Red

She hung her hooded red cloak on the hook next to the bed, then lifted the heavy comforter, crawled under the covers, and snuggled into his soft, warm fur.

“Did you have trouble finding this place?” she asked, as she nuzzled her nose into his furry chest.

“No, it was easy to find,” his voice rough like gravel.

“Did she give you trouble?”

“No, she was easy, like you said she’d be.”

“The Huntsman is coming tomorrow afternoon, we need to be prepared."

“I know, my love.” His big legs and paws pulled her tight, as his tongue darted out to sweetly kiss her ear. “Now shhhh Blanchette, I’m full and tired, and need some sleep.”

***

The Huntsman opened the front door, slow and soft. Early morning light rolled into the one-room cabin, stopping short of the bed where his love and that mangy wolf lay. Excitement and satisfaction roiled in his chest in anticipation of what was coming next.

Blanchette’s eyes fluttered open to see her fiancé looming in the doorway, his axe glinting in the sun. She pressed her finger against pursed lips, and signaled to him for stealth, then removed herself from the bed without waking her slumbering companion, and donned her red riding hood.

With his love out of harm's way, he strode swift and sure towards the bed, his axe raised above his head ready to strike.

She let out a blood-curdling shriek waking the wolf.

The wolf leapt up as the axe came down. Its razor-sharpness sliced open his belly as he bounded over the huntsman. In turn, his large jaws clamped down on the huntsman’s head and neck, ripping his throat as he pulled him down to the floor with him. Both dealt mortal wounds, they lay there dying.

Blanchette tip-toed around the pools of blood to look into their dying eyes. “Grandmother was the worst, so thank you both." Then She smiled, "Yes Wolfie, I lied about when he'd be here,” in answer to his betrayed look. “Now YOU poor Wolfie will be the villain, and YOU Huntsman, the hero. Don't worry, they’ll be talking about this for years.”