To the reader: The Legend of the Wolf is from an inspirational movie, Red Riding Hood (2011). Because it is merely an inspiration, there are different characters and a completely different plot even though there are similarities. The prologue starts off with the legend and is the basis of the entire book. As the author, I would like to ask for you to leave a review of your opinion and if there is anything you think would be interesting to add. I'm not a new writer, but I like getting new idea's from reader's because, after all, this becomes more for the readers then for the author. I hope you find this story interesting, as well as any others you stumble upon that might be mine. Happy reading!

-S.W.


Prologue


There's a legend in my tribe told every new moon about a girl who fell in love with a creature of the darkness. Whether or not this legend is true, it holds a

power over all of us like a bad dream we can't wake from. The story goes to tell how a wolf stumbled upon a village the night a young girl was travelling to

her grandmothers' grave. She held a basket of flowers in one arm, and the other gripped a blood red cloak. After she had laid the flowers down and prayed

to ward off her troubled thoughts, she stood and gathered the empty basket to return to her village. She, however, never expected to find her village the

way it was when she returned. Fire had caught on every house, spreading like an evil plague. Running to her home not yet stoked with the flames, she

discovered both her parents and her fiancée massacred and lying in a heap on the floor. Bloody paw marks stained the wood along with the stench of wolf.

Anger and fear burned within her so much that she ran off into the night, leaving behind the basket and her cloak. Upon entering the village church, she

wept before the stone alter, asking God to give her the strength to kill the wolf that had mercilessly slaughtered her family.

The next morning brought anguish and grief as she stepped out of the confines of the church and into the light of safety. Returning home, she buried her

parents and fiancée; making a vow to avenge their death. Grabbing up her cloak, she stumbled into her father's den and took down a small oblong box off

the fireplace mantel that held her would-be wedding gift. Inside was an ivory sheathed dagger long enough to cut through a man's heart. As she gripped the

blade, her palm cut into the sharp metal. Wincing, she wiped the blood on the cloak, hoping it would attract the wolf's attention.

As dusk came, she hid the knife in her boot. Her long dress covered all traces of her weapon as she set out to meet the very creature that had destroyed her

life. When she appeared before the center of her destroyed village, however, she paused.

All was quiet as she stood under the tall oak tree. The bricks that formed a circle around it were covered in blood just like the ground below the sturdy

branches. A chill wind picked up, bringing the smell of smoke along with it.

My village is destroyed, yet I will not die because I am prepared to face this enemy. Why then had I not been killed along with them? I was the least guarded, and

yet, though alone, I was spared. One must wonder why . . .

Gripping her red cloak tighter around her body, she waited. The sun made its last farewell before hiding under the mountains and giving birth to its sister

moon. Streaked with blood, the sky conceived a blood red moon, leaving the girl speechless and open to fear. The moon is reflecting that of the blood spilled

this night, she thought grimly. Refusing to let her fears take over, she trudged on towards the gate of the village. A low growl made her bend slightly to grab

the knife, but a thought made her stop.

The wolf was in plain view now, its head tilted to the side. It was dark like mahogany and its eyes were a radiant blue. They glowed in the dim light. As it

approached, a faint feeling washed over her. Stumbling backwards, she gasped. The wolf touched her mind: with his own.

"Why do you stay here in the village alone?" it asked, glancing around her and at the smoky buildings turned to rubble.

"I am a passer-by and thought I could find refuge here. Everyone, however, is dead." She thought to trick the wolf of his own game and get him closer so

she could kill him.

"There is a place I know where you can sleep for the night." It came out as an affectionate whisper.

Cautiously thinking, she decided to follow the wolf then kill it when its back was turned. The further away she walked from her village, the more distressed

she grew. The fear in her body made her hands shake as thoughts of being dragged into a trap consumed her. The wolf stayed several feet in front of her,

never bothering to turn its head to make sure she was still there.

He's evading my plans at killing him, she thought, taking note of how he stayed several feet in front of her, always careful not to let her get too close.

Before long, she began to yawn and get tired. The more they walked, the more tired she became until finally she began to complain, "How long until we get

to this cottage of yours?"

"Not much longer now."

