Little Red The True Story

by Little-Stone-Wolf

This is my version of Little Red Riding Hood, in which a girl named Red falls in love with a half human half wolf. At first glance he seems like little just an oversized wolf. Red quickly finds there is more to him than meets the eye, and the heart. R&R

Well, this is my first story on FanFiction, so I hope it's well liked and received. I started it because I was restless and couldn't sleep, but I eventually got tired and couldn't finish it in one night (which was a good thing, since that was the reason I was writing). It ended up taking around three days to finish this thing. (I'm a slow writer.) Now, this isn't going to be that great of a story, I'll confess, but I tried to write it from the heart. The inspiration of this story is mainly the tale of Little Red Riding Hood, with a mix of Beauty and the Beast and the story of Nicky Cruz. The latter is both small, and big at the same time, not being mentioned much, but at the same time, helping to explain the wolf's existence. Also, and I feel the need to say this, I've always had a love hate relationship with Beauty and the Beast; it's supposed to be about loving in spite of appearances (in a culture that seems to talk about things such as obesity, deformities, and race 24/7, that's a big deal). Yet, at the end of the story, the beast becomes human, she gets a supposedly handsome prince, and they live happily ever after. Kind of message destroying and shallow in my opinion. I've changed the story a bit though, and re-uploaded it. When I write, I tend to just let the story really go, the characters just building themselves (kind of like a one person RP), and not even think about it. I wasn't even aware until a couple of re-readings how much innuendo there was. I really wanted to shove my head through a wall when I realized. I am SO sorry to anyone who read the first version of this. I really should have made myself read back through, but in all my excitement at uploading something, I didn't realize. Again, I'm sorry, and I hope ya'll forgive me. Anyways, enjoy.

...

Red stood about the entrance to her family's home, silently awaiting her mothers package. She had been charged with the simple task of taking a basket to her grandmother's house, to help the sick woman in her recovery. Her mother however, in all her sweet hearted glory, continued to fill the basket with more things that she thought the aged woman would like.

Red sighed to herself as she waited, basking in the warmth of her thick red cloak, the cold winter air trying it's best to nip at her face, like the teeth of some sort of hungry beast, a few strands of golden locks dripping over her face, and swaying over her dark blue eyes. Most who met her in passing thought Red was a nickname, because of her red cloak; this however was not the case, and the red cloak had simply been one of her mother's "cute" ideas, to make a play on her name. Red herself thought it neither cute, or even very clever, but she was more than glad for the feel of it this winter's noon.

Her name had actually been chosen because of a certain abnormality in her visage, one that any who took the time to know her could see. Where normally a person's cheeks only flushed red in moments of stress, her's were eternally flooded with her namesake shade. As the doctor had so eloquently put it, she had been born with a blush. Many of the local boys had taken to laughing at her about it, and most of the ones that didn't tended to stay away, not wishing to seem weird by being seen with her.

She had, in her early years, taken to crying when they bothered her, giving them a sort of sadistic joy. However, by the time she hit twelve, she had taken to simply ignoring them. To some extent, this had only resulted in increasing their anger, driving them to shove her around physically. Nothing truly serious was ever done however, and with the love and kindness of her family, she had grown to realize, now fourteen, that she needed no other friends but her family.

She smiled to herself as she thought of all those around her that cared. There was her older brother, who, whenever he was around and not in the fields with her father, would stand up for her, having given one boy a black eyes the first time they tried something around him. There was her uncle, who would always having something funny to say, and raise her spirits whenever she was down. There was her kind old granny, who always had some sage advice, and would always help to guide her when she was confused. Then there were her parents, father stern and caring, and mother, doting and gentle; complete opposites, yet perfectly matched.

She felt a pang in her heart as she thought of them, and there unrelenting love for each other. Even her brother and uncle had both found a girl with who they were infatuated. They were each probably going to get married after a time, simply courting there respective ladies for the time being.

Silent tears found there way through her eyes, but red wiped them away as she heard the approach of her mother, not wanted her to see them. Putting on her best smile, she faced her mother, who was currently looking through the basket to make sure all was present.

"All right, I got cookies, bread, candles, soap, pack of smelling shavings, and a bottle of freshly squeezed grape juice. Now what am I forgetting," she lamented to herself, not yet having looked up to her daughter. Her plain brown dress hung about her body, almost like drapery, folding about at the base. Her hair was a light brown, which flowed all the way down her back. Her face was a little pale, but bore in it some sort of unfathomable color, almost like a fire that was shining out from her. Her eyes were a warm hazelnut, and her smile soft and kind.

"I think the only thing you are failing to include is a tub," said Red with a smirk.

"Ha-ha," said her mother with a warm smile, looking up from the basket. Her smile faded however when she saw the sunlight being reflected out of her daughters eyes in a peculiar fashion. "Sweety," she cooed in her motherly way, "have you been crying?"

"It's nothing" smiled Red, quickly brushing an arm over her eyes, and then reaching out to grab the basket, her mother relinquishing it without protest. However, she continued to press the issue.

"Was it the Lumberjack's boys again?" she asked, all motherly tone leaving the woman's voice, and a darkness taking over, as of some sort of intangible venom. "if those boys touch you, I'll drag them straight to the alter, and force them to plead forgiveness, before sending them straight to the almighty father for..."

"MOM," interrupted Red, getting a little nervous at seeing her mother's wrath, though thankfully it was never directed at her. "It wasn't them, I was just... thinking about things." she quickly put on another smile, trying to brush off the awkwardness she knew would follow if she didn't say something. "Anyways, don't worry, I'll be perfectly fine." she turned away from the door to their small home, and with a cheery sounding "See you later mom," was off towards the woods, not even seeing the pair of sadistic laden eyes that spied on her as she went.

...

"Are you going to Scarborough fair..." Red sung to herself, relatively quietly, trying to get rid of the uneasy silence that saturated the air within the woods. In the heart of winter, snow covering the ground like the palest of skin, and the trees baring themselves to the world like the skeletal remains of a long untouched battlefield, very few creatures currently resided, those that did simply remaining hidden at the scent of a human.

Suddenly, there was a loud snap, that of a small piece of wood being defiled, and Red's voice caught in her throat, the sweet sound no longer filling the chilling air. There was now nothing but piercing silence, as Red waited for some sign of movement. Once she was almost sure that nothing was near, and that something probably just fell out of a tree, she made to begin moving again. Right as she had one foot in the air, and the other on the ground, she felt something hard, cold, and round, collide with the back of her head, hitting her in such a way that she began to lose her balance, and began to fall forward, face planting in the bitter, unforgiving cold of the winter's snow. An all too familiar laughter permeated the air, causing her anger to spike. But before she could protest, or even make a single move, she felt a weight atop her, and felt her clothes being slightly separated from her body, and the unrelenting coldness of snow began to fill her her back.

