Paws

Chapter 1

I had been walking for ages, or so it feels like. With every step I took, my paws bled out from all the rocks, sticks, and glass that were now embedded into them. I knew I couldn't go on much longer, because of dehydration and the pain. Looking around, I found a tall tree about two feet away from me. I picked up my pace and hurried over to it. My eyes wandered up and down to see what the tree had to offer for me. I saw nothing until my gaze passed over a small hole embedded into the tree. Although my paws protested, I scaled the tree, digging my claws into the bark. Finally reaching the top, I let out a big sigh. I noticed that the hole was just my size and I could sleep there tonight. I turned in circles a couple of times before finally curling up into a little ball and drifting off to sleep.

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I awoke the next morning to the sound of leaves crackling and they were caused by heavy footsteps as they approached my tree. Slowly, I let my eyelids slide open and I looked down from the tall tree. I was amazed to see a very large and muscular lumberjack standing at the bottom of my oak tree. Maybe he can help me, I thought as I looked down from my tree. He took his axe and went CHOP right into the tree. The whole tree shook from the force and then slowly came to a stand still. My claws had gone deeper into the bark of the tree, so if he swung again I wouldn't fall off.

Watching the man swing the axe for the second time, I waited for the tree to shake again. The vibrations went through the tree and my body harder this time. I let out a frightened yelp and hoped the lumberjack heard me. Peeking down, I saw his head swivel this way and that trying to find the source of the cry. After about two minutes, which was dreadfully slow on his part, he finally looked up. His eyes widened to the point that it seemed like they might come out of their sockets. After the shock wore off, he started to call out to me, "Here kitty, kitty. Here kitty, kitty."

Slowly, I started my descent head first, a skill that I picked up from rock climbing in my younger years. When I came within arms reach of him, he grabbed me so fast that my claws could not retract fast enough. Some were plucked from my paw, causing me more pain. I let out another sorrow-filled cry as my paws began to bleed again. The lumberjack, feeling the blood on his hands, looked closely at my paws and said with a booming voice, "Well little kitty, I will have to get those wounds cleaned and bandaged before you do any sort of walking." My only reply was a small little meow.

His home was a little cabin in the middle of nowhere. It looked like it would be a great place for a haunted house. It was a darker shade of brown wood that made up the outside of the cabin. The chimney was made of limestone. There was a small porch with a rocking chair that moved to and fro with every gust of wind. The inside was just as glamorous as the outside. There was a small twin-size bed with a quilt lying on top in a corner. In the other corner were a stove and other kitchen necessities. A table with two chairs was in the middle of the room. There was no decor. Even on the windows, there was nothing. As he carried me through the door, my cat eyes could see spiders lurking in the far corners and I could hear rats crawling under the stove.

His hand brought my gaze back to him as it rubbed the back of my ear, making me purr. He laid me on the bed and started talking, "Okay, lets see here, little kitty. We have bandages, scissors, and pocket knives-"

Hold on just a minute, Mr. Lumberjack. There is no way in hell you are using a pocketknife on me! I thought to myself.

Apparently, he was able to read my expression and said, "Calm down I am not going to be using that to take care of your wounds." I let out a sigh of relief and could feel my muscles relaxing. "Where is the healing cream? I know I put it in here," stated the lumberjack.