Red (10 page)

Wolf woke as I ran to him. He could sense my terror. His ears went straight up, and the hair at his neck bristled.

“It's Horst!” I whispered.

“Horst? Who's Horst?” said Goldie.

“The huntsman,” I said. “He's following Wolf's tracks.”

Wolf growled.
Monster!
He tried to get up to run away.

“No!” I said, pushing him down. “He's too close. He'll see you for certain if you try to run, and you can't outrun him with your injured leg.” I looked around frantically, searching for a hiding place. Horst was halfway across the river.

I started to gather some leaves and branches to pile over Wolf, but then I caught sight of our clothes drying on the branches, and I got a crazy idea. I snatched some clothes from the tree and quickly went to work. I tied my apron around Wolf's middle and threw Goldie's brown shawl over his shoulders, but that wasn't enough. His ears…

“I need to borrow this.” I yanked Goldie's frilly cap off her head and stretched it over Wolf's ears. He growled in annoyance.

“I'm sorry,” I said, “but it's better than becoming Horst's new wolfskin coat.”

Wolf only growled more, cursing. I didn't blame him, of course. Any wolf would naturally dislike a huntsman, and it was possible that Horst had something to do with Wolf's diminished pack. Could he possibly be the monster Wolf spoke of? Wolf's rage rushed through me, and I felt the instinct to attack Horst, but I pushed it down. I couldn't blame Horst, either, could I? It was the way he lived.

“Good day!” shouted Horst. I tried to sit in front of Wolf, blocking him from view as best I could.

“Hello,” I said innocently. “Lovely afternoon, isn't it?”

“Yes,” said Horst, “though I must say, I'm surprised to see you so far away from the village.”

“We just wanted some fresh air,” I said, and noticed that Horst looked like he could use some air himself. He had a gray, dusty pallor, and the lines in his face were more pronounced than ever. It was difficult to believe he had just pushed over a tree as easily as I might've snapped a twig in two. Maybe it had been a dead tree, the roots already decayed. Horst took a few stiff steps toward us, his joints cracking with every move.

“And you went for a swim, I see. A little late in the season for that, don't you think, not to mention the perils lurking in the water. Sprites are very dangerous.”

“Yes, we saw some sprites,” I said. “That's why we got out of the water.”

Wolf growled at Horst. I could sense he wanted nothing more than to leap forth and sink his fangs into him, but I held him back.

Horst squinted. “Did I just hear a growl?”

“Oh, that's just Granny,” I said. “She's still a little hoarse from her cold, is all.”

Horst scratched at his beard. “The witch?” he said. “I came from your granny's just a few hours ago. I was hoping she could help me with something.”

My heart leapt. “Is she all right—” I stopped myself. “I mean, yes, Granny has been very ill, but she's getting better, and we decided it would be good for her to get some fresh air.”

“Air fresher out here?” Horst asked. “You're a good five miles from home.”

“Granny wanted to stretch her legs. She was feeling
very
cramped.”

Horst stepped toward Wolf. I held my breath.

“Your granny is looking rather…furry.”

“That's the medicine I made for her,” I told him. “A furry face is one of the side effects.”

Horst tugged at the pouch around his neck. “There's a wolf roaming these parts. His paw prints are all around here, and they're fresh.”

My heart sped up. “Really? How frightful. We'll have to be very careful, won't we, Goldie?” I nudged Goldie.

“What? Oh, yes, of course. You needn't worry, Mr. Huntsman. Red is very friendly with wolves. She can even talk— Ouch!”

I pinched Goldie hard.

“What's that you say?” said Horst.

“Nothing. Goldie likes to babble, is all. She's always saying silly things.”

“I thought she said something about talking to wolves,” said Horst.

I let out a shrill giggle. “Oh, dear, who would talk to a wolf? What would they talk about? Whatever they said would surely be their last words.”

Now I was the one babbling. Horst looked at me like I was nuts. “There are some folks known for talking to animals,” he said. “Can even befriend them, tell them what to do.”

“I hope you find the wolf soon, and we'll be certain to let you know if we see him. Goldie's scream can be heard for miles.”

“It can,” said Goldie, and she started to demonstrate, but I put my hand over her mouth.

“Don't worry,” said Horst. “I've set many traps in the area. He can't escape me forever.”

Wolf growled. I dug my hands into his fur to shush him.

“What was that?” said Horst. “Did your granny say something?”

“She said we'll keep our eyes and ears and noses open. Don't worry about us!”

Horst started to leave, then hesitated. “I'm not certain I feel comfortable leaving you ladies all alone here.”

Wolf was growling and baring his teeth now. I was having difficulty keeping him down.

“I think I see the wolf!” I shouted, and pointed behind Horst. He jumped around, whipping a knife out of his belt. As luck would have it, a dark tail was indeed sticking out from a shrub. Horst snatched it up.

“Gotcha!” he shouted.

But it wasn't a wolf. It was a skunk! It sprayed right in Horst's face.

Goldie and I covered our noses as the foul odor flooded the air.

But Horst didn't let go of the skunk. He stood stock-still as the skunk finished its business, and then he stomped away into the trees, still clutching the rodent in his fist.

“He must be really hungry,” said Goldie.

“At least he won't be able to sneak up on us now,” I said. “We'll be able to smell him for miles.”

