The Dreadmaw

The Dreadmaw is a mythical creature, almost a dragon but not quite, from horror stories and children's tales. It looks like a dragon until you get close, then it's entire face opens up to reveal endless rows of teeth. While there is no evidence to the dreadmaw being an actual creature, it has gained a large amount of popularity in stories.

It was then he knew the gravity of his mistake, at the same moment it was undeniably too late. For despite the dangers he had survived so far, in the distance sounded an unmistakable growl, straight from the childrens' stories. He had become prey, not for any mere dragon or beast of hell, but for a dreadmaw.

— Night's Calling

Summary

The most common, and typically thought to be the original, tale of the dreadmaw was a cautionary tale to children, warning them not to wander off into the forest at night. It is said that on foggy nights the dreadmaw stalks, hiding in the distance where its form is obscured, luring in curious children so that they might be its next meal. Other horror stories amp up its abilities, from perfect sight that allows it to hunt its prey through the thickest of fog to unnatural speed that makes it completely impossible to escape.
Some parents have hyped up the cautionary aspects of the tale as well, adding in details like being able to sense children who are bad and track them even to their own homes.
Others have used the dreadmaw as an enemy for a hero's quest in their novels,and others still have claimed to have seen the beast for real.
Whichever form the story takes, the dreadmaw is always depicted as a ruthless and deadly hunter, able to track its foe from a great distance and always catch its mark. Few indeed are the tales that depict survivors of the mad beast's hunt. While some have dedicated time to trying to track down one of the beasts or prove that they truly do exist, almost all certainly hope that the myth is just that, and nothing more.