The Harrison Hot Springs Legend: Part 2

By Robert A. Hunt

At a secret location, chosen by a bat-like witch, the Alpha Sasquatch fights tooth and nail for supremacy against the massive saber tooth Wolfman leader. Deep in the forest of Harrison’s Sasquatch provincial park, on the night of a full moon, only one side will win the prized Sasquatch skull. While hordes of Sasquatch battle countless Wolfmen, a band of ninja trained big game hunters known as ‘The Daggers,’ end up in the middle of the chaos between wild monsters. This epic battle leads to an unforgettable and chilling end. On this night in Harison Hot Springs, no one is safe.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Robert A. Hunt
• Release date: Dec 4, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005291235

Robert A. Hunt

Robert A. Hunt resides in British Columbia, Canada with his wife and five children. He is the author of the thirteen published titles, including the Genation series, Jasper series and Sasquatch stand alone Legend series and a fun short story. He enjoys writing adventurous tales like science fiction, fantasy and historical fiction They remain unpredictable with new perspectives and clever story twists that distinguish, Robert A. Hunt as an author.

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Note; Cross-over information

Two minor characters of this story; Phoenix (AKA; James Hunter) & Golden-Wolf (AKA; Lionel Hunter) Who are young brothers and new Dagger recruits, were acquired from my son’s series titled; Living to Die by J.R. Hunt. When reading the action packed saga of these young lethal assassins, Phoenix and Golden-Wolf are the main characters.

Part 2

THE HARRISON HOT SPRINGS LEGEND

Sasquatch Versus the Wolfmen

Killing Machines of Savagery

Chapter 46

A Trumpet Howl Of Battle

June, 2nd 2015

Tuesday 9:21 pm

THE DARKENING CLOUD of moonless sky became as black as obsidian. The night life of insects and birds was carried through the forest upon the airstream of a gentle breeze. When the long day of work entered a domain of complete silence, distant wood knocks and whistles were detected by all.

At these dismal sounds, I shuttered and a tremble ran throughout my whole body. I wanted to believe the sounds weren’t real, that I was just making them up, but if that was so, how come everyone else could hear them too?

The Daggers had designed a rotation schedule for watchful guard duty and defensive positions.

Glancing over at Krougenov, I noticed he was putting his ear-plugs in his ears. I followed suit and did the same. Sandy saw what I was doing so she too put the soft, protective little things in her ears.

Next, all of the Daggers were putting their ear plugs in.

All became dense; the sky, the forest and even the air. And with such anticipation pressing in on each one with mounting weight, tensions grew greater.

As the Sasquatch whistled louder and longer, they distorted their sounds into a spine rattling shriek. This went on even longer as it keened. Then other, closer Sasquatch joined in and the sound became deafening. Just when it seemed the Sasquatch’s alarming sound couldn’t possibly get any more garish, the Wolfmen barked and yipped back a reply.

The canines wailed a howl-scream that integrated with the Sasquatch noise. It all went on and on as the monster’s conflicting bellows railed eerily.

The Daggers were worried the racket would wake the villagers miles away and draw curious attention from the law.

The creature’s hollers were so loud and powerful with and the force behind them possessed such range, I felt my intestines vibrate.

A heaviness of gloom seemed to settle over the entire world.

All at once the whistling and howling ceased. There was silence as the last sound of the disturbing call of the wild echoed off into the distance only to re-echo afar. A deathly silence followed. Even the tall trees of the forest stopped swaying to listen. When the sounds ceased, it was as though the whole forest held its breath in anticipation of the eminent event that would follow.

The lonely Sasquatch skull still gleamed in the open where it casted a spell of envy over all. It was the undeniable prize of the night.

Keeping his voice barely audible, Zorvig told me and Sandy. In our experience, when the forest sounds grow still and silent like this, that’s when a predator is near.

As the clouds parted and the moon’s light made itself known, a feeling of being watched constrained us all. The silence and desolation of the forest was just another additional weight. Then I thought I saw movement but if it were so, the creature’s footsteps made no sound on the pine needles and twigs. The slanting moonbeams pierced through amongst the standing tree trunks. This made a grey twilight causing objects at a distance to glimmer indistinctly except for the prickly fur covered hide of a beast.

