Red Riding Hood

Chapter Ten: "No Fences"

Mark winced a little, pulling the loaf of bread apart to give him half as he uttered out. "Yes. Why? Did you recognize my work?" Jack nibbled on the loaf, smiling as he replied. "No. But I can tell you upgraded from regular holes." Mark chuckled, starting to walk off when he stated over his shoulder. "I had to. They kept fixing my holes. So, I had to put some of my skills to work. If they look more closely, they'll notice... but so far, they haven't. I'm trying to keep it that way." Jack nodded silently, his eyes wondering around to take in the scenery. He'd never been outside the fence, and it was strange to feel so... free. It really put it into perspective that the world was so much bigger than he knew. Mark led the way but stopped short of a worn down dirt road. Snorting with disgust, he turned to walk a different way, telling him flatly. "This way. We should avoid the-" Jack briefly looked over the road, then cut Mark off as he dashed across the road, saying excitedly. "Granny!" Mark jumped behind a tree, blurting out in fright. "What?!" Jack walked to a tree by the road and stroked a red ribbon that was tied around it. At the end of the ribbon pieces was his name and his Granny's.

Showing Mark, Jack told him happily. "Come on. Her house is this way. She said that she'd mark the trail for me." Jack's smile faded a bit, noticing where Mark was before asking curiously. "What are you doing?" Mark inched out from behind the tree, avoiding the road entirely when he snapped out. "Don't scare me like that. And keep your fucking voice down. Now get off the road. You don't know who could have left that there." Jack narrowed his eyes on Mark, telling him bluntly. "Who would go to all this trouble? I'm telling you that my Granny did this. It's safe to follow it." Mark drummed his fingers on the tree, telling him seriously. "Have you forgotten that there are wolves out here looking for you? It could be a trap. We should stay off the roads. I know a safer path through the woods up here. We can avoid the roads entirely." Crossing his arms, Jack retorted dryly. "How about this. I'll walk the road and you take your short cut. We'll see who gets there faster." Mark glared at him, a soft growl rippling from him when he told him. "Jack... No." Lifting his chin, Jack calmly spun on his heel and started up the road, saying carelessly over his shoulder. "Do what you want. I'm going the way Granny told me too."

Jack heard Mark growl out from behind him. "Jack. Get your ass back here! Now!" Ignoring his words, Jack kept following the road, pipping out in a teasing tone of his own. "You're going to get us lost in the woods. I'm going the way I was told." Mark let out a deep growl, stomping after him along the roadside. When he caught up, Mark told him sternly. "For your information. I'm a wolf. I CAN'T get lost in the woods if I tried! Why won't you listen to me? You've never been out here. I have!" Jack looked at Mark with bright eyes, telling him honestly. "I don't know that for a fact. So, I am going with my own instincts. And I don't even listen to my parents half the time. What makes you think that you can boss me around?" Mark dodged a tree, growling out his reply. "First of all, you have terrible instincts! You didn't even know that you were being stalked! Let alone that he was hitting on you! And I'm not bossing you around. I'm trying to get you there faster! You follow this damn road, and you are more likely to run into the Huntsmen or wolves!" Jack stopped briefly, turning on his heel to look at him. Giving Mark a little smug smile, he tried to be calm and sweet when he told him. "And if that happens. I hope you're still following me. Wolf."

Mark narrowed his eyes on him, his eyes flashing from human to wolf and back. Turning slowly away, he told Mark over his shoulder with an innocent hopeful smile. "Are you coming or not?" Jack walked a few steps, then stopped again to look back when he didn't hear an answer. When he didn't see Mark, Jack's heart dropped to the ground with sudden fear. Did Mark leave him? Jack started to turn back, yelping as a dark figure grabbed him and slammed him up against a large tree. Pinning him to the tree, Mark told him in a firm voice. "Got you... See how easy it is? How dangerous it is for you to put yourself out in the open." Jack's heart thundered wildly in his chest, but he took deep breaths to keep himself from showing it too much. Putting a hand on Mark's chest to push him back a bit, he asked him just as firmly. "Mark. Can you prove that I'm wrong? Cause if you can... We'll do it your way. But if you can't... I'm going to do what I know to be true." Mark stared him down, gruffly muttering out. "I told you that I'd take you to her. You follow the road, and it will take all night to get there. We go my way, and we can get there in half that time."

Jack stepped closer to Mark, whispering over his lips with more growing determination to finally do things HIS way. "Are you afraid to spend more time with me... Wolf? We do it my way... and I'll have all night to get to know you. Don't you want that?" A soft growl rumbled from Mark, until Jack very cautiously pressed his lips to his. Turning Mark's growl into a soft whine. The kiss was brief, but by the way Mark turned his head and cursed softly under his breath, Jack knew that he had won. Smiling, Jack patted Mark's chest and told him sweetly. "This way. Follow me." Behind him, Mark exhaled heavily and grumbled out to himself. "I know I'm going to regret this." To Be Continued...