After many hours, they came to the outskirts of another village. A small comfy looking cottage stood out between two trees. The wind blew through the

wolf's mane as he stepped on the porches' steps. Once inside the cottage, the girl was too exhausted to think about anything let alone about killing the

wolf. Sitting on a chair, she stared in awe as a handsome man greeted her and handed her some soup in a fairly large bowl.

Gazing at him in wonder, she smiled, taking comfort in his presence. If a man lives here along with the wolf, there is no need for me to be afraid. I shall be

protected by this man.

After eating and yawning once more, the man led her to a bedroom where she snuggled up and went to sleep, feeling an odd warmth as something laid

down beside her.

When she woke up, it was the next day and the sun was just about to set. The man was lying beside her on the bed, his eyes studying her curiously.

Confused, she rubbed her eyes and asked where the wolf had gone, but the man would not speak. Then, as if knowing, she leapt up and backed away as

the man began to change into a wolf before her very eyes.

Scared and angry, she ran out into the night, her legs fumbling to grasp the earth. The cold wind whipped her hair back and the frosty air nipped her cheeks

and bare shoulders. She had forgotten the cloak in her haste and was in no mood to return to fetch it.

As time went on, she felt her legs begin to cramp and burn with the impending cold. Snow fell as she struggled to get back to her village, but as the night

waned on, a new fear gripped her. She was lost.

Falling to the ground, she began to cry in anguish of her stupidity. She should have killed the wolf when she had had the chance and now she was lost and

vulnerable. The wolf would surely hunt her down and kill her now that she knew his face. Her tears froze upon surfacing, making her angrier still. Curling up

on the hard, snowy ground, she welcomed her death with the sound assurance that the wolf would not be the one responsible for her demise. As the cold

wind slapped against her face, numbing her of all consciousness, she accepted her fate and fell into a deep state of exhaustion.

The girl woke up to find it morning. Looking around she discovered she was back in the cottage where the wolf lived. Had it all been a dream? No, she had

run away last night, so why then did the wolf bring her back and not kill her? Shivering, she turned over to find the bed was empty. A noise from beyond the

bedroom alerted her, making her go for the dagger in her boot. The wolf was now a man since it was morning and was holding a bowl of soup in his hands.

A smile lit up his handsome face as he entered and saw her awake.

"I thought you might be hungry." He said handing the bowl to her. She refused to take it, instead staring him down with malice. Setting it aside, he watched

her throw insulting glances at him until he could take it no longer.

"Why do you treat me like this?"

"Why did you lie to me?" she yelled.

His face softened and he stepped closer, hoping he could calm her fears. "I did not lie to you; I simply did not say anything." He said thinking it was because

of his animal appearance that she hated him; little did he know she was talking about her village being destroyed.

"That is the same as lying!"

She jumped up with the knife in her hand the moment he sprang forward to stop her. Her vision was blurred by tears as she held the knife higher, ready to

send him to his death.

His voice stopped her, however, just as she struck out at his throat. "Please, don't kill me. I didn't ask for this curse," he breathed. "I only wanted to show

you that I loved you."

"By murdering everyone in my village?" she exclaimed shocked.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He admitted confused. "I didn't do anything to those villagers you live with."

"You lie to me still!" she struck at him but this time he was ready. He grabbed her wrists and held her down, his body pressing down on hers. The familiarity

of it shocked her. Her hold of the knife loosened as their eyes locked.

"What did you do to me?" she questioned as she realized what they had done.

Before he could answer, she gripped the knife and took her last opportunity to kill him. His hesitation had caused him his life as she plunged the dagger into

his back, right through his heart. With a gasp of pain, he fell back, eyes watering and mouth trembling.

"How dare you defile me!" she yelled out trying to leave.

"I love you," he said gasping out. "I would never hurt you like that." And with his last breath he called out her name, for her to return to him, before he

collapsed in his own blood.

Months passed and the girl was able to get back to her home village, but as the time lingered by, a new fear sprang in her heart. After everything that had

happened, she was still alone in the village. And now she would have to live with the fact that she was now carrying the child of her hated enemy. An enemy

who's blood stained her hands.

After six months passed, she decided to come out of her isolated village and return to the home of her child's father, hoping that there she would find rest.

The cottage was deserted yet clean. Nothing had changed with the exception that the body of the wolf was gone. With that knowledge, she set to work to

make her new home, and prayed that the child she now carried would never grow to be like its father.