All at once, it came right out into view at the top of the gorge. It moved its head back and forth slowly and gracefully at the end of its long, muscled neck. Several times before, uttering a harsh, grating, long-drawn moan, it effectively broke the peculiarly sinister silence. Its gaze came up and down as it scanned the valley, bushing out its dark mane. It was the silhouette of a massive wolf and it was frozen, picturesque in place. The monstrosity of the Dogman, to the Daggers, was partially man and partially beast.

It felt like my heart was thundering right out of my chest. I didn’t risk a sound nor movement of any kind, yet it still appeared to hone in on me. Its glowing golden malicious eyes faced me and looked straight into my soul. This might sound spiritual and enchanting, but to me it was a deep violation.

Receiving a penetrating sense of fear from the creature, I also attained a mental message that conveyed, Now that you’ve seen me, I have to kill you!

Seeing the creature’s claws stretch out and tense, paralysed me. As its lips bunched back, white teeth reflected the moonlight in a merciless sneer.

At that very moment, I felt my heart about to stop. Before I could react, or warn the others of what I saw, it rushed off into the impenetrable darkness of the forest and into the night. As it crashed through the woods, it made a terrible ruckus breaking branches and trees.

One of the Daggers called out. That was a scout!

From an odd sense of foreboding, there was a faint and eerie stillness in the air. Everyone sensed it. A peculiar and dreadful element of danger and it was bearing down on approach.

An atrocious smell came like a huge invisible wave. It was ten times worse than rotten meat, stinky skunk and facies. It was so bad the Dagger’s eyes began burning.

Sandy and I felt the toxic ammonia burning sensation in our eyes also. The smell came from both the Sasquatch and the Wolfmen as though they were in a war to out stink the other.

The pronounced stillness was broken and shaken by the sudden thunder piercing the air. Then another aspect of an intrusion came in the form of a strange long vibrational growling. It sounded like the forest was coming alive with multiple motors that would rise and fall in pitch similar to the waves rolling up and back over a beach. The Daggers within ear-shot of the long low growling sounds, winced when they felt a psionic pinch from the invasion of thought that threatened to pierce our minds.

Krougenov’s voice rang out over the coms. Earplugs everyone, now! But we were all prepared in his matter when we followed Krougenov’s first example.

The creatures were trying to use infrasound on one another and we would’ve been caught in the middle if it wasn’t for the earplug’s design. The bushes shook and thrashed all around us, but the creatures remained invisible. Many would stumble out of the forest or lay down and want to sleep instead of fight, but again all that was seen was an occasional limb or patch of fur. There was no way to determine, with any accuracy, how many creatures were out there.

The Sasquatch and Wolfmen became docile and clumsy, wondering about and falling over, they struggled under the effects of their infrasound war.

The cryptids also knew this was how to get the humans to disarm, but we held true to our defense and refused to falter.

An atmosphere of convergent terror permeated the darkness and confirmed the unmistakeable approaching of savage malevolence.

I’ve got multiple signals and they’re ghosting us! Husker reported through the earplugs.

Ghosting us?! Zorvig’s voice blatted over the transmission. How can they be ghosting us?! We are the ones trained in the arts of the ninja! We Daggers have to turn this situation around, right now! Wake up Daggers! We have to be the ones ghosting them!

Krougenov voiced a command. Use FLIRs, men! This meant; Forward Looking Infra-Red. We all flipped down a red monocle from the rim of our helmets.

All eyes scanned for our illusive company that we now suspected had saturated the woods.

A silent shadow bolted past our team, but I was certain I was the only one who noticed it. I wondered if it was the same prickly furred scout that glared at me earlier.

It moved fast and fluent, like a flash of light, only it was a shadow.

With my shoulder pressed up against Sandy’s, I asked. Did you see that?

What?! she asked looking around like her head was on a swivel.

Through the low underbrush, I was certain something moved with unimaginable stealth and speed, but that was crazy and impossible, I just shrugged it off as nothing. Recalling what I saw in my mind I soon began to second guess myself. It didn’t really seem like anything at all after a few minutes. M-maybe it was nothing. I followed the uncertain scurrying of questionable movements that were only ever noticed in the peripheries of my vision. This gave me a nervous disconcerting shudder that felt like hot and cold bird’s feet fluttering up and down my spine.

Then I saw it again. I was certain this time; shapeless shadows broke away and leapt from one to another. There! There! I pointed for Sandy to look, but the movements were too quick for her. Again, I questioned what I saw after rubbing my eyes. I wasn’t completely sure what I was seeing, if I hadn’t, in fact, seen anything at all. Those are the Daggers, right?! Then I saw it! At least, I thought I did. When a Bigfoot ran it hunched forward. It bent its whole upper body forward as though it needed the weight ahead of it for speed.

