The Raven Mocker
The ka'lanu ahkyeli'ski or the Raven Mocker is the most evil of all the spirits believed in the Cherokee mythology. The Raven Mocker is a stealer of life; it is believed that this creature resembles a wizened old man or woman but when they hunt their victims they can take to the air in a fiery shape and the wind will rise and the ears of those listening will hear a magnificent raven’s cry. The Raven Mocker steals the sick and the dying of life or what little life they may have left.
It is said the Raven Mocker will torment its victims before it consumes the victim’s heart without leaving an outward mark upon the skin. The life it consumes fuels its own life, if the sick person it attacks may have lived many more years after the sickness the Raven Mocker has just stolen those years this is why it is presumed to be so evil as it steals these lives away.
It is believed that the Raven Mocker is respected and feared by the other witches of Cherokee folklore and it is said that if you hear the raven’s cry soon someone will die. While normally invisible to the naked eye, there are those special people that have the ability to see the Raven Mocker, it is said that these people have “strong medicine” and can cause the Raven Mocker to die within seven days, if they know who it is. In many tribes it would not be uncommon for the Medicine man to stand guard over the dying to comfort them, knowing that the Raven Mocker cannot come steal their hearts.
It is also believed that a Medicine man can place special wards in and around the dying or sick persons dwelling and this will also help in driving off the Raven Mocker. The Raven Mocker does not often kill alone, there are often times more than one as they will gather at the residence and slip inside unseen unless the Medicine man is there to protect the person. It has been said that the Raven Mocker may throw a victim to the ground and others seeing this will just think it is the sick persons dying thralls and offer no assistance.
The only thing that brings comfort to those who believe in this awful creature is that upon its death other witches will often dig up the Raven Mocker’s body and destroy it allowing for no coming back to it, just in case.
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