Shadow is a vessel I use to speak and interact with my characters, but she lives in a universe parallel to ours. She lives in a town with secret monsters. One day, while she's walking with her guide dog, Toby, she's kidnapped and was about to be sac...
Shadow comes out in front of a projector screen and was dressed as a teacher. "Hello my Axolotls. I am going over some of the lore of my clan, the wendigos in it, and what wendigos are like or are in my world." She clicked the projector on, and it showed the symbol of the Blood Moon Clan.
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"This is my clan's symbol. Everyone who's a member has it tattooed on their body somewhere. The only one to have it on their face is me, but I tend to hide it under my mask or a glamor." Shadow switched to the next slide which showed the tattoos of the symbol on a few clan members.
"The reason for me having it on my face is because I'm my clan's leader, so the placement of the symbol is a sign of status in a way. Bone, my second in command and blood sister, has the clan symbol on her right hand. Showing she is my right hand." Shadow clicked to the next slide to show a picture of a cabin.
"Every clan has a meeting or safe place when we all gather together. Despite what most think, Wendigos are both solitary and social creatures, we both like our alone time and being with each other."
Shadow pointed to the antlers above the door frame, they were large and tied together with leather rope. "We usually decorate with our shed antlers or animal fur. These antlers are my first shed, and I started to really take care of my antlers after that due to them being too heavy. Speaking of antlers." Shadow made the screen go to the next slide showing herself and the clan together.
"Antlers aren't usually used in Wendigo fights much, since we have sharp teeth and claws, we use those more. But we do have a tendency to charge literally headfirst into each other, plus not all Wendigos have antlers. Some can have horns, like Spider. She has a mountain ram's horns." The teen pointed to the Wendigo side hugging Bone, the later having a disgruntled look on their skull.
Shadow then pulled up the next slide which showed Swampy half camouflaged. "We all have different abilities that help the clan in one way or another, some would be good for scouting, like Swampy. Or they may be better suited for navigating or tracking. Swampy, is our best scout and my blood brother. He has the ability to completely camouflage into any environment he wants, that way he's not seen by potential prey or enemies."
Shadow switched to another slide showing Spider. "Spider has bountiful energy and has the ability to weave with a silk like substance that she can make from her wrists. Kinda like an organic version of a web shooter from Spiderman. She uses that substance to trap prey or make baskets, hammocks and many other things. She's really creative and sometimes uses her silk to make fabric for clothes we can wear comfortably. Without having to worry if it will tear or not."
Shadow smiled at the students and clicked to the next slide. This slide showed a size comparison between her, Bone, and Swampy. "Wendigo size is somewhat both easy and hard to explain. Females are known to be bigger and stronger than the males, making the women of our species the dominant sex. Males may be smaller, but they are incredibly strong and intelligent. With their size also comes extra agility, and speed due to being lighter than the females, making them perfect for long hunting chases. The leaders of the clan are always the biggest female and male, but if the female has no mate they lead alone. Like me."
Shadow clicked to the next slide. It showed a bite mark on different clan members bodies. "To get into a clan you have to get bitten by a clan member and accepted by the leader. If you're accidently bit, we can cure you, but we'll erase your memory of the event. Can't have anyone thinking we exist."
Shadow switched to another slide. This one showed an ancient painting of a Wendigo, and the clan all standing with it. "Our kind are mostly known as stories, and we like to keep it that way. Unless you seek us out and give us no reason to erase your memory or tear your limb from limb, you'll be fine."
Shadow turned off the projector and looked out at the class of axolotls. "Now, I know I should have said this with my kind's abilities, but we can mimic voices, run at lightning speeds, have inhuman strength and senses, and mess with the minds and technology of humans and with our special abilities we hunt, fight, and live with each other. Mine is the dark smoke you all have seen me use. I can even shift into a deer form and use my smoke to erase memories, teleport, and it even makes me look more intimidating at times."
Shadow then put on her mask. "The masks we wear hide who we are from humans when we have to track people down or make ourselves known. That's why I wear my mask, and the reason I don't appear in my stories much, I'm used to being in the shadows and watching what's happening. I only come out when something that shouldn't be there is needed to be returned, taken out, and/or destroyed. I do like visiting my friend Mac though, I can make myself seen and heard but can't interfere. Our worlds have rules after all."
Shadow then used her smoke to change her teacher outfit to her casual clothes, and even her axe was in her hand. "Anyway, I gotta go. Mac needs me for a bit, but I'll post about more of my clan members soon. See you my wonderful Axolotls."
With the lesson over, Shadow disappeared with a two fingered salute as the bell ringed for lunch.
