"I’m not afraid of them. Quite frankly I find the notion appalling. A smart bear? Perish the thought!"
Jaraid
Jaraid are caniforms that share physical features with both hyenas and black bears. Notably, a long, hyena-like snout filled with bear-like teeth, as well as slimmer - but still large - bodies that resemble a canine's with elongated limbs. They are oft described as nightmarish boogeyman of the northern realm, where they are most commonly encountered. The further south one goes, the more infrequent encounters become, but it is not particularly rare to find one in the woods of the Reach; it'll simply have a thinner coat of fur, typically in shades of dark brown and even black.
Similar to bears, jaraid are highly intelligent creatures. They'll often travel in packs of two to three, using the surrounding environment to hunt and mimicking animal calls and even mortal speech. These things, combined with a remarkable level of intelligence, makes them a fearful foe to be ambushed by, even if mortal weapons are still their easy downfall.
A typical jaraid hunt looks as such: a location is chosen, one with environmental factors that can be used to set a trap; weakened trees that could be pushed over, a carriage that could be rolled over or hidden behind. Such feats are easy for jaraid, as they naturally traverse and stand on their hind legs when using all four would be disadvantageous, or to appear larger. With a location chosen, the jaraid will use its ability to mimic vocalizations to lure prey—either mortal or animal—near. These vocalizations sound near-perfect at distance, but as one gets closer and closer, the haunted, warped nature of this imitation can be heard clearer, with phrases and words stretched to verbal ends in unnatural ways. Once prey is near enough, though, the trap is sprung and the jaraid pounce, using bear-like claws on large paws to swat at and shred their prize and bite with powerful jaws.
Written by Ropefish and Electric, contributions from Reedie and Book
