View allAll Photos Tagged cryptid
All pictures taken at "Sovereigns of Elyona - Medieval Fantasy RP" @ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Forest%20Song/24/217/2999
All pictures taken at "Sovereigns of Elyona - Medieval Fantasy RP" @ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Forest%20Song/24/217/2999
The original Jenny Haniver looks nothing like this - it's kind of a mutilated skate with fur glued on. The first Monster in my Pocket was an AWESOME monster, but nothing like the Jenny Haniver. This, the 2006 remix... is also an awesome monster and nothing like the original.
But it's a cool piranhafrog.
Igopogo - Kempenfelt Kelly (Lake Simcoe)
Lake Simcoe is a mere hour's drive north of the thriving metropolis of Toronto, Ontario, Canada which boasts a population of three million people. Yet despite its proximity to Canada's largest city and its many denizens, Lake Simcoe holds a secret that has been revealed to only a select few over the years.
Canada is an unusual country in that it contains more lakes containing unidentified swimming animals than any other country in the world. Lake Simcoe is one of those lakes. Its unusual inhabitant has been given the nickname Igopogo - an obvious parody of the name bestowed upon the aquatic marvel of Okanagan Lake, British Columbia. As Igopogo has been frequently sighted in Kempenfelt Bay on the northwestern side of this roughly circular lake, it is also known as Kempenfelt Kelly.
Those who have obtained a sighting of the reticent and elusive beast have described it as having a stove-pipe neck with a head resembling that of a dog and with a face to match. The largest specimen sighted was a mere 12 feet long - a small enough creature when compared with the lurking hulks said to dwell at Loch Ness and Okanagan Lake. This midget-sized monster is also a much slower swimmer than the other more illustrious denizens of cryptid-infested lakes. Igopogo only appears to amble along at a leisurely pace when spotted by surprised humans. the animal has a penchant for gliding up to startled picnickers on shore and has manifested itself to unwary boaters who are frequently overwhelmed by the creature's sudden manifestation.
However to add confusion to the mix, a few sightings and a couple of sonar contacts have revealed an animal that is larger than the one described above. A Handful of people have described a more serpentine creature so the question that begs to be asked is: Does Lake Simcoe, like Storsjon in Sweden and Flathead Lake in Montana, contain more than one type of cryptid?
It is thanks to a boater that the mystery of Lake Simcoe may have been partially solved. For years Igopogo would mesmerize all and sundry who saw the cryptid, but the eyewitness descriptions of the beast did not tally with those of creatures seen elsewhere. It was readily apparent that what was being described was more mammalian in appearance than the reptilian or amphibian-type cryptids seen at Lakes Champlain, Pohenegamook, Memphremagog and Okanagan. The brown colouring and the dog-like face were at odds with the horse or sheep-like heads of other freshwater cryptids and the shortness of body length in comparison with the bigger creatures seemed to indicate that this was not your run-of-the-mill lake monster or sea serpent of yore. Instead the scenario featured a mammal which seemed to be very unusual and extremely shy. Igopogo sightings are very rare and only surpassed for infrequency by that other low-profile beast - Manipogo of the Manitoba lake systems.
Few cryptozoologists had probed the waters of Lake Simcoe in search of Igopogo and one of those who did investigate was BCSCC President, John Kirk. Having circled the entire periphery of the lake as well as the fringes of adjacent Lake Couchiching, Kirk found no trace of any unusual activity at the lake and was of the opinion that whatever once dwelt in Lake Simcoe had died or had migrated elsewhere. Few reports had emanated from the lake since the 1970s so it was not unreasonable that Igopogo was no longer resident in the lake.
Kirk's opinion changed in 1991 when he was shown a videotape of a cryptid in Lake Simcoe shot the same year. In March of that year, Kirk had appeared on a television talk show along with a panel of cryptozoologists and eyewitnesses to anomalous zoological phenomena. Among the participants was an Englishman named Don Hepworth who spoke of his encounter with a pair of Sasquatch crossing a remote Idaho highway. Kirk, who is also British was pleased to meet a fellow countryman who had had his own experience with a cryptid in North America. The two men spoke about general cryptozoological topics after the program and then parted ways. Several months later, Hepworth called Kirk with the news that he had been contacted by a viewer who had seen the cryptozoological chat show. The viewer indicated that he was in possession of a videotape of mystery animal in Lake Simcoe and "would Hepworth like to have a look at it?"