It’s not easy for the Daggers to answer that question, my friend. Zorvig was speaking through my earplug. Keep your voices down. Something’s approaching from the sky.

We all looked up and sure enough, it wasn’t clear what it was, but whatever was in the sky, it was darker than the darkness and swooped in at us silently.

At the center of the clearing, an impossibly huge raven pounced upon the Sasquatch skull.

To the east of the clearing a Sasquatch emerged from the trees to challenge the oversized raven. This Sasquatch had dark brown and cinnamon coloured hair also a stooping gait and long powerful arms. Its presence caused quite a reaction of excitement and anticipation amongst both the Sasquatch and the Dogmen.

To the west, along the line of trees, a Wolfman spread a couple trees apart to step out. The hungry look in its eyes were clear. It was willing to challenge the Sasquatch and the raven for the skull. Without much hesitation, the wild Wolfman charged forward to fight for what he deemed his.

Likewise, the Sasquatch brazenly launched himself headlong to ensure the skull of his people, rightfully remained with his people.

The raven took to flight crowing, Fight! Fight! Fight!

Peering through my night vision goggles, I was surprised to discover he sight of an actual living, breathing, tall hairy Sasquatch.

Seeing the living legend was a life altering experience for me and I found it completely captivating. Th-this creature… I told Sandy in a whisper. It’s an impossible reality… Isn’t it? A visceral feeling of terror crept into my consciousness and led to my shaking like a leaf. I was in over my head. My eyes provided information that my mind had trouble accepting… The Sasquatch were real!!!

The Sasquatch bravely slapped and bit at the Dogman with brutal force, but the wild monster canine slashed back with deep fatal lacerations. As it bit back, the two creatures tore chunks of flesh out of one another. Blood sprayed out as they dug deeply into one another until they tore each other to shreds. It took a lot of punishment to kill either species, but when they began tearing out each other’s guts and organs, death was soon quick to follow.

Meanwhile, the Sasquatch skull remained undisturbed save for the speckled spray of Sasquatch and Dogman blood. Before the idol of the skull, dropped the bodies of two legendary challengers and it remained there as though awaiting the next challengers who’d dare try to claim it as their prize.

From a high jutting stone plateau, a huge jet black Dogman walked out on all fours. It was there upon a rock that was thrust out high upon a steep cliff side, with the enormous moon floating behind. Exposed in the moonlight, was the silhouette of an impossibly large Wolfman as he reared up and stooped upon his hind legs. Stretching his head up at the moon he filled his huge lungs to capacity before gave rent to a long drawn howl that seemed to stop time itself. The sound of which, from his broad chest came an unnaturally deep and alarming lament that drew out far and wide into the distance. Such a howl, both canine and human as one, filled the entire valley within Mount Urquhart and dripped with distain.

All us Daggers who heard the reach of his incredible howl-scream felt the hairs of the backs of our necks stand up on end and our spines quivered. From the Wolfman’s open jowls, came the call of a malignant evil. Within the nervous resonance came the voice of darkness and it summoned the apparition of death!

And there, upon the sheer rocky precipice, the extreme gaudy pitch resonated within every skull of the valley. The sound was so thick you could literally feel it in the air, despite our inserted earplugs. It carried on for an entire minute, but felt like an eternity that would never end.

When the Dogman howled it was so high pitched, it rattled our brains. Like the sound of tearing metal, mixed with the reverberation of shattering glass, the piercing howl was rejuvenated from some pre-historic age. The howl erupted from the deep torso of a monster who also commanded with a monstrous bark.

A dark billowing expanse of cloud crossed the sky. As the atmosphere darkened to a pitch blackness, the creature’s shadowy form upon the precipice disappeared from sight altogether. Its body morphed into the trees beyond. The only thing remaining besides the penetrating darkness were its yellowish-green foreboding eyes until they too disappeared.

Almost in answer to the Wolfman’s blood curdling call came a second scream, but this one was different… quite different. None of the Daggers had heard anything quite like it before in all their other encounters. There was no mistaking it. This ear splitting scream came from a Sasquatch, but not just any Sasquatch. This one must’ve been much larger than any usual sighted, eight foot tall version of this creature. Whatever could’ve made such a scream must have a phenomenally huge lung capacity.