She was filled with pain at the intrusion of something so cold against her relatively warm skin, as if she was being bit all over. She tried to thrash, but found it no use, as the weight had her pinned down strongly. "Is little Red going to cry?" mocked the familiar voice of a boy. Just as she was ready to give up and let the brat get her clothes soaked, for the deed was already done and the rest was simply overkill on the part of the offender, she heard a strange sound.

It was not unlike the growling of a dog, except that there seemed to be more viciousness to it; a much more violent air. It seemed to borderline on snarling. As soon as the sound cut into Red's eardrums, the boy's laughter ceased, and Red could sense the fear in the air to the extent that it almost seemed tangible.

In the next few moments, there was a mixture of sounds, consisting of the disturbing of snow, a gasp from the boy, more disturbing of snow, which sounded like a heavy tussle, and finally, the sound of fleeing footsteps; ones that could only have been created by a fear-filled boy, running from what he believed to be a monster.

Red hesitantly turned her head up to see if anyone was around, and the image she saw would be forever seared into her mind. Standing over her, with an almost regal air about him, was a great, gray wolf. He stood a good bit larger than a normal creature of the title wolf, and though he still bared about him the feral appearance of a beast, and the air of a hunter, she could sense something different in this creature, though that did not stop her from fearing for her life.

The creatures fur was like the color of smoke, his eyes like the sun, his body like some great mountain, unmovable by the ordinary man. About his hind legs was some sort of clothing, which draped down him for about a foot in length. In all her fear, a part of her simply marveled at the grand sight of the creature.

Red sat absolutely motionless, as the creature lowered it's head, ears flattened back, tail lowered a little, and let out a quite whine, slowly approaching her. As the creature got close to the girl, it stuck out it's tongue, and gave a long, comforting lick across her cheek, warming her face up a tiny bit, though as soon as it retracted, the saliva began to feel cold upon her red face.

Whining again, the creature turned away, and began a slow walk. Red was never able to figure out just why she did what she did next, whether because he looked so magnificent that she couldn't help but follow, or because she was curious, or even if, deep down, she knew that she was meant to do it; she followed him.

Even when she was certain that he was aware of her presence, he never made to run away, and when he got ahead of her, he stopped for a couple seconds. Red couldn't believe it; this wolf was actually leading her. To where however, she didn't know.

She soon got her answer in the form of a small hole in the ground, which she easily fit into, and was greeted by the last sight she had ever expected to see. The cave was more of a human dwelling than a wolf's den, with a palette of hay which was likely a bed, a pit with rocks around it and filled with ashes, an area of the dirt floor covered in drawings, a collection of different types of supplies in a corner, and the wolf, standing before her, with a fresh set of clothes held in his maw.

She reached her hand out shakily, almost afraid that if she moved to quickly, this amazing sight would be gone. As her hand began to clasp onto the clothing, she tried her best to find her voice. "Th... th...thank... y... y... you..."

"You're welcome." replied a young, male sounding voice, which emanated from the creature, it's jaw opening and closing in time to the syllables of the words. Red's small jaw dropped in such a matter, that one would think it was about to fall off. The wolf smiled in a way that looked almost human in nature. "Sorry for not saying something sooner," he said with an apologetic, and almost embarrassed tone. "I try to make it a habit to never talk outside my home. A lot of people have this idea that any animal looking thing that talks is a demon, or some sort of familiar, and try to hunt me down." he chuckled a little as he added "Apparently they don't know the story of Balaam." He then turned and walked away, stopping in front of his bed. "I'll stay turned while you change. You'll get sick if you stay in those wet close." there was a hint of anger in his voice at the end, almost as if he were ready to snarl, though Red wasn't a hundred percent sure why.

As she began to change, she tried to think of something to say, and the first thing was a question. "Why did you help me out back there?" she asked.

There was an uncomfortable silence, as she waited for some sort of response, though she didn't quite expect the one she got. "I... I like listening to your voice... when you walk through the woods... and when I saw that boy... I first thought he was a friend... so I stayed back. When... when he started bullying you... I just got angry... and reacted." he lowered his head, as if he had done something dreadfully wrong. "I'm sorry if he was a friend of yours." he said in a hushed tone. Suddenly, there came such a heartwarming sound from Red that the wolf could not help but turn around to look at her. Thankfully she was finished dressing, and the sight of her laughing made the wolf smile.

"Him, a friend," she asked, in a manner that made the idea seem absurd. "That little pipsqueak is nothing but a cur on society. I only wish you would have eaten." she meant her last statement to be taken as a joke, but the wolf's face became gravely serious at it, and he almost glared at Red, golden eyes seeming to pierce right through her.

"I will not kill men unless it is in defense of my own life," he stated, in a manner that suggested he feared the very concept of murder.

"Sorry," apologized red, shifting uneasily under his gaze. There was a long silence, in which Red tried her best to think of something to say, finding nothing to suit her current situation, having never been alone, in a hole in the ground, with a talking Wolf, in an uncomfortable silence, brought on by her own words.

"There's a bad storm coming in," stated the Wolf, cutting through her thoughts almost immediately. "you were wondering why I'm helping you." he stated, bearing a sincere expression on his visage. "The storm will be here soon, and you would not have reached your grandmother's home until after nightfall. That, and you would have gotten sick if you had worn those wet close out there for any longer."

"Oh," said Red, unsure of how to really respond, but adding another "thank you" for good measure.

She smiled sweetly, as he went over to his collection of supplies, and pulled out a log with his jaw, carrying it over to the small fire pit. After methodically stacking the wood, with some kindling under and around, he picked up a strange looking rock in his jaw. Trotting over to the fire pit, he brought his head up, and then back down. When he came back down, he did so with such a speed, that to Red he he looked like a blur. When it was all the way down, the rock within his maw struck one of the rocks that surrounded the pit, sending sparks flying onto the wood and kindling. After striking a couple times, he dropped the stone from his maw, and began to breath some life into the kindling. After a little work, he had the kindling burning, and only had to wait for the wood to accept the flames.

"You are welcome to stay the night with me if you wish," he said with a warm smile, walking over to his palette, and lying down. "I would be glad of someone to talk to."

"Thank you," she said once again. She knew within herself that she really had no reason to trust this creature, and that he could turn on her any moment. Something about him however seemed to suggest to her that he was entirely honest, and she couldn't help but listen to him and believe him. She gave him a sweet smile as she walked over to him, and sat down by his palette, basking in the warmth of fire.

"You know," he said quietly, some sense of eagerness in his voice, though mixed in with a bit of nervousness. "I would very much like to hear more of your singing." Red was taken aback that someone actually liked to hear her voice. "If you don't want to, it's fine, I just..."