Naturally, the former British army officer leapt at the chance and a meeting was arranged to view the tape. It seems the cameraman was enjoying a day of taping a friend as he raced his powerful hydroplane around the lake in preparation for a future race. During the trials the hydroplane experienced a breakdown at the southern end of the lake and was forced to make repairs while still out in the lake. As the racer lifted the front hatch of his boat, those on shore watching and recording the scene noticed a sudden disturbance in the water immediately in front of the boat. Suddenly, a large animal rose vertically out of the water, shocking the driver of the boat and bemusing the others on shore. There was a moment of panic and indecision amongst the viewers as they pondered what to do about what was clearly a monstrous animal much larger than the beavers sometimes seen in the lake. After gazing at the driver for a few moments the creature sunk downwards and peered upward with only its head visible above the surface. Shortly thereafter, the creature sank out of sight not to return.
Hepworth was sufficiently impressed by the footage that he contacted Kirk and asked him to examine the videotape and let him know what he thought was causing the unusual apparition in the lake. On receiving the tape Kirk immediately got down to the task of identifying the mystery resident of Lake Simcoe and ran the tape over and over again as he attempted to make sense of what he was seeing. Having worked at an oceanarium for four years Kirk was familiar with most of the pinnipedia (sea lions, seals, elephant seals and leopard seals amongst others) and was convinced that what was seen in the video was one of the types of pinniped named above. As to its exact identity, there was insufficient clarity in the video to precisely identify the species. this seal or sea lion was a big specimen possibly measuring between 9 and 12 feet long and had the muzzle so often associated with Igopogo, but it was also very sea lion-like at the same time.
Kirk got back to Hepworth who then asked him what he thought the creature resembled and the BCSCC president immediately replied he thought it was a pinniped of some sort. Hepworth said that it was exactly what he thought it was. It seems that Hepworth had read of other reports of seals appearing in areas such as the Niagara River, the St. Lawrence seaway and some of the other Ontario lakes that were all hundreds of miles from the sea. How had these seals managed to move so far inland and how did they survive for so long? Igopogo the seal remains somewhat of a mystery, but the probe at Lake Simcoe continues. So far the seals have not been located nor have any traces of their presence been discovered. It may well be that they move around Simcoe and to other nearby lakes and as they are air breathers have no problem crossing areas of dry land from one body of water to the next.
In 2005 skeptics and also BCSCC members, Joe Nickell and Ben Radford, were featured in a Discovery Channel segment on the Lake Simcoe creature. Despite maintaining an open mind, Nickell and Radford were unable to find any evidence of the creature’s recent activity.
The BCSCC is interested in working with anyone who lives near the lake and would be willing to act as an observer at lakeside. If you would like to join the club and perform this task please email us at cryptozoologybc@yahoo.ca.
“Faeries are nice beings, they grant wishes. Right?” – Unknown
While some certainly do nice things and some may even grant wishes; others still play harmless pranks to fool the mortals they encounter.
To most the fae are mischievous tricksters on the surface and no true threat. However the fae hierarchy stretches and grows like the roots of the oldest trees in the forest and for every bit of light and shimmer as branches raise high in the sky; there is dark and shadow as roots dig deep into the earth.
The Duskfall Court is the seat of shadow and where pranks are rarely harmless. Those who abide by its laws find themselves watched over by the nobility of the court.
Those who tread these woods best watch out because the woods watch back and will not hesitate to ensnare the unwary.
The Duskfall Court is sponsored by Quills & Curiosities and Cryptid
The region is magically created by Dacien & Marcel Blackwood, Crow, and Lemony Nova
Lagarfljótsormur is an Icelandic lake cryptid which is purported to live in Lagarfljót in Egilsstaðir. Sightings have been logged since 1345 and continue into the 21st century. An origin of the creature is given in Jón Árnason's collection of Icelandic folktales and legends published in 1862 and 1864.
sooc all light painting no computer processing :) kraken stencil, fibre optic brushes, cotton wool, led lenser, random plants
The skunk ape, also known as the swamp cabbage man, swamp ape, stink ape, Florida Bigfoot, Louisiana Bigfoot, myakka ape, swampsquatch, and myakka skunk ape, is a hominid cryptid said to inhabit the U.S. states of Florida, North Carolina, and Arkansas, although reports from Florida are most common. It is named for its appearance and for the unpleasant odor that is said to accompany it.
