Page 52 of Little Red Riding Hood
He gasped, arm falling slack. The buck was massive, towering over six feet at the shoulder, its antlers spreading like a crown of branches against the sky. Its reddish-brown coat gleamed in the sunlight as muscles rippled beneath. It turned its noble head, leveling one great liquid eye at Red. For an endless moment, they simply…lookedat each other.
It was a thing of pure beauty—not even the Queen could find fault in it.
For a moment, Red almost lowered his bow—did this splendid creature of the forest actually deserve to die today?
In a flurry of movement, a blur of grey exploded from the bushes, fangs bared. The stag snorted, pivoting on its haunches as Wim slammed against its flank.
Red’s paralysis broke.
Sorry, beautiful thing. I really wish we didn’t need to eat you.
He lifted his bow, drew back the fletching until it kissed his cheek, then sighted along the shaft. The huntsman’s wisdom floated through his mind—a clean kill is a merciful kill.
The stag reared, hooves slashing the air as Wim danced just out of reach, taunting it with diving snaps of his powerful jaw. Red tracked their frantic movements.
Inhale.
Exhale.
His arrow flashed across the clearing in a blur, and punched through the stag’s eye with a meatythunk.The beast collapsed like a felled tree, antlers crashing against the mossy ground.
Silence fell. Even the birds had hushed, perhaps as awed as Red was by the magnificence they’d just witnessed. Wim padded over to the fallen stag, snout outstretched in curiosity. After a moment’s inspection, he tossed his head back and unleashed a victorious howl that sent shivers racing up Red’s spine.
Despite the exhilaration of the hunt’s climax, Red felt a pang of sadness at the loss of such a majestic creature. But then his stomach gave a demanding rumble.
Wim shifted back to his human form, broad shoulders rippling as bones reshaped. “I’d say you and I make a great team, sweetheart.”
Red’s chest tightened. When was the last time anyone had treated him as an equal, rather than an unwanted nuisance or a servant to be ordered about? The way Wim looked at him now—eyes bright with shared triumph—made him feel seen in a way that both thrilled and terrified him.
They set to work cutting the carcass, Red slicing away thick slabs of haunch while Wim tackled the rest. By the time they’d finished, they had enough meat to provide the entire palace with an evening meal. Maybe two.
“That’s… rather more than we can carry,” Red said slowly, wiping sweat from his brow. What were they going to do? Auntie Anne’s stern face appeared in his mind, lecturing him on waste.
Wim grunted, slinging an entire hindquarter over his shoulder. He considered the impressive pile. “Most of this will go bad before we can get through it.”
“You don’t say.”
Wim was quiet for a moment. Then he turned to Red, eyes gleaming with an idea. “There’s a market town half a day’s walk from here. If we hurry, we can make it before nightfall. Trade this meat for things we need.
A market? Red’s mind raced with possibilities—new boots, a fur cloak to ward off the chill nights, maybe even a new quiver. His stomach clenched with anticipation, then sank.
“Would that not… delay us even further?”
Though would Red truly mind extra time with the wolf?
He studied Wim’s handsome face.
Of course he wouldn’t.
And if he was being honest with himself, the thought of finally reaching Old Oma’s cottage filled him with a quiet dread.
Wim seemed to read the conflict in his expression. He stepped closer, the scent of earth and musk surrounding Red. “Maybe a bit. But we can’t let all this go to waste. That stag deserves better than to rot in the forest.” His eyes held an intensity that made Red’s pulse flutter. “What do you say, sweetheart? Fancy a little side adventure?”
Red swallowed hard, feeling the heat of Wim’s closeness. The Queen’s Shadow could return any second, expecting to see significant progress. He was days and days behind by now.
But this opportunity was too good to pass up. “I… I suppose a short detour won’t hurt. My bootsdohave holes in them, after all. I can’t possibly complete my royal quest if I lose a toe to frostbite.”
They grinned at each other, the unspoken understanding passing between them.
