SOURCE: Star Born (1957) by Andre Norton

DESCRIPTION: "Round spots of light, dull, greenish, close to the ground, as if someone had flung a handful of phosphorescence into the dark. But this was no phosphorescence! Eyes! Eyes—he tried to count and knew it was impossible to so reckon the number of the pack that ran mute but ready. Nor could he distinguish more than[92] a very shadowy glimpse of forms which glided close to the ground with an unpleasant sinuosity...There was a snarl from the passage, and a black thing sprang at the scout. Without clear sight of what he was fighting, he struck down with his knife and felt it slit flesh. The snarl was a scream of rage as the creature twisted in midair for a second try at him. In that instant Sssuri, leaning halfway out of the hatch, struck in his turn, thrusting his bone knife into shadows which now boiled with life." (Star Born by Andre Norton)

NOTES: The Pack are genetically altered dogs or wolves used originally as hunters for Those Others. The Pack are not hard to kill individually but they hunt in packs. They are intelligent and very cunning. When Those Others realized they had made them too intelligent they tried to kill them off with poison and traps but this only weened out the weak ones. The pack now lurks in dark places like tunnels hunting any who come that way. They possess a telepathic ability that senses prey and sends a fearful burst of their hunger and wickedness that may paralyses their victims.

HISTORY: One of Norton's creepiest creations. A tour de force!