Handmade faux fur yeti/abominable snowman with wool arms, face, and eyes, and embroidered mouth. Arms are jointed with plastic safety joints and include a wire armature for full posability.
Yes, it doesn't look like much but that's by design.
A shed, that's all? Well, not quite. Not many people know it, but this "shed" is well-fortified on the inside. Strong enough to hold captive the most legendary cryptid said to inhabit the earth.
According to the most popular legend, the Jersey Devil was spawned in the 18th century when Deborah Smith from England immigrated to the Pine Barrens in southern New Jersey to marry a Mr. Leeds, a rather vain man who wanted several heirs to continue the family name. Consequently, the new wife was continually pregnant. After bearing twelve healthy children, she was dismayed to be pregnant with her thirteenth. She cursed the unborn child, declaring a preference to bear the Devil's child rather than another Leeds. Apparently, her wish was granted as the new child had cloven hooves, claws, and a tail. The horrific newborn proceeded to eat the other Leeds children and the parents, before escaping through the chimney to begin its reign of terror.
The Jersey Devil indeed. Not many know that in in 1989, the Devil itself was actually captured. After being transported around the state - one step ahead of the poachers looking to make millions - It ended up here, at a discrete location in Central NJ. A fortified prison of sorts was designed, right under the noses of the local community. After all, who would want the Jersey Devil living in their midsts?
But I've heard the high-pitched wails and I've seen the long, yellow brown nails scraping the portal-like windows. And the smell. Oh, the smell. The piles of bones that collect out back are a testament to the fact that the Devil needs to be kept well fed on lost puppies and vulture turkeys. Or else.
I've peered in the windows...and looked the Devil in it's red, bloodshot eye.
Care to look in tonight, on this Mischief Night?
#291of 365 Days of Photos 2007
Panthera pardus
A black panther is typically a melanistic color variant of any of several species of larger cat. Wild black panthers in Latin America are black jaguars (Panthera onca), in Asia and Africa they are black leopards (Panthera pardus), and in North America they may be black jaguars or possibly black cougars (Puma concolor – although this has not been proven to have a black variant), or smaller cats.
Black panthers are also reported as cryptids in areas such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, and if these do exist, their species is not known. Captive black panthers may be black jaguars, or more commonly black leopards. Black panthers have sometimes been regarded as forming different species from their normally-colored relatives.
The name "panther" is often limited to the black variants of the species, but also commonly refers to those that are normally-colored (tawny or spotted), or to white color variants: white panthers.
Black leopards are reported from most densely forested areas in southwestern China, Myanmar, Assam and Nepal, from Travancore and other parts of southern India and are said to be common in Java and the southern part of the Malay Peninsula where they may be more numerous than spotted leopards. They are less common in tropical Africa, but have been reported from Ethiopia (formerly Abyssinia), from the forests of Mount Kenya and from the Aberdares. One was recorded by Peter Turnbull-Kemp in the equatorial forest of Cameroon. Skin color is a mixture of blue, black, gray, and purple.
Jungle World
Bronx Zoo New York
Created with Kandinsky 2.2 Mode in zoo.replicate.dev/
Head and Shoulder Portrait of a Cryptid Neptune with long white beard in post apocalyptic Wonderland Harbor, in heaven by lady in the radiator and brothers quay, painting by H.R. Giger, Hieronymus Bosch, Art Nouveau, intricately detailed, hyperrealism, fantasy, imperial colors; Bogomil's Universe
AI creation on Dreamwombo
PROMPT:
Chimera at the Cryptid Taxidermy Museum in post apocalyptic Wonderland, in heaven everything is fine by lady in the radiator and brothers quay, painting by H.R. Giger, by Giuseppe Arcimboldo, Hieronymus Bosch, Alphonse Mucha, Art Nouveau, intricately detailed, hyperrealism, fantasy, imperial colors; Bogomils Universe
Commentary.