Reacting to the howls that initiated the battle between Sasquatch, Dogman and human, the Wolfmen and Sasquatch bravely stepped out from the security of the forest’s cover and cautiously approached the Sasquatch skull. It was then the sheer number of the two factions of cryptids were revealed and the Daggers realized what they were up against.

Frozen like a statue, I was unable to get my limbs to obey me so I could slip away and hide. With my eyes stretched wide open, I watched the creatures gather and there were so many the Sasquatch and Dogmen just seemed to grow and grow. To me, it looked like every Sasquatch and Dogman from around the globe came to attend this party of the ages. The versatile mix of these creatures was staggering. They came in all sorts of shades, shapes and sizes. Rarely did one look like another. Amongst such a vast ensemble, I couldn’t believe how distinctly different they all were.

I slid over a boulder and pinched my body between two large rocks. It seemed like an adequate hiding place for the moment, but something dropped from my left ear. It was one of the specialized earplugs. Instantly, beyond my control, I felt my guts jiggle and shake. Then a putrid sickness came over me as my eyesight went fuzzy and lost focus.

With striking force, Sandy crashed into the side of me and nervously she pushed my critically valuable Dagger specific earplug back into my ear.

Once reinserted, my blurred vision was restored and my stomach calmed down.

Also realizing the massive congregation of cryptids, Sasquatch gathered at the east of the Sasquatch skull and Dogmen to the west, Krougenov spoke to his trusted colleague, Zorvig, I shouldn’t have brought Roger and Sandy along on dis expedition. Referring to Sandy and myself, he added, Oh boy, dey’ll surely die out here. I never provided dem with any weapons.

Stay focused, Krougenov. Zorvig reassured his team leader. We need your mind clear and in command… I’ll stay with Roger and Sandy and keep them protected. Now go! Do what you do best!

From the night’s sky, a massive and bloated silhouette of a bird returned and dropped down like a missile. Opening its impressive wingspan at the last possible moment, it slowed its descent before landing hard ono its intended target. Perching upon the Sasquatch skull, Drenalek flapped her massive black wings, creating great turbulent swirls of dust in an attempted to fly away with the prize gripped in its powerful talons.

This was the moment the Daggers first internalized the sight of Drenalek. What kind of bird is that?! Tailfeathers asked.

Don’t let anything surprise you tonight, men. Krougenov told the others through their com units. We can figure out what we’re encountering later. Right now you must rely on your training. Stay alert and stealty and most of all, stay alive!

This comment from their leader woke everyone from any further visions of wonderment.

A limber Sasquatch exploded from the timber and lunged toward the massive bird, but Drenalek was already too high. Bellowing gusts of wind under the strength of her powerful, pushing, ink black wings, she struggled to gain altitude with the weight of the skull dangling below her.

A shrill shriek, cut through the night as Madina’s sonar echolocation revealed her next target. She recklessly dove in and struck Drenalek with a brutal claw. The unexpected airstrike caused a deep heinous wound to the neck of the raven. Drenalek crowed out how painful her agonizing wound aggrieved her. Recoiling through the air from the assault which caused countless black feathers to fly free amongst a spray of blood that exploded from the point of impact, she subsequently dropped the Sasquatch skull. It plummeted out of the sky and tumbled back to the earth like a gift to be received from the gods.

The Sasquatch skull landed in a new location, much closer to the Dagger’s basecamp. This shifted the battle slightly.

Pouncing to the ground with a heavy thump, Madina landed next to the esteemed skull, but before she could reach down and claim it, numerous Wolfmen and Sasquatch converged upon her. Narrowly dodging claws and fangs, she launched herself upwards. With a bat-like screech combined with the scream of a tortured woman, Madina looked like anything but human.

Many of the Daggers saw Madina for the first time. Myself included. Though they were dedicated to let nothing distract them after seeing the strange large raven, the sight of Madina befuddled them. Her hollow eyes and the way her jaw hung open like a snake was absolutely terrifying. I even caught a glimpse of her eyeball uvula that hung at the back of her open mouth. It shifted, then looked right at me and gave me chills from my head to my toes.

She turned to the Big Game Hunters and screamed horrifically. The Daggers were taken aback by her wild and unbelievable exploit. One of the Daggers; Pong Ping, threw a shuriken, ninja star at her. It curved threw the air as the glistening circular blades of death spun toward her. As the razor edges toiled and twirled as it sped toward her, Madina instinctively lifted one of her hairy Sasquatch voodoo dolls defensively. The star embedded itself halfway into the chest of the doll.

