Chapter Text
𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳…
Red made her way through the forest night, having collected and ‘’mildly’’ roughed up someone who owed debt to the crime family she had been with over the past couple years. It was better than staying with a family that her grandmother no longer was alive in, or just use her as collateral damage for emotional and business reasons.
In return, she offered undying loyalty. Gained a mother and father who loved her as one of their own, and siblings she never knew she needed or wanted.
Red truly had her real happily ever after.
But, that damned wolf still haunted her. It’s foreboding melody only bringing death to her door. In more ways than one.
“Well, well,” Red jumped at the voice and it’s Lilt as the wolf pulled back its hood. Instinctively reaching for her dagger. “Out in the woods again, Caperucita Roja? Or should I say, Hilda.” His chuckle rumbled in his chest as he caught sight of her weapon.
“Unless you’re after some animal’s soul, you better keep away from me.” Red growled, as pointing the blade towards.
“Ah, I see you remember the last time you were to be collected.”
“Not that hard to remember, as if you care about anything more than the dread you bring with.” Red eyed the wolf as he circled around her, she didn’t dare take her eyes off him. “If you want to kill me, I’ll fight you. You may have tried before, took the only person who really loved me away. But I’ll be damned if I just give up. I’m not afraid of you.”
Death only shook his head, the sound of his amusement echoing through the trees. “Aý, La pequeña Hilda. I’m not here for your soul, tragically. I’ve decided to be generous and speak with you… And whose souls I will come to collect soon.”
Red’s heart dropped, he had to be joking. She couldn’t care less if he spoke of her former parents, but the gnawing feeling in her gut was telling her different. “They are strong, ferocious. But even the strongest age and deteriorate. As do all things that are due to die.”
She furiously shook her head, trying to block out the truth in the wolf’s words. “No, you’re lying. It’s just finally turning around for us- for them! They’re not even that old.”
“You are aware of the lifespan of bears, right? 44, going on 45. As per designed by Life-“
“No!” Red whipped out her dagger, pressing it an inch above the wolf’s nonexistent heart. “I don’t care what you say, They’re not going to die! I finally got a family that gives a damn about me, and I won’t let you take it away!”
He wretched her arm away from his chest, “If you wish to be so difficult, It’ll only make the inevitable worse for you.”
Red’s eyes were filled rage and contempt for the wolf, switching her dagger out for the axe that was slung behind her back. “If you touch them, I’ll chop your head off! And nobody will ever have to be scared of your shadow again.”
Death let out a low, grumbling growl at the girl’s threat. Disappointed by her claim. “Do that, and you’ll only destroy everything you have gained.”
Just as he stepped closer, Red launched the axe directly for his head. Only to shrink back as he caught it mid-air, tossing it aside. “Corre, corre, niña. Si deseas salvar las almas de tu madre y tu padre.” Red swiftly ran past the wolf, picking up her axe, making her way into the trees. Giving chase for the wolf.
Red only stopped as she listened to every little sound around her, even the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves. But her vigilance did very little to stop the almost concerning beating of her heart… She felt like she was being suffocated. The rhythmic thumping of feet coming towards her only made it impossible to breathe.
Death eventually found where the girl was by scent, planning to give a very harsh but necessary lesson on the order he governs. What he didn’t expect was to smell the scent he hadn’t smelt off of Red since the first faithful encounter, or when she had witness him taking her grandmother’s soul.
Fear…
He watched from the shadows, as the angry, protective girl had fallen to the ground. Sobbing uncontrollably as she trembled. Her breathing coming out in panicked gasps for air as if she was being held underwater.
“Maldita sea, ¿por qué diablos sigo jugando con mi comida?!” He muttered under his breath, growling before he emerged and stepped over to Red.
The poor thing could barely register the sudden shadow looming over her before instinctively cowering, covering her head.
“Easy, easy. I’m not doing anything.” The usual boom, the sadist in him giving way to a more gentle light. He didn’t give false hopes that everything was fine, or she was okay. The hard truth was, Hilda wasn’t okay. She hadn’t been for a long time. Death said nothing more, placing his large paw on her back. Gently rubbing her until she was able to get control over herself.
“They used to hit you, the ones who were less than parents to you.” Once Red finally had calmed, she still refused to look at the wolf.
“Why didn’t you kill me?” Her question was the first step into understanding.
“I already told you, Pequeño rojo. I’m not here for your soul. You’ll have a very long time, before I come take you to the underworld. Especially after I went out of my way to save you when you were a child.” Hilda wondered if she had misheard, but for the first time. Really looking into the wolf’s eyes as unnerving as the crimson irises were, she was unable to find even the slightest hint of deception in them.
“That day when I was visiting Oma… I remember it had snowed a lot, I just wanted to prove I could handle a little snow. Since I already was delivering goods when I was 8.”
“Aý, Los estúpidos imbéciles no merecían un niño como tú.” She heard the wolf muttering with distaste in his growl. Though she didn’t understand what he exactly said.
“Uh, sure?” Hilda shrugged, pulling her knees up to the chest. “I don’t remember a lot. Just that a wolf came and got me by the leg, then I saw y-you…” her nails dug into her hand, pulling herself in closer. “There was so much blood-“
“One of my more messy slayings.”
“Because you were trying to take me.”
“No, I decided to spare you that day.” The wolf corrected, causing Hilda to pause and really understand what it all meant.
“You should’ve died from the disease that animal carried, the bite on your leg which left a scar. And with no doubt, had you fighting a fever. But unfortunately, I interfered where I shouldn’t, and the one thing that makes humans reckless, gives them the chance to escape me for now.” She sat still when the wolf finally left her side, reeling from the all she had just learned.
“Then why did you do?” Hilda pulled herself up against the tree, not caring to pull her hood over to cover the whites of her hair.
His hand (or paw) almost reached to examine the streaks in her hair, but seized when the girl flinched. “I don’t have a heart, you know? And I don’t make exceptions for you mortals. When the sand has fallen to It’s last grain, that’s it… But when a certain soul shows it still wants to fight for this life, or if I sadly feel enough remorse. I give a little leeway for second chances.”
Red watched the wolf, as he crouched down picking up her axe and then handing it back. “Don’t think just cause I know you actually saved me, I’ll let you anywhere near those bears.”
“I know, that’s why I’m leaving you be.” Red felt what almost felt like eternity she had last had a breath of air. “I can only give you time, until it can’t wait further.”
“But you’ll have your time with me when it’s over.” Death pulled the hood of his poncho over, heading back into the shadows when,
“Hey!”
“Thank you… for saving me when I was little.”
She watched as the wolf disappeared, its whistling carrying in the wind as quickly as he came.
Red kept her hood down the rest of her way back.