Spring snow in the Highlands.
South-West from Dores beach this image shows nearly the whole length of Loch Ness.
It certainly shows twenty of the twenty-five miles of its length
from Fort Augustus to Abban Water and Loch Dochfour.
The three-hundred and fifty-mile fault line of which it is a part,
extending from the north part of the Moray Firth to Ireland,
reaches a vertical height of over a mile, when adding the height of Ben Nevis to the depth of Loch Ness.
At Urquhart Bay the chasm created by tectonic movement and subsequent glaciers, reaches two miles in width.
In this view, Urquhart Bay, is seen on the right,
just below the snowy heights of Meall-Fhuar Mhonaidh, at 700 metres or 2,300 feet.
On this day it was no more than a giant mill-pond
but in misty conditions, as darkness descends,
its mood can become malevolent, sinister and un-nerving.
Whether prehistoric cryptids swim in its murky, peaty waters
or not, it can stir the blood and the imagination.
Today, peaceful and full of promise,
spring was here!
The skunk ape, also known as the swamp cabbage man, swamp ape, stink ape, Florida Bigfoot, Louisiana Bigfoot, myakka ape, swampsquatch, and myakka skunk ape, is a hominid cryptid said to inhabit the U.S. states of Florida, North Carolina, and Arkansas, although reports from Florida are most common. It is named for its appearance and for the unpleasant odor that is said to accompany it.
Baby Honey Blossom has taken too much of an interest in eating poor Sloog, it is for this reason that she is now on ebay.
The left and the right disagree on the dangers of Covid-19(Coronavirus), the leader of the Italian Democratic Party contracts the illness, and the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) gets an infection scare. Listen to the episode here: radiowasteland.us/news/the-politics-of-coronavirus/
AI image created with Kandinsky 2.2
PROMPT:
The Exorcist arrives at the Cryptid Taxidermy Museum to banish the ghost of Jabba the Hut. Nightmare In Wonderland, Surreal Setting, Colorful, horror, Vibrant, Whimsical Creatures, By Patrick Woodroffe, By Aeron Alfrey, by Alex Grey, H.R. Giger with Otto Rapp in Bogomil's Universe
Remember the dreaded "Abominable Snow Monster"?
I made this just for the fun of going down memory lane... I loved this game back in the day!
Amazingly, her coloration is accurate to pigmentation found in plesiosaur fossils.
Featured on Life In Plastic: nerditis.com/2016/02/24/life-in-plastic-uma-unidentified-...
AI creation on Dreamwombo
Diorama v3
PROMPT:
"impending doom, cryptid taxidermy reptilian conspiracy at the vatican in bogomil's universe, insanely surreal, hieronymus bosch, h r giger, hyperreal, dynamic lighting, breathe taking colours, imperial colours, oil painting, cryptid taxidermy in bogomil's universe."
TSUCHINOKO
I present to you THE LAZIEST CRYPTID EVER.
Also technically a yokai, the Tsuchinoko is a famous Japanese cryptid, on par with Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster in the west, and there are lots of rewards if one is truly sighted. It resembles a fat snake that is wider around its middle than at each end. Why is this so lazy?
Because... well... it seems to be a snake that just ate something. SPOOKY. MYSTERIOUS.
It's kind of like discovering a mysterious type of chicken - "Hey guys, it looks like a chicken, but THIS one lays weird white thingies! Crazy, huh?
Project Moonshield.
Project: Moonshield is an elite task force of cryptozoologists, big game hunters, and paranormal investigators. With the purpose to capture, study, and remove unexplained creatures, phenomena, or practices from the public eye.
L to R:
Murphy Finnegan - Archeologist, Linguist, Historian.
When the crew is out investigating, Murphy (Murph) Finnegan is usually reading and investigating data from the evidence they gathered. He is very wise and very patient in everything. Murph is an archaeologist and historian who seeks the comfort and freedom to study the mysteries of the supernatural world.
Violett Buchanan - Gun enthusiast, Tracker, Bron, Culinary Expert.
