Red Riding Hood

The story of Little red Riding Hood, retold if she were a young adult instead of a child, and if the wolf wasn't really the bad guy at all.

Red Riding Hood
by omegax45



Once upon a village deep in a forest by a steep mountainside, there lived a young woman who was kind and beautiful. She lived with her mother and wore a long red cloak whenever she went out into the woods to bring her grandmother things like food or medicine. Many of the village girls were envious of her long raven hair that seemed to shimmer in the sunlight and green eyes that were once described as emeralds. Many of the young men had asked her for her hand in marriage, despite many of the elder men's warnings about her love of wolves. However, the young woman would politely declined them, as marriage was far from her mind as she worried for the well being of her family. However, there was one that was persistent.
"Come on Rosemary," the young woman tried not to groan in frustration as she turned to see her speaker: a muscular young man with curly blonde hair and hard blue eyes that expressed arrogance and pride, "You know you want me. All the girls do."
"Then why don't you go marry one of them Herbert and leave me alone," Rosemary stated loudly, her annoyance and anger showing in her eyes, "I am not interested in you or marriage!"
"You should be," Herbert nearly snarled, "I spent all my time on you because you would be the perfect wife for me, and I'm the perfect husband for you. No other guy is going to be interested in you for long, especially what the hunters keep saying about you. Why do you insist on playing with me like this? You're not getting any younger and your mother can take care of your grandmother on her own. She's not dependant yet."
"And who will take care of my mother when she is dependant," Rosemary snapped, "Just leave me alone, Herbert! I don't, and will never, want to marry you!"
She turned and ran to her house before Herbert could retort. She knew that he never saw her as a person to love and cherish. All she was to him, like all the other girls in the village, was a trophy wife for him to show off and for her to care for him while he did as he pleased. She did not want that kind of person for a husband. She wanted to marry someone that would help take care of her and her family. Someone she could rely on regardless that would love her and she him. Sadly, she may never find that perfect husband here in the village. Most of the other young men were in similar thought as Herbert.
Rosemary entered her house and shut the door a bit hard, glad to see that Herbert did not followed her. She heard her mother cooking in the kitchen, which was odd. It wasn't near dinner time yet. Were they eating early?
"Mother," she called as she entered the kitchen, "Are you cooking an early dinner tonight?"
"Ah Rosemary," her mother turned to her, "I was about to call for you. Grandmother is still weak from her cold, so I need you to bring her these prepared meals before sundown. Don't stray from the path, and if it becomes dark before you can get home, stay with Grandmother until morning. Be careful, for there have been wolves spotted in the forest by the hunters this morning."
"I will Mother," Rosemary replied as she placed on her favorite red cloak and took the large basket full of food from her mother. Bidding each other farewell, she left the house and headed to the forest.
The sun was shining through the canopy of leaves and branches of the forest, giving the pathway an ethereal glow that enshadowed the forest's dangers with beauty. Rosemary loved the forest. The sounds of chirping birds and scuttering wildlife was soothing to her ears, much more than the hussle of the village. Sometimes, she would sneak away to a hidden creek to read a book while soaking her feet in the cool water. No one else knew where it was, so it became her secluded spot. Her secret spot to get away for awhile.
The wolves her mother had warned her about repeatedly don't scare her. In fact, she felt sorry for the poor creatures being hunted without cease by the hunters. They were being blamed for the lack of deer in the forest lately. It wasn't the wolves' fault they had to eat too, but that did not stop the hunters from setting up traps or shooting at the wolves. It hurt her heart every time she heard the wailing of orphaned wolf pups or the mournful howls of adult wolves, and her anger boiled at the hunters cheering for their kills.
Rosemary stopped and smiled upon seeing a small clearing. Moon lilies. Her grandmother's favorite flowers. A bouquet of them should bring a smile to her face. She knelt down before them and began picking the prettiest moon lilies, checking for signs of rot or insects. The bouquet had to be perfect, and she was so engrossed into the flowers that she cried out in fright upon hearing the sudden snap of a twig, and she frozed.
Standing before her was a wold. It was larger than any dog in the village, its fur a dark silver with light markings on its head and tail. Its earth-colored eyes locked with her emerald orbs, its body relaxed. Rosemary, however, was stiff with fright and afraid to move. Wolve never travel alone, according to the hunters, and the fact that she didn't see any other wolves meant that they may be behind her. She didn't know what to do.
The wolf just simply tilted its head slightly before lowering it to the flowers. Rosemary watched with slight curiosity. What was the wolf doing? As she continued to watch the wolf move its head around the flowers, a sudden memory flashed before her eyes. When she was a child, she helped an adult wolf get out of a bear trap set up by the hunter. The wolf was accompanied by a small pup with strange markings, who was yelping in fear and trying to attack the bear trap. The wolves disappeared into the forest before the hunters came back, who scolded her for letting the wolves escape. She was brought out of her reminiscing when the wolf came within inches of her, several flowers in its jaws. It set the flowers down before her, looking at her expectantly. Rosemary looked down at the flowers, their petals soft and healthy. The leaves were green and almost glowing. The only damage to them were the stems, from where the wolf had bitten them off. The wolf had picked the perfect flowers for her.
