Little Red Riding Mei
One-Shot
Her mother always told her to be weary of the woods. She said a wolf hunted there, snatching anything and anyone who stepped foot in his hunting grounds. During the full moon, the wolf would come out and hunt his prey before disappearing till the next full moon.
Mei had always taken trips back and forth, from her village to her grandmother's house that lay deep within the forest. The brunette had always wondered why the wolf never hunted her grandmother. She found out when she was ten, her grandmother kept silver buried deep within the ground, in a circle around her house.
Mei's mother handed her daughter the basket filled with delicious sweets. "Be careful, don't talk to strangers and always stay on the path"
Mei nodded, tightening the knot on her scarlet red cloak. "I will, Mama"
Mei's mother gave her daughter a sad smiled before kissing her on the forehead and walking her to the main gate of the village. Mei's mother had always hated the woods, but she hated sending her daughter into them even more.
Mei swallowed the lump in her throat before giving her mother a small smile. Mei could see her mother's fear in those chocolate brown eyes of hers.
"I'll be fine Mama. I've done this many times" Mei tried to reassure her mother. Mei's mother nodded and kissed her daughter forehead again before Mei set off. Occasionally, Mei would look back and wave to her mother before the village was well out of her line of sight.
Pulling the hood over her head, Mei trekked through the forest, hoping to make to before sundown.
Tonight's a full moon; mother would kill me if I don't make it in time. Mei thought to herself, as she walked over a fallen log and kept walking.
Along the way, Mei felt a presence behind her. She spun around, her eyes scanning the area but saw nothing. Just a snow white bunny rabbit on a slope, its whiskers moving along with its nose.
Mei breathed a quiet sigh of relief and bent down, gesturing for the rabbit to come closer to her. The rabbit complied, cautiously hopping over and sniffing Mei's hand.
Mei gave it a small smile and then giggled as it began to lick her hand. As the rabbit continued to lick her hand, Mei ran her fingers through its soft fur.
This moment was peaceful; she didn't want it to end. Unfortunately, she had to keep going before sundown.
With a regretful sigh, Mei stood up and walked away from the rabbit, continuing along the path of daisies her grandmother planted for her to follow when she was younger. This way, her grandmother had once said, she would always know where to go and will always be safe.
It started to become darker when Mei arrived at her grandmother's house. The old woman smiled warmly at the sight of her granddaughter and made some soup for the two of them to eat.
The evening star had risen when Mei stood on her grandmother's porch, ready to depart for her village.
"Are you sure deary? You could always stay the night" Mei's grandmother offered when Mei announced she was heading back.
Mei nodded. "If I don't head back now, Mama will surely worry"
Mei's grandmother nodded and pulled the hood her granddaughter's head, running her fingers over the cotton.
"Then I wish you haste and swift feet, for I fear the wolf will start his hunt" Mei's grandmother told her and Mei nodded, hugging the old woman before walking away from the cottage house.
The further she walked, the darker it got. Mei tried to keep her heart from beating faster as she trekked through the forest but it was hard. The paranoia of the wolf stalking her, watching her kept the fear coursing through her body.
Calm down Mei, you have nothing to fear. The wolf probably hasn't even started his hunt yet. Mei thought to herself, clinging onto the idea and hoping it were true.
As she walked past an oak tree, there was rustling from behind a bush close by. Mei froze to the spot, holding her breath as her eyes went to the bush. She waited and waited, nothing appeared.
Mei breathed out quietly, relief washing over her and she scolded herself.
Really, people would think I'm a scady cat if I jump at every little thing. Mei rolled her eyes and continued to walk, only to bump into something hard.
She stepped back and her eyes met scarlet red, glowing eyes.
Her heart began to pound hard in her chest, her hands slightly shaking. Her eyes travelled around the figure as the light from the moon shone on the area.
Hair black as the night itself, eyes pooled in blood red, a strong jaw, a body shaped like a god's, fit and muscular.
Mei's eyes went immediately to the scarlet red eyes that stared into her soul. My mouth suddenly became dry, parched, as if she hadn't had a drink in three days.
A smirk formed on the strangers lips. "It's not safe for a girl like you to be wandering out in a forest like this"
Mei shivered at his silky voice and found courage to speak. "T-T-That's is why I'm heading home"
He circled around her, inspecting her body and Mei felt naked under his stern gaze. It felt like he could see right through her clothing, at her body. The thought excited her a bit.
