Gained and Lost

Danielle Goldstein

Sponserd by: Bigbucks
Fandom: The 10th Kingdom
Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. They are all the property of NBC
and etc..
Tissue Warning for the Last Part! Not that great, but when inspiration hits, you punch it back for all your worth
Note: Not beta read, and probably full of typos!
Rating: PG
Feedback: Welcome, good and bad. It means you read it. Please send feedback...
Dedication: To all the people on all the lists. Fandom is what can make or
break something, and we've got a crew of makers.
Summary: Wolf finds a friend in the forest. A familiar friend who he loses later with a great price.

Wolf cursed in wolfish. Damn his cousin. Damn her and her little red riding hood! Damn her! He was so fed up with that snitty little twit, he wished he could bite her. But, he reflected a moment after, she probably wouldn't taste very good and the repercussions from his aunt would be completely unpleasant.

Crimson, he growled in his mind, what a name; it's so melodramatic that if I didn't know better, I'd say she'd made it up so as to sound mysterious. And to think, he thought, that little red riding retard would be ruling the 2nd Kingdom someday. Wolf vowed he would leave the 2nd Kingdom on that day. Goodness knows he tried to avoid her. He'd even convinced his mother to send him to a private school in the 4th Kingdom, along with the rest of his siblings. Little had he known at the time that his Aunt had heard of the school's fine reputation, and sent his cousin as well. And he'd accepted it.

He'd learned to deal with it. But then, even when he tried to ignore her, she'd pick on him, or get others to pick on him, which, he admitted, wasn't all that difficult. Most of the boys were jealous of his athletic abilities, not to mention his popularity with the ladies, and the girls who didn't like him would help Crimson in her attempts to get him in trouble.

It was her fault he was trudging through the forest. Hers and her friend, Bronze's. They'd framed him for stealing a steak from the school kitchens. His teacher, Professor Aesope, had not been happy, and had kicked him out of class for the day. This day. The day Wolf had been waiting for: the much awaited lesson on the two-door-lying-gatekeeper question. So much for that.

"I probably won't ever have a problem like that anyway" he grumbled, his teacher's story of sour grapes ringing through his brain.

He continued to mutter and grumble, and he was so lost in his thoughts that, not only did he not hear the person approaching him, but he actually managed to walk right into the gentleman, nearly bowling him over with his inhuman strength/aggravation.

"Ho, there, young man." the gentleman said after recovering from the blow, "What's your trouble?"

"Sorry, sir...Are you all right?" replied Wolf immediately.

"I'm fine. It's all right. It's all right, young man." the man chuckled,

"You're upset enough as it is, I see. What's troubling you?" He looked genuinely concerned, and his smiled looked sincere. He was wearing hunting gear, which looked well worn. His face was older, but not too old, and his eyes had a shine to them that Wolf couldn't help but notice. His hair, which was turning gray, was covered in a floppy old hat, and he carried a small, humble crossbow.

"Oh, nothing sir..." he replied, not wanting to waste the man's time. He looked a bit busy.

"Nothing my beanstalk!" the man replied, "Something's wrong and I aim to find out what and help you with it!"

"No, it's.." then something dawned on Wolf. "Hey, I don't even know your name!"

"Nor I yours," the man replied, "William Huntsman, at your service." He did a little bow, his smile the only thing marring the elegant nature of the movement.

"Wolf Hood, at yours" Wolf replied, bowing with a grace unusual in those of his age. He used his mother's name in hopes that the huntsman wouldn't recognize it. A man of the woods would far more likely know the name of a famous wolf than a noble.

"Wolf, eh?" William replied, peering around behind the young man, "You wouldn't happen to be Scarlet Hood's son?"

"Yes, sir..." Well that didn't work. Here it comes. The whole long and annoying rant about the quality of nobles. He could practically smell it coming. It always did.

"Oh.." William said, nodding as it sunk in, "I imagine you'll be having a tail then?"

"Indeed, sir..." It came out slowly. Wolf was amazed. No rant. No discussion. Simply acceptance. He felt like howling.

"Good for running, I imagine" William continued, "You know, keeping your balance while you turn at high speed?"

"Yes sir!" he said with more enthusiasm. "Very good. I couldn't do as well at track and field without it." He couldn't believe it. Someone who actually accepted him. The howl of joy remained in his throat by sheer will power.

"Ah, an athlete. That's good. That's good." William allowed everything to sink in, then switched the topic back where he wanted it. "So, young Wolf, what seems to be the problem?"

"My cousin, Crimson" Wolf replied, wishing William hadn't brought it up again. He'd been so happy a moment ago.

"Well, you know what they say, you can pick many things, but you can't pick your family." William said thoughtfully, "I have a sister-in-law who is such a bother. Won't ever eat anything proper. She picks at it. Most bothersome thing in the world. And then she complains I didn't catch enough! Not to mention the fact that she never even helps to clean up..."

Wolf laughed. The huntsman was grumbling just as he had.

"Anyway, "William continued, "What has this Crimson, whose name, I think, is the silliest piece of melodrama I've ever heard, done?"

"Loads! Farm-fulls! Bundles! Baker's Dozens!" replied Wolf in what was only a few notches down from a howl, "She gets me in trouble all the time, she makes fun of me, she pulls my tail, she gets all the other boys to try to beat me up, she-"

"I get the idea." interrupted William.

"Indeed. Crimson is making my school life a living he-"

"Don't be using language like that, my boy. It'll only get you in trouble. Trust me, I know..."

"Sorry, Mr. Huntsman."

"William."

"William. Anyway, she's the favorite in the family, my mother being a bit of a black sheep and all, though come to think of it, that's a bad analogy considering who she married. I mean, if she was any kind of sheep, my-

"Yes, son. I understand."

"And I can't exactly bite the future ruler of the 2nd Kingdom..."

"Well, how about this then..."

And then William explained his most excellent plan.

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