Leafclaw: The End of an Era

Chapter 1

Sixty-six million years ago, in a vast jungle that covered the majority of North America, a diverse group of organisms known as clade dinosauria roamed the vastness of Earth.

Among them were a small class of primarily carnivorous theropods known as the pectinodon. Said species roamed the undergrowth of these lush jungle lands, flourishing on insects and small organisms.

One such creature, known solely by the name Leafclaw, lay on a small, flat faced rock, basking in the late morning sun. The small pectinodon lay perfectly still, aside for the momentary flick of the tail or twitch of a toe. The creature was primarily covered in feathers, colored with varying shades of green and white.

The jungle ahead, despite being shadowed by a dense canopy of trees, held a bright atmosphere, full of life and adventure. Vibrantly colored birds fluttered in between branches, mammals and reptiles alike scurried through the underbrush, and pterosaurs swooped overhead, casting large winged shadows over the jungle as they played in the brilliant blue sky.

An almost undetectable scent suddenly flittered across Leafclaw's twin nostrils, and in an instant the troodontid was on his feet and chasing the scent into the condensed jungle.

His clawed feet dashed soundlessly off the green carpeted floor, bouncing effortlessly over rocks, holes, and logs. Whilst tracking the unquestionable scent of prey, Leafclaw quickly avoided crunchy leaves and snapping sticks that would undoubtedly give him away. Birds chirped in the green canopy above, hopping from branch to branch, and Leafclaw turned an eye briefly skyward. Thin rays of light peered through the tightly knitted trees, dancing between the shadows of birds and glittering against puddles on the jungle floor. The air was thick with moisture, but it was clear and clean, and Leafclaw sucked it in greedily as he pursued his prey.

The pectinodon leapt over a particularly large log, landing in a unseen puddle on the other side that splashed boisterously under his feet. Leafclaw squawked in unanticipated delight, twitching as the warm water splattered against his underbelly. He bounced out of the puddle, then skidded to a stop just as he reached a moss coated rock. Carefully peaking around the corner, Leafclaw narrowed his golden eyes against the dusted light.

There, only about four paces away, a small striped mammal sat nibbling on a walnut. It cracked the shell with its strong, narrow teeth, then crunched noisily on the protein filled insides. Leafclaw unsheathed his claws and crouched, preparing to strike. He soundlessly stepped around the rock, opening his maw as he crept just a tiny bit closer...

"Scree!"

Leafclaw threw himself into the air, managing to land directly on top of the furred critter. It squeaked in surprise at his rising shadow, and just barely dodged everything except for one sharpened toe claw.

Upon landing, Leafclaw immediately dug his serrated teeth into the unlucky mammal's neck. It quickly stopped struggling, and small predator couldn't help but croak in delight at sweet flavor that lapsed across his tongue. Once he was sure the creature had perished, he chirped a victory before scooping up his reward and dashing into the trees.

Unfortunately, Leafclaw could not enjoy his meal until he was out of the way of potential dangers and back in his safe haven.

Following a slightly different path than before, the pectinodon leapt over the tail of a sleeping edmontosaurus, skittered through a cloud of thick foliage, bounded through the clearing that held his sunning rock, and raced back into the jungle on the other side.

After leaping over a small stream and scooting underneath a few algae-ridden logs, Leafclaw came to a stop in front of his small home: A rocky enclave snuggled into the side of a short, yet steep hill. Moss hung gently over the two foot tall entrance, and the smoothed rocks created a doorway almost too perfect for his smaller frame. Leafclaw a ducked inside before stretching to his full height in the main living space of the cave.

The ceiling above reached a maximum of four feet tall, but that was plenty for his barely three foot form. The space inside was a roughly circular shape, big enough for Leafclaw to effectively walk around and curl up in. His nest -a small structure composed of sticks, soft moss, and leaves- squished comfortably under his feet. A pile of shed feathers lay in one corner, and a cluster of fresh bones lay in another. The floor was clear of any blood or debris, primarily for the purpose of not attracting predators with the scent of flesh.

Leafclaw set his meal down and began to feast. He picked out the best parts first -the heart and liver- before moving on to the stomach and more fleshy components of his prey. Once completely finished, he licked the bones clean and stacked them in the corner for a later date. The rest of the carcass Leafclaw carried outside before burying it several meters from his home. He washed his claws and muzzle in the crystal clear stream, stopping momentarily to play with the smooth rocks on its bottom. One such stone made a significant splash when it fell back into the water, spraying Leafclaw in the face and soaking his chest and muzzle. Figuring he was already quite wet, Leafclaw decided to engage in a refreshing bird bath. He splashed the water over his green and white body, removing unnecessary oils from his feathers and freeing the dirt that clung to his skin.

Once finished, the small dinosaur climbed out of his bath and shook before plopping down to nap on his favorite flat rock. The warmness of it soothed his muscles, and the golden sun dried his shimmering feathers. Sighing, Leafclaw comfortably wrapped his tail around his body before falling into a warmth induced sleep.