"I'd love to," she said, interrupting him. Red was silent for a moment, thinking of something appropriate. Once she had something, she began her song, the sweet notes filling the warm air, as the flames within the cave grew, and the smoke wafted up through the entry hole. The wolf was entranced by the song of this sweet girl, allowing himself to become wrapped in it's melodic words, and not even realizing that he had moved nearer to her and was lying so close that a thin book could have been placed between them and not have fallen.

Upon finishing her song, Red let loose with a great yawn, and leaned over to rest her head against the wolf's side. Red was so sleepy she didn't really think about it, though the wolf was a little surprised.

"May I ask your name," she said through half lidded eyes, beginning to fall victim to the sandman's call.

"My name is Night." he said with a smile.

"Night," she said, tasting the name on her tongue. She returned his smile, and just before falling asleep, she added "My name's Red."

Night smiled at Red as her breathing began to steady, and sleep overtook her form. This was the first time he had seen her doing anything other than walking and singing. He was actually able to talk to her a little, and even listen to her sing just for him. It made him smile a bit, but it quickly faded, causing him to shake his head in frustration.

"What's wrong with you Night?" he muttered to himself. "You don't really know this girl, and yet you've showed her where you live." he silently cursed his stupidity, a growl emanating from his throat. She could tell the witch-hunters where he lived, and get him killed. Horrible images of death and murder filled his mind, blood stained dirt, and entrails spread across the ground.

He looked back at Red, and a smile spread back across his face. He may not have known her very well, but he knew, simply from the way she behaved, and the smile on her sleeping face, that she would never do such a thing. He sighed as he curled around her, and laid his head on her shoulder. "What am I getting myself into." he said quietly, before allowing the tendrils of his namesake to claim him in sleep.

...

In the morning, night woke Red, and gave her a bit of cooked rabbit meat, which, although it wasn't the most pleasant looking, and even less pleasant tasting, she took with gratitude, and forced a smile on her face. Afterwards, the fire was put out, and Night led Red to her grandma's house.

"Well... I guess this is goodbye..." said Red, smiling at Night.

Night looked about frantically, checking this way and that for any sign of somebody, besides Red, watching him. It was as if he was waging an internal war with himself, and finally, once he had decided they were alone, he spoke, though in a barely audible, horse whisper, which radiated with fear. "bye..." he said simply, trying his best to smile.

"Just listen for my voice, and I'll sing for you again." she giggled a little, and flashed him a small smile, before turning and running for her grandma's house like a giddy little school child.

Night smiled a little more, as Red waved behind her, and called out another "bye" to him. Night couldn't have known it at that moment, but their destinies were more intertwined than any one person would ever have imagined.

...

Over the next months, Night would meet up with Red, and walk along the path, listening to her sing all different types of songs, some hymns, some festival songs, and even a couple folk songs. Night didn't know why, but he simply loved to hear her voice. He even listened to her talk about her problems and different things, simply providing a ready ear, and some comfort when needed. She came to learn that, for whatever reason, he got angry when he heard about those who were unkind to her. Perhaps he related on some level, though his experiences far more severe. Occasionally, she would stay at Night's cave in between her and her grandmother's home. Since she often stayed for a couple of days or so at grannie's, nobody thought anything of it. The gap between her and the village allowed for a whole day to not be missed.

During this time period, Red learned some things about Night's past, though even he did not understand entirely how he came to be. He said that his birth mother was a normal human, though she was into some weird stuff, what many called witchcraft. Whatever it was, Night didn't like it at all. She treated him more like a real animal than her own child, using his blood for some of her practices. He supposed that it was through her craft that she had been born with him, though Night preferred not to think about it that much. He had left that terrible place first chance he got, and never looked back. She also found that, although he did not know an exact birthday, that he was likely only a year older than her, possessing the physical form of a wolf, but the mind and lifespan of a human.

He told Red of his many encounters with people over the years, and the witch-hunters who came after him. The reality was that the witch-hunters, at least the ones who did it for a living, lived such a horrible life themselves, what with one-night stands with woman, liquor by the gallon, and language dirtier than an unkempt donkey's rear, that they somehow came to the conclusion that the only way to save their souls was to kill a witch, or better still, her familiar. Of course they also believed that by doing so, they could be allowed to continue their poor lifestyles without consequence. They never even bothered to make sure their query was the right target. It saddened Red that somebody would hunt Night as if he were some sort of monster. Night however, in spite of himself, always had some funny stories to tell, and even told her of one of the few groups of humans he had ever met, who actually treated him kindly. They had been a highly joyous bunch according to Night, always telling stories and singing songs. The thing that intrigues him most was that these people were what many of the people who had hunted him claimed to be. The whole group would gather around the fire at night, and they would read from this old black book, some of the most amazing stories ever. Night memorized a lot of those stories. Red told him that her mother, ever since she was a little girl, had read from the same book to her. Red and Wolf's conversations drifted between this book, her life, and even some of Night's life, though Red tried not to inquire into it too often, as it would always sadden him.

On one particular day, only a few months after meeting Night, they decided to go on a treck, to a little river gorge. On this day, the snow that had been when they first met was nowhere to be seen. The ground was teeming with signs of newness, grass and flowers littering the earth. The trees, which had looked before like barren skeletons, were now full, as if they had exploded open, to reveal bushels and bushels of greenness. Squirrels scoured the ground in search of nuts, fleeing at the sight of Red and Night, birds flew through the trees, acting oblivious to them, and all around, the wind blew as if to embracing everything that was. Red breathed a sigh of happiness as they walked along, happy to be with her best friend, whom she had come to admire so much.

"Coin for your thoughts," said Night, trying an expression Red had taught him, though not really remembering what type of coins was usually referenced.

"That's penny for your thoughts Night," she said with a giggle, "and I'm just thinking about how amazing everything looks right now." She looked down at Night, and the small smile she had been wearing before only grew. "What are you thinking about."

He chuckled, though it was half-hearted, as if he was embarrassed by his own thoughts. "Just thinking how good it is to finally have a friend."

Red smiled, and her red cheeks, though hardly noticeable, became a slightly darker shade of red. She turned to look ahead, and after a second of seeming to think, her smile turned into a wide grin, and Night new all too well what it meant when she grinned. Suddenly, and without warning, Red was off, running full steam, shouting back "Race ya'," and "don't go easy on me."