Violett’s history is definitely a tragic one. After the loss of her mother to slave traders, Violett abandoned her birth name and set out to become the strongest woman in the world. Having mastered the skills of tracking, there’s no predator that can escape her. In addition, she studied under skilled chefs in order to eat whenever food rations are scarce on an investigation.
Cornelius Dragonn - Big game hunter, Skeptic.
Despite his name, Dragonn is a skeptic of the supernatural world. Maintaining his reputation on frequent safaris in africa. However, in a more local hunt, Dragonn encountered a skinwalker. It was this encounter where Dragonn lost both his left arm and leg. Now, he is determined to kill the beast, as defeat is never an option.
Professor Algernon Crane - Another hunter and Founder of Project Moonshield.
Algernon Crane is one of the most elite Big Game Hunters in the modern world. However, on a recreational hunt in the appalachian mountain, Crane would encounter one of the most dangerous creatures to roam the mountains… the Wendigo. Barely escaping, he dedicated his life to understanding these mythological creatures and to study them. Claiming that No Man or Woman should have to see the horrors of the supernatural world. Establishing Project Moonshield. A team of hunters and scientists to protect the world from these creatures.
Professor Lucas Layne - Cryptozoologist. Bachelor. Werewolf.
After being bitten by a werewolf, Lucas spent the majority of his life attempting to develop a cure. He spent many years studying various different monsters and cryptids. Throughout his studies, he taught himself to control his wolf abilities and devoted his life to hunt down the wolf that bit him and rid himself of the werewolf curse.
Jessica Markiewicz - Zoologist, Animal Call Expert, Dagger enthusiast.
Jessica joined the scene upon request of Professor Lucas. She is an expert at animal calls and can determine any animal she hears. One of her fascinations are antique daggers, which she has quite the collection of.
Tom - Automaton, Close Range Investigation, Steam Powered.
Tom is the creation of Professor Algernon Crane. Tom (short for Automaton) is designed for close encounter missions or for when a creature can sense a living being. Tom is a steam powered automaton with no speaking abilities, however, a bell is rigged inside his chest unit to ring when there is a problem, whether it is rusty axles or he has been damaged. Tom is more than just a copper man, he is an essential part of Project Moonshield.
"Machiboke" - Still Waiting in Vain for You. Also these guys really need to abduct somebody soon. They are sad.
At the old Balete tree.
The kapre is a Philippine cryptid creature with the appearance of an phenomenally tall, long-legged, god type of hairy humanoid, that sits in big trees and smokes cigarettes. It is often seen waiting for people as they walk through a path. It scares away little children who play at night. If you're stuck in a place and you keep going around in circles, you're said to be played around by a kapre. To escape its control, you must remove your shirt/clothing, and wear it inside-out.
The term kapre comes from the Arabic word "kaffir", meaning a non-believer in Islam. The early Arabs and the Moors used it to refer to the non-Muslim Indians who were dark-skinned. The term "kaffir" was also used for Papuan slaves brought to the Philippines by the Portuguese before slavery was abolished by Spain.
Here's a rendition by Piya.
This cryptid from the 1500s has been consistently depicted as a fish-man witha bishop's mitre for hundreds of years... until 2006, when Monster in my Pocket recast him as Bubba the Dopefish.
Oft seen from just the corner of the eye, this creature has remained well-hidden for a long, long time.
Featuring: Accessories, Animations/Poses, Avatar Components, Avatar Enhancements, Builds, Clothing, Cosmetics/Nails, Hairs, Home and Garden, HUDs, Tattoos
Event Opening Date: August 1,2024
Event Closing Date: August 30, 2024
Teleport to The Night Market Collective
MIA: Contraption, D-Day, Dobs, Insomnia Angel, Lovesome, Vincue
This event is in one location
www.seraphimsl.com/2024/08/01/devious-deals-await-at-the-...
