Thornback

The Thornback is an armored, gregarious, herbivorous tripedalien from the planet Darwin IV. There can be at least two major herds feeding alongside each other, each composed of about 100 individuals pinging and eating. As many as five pods of thornbacks will break away from the main herds. They meander around the dusty ravines, searching for round, rolling, succulent fodderball weeds that make up their usual forage. Predators that will hunt down these wandering individuals include arrowtongues. When Thornbacks are in danger, they will make warning pings. When running, thornbacks' clattering hooves seem to barely touch the ground. Their dorsal nostrils pucker and flare as their foamy breath moistens their armored backs. Members of a pod will run as one, instinctively knowing that security lays on their joined efforts. Running in a mass with only their horned backs exposed, they provide their pursuer with a confusing sonar image. Without a single target to focus upon, the hunter can only