Welp... a little later than I wanted to launch this but here it is!
Numero Tres.
I'm loving making this enjoy sharing it as I am. Trying to keep it exclusive seems too... bleh. I figure I'll let the story do the talking and let those who truly wish to support me, do so as they will. (A simple reminder for any that feel it matters, I have an atreon with a "P" under the same name)
Just as well, I'm glad others are enjoying this tale. It was a bit quick at first, slowing down and light, but soon it'll get a bit detailed and I hope you will all enjoy that. XD
Read, fav, follow, review, and enjoy! My strange snack today is not that strange... it's birthday cake!... filled with raspberry filling and I put peanut butter on. Now it's a peanut butter and jelly cake. MMMM. Shut up! I love peanut butter!
Though not exactly a plan in and of itself, the sentiment she intended was still going her route, with the hunter, now knowing his name to be Glenn Hargrave, coming back after each 'hunt' with less and less supporters.
Each setting sun came with his return and a dwindling party of 'beast hunters', making the man look more and more like a raving lunatic with a persistent delusion brought forth by a drunken stroll in the pale moonlight.
With it being almost a week since she asked Fen to stay with her, Glenn's troupe now only consisted of his usual lackeys, about four or five of them, along with a couple of straggler believers in his cause.
Suffice it to say that the town had to take some notice. With many of them pursuing this farcical venture, the community was missing some elements to its trade and economy. The hunters weren't providing meats and skins, as well as not clearing the area of dangerous animals that kept tradesmen from gathering materials or transporting goods.
That detraction from the community definitely brought forth the ire of the people in town. Hunters and others that accompanied Glenn had to cave to greater needs, the initial fear of a 'monster' having been trumped by both lack of evidence and a dwindling ability to waste time to follow the obsessed man.
Scarlett did her best to avoid him, knowing he was sufficiently drunk to likely not even remember her from before, but not wanting to take the chance he senses something familiar and gives her attention she truly couldn't afford.
There was enough of that from a few merchants who noticed she was buying more than the normal portions of produce for her meals. She was able to lie and say that her visits to her grandmother were more frequent, thankful that the mindset of most of them was not to intrude and keep to themselves, but she knew it was a stopgap.
Her new home life was both comforting and a bit unsatisfactory.
Fen gave into her heartfelt request, but that meant he was suffering a bit of cabin fever. With a tail and ears, the young woman could only do much to hide them. The ears were easy enough, but his tail betrayed many emotions he would be subject to, hardly able to remain still beneath a coat or pants.
That meant both of them were reluctant to explore anything outside.
It was definitely a small surprise to her to hear from him that his current humanesque form was as far human as he could go. No matter what, the ears and tail remained.
Loyal to his word, even though the circumstances weren't what he imagined, Fen remained at her home, staying out of sight and keeping a low profile.
His safety and complacency towards her selfish desire to keep him safe made her nerves settle, though guilt inevitably settled in at his confinement.
The hooded girl could most certainly see he was not a homebody type of person. Remaining as he did in her small abode was probably almost as problematic for his mental state as it would be for hers if he got hurt because she didn't protect him.
It was a quagmire of emotional distress for all, but he willingly suffered the isolation for her.
That matter made her feel all the more guilt after the first night of having slept next to one another. Scarlett did it because he was hurt and that stare… oh goodness that stare was so innocent and pleading for love.
After that though, the young brunette couldn't bring herself to share the bed, as much as she wished she could. Years of being brought up under tradition that it was not acceptable made her feel this sense of shame she couldn't shake yet. It was an insecurity she knew she had to overcome but for now… Fen accepted it. He slept on her bed and she on the chair next to her hearth.
Staring into the fire on this latest night, Scarlett didn't even hear Fen approach her, his steps silent and certainly a testament to his wolf side.
Her heart skipped a beat in shock, but she kept her expression as still as she could, getting used to being surprised by him.