Without reproach, a massive hulking body of a Sasquatch screamed and thundered out of the forest behind her. It gripped its chest and rolled its eyes back before teetering forward and slamming its full weight down upon the hard ground. It was instantly dead with the chest of its ribcage torn open. Madina’s voodoo mysticism was substantiated in the eyes of those few men who witnessed the incident.

Despite this craziness, the Daggers glanced at Krougenov. This contributed to realign their minds.

Krougenov was the perfect example of a man who was impossible to distract. He nodded while glaring at Madina and silently, at ag lance, the order was given to destroy her. Quicker than the time it took for the men to raise their weapons, the bat-witch of the woods had leaped upwards and instantly disappeared out of sight.

As soon as Madina had vanished into the night, the Wolfmen and Sasquatch attacked one another with raging intense ferocity. After they had savagely pounced on one another and threw their opponents into surrounding trees, they had disappeared from sight once again, but they were never far from the Sasquatch skull. The hostile sounds of the beasts locked in mortal combat with one another was horrific. Flesh was torn from bone, bones were crushed in powerful jowls and the screams of pain were the perfect recipe for a lifelong haunting of nightmares.

The Daggers expected the lure of the Sasquatch skull to be enough to draw the Sasquatch out of the thicket and sure enough, with the growling of monsters, one did come crawling across the flatland just outside our basecamp. It remained low and moved like an ape with oily dark hair that reflected in the light of the moon and stars.

When it was almost at arm’s reach of the Sasquatch skull, a Wolfman bounded out from under a tree skirt and charged in at full speed.

This Dogman leaped into the air like it took to flight and spread its front arms. Its dark grey fur was striped lengthwise with five black lines. Flaring its six inch long claws like a cat and barring its teeth, Stripes glared at the Sasquatch with burning red eyes. Incoming, like a missile with a snarl that sounded from deep within its gut, he opened his mouth of long canine teeth just before impact.

The Sasquatch fearlessly stood its ground and refused to retreat. Rather, it straightened up to its full eight foot height and beat at its chest with rage. Though the Sasquatch was forced to the ground, it twisted its powerful, lithe body around so it ended up on top of Stripes.

With his jaws locked on the Sasquatch’s thick shoulder, Stripe’s long sharp teeth could be heard grating against the Sasquatch’s bones.

The Sasquatch rose up quickly and again slammed the relentless canine back down to the stony earth.

This time, Stripes let go and fled like a bullet from the chamber.

Behind this brave Sasquatch, the forest came alive and rendered countless more of his kind as they stepped forward into the open. His mountain brothers arrived to back him up in numbers.

I couldn’t believe it. There were more Sasquatch than I could count.

The other beasts weren’t interested in going after Sandy or I because we were unprotected, defenceless and vulnerable. We were sure to soon become collateral damage of all-out beastial warfare.

The Dagger, Zorvig, identified our threat quickly. Attempting a suicide mission to protect us, a small band of three Daggers led by Zorvig, effectively operated together on an unprecedented rescue mission as they appeared at our sides.

Sandy and I marshalled little security from the three Daggers who valiantly stood around us like a weak shield of protection against our overwhelming odds.

Appearing out of nowhere, Krougenov swung on a rope out from the trees and landed beside our tightly huddled group and triggered a single blast from his huge elephant rifle. His guilt for putting the lives of Sandy and I in danger ate at him to the point of willfully giving his own life to save ours. There was no retribution greater than a sacrifice equal to this valour. He couldn’t stand to sit in the shadows and watch as his two innocent friends were torn to pieces. Like the crack of thunder from within the heart of a storm cloud, the rifle roared causing the growing mass of hairy beings to disperse and flee into the forest holding their sensitive ears.

Now what remained was the slinky, sly Wolfman. Sandy and I hardly cared or even noticed when the Daggers effectively disappeared from our sides, leaving us completely vulnerable once more. With or without the protection of the Daggers, Sandy and I were certain of our eminent and swift demise… We shut our eyes.

Chapter 47

Gonna Gitch’a

June, 2nd 2015

Tuesday 10:32 pm

UTILIZING THEIR CUTTING-EDGE ARRAY of superior high powered military grade rifles, the Daggers opened fire just as their flood lights blazed to life. The blinded and disorient creatures shielded their sensitive eyes as bullets punctured their hides.

