Editing Primordial Evolution Game/Central Continent Desert (section)

==== Predator Houyi ====
[[Image:Predator_Houyi.png|thumb|upright|left|top|
<br />progenitor: Snake Houyi
<br />-> Volcanic Houyi]]
The snake houyi were out-competed in brute strength and speed by the running houyi almost everywhere. The little advantage the snakes had was their relatively more accurate spines and longer range. Unlike their running cousins, the snakes couldn't just ram a tankdoni while shooting few javelins at it, and expect to succeed in bringing the acid spewing bug down. No they had to think what they were doing.

Slowly, but surely, a predatory cunning like no other started developing within their brains. The concept of tactics, covering fire and flanking were slowly sinking to the minds of these ravenous predators.

The snake houyi hunt in packs with almost military grade organization. Each individual has clear objectives and roles when they hunt. One distracts the prey, while other moves to its flank, as the rest of the pack provide covering fire with their spines, pinning the prey to the ground, allowing the flanking one to either unleash a volley of spines to the creatures unarmored backside, or simply move close enough to be able to swiftly kill the victim with it's arm blades.

There is clear, cold and calculating mind lurking within the armored head of these beasts. They know when and when not to attack, they make plans, ambushes, raids. They capture creatures to their lairs, presumably for feeding their young. They are predators, first, sentients second. There is no compassion in them, the weak die and the strong endure.

Some houyi begin to use the caverns and otherwise already loosened soil that the landworms have created to build their burrows in. Their front claws become sturdier, to help them dig, and their tail starts excreting resinous substance, that they use to harden the walls of their lairs. They also become somewhat smaller. The digging houyi live in bigger groups than their larger cousins. The group is led by the ruling male and female, who have the privilege of reproduction. The rest of the individuals of the pack are their descendants.

The landworms are a problem to them however, as they can easily breach their burrows. This is why their lairs aren't permanent bases, instead the houyi are constantly ready to move out, in case they feel the tell tale vibrations and the static buildup that signal the arrival of a landworm. They quickly abandon their nests, sometimes intentionally crippling the weak, sick or the elderly to buy time for the rest of the brood as they make their escape.