Red Riding Hood
Hey FF readers this work is a short story I wrote for one of my Year 12 Major Works for my HSC (Major last year of high school exams) and if any of you could give constructive feedback. That would be appreciated
The forest nature's expression of human fear where no one dared to go with its dark ancient trees, howling winds and its winding path leading into the unknown, however this did not deter the girl from her journey. This journey was an old one as the path felt the merry skips of innocence resonating from the maiden in the cloak and basket as she led herself to the ancient wood's primal heart to become a woman as tradition dictated. The girl was clad in her ceremonial cloak as red as the blood moon carrying the wicker basket containing the items necessary for the sacred rites, her dark brown hair flowing freely and around her virgin white gown was her dagger. The dusty path unravelled further into the dim forest until it stopped at the Guardian's temple.
The Guardian was her grandmother an old lady whose wizen face was as gnarled as the trees and her eyes reflecting the wisdom and strength gained from her role protecting the village from the darker forces which grew in the forest as had the women who came before her and as the time was now those who would succeed her. This reason was the purpose for the girl's journey as she was to embark onto the path of her destiny of becoming the new Guardian. The girl walked up to the temple door and knocked as she always did calling out to her grandmother "Let me in, Let me in" three times as the ritual dictated and eventually the door was opened by the old woman. Upon its opening the two embraced and the preparations for her initiation began. They walked together to the sacred altar in which she laid down her basket and removed the items within it as offerings.
The offerings for the altar included two barley cakes, wine and wild flowers to be presented to Artemis and Cernunnos as they prayed for her success in her trials to become the new guardian. Her grandmother implored the two deities in the ancient tongue "Oh great huntress of the moon and mighty horned one bless we beseech thee for your blessings to allow your daughter to be able to succeed in her quest to protect your forest's from darkness as she embarks on her journey to become your new Guardian". She then cut the barley cakes in half with her own dagger with one half for them and the other for the gods, she repeated the process with the wine pouring the rich red liquid into two chalices.
The pair ate the cakes and drank the wine savouring the grainy yet sweet taste of the cakes and the richness of the wine, the ritual proceeded as the grandmother removed the girl's hood from her head and entwined the colourful flowers into her dark hair kissing her cheeks and forehead and now she was ready to venture into the darkness knowing what she would do and down the path she went.
Down into the darkness, down into the unknown, down into where she had always been told not to go as she left her childhood behind and furthered deeper into the centre of the forest's ancient centre as she trod down the once familiar path as feelings of fear, doubt caused her to question her ability and whether she would complete her rite of passage and kill the wolf.
This is rite was as old as the trees themselves as generation after generation committed themselves to their role as the Guardian in killing the totem animal whose omen she was born under as superstition dictated. The wolf was her totem with the two being bound from the moment she arrived under the blood red moon in which werewolves were said to transform under and her childhood was filled with stories of how the wolves howl echoed from the forest to the village even louder than her mother as she screamed during her labours pushing the newborn child out of her body and into the world. The baby had born from infant to child as she learnt to walk, talk and think. All throughout her childhood she learnt to name both flora and fauna, how to find her way down the forest path, to listen to the sounds of nature, to heal and to hunt these skill preparing her for the path she was undertaking now.
The twilight was fading as the sky darkened and the moon intensified giving light to the path and guiding her way as she listened to the cold wind and followed its scent. The hoarse cry of the raven and the speedy yet graceful flight of a deer herd all omens that something was wrong tonight and that she must do something about it. Even if it wasn't the wolf, it was her duty regardless whether it was her prey or not. As this was what it meant to be the Guardian of the Forest.
The Guardians were a long line of women blessed with power by the Gods of nature to protect the forest from harm and maintain its balance. They warded off from outside harm and quarantined the outside world from the evil that grew within and if necessary destroyed it. They were nature's incarnate both loving and cruel, priestess and huntress at the same time clothed in their scarlet cloaks carrying their daggers down the path of initiation to lead their chosen animal to the sacred site of the Guardian's temple and kill them.
This was the ceremony the maiden was to undertake tonight as she ran with her hair running down her face and her cloak flapping in the breeze. Her heart beating at an unmeasurable rate and her breath short and shallow anticipating the lupine creature she would have to slay to not only become accepted as a Guardian but also a woman for this would also mark her new adulthood through her first draw of blood. She was proud of her heritage and the magic that ran through her veins but was afraid of failure, defeat and humiliation as she was drilled into preparing for this night since she could remember and if she failed there would not be another Guardian until the next generation as her mother had failed before her as her totem the owl had flown too high for her to reach and she had no siblings or female kin to stand in her place in the event that should happen.
She had finally reached the epicentre of the raven's cry which was now singing a dark ominous duet with the hooting of owls, the macabre bird song grew louder and louder as she ran faster and faster as more creatures ran in the opposite direction away from her destination with the same amount of determination as she ran towards it. The forest grew darker as night's blanket cast even more shadows than the light did. The maiden was all alone with only the starlight and moonbeams to watch over her, but they were dulled from the girl's vision as the thick canopy of oak, hazel and pine over a mile tall obscured the celestial beings from being any use. With only instinct as her ally, she ran even faster head on into the darkness until the snakelike root of a thick tree coiled around her foot causing her to trip into the dirt and fallen leaves.
