
| '''Status''' || Established in native Wilds habitat; rare and endangered outside the Wilds; Inner Core population density unknown
|}

__TOC__

== Physical Description ==

An adult Ruunhound resembles an exceptionally large, thickly muscled hyena, rather than a mastiff or an enlarged domestic dog. The front of the body is notably heavy, with a deep chest, thick neck, large shoulders, and powerful forelegs. The hindquarters are somewhat lower, producing the sloping profile familiar from hyenas. This configuration supports the animal's characteristic ability to engage large prey from the front while maintaining a powerful grip.

The head is particularly formidable. It carries a wide, robust skull, a broad muzzle, heavily developed jaw muscles, and teeth adapted to both seizing prey and breaking substantial bones. The jaws are among the animal's principal weapons. A proposed bite-pressure figure of approximately '''1,100–1,200 psi''' has been associated with the species, but no standardized measurement has been established; such figures depend on where and how pressure is measured and should be treated as an estimate rather than a verified field result.

Ruunhounds are generally larger and more muscular than an average hyena, though exceptionally large spotted hyenas may approach the same overall size. The working weight range of 140–180 pounds is approximate rather than a formally established population average. Their heavy build does not prevent them from making sudden lunges, running through forest corridors, or working along shallow wetland margins.

=== Coat and Coloration ===

The Ruunhound's coat is suited to a hot, persistently humid rainforest and swamp environment. It consists of relatively short, coarse outer hair that sheds much of the water falling upon it, with limited dense underfur that might otherwise hold moisture and heat against the body. The fur is water-shedding, '''not waterproof'''; prolonged immersion and heavy rain still wet the animal.

Coloration is generally subdued and broken rather than uniformly colored. Muddy brown, gray-brown, dark earth, and charcoal tones occur in irregular mottling and disrupted striping. These patterns resemble the uneven light and shadow among roots, reeds, brush, and foliage. The coat helps break up the animal's outline when it waits in vegetation. Exact marking arrangements vary, and no formal coat morphs have been established.

The eyes are often described as amber-colored when illuminated by fire or lamplight. Ruunhounds have effective low-light vision, along with conspicuously sensitive hearing and scent-tracking ability. Their large jaws may appear wet or heavily drooling during excitement, especially while stalking or pursuing prey.

== Distribution and Habitat ==

The Ruunhound's natural stronghold is the Wilds. It is most frequently encountered around the '''perimeter and Outer Rim''', where abundant prey, dense undergrowth, game trails, and shallow waterways provide favorable hunting conditions. Ruunhounds are also known to inhabit the '''Inner Core''', but its actual population density there is unknown; the absence of reliable reports from the interior is not evidence that the animals are scarce.

The species can be found in many other Gondaran forest regions, though sightings beyond the Wilds are rare. Some of these scattered populations may descend from Ruunhounds historically transported and released by Kael’Ruun raiders. Other movements out of the Wilds cannot be ruled out. The precise origins of individual outlying populations have not been established.

Outside their native habitat, Ruunhounds are generally considered endangered. They face both less favorable hunting conditions and persistent killing by humans. Their boldness around settlements makes them especially vulnerable to retaliation and deliberate eradication.

The species is not principally adapted to open prairie. Its heavy, coordinated ambush tactics are most effective where vegetation, bends in trails, uneven terrain, and water margins provide concealment. It can travel or hunt in more open ground, and somewhat larger packs are occasionally seen there, but it does not naturally establish the immense roaming populations characteristic of some open-country herbivores or pursuit predators.

== Diet, Scavenging, and Bone Consumption ==

Ruunhounds are opportunistic carnivores that hunt, scavenge, and exploit whatever suitable animal food is available within their territory. They take boars, other forest mammals, and at times formidable predators such as panthers. Prey abundance in the Wilds permits a family pack to seek another opportunity when an ambush fails rather than pursue every escaping animal at any cost.

=== Predation on Hookclaw Sloths ===

Young and adolescent [[Hookclaw Sloth|Hookclaw Sloths]] are particularly valued prey. An adolescent Hookclaw can provide a large quantity of meat and thick, marrow-rich bones, while its defensive foreclaws are not yet as formidable as those of a fully mature animal.

Ruunhound packs may attempt to separate a mother Hookclaw from her dependent young. Older offspring draw the adult's attention, while the leading male and female try to reach and secure the youngster. This is a high-risk effort to evade the mother, '''not''' an attempt to overpower her.

