Grimm Fantasies: Little Red

Haven woke on the day of the end of Hunting Season to River shaking him awake. Haven let out an annoyed groan and sighed, he looked up at the red pelt wolf. River gave a quick smirk, “Come on kiddo it’s time to go home.” Haven nodded and sat up rubbing his eyes. “My mother fixed your clothes.” River said handing Haven his red jacket back and the clothes he’d been wearing when he got lost.

“Thank you.” Haven took them and started getting changed; River helped him get into his shirt and pants. He then walked Haven down to eat breakfast.

Derek was doing much better by then he was sitting at the long table in the dining room eating with a few others including the Alpha’s son Zevi and the Alpha’s brother’s son Jin. Zevi scared Haven though he was only a few years older, five at most. Zevi had an aura that demanded attention; he was sitting next to Jin who had just as a pronounced aura though his was friendlier.

All of the village’s inhabitance had a weird strangeness about them; Haven figured out quickly that all wolves are like that. They’re not normal so the way they make Haven nervous was normal. River tried explaining it once, he said that wolves are predators and humans can pick up on it quickly. Haven was used to it by now though Zevi still scared him.

River sat Haven down next to Derek who doesn’t talk to anyone but Haven. Charity had tried everything she could think of to get a response out of him.

“So is it true? The cycle has started again?” Zevi asked Charity as she walked in with everyone’s food. Haven dug right in and devouring his food.

“Shut your mouth, Prince.” She said sternly with a quick glare towards Zevi. Haven didn’t know what they were talking about; no one would tell him anything about the cycle, though he’d gathered that it was important and that a lot of people didn’t want it to happen.

Derek glanced at Haven, “You’re leaving today right, Jace?” Haven looked at him and nodded.

“Hunting season is done River’s going to take me.” He said and caught the quick nervous glances River and Charity shared. Haven looked around the suddenly quiet room giving Haven a sick feeling in his stomach. After a moment Haven realized the sick feeling wasn’t just unease as the room began to spin and tilt. Derek shouted his name then.

Everything went black with the syllable of his name echoing in the back of his mind.

“Jace, Jace Moore?” Haven snapped open his eyes and jolted awake gasping for air and coughing with a foul taste in his mouth. The world was bright blinding him for a moment until the person kneeling next to him moved the flash light, “Jace?” The person with a husky voice asked.

“Yes?” Haven answered and in response the man turned his head and shouted, “I found him!” Haven cringed at the loud sound and listened to the chorus of, “We found him!” and “He’s here!” That echoed throughout the dark space around him.

“River?” Haven called looking around at the darkness expecting to find the red wolf but seeing only waving lights dancing in the distance.

“Your parents are worried sick about you kid.” Haven looked up at the scruffy man wearing a neon vest and the word volunteer on the right side. He grabbed Haven’s arm and hauled him up to his feet and lead him away.

“Where’s River?” Haven asked.

“There are no rivers in these parts, only streams.” The man answered as he patted Haven’s shoulder.

“No, River’s a person.” Haven tried to explain though he was suddenly swamped with people and bright blinding lights. Everyone was asking questions talking amongst each other congratulating one another. Haven didn’t know what was going on until his mother pulled him into a tight hug squeezing the breath from him.

“My baby, I missed you so much.” Her voice shook with raw emotion. She covered him in kisses and petted down his messy hair. “Where have you been?” She questioned.

“I was with the wolves.” Haven replied.

“The wolves, Sweetie what wolves?”

“The Werewolves that saved me from the mean fairies,” Haven told her, “They kept me safe during Hunting Season.” Everyone was quiet and giving each other glances. Haven knew that no one believed him, “They’re real mommy I can show you.”

“No, you’re not going back into that god awful forest ever again.” She pulled him close when he tried to show her the way back to the village though he didn’t know where it was exactly.

“But mom it’s true.” Haven argued, though no one was listening. They took Haven to be checked out they found nothing wrong with him and sent him home. Haven kept going on about the wolves and Derek and even talked about almost being kidnapped by the fairies. Until his mother got fed up with it and sent him to a therapist who convinced Haven it was all a dream and put him on Lithium. Over time Haven just forgot about it like an old dream.