Red riding hood 1x1

[ValidEmotions]

[[sorry, I'll post again after the 13th when my finals are done. I'm currently visiting family and on my phone.]]

[AroaraAngelwolf]

((It's fine. Have fun! Good luck with finals!))

[ValidEmotions]

Ruby too her meal and made to take a big bite, then stopped and tore a small bit off of the leg carefully swallowing before taking. "Thank you, this is quite delicious! We should check out the stalls. These things have good books and they might have more craft things here. So let's backtrack and look at the stalls we missed on the way to this place." She took the packages and placed it in her bag around her shoulder before taking another bite. "There's no need to whine! I'm not mad at you Vilkas! It's hard to be upset with those amber eyes giving you a whipped puppy look!" She giggled and ruffled his red hair grinning at him.

Blinking as Ruby made to ruffle his hair, Vilkas couldn't help but wonder just how awkward it was for her to do so. It was a bit awkward to him but he didn't say anything. Instead, he murmured agreement and followed her to the stalls they skipped over in their need for food. "I am not a whipped pup," he grumbled, eyebrows furrowing to wrinkle the 'v' between them.

 

Each vender sold different wares, much of which were in bright and vibrant colors or strange trinkets that left a person wondering what they were. Stopping at one, Vilkas examined a little wooden figurine, appreciating the smooth lines of the carving. "That piece'll be seven shillings and a copper. One of my best made," a woman stated, causing Vilkas to jerk his head up to see the small woman. "Everyone wants a bird or dog or cat but, wolves are just as popular depending on the town."

 

Nodding slightly, he stood straighter. "It's very nicely done. Who taught you how to whittle?" he asked conversationally.

 

"My gram did. Now, are you going to buy something? If not, I'd like you to keep moving so you stop holding up the line," the woman remarked, making a shooing motion with her hands. Frowning, Vilkas stepped away and continued on after Ruby.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Ruby had stopped when he did and was looking at the figures too. "I'll take the wolf, the beautiful animals always fascinated me! And I'll take the dark wood mastiff. My dad had a carving for every dog he ever owned, and that one looks like Duke! I'd pay full price for the wolf, but the dog looked like it got banged around in the move and has a couple chips, and it looks like it needs another coat of stain, but is still fine quality... six coppers is my offer for the dog, that makes a lucky seven shillings seven coppers for you ma'am...do we have a deal?"

 

She looked at the woman with a smile, she appreciated fine art, and wouldn't drop the price on the finely detailed wolf, and it seemed to Ruby that she could make a dog quite easily as the red cloaked girl can draw one. It only seemed fair. She had enough with her, paint and good books being expensive.

Edited May 13, 2015 by AroaraAngelwolf

[ValidEmotions]

The woman paused, faintly caught off guard by the girl. Her mouth opened briefly before closing again and Vilkas couldn't help but smirk at her faltering. "Uh... Yes. We have a deal, kid," she finally grunted, holding a hand out for the bartered price as she reached for the figurines with the other.

 

Rubbing the back of his neck, Vilkas watched the short exchange before stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Where do you plan on putting those in your house?" he asked Ruby a moment later, pointing at the carved wolf and dog. As he spoke, he started walking again, briefly glancing at other venders to see if anything caught his eye.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Ruby counted out the coins showing her the amount before handing it to her so it was a fair trade. She took the carvings and put them in her skirt pocket. Then she followed Vilkas. "The wolf is going on my dresser. My dad taught me how to carve and I have a few wolves but.. They aren't as good as this one and really only crude shaped of wolves. The dog would be on the mantle piece until duke passes, then he goes on top of the bookshelf with the other dogs. " She looked around, finishing her leg and asked if she could give the bone to a dog and headed for a book stall checking out some titles.