Despite her command, Night didn't run all out, knowing that if he did, he would be far out of her sight within mere seconds, and he didn't want to leave her behind, especially in a forest where REAL wild animals might be dwelling, though he figured most of them would run away before she even saw them. That didn't stop from at least beating her, being at least twenty feet ahead, reaching the gorge seconds before she did. Red approached Night panting and exhausted, and Night just flashed her a toothy grin, chuckling at how out of breath she was after such a short run. Sitting down at the edge of the gorge to rest, Red dangled her feat over edge, and laid back into the smooth and soothing texture of the grass. Taking a deep breath, and savoring the moment of rest.

"I don't get how you run so fast so easily night." said Red, after having caught her breath. "I'm sure that were weren't even going a fraction of the speed you're capable of."

"Simplest answer?" he asked rhetorically. "This stupid body of mine was designed for running." He sighed, as he laid down to rest, taking in the scenery all around him. "I hate it; the only stinking thing I'm good for is running."

"HEY," shouted red, bolting into a sitting position, "Don't say that!"

"Then tell me," said Wolf, suddenly seeming angry, and almost snarling at Red, "What else am I good for!" He quenched his eyes shut tight, as if fighting some sort of internal war. "I'm a freak of nature, whose own mother didn't love him, I can't talk to most people without them wanting to kill me or run me down, I live in a den like a wild animal, and I'll never even be able to have a family, because I'm cursed in a way that will repulse every single woman in existence from wanting to even hug me!"

Red was frozen, tears in her eyes, as she listened to Night go on about being nothing more than a beast. "Night," tried Red, wanting to help her friend feel better.

"Just stop it!" snarled Night, turning his head away, as if to hide something in his face. Red didn't no what to do; her best friends was acting as if he hated her all of the sudden. Her eyes filled up with tears, and she herself barely able to keep from sobbing. She made to get up and run away, but what happened next changed the course of everything that would ever happen to her. As she went to get up, her feet slipped on the ground, and her momentum sent her body over the edge of the nearly thirty foot deep gorge. She instantly let out a shriek of terror, her hands clawing at the ground, trying to hold onto solid ground, and finally getting a good grip at the edge, clutching as hard she could, though feeling the earth begin to slowly give way. "Night," she screamed, tears of horror flowing from her eyes.

"Red," Night shouted, immediately jumping into action, and standing right above her within a fraction of a second. "Red, grab onto my jaw, and I'll pull you up." he said, opening his maw, and lowering it to within reach of her hands. Red froze for a second, before, bolting her hand to his lower jaw. The initial sensation was one of slight pain, having grabbed at sharp teeth, but it was not enough to make her let go. Night could feel her weight, in that moment, trying to pull him down, but he resisted, and held his ground. Another second later, and Red reached her other hand up, and grabbed onto him. Now, with most of her weight on his Jaw, Night felt as if it was going to be pulled out of place, the pain sensation so great. He could feel his body slipping along the ground, towards to edge. 'I'm sorry Red,' he thought to himself. 'I'm so, so sorry.'

"I don't wanna die," Red cried out, sobbing in fear. "I don't wanna die."

Night wasn't entirely sure what came over him, but hearing Red, in such fear, caused something inside him to stir. He wasn't sure hat it was, but something in it seemed to cause new strength in his legs, as he planted them in the ground with new firmness. 'I WON'T LET RED DIE,' he shouted in his head. 'NOT NOW!' he pulled, with all of his might, to bring Red up. He could feel his legs burning, as if telling him to just give up. Had any normal wolf tried this task, it would have been impossible. They wouldn't have done it to begin with anyways. But Night was no normal Wolf, and body and muscles far superior, and he was not back down.

"I'm almost up," screamed Red in joy, "Just a little more!"

With a final tug, Red was able to get herself and, scramble over to Night, and embracing him in the tightest of hugs, sobbing into his fur. "Thank you," she whispered over and over again. "Thank you."

Night rubbed his head against hers affectionately, whispering to her. "It's okay," he said. "I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you."

Eventually, Red calmed down, though she continued to hold tight to Night, not wanting to let go of his warm embrace. "Please," she pleaded quietly, "don't ever leave me."

Wolf wasn't sure how to react to such a request, his body tensing up slightly in the moment. Red pulled away from him, and looked into his eyes. Night could not help but smile as he looked at her, with such beautiful eyes, hair as soft as the finest fur, her reddish cheeks that everyone seemed to want to make fun of, and her mouth which, though expressionless at the moment, almost always bared a warm smile. "I'll always be there for you," he said, finding himself unable to say anything else in response as he looked at her. Red smiled, buried her face in his neck fur, whispering her thanks as she once again embraced him. "And... I'm sorry for getting angry at you earlier," he said. When Red pulled back to look him in the eyes, he found himself averting her gaze, though for what reason he wasn't entirely sure. "It's just... there are so many things I want... a life I'll never have... and sometimes it makes me hate what I am."

Red smiled sadly at him, contemplating what to say, and finding no words, opted to just embrace him once again, feeling that holding him close to her would convey all the message she needed to convey. So they stayed for a while, happy to both be alive. Eventually, the sky began to darken, and the stars made their way out, and they realized they needed to go to Night's den. So, side by side, they went, the closest of friends.

When they got to the den, Night and Red decided to tell some stories, and eventually got around to talking about when she first met him; her encounter with the boy from her village who had seen fit to cover her in snow.

"It's really funny," said Red through a fit of laughter, sitting in front of a fire, close to the wolf with whom she had become such good friends. "I told them what he did to me, and they think you were some kind of spirit, who scared him because of his behavior." She covered her mouth to giggle a bit.

Night smiled as he thought about it. "I've been called a spirit a good many times, but that's the first time I've been called a GOOD spirit." He brought up a hind paw, and scratched himself behind one of his ears, tongue hanging out as he did so.

"Well you may not be a spirit," she said, smiling as she watched his every movement, "but you've got the kindest heart I've ever known." she leaned forward, and without even realizing what she was doing, kissed Night on the tip of his nose. Both individuals tensing in that moment, allowing themselves to process what had just happened.

Red quickly pulled back, her face redder than it normally was, and looked at the ground in embarrassment. "Sorry," she muttered, not daring to look back at Night.

Night silently weighed his options of how to react, and after a little internal war over weather or not it would make things awkward, he leaned forward, and lightly licked her cheek. "Don't be," he said, in a voice that almost resembled that which he used outside of his home.

In an almost timid manner, Red began to lift her head, and when her eyes met his, she became lost in there ethereal glow, shining bright gold; brighter than any star. She was lost in his gaze, looking into his very being. Now, it is written that the eyes are the windows to the soul, and that being the case, Red saw beyond any doubt that he had one, and that it was as kind and as gentle as a dove. She could not turn away from him; in fact, even though she didn't realize it, she was moving closer to those eyes, and to him.