Before she could look up to ask it why, the wolf turned and quickly left. Rosemary called out to it, but the wolf did not come back. After a minute, she released a sigh of relief and stood with the bouquet of flowers, her body completely relaxing. She gathered her wits and wondered why the wolf helped her with the flowers? Was it a gift for helping its pack mate back then? The taste of the stems must've been terrible to it, being a predator that only eats meat. And, how did it know what she was looking for in the flowers?
"Oh no," Rosemary looked up suddenly at the sky to see that the sun was setting, "I have to hurry!"
She ran as fast as she could to her grandmother' house, the forest becoming darker with the loss of sunlight. The sound of birds and squirrels gave way to the sound of crickets and predators on the hunt, making the forest appear dangerous. Her eyes adjusted to the loss of light, but her increasing fear made her almost trip several times in her haste to get to her grandmother's house. Why did she had to live so deep in the forest?
The moon was rising into the starry sky when Rosemary arrived at her destination. She sighed with relief, glad to see the lights from the candles inside that indicate her grandmother was still awake. She knocked on the door, which moved slowly inward, and the relief was instantly gone.
"Grandmother," Rosemary called softly, afraid that an intruder had broken in and was still inside. Receiving no response, she slowly entered the house, her ears straining for any sounds. A muffled sound had her gasping quietly, for it sounded like the slamming of an axe on something both hard and soft. She followed the sound as it came about again, coming straight from her grandmother's bedroom. The door was halfway opened, and what she saw inside as she got closer made her scream and drop her basket and the flowers.
"Rosemary," Herbert looked up in surprise, a bloody axe in hand and his clothes covered in the same red substance, "You're early."
"Wha-what... what have you-"
"I simply tried to save your grandmother from the wolves that broke in," Herbert said nonchalantly, gesturing to the bloody and chopped body on the bed that was barely recognizable, "but alas, I was too late. rel shame, really. She made a really good apple pie."
"Murderer," Rosemary screamed in despair and anger, crumbling to the floor, "How could you?! Why?!"
"You know why," Herbert's tone and face darkened, "It's because you wouldn't just give in. You wouldn't just accept my marriage proposal and forget about taking care of those old bags. You don't need to take care of them, only care for me and our future children.
"I came here to convince your grandmother that she needs to convince you to marry me and stop taking care of her and your mother. She refused to go along with me, even went so far as to call me a monster. I had no choice but to threaten her, but she refused to listen and attacked me. What I did to her was self-defense, not murder."
"It's still murder! My grandmother would never be able to harm you! There was no need to do this!"
"She was old. She would've died sooner or later. Sooner was better for me... and for you. Now then, come with me, Rosemary. If you keep and do as I say, your mother won't have to share the same fate. Besides, no one will believe you over me if you tell them anyway. You aided the wolves, our mortal enemies that scared the deer away. You'll be lucky if the villagers don't drown you as a witch."
"NO," Rosemary screamed in fright and knocked Herbert's hand away as she scrambled for the door. Herbert quickly grabbed her and they fell to the floor. He had her pinned in no time.
"Stop," Rosemary yelled, crying as Herbert slapped her and ripped the front of her dress with one hand while the other had her wrists pinned. Each bit of skin he exposed, he ran his hand and tongue upon shamelessly. Rosemary struggled and tried to buck him off, his touch vile and made her want to rip her own skin off. She had to stop him and get away. No one will want her if he...
The last of her garments were torn away and Herbert forced himself between her legs, pinning her hips from bucking. Rosemary gave into her despair and wept, unable to fight against him anymore. She began to pray for someone to come save her, the sound of Herbert undoing his pants ripping away the last of her hope.
A growling noise caused Rosemary and Herbert to freeze and look up. Rosemary nearly cried out in relief while Herbert glared with anger and fright.
Standing in the doorway was a wolf, the same wolf that Rosemary met in the forest. And it was angry.
"Damned wolf," Herbert growled angrily, "Don't you dare get in my way!"
The wolf barked loudly, taking a charging stance. Herbert reached to his side, but found only pieces of cloth. In his haste to catch his prize, he had dropped his axe in the bedroom.
The wolf charged and Herbert scrambled off Rosemary to get into the bedroom and reach his axe. The wolf was faster, jumping into Herbert and sinking his teeth into his neck. Rosemary crawled to the door as she heard Herbert screamed as the wolf tore him apart, holding her ruined dress together with one hand. She dared not watched, the sounds alone more than enough to give her nightmares. A loud snap of broken bones, and the house became silent. She heard a small whine and, against the part of her that screamed at her to run away, she looked back.
The wolf was looking at her sadly, his jaws dripping with blood as herbert's body laid down the hallway. She did not know what say to him or do. How did one thank a wolf? Moreover, how could she explain to the villagers, let alone her mother, what had just happened?
The wolf lowered his head and shuddered, suddenly changing before her eyes. The tail withered away, paws became hands and feet, his fur forming into clothing. In almost a mere instant, the wolf had changed into a young man.
"Who.... who are you," Rosemary stuttered in fear and slight awe.
