Horses have been bred, domesticated,
and used by people for over five millennia.
Serving in warfare, farming, and transport,
no other creature has been more versatile
or vital co humanity’s survival. Although
technology has supplanted many of its
functions, horses still have the power to
inspire awe in a way few creatures do.
Tag Archives: wilderness encounter
Herd Animals
On the great savannas of Africa, every-
thing gives way to solitary predators such
as the lion, the cheetah, and the jackal. In
comparison, the gazelle and zebra appear
almost tame. Twoorthreeseem picturesque
and seven to eight almost majestic. It’s not
until I 0 or more appear that they begin to
evoke a sense of unease. With a herd, it’s
not quality that matters: it’s quantity.
Gorillas
Apes come as close to humans (genetically speaking)
as any creature on Earth. Despite their large
size and threatening appearance, apes are generally
shy creatures that rarely pick a fight. Most prefer to
hoot, holler, andchesr-beat their enemies into fearful
submission, only resorting to blows in dire need. Their
keen intelligence and gende nature make apes easy
prey for hunters, mad scientists, and even aliens.
Gargantuan Spiders
No one knows where they come from. Some blame the government, citing radiation-laden nuclear test zones, while others suggest military tampering and generic experimentation to create the next great bio-weapon. One theory claims they developed below the Earth’s crust, gaining access co the surface due to a recent mining operation, while others say they are God’s retribution against the unfaithful. No matter the source of the infestation, nothing is more fearsome than a truck-size gargantuan spider, especially when its hairy legs are standing right above you.
Gargantuan Plants
In most environments, plant life is rarely considered as a factor during threat assessment. Some works of science fiction have portrayed vegetation as an adversary, whether through direct, if involuntary, action, or indirectly through the nature of their unique physiology. In the modern world, such things are considered a source of cinematic entertainment at best, or a ludicrous flight of fancy at worst. Unknown to the masses, however, the threat that can be posed by certain highly specialized forms of plant life is very real.
Gargantuan Mobile Vegetables
There are few things in existence that shake up the status quo quite like plants capable of rapid self-locomotion. Though increasing size and the tendency of plants to grow toward sunlight or other necessary factors are a type of movement, these processes are so gradual and difficult to perceive on a moment-to-moment basis that most people do not consider it movement per se.
Gargantuan Lizards
Gargantuan lizards tower over the civilized world like vengeful gods and gaze upon the fragile constructs of people with contempt. Their appearance heralds carnage of apocalyptic proportion and often causes lesser beings to quake in fear. The massive behemoths can be defeated on rare occasions, but the cost in life and resources is usually quite high. Such victories are often pyrrhic at best.
Gargantuan Blob
Strange menace from another world? Government experiment gone awry? Nature’s response to the scourge that is humanity?
Dinosaurs
Although modern people might prefer to presume otherwise, humans were not the original masters of the planet. Long before the first pyramid, before the invention of the wheel, and before the first human word was spoken, the Mesozoic Era (248 to 65 million years ago) was known as the age of reptiles. Earth was quite different when dinosaurs dominated the planer. Its climate was warmer, and mild seasons promoted the growth of lush foliage. There was no polar ice, the sea level was higher, and the continents were still joined to form Pangaea, the supercontinent.
Deadly Plants
Most plants are quite innocent and harmless, going about their business of turning sun, water, and nutrients into more cells. A few have developed means of protecting themselves from possible “predators” through thorns or irritating poisons. Others, through magic or science, have gone a step further and begun attacking any animals or people around them. This section deals with those that don’t grow much larger than their original plant size.