"Any more news today?" he asked simply, offering her a gentle smile, the wolf boy's eyes looking glazed over and tired. His isolation was affecting his sleep as well, much the same as her impromptu sleeping arrangements affected her.
"Still about six or seven following that moron," the girl vented, picking up a piece of bread from a plate next to her on the end table. She held it out to her animalistic companion, allowing him to take it and satiate his hunger.
"Whatcha think then?" Fen spoke, his maw half full of bread.
"I guess… it's okay to go," Scarlett reluctantly admitted. She couldn't do this to him any longer and she couldn't take having him around like this. The hooded girl was becoming much too aware of him, friend or no, with every glance at him or locking gaze making her cheeks flush and chest tighten.
"Forgive me… but thank goodness," he remarked, with her knowing full well how he meant that.
"You are forgiven," Scarlett giggled softly, watching his expression brighten at the news. "If you want to go outside and stretch your legs, go for it. I'm probably going to go check on my grandmother anyways."
Fen seemed to perk in attention to that mention, remarking, "This late at night? Are you sure?"
The woman eyed him skeptically, brow arched in mild admonishment that he would ask such a thing.
"Hey," he continued, unfazed, "If you can be worried about me, I can be as well for you."
Her face fell in realization of that truth. She couldn't be a hypocrite about this by making him feel bad for asking.
"I… fine… I'll go at first light," Scarlett gave in, knowing he was right.
"Woah… hey," he fired back. "I just meant I could escort you. Is that ok?"
"Oh… I… yes," she muttered in response, mind still tired from a lack of sleep. "I'm sorry."
He shook his head in rebuke of her apology, remarking, "Don't be. I understand."
They made ready, with Fen donning a stiff bowler hat to hide his ears and breeches that could hide his tail with a harness. It would be uncomfortable, but not painful at least. Since his normal attire would draw some ireful glances from condescending townsfolk, believing him to be a homeless vagrant with his wrappings, Scarlett gave him a blouse and waistcoat to wear. She had no trench coats in his size unfortunately, the lady making a mental note to fashion him one in time.
They didn't take the usual route that the young woman generally would, since any chance that the wolf boy could be discovered would multiply exponentially on a beaten path with more onlookers.
Sure, the off path walk they made would be considered an oddity in and of itself if spotted, but Scarlett thought of that fact and brought a basket, as if ready to gather alchemical ingredients. If anyone asked, she was looking for items that only bloomed or surfaced at night, and that her companion was a temporary assistant to the search.
Guided by a waxing moon, dew on the trees and loamy soil glimmered in its soft glow. Fen appeared distracted by its luminance, his blue/amber eyes making flitting glances at the moon.
Scarlett smiled gently. He was part wolf after all. They were known to have a romanticized fascinating with the moon.
She looked down, seeing his gait and posture. She forgot to address his footwear situation, seeing him pad his way through the forest with lackluster shoes. What drew her interest most though, was the way he walked. It wasn't exactly graceful or elegant, but it was definitely with a refined balance to it. The brunette noticed he never let his heels touch down more than a slight brush on the ground, putting most of his weight on the balls of his feet.
"Are your shoes okay?" Scarlett dared to ask. "You seem to be walking… odd."
"Hmm…?" he hesitated, looking down. "I'm fine. Wait… what's odd about my walk?"
"It's just… you seem to favor walking on your toes mostly," the young hooded woman defended mildly. "Are your heels hurting?"
"What? N-no…" Fen answered her, now looking down at himself with a curious and self-conscious gaze.
She suddenly had a moment of clarity and instantly felt a bit of guilt for putting a new insecurity on his shoulders. He was walking like a wolf, haunches raised and the pads of his 'paws' touching the ground.
"Fen," she called out towards the wolf boy, whom perked up at her mention. "Ignore me. I was just worried about your shoes. Do you need a new pair?"
The dark haired man turned away, a hand scratching at the back of his neck in mild shame.
"Nah… Shoes are a bit of wasted effort on me in case I… turn…"
"But surely those ones are too thin?" Scarlett further inquired.