While the creatures were on the run, Daggers who remained behind in basecamp, like Husker, Bricker and Savaig, utilized the zip-line suspended cameras to flank their targets. Not only did the cameras capture priceless video, they implemented their GPS tracking systems.

Fitted with remote firing capabilities, the cameras began shooting GPS tracking devises at the Sasquatch and Dogmen. Moving out through the dense forest, suspended from tension wires and guided by night vision, the cameras covered great expanses of the forest in seconds with virtually no sound. The stealthy contraptions located the cryptids with the assistance of experienced eyes and shot them multiple times, tagging many of them.

These GPS gadgets were coated in a super sticky substance. When they struck their target, they adhered to them and they adhered best to hair and fur.

Once satellite imagery confirmed the GPS tracers were in motion, a trap was conceived to capture many of the Sasquatch and Dogmen.

Bringing their mastery of stealth and trickery to the forefront, the Daggers proceeded to conduct the impossible and toy with the dangerous creatures. As the creatures took stock, they looked this way and that with sharp eyes of cunning concentration. Their minds calculated wild primitive tactics.

While monstrous titans could be heard waring in the distance, one Dogman took an interest in Sandy and I. He watched us from the cover of foliage where he also examined his injuries.

Sneaking up behind an unsuspecting Dogman who was licking his wounds, the Dagger, Squall, reached out fearlessly and flicked its floppy and bleeding ear.

This caused this vagrant Dogman to spin around and viciously snap his chops to attack whoever was stupid enough to dare sneak up on it. But to his dismay, he found nothing there. Turning back to Roger and Sandy and I with drool anticipating its insatiable appetite, a curious calm voice from an unseen Dagger said, Hey, over here!

The bent and previously injured ear of the sly Wolfman straightened up for a moment. Spinning around in response to the undeniable voice, he again found no one where the sound emanated. Fully alert, he even felt the breath of a person on the back of his neck when the words were spoken. The Dogman began searching for the Dagger tearing through the bush with his claws and his teeth with no consideration of surrendering his secret position. After making a downright mess of his surroundings, still unable to unearth the culprit who dared to tease him and mess with his head, the sly Wolfman accepted that any further rummaging would only unveil more of the same; nothing. So it returned to hunt the people who were without arms; Sandy myself. The menacing yellow eyes of this lanky Wolfman narrowed and focussed in on his prey, but when it crouched down to lunge for us, it received a swift, unexpected kick in the hind end with the quick spoken words, Gonna gitch’a!

This time, the Dogman slunk around snake-like with his claws stretched at the ready. He half expected a rear assault. Swiping his long sharp talons around with his teeth following closely, chomping with rapid succession, again it was surprised to find no one there. Making such a ruckus and consumed by its own rage, confusion and frustration, he let Sandy and I slipped away under the guidance and protection of Zorvig.

We fled swiftly under the cover of the shadows.

This sly Dogman knew someone was there. The incident pissed him off so utterly and completely, humans became its sole target, even over the Sasquatch skull. With instinctual senses and intelligence screaming that the humans were not far, he quickly detected a scent trail and began following it. Slithering between the tree trunks, he could hear them, smell them and feel their presence. Convinced they were still nearby, his piercing green eyes aglow, failed him as he just couldn’t see them.

Zorvig had us take cover. Adrenalin polluted my veins and my mind took in more details in the darkness. One thing I noticed early on was how the Wolfman appeared to be the superior species of this valley, but, though it wasn’t certain, the Sasquatch could possibly be more tactical.

The Wolfmen struck me as more wild and vicious, but the intelligence in their eyes made them appear to be the alpha predators of this battle. These upright canines seemed to spring right out of hidden holes in the ground so swiftly and fast, they appeared to manifest right out of thin air.

The Sasquatch, for their stealth, strength and trickery didn’t appear to have what it took to defeat the Wolfmen. It was just as much a mental war as it was a physical one.

I noticed two cryptids at a stand-off, growling at one another like they were each fighting off migraine headaches, but what in fact was happening was they were attempting to get inside one another’s head. They attempted to first defeat the mind, then the body. The Wolfmen seemed to be winning the telepathic battle against the Sasquatch and the physical quarrels too. Wolfmen were just more vicious, or so it seemed.

The Sasquatch used decoys to make the Wolfmen look where they want them to, then the larger Sasquatch would silently appear from behind and strike the Wolfmen. They grabbed them by the tail and tossed them against huge tree trunks. Two Sasquatch threw a large boulder at one another where they would purposefully collide with skill and accuracy. A third Sasquatch kicked a Wolfman into the air who found himself caught between the colliding rocks. In such a massive pinch-point it was utterly squashed with a bone breaking crunch.

