Page 1 of Little Red Riding Hood
One
Once upon a time, in a kingdom where shadows danced beneath ancient trees, a young man named Red ventured through the forest. On this moonless eve, he travelled deep into the woods, his tread hushed by the dense blanket of autumn’s castoffs.
Red pulled his crimson riding hood tighter around his slender frame, seeking warmth against the biting chill. The worn fabric, soft from decades of wear, was his most treasured possession—a constant reminder of the mother he’d never known.
He trudged onwards, his eyes darting between the gnarled trunks. The forest seemed to close in, branches reaching out like grasping fingers. He shivered, not entirely from the cold.
A twig snapped.
Red froze, his breath catching in his throat. He peered into the inky darkness, straining to see beyond the veil of night.
Nothing.
He shook his head, chuckling nervously. “You’re a fool, Red. A damned fool,” he muttered, resuming his journey with quickened steps.
But the feeling of being watched persisted, prickling the back of his neck. Red’s fingers twitched, seeking the familiar weight of his bow, presently strapped to his back in its quiver.
Another sound—a rustle of leaves, toodeliberate to be the wind.
Red’s heart thundered in his chest. He spun, searching for the source. “Who’s there?” he demanded, his voice sharp with false bravado.
Silence answered, heavy and oppressive.
He turned back, only to halt abruptly. There, in the gloom ahead, two pinpricks of amber light gleamed. They blinked, and Red’s blood ran cold.
Eyes. Watching him.
Red’s breath caught in his throat as he stared into those magnificent eyes. They seemed to glow with an otherworldly light, drawing him in despite his terror. He couldn’t look away, couldn’t move, couldn’t even blink.
Golden irises vanished behind dark lids, reappearing with predatory intent. Red’s breath hitched, gooseflesh prickling along his arms beneath his cloak.
“W-who’s there?” he called out, cursing the tremble in his voice. He cleared his throat, trying to summon the haughty tone usually so naturally deployed. “Show yourself, you coward!”
A low rumble answered him. Not quite a growl, but something deeper, more primal. The sound vibrated through the air, sending leaves quivering on their branches.
Red’s heart hammered against his ribs. He took a step back, foliage crunching beneath his feet. The eyes followed his movement, never wavering.
“I’m warning you,” Red said, steadier now, fuelled by desperation. “I’m armed and I know how to use my weapon.”
The eyes narrowed, and Red could have sworn he saw amusement in their depths. Another rumble, this one almost like a chuckle, echoed through the trees.
Red’s fear gave way to indignation. How dare this… whatever it was… laugh at him? He was Red, the Queen’s second-best archer, feared and respected throughout the Kingdom of Falchovari. Well, throughoutsomeof the kingdom, at least. Maybe. Regardless, he wouldn’t be mocked by some beast in the woods.
“Right, that’s it,” he snapped, reaching for his bow. “You asked for this, you mangy—”
But before he could nock an arrow, the eyes moved. They rose higher, then higher still, until they towered above him. Red’s mouth went dry as he realised just how massive the creature before him was.
A shape formed around those burning eyes. Broad shoulders, powerful limbs, a muzzle filled with gleaming teeth. The beast stepped forward, moonlight filtering through the canopy to reveal dark grey fur and gigantic paws.
Red’s fingers went slack on his bow. He’d heard tales of the great wolves that roamed these woods, but he’d always dismissed them as fairy tales. As he stood there, heart racing, he realised just how unprepared he truly was.
His prowess as a hunter extended no further than wild swine, though such prizes had become as elusive as mythical beasts of late. Panic clawed at him—what was he even doing out here? He’d fancied himself as a fearsome adventurer, yet here he was, a child playing at being brave in a world far too dangerous for him.
The wolf tilted its head, regarding Red with those deep orange pools that seemed to see right through him, stripping away his defences and leaving him bare.
In them, Red saw something. Something unsettling. Something… hungry. Something… human?
Red’s hand trembled as he reached for his bow, but before he could grasp it, the beast burst from the shadows, lunging towards him, its jaws snapping mere inches from Red’s face. He stumbled backwards, tripping over a gnarled root and crashing to the forest floor. The impact knocked the breath from his lungs, leaving him gasping. Even more tragically, it knocked his bow from his hands, sending it flying across the forest floor to be devoured by the shadows.