 

The man behind the stall frowned at her. He fixed his wire rimmed glasses and graying hair, obviously from a wealthy city from his tailored suit. "Exuse me Madame, but those are some heavy reading for such a petite girl as yourself..... would you like to look at these by chance?" He waved to some books, definitely smaller in thickness and are tales of knights and romance. Ruby rolled her eyes and spotted a beat up leather bound copy of a book, she reached for it but the man set his hands on it. "No, no, girl! This is for serious schoolers... not for some silly farm girls who think they can read!" Ruby was flustered, and looked like she wanted to simultaneously chew him out and sick him in his pointed beak like nose. She looked at Vilkas. "Can you believe this guy!?"

Edited May 18, 2015 by AroaraAngelwolf

[ValidEmotions]

Rubbing the back of his neck, Vilkas frowned slightly and tilted his head. "You know, it's rude to jump to conclusions. What if she's looking for a gift for a family member?" he questioned the man. The vender paused, sitting back and appearing as if he were thinking on that possibility.

 

As the man scratched his chin, he hummed. "Well, is she?" he asked after a few moments.

 

Vilkas shook his head, tsking. "It's none of your business now, is it? Besides, what do you care so long as you make a sale?" The man's mouth drooped open faintly, clearly struggling to come up with an appropriate response. "Let her see what you have and buy what she wants. It's that simple. No need to be so disrespectful. Or do I need to warn people away from you and prevent you from making any money today?" Though the threat wasn't real, he gave the man a dark look to intimidate him.

 

The man quivered and quickly nodded, Vilkas's expression fading into a bright smile before Ruby could catch any wolfish features. "Good man! Ruby? Explore your interests. I'll make sure he gives you a fair trade."

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Once again she reached for the old book and tenderly picked it up flipping through the yellow pages. "This is on the renaissance art, surrealism, and other styles of painting through out the ages...." She looked at the book closely, taking mental note of the tea stain on page ten and the worn spine. "My.. uncle is a book collector. He doesn't have this one, but it doesn't look in good shape. He'd tell me to pay no more than four shillings and ten copper. The tea stain makes two pages hard to read and some are torn at corners from dog earing. It would need to be rebounded soon and that is rather expensive... "

 

The man sniffed. "Ten shillings is my offer. " Ruby shrugged. "Thats the price it would be if it is in mint condition but it isn't. But how about this, twenty coppers to a shilling correct? Well, for this book...." She picked up a thin book with a cloth cover, but what caught her attention was the strange wolf on the cover the markings were different then her wolf, but it had the same slender build and whip like tail. "Ten coppers, so... five shillings total..."

 

He looked like he was calculating and coming up with another excuse to Jack up the price... then he glanced at Vilkas and shivered before nodding. Ruby counted out the money and set the book in her bag looking at the silver wolf on the black cover of the other book. "Now I can find out more about that wolf I'm running into..."

[ValidEmotions]

Vilkas' gaze fell upon the thinner book as Ruby spoke with the man, his eyes widening only a fraction as he leaned forward for a better look at the cover. When Ruby began turning to step away from the stall, he quickly stood straighter and stumbled back a step, putting space between them so he wouldn't get caught hovering over her shoulder.

 

Fixing his shirt, he kept pace with her and, after a few heartbeats of silence he raked his fingers through his hair and asked, "What's that thinner book? Mind if I see it?" Did he look a little nervous? Maybe uncertain, but definitely startled.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Ruby handed him it. "Why so surprised? That my odd drawings are actually a real thing? I'm shocked I found that. Whatever it is, there isn't much information on it as I hoped, but this is enough for me. Although the markings are different from my wolf. Maybe they're like zebra stripes.. no two are the same..." She said curiously.

Edited May 21, 2015 by AroaraAngelwolf

[ValidEmotions]

His eyes narrowed, brow furrowing as he flipped through the pages. "Perhaps...," he murmured, not fully paying attention. Most of the pages were filled with bits of information and sketches, detailing the author's beliefs of a "rare and incredible creature". A lot of the information was incorrect.

 

Closing the book, he handed it back to her and feigned a small smile. "Well, let's go see what else there is. I spotted some hide pieces over that way," he suggested, pointing to their left. "Maybe we can find some sacks or something that could be useful."