"Actually," Fen replied with a brighter tone than before, "I rather like the thinner soles. I understand they protect my feet, but I prefer to feel the earth beneath my feet. Big, heavy boots just make me feel blind."
The hooded girl looked on in fascination as he explained this, somehow understanding at least the intention he had with his words, even if it made little sense logically.
"Uh… sorry," he quickly backtracked. "That probably sounds like nonsense."
"N-no!" she rebuked him with a mild stutter. "It's n-not that. I don't exactly get it… but I think part of me understands what you meant. It's hard to explain."
Scarlett got it well enough to understand at least one small anchor towards his thinking. Humans may be intelligent and civilized, by standard of cultural achievement and technology… but they blinded themselves with such things as coin and cloth. Why do what you should know inherently when you can pay someone else to do it. Hunting, crafting, and building. They bound themselves in armor to fight, though became dulled to the changes of the world around them. They isolated themselves in towns and homes of stone and dead wood.
Fen wasn't like that. He had a connection and an evolved sense that couldn't be put into human words to the Earth itself. The animals could hear better than humans, track better by scent or sight, and knew the land that sifted beneath their paws.
They reached the creek soon enough, with the water babbling in a natural and very calming sound.
The wolf boy reached down to cup his hands and take in a long draught of the cold liquid, letting out a sigh upon finishing.
"Need a lift over it?" he asked her innocently, ready with both arms to wrap around her shoulders and hips.
Though not deep, it was somewhat wide, being about twenty feet across on average. With all the slick rocks and the chill of Autumn settling in, she could see it being necessary to leap over it. She wished they took the bridge, but their path was not the norm, meaning it was downstream by a few tenths of a mile at least.
"You saying I can't handle myself," she caught herself saying with mild sass.
"Just wanting to make things easier," he evenly supplied, a gentle smile on his face. "May I?"
Though she wanted to play the 'I'm a tough girl' card, she knew he wouldn't think less of her for accepting the offer, with Scarlett sighing to herself and leaning into his embrace.
In a flash, the young lady was cradled in his arms and making a gravity defying jump across the water, with a shimmering reflection of the waxing moon greeting the girl's gaze downward for a fleeting moment.
Fen landed with a mild scuffing noise on the other side, the impact of his landing straining her much less than she would have thought. He had a soft step that even meant he touched down gentle, too.
Resuming their leisurely stroll to Scarlett's grandmother's home, the two remained rather silent for the rest of the trip. It wasn't uncomfortable, with both enjoying the view. The moonlight helped her vision, though she imagined the wolf boy was somehow easily capable of seeing as if it were broad daylight.
It wasn't much longer before they reached the humble abode, with the windows glowing from flickering fire light. Smoke wisped from the chimney, with the small woman knowing her grandmother was likely making dinner for the evening, before settling in for the night.
Stepping up to the large door, Scarlett knocked softly, not wanting to spook the older woman.
"I told you musket toting drunks that I haven't see your stupid 'beast'!" came an unexpected, and rather irate sounding, shout from inside. To the young woman, her grandmother's tone in that moment made her seem as imposing as if she were several feet taller than her.
"Uh… Gram?" she ventured to call out.
The tone instantly dissipated, with the shuffling of feet coming closer to the door, whereupon the door swung open with a loud creak of the hinges.
"My dear granddaughter…" the old woman began, doing a double take of the taller gentleman standing next to the hooded girl. "...and… her friend…"
Scarlett noticed the way she pursed her lips and settled a squinted gaze at the wolf boy, though she wrote it off as sizing him up.
He waved rather awkwardly, as if having been caught doing something bad, by the state of his nervous expression.
"I wasn't expecting… company…" the elder mentioned slowly, eyeing Fen the whole time, gaze boring into him like a hot knife.
"Alright! Enough!" the poor boy finally relented, surprising the young woman, causing her to jump back slightly as her grandmother seemed to grin in triumph. "I'm sorry. Ok?"
