Red and Her Wolf

Chapter 3: Cottage = Safety

Red stole into the Wood, silently screaming. Bitch, Bitch, total selfish evil bitch! How does she do that??? I hate her! Red mouthed to herself.

To any other family, that comment was small, supportive even. But for them, it meant Red was locked out of the house until Grandmother went to sleep. If she tried to get into the kitchen, let alone her bed, her grandmother would stop talking to her for days and would make sure there was no food in the house, starving her until she either begged for forgiveness, or starved for long enough to satisfy her sadism. Red had tried in the past to get food from an inn, but the shame in having to drop her grandmother's name had resulted in the same punishment. It was a long reminder that she was nothing without her grandmother's name and power.

Red felt her stomach grumble, a painful reminder that her Grandmother had played her power expertly, as always.

A single thought cut through her anger and hunger.

The cottage! Red threw her Glider on the ground and jumped on it. The cottage was always stocked with food just in case Grandmother decided to visit. In the fading light, Red raced as hard as she could. If she went slowly, she wouldn't make it to the area free of cameras before night fell fully and the Woodcutters started their patrols. If she was caught by one of them, if she survived long enough to get identified, it would cause even more issues and townspeople would come out to gawk when she was brought home to Grandmother.

She didn't want to think about her punishment after such public humiliation.

Red amped up the speed on her Glider, enjoying the recklessness in the lower light. The forest took on a magical quality in the twilight. Red was almost sure that someone was following her, by a flash in the tree line, but when she looked it was only trees or falling leaves.

Coming into the clearing around the cottage, Red let her speed stop. The small barrier that surrounded the cottage was down, and would only come on if her grandmother activated it. Red wouldn't even dare. She'd wait until morning before heading back to Harmony.

Pulling her Glider up, she stepped onto the stone pathway just as the last of the light twinkled out, showing only starlight.

Safe, she thought to herself.

"How dare you!" A voice cried out in anger. Something about the voice made Red's heart clench. Surely not?

Red turned around and was confronted with a giant wolf, its grey fur glistening in the starlight, her height but much longer. "You are born of the betrayer! And you attempt to make friends with Wolves? Rubbing salt on the wound you come here, the burial ground of our family member!"

The voice was both human and a Wolf growl, confusing Red.

"Silva?" Red said softly, her heart beating wildly in her ribcage.

The Wolf transformed in two strides showing the beautiful tall woman from the day before. "You give me a name, but you did not have the right, offspring of the betrayer!" Silva barred sharp teeth at Red, a growl in the back of her throat.

"The betrayer?" Red was perplexed. "My Grandmother? Is that what Wolves call her? Why is she the betrayer? Because of the culling?"

Mid growl Silva twitched her head to the side. The image was so much like a curious wolf that Red couldn't help but giggle. She slapped a hand over her mouth as soon as the sound escaped. "I'm so sorry! I'm not laughing at what you said...I just...I'm not in a good head space. Can you explain all of this to me? I'm sorry I didn't mention my Grandmother. I wish we weren't related to be honest. I-" A loud growl issues from Red's stomach, making her giggle and blush at the same time.