 

Without really waiting, he walked towards the indicated stand and began examining some of the offered travel bags, pouches, and the like once there.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Ruby had to trot to keep up with him. "Something wrong? It looked like you saw a ghost...I never knew a guy who was interested in travel bags. But I see some paint supplies. I'll get those and head home. You can come over for dinner tonight and pick up you're bit of the lamb meat. Alright? I'm not one for being in crowds for too long... is that alright with you? Or would you want me to stay?" She set a hand on his arm, then pulled back, afraid she overstepped a boundary.

 

((Read that wrong! Edited!!))

Edited May 20, 2015 by AroaraAngelwolf

[ValidEmotions]

[[Ahaha I was gonna say . Good thing I decided to do something else and come back. Vilkas was gonna be like "Huh? Did you hit your head or something?]]

 

Pausing at the touch on his arm, Vilkas blinked and looked down at Ruby. "Huh? Oh, I'm alright. I'll meet you at your house then," he replied, somewhat quickly. "I want to see if I can find something specific for now," he explained briefly. Smiling so she would stop having that worried expression, Vilkas soon turned his attention back upon the stall with the hide products.

 

[[i'm fine with a skip if you are.]]

[AroaraAngelwolf]

((Yes I am very glad you did.... hmm.. how about this time she sees him transform, and it's been yet another two weeks with more interaction between them.... sounds good? You start better then I can..))

[ValidEmotions]

[[Alright, that works. I'll leave it up to you whether or not Ruby recognizes it as Vilkas.

 

Now let's see....]]

 

Grandma's cottage was silent as ever, a streak of smoke slowly billowing upwards from the chimney. Vilkas sat above in a tree, reclined against the trunk and swinging a leg lazily as he watched her home. After the caravans left the town, the place had fallen back to a murmured silence in the past two weeks. Ruby had come up with the idea to start drawing portraits to earn her keep and he had helped her set up a stand to use in the Market Square, being her first customer and helping attract a few others before people started coming on their own.

 

Shifting forward, he frowned at the cottage below him before dropping down from the tree, hands stuffed into his pockets. As he turned to leave, the door creaked open and Grandma began yelling at him. "I thought I told you not to come near me again! I'll have hunters after you, filthy beast!" she bellowed before slamming her door shut.

 

He barely cringed at the threat, waving off her angry words nonchalantly as he strode away. The least she could do was thank him for keeping tabs on her and making sure she still breathed during the week. But, no. Too many people couldn't see beyond differences.

 

As he walked, he kicked an acorn to the side, watching as it bounced off a fallen twig and rolled to a stop. Eventually, a soft huffing sound reached his ears and he paused, looking up. A grizzly cub stumbled in circles, giving short, pitiful cries. Alarms started ringing in his head, his senses sharpening as he recognized the lonely cry. When a rush of hot air slammed against the back of his neck, his skin paled.

 

The biggest mistake anyone could do in a forest was to come between a grizzly and her cub. And, unfortunately for Vilkas, that was exactly what he just did, purposefully or not.

 

As the bear rose to stand on its hind legs and roar, Vilkas darted forward, ducking beneath a powerful swipe. Swearing as he moved, his hackles rose after feeling the rush of air generated from the attack. "Sorry!" he shouted at the bear, veering left and materializing into dust before reforming into his wolf-like form.

 

Behind him, the angry roar of the grizzly soon faded with distance and Vilkas skidded to a halt, breathing heavily as he looked back. After his breathing slowly, his long tail swept across the forest floor before he became human once more, not paying attention to his surroundings.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

((I figured she would actually see Vilkas. She saw the wolf transform before at the black Smith but didn't realize it was Vilkas then. This will be interesting!))

 

 

Ruby was gathering branches for her makeshift forge when the huffing sound made her freeze as her wolf -she started to think it was hers after she was the only one who could spot it multiple times- bounded through the underbrush like it's tail was on fire and skidded to a halt.

