Entering the Battle

 

A retelling of a classic fairy tale that takes a completely different path over the river and through the Wood...

An EXCERPT from

Ruby Hood, A Twistedly True Tale

By Aspen Hite

The darkest shadows stretched for miles. No moon. Not a spec of light anywhere. Just pitch blackness enveloping the Wood like a worn blanket, filling every corner and every crevice. The air was thin and cold. Sharp.

Ruby walked at the helm of a pack of Lycan, all shifted and ready to fight. Mayor Wolf, a lean, black wolf with tiny tufts of gray around his snout, and Kassandra Wolf, a petite, light, shaggy wolf, flanked Ruby as the pack followed. Their heads all hung low, swinging left to right, as they scanned and sniffed their surroundings.

Taking a deep breath, Ruby tried to feel more confident like them, but fear screamed within her soul. Reaching under her cloak, she caressed the new labradorite crystal that hung around her neck and willed her pulse to calm.

Alert and aware, she listened to the wind. Noise and doubt crept into the corners of her mind, like scurrying beetles, but she pulled her cloak tighter and picked up her pace. They were getting closer.

Blue power orbs tickled at the tips of her fingers, ready to be unleashed. Even though that wasn’t part of the Aarush Mage plan. Ruby had a back up plan of her own, just in case.

The ground shook and a wall erupted, sprouting up in front of them. Ruby stumbled backward. The trees inched toward them, closing in. Blocking even the faintest glimmer of seeable darkness.

A Lycan yelped, then poof he was gone, snatched up by one of the meanest gnarliest trees Ruby had ever seen. Startled, she stifled a scream as a different tree came to life and gobbled up another creature. Right in front of her. Was she next?

The space continued to close around them. This was it, Ruby shuddered at the thought of the trees chomping on her bones. The small group backed into one another. Wolves growled, hackles raised, ready to go down fighting if it came down to that.  Ruby hands tingled. Would her power orbs even make a dent?

Suddenly, snippets of light broke through the space between the branches. The trees squealed and withdrew several inches. Ruby took a deep breath, happy for any reprieve. The light grew and grew, until it shone brightly.

Bringing her hand up to block the blinding light coming at her, she couldn’t see, but she could hear. Trees thumped, grunted, groaned, and screamed. The light disappeared and the darkness blanketed them again, but the trees were gone. So were the walls around them.

Ruby’s eyes adjusted, as the Lycan pack spread out, sniffing up a storm. There sitting in the middle of the Wood, far from its normal spot in the clearing, was Ruby’s cabin. Broken, battered and dilapidated. Ruby opened her mouth to speak, but the cabin belched out its windows and exploded. BOOM.

They all stared, speechless, there was nothing left but tree limbs and broken glass. Had the cabin just saved them?

The mayor yipped at her as the rest of the pack filed in behind him. There was no time to worry about the cabin. The path was clear now. Ruby fell in line with her army and together they continued through the Wood, toward the river. 

A Bit of Sweetness Before Battle

A retelling of a classic fairy tale that takes a completely different path over the river and through the Wood...

An EXCERPT from

Ruby Hood, A Twistedly True Tale

By Aspen Hite

“What about your mom, Lily and her dad? Are you sure they aren’t going to ask questions while you’re gone?”

“They shouldn’t. They’re immersed in an Aarush Mage time-loop dream state in the kitchen. They’re having a great time sipping hot chocolate and playing board games. They have no idea what is happening outside of that room,” Ruby didn’t like it, but there wasn’t much of any of this she liked, “It’s supposed to keep them safe and out of harm’s way.”

“Well then, you need something to keep you safe and out of harm’s way.” A smile skirted Kellan’s lips and there was a lightness to his voice Ruby hadn’t heard in a while.

“Oh yeah?” Her dark eyes danced. He was so cute when he was being sweet.

“Yeah,” He pulled a tiny bag velvet bag out of his pocket and rested it in her palm. “It’s for you.”

Ruby bit her lower lip to hide her smile and untied the bag. Her eyes widened as she took in the beauty before her. He had taken the labradorite crystal she’d given to him and turned it into a pendant. Her eyes welled with emotion as it dangled before her, “Oh Kel, this is perfect I love it.”

