In which I decide to sketch a portrait of V2 and it informs me that colours are in fashion this season. So it put on some of it's best. Or worst. I'm never certain with this thing.

You may notice some differences in the skin of this version to the reference, which is intentional.

Venator skin is highly and conciously adaptive, much like the skin of octopi it can change colour, pattern and even texture to either blend in with the environment or to provide adequate defense when the situation calls for it. In a state of rest/contentment, their skin will feel soft and almost like a very fine suede. It can either become rough, jagged, spiny, slippery or very, very hard. Similar too but more advanced than the cuttlefish, Venator skin can replicate and mimic patterns of just about every variety and sometimes in surprising detail. It's said that a Venator could probably write a readable novel on it's skin. The colours are also highly variable though rarely do they fluctuate with mood unless the emotions are intense and sudden.

The two pairs of eyes provide both excellent colour vision able to see in several spectra and detailed night vision, with the secondary pair having a very reflective tapitum lucidum. There are also heat-sensing pits located on the mandible to further aid in hunting.

It's nares are located on the distal end of it's skull and flank the rhamphotheca of the maxilla. There are several openings that lead into a complex nasal chamber capable of filtering out various scents. It can also pick up on the pheromones of several dozen species. A Venator can also adapt this system to filtering water for traces of it's quarry if need be.

There are upwards of a dozen Venators each with their own designation (this being Secundi, or Second due to it's position in the creation timeline) and unique physiology. They are designed to work in teams that are composed of anything from a pair to the full dozen depending on the intensity of the task at hand. They are genetically engineered entities so do not necessarily abide by the laws and logics of Earth taxonomy, biology or environments*.

As a part of this teamwork, sometimes the esignated number of Venators for any given task is not enough and for that their co-operation ramps up a notch. Though Venators themselves are engineered, they can reproduce with each other to increase their effectiveness. All Named Venators incorporate the elements to create new life. This could make them "hermaphroditic" but that would imply there were two sexes to choose from. There are no sexes within Venators (or more accurately just one) and this facilitates breeding between any Venator regardless of size, class or edition. The resulting offspring will inherit traits from both (or all in the case of multiple partners) "parents". Hybrid Venators grow rapidly and will instinctively obey their sires and dams.

To avoid enemy intelligence getting hold of any information, once their missions are complete the foundation/Named Venators will proceed to hunt down and devour their offspring without question. If this isn't done then they themselves would be at severe risk.

Though often considered the hunting hounds of some unknown entity, Venators are far from mindless pawns. They are highly intelligent, adaptable and the bonds they share with each other vary from friendly to deeply affectionate, bitterly jealous to angry rivalry. Complex as they are when not on task they have been recorded with differing personalities though usually they are fairly amicable and conversational. If you are their subject of business though they can be beguiling, deceptive and deadly. Therefore trusting a Venator can come at a price as one never knows if they have been targeted or are simply a passing conversation for the beast.

*Basically this is a way for me to do as I wish even though I DO try to incorporate some realism into my designs and their intended functions.