 

She held her breath, staying perfectly still and willed her racing heart to slow down as the wolf caught it's breath, unaware of her presence still. She didn't move, until the creature dissolved and turned into......... She dropped the wood with a clatter and stumbled back, tripping on her hood and flopped on her back looking wide eyed and frightened at Vilkas, face as white as a sheet. What was he?! Vilkas was the wolf the entire time?!

 

 

[ValidEmotions]

Noise made him whirl around, eyes widening upon recognition of the figure on the ground before him. "!" he swore, quickly covering his mouth with a hand as he took a step back. Suddenly, he melted into dust, spiraling through the air before Ruby before disappearing behind trees. He had made a mistake. A grievous one.

 

And there wasn't any way to fix it now.

 

After putting a fair amount of distance between him and her, Vilkas reformed as a human, tucked away in the branches of a tree. A sigh escaped his lips as he leaned back against the thick trunk, rubbing his face with a hand. No one was supposed to know.

 

Fear slithered through his mind, a panic starting to rise at the prospect of what Ruby might do. Would she tell people? Talk to Grandma and both of them send hunters?

 

Furiously, he shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut. Vilkas pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to think of what he could do now. Pulling off his glasses to rub the side of his nose, he listened to the forest around him, hearing the creak below as it trickled with cool water.

 

Once his glasses were upon his nose once more, he stared down with his amber gaze for some time, eventually dropping down to sit in the soil.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Ruby sat there frozen for a moment before one thought raged in her head. He knew she was obsessed with the wolf! Why didn't he tell her he was the wolf?! She jumped up and whirled around. She had no idea how to track down a dust cloud but she was going to try and give that boy a piece of her mind! She moved through the trees in the direction she thought it went, following dust covered leaves and grew more angry at him when she lost the trail.

 

She went home got duke and had the dog sniff him out. Soon the massive hound bounded through the forest on the wolf... Vilkas' trail. By the time the two found him at the creek, Ruby was breathing heavily and very furious and Duke, who was tuckered out, flopped on his side panting. "Vilkas!" She snarled. She stormed up to him and smacked him hard enough to leave her hand print on his cheek. "Why didn't you tell me!? You better not be the one attacking the animals! Explain to me, what made you think you couldn't trust me!?" She snapped gripping the caller of his shirt so he couldn't get away from her and had to look her in the eye, her own forest green eyes dark with furry.

Edited May 21, 2015 by AroaraAngelwolf

[ValidEmotions]

He frowned as he heard sounds behind him. As Vilkas turned his head to see what the source was, Ruby's snarl reached his ears and he paled once more. Before he could react properly, however, she was already on him.

 

A burning sensation numbed the side of his face as she slapped him, causing his head to turn abruptly and a hand to shoot up in an attempt to shield the now-offended area. He opened his mouth to start speaking but she grabbed him by the collar first, still yelling.

 

His hackles raised, eyes darkening, as his teeth sharpened and a threatening growl escaped his chest. "Let go of me," he ordered, rising to his feet to tower over her as he slammed his arms into her wrists, breaking her grasp. His face had become much more wolfish, a red marking visible on his skin and in his darkened hair.

 

For a moment, he stood there, towering over her with a warning growl rising from his chest. Finally, the growl faded and his expression eased into anxious uncertainty. He shifted a step back, ready to run again. But he forced himself to remain rooted where he stood, to keep from fleeing at the sight of trouble.

 

Eventually he sighed, turning away and sitting down once more, facing the creak. Softly, "I'm not attacking any animals... I only kill what I'll eat every so often. I don't need meat as much as I do the soil, though," he explained, not looking at her.

 

Clasping his hands together tightly so that his knuckles turned white, he gave an irritated growl. "I didn't say anything to you, to anyone, because you humans have a bad habit of making a villain out of anything you don't understand," he remarked, finally turning his amber gaze upon her. "I don't trust humans, Ruby! And for a very damn good reason!"

 

[[Edited for typo.]]

