Hoffbub
The only name Mel got right throughout Beast of War. Large beasts of war bred for size and stability. They are valued as battering rams and windbreaks by troops, and their hides are used in almost every structure. They have long, flat backs and six legs. Their large eyes give hoffbubs a wide field of vision.
Umtictund (“Busgus”)
These twenty-foot-long, fuzzy caterpillar-like creatures are only four feet tall when inflated. They can flatten their bodies to a mere half foot tall and six feet wide. They have huge mandibles on the front for eating trees, and massive, multifaceted eyes. This large and deadly carrion often appears after a conflict and has no known predator. They can decimate an unprepared population. Their stomach acids are highly lethal but extremely fertile. It will often be dumped in an area that is having a bad crop, killing everything there, but yielding a bounty in the next year or two.
Tuk (“Xound”)
A canine of sorts, like crossing a pug with a Komodo dragon. Their bodies are smooth and largely feature-free, with a head that almost merges in with no discernible neck and no protruding facial features. They lack fur, and their only notable markings are six slits that look like narrow eyes on their face. The three pairs function as ears, eyes, and nose from top to bottom. With all their sensory organs so close, they make excellent hunters, but they need a pack to survive in the wild due to their overspecialization. The Kumimi have learned to take advantage of their pack mentality and use them as beasts of war.
Turturi (“Bowlbird”)
This avian-appearing creature is squat and plump, and sports three legs with five toes on each foot in an even spread. The front leg is specialized for quick turns and bursts of speed. The back two legs are primarily for speed but also serve for kicking predators. The boney bowl on their back curves up at the tail, allowing them to run at top speed while keeping water inside. The Kumimi do ride them, though it is a less-than-enjoyable ride. In terms of speed, nothing is faster. They can even outrun light beasts.
Cukmurgi (“Light Beast”)
Each light beast is unique, and most are known only through lore. Only two have been seen since the Fifth Light. Lore claims there were a dozen shortly after the Fourth Light.