Red Hood and the Blood Moon

Chapter Three: "My, what big lies you tell."

As dawn graced the forest, a group of three men wandered into the forest, slashing the bushes with machetes in one hand, and a pitchfork in the other. Among them, the tallest man shuttered at every sound, down to the murmur of his own lips.

"Keep quiet, Ustead."

"I can't help it! We shouldn't even be out here, Hagrid. We're not supposed to hunt the wolf, you know that."

"That was before it killed my children and your children, and now it's gone after the creepy old hag. Peace between us is no more. So, I will have my revenge. Go back and be a coward if that's what you want." said the shortest and bulkiest man.

They trotted forward, venturing deeper into the woods until they came across a dark cave. There were long, deep scratches in the stone, hinting that the wolf resided there. They took one more step before a deep, menacing growl shook the trees and the creature leaped out with its jaws wide open, eager to murder the humans that had disturbed its slumber.
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Apparently, the major's place of work was the first building they'd originally passed. The tallest and most stable building amid the clusterfuck of grey. Red Hood and Woodsman walked right inside, ignoring the pathetic attempt from his workers to stop them. They trotted up the stairs until they arrived at the second floor. There was only one door in this hall; a young, brunette-headed girl with brown eyes and tanned skin, quickly left through that door and scurried down the stairs. Red Hood couldn't help but notice her skittish behavior and a weird smell coming from her mouth as she whimpered.

Noting to check on her later, she followed behind her brother as he waltzed right up to the door and kicked it down. A man fiddled with his clothes, startled by the intrusion. As Woodsman bent down to get it, she got an eyeful of the mayor's features-old, wrinkled, pale skin, slightly bald with a line of grey hair around his ears, a long nose, and a pair of ocean blue eyes. He may be an elder, but he didn't look weak either. There was a muscular form in his arms, enough to be noticed. But that didn't move her in the slightest. She knew that either of them could easily kill him if they desired, and at that moment, they did.

"If it isn't Mr. Mayor, the man who authorizes baby murders?! How are you this fine morning?" Woodsman asked, slamming his axe into the wall next to him. He lowered his face to his personal space until he could smell his fear and feel his fearful vibrations. "I'd say it was a pleasure, but it's taking all my self-control to not relieve you of your duties."

"Woodsman, that's enough," she said, pulling at his arm. Once her brother moved away, she stood before him and hinted at the mayor's chair. "My name is Red Hood, and this is Woodsman. We're mercenaries for the Fable and as such, have jurisdiction to hunt supernatural creatures plaguing towns. There has been a report issued for a werewolf here. So, we have some questions for you... and for your sake, we'd better be satisfied with your answers. I have enough self-control to call Fable's authorities here, but by then, you'll wish that we killed you instead."

"L-Listen, miss. I have no idea what you're talking about. I would never sanction a murder!"

"Then how did a mob of angry, unintelligent bastards find their way to Lydia's cottage without you knowing?"

"Truly, I had no idea. I just woke up... I swear it."

Red Hood stared deeply into his eyes, but as ridiculous as his excuse was, she found no trace of deception. Rather, pain and suffering. She released him and sat in the chair in front of him.

"Then you're just shit at what you do."

Mayor Groove actually snorted as he sat down. They watched as he fiddled around in his desk, before pulling out a near-empty bottle of ale. "Yes, I suppose you're right... but I never had anything to do with an attack on a child. I don't even know who you're talking about."