| “ | A Skinwalker. Werewolves and Skinwalkers have a lot of similar characteristics, but one principle difference is that whereas werewolves turn into...well, you know, wolf monsters and occasionally wolves, Skinwalkers into normal animals. But more commonly, they're the family dog that seriously needs a neuter. They can change anywhere, anytime. Skinwalkers infect you with a single bite. Otherwise, they're basically a werewolf cousin. Silver will drop them, they chow hearts like sausages. But nonetheless, Skinwalkers are powerful shapeshifters and not particularly welcoming to strangers on their land. | „ |
| — Rayne, on Skinwalkers | ||
Skinwalkers (also known as yenaldooshi or mai-coh in the Navajo language) are supernatural shapeshifters that can assume the shape of other animals, such as a dog, bird, horse, alligator, or even a bear. They seem to be cousins of werewolves due to their similarities; much like them, skinwalkers can transform into animals. By draping the hide of a certain animal (most often a coyote or a dog, but also bear or owl) over himself, the person takes on the form and traits of that animal. In doing so, the person gains that animal’s strength, speed, agility, senses, and endurance (magnified to greater levels through the power of the transformation). Usually, Navajo Shamans use this ability to travel quickly from place to place. However, the Skinwalker is usually evil, and gains its power by committing an unspeakable act, usually by murdering a close relative. The Skinwalker may only be killed by a silver bullet through the heart or the neck (since, in animal form, the head is lower).
All skinwalkers originate from the Alpha Skinwalker. This Alpha placed thirty skinwalkers in dog form with families. He planned to create an army of skinwalkers by turning the families in skinwalkers all at once, turning 30 into 150.
Characteristics[]
Skinwalkers are considered by hunters to be werewolf cousins due to their similar characteristics. They shape shift into an animal, they are killed by silver weapons, they infect people with a single bite, and they feed on human hearts.
Unlike werewolves, skinwalkers' transformation into any normal animal, usually a canine is complete, and they are not limited by the phases of the moon. Skinwalkers can change into their animal form at any time, day or night, and anywhere. Skinwalkers also mostly change into animals instead of a wolf-human hybrid like werewolves. Like other creatures such as vampires, and real animals, Skinwalkers seem to have a pack mentality, as they are led by a pack leader, who in turn answers to the Alpha Skinwalker.
Other common features similar to werewolves is the fact that they always eat the heart of their victim and they have an infectious bite, they can turn humans into skinwalkers simply by biting them and passing on the infection to the person. Silver has been shown to be the only thing that can kill a skinwalker. Whenever a skinwalker is killed by a silver bullet or knife in its animal form, it reverts back to its human form.
Powers and Abilities[]
- Super Strength: Skinwalkers possess incredible levels of superhuman strength. It is due to their strength that they are known as an unfriendly and unwelcoming species. In human form, their strength is almost superhuman, and in animal form, their strength seems to be greater than the average human's and nearly equivalent to that of a werewolf, as in their animal form, they are able to kill humans. One skinwalker alone was able to cause a large crack in the earth beneath her feet by simply pounding it with her staff. Another one of the Skinwalkers was able to throw a spear with such force that it knocked Rayne backwards, impaled her through her shoulder and pinned her to a large, solid boulder behind her. Their strength appears to increase with rank (much like vampires), as the Pack Leader was able to beat Lilly around with no difficulties. It seems that it's only in their canine form that they possess their strength, as when confronted by Mia, Lucky chose to run rather than fight. In terms of what they can do, they can easily overpower and kill humans; bend some forms of metal; crush wood; lift some heavy objects; and some can even level whole villages.
- Super Speed: Skinwalkers, in their animal form, can run and move faster than humans, reaching great speed, up to a hundred miles per hour, which often allows them to outrun motor vehicles and have greater endurance than all normal humans. Skinwalkers have the potential to travel at the speed of light, but more commonly just above the sound barrier. That said, a Skinwalkers can run faster than a human or machine, and also move so fast that he seems to appear and disappear at will. When a Skinwalkers super-speeds, they perceive the world in slow motion. This also gives them very fast reflexes.
- Super Agility: Skinwalkers possess superhuman agility, making them a very agile race, as they are able to fight toe to toe, sometimes even overpowering a Slayer. They can move, jump, climb, and run incredibly fast without difficulty or exhaustion.
- Super Durability: Skinwalker's bodily tissues are much harder and more resistant to physical injury than those of an ordinary human. Their bodies are able to withstand great impact forces and blunt trauma that would severely injure or kill a normal human.