"Wait…" Scarlett started, eyes flitting back and forth in utter confusion. "What's going on? You know each other?"
Fen looked anxious and stuck between words, opening his mouth in a useless gesture to speak, the old woman showing off a snide smile at his misery.
He tugged the brim of his hat, nodding while saying, "She's the 'kind woman' I mentioned."
"Oh…" the red hooded girl sighed in understanding.
"Kind woman?" her grandmother remarked in question, raising an eyebrow. "Such accusations. Don't tell too many people. They might think I have a heart."
Choosing to ignore the self jibes and sass for a brief moment, Scarlett spoke out, "So Gram is the one who taught you?"
"For the most part… I was…" the wolf boy started, before a loud Thwack sounded from his skull, hat taken off and a wooden spoon having filled the void for a split second.
"He was a student of sorts," Gram began, "until he suddenly stopped visiting a couple years ago. You idiot."
"...I know," Fen agreed easily, ears dipping low, as well as his tone and head.
"Let me guess… it was some bull about being a burden on me after I was getting a frequent visitor again?" the elder asked, her tone almost denoting she didn't expect an answer to the contrary.
The young woman didn't miss the flitting gaze from the black haired man to herself, then back to her grandmother, his expression mildly guilt ridden.
"Something like tha…"
He didn't even get to finish confessing his agreement before the old lady hit him over the head once more. Rubbing his head, he smiled slightly. Chastised he may have been, but he still felt loved.
"You think too lowly of yourself, you obstinate and stubborn…" the old woman began to gripe, pausing when she looked up at his hat. "Anyways, I recently had some food made over the fire. I wasn't expecting company but I'm sure there's enough to share. Come in and don't dawdle."
As Scarlett crossed the threshold, pulling back her hood, she heard the faint whisper of her grandmother speaking to Fen, voicing, "It's good to see you're alright."
She felt a bit left out of the loop, wondering what history transpired between them. It was good that Gram taught him as well as she did, though an aching tingle in her mind told her they were purposefully leaving something out. Not just in general… but specifically from her. Both of their flickering gazes to her told her as much.
Choosing to let it go for now, figuring there had to be a reason and neither would willingly try to cause her strife, the brunette settled in next to the pot, recently taken from the lingering coals of the fire. She dipped the ladle back in, pressing it to her lips after taking a sample out. It was still warm… and delicious.
The other two joined her swiftly, not dawdling more than necessary. The next several minutes were followed by conversational small talk. The wolf boy remained apart from most of it, uninterested or ignorant of most of what was said. They talked of the townsfolk, relatives and friends that the elder woman was hoping to hear about, the progression of her life, and finally…
"Yeah…" the grandmother confirmed, taking a sip of some ale she had pulled from the cupboards, "these bastards have been lumbering around my cabin like they own it. Keep on pestering me about seeing a beast."
"Thank you…" Fen murmured to her, ears pinned down underneath his hat.
"What are you thanking me for?" she groaned, reaching to pull off his hat, surprising the young woman. It took her a moment to realize it shouldn't be that unexpected that she knew. "I merely told them the truth. There are no 'beasts' around here. You may not be… human, but I see that as a plus, if those oafs are any indication of the rest of the species. If anything, those ones are the beasts for what they are doing."
"O-oh…" the black haired male sighed with an awkward smile, letting a small chuckle come forth.
"And another thing!" Gram yelled. "They think that an old woman has the sight, especially at night, to pick out whether I see a beast of one of their hairy arses? Bah!"
Scarlett raised an eyebrow at that, chastising her grandmother by saying, "Aren't you the one always saying your hearing might be dulled, but your sight is as keen as ever?"
The elder female smirked devilishly, remarking, "Of course, my dear, but I'm not letting them know that."
Casting a more serious glance towards the young wolf boy, the girl's grandmother got up and further spoke, "Mind if me and this young boy here take a moment outside to catch up?"
Not quite understanding why, Scarlett pursed her lips but nodded anyways, knowing her Gram wasn't likely to take well to her intruding on whatever this was.