Edited May 21, 2015 by Narvix

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Ruby didn't back down when he growled at her, in fact, she snarled back in her own imitation of a wolf. When he sat back down again, she spoke up once more, her tone still stern but was a little softer than before.

 

"First, I raised a wolf, you don't scare me when you growl. You're all bark but no bite. Secondly, don't you ****ing assume that I would only see a monster, because I don't Vilkas! There was many times you could've attacked me but you didn't. I realize now, that it was really you I saw shift from the wolf to human at the smithy, but I didn't tell you what I saw, didn't I? I bet you didn't even know I saw you.... you can trust me, Vilkas. Please... my lips are sealed on this. No one will know, not a single soul...."

 

She knelt down beside him, her voice growing softer as she spoke. She reached out to touch his cheek and hesitated again, hand hovering in the air between them. She looked upset now, her voice barely a whisper. "I am so sorry.... please.... forgive me..... please..." She let her hand drop to her lap and she looked away from him and at her hands.

Edited May 21, 2015 by AroaraAngelwolf

[ValidEmotions]

Something about her saying he was just bark, no bite, made him smirk darkly. Vilkas would have challenged her stance about that but she continued talking, leaving no room for a petty quip from him. Tilting his head back, he rubbed at his face quickly and ruffled his hair, reverting the wolfish details back into human features. "You saw me at the Blacksmith's?" he asked, sounding nervous. Damn! He had messed up even then!

 

He turned his head, his cheek brushing her fingertips before she pulled her hand away. He blinked in surprise, not having realized how close she had been. Though, she now had her hands in her lap, gaze averted and clearly upset. "Sorry...," he responded in turn, frowning. "I don't know what I should be forgiving you for. You haven't exactly done anything wrong," he mumbled, thoughts drifting to the lingering sting in his cheek.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"Yes I saw you, well, a form of a person, I didn't know it was actually you until today..... I hit you... a friend doesn't hit another friend. I got angry... but I shouldn't have hurt you. I'm sorry...." She said quietly, still looking at her hands. She was silent for a while before putting in her advice. "I still have the forge I built for the bullets.... .... if you need any..... soil from that you can go to my house and get it... it'll be safer now then risking the smithy again..... I don't want to see you get hurt...."

[ValidEmotions]

Vilkas gave a small shrugged, resting his head against his fist. "I don't blame you for hitting me," he remarked. Removing his fist from beneath his jaw he sat a little straighter and tilted his head in a feeble attempt to see Ruby's face. After a few heartbeats, he tentatively reached his hand forward, pausing only briefly before lightly touching her chin. "Could you... Will you look at me again?" he asked, gently trying to coax her to turn her head towards him.

 

Pulling his hand away, he rubbed the back of his neck. "You've every right to be mad. You thought I trusted you and you trusted that I wouldn't hide something from you. But, we've only known each other for a couple months now, maybe three. You can understand my hesitation. Can't you?" he asked.

 

After a few more pauses, he smiled faintly. "Thanks for your offer."

Edited May 21, 2015 by Narvix

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Ruby looked at him when he asked her to. "I understand your hesitation...... and you're welcome... just know.. even now that I know about what you are... kinda.... you are still always welcome at my house. I enjoy your company.... and... your philosophical answers.... it gets me thinking....." She blushed slightly, still facing him but her eyes, once again finding something else to look at, this time a twig that lay behind him.

[ValidEmotions]

Nodding once, he fell back so that he looked up at the canopy-covered sky, hands behind his head. "Alright then. You've probably got questions so, ask away," he offered, glancing sideways at her. Vilkas smirked at her, noting her faint blush. Did she really enjoy his company and his stupid responses? Guess there was a first for everything.

 

"To be honest, while I don't trust humans, I'm not afraid of them. I sometimes pity them, actually. Too many are so caught up in materialistic concerns that they forget to see what else is around them," he indulged, shrugging faintly. But, oh well. There would be materialistic people in every town one went to. Still, it were those who didn't think so much on what they owned than what they were a part of that sometimes had Vilkas wondering if he should attempt to have some ounce of trust.