“I think we should go,” said Goldie. “I can't stay here another minute with that smell.”

“Yes, it would be safer if we left, especially with Horst nearby, though we'll have to go slowly with Wolf's hurt foot.”

Wolf jumped up on three legs, growling and tearing at the clothing I had put on him.

“I'm sorry I hurt your wolfish pride,” I said, “but at least you're safe.”

Monster,
said Wolf.

“He's not a monster,” I said, “only a huntsman doing what huntsmen do. But I won't let him hurt you, I promise.”

Wolf growled a little more. I didn't suppose a wolf and a huntsman could ever be friends.

We started to walk at a slow pace. Wolf kept most of his weight on three legs, but I hoped he'd recover quickly. Who knew when Horst might appear again?

“Where will we go now?” Goldie asked.

“Home, I guess.”

“But what about saving your granny? Are you going to give up?”

“No!” I snapped, louder than I'd intended to. Goldie shrank back. I sighed. I had been away from Granny for too long already, but I didn't want to go home empty-handed. I hadn't even managed to get the tree-nymph wings.

Wolf nosed my palm, a gesture of comfort. I rested my hands in his fur, drawing as much comfort as I could.

“I don't know what to do,” I finally admitted. “There are the other things the dwarf mentioned—The Red Roses and The Magic Hearts—but I've no idea where to find them.”

Goldie slipped her hand into mine. “Then we'll just keep going. You don't always have to know where to look to find what you need.”

I wasn't sure what that meant, but I appreciated the sentiment anyway.

We traveled upstream, keeping a watchful eye for traps. I found one snare skillfully hidden just beneath a berry bush, with the kind of berries a wolf might eat when there's no meat around. Humans, too. We gathered the berries and left the trap, but eventually we came upon a trap that was not empty. A creature hung from a branch by its leg, struggling to get free. As we came closer, I heard it talking, cursing in a grouchy, grumbling voice.

“Stupid humans! Filthy mongrels! Spawn of dirt!”

“It's a dwarf!” I cried. And not just any dwarf.
The
dwarf. The very one who had given me directions to the well. I was certain of it. This was luck indeed!

“Oh, no, not
you
!” said the dwarf when he noticed us. “You set this trap, didn't you? You little witch of an ugly girl!”

Wolf growled and snapped his jaws at the dwarf.

“And you brought your beast, eh? Your shadow demon.”

“Is that any way to talk to your would-be rescuers? We could get you down, you know, or we can leave you for the huntsman.”

“I don't need
you.
I'll get down myself.” He felt for his little ax at his side, but it wasn't there. It had fallen to the ground, its blade wedged in a patch of grass.

I picked it up and waved it for him to see. “Looking for this?” He tried to snatch it, but I kept it just beyond his reach.

“I can give you this ax,” I said, “if you show me where The Red Roses are.”

“Ha! I still don't need you, ugly witch! I can chew my way through these ropes if need be.” He tried to bite the ropes, but his feet got tangled in the trap and he fell back, causing the trap to swing wildly.

“Don't worry, Dwarf. The huntsman will set you free eventually. But his eyes have quite gone, so he might mistake you for a pig and eat you.” I sighed dramatically. “Oh, well. Come on, Goldie, Wolf. This dwarf doesn't need us.”

We were beginning to walk away when the dwarf called after us. “Oh, all right! All right, ugly human! Get me down and I'll show you to the roses.”

“Promise?”

“Yes, yes, now give me my ax.”

I handed it to him, and with one swift movement he cut himself free and fell to the ground. Then, quicker than I expected, he started to run away, but Wolf must have seen it coming, because he pounced on the dwarf and pinned him to the ground.

Caught,
said Wolf. He looked up at me and wagged his tail, very pleased with himself.

“Thank you, Wolf.”

The dwarf wriggled helplessly beneath Wolf's weight, muttering curses and insults. “Evil beast, I'll get you for this! I'll have your teeth and tail!”

I reached for the dwarf, and took him by his pointy black beard. He flailed and twisted and kicked, but I held fast.

“It wouldn't have come to this if you had kept your promise.”

“Dwarves don't make promises to humans. You're dirt, filth, putrid giant fleas!”

“I want to get to The Red Roses in the enchanted castle. I request that you take me there yourself.” I dropped him, and he immediately ran away, but he didn't go far. He was bound to keep his promise. What a nasty little brute!

Goldie, Wolf, and I followed as the dwarf led us away from the river, down into a little valley, and then up a grassy hill studded with boulders. He slipped behind a boulder and disappeared. Wolf went after him and a moment later stuck his head out, his tongue lolling like an excited pup's. He must have sensed adventure.

We had to climb a few rocks before we reached the crevice where Wolf and the dwarf stood. “Your friend can't come,” the dwarf said, glaring at Goldie.

“What about Wolf?” I asked.

“I can't stop him from coming in, since he's your shadow demon, but I'm only bound to take one ugly girl!”

“We can fix that,” I said, snatching the dwarf by the beard once again. I shoved the beard into Goldie's hand. “Goldie, tell him you want him to take you to the enchanted castle.”

“Oh, I don't think—”

“Tell him, Goldie, or you'll be left all alone!”

Goldie squeaked, “I want you to take me to the enchanted castle!” and then she dropped the dwarf. “Oh, I'm sorry! Are you hurt?”