Following her shuffling pace outside, Fen replaced his hat and made to hold the door open for her, casting gentle smile back to the green eyed girl.
Sitting still, Scarlett looked around, tapping her feet impatiently. From the shadows outside the small window, they had moved a fair distance away to talk. Little wisps of sound were all that reached her ears.
With a huff, and her mind sparking with an idea, the cloaked woman set off towards her grandmother's room, opening the door carefully, so as not to creak the hinges. There on her night stand, was a small conical device she used for her dulled hearing. It wasn't the most accurate or helpful device, but it came in handy when nothing else could be done.
Finding her way to the window closest to where the duo were chatting in hushed voices, the brunette held the hearing device close and cracked open the window, a small whisper of wind slipping through.
"...doesn't know who you are?" came the soft tone of her Gram.
"I don't think so," Fen replied, forlorn, yet relieved. "I think she remembers something… but it's not right."
Were they talking about her? Or was this another person she wasn't privy to knowing. In her mind though, she shouldn't know Fen, so maybe it was someone else. She didn't even know that the animal like wolf boy was friends with her grandmother. It stood to reason there was more she didn't know. It was only fair to assume that.
"I… I think it's better that way," the young man continued, barely sounding like he believed his own words. "I've gotten better, but I don't want to risk what we have by dredging up old fears."
The elder woman sighed, "You really got yourself in a mess, huh? I was really hoping that, by seeing you again, it meant you had resolved that mess. You were only a cub."
"But I hurt her…"
Hurt her? Who?
The questions were mounting up and the young girl wanted to believe these things were about her, but that thought process was mostly driven by the idea that she was the only female in his life. She would put herself in a figurative corner with that line of thinking. A corner that could very well be a point of embarrassment if she were wrong.
They had only technically known each other for a barely under a month, and he had many years before that to know other people.
"You made a mistake," soothed the barely heard voice of her grandmother. "You've since distanced yourself not because she fears you… but because you fear yourself."
"I know…" the defeated voice of Fen replied, sounding almost wearily broken.
"Which begs the question… how did you overcome that?"
"I didn't… she…" he began.
Leaning in closer, Scarlett bumped her head against the wall, dropping the cone.
"Damnit!" she cursed in a hushed whisper to herself.
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"...she… found me," the wolf boy revealed. "I was being hunted and got shot. Hid under a bridge, where she found me and tended to me, despite knowing what I was."
"That explains the quiet visit," the old woman said with a smile. "She visited me and I surmise she ran into you and didn't know what to think. Asked me about the legends of werewolves around here."
"Just… don't tell her, please," Fen quietly pleaded. "I promise I will but I don't think she's over it."
"If you never let her face it, she'll never get over it," the old lady let out in a biting tone of blunt wisdom. "But I'll not be saying anything. At least, not if you can get your head out of your rear and talk to her about it eventually. I'm old… patience is something I can't afford so much anymore." At the last line, her tone became coy and a bit threatening, making the black haired wolf male gulp and smile nervously.
"I'll… try…"
"Good," Gram chirped with a thump of her fist to his chest. "I really would rather not avoid the topic or play mind games trying to word everything so I don't let anything slip."
"Sorry for the trouble…" Fen remarked, the two now making their way back to the cabin.
"It's not so much trouble as it is concern for you," explained the elder. "You two were quite the pair as kids… until your incident before your mother's death."
He wanted to reply to that, but bit his tongue. He knew well enough the circumstances that led him here, no matter the blame he put on himself.
His ears perked as he detected shuffling movement inside the cabin. It seemed rushed or sporadic, like someone was in a hurry.
Opening the door, both werewolf and elder human found the brunette calmly perched in front of the rekindled fire, warming the food in the pot.
Though she was turned away and still, he could hear the faint remains of her panted breaths, heartbeat hammering in her chest.
Maybe she was trying to eavesdrop and got startled when they came back?
