Hellhound

According to legend, the hellhound is a harbinger of death, for whoever sees them will inevitably perish by some means. Infernal beasts whose howls are those which haunt the nightmares of even the most wicked of souls, and eyes which peer into the souls of the doomed.

Appearance
Hellhounds tend to differ in appearances, though are all equally as gruesome as any creature seen in horror films. Hama's particular creatures are far more devilish than her deceased sister's hounds. Hama's creatures appear sinister and more able to be touched, harboring blackened fur that appears burnt and various chunks of skin missing from their bodies. These missing pieces are replaced by glowing orange and red lights that seem to be emitted from within them; furthermore, long and oddly bone-white horns protrude from their skulls, which are sometimes visible, that extend past their ears, though only appear to be usable for ramming objects rather than skewering them. Their saliva seems equally disturbing, as they oftentimes look to be bleeding from their mouth with how deep red a color their drool is. They do appear to be more demonic, though are also more dangerous than the others of its kind. Though not as tall as some of its alternatives, it seems to be the swiftest of its many different kinds. These creatures smell of ash and burning flesh, a rancid stench that could wilt a blooming flower with such a pungent aroma emanating from the creature.

One known alternative to this particular kind is the one her deceased sibling wielded. This incorporeal-esque creature is less demonic and more 'alien' with its wide, pearl colored eyes that almost seem blind and large ears. Their appearance consists mostly of skin with long, stringy black hairs sprouting from their back; unlike their counterparts, their skin seems entirely in tact, though their form seems more untouchable. Contrary to that belief, they are entirely able to be felt and hit. With elongated legs and slightly shorter bodies, their forms seem more built for speed than power, though it is quite the opposite. They have a decent amount of speed, but their height provides more muscle behind their strikes than it does speed. Lacking in skin around their mouths, and having nostrils similar to a horse's, their monstrous teeth gleam and seem numerous. In light of its ghastly appearance, this hound has absolutely no odor at all; in fact, one of its own kind could not possibly locate it by smell alone.

It is possible for other hellhounds to be summoned, though first the user must discover the other types, whose abilities differ from their other kin.

Abilities of Hama's Hounds
Hama's creatures have a literal heart of fire, a round sphere within their center that is purely fire and is the epicenter of their chakra network. They are capable of performing various Fire Release techniques that can vary in heat just as their owner's and are extremely fast. Their senses are heightened particularly in the area of smell and sight rather than hearing. Their horns serve as capable battering rams that seem nearly unbreakable, thus only a very powerful force could shatter their structure, though they are blunt ended and cannot pierce flesh. It is capable of biting just as any other 'live' canine, yet a particular quality is its explosive essence. This creature is able to implode, its core apparently being the cause, though only upon command or death will it do so, making them similar to time bombs. The howl of these beasts seem to be Genjutsu oriented as well, for if left unchecked, one can begin to experience failing vision.

Abilities of Yōma's Hounds
Unlike its kin, this particular creature is not able to form any Fire Release techniques, but instead uses qualities similar to the Mist Servant Technique], which allows it to multiply upon being destroyed by any force; however, if its open flame is destroyed, the canine can no longer reproduce and will inevitably die out. Similarly to Hama's hounds, these dogs can explode, though upon their own command rather than their owners. Their explosions do not originate from their core, but are more so a sort of 'suicide' technique that uses their entire body as a bomb. The creature's teeth are exposed, elongated, and in a larger quantity to more easily lacerate flesh and grip appendages, which can then be used to their advantage by exploding and taking the opponent down with them. their bite force is quite terrifying, for albeit they appear as if ghosts, the power behind their bite can send their teeth clamping together through flesh and breaking bones. Though much slower than their kin, they are powerful in their own ways; however, their weakness is in plain view most often. These creatures are in fact blind, as could be noted by their glassy optics, but their prowess is with their hearing; like standard canines, their ability to hear is much greater than a human's, but their blind quality adds to this. They can hear their master's talking voice from over a football field's length away, the light whistling a kunai makes as it flies through the air from several feet away, and even a shinobi's footfall if it is on a certain terrain where complete silence is likely not possible, such as gravel, dirt, or dry leaves, and the distance would certainly depend upon the ninja. Their bodies are not durable due to their multiplication abilities, but if hit at the full running force of one of these creatures is the equivalent to being struck by a car because of their size and bulk.

Important Notes
-- ''Each hound, regardless of type, must be born from an open flame. Once born, Hama's hounds must reproduce from it after death, similar to a Phoenix from its own ashes. In contrast, the deceased Yōma's hounds only require a fire to be summoned.''

-- ''Hounds are resilient, but cannot be exposed to extreme cold for extended periods of time and will begin to take damage from long-term exposure. A heat source must be provided for them to retreat to should their "heart" begin to freeze.''

-- ''Hama's hounds require chakra for each new "birth" from the open flame. Yōma's requires chakra only upon the initial summoning.''