Red Riding Hood

Chapter Eight: "Competition"

Jack gawked at Mark as he walked out of sight. Then glancing down at the dagger in his hand, he quickly bent down to stash it in his boot. Upon straightening himself up, powerful knocks rattled the back door. Swallowing, he moved up to the door and opened it just a crack. Avoiding Geralf's eyes, he told him promptly. "The entrance is at the other end. I'm-" Geralf shoved the door open, causing Jack to nearly tumble to the floor. Stepping into the kitchen, Geralf closed the door behind him, saying gruffly. "I'll only be a minute. Are you alone?" Jack shook his head, gesturing to the front where he hoped Mark was. Geralf's eyes darted to the front but didn't linger there. Instead, he leaned against the counter and asked him firmly. "I thought I told you to stay by the barn? Or were you just wasting my time and that of my men?" Jack shook his head, answering promptly. "No. I just... I got distracted." Geralf glanced around the kitchen, retorting a bit accusingly. "With what? What's more important than joining the Huntsmen?" Jack tried to think of something to say but he couldn't think of anything. He didn't like being put on the spot.

Geralf pushed up his mask to reveal his face better, telling him firmly. "Well? Earlier you were so insistent. Now you are dragging your feet. You want to be doing this your whole life?" Jack backed up from him a bit, saying honestly. "I just didn't want to rush into things. I need something to fall back on if becoming a Huntsmen doesn't work out. The town relies on my bakery for bread. You said yourself that my talent with daggers wouldn't be much good against a werewolf. Then you went off to get me someone to spar against...? I've never fought anyone in my life, and I need my hands to bake so..." Jack placed a hand on the counter listening to his own words in sudden realization. The town did rely on his bakery and as much as he wanted to be a Huntsmen to get out... He hadn't taken into account that he wasn't much of a fighter. Sighing, Jack mumbled out softly. "Maybe I did waste your time..." Jack turned away, pulling up his sleeves to dip his hands into a water bucket. Geralf moved up beside him, removing his wolf skull to set it on the counter. Leaning close, Geralf wished over his shoulder. "They are after you, boy. Don't you think you should attempt to defend yourself against the devils?"

Jack shrugged, pulling bowls closer to start making dough as he said with a small shrug. "If there is as many as you said before... I doubt fighting them is my best opinion, honestly. They'd just overwhelm me. I'll probably survive longer just doing what I've been doing." Jack discreetly looked over his shoulder to see Geralf looking toward the doorway to the front with a guarded expression. Jack eased a casual step away from him as he reached for a spoon, only to have Geralf step back up to his side. Geralf placed a hand on his bicep, leaning closer to his ear when he asked him curiously. "Did that boy talk you out of it?" Jack stopped mixing the dough as it thickened, mumbling out uneasily. "No. He's just here to fix my shelf." Geralf's hand squeezed his bicep a little, whispering a little darkly. "How much do you know about that, boy? Cause if he's bothering you... I might... look into him." Goosebumps rushed down Jack's arms, before he answered a little uneasily. "I know enough, I guess. He's betrothed and fixes things. He's not bothering me. He's helping me." Geralf's hand slid down his arm to grab his wrist, before whispering uncomfortably closer to his ear. "Don't you want to go find your grandmother?" Jack stopped working to look at Geralf.

Geralf pulled Jack against him, softly whispering against his ear. "Do yourself a favor. Don't be afraid. You don't want to end up like the rest of the people in this village. Waiting to be picked off. There is no honor it. Join us. I'll teach you things that not even your daddy knows. Hunting is in your veins... to deny the predator within yourself... Only makes you prey to something else." Geralf released his wrist, telling him seriously. "Maybe I got ahead of myself. Maybe you are more of a stealth hunter. If that is the case..." Geralf finally stepped back to grab his wolf mask off the counter. Flashing him a grin, Geralf finished in a deep hopeful voice. "Join me tonight. A few boys and I are going into the woods tonight. We're gonna set some traps. Do some scouting. You want a little taste of what it's like out there? Come with me. I'll keep you safe." After hearing what Mark thought of Geralf, he was suddenly aware of how differently his words were hitting now. He wasn't sure he believed that was what Geralf was intending, but Mark's words had rattled him enough to think so. Shrugging, Jack blurted out innocently. "It's a nice offer, but it's going to storm tonight. I doubt you'll be able to do much of anything."