Spearfinger

Region: Appalachia
Location:Cherokee territory (Tennessee and North Carolina)

Spearfinger, or *U’tlun’ta* in Cherokee tradition, is one of the most fearsome beings in southeastern Native folklore. She is described as an old woman with stone-like skin and a long, razor-sharp finger made of obsidian or flint. That finger is her primary weapon — used to cut out the livers of unsuspecting travelers, especially children. Spearfinger is said to mimic voices to lure victims away from safety, calling to them in the voices of relatives or friends. Her stone skin makes her invulnerable to most weapons, and her cries echo across mountainsides in a chilling, fractured wail.
  Legend says Spearfinger frequented the high cliffs and rocky outcrops of the Appalachians, blending into the stone until the moment she struck. She could disguise herself as a harmless old woman gathering firewood or as a stump or boulder on the forest floor. Her footsteps made a sound like rocks grinding together, and birds were said to fall silent in her presence. Cherokee villages feared her ability to appear without warning and vanish just as quickly, leaving only a missing child or a trail of disturbed leaves.
  One of the central stories about Spearfinger tells of the time the Cherokee united against her. Warriors, medicine people, and even the birds and animals worked together to find a way to kill her. They discovered her one weakness: a vulnerable spot on her right side where her heart was hidden. After striking this point, they were finally able to defeat her. The tale serves as a lesson in unity, vigilance, and the dangers of deception — a narrative far larger than a simple monster story.

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. All characters appearing in this work are fictitious or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

The spark is human. The polish is digital.

 

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