- Invulnerability: A Skinwalkers cells emit an aura of energy that results in them being invulnerable to bodily injuries. Because of this, Skinwalkers are resistant to all forms of physical damage. They can withstand temperatures without sustaining any damage. As such, not even the strongest of humans can hurt them; bullets bounce off them do leave a mark on them, and some high-voltage energy emissions (beams) cannot penetrate through them. Skinwalkers are immune to all earthly diseases and viruses. They can however be damaged by other Skinwalkers or foreigners who can match their strength. Like many other shapeshifters, Skinwalkers can only be killed by silver bullets to the heart or head. They can, however, be injured.
- Regeneration: Skinwalkers appear to be able to heal/regenerate themselves very much faster and more completely than humans. A Skinwalker was hit by a minivan, but when he returned back to his human form he appeared to have no physical harm. The same Skinwalker was shot with a bullet later, but the wound healed extremely quickly. While not immortal, these capabilities allow the wolves to continue battling even after serious injury. In some cases, however, this accelerated healing can be detrimental. Skinwalkers can heal and regenerate instantly from any wound.
- Super Senses: Their sense of smell is so adjusted they can smell far better than humans, in either form, to help them identify their own enemy, vampires. Using this ability, they can tell if they are being followed or if someone is in the vicinity, within an approximate range of 100 yards or more. Also, a skinwalker's hearing is comparable to that of a dog. It is not clear whether it is heightened in other circumstances, but they certainly know vampires at a distance, finding their smell sickly sweet and repellent. Skinwalkers' eyes are extremely sharp and can see very far. Jared is known to have the best sight in the pack. They all have excellent hearing even in their human forms.
- Smell: They can smell far better than humans, in either form, as their sense of smell is so adjusted to help them identify their enemies. Using this ability, they can tell if they are being followed or if someone is in the vicinity, within an approximate range of 100 yards or more. They possess this ability even in the human form.
- Sight: Skinwalkers' eyes are extremely sharp and can see very far. Jared is known to have the best sight in the pack.
- Hearing: They all have excellent hearing even in their human forms. A skinwalkers hearing is better than a human's. Skinwalkers can eavesdrop on important conversations and cries for help from miles away, and possess enough control to exclude ambient sounds in order to focus on a specific source or frequency. They also possess a mental telepathy associated with the sound, as they can hear the screams from space (where there is no air for sound waves to travel through).
- Longevity: Skinwalkers have a slower aging process and while they will die eventually.
- Infectious bite: Like Werewolves, skinwalkers possess a poisonous bite; if someone is bitten by a skinwalker, he or she will also become a skinwalker.
- Shapeshifting: Like Werewolves, Skinwalkers possess the ability to transform into canines. Unlike werewolves, however, skinwalkers transform completely into a pet dog rather than a wolf creature. Skinwalkers can change from their human to animal forms anytime without a full moon.Like the werewolf, the skin-walker is a shape-shifter, human at times, and at other times taking on the aspect of an animal, usually at night. In its animal form, a skin-walker may be anything, including a wolf, coyote, fox, bear, owl, or crow. Although skin-walkers may have a favorite form that they customarily use, they have the power to become anything they wish. In animal form, a skin-walker is very fast and impossible to catch.
- Telepathy: Skinwalkers are also telepathically linked with each other, enhancing their coordination during hunts and fights but allowing little or no privacy at any time. Skinwalkers can read other humans minds and control them. The Alphas of two different packs may communicate telepathically, and are able to choose what thoughts they share.
- Mind Possession: If any human looks into a skinwalkers eyes, the skinwalker can control their mind and absorb their body and can magically steal their skin for their own.
- Witchcraft: Skinwalker use charms to control and kill their victims.
- Super Stamina: Skinwalkers possess incredible endurance in all physical activities due to receiving better nourishment from the food they eat.
- Super Dexterity: Skinwalkers are extremely agile and precise in all forms of strenuous movement. A Skinwalkers can throw a football in a basketball standing back to the frame.
Weaknesses[]
- Human Form: While it is impossible to kill a skin-walker in human form, there are magical ways to protect oneself and even to kill a skin-walker.
- Bullet Dipped in White Ash: In traditional Native American lore, the only way to kill a skinwalker in it's animal form is to shot it in the next with a bullet, dipped in white ash.
- Significant damage: Apparently they can die, if significant damage has been caused, as when the Pack Leader tried to rip Lucky apart.
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