"It HAS to work this time." I mumbled to myself as I finished setting up the trap.
I had already tried everything else to catch him! From standing in an open meadow, completely exposed, while pretending to pick flowers. To skipping through the woods, whistling loudly down the path. God, I even faked a fall, just to add to the effect that I was as innocent and helpless as a baby bunny. Only to end up with nothing but a dirty dress and bruised up knees as the outcome.
And my last plan completely emptied out my piggy bank, when I decided to spend all of my allowance on this stupid bright red hooded cloak. Thinking the color would stand out in the dark woods, and I would grab his attention.
It didn't.
I was running out of ideas. Plus I could only give my parents the same lame excuse, that I wanted to visit my grandmother, so many times before they would start to catch on.
But in a way, it was my parents fault I was in this mess to begin with. Since THEY were the ones that insisted I take grandma some hot soup, on that cold day, a few months back.
That was the day I first saw him. As I was simply strolling through the woods to grandma's house.... Ok. Maybe more like stomping and huffing through the woods, but those are just the minor details of it.
Anyway, I was just on my way to grandma's house, when a rustling off the trail made me stop in my tracks. My heart beating wildly in my chest as I looked frantically around for any signs of danger. I had heard the stories from the young maidens in the village, of ferocious beast roaming in the woods. That they wouldn't hesitate to gobble up any unsuspecting girl whole. In one, single, solitary bite.
And then, just as some rays of light penetrated through the tree tops, I saw him. He stepped out onto the trail. The sunlight shining against his purple matted fur. His claws doused in red, while droplets of blood fell from his jaw.
I stood perfectly still and held my breath when his ear suddenly twitched, and he turned his head in my direction. His beautiful, dull, gray eyes pierced right through me. He lifted his head and sniffed the air for a second, before he turned and walked away.
I let out the breath I was holding and fell to my knees. My face flushed as I clutched angrily at the hem of my skirt. 'How? Just how is it, that those stupid bitches from the village, failed to mention how freaking hot the beast in these woods were?'
That moment was the catalyst to my many attempts to meet the handsome Wolf again. And even though trapping him was a bit extreme, I simply couldn't help it, since I was at the end of my rope and had run out of options. I mean, what is a girl even supposed to do to get ravaged around here!? Right?
So now here I was, crouching down in some bushes, waiting for the Wolf to step into my trap. A trap that consisted of a large enchanted cage. One that I "borrowed" from a nearby guild's headquarters. A cage that was strong enough, that no monster could ever hope to escape from. I had also carefully seared a big slice of steak, just enough for it to give off a mouth watering aroma, but still remain bloody. And I had even baked a fresh batch of cookies, just in case.
The steak and cookies were set up on top of a wooden plate, on the ground, right below the cage that was dangling from the tree tops above. Held in place by some strong rope I had also "borrowed" from my father's barn.
With everything in place, all I had to do now was wait.
Luckily it wasn't long before I began to hear footsteps approaching the area. And I had to pinch my lips together, to keep from shrieking with delight, as I saw MY Wolf step through the brush and into the clearing I had carefully created. His nostrils flaring with each inhale, as he took one step after another, closer to the juicy steak I had placed on top of the plate.