The forest floor provided a soft if not muddy landing, but the charms woven into her cloak protected it from besmirching the fine garment, but her dress, hands and face were all smeared with the evidence of the fall and so was her hair as her crown of brightly coloured wildflowers were entangled with leaves. She had berated herself for her clumsiness, but didn't care and took this experience as a way of absorbing the forest's essence into her very self and vice versa. This would extend and deepen the connection between her and what soon would be her domain.
As she got herself up and continued this time walking further to the duet of the raven and owl, a third singer joined their harmony. It was the wolf. The shrieks, hoots and howling drew her closer in; sweat dripping down her face and fists clenched to the point when they were white as reality had set in.
The hunt was on.
The howling wolf also recognised what had started as his snout picked up the scent of his would be killer as the flowers entangled in her hair and her sweat combined to create a path of strong perfume leading him to her. His ears heard the beating of her heart, her deep breaths and the crunching of leaves on the forest floor as she ran towards him.
The atmosphere was tense as hunter and prey draw near each anticipating the battle that would ensue. Nerves rushing through both of them as the promise of blood hung in the air; both ready to pounce and finally the two met and saw each other for the first time. The wolf was a large beast with his shaggy grey fur and snarling snout with a growling with a deep hunger. His amber eyes staring directly into her green eyes, their gaze defiant challenging the other to attack. The girl stood strong with fists clenched sizing her opponent up waiting for the next move to be made. Patience was wearing thin as the wolf's growls grew deeper and deeper as he gnashed his fangs together. The girl's heart pounding even faster and finally she ran in the direction of the sacred ground where she would kill the wolf.
The wolf followed her chasing after the maiden in the scarlet cloak that flew in the wind hungry for his prey yet fearful for his life as she could possibly lead him to his doom. Throughout the trees flashes of red were sighted as the maiden ran swiftly. The hood of her cloak came off in the wind and her dark flowing hair crowned with flowers was released from its confinement as headed closer back to where her journey began, running with the cold wind passing each familiar tree, as her feet trod the path.
The connection between the two strengthened as the ancient magic that bound the two and their destiny was urging to be fulfilled. Bloodlust motivating the pair to endure what seemed an endless chase through the forest, until the temple light glowed in the horizon heralding the onslaught that was to come after the homestretch had been run. The wolf was gaining upon her, his howling growing louder and louder and she could almost feel his warm bloody breath on her back. She could feel his hunger as if it were her own. The prospect of death and sacrifice salivated as she led him on, finally making it to the sacred grove out the back of the temple in which one of them would die.
The grove was a sight to see as her Grandmother had already prepared it for the oncoming ritual slaughter with a ring of sacred candles emitting a glowing light and warmth in the wintry darkness as she entered the circle ready to fight.
She sang the last song praising the gods and to also lure the wolf to its final destination. She waited. It finally came. The creature had big eyes, a big nose and big teeth all the better to see, smell and if it came to it eat her with, but the almost monstrous proportions of this big bad wolf did not deter her. They circled each other dizzy with anticipation and fear, the tension being drawn out further than necessary and the fight began.
The wolf pounced, she dodged as she regained her senses and released her dagger and lunged towards the beast only able to shear a tiny part of his grizzled mantle. The wolf gnashed his fangs and howled a hungry war cry and nailed her to the cold earth, scarring her face. She felt his warm bloody breath on her body .This revulsion reviving her to attack as she struggled under the lupine brute and finally stabbed him as scarlet blood matted his fur and she escaped from his clutches.
The piercing of the dagger had caused much blood to be let that the creature was lying in a pool of his own blood. It was a humbling sight to behold as this vicious yet noble creature wriggling in pain, howling this time not in hunger or war, but in pain and sorrow as he knew that he had lost and that his life was to be sacrificed to the higher power and restore the balance of nature. The girl stood over him holding her dagger victoriously and finished the deed.
The wolf was dead but the initiation was not yet over as she smeared her face with his blood and carried the carcass into the Guardian's hut. She repeated the ritual again "Let me in" she cried three time knocking the door to be let in. The Guardian opened the door immediately with joy as her Granddaughter had succeeded and helped her with the task of removing the wolf's pelt to complete the final task of the initiation ceremony.
The absorption in which wolf and woman would be bound as one to protect the forest and those who surrounded it from evil.
The dark fur was embroidered into the scarlet cloak and enchanted with runes and symbols for protection and luck as songs praising the gods were chanted as both Guardians constructed the garment and finally it was completed.
The Grandmother presented her with the cloak as she was vested into the ancient sisterhood that her blood stemmed from and her soul was complete as animal instinct and female wisdom were melded into her being.
The dawn had broken it was now her time.