Created with Kandinsky 2.2
Prompt:
Nightmare In Wonderland , Surreal Cryptid Landscape, cryptid taxidermy creatures, horror, Vibrant, Whimsical Creatures, By Patrick Woodroffe, By Aeron Alfrey, by Alex Grey, by Otto Rapp, imperial color
Our guide purported this to be a Pennsylvania woodland cryptid of some sort but this oddity bears a passing resemblance to Mademoiselle Delilah Deerierre of the Craw and Loupe Brothers Combined Shows
Doc Weitzel's Traveling Curiosity Show
Old Gettysburg Village, Gettysburg, PA
More images from my Wee Sea Maidens series of alternatively configured mermaids, featuring (left to right) linocuts "Star" and "Strut" and woodcut "Maneater" handprinted in black ink on Awagami kitakata
Prints are available exclusively through the MundieArt Etsy shop
Spot-bellied Eagle Owl
The spot-bellied eagle-owl (Bubo nipalensis), also known as the forest eagle-owl is a large bird of prey with a formidable appearance. It is a forest-inhabiting species found in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. This species is considered part of a superspecies with the barred eagle-owl (Bubo sumatranus), which looks quite similar but is allopatric in distribution, replacing the larger spot-bellied species in the southern end of the Malay Peninsula and the larger island in Southeast Asia extending down to Borneo.
The spot-bellied eagle-owl is a large species of owl. It measures from 50 to 65 cm (20 to 26 in) in length. It is the sixth longest owl in the world on average and has the ninth longest wings of any living owl. The ear-tufts of the spot-bellied are very long and conspicuously of variable length, giving them a somewhat scraggly appearance at the tips. The ear-tufts of the spot-bellied eagle-owl measure up to 63 to 76 mm (2.5 to 3.0 in) in length. Most eagle-owls are well-feathered on both their leg and toes, while the barred eagle-owl is featherless on the toes and feathered on the legs, and the spot-bellied eagle-owl has feathered legs and feet, but the terminal digits of the toes are bare before the talons. The feet and talons as formidable as any eagle-owl, being very large, heavy and powerful for their size.
The spot-bellied eagle-owl is overall a stark, grayish brown bird, with dark, coarse brown coloration over the back and upper wings. The throat and underparts are mainly pale fulvous in color with black and white horizontal stripes along the flanks of the body that become broad spots on the abdomen and under tail coverts. On the wings, the primaries are dark brown with lighter brown stripes and the secondaries are more heavily barred with buff-brown coloration. The lores are covered in bristly feathers and the cheeks are brownish-white with black feather shafts. The large ear tufts slant off to the sides.
This owl is noted for its strange, human-sounding call, and it has been suggested that it is the same as the cryptid known as ulama or "Devil Bird" in Sri Lanka. A local name is Maha Bakamuna ("large horned owl"). According to www.cryptozoology.com, in July 2001 it was confirmed that ulama description perfectly matches spot-bellied eagle-owl. This call consists of a scream, which rises and then falls in tone. The territorial call of the species, like that of most other eagle-owls, consists of low hoots with two-second intervals between hoos. The voice is booming, deep and carries quite far. It is usual for forest-dwelling owls (and many different kinds of birds) to have an extensive and complex range of vocalizations since vision is more limited than in open or semi-open habitats. However, the spot-bellied eagle owl has relatively small ear openings even for a member of the genus Bubo, suggesting that some territorial behaviour is carried out visually instead of auditorily.
This species is distributed the Lower Himalayas from Kumaon east to Burma, thence to central Laos and central Vietnam. They are found throughout the Indian subcontinent and peninsular Southeast Asia down into the southernmost limits of the range in Sri Lanka and to 12 degrees north in southern Thailand. The spot-bellied eagle-owl dwells mainly in primary or older second growth forests. Potentially, they can come to inhabit nearly all varieties of land-based habitats but prefer those such as dense, evergreen forests or moist deciduous forests within its range, though can range secondarily into tropical valleys, terrai and shola in the lower hills of India. Although often considered uncommon to somewhat rare, recent photographic evidence indicates that they are particularly widely found in different parts of India and may simply avoid detection, so long as appropriate wooded habitat remains.
The spot-bellied eagle-owl is nocturnal and often spends its day hidden in the dense foliage of large forest trees. However, they have been observed on the move and even hunting during the day, especially in forests with minimal human disturbance. Their activity normally picks up at dusk as they begin to hunt. This species is generally uncommon, likely needing large hunting and breeding territories and thus occurs at low densities. However, it continues to occur over a large range and is not thought to be conservation dependent. Areas, where deforestation occurs, are likely to be vacated by this species, which is perhaps the only widespread threat faced by this owl.