Ruunhounds have learned to avoid healthy adult Hookclaws. Even several cooperating packs ordinarily will not attack one. An adult might be considered prey only under exceptional circumstances—particularly when it is already wounded or bleeding and the Ruunhounds are starving. Fully grown Hookclaws are too dangerous to treat as ordinary quarry.

=== Marrow and Bones ===

Ruunhounds routinely crack, crush, and consume bones, drawing on the same broad functional feeding adaptations seen in bone-eating hyenas. Their powerful teeth and jaws open large bones to expose fatty marrow, while digestible bone material supplies additional nutrients. Bones are valuable food rather than mere leftovers.

This ability is especially important within the family feeding hierarchy. The highest-ranking animals take first choice of meat, organs, and desirable portions. Lower-ranking members may reach a carcass after most meat is gone, yet still obtain nourishment from bones and marrow. Marrow is a concentrated energy source but is not by itself a complete long-term diet. In prey-rich Wilds habitat, repeated hunting opportunities and extensive use of carcasses help support subordinate pack members.

Carrion is also eaten when found. The species' reputation for dirty or dangerous bites reflects the serious risk of infection associated with wounds inflicted by scavenging predators; it is not known to possess a specialized venom-delivery mechanism.

== Hunting Behavior ==

=== Trail Use and Ambush ===

Ruunhounds strongly favor existing routes through dense vegetation instead of laboriously cutting new trails. They are exceptionally adept at detecting repeated traffic by scent and other signs. A hunting pack can identify a frequented passage, distribute its members on either side, and wait until prey moves inside the arranged ambush.

Before an attack, the animals communicate with brief chirps, low grunts, and clipped snickering sounds. These calls help coordinate positioning and convergence without the continuous noise of a chase. When the prey enters a favorable position, several individuals may spring from concealment nearly simultaneously, limiting escape routes.

A typical family hunt assigns complementary roles:

* '''Founding or leading male:''' takes the dangerous frontal engagement, using his body mass and jaws to hold or redirect prey. This position is sometimes described as the pack's ''tank'' and carries considerable prestige and risk.
* '''Founding or leading female:''' attacks from the sides or rear, especially legs and hindquarters, disrupting balance and escape.
* '''Older offspring:''' control the perimeter, occupy escape routes, and funnel prey back toward the leading adults. ''Cubs'' is sometimes used loosely for these family members, but very young dependent cubs are not expected to perform adult hunting roles.

The usual distribution of roles may change with injury, age, family composition, and succession in leadership.

=== Shallow-Water Ambushes ===

Ruunhounds are capable of hunting along or within shallow water. Some wait in the shallows near game trails or crossings while other members hide on firm ground, ready to intercept prey that avoids the initial attack. The species is therefore capable of semi-aquatic ambush behavior, though it is not a specialized aquatic carnivore and no unusual swimming specialization has been established.

=== Pursuit and Risk Assessment ===

Ruunhounds have a strong natural urge to chase. If the opening attack draws blood and costs the pack little, the leading male may give a distinctive brief '''pursuit-authorizing chirp'''. The family can then follow the injured animal, sometimes continuing until exhaustion makes capture possible. Once the pursuit starts, Ruunhounds become conspicuously vocal, including the eerie, hyena-like cackling for which they are feared.

Pursuit is not automatic. If the leading male is badly injured during the initial attack, he may be unable or unwilling to signal a chase, and the others ordinarily desist. Other serious family injuries can also discourage pursuit. This restraint reflects the relative abundance of prey in the Wilds: preserving an injured family member is often more valuable than gambling additional lives on one escaping animal.

=== Deception and Diversion ===

Ruunhounds also exploit the reactions of prospective prey and defenders. A single animal may make itself conspicuous, chatter, or withdraw just far enough to draw a pursuer away from safety. Instead of fleeing directly, it may run a broad arc that allows the rest of the family to intercept the pursuit. Such behavior has been observed against guard dogs and in dangerous encounters with people.

This is part of the species' natural hunting repertoire, not merely a technique once taught by Kael’Ruun handlers.

== Family Packs and Social Organization ==

=== The Family Unit ===

The usual Ruunhound pack is a '''mated male and female with their offspring''', commonly totaling approximately '''four to six animals'''. The founding pair ordinarily remains together until one dies. Offspring can continue living, hunting, and feeding with their parents after becoming fully grown; a stable family may therefore contain adults from several successive litters.