On instinct, her eyes began to lid, as did his, and without another moments notice, her lips met the tip of his snout in a soft, gentle kiss. There was no tonguing, no interlocking of lips, no caressing, and yet... and yet, there was something there. It was like, for each of them, a little puzzle piece had fallen into there broken hearts, and made them whole. Made them feel whole in a way that neither of them thought was ever possible.

Separating, they both looked into each others eyes, and saw there own feelings reflected in the soul of what had come to be there closest friend. In a flash, Red moved her lips back onto his, and wrapped her arms around his neck, combing her hands through his soft fur basking in the feel of it between her fingers. Simply being able to hold Night close, the only peer she was ever able to trust, the only one who seemed to truly care for her... it was like she was embracing a part of herself.

Suddenly, the kiss broke, Night pulling away, shaking his head as if something was wrong. The expression on his face was one of fear, one of some indescribable pain, one of some part of him trying to lock his entire being away.

Red looked at him with fear and concern, uncertain of what it was that was causing this change. "We can't do this," he muttered, his face baring the strangest expression on it. It was as if half of him wanted to kiss her, and the other half was scared of what would happen.

"Why," Red asked softly, slowly raising a hand to scratch behind one of his ears. He made no objection to this, so she continued. "you care about me like no other person Night. I can feel it; the way you watch around me while we walk threw the woods, the way you listen to everything I say, and the way you try to comfort me when I'm upset. You even saved my life today." she waited for him to speak, praying inwardly for his acceptance.

"What will happen if someone were to find out about this. Not only that were friends, but..." he trailed off for a moment, before continuing. "People would not like it Red... you and I in..." he froze for a second. "In love... they would probably kill me and punish you in some way." he lowered his head, barely whispering. "I'm just a monster."

Red shook her head, a firm expression in her gaze, and said very plainly, "No Night."her tone was firm as she lifted his head and looked into his eyes, thinking for a moment that he looked about to cry. She stared straight into his eyes, looking at him and who he was, on the inside. She was gonna say what needed to be said this time. " you want to know what I see inside you?" her voice was strong, and her entire form seemed to change in that moment. Night had never seen her like this before, stern and serious. It shocked him.

When Night said nothing, she continued. "I see a creature so kind and gentle, so strong and caring, and a soul so beautiful, that no matter what your body, no matter what you look like, you are far more a man than any other prospective male I have ever met. You have been given this form because of something that was beyond your control, but you are still a man." she cupped the side of his head, rubbing his cheek over with her thumb. Night was speechless; how could she speak in such a way, or suggest such a thing. Was he really some sort of demon, that was tempting and taking advantage of her, trying to get her to fall for him? For a monster?

"Night, I... I've known you for a few months, and in that time.. in that time Night..." Red then broke down, choking on her own words, and Sobbing into Night's fur as she buried her face in his neck. She couldn't believe this was happening. She had kept her emotions in check ever since she realized she was falling for him, but why did they have to come out now?

For a short while, Red just cried into Night's fur, thankful to be able to hold him in her moment of weakness. Night rubbed his head against her's affectionately, relishing in the feel of her hair against him. It seemed to him that he would have loved to spend the entirety of his life snuggled up to her. It felt like being near her filled the void that had been in him his whole life, truly having someone who cared for him.

Reluctantly, Night pulled away from her, looking straight into her eyes, and instantly stopping her tears. It took him a moment to muster his courage, but he made himself do it, realizing just how much he had come to care for Red. How much he had come to love her.

"Red," he hesitated for a moment, trying to think of the best way to ask his question. "if we were to do this... be together like this... bad things could happen..."

"Night... no matter what... I feel that being without you would be even worse." she was shaking now, fear of rejection racking her form.

Taking a deep breath, Night began. "then..." he took another breath, and said, "will you... be my mate?" he stopped for another second, before adding, "Will you marry me?"

Red couldn't believe her ears; yes, she had fallen for him, and she was hopeful this would happen... but to actually have it happening... it was surreal. Why in the world would he want to spend his life with her? She was just a pathetic little whelp, blessed with a voice that he happened to like, and happened to be one of the few people who had gotten to know him. Life with her would be like a prison. Her very thoughts must have been visible on her face, because Night then proceeded to answer the very questions going through her mind.

"Red, I've met many different people in my life, some a nice to me, in spite of what I look like, and some far from nice, BECAUSE of what I look like." he looked up at Red, trying to draw strength from her eyes, needed for his next words. "Red; you're the only one who's been interested in truly learning who I am, as a person. You listen to me, you care about me, you..." for the first time since she had met him, tears began to stream out his eyes. "...you give me the strength." he looked up at her, and said, "up until recently, I've kept going, just out of desire to live." the strength of the tears began to increase, flowing more freely from his eyes now. "I was beginning to lose that desire. There were times when I considered..." he sobbed; he couldn't say anything else in that moment. Nothing more needed to be said. For the next ten minutes or so, they just held on to each other. In these moments, holding on to each other, each realized just how much the other meant to them. How much they really needed each other.

Do I love him enough to spend the rest of my life with him? As soon as the question came to her mind, she felt ridiculous for even asking it of herself; she already knew the answer. He was the only one she could ever picture herself spending her life with, no matter what his outward appearance. She knew, beyond any doubt, that she would have done anything for him. She would have laid down her life for him. And she knew, though she couldn't bare it if it happened, that he would have done the same.

Pulling away from him, Red gave the brightest smile she had ever given in her life, the smile holding up without any effort whatsoever. It was as if all the joy she felt in that moment was bubbling up, and the pressure of it was forcing the corners of her mouth to rise to seemingly impossible heights. She felt so much joy in that moment, that she felt she had to let it out somehow, else she might explode. "Yes Night, I'll be your mate."

At that moment, Night the wolf felt everything in his world melt away, and the only thing remaining was Red. He softly brushed the tip of his muzzle to her lips, and locked her into a soft kiss, relishing in the fact that they were both with the one whom they had come to love more than anything on earth.

"to have and to hold," said Red, feeling butterflies in her stomach, like a storm of pure bliss.

"For better or worse," muttered Night, banking on the former.

"In sickness or in health."

"For rich or for poor."

"Till death do we part."

And with that, they had promised themselves to each other, as friends, as partners, and now, as mates. They would stay with each other, no matter what. They were one, and though they agreed to put off anything more than kissing, they both knew that their bond was stronger than it could ever be.

Nose tip to nose tip, they rested that night, staring into the face of their mate. Red took in everything about him, his golden orbs that bared his soul to her, his cute ears that flicked a little at the slightest disturbance, his smoke gray fur, his black nose, even his ridiculous smile, which seemed so strange, and at the same time, so at home on the face of a wolf. She couldn't believe he was her's, and even less that he had taken her to be his. It was like a dream come true; she had found the one she'd waited for. Though he wasn't exactly what she had imagined, she felt happy to just have someone who loved her.