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Scarlett tried to quell the steady pounding of her heart, knowing that after her inability to listen in after her faux paw, she had to rush to put the borrowed item back and make it to the fire, in time for both parties to return. She dared not look their way immediately, since she was certain her face was flushed from the rushed actions.
"You alright dear?" her Gram asked gently.
"Hmm? Ah… yeah… just tired," the cloaked girl quickly supplied.
"You did come so late at night," the old woman mentioned, tone thoughtful and curious. "Why come out here so late?"
Feeling her nerves settling, as well as her breathing and heart rate, Scarlett replied more smoothly, "I've been helping him avoid that mess of hunters. He got hurt before and I was tending to him. Which is also why my visits were lacking. I wanted to check up on you before another night passed."
"Hmmm…. Given the late hour, you might as well spend the night, then," the old lady concluded. The wolf boy seemed to stiffen at that, not to be unnoticed by the elder. "Oh don't get your tail in a knot. You two wouldn't have come by here if you felt the threat was still present. Besides, I have a chamber beneath the floor for you to hide in, just in case they show up again. I'll draw the shutters and bar the door."
"I can do it," Fen rebuked her, getting up and splaying out his hands to wave her down. "You rest."
"Don't you start that coddling with me, boy, or I'll have half a mind to whack you with the spoon again."
"Uh… yes ma'am."
He then proceeded to close the shutters and lock them all in place, as if some sort of muscle memory of doing it had never left him. Back when he learned from her, they often stayed up late and to avoid passersby citizens from getting too nosy, it became a ritual to do so, as well as afford him the release his ears and tail from their entrapment. Even back then, he often had to wear restricting clothes to hide his… unique attributes.
Satisfied that they were all closed up, Fen removed his hat and unbuttoned this small slip in the back of his pants that allowed his tail to be free, courtesy of Scarlett's compassionate ingenuity. There was a sigh of relief and his tail began wagging, attempting to bleed off energy from being cooped up all day.
Entering the common area once more, Scarlett gave him a nervous glance, saying, "Is it safe?"
Her grandmother promptly gave her a swift smack to the back of head, to which she whined.
"Shut it. He's fine," she chastened her grandchild. He laughed mildly, much to the younger woman's ire and spiteful stare.
Sitting in front of her, on the floor and next to her legs, Scarlett had this urge to reach between his occasionally flicking ears to pet his head. She stopped herself, curling her fingers into a fist as she realized her hand was already outstretched.
Looking up, her Gram gave her a knowing smile, tilting her head to silently tell her to 'Go ahead'.
Feeling some sense of validation at having her grandmother goad her onwards, she reached out again, gently resting the palm of her hand on his head. Fen's ears perked instantly, swiveling back towards her. She then began combing her fingers through his extraordinarily fluffy hair.
The wolf boy began to melt, leaning to the side and pressing the side of his head into her thigh. He nuzzled her sweetly, ears relaxing and tail thumping lightly against the chair she sat in.
"It's like looking back in time…" the elder woman muttered, the cloaked woman having only heard a faint whisper of her words, mostly focused on the boy before her.
Fen smiled, hearing her words, but only deigning to nuzzle further into the soft skin of Scarlett's legs. The old lady was right… this did bring back memories.
The smell of food wafted into his nose, making him draw deep whiffs of it eagerly.
A tinge of something else slipped into the mix. It smelled slightly sweet, but with a sour undertone. He would have assumed it was alcohol, but the sour scent to it seemed more…
Fen's ears perked and eyes widened in a small panic, listening intently, the crackle of the fire covering a few sounds but he could clearly zone in on various directions, until he found what he intended to.
Footsteps… heavy and sturdy, probably from large clunky boots but it was the scent and the sound of his gait that made the wolf boy realize.
"It's him… he's here," he all but growled, standing and taking a defensive posture.
Both ladies in the room appeared confused, though Scarlett had a better inkling of what he was saying.
"Glenn?" she asked in assumption, gulping when the young man nodded solemnly.