Small average pack size does not result from an inability to tolerate adult kin. Instead, ambitious offspring often leave to improve their position. A son low in the feeding hierarchy may gain first priority by attracting an unrelated female and founding his own pack. A female gains a powerful incentive to accept a prospective mate because she ordinarily becomes the second-ranking animal of the new pair. Males usually approach females from neighboring families; females do not normally wander away specifically to search for males.

Ruunhounds strongly seek familiar relationships. When a family is disrupted and young siblings are separated from their parents, the siblings commonly regroup if possible and attempt to hunt together. Such sibling groups may persist through maturity and early pair formation, but typically divide into separate family units as new litters arrive.

=== Cooperation Between Packs ===

Neighboring packs are not automatically enemies. Two, three, or even four separate families may cooperate during a hunt, and outside packs can pass through another family's range or hunt there briefly. Familiarity through these repeated encounters also creates opportunities for unrelated males and females to form new pairs.

Cooperation '''does not merge the families into one permanent pack'''. Territorial tolerance has limits. An outside pack that remains too long can provoke increasingly serious conflict; prolonged infringements may lead to fights that end in death. Relations between packs therefore combine familiarity and temporary cooperation with strong protection of the breeding family and its territory.

=== Feeding Rank and Dominance Challenges ===

Feeding follows a strict priority order. Founding parents normally feed before their offspring, and offspring initially rank by age. Younger adults can challenge older siblings for a better position. Most contests end when one animal pins the other or one voluntarily submits, without serious injury. Rare challenges become severe or fatal.

A dominance challenge has substantial stakes: '''the winner takes the challenged rank, but the loser goes to the very back of the feeding order''', regardless of its previous seniority. This rule discourages casual challenges and makes leaving to establish a new family an attractive alternative to repeated internal fighting.

When several packs share a kill, alphas feed before lower-ranking members. The alpha of the pack responsible for the decisive or fatal bite ordinarily receives first choice; the alphas of cooperating packs follow, then the second-ranking animals of the packs, the third-ranking animals, and so on. Sharing a kill can be remarkably orderly even between territorial neighbors, though it does not remove longer-term rivalry.

== Reproduction and Development ==

The usual Ruunhound litter consists of '''two cubs''', with a marked tendency for the pair to include one male and one female. Litters of three or four occur, while single births and litters larger than four are rare. The biological basis of the reported male–female pairing tendency has not been established.

Ruunhounds generally enter their breeding years at about '''two years of age''' and may reproduce through approximately '''15 years'''. Other ordinary features of gestation, nursing, and early carnivore development are broadly hyena-like, but no exact Gondaran gestation period or nursing duration has been established.

Youngsters learn by accompanying and observing older family members, gradually taking on the less dangerous perimeter and funneling roles before attempting close engagement. An adult offspring is not automatically expelled at maturity. It may remain in the family for many years, leave voluntarily to found a new breeding pair, or in some circumstances inherit leadership.

Male Ruunhounds commonly react aggressively to dependent cubs fathered by another male. This rule discourages the permanent combination of multiple breeding families. Older sons normally tolerate younger cubs produced by their own established parental pair, allowing several successive litters to coexist; new pairings and unfamiliar dependent cubs can create much more serious tensions.

== Widowhood, Injury, and Leadership Succession ==

=== Death of the Founding Male ===

When a founding male dies, approximately '''70%''' of surviving females are understood to seek another mate, with younger females predominating among those that do so. The remaining '''30%''' generally continue without a new mate; this is more common among older females. These percentages describe the established working population pattern rather than a modern census.

A female accepting a new male may deliberately scatter and '''permanently abandon''' her dependent cubs, giving them a chance to survive separately rather than be killed by the incoming male. The abandoned youngsters often try to regroup with siblings. Adult offspring of the previous male face less immediate danger and may be tolerated. A prospective male may be accepted willingly or resisted in a physical dominance confrontation, which ends when the female submits or is pinned. An adult male offspring of the old family may intervene when a newcomer is resisted.

If the widow remains single and has a capable adult son, she can promote him to the male leadership position rather than immediately dissolve the family.

=== Death of the Founding Female ===

The leading male generally gives priority to finding a replacement mate, unless immediate hunger or other survival needs prevent it. He may seek females from families encountered during cooperative hunts or along neighboring territories. A prospective female may accept him or resist his approach.

