Red Roses - (FCRAs 2016 Winner)

Levi Roth

"A Huntsman has returned?"

The apple pie slipped from Nana May's hands and both she and Lorelie made a snatch for it but it hit the floor and before they could retrieve the mess, Bramble had grabbed one half, Dover grabbed the other and both wolves bolted out of the kitchen as Nana May made after them with the broom.

"Honestly, that darn wolf will teach that pup such bad habits," she grumbled, walking back in a moment later and dumping the broom aside, turning her attention to the muffins.

"So, as I was saying, yes, a Huntsman," Lorelie said, taking a seat again.

"Which one? One we knew?"

"Leon."

Her grandma looked at her in surprise. "Little Leon Braxton?"

"He's hardly little anymore, Nana."

"I'm amazed he's still involved in the business, I would have thought he'd have turned to something far safer after that attack you two survived."

"Were his injuries really so awful?" Lorelie asked, folding her arms on the table.

"Oh yes," Nana May said, carefully putting the muffins in a tin. "I'm sure the scars are quite horrific. Quite frankly, he's lucky he wasn't disembowelled. A truly hideous attack."

"And... it was the wolves?"

Her grandmother glanced back at her then returned her attention to the sweets. "Well I wouldn't say it was the wolves for certain."

"No, I don't mean the wolves like Dover, I mean those other wolves, the... different ones."

Nana May looked back, quiet for a moment. "So you met them," she said, looking away.

"I did."

"Choose your pack wisely then?"

Lorelie looked at her grandma in surprise. "What?"

Nana May turned around and set tea on the table before sitting down. "If you intend to get involved with those wolves that are not of the natural world, then be sure you pick your pack wisely," she said.

"You won't tell me to stay away from them?" Lorelie asked in shock.

"I will if I thought you would," Nana May said, resting her cheek in her palm, "But seeing as I assume you follow after me, I also assume you won't so I shan't. So I shall give you what warning I can, choose you pack wisely. Never forget, when you were a child, you were not attacked by any mere wolf. Normal wolves did not nearly kill little Leon when he was just fifteen years old. Normal wolves did not scar young Master Beldon of Rose Castle just a few years ago."

Lorelie's fingers froze as she touched her teacup and she looked up. "So... it was all... them?"

"Not that I could tell you which pack it was that did such things," Nana May added, sitting back, "But I will always remember you screaming and crying about bright green eyes when you were a child."

"Green?" Lorelie muttered, looking down, "... Yes... the eyes were green."

"Perhaps you should speak to Beldon about his attack, if he would be willing to speak about it of course. I of course cannot be sure how willing Leon will be to talk about it, I'm sure his memories are still raw after so many years."

"Do you know what they are?"

Nana May looked up.

"The wolves, do you know what they are? Are they spirits of the forests? Or demons?"