"Dressing like this" he touched the cotton cloak. "Is asking for the wolf to come and eat you"
Mei held her chin up and glared at him. "I personally like it, besides; I doubt the wolf would eat me. I'm far from pretty or big"
The boy gave her an amused smirk. "I disagree, you're just his type"
Mei tugged her cloak out of his grasp. "If you'll excuse me, I need to hurry home"
He just gave her a smirk before stepping aside, allowing for Mei to pass. She walked calmly, until he was out of sight before breaking into a full sprint and making it home.
Her mother scolded her, saying she should have stayed with her grandmother but was glad her daughter was safe. Mei didn't tell her mother about the boy she met in the forest; she decided it to keep it as her little secret.
It wasn't until the next full moon, a month later, did Mei run into the same boy, only this time on her way to her grandmother's house.
"Why are you following me?" Mei asked, slightly annoyed but slightly pleased by his presence.
"The big bad wolf might be on the prowl" he shrugged. "Thought you might like someone to protect you"
Mei bit back a retort and kept walking until she reached her grandmother's house by nightfall.
A few metres away, the boy grabbed her hand and smiled warmly at her. "I never got the chance to tell you my name, it's Hugh"
Mei was a little shocked by how forward he was but smiled back. "I'm Mei"
He took a step forward, grabbed a piece of her hair and breathed in deeply, taking in her scent.
"You smell like vanilla and jasmine flowers" Hugh noted and Mei blushed slightly.
"I have to get to my grandmothers" she muttered, spun on her heel and walked straight towards the house. Hugh didn't follow her, much to her disappointment but continued and delivered her usual basket of food.
Mei looked at the sky from the kitchen window and debated in her head whether or not to make the journey back home or stay here for the night.
A shiver ran down her spine and her stomach was in knots. "Grandmother, I think I'll stay the night"
"Then come eat some soup I cooked" Mei's grandmother told the young brunette.
Mei tossed and turned in the spare bed. Images of Hugh's red eyes filled her head and a scene of him biting her neck made her rub her thighs together in desire. She woke up with a gasp and sat right up, panting and blinking rapidly.
Mei looked out the window and red eyes stared back at her. Curious, Mei wrapped her red cloak around her white night gown and grabbed a lamb. She walked outside barefoot and towards where the red eyes were. Pushing her way through some bushes and twigs, Mei gasped and dropped her lamb.
A giant wolf with jet black fur coat and scarlet red eyes stared at her hungrily.
Mei blinked; those eyes were familiar. "Hugh? Is that you?"
A small growl came from the wolf, its eyes wandering across her entire body. Get away…
Mei blinked. That was Hugh's voice! But it sounded older and much deeper. "I-I won't leave you here alone"
I might hurt you, it's a miracle I haven't already
Mei took a slow step forward, her heart pounding rapidly in her chest from fear and she swallowed, her throat dry and parched.
She rested a hand on his nose, gently stroking it.
You're afraid of me…
Mei nodded. "Of course I would be" she agreed and then looked into his eyes. "But I know you won't hurt me"
Hugh nudged her hand with his nose and she giggled softly under her breath. He loved the sound of her laughter, it was a sound he'd die happy from hearing.
As Mei absently ran her fingers through his fur, she cocked her head to the side. "Hugh, what big eyes you have"
All the better to see you with, my dear
Mei wandered to his furry ears. "Hugh, what big ears you have"
All the better to hear your heart beat, my dear
Mei gulped and looked at his sharp teeth. "Hugh, what big teeth you have"
Hugh growled softly. All the better to eat you with, my dear
Mei looked at him shocked and Hugh licked her face with a twinkle of amusement in his eyes.
"You're not going to really eat me are you?" Mei asked, shocked and Hugh barked a laugh.
Yes but not in the way you're thinking
Mei frowned before blushing furiously and she buried her face in his fur. Hugh laughed at her expense .
"You're not very nice" Mei muttered in Hugh's fur and he looked down. "But you're not as scary as everyone in my village painted you out to be"
Hugh was touched by the young girl's words.
She looked up from his fur and kissed his wet nose before sitting down. Hugh laid next to her and she soon fell asleep on him, unaffected by the wind as Hugh's fur and her cloak gave her all the warmth she needed.
The next morning, Mei got dressed at her grandmother's and said goodbye to the old woman before walking back.
This time though, Hugh escorted her back to her village. The two of them holding each other's hand in a sign of their new-found love for each other.
And so it became a tradition over the years.
Mei would visit Hugh, not just on the days she visited her grandmother and he in turn, hunted away from the village. The wolf that plagued the town of Aspertia was forever forgotten.
What happened to the young couple?
You already know the rest of the story….