The new pairing can destabilize the previous family. Some older offspring leave as soon as the new mate arrives; others remain temporarily. Adult sons are generally tolerated as adults, but the arrival of cubs from the father's new partnership can lead to conflict and their eventual dispersal. This differs from the routine tolerance of full siblings born to the same longstanding parental pair.

A female's hunting position—flanking and attacking the legs or hindquarters of struggling prey—can itself be lethal. Powerful kicks to the head are an important cause of fatal injury among breeding females.

=== Serious Injury and Temporary Command ===

When the father is injured but can still stand and travel, the family makes practical efforts to protect and sustain him, including bringing food while he recovers. If he is unable to regain his feet, the family ordinarily cannot remain to care for him indefinitely; he is left where he falls.

During a surviving father's incapacity, a leading adult son may seek command, but the mother can challenge him. If she pins him or he submits, he falls to the back of the hierarchy. In that case the mother takes the frontal leadership role, and the eldest available daughter may take over her former flanking responsibilities. If the son prevails, he directs hunts in the father's absence. When the father recovers sufficiently to resume his responsibilities, '''his position is restored'''. Surviving an injury and returning to the high-risk frontal role can increase his standing within the family.

=== Retirement of the Founding Pair ===

When the founding female ceases entering heat, the aging pair generally becomes less aggressive and relinquishes active leadership. The strongest suitable adult son ordinarily takes first priority. He can attract an unrelated female from another pack, who becomes his second-ranking partner. The retired parents retain '''third and fourth feeding priority for life''' as long as they remain with their family. Their standing reflects earned respect and is not lost in ordinary challenges among younger animals.

An elderly grandfather usually tolerates his son's young despite the species' general intolerance of another male's dependent cubs. Keeping a secure place in the family and receiving choice food without the danger of frontal attacks is a strong practical incentive. Occasionally he threatens the new cubs, in which case the reigning son may expel both elderly parents.

Some aging pairs depart voluntarily and travel together, hunting independently until injury or old age ends their lives. Their privileged third and fourth positions remain a feature of the family system when they choose to stay; retirement is not an automatic expulsion.

== Communication and Reputation ==

Ruunhounds are capable of remarkably varied calls. Brief chirps, grunts, and short snickers help concealed hunters establish positions and signal convergence. Cackling, snarling, and more sustained vocalization are especially prominent in a chase. These calls also help members of a family keep contact when prey changes direction among vegetation and waterways.

Humans frequently describe the hunting cackle as sadistic or mocking. Its effect at night can be terrifying: a pack may circle an encampment, chatter from several directions, and remain close enough for its broad jaws and amber eyes to be glimpsed beyond the fire. That impression of malicious amusement should not be confused with demonstrated human-like pleasure in cruelty. The calls and movements have clear practical roles in coordination, intimidation, and provoking pursuit.

== The Kael’Ruun and the Ruun Masters ==

The Kael’Ruun historically favored Ruunhounds because the animals already combined fearlessness, pack coordination, loud and unsettling vocalizations, and a willingness to bait and pursue prey. Specialists known as '''Ruun Masters''' bred, trained, conditioned, and controlled them through food, dominance, pack hierarchy, and intimidation. Selective breeding reinforced human-directed aggression and reduced reluctance to approach human settlements.

During major surges, raiders could transport '''wagonloads of hungry Ruunhounds''' and release them to pursue fleeing civilians and refugees. They were particularly feared by the [[Mera’kai]], whose organized withdrawals could be disrupted by pursuing packs. The animals were not merely pets carried into war; pursuit of human beings was the central purpose for which many were historically selected and trained.

A Ruunhound that bit a Kael’Ruun handler might be killed as punishment. Some handlers made a public display of killing the animal before the rest of the pack, believing that the others would understand the dominance lesson. Such practices reflect Kael’Ruun handling culture, not a requirement of ordinary wild Ruunhound social organization.

The demise of organized Kael’Ruun society ended this systematic military use of the species. Wild populations remain, however, and some scattered forest populations outside the Wilds may have been founded by animals released during earlier raids that were never recovered.

== Encounters with Gondarans ==

=== Settlements and Campfires ===

Ruunhounds show remarkably little fear of buildings, villages, enclosed pens, occupied camps, or burning campfires. Fire does not make them immune to pain or burns, but its presence alone is not a dependable deterrent. Animals have been known to prowl around homes, enter pens and houses, and steal or attack available food and livestock.

