Guardians of the Mountains

I don't know where or when I first heard about the Guardians. It could have been my grandfather; after all, he told me numerous stories about the myths, legends and realities of the island and the Wabanaki people from when I could barely walk. It could have been my uncle, who claims one of the creatures tore up his leg - it's why he was limping half his life, he said. He vanished in the woods one day, in '03, and nobody ever found any sign of him. He just vanished into thin air.

It could have just been a story I heard in the trailer park - over a cold beer, or under the stars one evening, with Joseph smoking his pipe and Frank strumming the guitar. It's the kind of story old Joe enjoys telling.

I don't know when I first heard about the Guardians, but one thing is for sure: I've heard about them on many occasions. There are numerous stories about these mystical creatures, and they have all of them left their impression on me.

A friend of my uncle's drew this, based on his description and that of other people - my grandfather, Joseph, other Wabanaki, even townsfolk. Sure, at night it's easy to mistake a big dog or a wolf or a coyote for something else. Shadows play tricks on you, and when you're spooked you see things. But there's been many reports and sightings over the years, more and more recently, and some say that the Guardians are portents of dark days coming.

What are they? Legends speak of them as watchers and gatekeepers of something ancient and vast and evil that sleeps in these mountains. And when this evil stirs, so do the Guardians...