WTF was it?

[h2co-pilot]

Sunday night when we had gotten in our tent. Everyone was sleeping in the campground- all was quiet and a few dying embers were hissing to a slow death.

I layed there trying to get comfortable on the blow-up mattress. You know the deal; both of us moved around a bit then stopped and listened to eachother breathing. Then I wasn't perfectly comfortable but I didn't want to move in case Ken was falling asleep. Then I had to clear my throat. So I decided to clear my throat and move once more at the same time. I was as comfortable as I was going to get -then I realized I had to go to the bathroom- laying there wondering if I could hold it. Then I layed there thinking about going to the bathroom. Finally I got up and he was up too! and we both headed down with the flashlight and settled back into the tent.

Settling again and finally comfortable, we started to drift off. Who knows how much time had passed. And then we heard this

eeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

The scariest freaking long hissing shreak I have ever heard! I was up, still, stiff and breathing shallow- searching for another sound or indication of wtf it was. Then about a minute later:

eeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

I could practically hear whatever it was breathing. I whispered to Kenny "What is that?!" He said "I dunno!". It was either in the branch above our tent or right on the poles cresting on the top of our tent.

It went on for an hour. Spiradic and sometimes 5 minutes apart- I would drift off thinking it was gone- and then:

eeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

We were both picturing this huge horned monster with blood around it's huge mouth filled with razor sharp teeth.

Then, Fawk! I had to go to the bathroom again. No fukking way was I going out there. I coughed a little to startle it and make it go away- but it didn't move. We lyed there wincing at each shreak. It went on until the first sign of light when we got up. I went pee and it was the best ever.

Later we went to the Ranger's station and that particular one had only been there 2 weeks and didn't know what we were talking about- but laughed at us. Does anyone have a clue about what it might have been? - our camping neighbors said they thought it was a screech owl but I looked it up and that sounds like your average little hooter. This must have been the nocturnal appalachian monster. Maybe a Barn owl but I can't confirm.