CREATURES IN THE WOODS
I want to clear up some misidentification of my favorite creatures of all time. mind you I dont like them I'm actually terrified of them, but they are the reason I'm so obsessed with uncanny valley/liminal spaces/creepy things. my obsession to know and understand what I've been through. it all comes from my desire to make sense of what happened to me...
skinwalker vs wendigos vs the rake and how to tell which one you may have encountered
wendigo: usually only found in the north mostly canada deep in mountains and forests never on the forest edge(not in the south). they exist in north America primarily and mostly appear in the winter months (if it appears outside of winter months it's likely not a wendigo), extremely thin, extremely tall almost mummified lanky humanoids with patches of skin falling off. (I know this will upset people) they do not have antlers I repeat THEY DO NOT HAVE ANTLERS. they can also appear as a floating head maybe 8ft off the ground. they generally have no eyes with only sockets that are black voids. they rarely mimic voices and mostly roar. if it has antlers and is 8ft or taller it's likely a forest spirit/guardian (more likely to mimic voices), usually born from hate over how people treat its land, it is NOT A WENDIGO. if you see either a wendigo or an angered forest spirit, LEAVE. Hiding from a wendigo is not advised they have impeccable senses of smell but they arent very smart and you might out run them.
skinwalker: skinwalkers can appear as any animal, sometimes humans, but they will always look and sound off. skinwalkers are never above 8ft (forest spirit/guardian) and are actually more likely to appear like a smaller creature/ humanoid. they will looks normal at first but then upon closer inspection they will be covered in what looks to be early stage rotting flesh, if it is late stage flesh the creature will look like tarry like pitch (they are most dangerous at this stage as they are looking for a new skin). their eyes reflect red/orange/yellow/(human skin) glossy white like a corpse. they will almost look normal except for a mangled/missing limb (tail or leg) and an uncanny valley face. they lure by cries for help and mimic voices and are usually found luring people from forests/deserts edge. they have witch like powers and are more intelligent than wendigos or rakes. most of the time they work in groups and communicate to each other using clicking like sounds and clicking growls. if you see one, it is best to assume more are nearby, leave immediately if you see one. you could take on one, they know that, but you cant take on more than 2. if you're too much work they'll abandon finding you, but they will follow you home, get cleansed spiritually if they come looking for you. you may outrun and out hide them but they know where you live. you may even shoot and injure them or intimidate them with firepower but they will curse you and stalk you.
the rake: the rake is also known as the canvas man, the skin will look like painting canvas (rough and grainy, covered in folded and flakey loose looking skin but the skin is rigid like plaster. they are usually 3 to 5 ft tall (standing up). it is rare for the rake to stand on two legs as it's mostly quadripedal. it will look pale and emaciated and it has long rending talons on the end of its fingers and toes, pitch black (not deep empty sockets) but reflective eyes. it runs ludicrously fast and shrieks like a cornered animal (it can not mimic). the rake only lives on the middle to east side of north America. you will never find them in the west. they prefer open fields and prairies. it will have almost no nose and anglerfish like teeth. unlike a skinwalker one can and will kill you, they have more of a drive to kill than the other two combined. rakes only know tending and maiming. not even shotgun rounds deter it. you can outrun and hide from skinwalkers and wendigos, not the rake, civilization and lights are your only hope. the rake will out run you in seconds, smell you out for miles, there is no running and there is no hiding, bullets only stall, they never deter it.
all 3 are extremely dangerous and will kill you if you go taunting/looking for them. you may ask questions on how I know this info... let me know if any of you are ever interested in hearing about my encounters, I will gladly set aside some time to tell them.