"Have I ever told you how cute your red cheeks make you look?" he said, his smile never fading.

She giggled a little, and kissed him on the tip of his nose. "I love you too." she whispered, slowly falling to sleep.

...

"You seem really happy this morning," commented granny, with a knowing smile, as she pulled a bit of weed from her garden, having decided that was what they should do that morning. Though Red never told Granny that Night was a wolf, she had told her everything else about him, and Granny had known all along, even if Red hadn't, that she was in love with him.

"Oh grannie, I couldn't be happier!" she explained, clipping a bit of excess foliage from one of the older ladies plants.

"May I ask what happened?" she inquired, with a smile and a raised eyebrow.

There was silence as Red bit her lip, looking from left to right, as if to someone was waiting for her next words.

"Do you promise not to tell anyone?" she whispered.

"Child, I make no promises; I give my word. Besides, who am I going to tell, nobody comes out to see your old granny anymore. I know the things they've said about me, I know the rumors; so don't worry, I won't tell a soul." she gave a smile as she waited to hear what it was that had gotten her granddaughter so giddy, knowing full well that it had something to do with Night.

"Yesterday... Night and I... we made are vows..."

In spite of the fact that she knew so much, Granny couldn't quite avoid being surprised at this. "But... I haven't even gotten to see him yet." Red could sense the hurt in her voice.

"Actually," she whispered, "nobody has."

"WHAT?" there was silence for a moment before Granny spoke again. "Red... I trust your judgement... your kind, but you have a level head... but not showing him to your parents..." there was more silence as Granny thought about it, hoping that this wasn't going to end badly. "Red... is there something wrong with him... that you feel the need to hide..."

Red was beginning to realize that telling Granny might have been a mistake. She wracked her brain for a response, hoping to find something that would help. When she could find nothing more to say, she dropped her head, and in a barely audible voice whispered, "I love him."

Silence ensued, and all attempts at gardening had ceased. Granny looked at Red, and asked, "What is it about him that you don't what people to know?" Red bit her lip, and, considering all her options, realized quickly that Granny needed to know.

"If you'll let me go talk to him, I'll be back by dinner. I need to ask him some things." Granny placed a hand on Red's shoulders and, looking her square in the eyes, gave a simple nod.

...

Red stood silent before Night, in his den, awaiting his rejection, and his severing of their bond. She couldn't even look him in the eyes, she was so scared of what Night might say, or how he would react to showing himself before another human, aside from his new mate.

"Red... I may be a wolf... but I... I'm scared." Wolf looked again as if two parts of him were warring; the part that wanted to follow Red, and the part that wanted to stay in hiding.

"I know you're scared... but so am I..." she whispered.

"Your scared," he barked in an irrational fit of anger. "I've had to live my whole life in fear of death, of being hunted like a wild animal, all because my devil of a mother wanted to experiment with things beyond her control."

Red's knees buckled, her face planted firmly into her hands, sobbing uncontrollably. Night, realizing the severity of what he had done, slowly approached Red, his mate, and once close enough, gave one of her hands a comforting lick, whining slightly. As soon as he did so, Red threw her arms around him in a tight embrace, sobbing into his fur. "Please don't cry Red... I'm sorry." he practically begged for her forgiveness; how could he have shouted at her?

"I'm scared Night..." she whispered, not looking up. "Scared of loosing you..." she let out another fit of tears, doing her best to pull it all together so she could continue. "but my family... they've been there for me my whole life... they deserve to know..." the last part was barely above a whisper. She was afraid that Night would get angry again, and even leave her.

"This is really important to you... isn't it..." his voice was still filled with fear, but there was a hint of understanding to the tone.

Pulling back, and looking Night directly in the eyes, all she said was "Yes."

"Red," his expression became emotionless for a second, and her breath caught in her throat. "I won't pretend that I like this... the only reason I probably showed myself to you is because... on some level... I had probably already fallen for you." a smile crept across his face before he continued. "So, if this is really important to you, then I'll do it... for you..."

...

Having made the choice to reveal himself to Red's family, they made their way to the Cabin of Red's Grandma. The walk was long, and silent, Red holding onto Night's fur for dear life, as if she was afraid he could up and disappear in any second. She could think of nothing to say to brake the odd silence, and Night could not bring himself to do so either. He knew that it was an irrational fear, that nobody would hear him, but he just couldn't do it, not even to get Red to sing.

As they approached the home, Red began to feel a knot build up in her stomach, fearing what was to come. Would granny be disgusted and disown her, would she accept him and their love, what would...

Red was wrenched from her thoughts as she heard a gasp. Turning towards it, she saw, sitting in an old rocking chair, which was currently dead still, was the person who, before Night, had been the closest thing she'd had to a friend.

Granny sat dead still, unsure of what to make of the situation. Sure, she had heard of some people having wolves for companions, but they tended to be tough people, who could dominate the wolf. This creature could have easily made a quick snack of her. What was going on here?

Red approached Granny slowly and deliberately, fear etched onto every facet of her face, all the time, her hand still clutching Night's fur. Slowly, Red came to a stop before granny, her entire body shaking. Reluctantly, her hand left his fur, and, motioning to him, she began to speak, her voice shaking the entire time.

"Grandma, this..." she swallowed hard for a second. "this... this is Night..." there, she said it. Now all she needed to do was wait for Granny's reaction. Granny's reaction was actually one she had not counted on... No reaction at all. She simply stared, her expression unwavering.

Night, however, had thought of this as the most likely outcome, having handled lots of different kinds of people in his past. He knew that the only way to break the ice gently, and not wait for disaster to strike, was for him to make the next move. In the most audible voice Red had ever heard him use outside of his Den, he said, "I am pleased to meet you Granny Red." He gave a small smile, and waited for her reaction. It came, and oh boy did it come.

"Red," she said, a hint of disgust in her voice, "He's a wolf, an animal; please tell me you are joking, and that the talking is just some trick. Please tell me."

Red's reaction came as a shock to all three of them... to Night, to Granny, and most of all, to Red. "He is not an animal," She shouted in anger. Granny tried to say something, but was not quick enough. "Night has had to spend most of his life alone, because all people ever saw him as was an animal. Yes, he can talk. Why? Because he's not an animal; he has just as much a soul as you or I." Red took a second to breath before continuing, and though her tone remained strong, she allowed the anger to die away a good bit. "His own mother, a human woman, who brought him into this world, forsook him as a beast, going so far as to use his blood for her sick, demonic, rituals. His entire life has been spent in fear of the entire world. If I can help to give him a bit of the life that he deserves, then I will... because I love him." she looked her grandmother squarely in the eyes, but this time, Red did not shake, didn't shiver, and didn't waiver; she was like a rock against the wind, strong, constant, and unmoving.

