Yara-ma-ya-what the hell?

Submishin for 's Draw the Yara-ma-ya-who monster gallery.

In case you don't know it, the Yara... is a mythical creature from Aboriginal folklore. In Scythemantis' own words:

"The Yara-ma-yha-who is a traditional boogieman thought to have been used by Aboriginal families to keep their children from wandering away unattended.

It was described as a small humanoid three to four feet high, with pure red skin or fur, octopus-like suckers on its fingers and toes, and a disproportionately huge head dominated by a toothless, frog-like mouth.

The Yara-ma-yha-who had a very specific, seemingly nonsensical multi-step attack method. First, it would hide in a tree and wait for a human to stop and rest under it. Then, it would drop down and drain blood through its suckers until the victim was too weak to even move. It would leave the prey helpless and alone for an unspecified amount of time, then come back and swallow the person whole. Afterwards, it would visit a river or pond for a drink of water, fall asleep, wake up, and *regurgitate* the victim completely unharmed...but a tiny little bit shorter. If the same person ever wandered alone into the wilderness again, it was warned that they were certain to be attacked by the same monster, and with every attack, they would be spat up a little less human. Anyone drained, swallowed and puked enough times by the Yara-ma-yha-who would eventually become one themselves, though it was never specified just how many attacks it would take."

See? A nasty sucker, to be sure.

Acrylics, with pointless Photoshop mangling tossed in. I really, really love critters with googly eyes and gaping mouths, and I kinda like the suction cups on its foot, but I'm otherwise convinced I could have done a way better job of this (the left leg bugs me more than anything else). Given my lack of time to do anything constructive... well, I'll do better next time. Honest, guv!