Little Red

Alone at last

Wulf stared after the girl with the surprisingly powerful swing, rubbing the side of his head numbly. "I only wanted a cookie..." He mumbled as she disappeared, after a while he got up and collected his bow starting to walk down the path he had come. "No sweets for me." He sighed, feeling down cast that he couldn't coax the girl into giving him just one of the delicious treat. Now on top of being beaten by a girl, had a pulsating headache.

--

Clari kept running till her feet felt heavy and she slowed, looking around her for her grandmother's house but there was nothing that looked familiar. The sun was sinking and the snow was painted orange by the tired star. The lack of light made it that much harder to find something familiar. Her heart sank, realizing she was more lost than a rabbit in a chicken coop.

She stopped walking, turning on the spot and searching frantically for a sign or path or land-mark. Nothing.

Clari knew how big the Woods were, they stretched on for miles and miles and there was no telling where she was at this point. So, like any girl would in her situation she started to panic, darting around glancing to and fro.

"Staying in one place isn't going to get you anywhere." She told herself, forcing herself to walk again. Clari had walked for more than twenty minutes before she noticed how dark it was, seeing no lights shining through the dark she started to cry. She sank to her knees, crying into her mittens ignoring the hunger gnawing at her stomach. The basket laid by her side, out of reach so as to not tempt herself.

She didn't like feeling lost, nowhere to go and not knowing where you are, she started to think that she should have taken Wulf up on his offer. As she continued to weep, soaking her mittens and making her hands cold and wet she heard snuffling near her but she didn't care, until she could hear smacking like one would make when they were thirsty. Clari became curious and uncovered her tear streaked face, to see a massive grey wolf in the fading light. She didn't know whether to scream or run, she screamed, scrambling away from the large animal.

It raised is burly head, smacking his maw as he chewed what seemed to be a cookie in his mouth. He watched with those pale yellow eyes she had read about, that seemed to have a nonchalant gleam as  he returned to stuffing his muzzle with the cookies

Clari stared at him, taking in every detail. Especially the paws. "My, what big paws you have..." She squeaked, repeating herself. The wolf raised his head again, this time not chewing. Simply watching.

Clari gulped, feeling the freezing cold of the night settle in her red cloak when a breeze infiltrated the warmth.

The wolf continued to stare, his ears pricked forward. Clari began to feel more uncomfortable with his stare, but afraid to move for fear of upsetting the enormous predator who could easily kill her.

The animal raised a paw out of the snow and took a hesitant step toward Clari, so that he was now several inches from her face. Clari breathed in, smelling the sweet cookie breath of the wolf. His mouth opened wide, tongue curling out around his glistening teeth in a silent yawn. "My, what big teeth you have." Clari remarked quietly, watching him lick his lips then walk more, even closer to Clari. Her heart pounded, she could feel his warmth and she yearned to be warm again. She couldn't bear the numbness of her fingers any more. She tore off her mittens and thrust her hands into the wolf's thick winter coat, grasping desperately at the warm fur and sighing in relief when he did not snap at her or worse. The wolf stood patiently waiting, watching her intently.  Why doesn't he pull away? Why does he just stand?

"Why do you watch me so?" Clari asked, meeting his gaze. it was now so dark she could barely see the gleam in his glowing eyes.

As expected the animal gave no reply, blinking twice before pulling away from Clari and padding behind her, pushing her with his nose as if urging her to get up.

  Clari did so, reaching for her now lighter basket and wondering what it was the wolf wanted. She heard paw steps go around to the front of her and then felt fur beneath her fingers, she pulled her hand back out of reflex but slowly and hesitantly lowered it back down to what she assumed was the animal's back.

It began to walk and Kandi followed, unsure and afraid. At least she wasn't alone. Still puzzled over what this wolf wanted with her. She was glad for his guidance, in the darkness she would have walked right onto a frozen lake and died if she had been by herself.