A Soldier's Crest: Shadowed Lives

Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

Looking straight up from the dirt covered ground of the Ninja Village you could not even see the sun through the trees and branches above. Despite it being day time the lamp posts lining this hidden village were lit. A woman wearing a dark black cloak and a mask covering the lower half of her face walked out of her house carrying a young baby girl with a small boy running past her and out into the dirt path. The little boy ran past another group of small children that were lined up receiving instruction from a teacher that was also dressed in all black.

"A back flip is rather easy for a ninja." Explained the instructor. "Azel, give it a try."

A small boy with short turquoise hair stepped out from the line, he was also wearing all black but his face was not covered.

"I've never tried to do a backflip before." Azel said nervously.

"Try." The instructor demanded.

Azel set his feet and let his arms hang before him and squatted. He jumped backwards and fell flat on his back. The other kids began to laugh.

"You find it humorous yet you have yet to try it yourselves." Said the instructor. "Mira, you try."

Out from the crowd of children came a petite girl with short wavy red hair, her eyes were yellow with a hint of green and instead of normal pupils she had just black slits. She was wearing a red shirt with black shorts and sandals on her feet. What was most unique about her was that she had two cat ears on her head and a tail covered in red fur sticking out from the back of her shorts, swaying behind her.

"I don't want to try." Said the small cat girl.

"Ah, but you do not have a choice." Replied the instructor. The other kids began to talk among themselves.

Mira looked behind her at the kids, some were pointing at her as they spoke, she turned to face her instructor then took a few steps forward to a similar spot that Azel just stood in. She stood straight for a moment before quickly squatting and back flipping up and over her instructor. The height she reached forced all of the kids to cease their conversations and look in awe.

Mira landed gracefully before remembering she was training to be a ninja and she dropped into a prowling state, pretending she was holding a weapon of some kind.

"Very good." Said the instructor before nodding to signal she could go back into the group of children. The awe the kids were experiencing had worn off and they snickered and mocked her as she passed through the crowd.

Mira walked past them all, ignoring them, but one of the kids in the back of the group stuck out his foot and tripped her. She crashed to the ground putting out her hands to brace her fall but the damage had been done. Mira was now covered in mud and the kids were laughing. The laughter grew louder and louder and the other kids turned around as well, causing the instructor to pass through them to see a crying Mira on the floor.

"Her cat-likeness didn't help her that time." Said one of the kids through his laughter, this caused the other kids to laugh more as well.

"That is enough." Commanded the instructor. "You will not treat your own clan members with such disrespect."

"But instructor, she is clearly not one of ours. Look at her."

"I said enough." The instructor was serious now and the child knew not to press any further."Focus on the lesson and nothing more. Take that energy and do a backflip, Darius."

The children turned back to continue to try the task given to them by the instructor but Mira did no such thing, she continued to walk toward one of the houses near by. The houses in the village were all shrouded by trees and bushes and some even connected to the trees directly. Mira sat on the steps of one of the buildings and began to look around her, taking in the scenery as if she did not live here her entire life.