The Sasquatch rose up after the success of their trap and began pounding other Wolfmen into the ground. They kicked them into trees or used huge logs to smash them.

The vicious Wolfmen began working at separating the organized and tactical-thinking Sasquatch from the others. Then they preceded to outnumber and pile on top of them like a wild and vicious wolf pack. Indulging in the moment, these creatures wasted no time to sink their dagger-like teeth into their enemy’s sweet undefiled flesh. What their teeth missed their claws tore to shreds. It took little time for a Dogman to slaughter a Sasquatch. Using his huge claws to dig away at the Sasquatch’s chest, he dug through the tough chest muscles and broke through the dense rib cage. After he had the insides exposed, the Dogman dug the delectable soft entrails out of the cavity.

When the Daggers saw how efficient the Wolfmen were at killing the Sasquatch, they concentrated their firepower on them. They had to thin the crowd.

The Sasquatch want to get their powerful fingers on the Wolfmen but the man-like wolves tended to whip around with lightning speed and bite or claw the at the Sasquatch with unprecedented speed and strength.

‘Are they evenly matched?’ I tried to determine. ‘Both species were obviously super intelligent, especially at war tactics. Both proved themselves to be first-class killing machines.’

One Dagger; Golden-Wolf, in classic ninja technique, dropped out of the trees to challenge a single Wolfman at hand to hand combat. He was already exhausted and weaponless, and about two feet shorter than the towering beast, but his confidence had him at such a fighting mind, he believed he couldn’t lose.

Before this confrontation, Golden-Wolf had fought and defeated a brutally powerful Sasquatch, but it costed him all his weaponry to do so. In the end he relied on his taser gauntlets to send enough of an electrical charge into the Sasquatch’s heart to kill it.

With his taser gauntlets needing a full recharge, he had to trust his wits to pull him through this one.

The Wolfman seemed to smile down at Golden-Wolf as he drooled and licked his chops. He too felt confident about the outcome of his challenger. When he closed his mouth it snapped shut with the sound of a clapping of his skull.

Abruptly, the Wolfman lunged forward with a wicked swipe of his wide swinging claws.

Unexpectedly, Golden-Wolf jumped in the air toward the Wolfman. He leaped so high, he cleared the claws. When his body slammed against the creature’s head, he knocked it back and off its feet. All the while Golden-Wolf pummelled its head with rapid punching fists, but his training prepared him to do more than merely strike hard and fast. Every fifth strike was far more axing to his opponents. Every fifth strike meant he took something for himself. After twenty quick punches, Golden-Wolf summersaulted to his feet and left the Wolfman writhing and screaming on the ground trying to figure out what just happened.

In Golden-Wolf’s open hands, he held two eye balls and two fuzzy black ears. Dropping the organic items into a large pocket on the side of his pants, he then pressed a release button on each of his taser gauntlets. This caused a rectangular battery pack to spring out of each gauntlet. Golden-Wolf discarded them and replaced them with new battery packs.

By this time, the Wolfman had calmed down. Unable to see or hear, it rolled over onto its front and began sniffing the ground. Depending on its sense of smell, The Wolfman began shuffling forward on all fours toward Golden-Wolf.

I asked Sandy. Can one man defeat both a Sasquatch and a Dogman? Is it at all possible?

Sandy was unable to answer me right away or break her attention from Golden-Wolf’s situation. No! The Dogman will win. She muttered.

I wanted to call out to the Dagger and warn him, but he spun around quickly and punched both his fists at either side of the wild monstrosity’s bleeding head. There was a bright flash of electrical arcs and a pop of sparks when the gauntlets discharged a blast of electrical current causing the Wolfman to rear up on its hind legs as its brain to exploded.

A cold finger of fear pierced Golden-Wolf’s heart with the icy talons of the creature’s body crashing down onto him. The Dagger was so scared his ghost bleached itself white. There was no time to get out of its way, still he threw himself backwards. The Dogman swiped its paw-like hand downward causing its razor sharp claws to subsequently filet the Dagger’s body open with but one foul stroke.

The claws of this Dogman had the ability to extend. He had retractable claws on his fingers. The toes didn’t seem to have this same capability, but when he accidentally swiped at Golden-Wolf, he moved so fast the human eye could barely perceive him. Was it intentional? I can’t be sure, but it looked intentional to me. Like a cat swiping at a mouse but the results of this creature’s claws shredded Golden-Wolf and his uniform in an instant.

