Slash Bloodclaw

Chapter 1

The Village was bustling under the light of the rising sun. Villagers greeted each other and warmed up for a long day of work. The farmers descended the ladders hanging from the trees and checked their crops or animals. Butchers and blacksmiths sharpened swords, one to chop meat and the second to sell. Fishermen wrote signs on their shop doors declaring they were open while librarians blew dust from the covers of ancient books. Everyone was starting their job. Minecraft was coming to life.
A few blocks away from the village clearing, the jungle was also coming to life. In the towering trees, parrots mimicked song-like welcomes and ocelots unfurled from their cozy balls. Ocelots yawned and stretched to knead the tree bark. The noise in the jungle was like a bell, waking up the rest of the villagers.
In a treehouse spread wide across the jungle trees, a small ways from the village, tucked safely in the covers of her bed, Slash Bloodclaw yawned and stretched her arms. Her pet ocelot, Streak, also yawned and kneaded its woolen blanket with skillful but dangerous claws. Slash still couldn’t figure out how those paws climbed the tallest trees, for Streak was quite the acrobat. Streak dashed out of the room, waiting for Slash to follow.
Slash slipped off the bed and looked at her room. Her eyes were greeted by the sight of a bookshelf, a collection of barrels, the stand for a lantern, and a window with a perfect view of the jungle. Gazing out at the landscape from her window was the first thing she did in the morning, as she was doing now.
After her sense of calmness had settled, Slash walked into her kitchen room and was greeted by a hungry kitten waiting for her breakfast. “Good morning, Streak.” she said fondly to her kitten, tossing Streak a fish to satisfy the kitten’s hunger. “Good morning, Streak.” she heard her parrot say, copying her.
“Don’t worry, Squawky. I didn’t forget you.” Slash said to the young parrot, who was perched on a shelf and tossed Squawky a slice of watermelon. Slash walked towards the trapdoor that had a ladder going down towards the jungle floor. “I’m off to go collect some wheat and beetroot from our farm. You guys wanna come?” Slash called to her pets. Streak meowed and climbed down the tree limbs towards the ground and Squawky flew towards the ground where they waited for Slash to climb down the ladder and join them.
After a bit Slash reached the farm a small walk from the treehouse. As she collected the crops, Squawky and Streak played with the other animals. Once she was done she started back towards her treehouse with her pets in tow. A while later as she walked she saw a shadow from a tree look like it moved. Slash shook her head and kept walking. My eyes are playing tricks on me. She thought and dismissed it from her mind. A hand clamped on her mouth. Slash tried to scream for help but the hand muffled out all sound. Something banged against her head and she collapsed in the dirt. The hand released her as she went unconscious. “Help.” she moaned.

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