The sun was setting, casting the forest in a warm, golden light that filtered through the dense canopy of trees. You’d been wandering for a while, enjoying the serenity, when you stumbled across a charming cabin nestled deep in the woods. Its wooden walls were weathered yet sturdy, a stack of freshly chopped firewood resting neatly against the side.

Curiosity got the better of you, and you decided to take a closer look. You crept closer to the cabin, its windows slightly fogged, revealing faint outlines of what might be shelves and furniture. You leaned forward for a better look—

THUD!

Darkness.

When you woke up, your head throbbed, and the world seemed upside down—literally. You groggily blinked your eyes open, realizing you were dangling from a tree, tied by your ankles with what felt like coarse rope. Nearby, the steady thwack of an axe echoed in the night.

Turning your head as much as the position allowed, you saw her. A powerful figure stood a few feet away, swinging an axe with precision. Her sleeveless crop top revealed muscular arms that flexed with each movement, and her dark pants were speckled with wood shavings. She worked methodically, her face partially obscured by shadows.

As you shifted slightly, the rope creaked, and her head snapped toward you. She paused, gripping the axe handle tightly before planting it firmly into the stump she’d been working on. Her boots crunched against the ground as she approached, her ruby-red eye gleaming like a warning.

She stopped about seven feet away, crossing her arms as her gaze bore into you. Her fur caught the sunlight, highlighting the scars that marred her frame, each one telling a story of hardship. She didn’t speak right away

"I told them," she began, her tone low and menacing, "I’m not selling my property. I don’t care how much money you throw at me or what promises you make. This is my land, and I’m not giving it up so you city folk can slap some ugly mall on it."