To me he looked like red hamburger meat that had been dropped to the ground.

Zorvig and Angorilla were quickly at each of Golden-Wolf’s sides. They dragged their comrade back to Sandy and I where we could tend to Golden-Wolf’s open and deep lacerations under cover.

As Sandy and I helped to apply pressure to the wounds, I internalized what I had seen. The Daggers had impressed me far beyond my expectations. They were like magicians putting on their best show. They could do what no one else could and dupe these creatures; these instruments of death. But before long, the Daggers began to show their mortality; their humanity, when they began to bleed. Realizing what the cryptids were capable of and that Daggers could die, I connected with my own vulnerability.

For a while there, I guess I believed the Daggers were somehow exempt of death because they were ninjas. Well, that and the fact that they were really giving these creatures a run for their money.

It was too presumptuous to expected the Daggers to remain professional throughout the entire confrontation of the night. No one expected there would be so many cryptids attending. What soldier could keep fighting a peak efficiency when there was infrasound in the presence of these imposing creatures? It was enough to rattle anyone and cause them to drop their weapons and run or drop to the ground and freeze up with fear. A Dagger needed to be able to concentrate with a clear mind to keep their balance and agility through a mission. Anyone who encountered such creatures as these were unmistakably outmatched against a true apex living being.

The forest thrived with sounds of branches snapping and leaves crunching. Dark shadow-like bodies rushed by in smudged blurs of motion. They were so quick at the edges of our vision, no one could focus on what was truly moving so fast.

We were about to get moving again when a massive Wolfman growled from the bushes to get our attention.

If a Dagger proves the victor in hand to hand battle with a Dogman, and heaven forbid, if he actually kills the thing, or even just mortally wounds it, the other Dogmen will know. They send out a communication and will red-flag that specific person. The Dogmen will come swarming in on him like angry wasps and thoroughly dismantle that person as a clear message to everyone else that there was no mistake, they were the Apex predators and no one would be able to contend with such a superior species without recompense to their irrefutable laws of the wild.

We turned to look just as a hulking furry form stepped out of the woods. Though this Wolfman was phenomenally outnumbered, it slowed to a stop just outside the tree line. Judging by the look in its eyes, it knew we had just killed one of its kind. I learned, when a Dagger outsmarts a Dogman, the frustrated beast will pace intelligently as though in thought. It’s next move would likely be to outsmart us; its opponents. That was the only answer I could see behind its calculated stare. Then it stood up on its hind legs. To do so, it cracked its back with a painful sound.

The canine creature’s long muscled arms hung down at its sides, angling slightly away from its hips. There, the fingers of its long paws moved like a gunslinger of an old western, who in the midst of challenging another to a draw in the center of main street, was about to prove who was the quickest draw.

Then, from behind the Wolfman came the pawed feet of a horde of its own kin. The Wolfmen stepped out of the tall forest darkness and there were so many of them. From out of obscurity, they just kept appearing. They looked like a dark furry mist creeping out of the woods, almost seeping out, and they easily outnumbered us.

The situation made no sense to me though. Why would that many Wolfmen align themselves against us, but not attack? Then we heard a distinct gust of breath from something massive behind us. Lifting my head to look, a voice came though from our earplugs.

Stop Roger! Don’t look! Behind you guys is a group of about a dozen Sasquatch. At dis point de Sasquatch and de Dogmen were at a deadlock standstill. It would appear dey are about to fight and you’re all going to find yourselves right in de middle of deir brawl.

Krougenov! Golden-Wolf is in real bad shape. I’ve closed his wounds and stopped his bleeding, but I’d like to get him back to basecamp!

Using my night vision goggles, I peered through the distant trees in the only direction I could look, but I knew if Krougenov could see me, I could probably find him. When I did locate him, I zoomed in on his face. I didn’t expect the boisterous hunter to look so pale and nervous. At that moment, I knew, we were all way in too deep with these creatures. Fate was far removed from our hands. It was then I broke out in a cold sweat.

Our small band of Daggers were amazed at the situation we found ourselves in. None of us had expected to wind up in such a pinch. We were in the middle of a stand-off between monsters.

The opposing crowd of Sasquatch ranged from eight to ten feet in height and they all looked as mean as hell and ready for battle. Their muscles bulged and some held logs while others