“I’m glad,” He leaned his cane against a chair and steadied himself as he helped Ruby with the necklace, “It kept me safe when I was poisoned, and you gave it to me. I hope me giving it to you now will keep you safe.”

“Thank you.” A tear escaped and streamed down her cheek. Ruby wasn’t sure if it was a sweet tear from the gift or a tear of terror about what she knew came next. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. Hard and quick. Then she nuzzled her head into his neck as more and more tears escaped.

“Rue?”

“I’m scared, Kellan,” She rested against him, wishing this feeling of safety would last forever.

“It’ll be okay.” Kellan pulled her tighter.

“I hope so.” 

How Do You Disguise A Deranged Mage?

A retelling of a classic fairy tale that takes a completely different path over the river and through the Wood...

An EXCERPT from

Ruby Hood, A Twistedly True Tale

By Aspen Hite

Speechless, Ruby grappled in the depth of her vast vocabulary for words to respond to the incident before her but found none.

            “Astral projection.” Mayor Wolf said, running his hand through his hair for the millionth time that evening, “How did we miss that?”

“Jeddy, we know now, and the monstrosity is gone,” Kassandra’s words were sharp as an icepick, but the hand she placed on his shoulder was gentle.

“For now, love. For now,” He placed a hand atop hers. A frown found his forehead and then his mouth. He covered nose, “Good lords, what in the heavens is that?”

“Oh my,” Kassandra turned green as her eyes widened in foul horror. She pulled her hoodie over the bottom half of her face.

“Wha…” Before Ruby could finish, she could smell it too. It wasn’t a Lycan thing. What on Earth was it? “What is happening??”

“Upstairs. Everyone. Now,” Mayor Wolf held the door.

Kassandra hurried along the underground metal corridor. Ruby and the mayor raced along behind her.

As the trio jetted off the lift onto the main floor, they all stopped, frozen in intrigue, as their mouths dropped.

There she stood, in the center of the parlor. A Lycanified deranged Aarush Mage. Wide-eyed and hairy, Ella clapped and maybe tried to smile. “AH…good…got rid of astral problem. Now time for the plan.”

“Plan?” The mayor sniffed, “What is that smell?”

“What do you mean?” Ella shook her head sniffed herself, then puffed her shoulders, “It’s my disguise. You smell me?”

“We can,” Kassandra’s eyes watered, “Can they?”

“LOOK like a Lycan, but SMELL like an Unnatural.” She said.

"Why can I smell you?" Ruby cried. 

"Ah...maybe I overdid it, just a bit," The Mage said as a terrifying yet satisfied cringe. “Now sisters will definitely not smell, and we can attack.”

The Cave

A retelling of a classic fairy tale that takes a completely different path over the river and through the Wood...

An EXCERPT from

Ruby Hood, A Twistedly True Tale

By Aspen Hite 

Before she could see, she could feel. Hard. Wet. Cold. Letting her fingertips stretch out and walk in every direction, she got her bearings. There was the drip, drip, drip of water nearby. And the deep dampness in her bones.  Ruby’s eyes fluttered open, but not a shred of light snuck from any crevice. She must be close to the river, probably tucked into the bluffs. Was it her imagination or was the cave closing in around her? Never a good idea to linger too long, not in the depths of the bluffs. Not in Woodsville.

Rolling over, she hefted herself up, using the sodden surface surrounding her. How did she get here? Why was she here? Her hand clutched her neck, as memories unscrambled themselves.

The Wolf mansion. The mayor. Running. The Mage. Ella had appeared and sent electric shocky sparks right at her. Ruby’s hand dropped to her chest; her breath welled up.  It was all too much.

“Ruby? Is that you?” a whisper slithered through the suffocating silence. “Please help me…”

She cocked her head and listened. Was someone calling her?

Ruby, please Ruby. Ruuuubbbyyy, are you there?

A trap? Maybe. Other options? None. With a reluctant shrug, she followed the hiss of her name. Using the rocks as a guide, she crept along with care. To the side of her, there was an empty darkness as deafening stillness closed the void behind her. Ruby pushed away the fear simmering in her soul and focused on the whispers.

Ruby, can you hear me? Follow the words.

Was the voice getting louder? Stronger? Closer?

Please hurry…Ruby…hear me. Come for me.