Ever since the fight, my flashbacks have gotten more intense, and more frequent. I was still able to function in combat, but my dreams and musings were filled with images from the past. Some were benign, such as images of my wife and children, others not so much. Some of the smarter soldiers, like Cryptid, could tell something was up. But I didn't let it bother me. Until today.
The Wolves arrived near the end of a major battle between USDF footsoldiers and an elite group of Urags. The battle had raged on, with the USDF losing ground, but with few casualties. However, someone high up in the chain of command, who had been observing the fight, panicked. The Urags were closing in, so he called in an air strike, using some of the precious planes that the USDF had left. It was a catastrophe. The Urags were mostly wiped out, but so were 2/3 of the remaining USDF boys. All to save one small man's ass. Anyway, we were here on cleanup, to help the footsoldiers clear out the last of the Urags. We were spread pretty thin, with snipers being spread thin. I heard a commotion, and rushed to investigate. As I cleared the ridge of a blast crater, I saw a horrible sight. A USDF grunt was grappling with an Urag Elite, some of the meanest boys on the battlefield. The USDF soldier had taken a bad slash to his gut, and was holding one blood-soaked hand over the wound. Upon seeing me, a new threat, the Urag grabbed the soldier across the neck, and began dragging him backwards, where the 'Rag could find some cover. I aimed down the sights, with both the kid's head and the Urag's in view. I made the mistake of looking into the kid's eyes, terrified and hopeful that I could save him...
My mind flashed back to the early days of the war. There was a little boy, who seemed familiar, but I couldn't place him. It was exactly as this was, an Urag, a Chieftain with one eye, dragging the child away into the darkness... I couldn't take the risk of hitting the kid! I wasn't that great of a shot, yet. I saw the boy's eyes, with the same look of hope as the soldier in peril. As he was carried off, he screamed to me, "Daddy!" The last scream of the child, my son, hung in the air. But it was mixed with the sound of another, older voice. Awoken out of my reverie, I saw the Urag making a run for it, and the soldier drowning in a pool of his own blood. I looked down, and saw my sniper rifle pointed harmlessly at the ground. Before he died, I saw the look of confusion, confusion and accusation, in the dying soldiers eyes. That look, I knew would haunt me for years to come. My gut churned with mixed feelings about these events. However, I still had a job to do. I drew a bead on the running Urag, and began to squeeze the trigger...
The Urag exploded, though not by my rifle. Through the smoke, Cryptid appeared, a look of confusion and accusation nearly mirroring that of the now-dead soldier. More soldiers began to show up, with similar expressions. Murmurs began to spread, whispers between groups. I slowly approached the dead soldier, and took his dog tags. Unbeknown to any other soldier, I silently added his tag to a chain I kept in my vest pocket; a chain with twenty three other tags already on it. With this, I slowly walked away, back to camp. Once there, I found a secluded area, sat down, and cried, silent sobs racking my body for hours.
Panthera pardus
A black panther is typically a melanistic color variant of any of several species of larger cat. Wild black panthers in Latin America are black jaguars (Panthera onca), in Asia and Africa they are black leopards (Panthera pardus), and in North America they may be black jaguars or possibly black cougars (Puma concolor – although this has not been proven to have a black variant), or smaller cats.
Black panthers are also reported as cryptids in areas such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, and if these do exist, their species is not known. Captive black panthers may be black jaguars, or more commonly black leopards. Black panthers have sometimes been regarded as forming different species from their normally-colored relatives.
The name "panther" is often limited to the black variants of the species, but also commonly refers to those that are normally-colored (tawny or spotted), or to white color variants: white panthers.
Black leopards are reported from most densely forested areas in southwestern China, Myanmar, Assam and Nepal, from Travancore and other parts of southern India and are said to be common in Java and the southern part of the Malay Peninsula where they may be more numerous than spotted leopards. They are less common in tropical Africa, but have been reported from Ethiopia (formerly Abyssinia), from the forests of Mount Kenya and from the Aberdares. One was recorded by Peter Turnbull-Kemp in the equatorial forest of Cameroon. Skin color is a mixture of blue, black, gray, and purple.
Jungle World
Bronx Zoo New York