Night just stood there, dumbfounded, looking up at his mate with an expression of admiration. He couldn't believe how lucky he had been to find someone who cared so much. No... this wasn't luck... this was too perfect to be luck. This was planned, most likely since the beginning of time. This was meant to be.

Granny meanwhile was trying to get a hold on what she was hearing. She couldn't make any sense of it. Part of her kept searching for a reason to object, but with what she had heard, she could come to no other conclusion but that Red was in the right. Looking down at the creature who stared up at Red, she got out of her chair, and, old bones popping and creaking, she knelt down in front of Night. Taking hold of both sides of his head, she turned him to look into his eyes.

At first all she saw was shock and fear. But then, she began to slowly see more. She saw not a blind beast, but a fully aware, kind, loving, passionate person. She saw his soul, and though she could sense that it had once been touched by a great darkness, she could see clearly that it had died away, leaving the brightest light she had ever seen. Upon this realization, tears of joy left her eyes, as she moved forward, and brought Night into an embrace.

"I can see what sorts of things you've been through young one," she whispered into his ear as tears continues to silently fall. "Red is the key to your freedom from your past. You are your own person, and your past needs hold no bearing on who you are, and where you will go." Then, in an almost breathless whisper that Night himself barely even heard, meaning it for only him to hear, she added "here, and beyond."

And with that, Red lowered herself to them, and a group hug ensued, smothering poor Night in it's warmth, though he couldn't have been happier. He felt more loved than ever in his life. He licked Red's face in a show of affection, and got a fit of laughter from her golden voice. She gave him a quick playful lick back, before erupting with more laughter. Nothing could ruin this moment; nothing.

...

Having walked a great distance through the would, a young boy took a second to catch his breath. He had been sent as a messenger to tell Red that her mother had gravely ill in the night, and that her time might quite possibly be nigh. The lady was so kind and sweet, having shared food and stuff with his own family, and always having some time to talk. He was only nine years old, but he was the oldest boy, who had the free time at least, that held no contempt for Red's family. The thing was, people were jealous of the the fact that the mother was such a kind, Christian soul, always humble, and passionate about the things she loved. Her personality seemed almost otherworldly... impossible even. How anyone could not like her, the boy could not understand. He wished that everyone could be more like her.

He suddenly heard a bit of laughter, and realized he was closer than he had imagined. He began his journey anew, at a running pace this time, but stopped dead in his tracks at the sight. For the rest of his life, that little boy regretted his reaction, but at the time, he couldn't help it. Something about seeing a huge wolf, a good bit bigger than he was, that could have eaten him in but a few bites, speaking with the two women, had caused his rational thought processes to completely shut down; he only ran after that. Ran and ran, all the way to the village, where, rather than telling his family of what he had seen, which might have ended well, told the first person that he ran into.

The boy ran right into the man's leg, which was almost as thick as strong as a tree, and fell onto his back. The man gave a seemingly egotistical chuckle as he asked, "and what brings you in such a hurry." Though the boy wasn't even a fraction of his size, and was but a mere child, the lumberjack still felt his pride swell as he towered over the boy. It felt good to be bigger than everyone else.

The boy, acting on impulse, told of what he had seen, and no sooner had he made that mistake, than the man was off, to prepare himself.

...

"I can't believed you've walked all this way grandma," gawked Red, as the familiar home came within sight.

Granny smirked at her. "Oh please, what do you think I do all day, sit around and sleep?"

"Well..." Red trailed off, a mischievous grin on her face.

"Watch it young lady. You may have been justified in your tone earlier, but I won't take to insults from someone who's a sixth my age." all the while she held a playful grin on her face.

"You know you didn't have to come," said Red, all the of the sudden getting serious.

"You two need someone who can stand by your side if we're gonna keep this all from going to the dogs, or wolves if you prefer." she gave a little chuckle before continuing. "And yes I did have to come." she gave her granddaughter a warm smile, a bittersweet tear falling from one of her aged eyes. How do they manage to grow up so fast?

"Thank you," came the reply, though it was not from Red. "Thank you for understanding." and then Night fell back into silence, and none of them said anything as they made their way directly to the house.

...

"Hello?" Red called out within the familiar dwelling. The home was composed of only three rooms, parents one, Red in another, and then the first room being where Red's brother, along with the kitchen and everything else stayed. From where she was however, neither Red, Night, nor Granny saw anyone, though within a moment they heard movement. Red's brother burst through the door to their parents room, and flew towards the band, pulling her into a tight embrace, sobbing slightly.

"She's dying," whispered her brother, choking on the words. For all his physical strength, Red knew he could be very fragile emotionally when it came to the things he loved. Red didn't even need to ask of who he spoke. Her body began to shake, once again, out of fear. Red's eyes began to mist over as she and her brother, who in his crying hadn't even noticed Night, made their way into the room. There was an almost tangible sadness in the air as Red entered.

"Hey sweetie," came a raspy voice. "come here and give mommy a hug." Her mother's skin had lost all color, her eyes having lost most of their zeal that she was known for.

Slowly, Red's body moved towards the sick body that lied on the bed. It wasn't even Red herself moving, it was simply her body. Once reached the bed, she bent over, and embraced her mother in a hug. She sobbed into her mother's shoulder, saying audible prayers for her to get better, pleading with God that she would be all right.

"Ssshhhh," cooed her mother. "We all have to go sometime honey," Red couldn't help but feel like her mother was telling her goodbye in that moment. "Your ready to go on without me sweetie. You've made me so proud." she then kissed her daughter on the forehead, and turned to look at the other guests. For a moment, she seemed to gain back her old color and strength as she stared into the eyes of Night. All others, seeing her gaze, followed her line of sight, and simply stared, though they seemed to lose color, rather than gain. Even Granny couldn't help but feel a bit intimidated as she stared at Night, who for whatever reason, seemed to be standing taller than he had been. There was no fear, or reserve, or weakness in his posture. He did not stand in a submissive way, but stood strong strong among these people."

Red's mother smiled warmly as she spoke. "I've seen you before," she said softly. "In my prayers for my daughter, and in my dreams of her future." she motioned for Night to approach her bed-side, and as he did, the woman reached a hand out to caress his furry cheek. "You have suffered much... of that I know..." she took a moment to rest, every word now beginning to hurt. "but your past... it has made you strong..." tears filled her dry eyes as she whispered hoarsely, "Watch over my little girl..."

Giving into the moment, Night could feel tears welling up in his eyes as well, as he nuzzled into the hand of his accepting mother-in-law. "I will care for her as any person should care for their mate..." the woman's smile broadened, as she retracted her hand, and let out a sigh of happiness. "Marcus," she called, her voice becoming more strained by the second. Red's brother slowly approached, with his dad and uncle close behind, though keeping distance out of respect.

