Red Ridding Hood

Chapter 5

It was another bright morning, as Rose woke up. The birds chirping outside, and the sun light glimmering through the cave entrance. Slowly trudging along the floor, she exists the cave for some fresh air. To her surprise, she finds a basket, on the edge of the exit! It was woven with light brown twigs and had a red cloth covering the content inside of it. Curious, Rose walks closer to it and pokes it with her index finger. Nothing moves inside. More curious and baffled, she tugs the red cloth off of the basket; bread and cheese! And even some fruits and others nourishments! And beside it was a bowl of water.

She lets out a gasp! Who kept sending her food? How had she not noticed them? How did they know she loved cheese and had send her some? Was it a fairy? Looking around, the wolf is nowhere to be seen.

Still bewildered, she holds a scoop of water in her hands and splashes her face. Rapidly blinking at the coldness now wetting her face. That certainly woke her up. Cleaning herself up further, she relishes the freshness she now feels. Taking some bread and cheese, as well as a pear, she hops out completely of the cave and takes another look around. She wonders at how the meadow still looks beautiful and calm, even though she's been here a while. The never ending song of the forest life still orchestrating on. Once again, she doesn't find Nymeria.

Humbly sitting down, her dress tucked under, Rose eats her delightful breakfast. She relishes the taste of the bread and cheese on her tongue. Yesterday she had only eaten fruit, but today, despite its simplicity, had actual food to feed her. Chewing slowly, she eventually finishes her mini sandwich and begins humming a small tune. Surprised the birds repeated the tune back! Laughing, she tried a different tune, the birds chirping their reply. Thus, continued time with Rose singing little songs and rhymes, the birds tweeting alongside. The moment seems almost magical as Rose prances across the green grass dancing with her little friends singing away.

Hearing a sniffy chuckle, Rose turns around to see Nymeria looking at her. She stands still, the magical moment suddenly just as still, until the wolf wiggled his head and ears, wagging his tail and jumping about. "Nymeria!", Rose laughs out, "My fluffy dance partner.", and so continued her small party in the meadow.

After a while once they had calmed down, Nymeria goes back into the cave whilst Rose waits patiently outside. Moments later, he comes out again with her cape draped across him, its edges dragging across the floor as he walked, and the basket in his mouth. Hobbling along with the items, he lays the cradle of food beside Rose, and shrugs of the cape. Standing in front of her, he lifted his head up. Confused, Rose only states back. Rolling his eyes, he motions his head again, and turns and walks away. Bewildered, she stands up, grabs the baskets in one arm, and her cape held in the other, following him.

Calmly walking through the forest, Rose wonders at its beauty whilst the wolf leads her. Past loads of trees, a river, then more trees.

The wolf walked past a couple more trees, and unexpectedly there was a small little cottage, hidden by all the trees and bushes around it, in front of the two. Rose stood still, in shock and bewilderment. Nymeria continued walking towards it, but when he saw Rose was not following, he turning around and gently pushed Rose forward.

Pushing the front door open, Nymeria walk in, Rose following. Inside it was a bit dusty but otherwise decently cleaned. As they walked down the small corridor, the walked past a kitchen, with a small wooden table in the middle of the room, and many wooden cabinets on the walls, the next room was a tiny living room, albeit cosy, with a couple of arm chairs in a semi-circle, with a small bookshelf in the corner. At the end of the corridor, there were two bedrooms opposite to each other. One with a single bed, and another with a double bed. But Rose didn't get a chance to look at the rooms well enough as Nymeria pushed her into bugger bedroom.

Clumsily she enters the room, placing her stuff down onto the bed. She looks around the room, then to Nymeria, who yips and wags his tail like a dog. Laughing, she hugs him, "I've no idea why you took me here, but thank you.", she giggles, "It's definitely more comfortable than the cave." Next to the bed were, a little bed stand, and on the other side a small cupboard. On the right-hand side of the room was a large window, covered by white curtains, an on the left a self of books and a mirror to it left.

"This won't do!" Rose announces. The wolf cocks his head in confusion. "This place needs dusting!" grabbing the bed sheets, she tugs the free off the bed and shakes the dust off. Dusting off and fixing the bed up, Rose then grabs a cloth and proceeded to clean up the room, and then the rest of the hunt. Stopping for a bit of cheese and bread for lunch. Once again the wolf had disappeared.

By the evening everything was clean and tidy, finishing off in the living room. She goes into the kitchen to grab a snack for dinner, where'd she'd left the basket earlier, only to see there was another basket next to it with a cloth on top. Taking of the cloth, she to find out it's a dress, slightly too big for her, but much welcomed (since she had been wearing the same clothes since kidnapped). Inside the basket was more bread and cheese, but now also some jam, vegetables, more apples and pears and carrots, her favourite! Looking around she spots some new plates and pots that had suddenly appeared. They weren't here when shed first gone in and cleaned the kitchen! Confused, she accepts the ne gifts and places them in the cupboards. After all, strange things had been happening all day.

After having done that, she quietly walks back to the living room with a plate of food in her hand. In there the wolf is trying to push a certain couch, it was the only one with flower patterns on it, towards the window, rather than it being hidden in the dark corner of the room. Huffing, Rose places her plate on the table, and tiredly helps him move it. Not questioning anything yet. Sitting down on the couch with her plate on her lap she looks down on Nymeria who was laying in front of her. "How? How did you find this place? Where'd the food come from?" she asks flutily, there was no reply.

So, they sit comfortably in silence, as the sun sets and it gets darker. Gently nudging her up, the wolf pushes and guides Rose to her bed, where another surprise laid. One her bed lay a couple more dresses, night wear and even some underwear. Too tired to question and think anymore, she changes into her pyjamas, folds the clothes away, sneaks into the bed and falls asleep.

As the moon rose into the night sky, and a thick fog covered the land, a still figure lurked at the edge of the forest. A growl thunders through its chest, low and threatening. It swaggers with the fog, into village, prowling carefully. Whines were heard from the animals in the stable, their shackles rattling. Crashes were heard. Panic. Cries of the animals in the stables, screams of their terror.

In the morning people wake up to see a mess. Everyone heard the noise last night, but anyone with a logical mind stayed inside, hidden under their bed covers. Villagers in shock. All the stalls in the market destroyed, in tatters and ruins. Dead chickens lay here and there, a rabbit or two. Blood tailed across the middle of the street, leading into the forest. The hunters trash the place further, as women gasp at the after math from afar. Amongst those interrogating the people, breaking doors to find clues, were James and Ivan.

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sorry I've been inactive, school/ college has been keeping me a slave. I shall try update often. 

How was this chapter? I don't know, it needed to be written for the plot to progress even though not much happens. oops?