Heart hound

Heart hounds are about twice the size of a wolf with large barrel chests. Their heads are somewhat flat with a large snout full of sharp teeth. They have large rounded ears with exceptional hearing. They are tan, with short fur, like that on the back of a deer. There are two distinct sounds they make. The most common is like the howl of a wolf. However, when close to a kill, the howl will be punctuated with bloodcurdling shrieks, like wild cries, cries of the need to kill, demanding and desperate. Their teeth are yellowish and are about three inches in length.

Heart hounds are beasts that were created along with the boundary. They were the boundary's watchdogs, so to speak. They could go in and out without being claimed by it, but they were tied to the underworld, and couldn't go far from the boundary. When the boundary was up, they only came out at night. As the boundary weakened, they were able to stray farther and farther from it and come out earlier and earlier in the day. When the boundary failed, they were set loose, crazed and without purpose. Although very fierce, heart hounds are afraid of water. Like most underworld beasts, carrying a bone of an underworld beast will confuse a heart hound, making them think you are one of their own.

The name "heart hound" comes from two things. The first is because it is rumored they can find a man by the sound of the beating of his heart. The other is because they come at a victim's chest, his heart, when they kill (as opposed to the throat). The heart is the first thing they will eat. If there's more than one hound, they will fight over the heart.