The wedding dress story.... Fineee just gimme some time ok. I don't like talking about it. But I'll tell y'all soon enough.

K so I don't lay claim to my Leshy being a typical specimen nor do I know any others except for him, but here's what my mother's always told me.

His human form--The cudgel (not exactly what I'd call a fancy stick) represents his reign over the woods. The way the caftan is crossed, left over right, is a giveaway to his demonic nature.

I don't know Leshy to appear as humans in general. As for his true form, it's possible that some Leshy look more humanoid, but mine doesn't. He stands upright like one, but he more resembles what the lovechild of a deer and a tree would look like. He sure is gigantic though.

And he can appear anyway he wants! That's why I asked the hunter if he saw birds. "My" Leshy can appear as a human, a flock of birds, a bear, a stag... Those are the shapes I've seen him in thus far.

And Wendigos are definitely not the same thing. Far as I know, Wendigos are born from humans consuming human meat. The Leshy has always been what he is. Also, I imagine Wendigos are purely hunger-driven. The Leshy's just... well, him.

Then again, I've never met a Wendigo.