"Huh, I really got that lowlife forest trash this time, eh Gretchen?" Crimson laughed, smirking at her success this morning to her friend. She really detested her cousin. He was, in her opinion, a disgrace; a mangy, flea bitten disgrace on the family name that her no-account aunt should have strangled at birth. Crimson was amazed and disgusted by the fact that many girls in her school liked his roguish looks, and often flirted with the mongrel. How disgusting. Crimson had the kind of hate possible only through the knowledge that you shared blood with the target of your loathing.

Her friend and lackey, Gretchen, laughed quickly, but her laugh was false. It was social suicide not to follow Crimson, and her tastes, but to be perfectly honest, Gretchen really had no great dislike for the half-wolf boy. In fact, she thought he was kind of cute. But she would never say that out loud.

"Yeah, Crim. We got him good this time." Gretchen answered, her voice assuming that slow, I-don't-really-mean-what- I'm-saying-but-you-don't-care-anyway tone which she had honed to perfection in Crimson's company. It's funny, Gretchen reflected, that the only person who can't recognize this tone is the one you use it on. Not, she continued, that Crimson was all that bright. Crimson was the reason why most people in their school never wanted to visit the 2nd Kingdom. She was worse than the wolves. And yet, she remained the most popular girl at school.

"Well" continued Crimson, walking along to their dorm room, "I think I'll have to chalk this one up as a major success!"

"Yes Crim."

"And he can't do anything!" Crimson laughed in delight, her red riding boots twitching with her evil joy, "He knows I'm the favorite! I mean, I'm the future ruler of the 2nd Kingdom! He can't exactly bite me! Huh! Mangy fur bag! I showed him who wears the hood in this family!" The princess then gave a tinkling little evil laugh and strutted in front of her friend, grabbing the handle to their dorm room. "I got him!" she shouted in glee as she stepped through the threshold, "And there's nothing he can do about it!"

It was at this moment that the bucket of green dye, which had been strategically placed on the door frame by two particularly devious characters, chose to fall upon the head of the gloating Crimson. Gretchen, who had luckily been out of the splash range, couldn't contain the giggle the burst forth from her lips, just as the two previously mentioned characters, who were watching from the window, couldn't. The princess and heir to the throne of the 2nd Kingdom stood in shock, her clothing, skin, and hair completely soaked in the powerful green concoction, which both girls ascertained from the bad smell, was beanstalk-derived.

"I'm going to have him skinned alive..." she muttered heatedly, looking around for something to break.

"No you won't, Crimson," Gretchen said soberly, "He hasn't done any permanent damage, and you can't prove it was him..."

"What do you mean, I can't prove it!" Crimson screeched,

"He...I...well...I...he..that is..."

"You can't do anything just as he can't. You've no proof, and I mean, you can't do anything to him more than you have. Flea bag, or not, he still carries your family name. All you can do is what you have been doing, so he had nothing to lose. And I have a feeling, he will be fighting back now..."

"Damn Wolf! Damn mongrel! And damn you too, Gretchen! You and you're damn logic!"

"Well, " Gretchen stated calmly, "If you're about done whining, let's see what we can do about the dye..."

"This sucks elf!"

***********************************

They ran. They ran with the carefree joy of revenge without getting caught. It had been easy to set the trap, and even easier to hide near the window and watch. It had worked perfectly. The timing couldn't have worked out better. And her friend had been superb. They'd both heard the conversation, and Gretchen was right. Crimson couldn't do anything! Wolf had to remember to get some nice wildflowers for his cousin's lackey, but for now Wolf let loose a howl of pure joy which set the animals of the forest into a clamor of happiness for him. The huntsman, who now seemed more an old, familiar uncle than a man he had just met in the woods, utilized what vocal range he could in a similar howl of exultation.

They finally stopped in a clearing to get their breath. Wolf was fine, still full of energy, but the half-wolf knew what something sounded like when it needed to stop running, and William needed a rest.

"That was great, William!" chuckled Wolf, bounding around the clearing, "She'll be green for weeks!"

"Indeed! Very well done! I haven't done anything like that since my marriage!" replied William, who despite his shortness of breath, was still laughing. They continued to laugh until the giddiness left their system and they were left with only joy.

"Very nice, my boy." praised the huntsman, "Now, I better be going home. It's about suppertime, at least at my house."

"Yeah." replied Wolf, suddenly saddened by the thought of his empty stomach, which looked like it was going to remain that way. His teacher, in light of what had been stolen, had declared he wasn't to have supper that night.

"I expect you'll be heading back to your school now for your own dinner..."

"Not really."

"What? They don't feed you at that place?" the huntsman asked, his face full of surprise.

"Not tonight. Teacher's punishment, along with getting kicked out of class for the day. No dinner."

"Well, since you're such a nice, sweet, intelligent, wonderful young lad, I think I could get my Gytha to set an extra place at the table for you..."

"Really?"

"Really." said William, his smile lighting up his whole worn face, "Now follow me..."

****************************************

The huntsman's cottage was deep in the woods in a small clearing near some pine trees, whose smell permeated the property in a light, pleasurable way. The house itself wasn't much, simple wood and thatch, but it was large, and obviously cared for and well cleaned by someone who loved it very much. In what could be considered the yard, a large collection of children's toys could be seen. Most were made out of unpainted wood, but a few were decorated with bright, cheery hues that distinguished them from the homemade variety. Off to the side, a small smoking hut could be seen, and Wolf could smell the wonderful scent of the meats hanging there. He began to walk towards it unconsciously, but William gently steered him to the cottage door.

