Skinwalker
In the grisly realm of Mimicry, the Skinwalkers stand as abhorrent paragons, taking on the visage of sentient creatures to ensnare unsuspecting prey. These malevolent entities, appearing outwardly human yet subtly aberrant, wait until it is too late for their victims to discern the horrifying truth. Their predilection for devouring children and infants, deemed easy prey, adds a sickening layer to their dark nature.
While Skinwalkers flawlessly replicate the external appearance of their prey, their mental capacity falls short. Intelligent in their own right, Skinwalkers often engage in macabre displays, 'practicing' their humanity when out of plain sight. Villagers, oblivious to the impending danger, may later recall children's tales of peculiarities among their kin, the eerie signs of a Skinwalker integrating and 'learning' to fit in. Tragically, the realization dawns only when the Mimic has devoured the children and moved on.
The average lifespan of a Skinwalker is brief, spanning 10-20 years. In their final stages of life, having perfected their mimicry, they pose the most danger. Devoid of usual signs of abnormality, they feed more freely, often settling into communities, even mating and having children to bolster their facade. The hybrid children are rare, often used as pawns by Skinwalkers to secure their ruse and ultimately consumed.
As they approach their demise, Skinwalkers become even more cunning, establishing a permanent presence in the community. Only a handful of Mimic hybrids survive into adulthood, displaying mimicry abilities that remain beyond their control. Unlike their bloodthirsty progenitors, they do not succumb to a shortened lifespan and seem impervious to the curse.
The origins of Skinwalkers remain shrouded in mystery. Their mimicry, wielded offensively, deviates from the usual defensive applications observed in nature. Whether they are beings of magical or natural descent is a subject of speculation, with theories ranging from curses akin to Vampires to accelerated evolution during The Great Migration.
With no discernible culture, Skinwalkers offer no clues about their origins. When captured and stressed, they shed their veneer of humanity, revealing a feral and violent nature. The conclusion drawn is that their imitation of humanity is but a facade, a mimicry akin to a parrot mimicking speech, devoid of a comprehensive understanding of the cultural touchstones they emulate.
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