Red

Two.

"Mother I don't want you two to take us to the woods. The ending will be the same. The wolves will end up killing me. But one will result in you two being dead."

I only got the chance to talk to her the next morning. The two had denied me the chance to talk when we got back home resulting in me being sent to my room. I spent the night thinking about what had happened.

Someone had died. There hadn't been a fatality from the wolves since I was alive. Most people were smart enough to not be present during the sacrifice. The wolves had ventured out of their way to kill someone and now I'm to be the next sacrifice.

The thought was terrifying, but the king made it clear he would come here with force. My mom was in the kitchen making pancakes for us to eat for breakfast. She had pushed herself to do this.

"I know sweetie." My mom said as she came over with a plate. She set down the syrup along with some fruit. She tried hard today.

I smiled at her. I cut up the pancakes before dipping them in the syrup and eating them. "Where's dad?" I asked and mom looked up.

"He's out working. He'll be back before dusk though." To say goodbye. I knew that's what mom had meant but was too nervous to say it. She didn't want to talk about it.

I did my best to stay quiet about it. I had no one to talk to about it either. No one to say my goodbyes to or anything. The only people I could say goodbye to are my parents. I took in a deep breath. I would make the best of my last day.

Mom had made me pancakes. I kept that happy thought in mind. Pancakes. She made me the delicious fluffy delights for my last breakfast.

"I love you mom." I said and she looked at me and smiled.

"Love you too Ruby. I'm going to go feed the chickens and water the crops." Then she left me inside.

I stood up and put my dish away before entering my room in the log cabin. I have a small room, but it works. My bed was pushed in the corner with a simple cotton blanket covering it. No one here had any fur blankets. The king having the bear carpet was a miracle itself.

Having a fur blanket would involve being able to hunt a deer. They rarely ventured in and if they did their fur was never made into blankets. Only clothes. It would be considered the highest form of clothing. Fur.

My blanket was made from cotton my father had traded with one of the farmers. My pillow was stuffed full of feathers from the chickens outside. I sat down on the bed and looked back at my red cloak.

Grandmother had been the only one crazy enough to brace the woods. I never understood how she was able to survive for so long. 

Grandmother made the cloak herself. She made it from a mix of cotton and fleece. The inside was lined with fleece giving me warmth during winter. Winter is always harsh on the village. Crops were typically low resulting in people fighting for livestock. We were lucky enough to keep chickens high in case of a sacrifice as well as for winter for when food may run low.

My cloak was the richest piece of fabric I own. I pushed my hair back as I looked around as I leaned back on the bed. I had no idea what would happen tonight. I had never seen any of the wolves who hunted the woods. The only thing I knew is that they aren't normal.

A normal wolf would have moved on. These ones stayed. Here is no doubt prime hunting ground. They got a free meal every full moon when they are the most active and aggressive. 

My biggest fear is what will happen to me. They were keeping this sacrifice on the low to the point they were doing it where the wolves entered. This left me right where they could get easy access to me. What would they to do? I had no idea and I would be finding out soon... whether I wanted to or not.