"He's very near… coming up to the cabin, I think."
The elder woman grunted and groaned almost lazily, as she lifted herself to her feet and began to walk towards the door.
"Probably that idiot again," she griped in a mumbled tone, waving them to follow her. "You two go down that hall and hide in my room. Now. I doubt this guy will leave you be if he see's you."
"If only she knew," the brunette seethed under her breathe.
Fen didn't seem to want to move, a rumbling growl coming from between his teeth.
Taking his arm, she jolted him to focus on her, leading him to where her Gram directed them, finding the door and pushing the wolf boy in, following blindly. When the door shut, she was pressed flush against Fen, with little room to move, much less breathe. Every intake through her nose was met with a familiar scent. A musk that she had recently come to know.
Blushing profusely, Scarlett kept still, realizing she was now face first in the wolf boy's chest, the slight V of his shirt and vest giving way to a tuft of chest fur.
To her credit and her sanity, thankfully the door sounded with a very heavy set of dull thuds, the encroacher knocking rather roughly.
A few seconds passed and the knocking came back in even greater force.
"Oh, stop your rapping you bloody arse!" her Gram yelled out, the sound of her shuffling feet heading towards the door. "I'm old! It takes a minute to get to the door."
There was a grunt from a man who sounded big, followed by the creak of the big wooden door opening.
"I'm here to ask you again…" Glenn began almost politely, the murmurs of sound from other voices telling the young woman that there were others with him.
"Yeah yeah…" the old woman cut him off. "You're asking if I've seen that beastie thing of yours. AND I would like to remind you I'm old. My sight is about as good as my hearing. If I warned you about every hairy, growling, and grunting 'beast' that I thought I heard… I'd probably be telling you about every time you visited."
"Why you…" the burly man started again, only for Scarlett to giggle silently as her grandmother interrupted again.
"I mean seriously… Looking at you right now is about as effective as looking at your arse," Gram snapped at him. "For all I know… I am!"
The hooded girl would have felt worried about laughing, but now the wolf boy had joined her in that joy, as well as the remaining entourage that accompanied Glenn, who grumbled a bunch of low tone vulgarities.
"I would have half a mind to smack that mouth of yours shut," the man snarled, clomping steps telling her that Glenn closed whatever distance remained between them.
Scarlett rolled her eyes and scoffed mildly at the line. She knew better than anyone that the man was more bark than bite. A rising snarl from the wolf boy in the closet with her reminded her there was another with more bite than bark.
Pressed against him, she was finding it hard to ignore the fact that Fen was now changing in some way. His exposed skin began to turn to black fur with silver strands, shirt filled out with more defined muscle, hands turned to large paw like versions of themselves with curved claws extending. Looking up, the girl saw his fangs overlap his lips, long and piercing.
She gasped, patting him on the chest and trying to shush him. His stunning blue/amber eyes were focused, pupils constricted to predatory slits as he seemed to be looking through the wall and at the man who dare threaten the elder woman.
"Fen… Fen. Shhhh. Please. Look at me," the young girl pleaded, reaching up and gripping his furred cheeks. He stopped instantly, though retained a rather intensely angry expression.
He sniffed and huffed, chest heaving slightly, the werewolf's gaze resting on Scarlett's mossy green eyes, now showing off a vibrant energy in the dark closet. Her hands began to stroke and scratch his head, coaxing him to lean into it.
"Shhh…. Shhh… that's it… Please calm down," the cloaked woman cooed to him.
"Half a mind?" the elder repeated curiously. "Ha! Now that would be an improvement!" More murmured laughter from the small crowd. Her voice dropped low, as Scarlett struggled to listen to her grandmother whisper to the larger man, "Best not to try that though, son. I don't think your buddies would take too kindly to you hitting an old woman."
"Hmph…" the man snorted, footsteps telling that he was turning around briskly. "Stay in your home, you hag. Wouldn't want one of my men seeing your shadow through the trees and shooting first."
