The Journey Around The World, In Order To Save Spring

Wendi Goes Bump In The Night

You'd have thought that the Sasquatch would've been the only mythological creature the trio had encountered. But if you did, well... you were wrong. Turns out, they did encounter another one. One far more sinister than the last. It was in Medicine Bow Forest, a few days after the big foot incident. They were walking on the trail Amaruq had decided to go on to find herbs and mountain mahogany. He said that they could use the herbs for medicine and the mahogany for bows. As they were walking and Amaruq gathering, the atmosphere suddenly felt tense. The air was so still, you could cut it with a knife.

The two wolves' hackles raised, their teeth bared. The trio were not alone. The silence seemed to continue for ages, nothing made a sound. Not even a single peep or chirp. The quietude was broken when something stepped into view of the trio. It was tall, at least 10 feet. The thing was gaunt to the point of emaciation, its desiccated skin pulled tightly over its bones. With its bones pushing out against its skin, its complexion the ash-gray of death, and its eyes pushed back deep into their sockets, the thing looked like a gaunt skeleton recently disinterred from the grave. What lips it had were tattered and bloody ... Unclean and suffering from suppuration of the flesh, the thing gave off a strange and eerie odor of decay and decomposition, of death and corruption.

And it had a deer skull.

The thing roared at them so loudly they had to cover their ears for a second. It slammed its hand into the ground between them, creating a shockwave that separated the trio. Amaruq crashed into a tree with an "Oof!" before a large branch fell on his legs. He watched as his teammates got up and braced themselves for a battle against the thing. Amaruq pushed and pushed the offending piece of wood but try as he might, he was pinned under the branch. Taggak and Atsuguk had never seen such a ghastly and horrifying monstrosity. The undead creature was swiping at them with its sharp claws, but they were evading it pretty well.

Now that he was stuck, Amaruq had some time to think. He thought about the creature. Based on its appearance and mannerisms, it was safe to say that that thing was actually a Wendigo. Hmm. That was discomforting. He also thought about the chances of finding a Wendigo. Especially not long after finding Bigfoot. Actually, it also wasn't that long after they found a giant teratorn. Or after they found an enchoteuthidid cephalopod (the squid)! Was it just their luck? To meet so many animals no one else would ever see in a lifetime..... Maybe, it was because of him! He wished to see sights no one in the tribe could see. Gulleys, hoodoos, ravines, buttes... and animals.

Oh gods. It was his wish wasn't it? All their rotten luck, caused by his selfish desire. He looked to his teammates. No. Dare he say it, his friends. They've been together through enough that. Well, Amaruq had never had anyone treat him kindly outside of his family (and the chieftain too, he guessed). It was kind of getting to him. But, no! His friends needed him, he couldn't give up now! He wriggled and wriggled and wriggled till his right arm was free. Then he reached for his watch and turned the dial.

Taggak and Atsuguk were struggling. No matter how many times they got a good hit on the thing, it seemed to not be hurt at all! It was as if it didn't feel pain. "Tch! How annoying," Taggak muttered to himself. He had never had to fight an undead creature before. And he guessed that it was the same for Atsuguk as well. Poor kid. Didn't even pass the right-of-adulthood yet. Although he was still an able fighter. They were both chosen by the alpha to go on this trip with Amaruq. Of course they would be good at fighting. But no one of their pack back in Tuktut Nogait was experienced in fighting mythological creatures. His train of thought was interrupted by a blinding, bright explosion.

"What?" He said as all of them looked at the source of the light. It was Amaruq SS! Except he glowed brighter than usual, he only had two bangs which were longer and there were stray sparks of electricity in his golden aura. "SS looks different from what I remember," Atsuguk commented, rubbing his chin. "That's because this is Level 3, SS2!" Amaruq SS2 proclaimed. "Well, that ain't very creative of ya," the black wolf remarked. The Wendigo seemed tired of this exchange and roared to the night skies above. The roar was stopped by a loud crack. SS2 had kicked the underside of the monster's jaw sending it reeling back into some conifers. He didn't let up, instantly flying towards it and pummelling it into the ground.

The other two watched in awe as their bald teammate beat up the giant they couldn't hurt.  This new form of his had rippling muscles it seemed. Even more so than SS. And he used the muscles wisely, battering the creature left and right, up and down. "Amaruq Quake!" He said as he summoned his rock golem... which was wrong. Its name was actually Earth Golem, and its master should know that. But the golem let it slide. Quake made the golem punch the rotting ghoul around until he finally got a headlock on the undead brute. Gritting his teeth, he called out to the others, "Taggak, Atsuguk! A little help here?" The two shook their heads, breaking themselves out of their reverie to dart towards the creature.

At its feet, Atsuguk held his hands together and gave Taggak a leg up, the black's foot stepping on the younger's palms and launching him into the air. Taggak sailed through the air and landed on the Wendigo, his hands on the hilt of his spear as he drove it into the monster's skull. It cried out, in pain for once, as its brains were perforated and bled profusely. The trio jumped off the evil beast and watched it in its last throes of death. When at last, it did die, they did not pray for the beast. They had the feeling that something like that did not deserve praying. Its spirit did not deserve eternal peace and rest.

After Amaruq had gathered all the herbs and wood, they had set up camp for the night.  Amaruq was busy whittling the mahogany to make some high-quality bows and the other two were roasting a jackrabbit. They've watched their bald packmate do it enough times that they could probably do it too. "What was that thing anyway?" Taggak asked, not looking up from the roast. "Yeah, what was that?" Atsuguk echoed. "That... was a Wendigo," the visor-wearing man replied,  still whittling. "A Wendigo?" "Yes. It was first discovered by the Algonquian tribe," Solar said calmly. "A large creature, as tall as a tree, with a lipless mouth and jagged teeth. Its breath was a strange hiss, its footprints full of blood, and it ate any man, woman or child who ventured into its territory. And those were the lucky ones. Sometimes, the Wendigo chose to possess a person instead, and then the luckless individual became a Wendigo himself, hunting down those he had once loved and feasting upon their flesh", he finished, staring at the bow he had also finished.

Atsuguk shuddered. So that thing could've... made them become the same thing? Goodbye sleep. Taggak was also unnerved, but he didn't show it, preferring to keep it on the inside. He sniffed the air before saying, "It's done." "Ooh, the meat's cooked!" The youngest said. They all took a piece of the roasted hare, which smelled mouth-watering with the added spices. However, no matter how appetising it was, Atsuguk couldn't help but imagine if it were wolf meat and he suddenly felt sick. "You know what?" He said, "I think I'll pass." He smiled unconvincingly, but the other two just went along with it. More grub for them, they guessed.

Everyone was sated and full except for Atsuguk, but that was fine. He would probably snack on some raw meat while they were walking. At least, Amaruq hoped so. "How much longer until we reach Denver anyway?" Amaruq asked, yawning. "The day after tomorrow or after that, at the latest. We'll pass through Cheyenne first, though," the midnight-coloured wolf answered. With that knowledge, Amaruq went to sleep, the backdrop of the Medicine Bow peak looming behind him.