They walked in and were instantly greeted by a slim middle-aged woman in a brown traveling dress. She smiled at William, and took a moment away from her cooking to give him a peck on the cheek. She then returned to her seat by the fire, noticing Wolf as she sat down. "And who is this handsome young man you've brought home, Wil?" she asked, her voice rich, clear, and full of mirth.

"Oh, this lad's a friend of mine I met today, Gytha" William replied, patting Wolf on the back, "A fine young chap with a good head on his shoulders, I discovered. Gytha, meet Wolf Hood, or do you prefer Greyson?"

Gytha looked a little startled by the name, but kept up a smile. "You'd be Scarlet's son, wouldn't you?"

"Indeed, madam." replied Wolf, who very much liked the idea of having these two as friends.

"A half-wolf then?" Gytha asked, "But where's your tail?"

Wolf smiled a bit sheepishly, which is difficult for a wolf, and then reached into the back of his pants and pulled out his tail. Since it was only 3 days till the full moon, his tail was long, and covered with thick, soft, grey fur. He swished it around a couple times to stretch it a bit. While keeping it in his pants helped to avoid a lot of tail pulling and other problems, it throbbed with a pain constantly because of it.

Gytha smiled and ran her hand down the length of his tail, which felt kinda good from Wolf's end of things. His mother had always stroked his tail. It had a calming affect on him. "Very nice" she said at last, patting him on the shoulder, "You have a very nice tail."

"Thank you ma'am." he replied. Wow. What a wonderful day. While he had gotten in trouble and missed the lesson, he had, because of this, made two new friends who not only accepted him, but liked him. His heart ached with love for these two. He wondered if they would mind if... "Um, would either of you mind if I keep my tail out?" Wolf asked nervously, hoping he hadn't pushed it too far, "It isn't pleasant to keep it there, even if it is necessary..."

Both huntsman and wife looked at the young man. "Of course dear!" they both said at the same time, then Gytha continued "We don't mind it, I like it actually, and if it causes you pain to keep it hidden, I certainly won't be having you do that at my house!" Gytha walked over and hugged him, chuckling at his simple request.

Gytha then returned and looked to her husband. "What a dear, sweet boy you've brought here, Wil."

Wolf blushed furiously, and William patted him on the back with a laugh. "Oh stop it, Gytha, you'll have him red as a riding hood if you keep up with it."

Husband and wife laughed, and Wolf laughed along with him. He was very ,very lucky indeed. But in the middle of it, Gytha gasped and shot up. "And you haven't even met our Shawn!" The huntsman's wife then ran out, returning a second later with a young boy who couldn't be more than 6. "Shawn, " Gytha said slowly, "Meet Wolf, a friend of your father's."

"Hello Wolf." the little boy replied, surprisingly articulate, "My name is Shawn. Can you be my friend too?"

"Sure" replied Wolf, crouching down to meet the youngest member of the family eye to eye, "Would you like to play and get to know me better while your ma makes the dinner?"

The boy smiled, and like his father, it lit up his whole face. "Ya!" The little boy then grabbed Wolf's hand, pulling him with unexpected strength towards the back yard, where Wolf discovered even more toys. And with the joyous fun of having an excuse to play with something you're supposed to be to old for, Wolf began to play with his third new friend.

In the kitchen, Gytha looked at William straight in the face. "He's a good lad, isn't he?"

"Yes, Gytha. A good lad. I've only known him since this morning, but I know that."

"It must be hard, being Scarlet's son, not to mention..."

"Indeed," replied William, "It's amazing he isn't a hateful wretch, considering..."

"He's a good lad, though. He has a lot of love in his heart. I could feel it."

"And so could I, Gytha. That's why I befriended him. He needs a friend. A friend who doesn't bother him because of who and what he is, but simply accepts him. There aren't many people who can do that..."

"I know, poor boy."

"But he'll find others who can accept him someday..."

"I certainly hope so."

"As do I Gytha, as do I..."

*****************************************

From that day forward, Wolf became a common figure in the Huntsman home. He would come often, whenever he was kicked out of class, or had time off from his studies, and learn from William about hunting and tracking, for while Wolf had his advantages, there were still many devious little tricks which were unknown to him. The huntsman taught him well, and with in year, William had begun to even pay him for his part in the hunt. Wolf was certainly worth it.

When he wasn't out hunting with William, he was playing with Shawn, who he taught all the games he knew and played them with the boy constantly. The young Huntsman was smart, and hide-and-go-seek was a difficult game on both ends to win. Wolf taught Shawn many things, including what he was learning in school. Shawn was extremely bright, and took to Wolf's lessons like a fish to water. They were so close, Shawn took to calling Wolf his brother, to which Wolf had no objection.

Wolf also spent a good deal of time with Gytha. His love of food meant he was in her kitchen alot, and he learned many valuable things in that little cottage cookery. He learned how to cook, to season, to smoke, and how to grow herbs for seasonings. While William thought it silly that a man would be learning to cook, and often brought it up, Gytha's comments concerning her husband's meals before their marriage often silenced the wise huntsman. All in all, Wolf was a happy young boy. This went on for many years, Wolf and the Huntsmans growing very close. But all things must end, and this ended in a particularly unpleasant manner.

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