Nightwing

Nightwing
The Night Wing is an avian predator native to Aria.

A social creature and vaguely bat like in apperance, the Nightwing is an exceptionally intelligent pack hunter.

Unlike most flying creatures, Nightwings have evolved a number of strategies to enable them to eat prey which is much larger than themselves. One such method involves forcing large quarry over the edge of cliffs, either by using intimidatory flying patterns to make the flock 'loom' or if the prey is not too large, simply using the flock's mass to pull it over the edge. Should that fail, or the prey is not considered to be much of a threat, more conventional possibilies can be explored by their razor like claws and beaks.

It has often been commented that if ordinary humans could have settled Aria, the Nightwings would have eaten them in short order, weapons or no weapons. Only the tough and essentially invulnerable Arions could survive the Nightwings, let alone make them into pets.

Given that the Arions, particularly Primes, greatly lament their lost ability to levitate, they see the Nightwing as an inspirational animal and have made it the official mascot of their military.