Page 27 of Little Red Riding Hood
Red’s legs burned with exhaustion as he stumbled over yet another tree root. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows through the dense forest. He’d lost track of how many hours they’d been searching, his feet aching with each step.
Ahead, Wim and Astrid loped along in their wolf forms, noses to the ground. Every so often, Wim would glance back, slowing his pace to ensure Red was keeping up. Astrid, however, seemed single-minded in her pursuit, her black fur a blur as she darted between trees.
“Astrid!” Wim’s gruff bark echoed through the woods. “Slow down. We need to stay together.”
The wolf growled but complied, allowing Red to catch up. He leaned against a tree, chest heaving as he gulped down grateful breaths. One thing was now for certain—Redwasfar slower than a wolf.
“Any sign?” Red asked, voice hoarse from hours of calling Tobias’s name.
Wim shook his massive head, concern evident in his amber eyes. Astrid whined, pacing impatiently.
They pressed on, the forest growing denser. Red’s foot caught on a bramble, and he stumbled, barely catching himself. Wim was at his side in an instant, steadying him with his bulk.
“Thanks,” Red muttered, flushing at his clumsiness.
Suddenly, Astrid’s ears perked up. She let out a series of excited yips, bounding forward with renewed energy. Wim and Red exchanged a look before hurrying after her.
They broke through the treeline to find a small, gurgling stream. Astrid paced along the bank, sniffing frantically.
“She’s found something,” Wim explained. “Tobias’s scent. It’s stronger here.”
Oh, please let us find him.Red’s tired legs wouldn’t handle many more miles. His heart raced with a mixture of hope and apprehension as they followed the stream uphill. The terrain grew rockier, the incline steeper. His calves screamed in protest, but he pushed on, determined not to slow them down.
As they rounded a bend, Astrid let out a triumphant howl. There, nestled in a steep, vertical cliff, was a narrow opening in the rock face. The cliff rose abruptly from the flat terrain, a fortress of stone that seemed to scrape the very sky. A few stubborn wildflowers found purchase in the crevices, adding pops of colour to the grey stone.
The two wolves wasted no time approaching the crack.
“Tobias?” Wim called, the name echoing off the stone. “Are you in there, friend?”
They all waited, breaths held, straining to hear any response from within the cave.
Nothing.
“He’s in there!” Astrid pawed at the pup-sized crack. “I can feel it in my bones.” She pressed her furry head into the gap, managing to burrow it a fair way in before she met resistance.
After a pitiful growl of frustration, Astrid shifted. Red averted his gaze as her fur melted away, revealing dark skin and toned muscles. Shooting Red a strange look, she huffed and snatched up her pack from where it had tumbled from her back to the ground. She yanked out a simple tunic, pulling it over her head.
“I’ll be able to squeeze through now,” she said, dropping to her knees.
Red glanced at Wim. He ought to stop his friend—the tall, broad woman was well-built, and was surely going to get stuck.
But Wim only watched as Astrid’s short coils brushed the top of the crevice while she attempted to pass through. Despite her twisting this way and that, her shoulders caught on the rough stone. “Blast it all!”
Red chewed his bottom lip, studying the gap. His shoulders were narrower than Astrid’s, his frame more slight. The space looked tight, but… He touched his red riding hood, drawing comfort from the familiar fabric. If Tobias was trapped in there, scared and alone…
“I could fit through,” Red said, stepping forward.
Wim’s growl rumbled through the clearing. “No.” He stepped between Red and the cave entrance. “Too risky. Those rocks could give way at any moment, trapping you in there—”
“Then what’s your alternative?” Red snapped. Frustration simmered within him. Clearly, Wim didn’t think he was capable. “Leave him in there? I’m smaller than both of you. Let me try.”
“It’s too dangerous.” Wim shifted back to human form, helping himself to a shawl from Astrid’s pack and hastily wrapping it around his waist. His jaw clenched as he said, “We don’t know what’s in there, Red.”
“Tobyis in there, Wim!” Astrid practically snarled the words, looking between Wim and Red. “If he wants to try, let him!”
Red crossed his arms, meeting Wim’s worried gaze. “What’s the worst that could happen?”
You get permanently stuck between the rock slabs and die a slow, painful death.
