Red Riding Hood - Chapter 7
Morning.
Cinq woke up with a pounding headache. For a moment, the pain in her head was so intense it made her vision swim. It was likely because she’d drunk two cups of Vinya’s tea the day before.
Frowning deeply, she tried to sit up, but something large was clinging to her.
Cinq glanced down and froze.
The wolf had his thick arms wrapped tightly around her waist, his face buried between her soft, rounded mounds, snoring as he slept.
Each time he let out a deep, rumbling snore, the vibration coursed through her body, making her tremble.
She marveled at how she had managed to sleep through the night like this.
Shoving at his forehead with all her might, she said,
“Lord Wolf, please get off me.”
The wolf woke up and opened his eyes, but instead of moving, he groggily looked up at her, still nestled between her chest.
“Little one, did you sleep well?”
“Let me go.”
The wolf, however, clung to her like sap stuck to the sole of a shoe. With much struggling, Cinq finally managed to free herself.
The wolf flopped onto his back on the bed and muttered,
“My apologies, marshmallow-breasted child. I didn’t mean to.”
Rubbing her throbbing head with her palm, Cinq retorted sharply,
“Are you sure you didn’t mean it?”
“Of course. I’m not so ungrateful as to take advantage of your kindness.”
“Fine. And my name isn’t ‘little one’—it’s Cinq.”
The wolf cradled his head in one hand and smiled faintly.
“Cinq. Even your name sounds lovely.”
Climbing over the wolf to get off the bed, she said,
“I’ll be busy today, so stay put.”
Watching her perched atop him, the wolf replied leisurely,
“Sure. I’ll stay here quietly. Do as you like.”
Sensing a strange undertone in his languid voice, Cinq shot him a glare. But the wolf simply grinned.
Regardless, Cinq had a lot to do today.
She climbed off the bed and began tidying the mess.
Grabbing the clothes the wolf had shed, she stepped outside. The empty yard greeted her, bathed in morning sunlight.
Vinya was nowhere in sight.
After staring at the spot where Vinya had once stood, Cinq headed to the backyard, depositing the wolf’s armor and clothes near the well.
The wolf’s mess didn’t end there. His muddy boots had left the floors filthy.
After tidying up to some extent, Cinq heated water and gave her face and sweat-soaked body a quick wash. She brought a basin of fresh water to the wolf, who was sprawled lazily on Vinya’s bed.
The wolf wiped his face and neck with a wet towel, then asked,
“Little one, aren’t you hungry?”
“I’ll prepare breakfast soon. Would you like me to bring it to you, or will you come out and eat?”
“If your small, pretty hands will feed me, I’ll eat here. Otherwise, I’ll come out.”
“Come out and eat.”
As always, breakfast consisted of black bread, cheese, and tea made with milk.
After steeping the tea, Cinq sliced her bread and cheese thinly, while the wolf’s portions were thickly cut. Soon, the wolf hobbled out on one leg and sat at the table.
Seeing the bread and cheese, the wolf groaned,
“Ah, the gods have not forsaken their beast.”
He clasped his large hands together and prayed briefly.
Surprised by the unexpected piety, Cinq paused mid-bite, her eyes wide.
The next moment, the wolf’s eyes snapped open, and he opened his wide jaws, devouring the thick slices of bread and cheese in a single gulp.
After wolfing down the food, he smacked his lips and said,
“This cheese is delicious! Could I have a bit more?”
Overwhelmed by his appetite, Cinq placed the entire loaf of bread and block of cheese in front of him.
The wolf devoured the whole loaf—enough food for a week—and the cheese the White Goat had given her the day before, along with an entire bottle of milk. Yet he didn’t seem the least bit full.
Shaking the empty milk bottle, he asked,
“Is that all? Don’t you have any meat?”
Eyes wide, Cinq replied,
“I’ll roast some pork in the hearth for dinner.”
“That sounds wonderful!”
After leading the wolf back to the bed, where he licked his lips in anticipation, Cinq fetched a pair of Vinya’s underpants from the chest and handed them to him.
