The harnejak split from its ancestor. It has become an opportunistic hunter. It is a smaller, skittish, fragile creature, preferring prey that can't fight back. While it is more than happy to scavenger kills from larger predators, it never passes up an unattended egg or newborn, even those of its close relative, the harnessback. It also operates as a small predator in Dixon's northern waterways. It roots around the riverbanks for critters which swim too close or that burrow in the mud. It doesn't like water above its knees, but it will swim to escape danger.
Its jaws are bent, allowing it to scoop up smaller prey (or chunks of prey) to carry away to a safe place. Its legs are covered with fetlocks of sensory feathers. These feathers allow them to root around in leaf litter for small fauna, or to detect swimming fauna in water. They live in groups of 3–4, usually pairs of mated adults. other than these changes, it is the same as its ancestor.