"I need you to take your sister and her mate away from here..." there was so much pain in the moment, that nobody in the room questioned the wolf being called Red's mate, simply hanging onto every one of the dying woman's words. "I can feel darkness growing in this village..." she paused for another breath, even coughing a little. "Some can be saved from it... but you must take Red and Her mate away... or they'll be... consumed... by... it..." she was now squinting and visibly straining to get her words, each one feeling to her like she was trying to life ten heavy men above her weak body.

Her husband then stepped forward, taking on of her hands in-between his, trying to provide some comfort. In those last moments, the woman opened her eyes, smiled, and without any effort at all, said, "I love you." and with that, she allowed herself to be taken away, all she needed to say having been said. The man took his dead wife's hand, and rubbed it to his face, sobbing like no other person could for her.

Red's uncles came up and brushed his hands over her eyes, closing them shut, and lowered his head, saying a silent prayer for his sister-in-law. She would be greatly missed.

In that moment, there came a banging on wood so fierce, and a voice so booming, that all froze in shock for a moment. "Open up, I've come for the old witch and her witch granddaughter!" it was the voice of the most evil man in town, the lumberjack who cuts down both men and trees.

"How dare he call Red a witch!" snarled Night with anger dieting through his voice, turning to to run at the voice.

"There's no time for that Night," said Granny, reaching out and grabbing some of the scruff of his neck."You and Red need to leave, now!" her voice flowed with fear, turning to the unmoving Red, who was still lying over her mother, sobbing. "Don't you listen to your mother? She said to get out of here!" she turned to Red's brother. "Get her out of here, or she'll parish along with me." That last part caught everyone's attention. " Yes, yes, I'm gonna die, cry over me when your old, gray, and have nothing better to do, but get Red out of here now!"

There was a loud boom, accompanied by the splintering of wood, and instantly, both Red's dad and uncle were in the main room, the only thing keeping Night from following them being the hand on her back. Red's brother immediately went for Red, lifting her up in his arms. "Come on fur-ball," he said in a hurried tone, carrying red to a window. He swiftly shoved shoved the window open, and set his sister outside in the dirt, before climbing out after her, Night following swiftly behind, once he was released, but not before a stern word from Granny. "You take care of that girl, or I'll come back from the grave to take care of you." even in the face of danger, Granny put on a grin. Wolf gave her a quick nod, and then was out the window.

Red forced herself up onto her feet, still crying a little, as her brother grabbed her hand, and pulled her along to the woods. Sounds of screaming and shouting could be heard behind them , but they had to run. They had to obey their mother's last wishes. Suddenly, there came such a frightful shout, that all had to turn towards it's source. It was the lumberjack, his ax raised up, running straight for them, or more specifically, for Red.

Both Marcus and Night reacted to the situation, Marcus spinning about to block the lumberjack from Red, and Night lunging at the lumberjack, with such a fierce snarl, that for the first time ever, he looked like a real wolf. He latched onto he Man's side , sinking his teeth into flesh, and though it disgusted Night, the feeling of blood in his maw, he kept on, only thinking of Red. The Ax came down at an awkward angle, and struck Marcus in he neck, dealing and instantly fatal wound. Night continued to snarl as he ravaged the man's side, and his hands and arms when attempts to strike back were made. I WON'T LET YOU HURT MY RED, was all he could think.

Red sobbed into her brother's chest, and she held his body in a warm embrace. Why did so many have to die? Why couldn't there be a happily ever after ending? Why...

A particularly loud shriek from the lumberjack caught her attention. Rising from her spot on the ground, she approach the man, Night ceasing his mangling once he saw Red. He got up into the Man's face, snarling, and in the darkest voice Red had ever heard from him, or ever would hear from him, he gave the pain stricken figure a warning. "Never... Call... Her... A witch..." he snapped at the Man's face, before pulling back, and continuing. "You are the spawn of the Devil himself, and have no right to even address her!"

The man's face was a storm of pain and fear. "Please," he pleaded to Red, reaching for his ax, and ignoring the warning snarls. " put me out of my misery." Night felt more than happy to oblige him in that moment for even speaking to his Red, but a hand on his back held him in place.

"He's not worth the weight it would put on your conscience," she said bitterly, spitting on the Man's chest. "for what you've done to my family," fresh tears found there way out of her eyes, "I hope God curses the rest of your days." she then spat in his face, turned, and walked over to her brother.

She knelt down beside him, and said a prayer for him. She couldn't understand why everyone she ever knew had to die, but her mother always seemed to knows things. She had even known of Night, and not only that, but gave her blessing. Now, all she had left of her mother was a single command; to leave.

And so begins a fantastic new journey, with the unlikeliest of couples. This is the story of how they came together, some of the joy, and some of the sadness, that they shared. There journey includes both the spiritual, and the physical, and is one that transcends even them, and into the lives of those that live and breath in the present.

For as Night was born of a human woman, so to could Red bare his children, and that is what came to be. As they raised their children, away from the darkness that grew to overtake the village, most of them grew to find love as their parents had, and a couple finding that the simple love of their family was enough, and though there were still those who feared Night, he grew to care less what others thought of him, and care more of those who cared for him.

The blood of the wolf spread, and though it dilutes itself every time another of their line is born, it is still there, even in the smallest behaviors and mannerisms. Sometimes we don't even realize when it manifests itself, sometimes only showing through in moments of dire need or frustration. Snarling when angry, whining when sad, howling when happy and joyful. Next time you look in the mirror, you just might find yourself asking, "do I have the blood of a wolf?"

But what of the lumberjack, did he perish? Just as Red had said, he was cursed for what he'd done, and after problems so many, he took his own life, unable to have strength enough to reap that which he had sewn. Before his life ended however, he managed to commit one last sin, being that thou shalt not bare false witness. What was his lie you ask? Well, just take a quick peak in any number of children's books and you'll see of those things that he spoke. Of a little girl in Red, a grandmother, and a lumberjack that supposedly rescued them from it's clutches.

...

I just want to clarify, the curse was not to say that the Lumberjack had no chance of redemption. The Bible is full of stories about people who were cursed, then sought redemption as their life became unbearable. I just thought, for some reason, this is one person who would not. Anyways, yeah, fun story; sorry if it was a little rushed. This edited version has a tiny bit more descriptions, and the scene where they kissed was toned down a bit. I realized, after reading it, that it made it seem as if Red had more on her mind than kissing, which was not intended at all. Again, I apologize if you read the first version. Hope you enjoyed my story, and if you want, leave a little review telling me what you think it. I have wolf blood, hear me howl. AHWWWOOOOOO!