She awoke to the chirp of the birds and the light of dawn creating abstract patterns on the patch of grass in which she had made her bed the night before. Jodie nickered as Rebecca sat up, the terror still reflected in the mare's eyes. Sitting up with a jolt, Rebecca remembered what had happened last night, though she wasn't sure if she had seen anyone else escape the fire.
Quickly, as though she had been up for hours and had the energy of ten men, she mounted Jodie and kicked her hard, steering her towards the village. Or what remained of the village.
Everything was dead, everything was black, and there was no living soul in sight. Brows knit, Rebecca felt the urge to cry, but there were no tears to come. She had run dry like a well with no water. What have I done? She asked herself, frustration replacing the fear for what she might find. In the center of the village a few bodies lay. She turned her head, unable to look into the eyes of the dead. They hadn't even been burned all that much. But the terror mixed with the shock and burns must have killed them.
Smoke rose from everything, the floundering of the flames had stopped perhaps only an hour ago, and the smell of burning wood and flesh filled the air. Jodie nickered in the distance, Rebecca had strayed farther from her. What was left of the haven she so wanted?
It took her an hour to search the entire village, and with no luck either. Everyone had died, and those who hadn't most likely had fled and were nowhere near the village now.But in Rebecca's eyes, she had failed them all. It was her duty to kill the wolf and protect the village, and she had only done one of those two things.
Suddenly, a noise rose from the smoke. A cry. A small cry. Without hesitation Rebecca followed the voice, frantic to find the survivor. A face stared at her from a charred blanket, the cheeks smeared with ash and soot. Two big, blue eyes pleaded Rebecca to save her from the hell she had been living in all night.
Rebecca moved forward and outstetched her hand. The child took it without thinking and pulled themselves from the rubble. As the blanket fell away Rebecca realized it was the little red head daughter of Callum. She was the only survivor. Slowly, without letting go of her hand, the little girl and Rebecca walked away from the bodies of the dead.
"What is your name?" Rebecca asked her, stopping and bending down to wipe the soot from her face.
"Kathryn. What is yours?" Rebecca thought for a minute.
"You can call me Red."
"Yes, Red. Are we going tofind Papa?"
"I don't think so. I think Papa is safe now, away from the bad things." Kathryn's face sunk.
"Away from the bad things." She whispered. "What are the bad things?"
"Those tales that no one ever thinks is true. Those things that are fairytales. The fairytales turned bad."
"And who will stop the bad things? Why can't I be safe, like Papa?"
"You will be. I won't let the bad things get you. I'll stop the bad things. For you."
Kathryn nodded. Jodie appeared from the smoke, her eyes resting on Kathryn. Gently, Rebecca took hold of Jodie's reins. So with the reins of the mare, and the hand of Kathryn in each hand, the three figures walked back towards the forest, leaving the remains behind, and ready to start their new life.
"Red?"
"Yes?"
"Are there wolves in the forest?"
"There's no need to be afraid of the big bad wolf. Not anymore."
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Author's Note: The end of "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf. But not the end of Red and Kathryn. ;)
