A/N: This will be a series of multi-chaptered stories based off various different fairy tales (Mainly tales from the Brothers Grimm).

I've been working on this for a while, so I hope you enjoy. This first one, "When the Demons Call" is based mainly of "Little redcap" which is better known as "Little red riding hood" in modern times.

Please follow/favourite if you like it, and don't forget to leave a review!

Also, if you have a favourite fairytale that you'd like me to include, please let me know through either a PM or a review and I'll write one up.

Aaaanyway. Naruto isn't mine, just so you know. Let's get on with the story now!

When the Demons Call Part 1

The villagers had been warned not to stray from the forest trail.

"The trees will swallow you,"

"The demons will haunt you,"

"The wolves will eat you,"

They had been told these stories from birth, and the age-old legends were widely believed to be truth, so the villagers never did stray from the path.

Or if they did, they were never heard from again.

"The trees swallowed them."

"The wolves got them."

Having been raised with these stories preceding curfews and 'Goodnights', Nara Shikamaru was no stranger to the superstitions of others, but he refused to believe them himself.

That said, he still stayed on the path whenever he went through the forest, not out of fear, but because getting lost would be troublesome.

"NARA SHIKAMARU!"

Shikamaru grumbled and sat up from where he was lying down. That harpy of a woman (who was apparently his mother) would deafen him before his sixteenth birthday, he was sure of it.

"Yes?"

"Yes mother." The woman snapped, walking over to him with a basket in her hand.

"Take this to lord Yashamaru before nightfall. Got it?"

Shikamaru sighed, the village elder lived in the heart of the forest, a four hour walk from his house. He'd have to leave as soon as possible to return at a reasonable hour. What a drag...

Nonetheless, it wasn't a choice, given his mother's tone, so he stood and took the basket from her.

"I'll leave now, then." He said as he turned away from her.

"Remember!" Yoshino called from behind him.

"Don't stray from the path!"

"Yeah, yeah," the boy mumbled.

Why did he have to bring the basket to Yashamaru? Surely a messenger could have done it? Maybe it was to strengthen the ties between his family and the village elders. His father was a military advisor for the village leader, but the elders weren't fond of his approach to battle, claiming that he was overthinking every strategy he performed.

Sighing, he walked to the edge of the forest and nearly entered it before he heard a call from behind him.

"SHIKAAAA!"

He spun around to be face-to-face with his childhood friend.

"I-Ino, what is it?"

"I heard you were leaving, so I came to say goodbye!"

"Ino, I'll be back in less than ten hours."

"Still!" The blonde explained, smoothing out her skirt that had crumpled slightly when she'd rushed to catch up to him. "You never know, Shika, the wolves might get you!"

She wiggle her fingers eerily before giggling at his bored expression.

"Ino, those are just kid's tales, you know that, right?"

Ino frowned.

"No they aren't. How do you explain the missing people?"

Shikamaru shrugged.

"They got lost. Ran out of food. Died. Found a better village. Loads of things."

"Even if they really are myths, or kid's tales, they still have to stem from some truth. My dad told me about a clan that was banished years ago whose children throughout the generations slowly evolved into wolves to adapt to their enviro-"

"Ino, I have to go, or else I'll be walking home in the dark. I'll see you tomorrow. If I don't get killed by wolf-children."

Ino didn't laugh at his attempt at a joke, so he turned and entered the forest, leaving the village behind and disappearing among the trees.

OooooooooO

Shikamaru had been walking for about an hour before he heard a rustling amongst the brambles ahead of him. He ignored the noises and quickened his pace, not wanting to think about what those noises could have been.

'A rabbit. It was a rabbit,' he told himself. 'A small fluffy bunny rabbit...'

Throughout the rest of his walk, Shikamaru couldn't help but feel paranoid that he was being watched by someone. By something.

Upon arriving at Lord Yashamaru's cottage, he knocked thrice and waited to be let in.

"Enter!" Came the voice from within.

Shikamaru pushed the oak door open and walked into the dimly lit home.

A fire was crackling in the sitting area, and a weary looking Yashamaru was seated on a wooden chair at the dining area.

"Ah, thankyou, Nara-kun. I am most grateful for your service."

"It was no trouble, really," Shikamaru said, setting the wicker basket down on the table, noticing for the first time that it contained food and wine.

"I would have gotten it myself," Yashamaru explained, "But I have so much work to do that it would only waste time."

Shikamaru nodded and made to leave before the elder spoke up again.

"Would you like some tea before you leave?"

Shikamaru was about to refuse before he realised that he did, in fact, want a drink.

"I would like that very much," he said, bowing to the older man and seating himself at the table.

Now that he was up close to Yashamaru, he finally got to see what the elder looked like in person. He wasn't that old, it seemed. Perhaps a few years older than his father. He had shoulder length sandy-blonde hair and violet eyes. Interesting.

"Did you encounter any difficulties on your way here, Nara-kun?"

"None at all,"

"Very good..."

They remained in silence as the elder made the tea and handed the cup to Shikamaru, who thanked him gratefully.

"Nara-kun, your father is on the village military council, is he not?"

"Yes, he is."

Yashamaru nodded and sipped at his tea.

"I've heard that you take after him in many regards. Do you mind if i ask you for an opinion on something?"

Shikamaru was taken aback by the man's question, but he nodded, slightly flattered that he'd been compared to his father, whom he admired.

"Do you know of the tales about wolves who live in the forest?"

Shikamaru nodded once more.

"Do you believe them, Nara-Kun?"

Shikamaru frowned.

"Of course not, they are children's stories."

Yashamaru looked down at his hands, his feminine features showing sorrow.

"That's not entirely true, Nara-Kun,"

"How so?"

"Well, there is a hint of the truth in those stories," Yashamaru explained, seeing Shikamaru's expression, he elaborated.

"There is a... Clan who lives in the forest. Or rather, there was."

Shikamaru was stunned by what he was hearing.

"What are you trying to say?" He asked.

"There was a family of five that was exiled. My family. I was kept here to keep the peace."

"Why were they exiled?" Shikamaru was trying to understand everything that he was hearing.

"They practiced witchcraft. Well, the parents did. The mother, my elder sister, died giving birth to a child fifteen years ago. It is said the baby was cursed, and had a demon trapped within him. The father, it is said, passed away recently. The three children are now alone."

"My lord, what do you wish to ask of me?" Shikamaru was confused as to why this virtual stranger was telling him these things.

"I wish to kill the three children."s