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JACULUS. A DEADLY, flying snake described in ancient times, known to launch itself at prey from trees. Supposedly mythical.
But if the past few decades have taught us anything, it’s just how real these so-called ‘mythical’ animals could be. We didn’t know where they’d been in the centuries since their recordings in historical bestiaries. We didn’t know why we hadn’t encountered them for so long. But they were here now. More and more of them appearing every day, new animals we knew nothing about with abilities we didn’t understand.
What could we do, other than fill in the gaps in our knowledge?
That was why I found myself leaning against a pick-up truck at the edge of a wheat field, the rays of the morning sun heating my skin against the morning chill. My eyes scanned the tre
