| Other Names | Windsprinter, Sand Runner, Desert strider |
| Climate/Terrain | Desert |
| Frequency | Uncommon |
| Organization | Pack |
| Activity Cycle | Diurnal |
| Diet | Omnivore |
The dune strider is about nine feet tall when standing erect although it usually hunches forward. It appears as a slender bipedal lizard with a long tail and powerful, muscular legs which end in clawed, three toed feet. Its scales are brown on top and tan beneath. Its small eyes are glassy and black. Its forearms are smaller, but clawed and very dexterous. The dune strider is a distant cousin to the forest dwelling torgat.
The dune strider uses surprise and speed to hunt. Often it buries itself in the sand near prey and then leaps out when the prey is close enough to surprise. Dune striders are very fast animals and are capable of bursts of speed. Most striders can manage short distance sprints at up to 80 mph. They use a combination of lunges, bites and claw swipes to attack prey and often go for the eyes. The baenites often use dune striders as steeds and train them for battle in that capacity. Even carrying a baenite in full battle gear, a dune strider can achieve a good speed.
Dune striders travel in small packs that rove about the desert, running from dune to dune. They cover wide areas and hunt anything they can catch. They are only found in the desert. The dune strider is also known as the Windsprinter, Sand Runner and Desert Strider.
Dune striders hunt a variety of desert animals (just about anything smaller and slower than them), but also eat certain desert flora. Striders use their speed to good advantage when hunting. Because of their broad, flat feet with splayed toes, striders are able to run very quietly over sand without sinking in.
 |
Return To
|
This page last updated Saturday, July 01, 2006. Copyright 1990-2006 David M. Roomes.