Ahuizotl

"Dominica's scream was sudden and unexpected. It took a lot to scare Dominica, so I was doubly concerned. I reached her just in time to see a creature attacking her. It was large, smooth and black and looked a bit like a very big dog. Its pointed ears sat upright and alert and it had a large, black nose with twitching whiskers on either side. Its black eyes were staring at me and it hissed in my direction as I approached. It had surprisingly small paws that looked more like monkeys hands than paws. And it stank. The smell of the sewer was nothing compared to the stench coming from this creature. Its tail was long and thick and as I followed the sinewy limb with my eyes, I spotted why Dominica was stuck. On the end of its tail was a large human-like hand and it currently had Dominica's leg in its grip.

"Ahuizotl!!" I said calmly to the creature, which sneered at me, showing its sharp teeth, threatening me with the display."


The ahuizotl (or ahuitzotl) is a legendary creature in Aztec belief.


It was described as dog-like, with hands capable of manipulation and an additional hand on its tail. The ahuizotl was feared due to its liking for human flesh, especially nails, eyes, and teeth. It was said to live in or near the water and uses the hand on the end of its tail to snatch its prey.

An ahuizotl glyph, from Tepoztlan.