"If they can hit me, then I consider it a complement of their skill," Gram rebutted with plenty of sass. "If any of them can hit something my size from a distance in this darkness… I wouldn't worry about them bringing home the right kills to feed the townsfolk."
With his group following, the last thing Scarlett heard was some angry speil to the effect of, "crazy old bag of bones."
Hearing them leave, the rising tension of an impending altercation allayed, Fen seemed to calm down, Scarlett scratching him behind the ears as she spoke, "That's it… good boy. Good boy, Fen." She felt a nervous seizure regret clasp her heart, unsure if that wording was wise, though he seemed to either be unaware of it, or receptive instead. Whatever the case, he began to turn back to normal, the girl falling restless into him, relieved that two potential dangers had passed.
There was a following thunk of the door latch being lowered, giving the small woman emotional breathing room, even if her face was still stuck nestled into Fen's chest.
Unbidden by either of them, the closet door whipped open, a smirking elder woman greeting them.
"I told you to go into my room, not the closet so you two could snog," she teased shamelessly, turning to allow them room to vacate the small space.
"Snog?" the wolf boy asked innocently, head tilted in wonder. Scarlett blushed, stared daggers at her smug looking Gram, and proceeded to facepalm herself with a loud slap.
"...Ow…" she moaned, realizing her folly.
"You okay, Scar?" the wolf boy asked her, leaning in thoughtfully. The girl being addressed felt short of words, cheeks tinting in a gentle blush at the nickname. It tickled at her psyche like a familiar memory, the tingle she felt from it being quite pleasant. Fen seemed to notice something else entirely, frowning and recanting, "Ah… sorry. Scarlett. I didn't mean…"
The brunette snapped herself out of her reverie and shook her head, telling him, "No. No no. It's… fine. I kind of like it…. But… only call me that… between us. Okay?"
"Why's that?" he inquired with a raised brow.
Her mouth parted, unsure how to answer. She couldn't very well tell him that she kinda wanted to hear that only from him. Fen waited patiently for several seconds, the old woman having left them alone.
"I… am not used to it," the cloaked girl partly lied. "I don't know if I want others taking to calling me that too yet…"
He shrugged, seeming to accept it, saying in kind, "It's not like I am fond of meeting others to begin with."
"Ah…" she sighed in mild relief. "Good point."
From out of the room, her grandmother called out, "If you two are done, I would love to clean up and get to bed. I have only one extra bed… but you could both share it?"
"NO!" Scarlett yelped, much quicker and with a higher tone than she meant to.
To her side, and within full view, Fen's ears dipped low and his face turned into a sad pout, to which she knew she was in trouble.
His face alone is going to break my heart, became her final musing before coming up with a stuttered slew of apologies and haphazard excuses to her refusal, hoping to lift the poor wolf's dampened spirits.
*Bows dramatically as the audience 'boos'*
Thank you. Thank you. it was a pleasure to troll you all.
I know. I'm terrible, just like paper. "Why?" you might ask... Well uh... I have no idea, but I'm sure someone will find something to insult me about. It's inevitable. Might as well pretend it was by design and let the hate flow. XD
Now then... REVIEWS!:
Neakco: Thank you so much for saying that! I'm glad you love the story. Don't put yourself out though if you don't need to. XD
Dream Plane: I appreciate all the kind words. And to note your wishes, I do plan to keep posting this story updated, exempt of my previous intent of exclusive some such. Instead of bribing people with content behind a paywall so they bribe me... I figure I'll let people be my patrons from pure ability to donate and actual belief in my works and skill.
Foxy: A big bundle of wolfy fluff apparently... XD
DONE!
Alrighty then! I shall see you all next update, unless you follow or read my other works too. In which case, I hope to release another chapter of another story in the next day or two.
For now, I'm gonna go hit a pumpkin with a hammer. Why?... I've heard about something called "Smashing Pumpkins" but want to see if it's different from smashing watermelons.
Until next time, It's been a hustle, Sweethearts!