Their boldness often contributes to their deaths. Outside the Wilds, Gondarans commonly regard them as dangerous pests and adopt a '''kill-on-sight''' attitude, both because of actual predation and because of their historical connection with Kael’Ruun violence.

=== Provocation, Decoys, and Guard Dogs ===

At occupied camps, Ruunhounds may circle, chatter, cackle, and harass the occupants in an effort to elicit pursuit. An animal that appears to retreat can instead take a long, wide route that draws a pursuing person or guard dog toward other pack members. Packs have been known to use one or more members to distract dogs while the leading male and female secure chickens, other animals, or an exposed target. Guard dogs have also been lured into arranged ambushes.

These animals generally prefer '''isolation and ambush''' to directly overrunning a defended camp. A frontal assault on alert, armed occupants is unusual unless the pack is starving or the scent of blood creates an exceptional opportunity. Ruunhounds have learned that people possess dangerous weapons, including firearms and edged tools, even though their fear of humans and fire is notably low.

=== Attacks on People and Unverified Stories ===

Most wild Ruunhounds do not routinely hunt people, but some do. '''Confirmed attacks have killed adult Gondarans on streets at night.''' Human-directed predation is associated with darkness, when the animals' low-light vision offers an advantage. The species' historical selection for human aggression may contribute to these incidents, while local experience and family learning can influence the behavior of particular packs.

Ruunhounds are also blamed in stories about babies and children disappearing from homes during the night. '''No confirmed account establishes a Ruunhound carrying away a child or infant in such circumstances.''' These stories remain part of Gondaran folklore and public fear, and must be distinguished from documented attacks on adults and livestock.

== Lifespan and Population Status ==

The estimated average lifespan of a wild Ruunhound is '''10–15 years''', shortened chiefly by injuries sustained during dangerous hunts, territorial fights, and encounters with other predators or people. Historical Kael’Ruun experience indicates that individuals could survive '''20–25 years''' when spared serious injury and continual combat. These are distinct measures: the longer figure describes potential longevity, not the ordinary age at death in the Wilds.

The species remains established in favorable Wilds habitat, particularly around the Outer Rim and perimeter. Its numbers within the Inner Core are not known. Elsewhere in Gondara, populations are sparse, sightings rare, and persecution severe enough that the animal is considered endangered beyond its native stronghold. No comprehensive Gondara-wide census has been established.

Ruunhounds fill an important ecological niche as cooperative hunters and consumers of carrion, bones, and marrow. Their habit of using established trails, exploiting prey-rich wet forest, and sharing kills between related or neighboring packs helps explain their success in the Wilds—and their relative rarity in less suitable environments.

== See Also ==

* [[Fauna of Gondara]]

[[Category:Fauna of Gondara]]
[[Category:Mammals]]
[[Category:Wilds]]

Ruunhound - Revision history

Malaki59 at 15:59, 31 October 2026

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:59, 31 October 2026
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			[[File:Ruun Hound.png\|center\|frameless\|514x514px]]
	The '''Ruunhound''' is a large, heavily built, hyena-like carnivorous mammal native to the [[Wilds]] of [[Gondara]]. A powerful pack hunter and scavenger, it is distinguished by massive forequarters, unusually broad bone-crushing jaws, a coarse water-shedding coat, strong scent-tracking ability, and elaborate family-based hunting tactics. Ruunhounds are not true dogs. Their exact biological relationship to Earth's hyenas has not been formally established, although hyenas provide the closest familiar comparison for their general anatomy and feeding adaptations.		The '''Ruunhound''' is a large, heavily built, hyena-like carnivorous mammal native to the [[Wilds]] of [[Gondara]]. A powerful pack hunter and scavenger, it is distinguished by massive forequarters, unusually broad bone-crushing jaws, a coarse water-shedding coat, strong scent-tracking ability, and elaborate family-based hunting tactics. Ruunhounds are not true dogs. Their exact biological relationship to Earth's hyenas has not been formally established, although hyenas provide the closest familiar comparison for their general anatomy and feeding adaptations.

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	== Hunting Behavior ==		== Hunting Behavior ==
			[[File:Ruun Hound 01.png\|center\|thumb\|888x888px]]

	=== Trail Use and Ambush ===		=== Trail Use and Ambush ===