"My name is Firin," the wolf... young man answered quietly, "I am of the Lunar Tribe, wolves that can take the form of man. You have saved my brother years ago from the hunters. We are eternally grateful to you, and thus did not attack you when you enter the forest. Yet I must ask: Why did you save him, seeing as the rest of your tribe despises us?"
"Well... you never attacked my people unless it was in defense. the hunters don't understand that it's not your fault they're having a hard time finding deer to hunt."
"Is that their reasoning? The deer have migrated to the southern valleys to have their young this year. A few bears have frightened them upon their arrivals to the caves nearby. Also, they're not so fond of the young hunters of your tribe hunting them down and just leaving their bodies behind. How can they honor the dead if they are not to be used for food or clothing? It disgraces them."
"That would explain why we have not seen the deer in so long. Still, I doubt the elders of my village would believe me if I told them. They seem only believe what they want to believe."
"Not many want to believe the truth before them. They only want to believe what makes sense to them, and to think one's child would perform such evil acts is unheard of for a parent.
"Here," Firin took off his coat and covered Rosemary with it, "Your dress is beyond mending. That foul beast had no right to force you to become your mate. Is that how the males of your tribe express their desire for a mate?"
"No," Rosemary wrapped the coat around her gratefully, "Herbert is... was the son of my village's leader. He was always getting what he wants. He was never denied anything, until he wanted to make me his... conquest. I refused him, but he would not give up on me."
"A demanding man like him would not make a good mate," Firin looked back at Herbert with disgust, "Such behavior is forbidden with my tribe. Mates treat each other equally and with respect. What he did was wrong in my eyes. I will not apologize for killing him."
"And I won't expect one. You saved me from living a life of shame with him. I'm forever grateful, but..."
"But," Firin repeated in confusion as he saw tears in Rosemary's eyes.
"My grandmother's dead. He killed her just to get to me. He would've killed my mother next if I didn't do what he said. Even if I ran to his father, no one would believe me nor would they stop him. He hid his true nature so easily from everyone that they think of him as a wonderful man. Only I saw through his facade, while everyone remains ignorance. They may blame me for both his death and my grandmother's, even if you were to speak upon my behalf. They see wolves as devils, and would call me a witch for associating myself with you."
"If they don't know I'm a wolf, they would most likely believe the both of us. I'll tell them that I was passing by when you were attacked-"
"It won't work," Rosemary shook her head, "Because I helped your brother, my people see me in the wrong no matter how much good I do. My mother had been able to protect me from those that wish my death or banishment, but she can't protect me from this. I don't think anyone can."
"Hm," Firin took his chin in his hand as he comprehend Rosemary's words. Such mannerism is unheard of by his tribe, but he had seen it in other tribes not as reasonable as his. Such fear had led many innocents to their deaths and caused so much mistrust that the tribes end up destroying each other. It made him fear for Rosemary's tribe that such a fate awaited them.
His sensitive ears picked up noises in the distance. Hunters. They found his tracks and they would be there soon.
"Come with me."
"Huh," Rosemary looked at him in confusion.
"The hunters are coming," Firin extended his hand, "If you wish to live, come with me to my tribe. My people will accept you."
"My mother..." Rosemary began weakly, but stopped right there. He had a point. If she stayed, both her and her mother would be killed by the villagers, and her mother loved living in the village. If she went with Firin, she would be burdening him further-
"Hurry and make your choice! They're almost here!"
With no time left, Rosemary made her choice.
Moments later, a group of human hunters arrived at the house, shocked and horrified to find Herbert and Rosemary's grandmother dead. They brought the bodies back to the village along with scraps of cloth that Rosemary's mother identified as part of Rosemary's clothing. The village mourned their deaths and believed that Rosemary was taken by the wolves. The hunters vowed to find her and bring her home to her tearful mother, yet some of the villagers with secretly grateful that she was gone. Believing her to be a witch controlling the wolves, they believed that her disappearance would bring good fortune to the village once again.
Several weeks later, the hunters had no luck in finding either Rosemary or the wolves. It was like they had vanished altogether. They had, however, came across bears eating at deer corpses that were not killed by them. Further investigation revealed that some of the young adults training to be hunters were killing the animals and leaving their bodies behind. The young adults, upon being questioned, claimed to be 'practicing' for when they would be allowed to hunt and were tired of waiting to be allowed to. The young adults were punished and forbidden from ever leaving the village again, forced to become farmers for the village. Some time later, the deer were spotted returning to the forest, bringing relief to the village that they won't have to worry about winter. However, Rosemary was never found.
The story of Rosemary and the wolves was told to the young children throughout the years. The story told of her coming to her grandmother's house and being kidnapped by wolves that killed her grandmother and Herbert slowly changed to Herbert coming to Rosemary's rescue and they lived happily ever after. Still, on full moon nights, one could sometimes see a glimpse of a red cloak disappearing into the forest.

The End

Author's Note

I was trying to give a more realistic approach to the story, but keep the fantasy part alive. Thank you for reading.