Grimm Fantasies: Little Red
Bygones

The light was dim and Hunter couldn’t see anything. Well not anything, he was pretty sure he was in a cage made for large dog breeds; the metal bars were darker against the black. Which wasn’t cool, it was a bad werewolf pun at most.

He was lying on his back and was certain there was silver somewhere in the room; the stench was everywhere burning his nose and throat. Taking in a rigid breath, he’s sure he’s been breathing in the scent for a while now while he’s been unconscious.

His body hurt from it as he stiffly sat up and groaned. The place where the Taser hit still stung a bit like a bee sting. It was a fading pain but it was still enough to be a nuisance.

On closer inspection Hunter could see a door, only because there was light peeking through the crack under it. He reached around blindly touching one of the bars to the cage only to jerk back in pain. The whole cage was made of silver, which is why the whole room stunk of it.

Letting out an irritated sigh and raking his fingers through his hair he started to wonder where Haven was. His first logical thought was Haven went home after Hunter never showed up again, but then again when has Haven ever done what Hunter told him to do? Hunter rolled his eyes and focused on replaceing a way out.

Searching for a way out didn’t last long; it was interrupted when the door opened flooding the room with orange light. Hunter squeezed his eyes shut and turned away from the blinding light. However the light doesn’t last long and the door is shut again, though he’s not alone anymore. He can hear their breathing and heartbeat.

They were nervous,

He could smell it over the silver speckling the atmosphere with a tangy scent. He turned his head in their direction again, peering in the darkness and only seeing a silhouette of a woman. He didn’t need to see them though to know who it was.

“Have you come to kill me?” Hunter asked Mara who said nothing. They’d never really spoken in the years she’s chased him,

Not a full conversation anyway.

He’d either be in wolf form darting between trees or hiding in the shadows or taunting her. She’s either be chasing him down or be unconscious from him knocking her out to get away. They’d never sat down and talked,

It was a foreign concept at this point.

In the grand scheme of things talking might have solved a lot of problems. Mara owed her life to Hunter and she didn’t even know it. Hunter owed Mara too; if he hadn’t been running for his life constantly his rational human mind might have been lost to Night. He would have gone feral, in the woods if it hadn’t been for Mara chasing him out every chance she got Hunter would have lost his human self.

Mara moved then, after what seemed a few minutes, she shifted to the side and flicked on the light. This light was dimmer and didn’t burn Hunter’s eyes from the sudden presence of it.

“Tell me about that night?” She said making it sound like a demand but it was clearly a question. Her body language spoke volumes over her voice. Uncertainty and fear permeated the tough stoic of her voice.

“What night?” Hunter asked even though he knew which night she was talking about. He knew exactly what she wanted to know.

“I want to know about that night… The night I stopped being human.” Hunter looked her over, she still had scars she still had evidence of that night marked into her skin. If she were really a wolf those marks wouldn’t be there anymore.

“Have you ever changed?” Hunter asked to which Mara shook her head. Well that explained things. “I’m not the one that bit you if that’s what you’re wondering.” Hunter said with a tired sigh and looked away from her.

“Then who?” Mara asked almost desperately. Hunter just shrugged to which Mara punched the wall. “Who in your pack bit me!?” Hunter jumped and looked at her.

“My pack… No, I don’t have a pack I haven’t since…” He drifted off and looked away from her again. “I don’t have a pack.” Mara stared at him

“Then who were those wolves?” She asked. Hunter simply shrugged.

“How should I know? I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Hunter explained. Mara hesitated opening her mouth a few times to speak before finally getting a string of words together.

“So, you’re not the black wolf that attacked me?” Hunter simply shook his head. Mara shifted and stepped over to the cage carefully and kneeled down. “Then…what were you doing there?” Her voice was softer now and more hesitant.

Hunter looked over to her quietly still saying nothing; he noticed the flower pendant hanging from her neck was the same one he found that night in the snow.

“I was looking for shelter when I heard you scream. I went to go check it out but it was too late you’d already been bitten. I fought with a few of them but then your family showed up and tried to kill me.” Mara looked down sadly.

“So… I’ve already killed the wolf that bit me?” She questioned in a quiet voice.

“No, he was long gone before your family arrived. I haven’t seen him since.” Hunter explained. Mara looked him over.

“How many were there?”

“I’m not sure, all I know is one left before your family got there and it was the last time I saw him and your family has never mentioned any other black pelt but me.” Mara nodded and reached out to unlock the cage before getting up

“My parents have Haven.” She warned before leaving the room. Hunter’s mind locked up for a second before he was in motion, slamming through the door and rushing down the empty hall. He didn’t even consider where Mara might have gone or where any of the other hunters were. His mind was only on the possibility of Haven being hurt and that pissed him off.

Hunter raced through the compound looking for a way out or to catch Haven’s scent. He turned a corner and skidded to a stop when a scream ripped through the walls.