Young Writers Society

Mela

The oil hissed and spat as I lit the lamps in my small hut. I shook out the match and sat back, enjoying the way the flames cast shadows off the wolf-pelts decorating the room. I took pride in my collection; it marked me as the most successful Red Hood in the village. Yawning, I surveyed the range of colours: Creamy white melting through to ashen grey to salt-and-pepper to rich, chocolate brown. My favourite was the rarest; a deep black pelt. At first when you looked at it, it seemed absolute, the pure colour of onyx. But catch the light off it in just the right way, and it yielded a coppery, rust-red heart.

I liked to compare it to myself, though the other way round. Look at me first and I was a pure Red Hood. I lived in the village, killed Big Bads and trained hard for whatever quests I was bound to do. But underneath, I had a heart as black as the surface of the pelt. I yearned to join the Queen in her castle, but I knew I had a better chance of success to follow the Reds, at least for now.

New leads of the whereabouts of the Half-breed came in every day, and I'd kept silent, waiting in the wings while I absorbed every scrap of information. I'd managed to build up a strong picture of everything, and after the latest rumour - that the child was in a far-off village that I'd already guessed at - I was sure I was right. Almost everything connected - something the other Reds hadn't seemed to have worked out. They seemed content to discard old rumours as new ones came in.

However, there was one component that didn't seem to make sense. There seemed to be something missing from the information we'd been given. It seemed to be something to do with the Big Bads - had they hidden the child? I pored over my notes, looking for an answer to the one flaw, as my lamps flickered and spat.

The dead willowy trees did nothing to dilute the faint moon light that bathed ground in light. Most would find this beautiful, but not Camden. Even though it wasn’t a full moon, Camden could still feel his blood boil in excitement. It was like having electricity flowing through his veins. Camden sat on a boulder Indian style several miles away from the village. His eyes were closed and his hands rested on his legs as he emptied his mind of everything, but one simple image. A yellow rose. He kept the image in his mind and kept out any and all other thoughts. He caught a nearby scent and broke his trance for a moment. Drayden, he thought closing his eyes again. The man embodied the definition of lone wolf.

Camden shunned these thoughts and refocused on his meditation. He further mentally shut off his acknowledgement of his senses. Right now he could smell the barrels of beer back at the village and he could smell human flesh. ..Wait human. He sniffed the air again, but this time he smelled nothing, but some animals, Drayden and plants. He could of course say it was his imagination, but he knew better than that. A Red Hood was close and for a second she had let her scent escape. This of course meant she was either hunting him or Drayden.

Cam leaped off the rock and started running in Draydens direction. Cam hoped that Drayden had smelled the Hood too. Cam would prefer to get Drayden and get back to the village before a confrontation arose. He bit his lip, letting a bit of blood drip down from the cut he left. Why couldn’t they leave them alone? Always hunting them like common animals. Cam reminded himself that indeed they were animals. He shook these thoughts away and burst through the trees to see Drayden sitting on a log staring at the moon with mild fixation.

“We have to go, now!”

But it was too late the Red Hoods were already upon them. There was more than one.

Faith

I hung back behind the other red hoods, the huge yellow fangs bared up at me threatening to rip open my flesh. My small whimper suddenly turned into a scream as the big bad's cold black eyes fell on me hungrily. I sprinted through the forest branches snagging at me scratching my face and arms.
Salty tears ran down my cheeks with shame one of the reasons they staged that attack was to let me kill my first big bad but eventually you get too tired to even run for your life.
I could still hear the echoing screams and roars of the big bads shivering I crept slowly back to where we were meeting afterwards.
I hung my head in shame as I approached the abandoned camp ground, when they came back they would be very angry at me maybe if I go to sleep they will forget that I even exist.

Jade

Jade cringed, walking quicker towards the shouts. There was supposed to be a hunt today? Of course there was supposed to be a hunt today, I just never listen! she scolded herself, fingering the handle of the axe carefully. It was when one of the BigBads cried out in pain that Jade froze. The shivers running down her spine suddenly wouldn't stop, and her breath came out in laboured breaths.

There was no telling why that sound was always to familiar to her, but it was. Every time she heard it, it made her freeze. Unless of course, Jade was the one invoking the cry. In which case it didn't matter.

Something about today's fight seemed forbidding, however, and Jade hung back at a safe distance. She fingered the piece of wood she was keeping in her pocket, more wondering what she would carve it into than getting absorbed in the fight's noises. Shouts, thuds, screams... it all faded out quickly enough, and Jade was glad for it.

Oh, they were still happening, Jade just had a tendancy to block this sort of thing out. If she didn't want to take part of one of the fights, so help her, she wouldn't take part in it. There was only one real question that hung in the air as she traced the grooves of the wood with her fingers, and that was Echo's whereabouts. The girls got along, and were in fact, friends. Jade couldn't speak, Echo didn't have a problem with it.

Where the girl had gotten herself now, Jade could only guess.

Scarlet

I heard the sound of running, my magic increased my senses, so I could hear very well. I'd say the person is about a quarter of a mile away, I thought to myself. I could go after the person, they might be in trouble. But before I could ponder my decision any further I heard more footsteps, this time heavier, clambering slowly towards me, Big Bad footsteps. I spun round, using my magic to float slightly. There, was a big bad. He must have been hiding for the right time pounce on me. He was shocked to see me turn round and I put him in a sheild trap, simple, but effective. He came to his knees and said "I do not wish to hurt you, I am Camden." Before I could search his mind, to see if he was lying. I heard a bunch of shouts and through the woods came a bunch of other red hoods.

"Don't kill him! He wishes to make peace....I think" The other red hoods tutted at me, but I held onto the magick shield. They approached him closer, I'm sure I saw a hint of fear in his eyes, but then it was gone. They got there weapons out, one of them shouted "Let us kill him! We had him first!" I shook my head at her, concentrating at the shield. "No harm should come to this...big bad." He slowly stood up, and to the other girls amazment, and mine, he morphed into a man. I didn't know if I did this. But I knew I could protect this....wolfman now. "One of the rules is that no red hood can harm a human. Now away with you!" They stared at me open mouthed, I knew they were thinking if I did this. They fled away, scared and confused. "Are you OK?" Asking the- wolfman confidently and politely, with a little hint of fear in my voice.

Faith

I couldn't sleep, every time I closed my eyes the cold black stare of the big bad made me wake up shivering the night air seeming so much colder than it did before.
The screams had dulled but guilt made me walk back towards where they were fighting. Before I could even get there I saw two dark sillouttes in the forest apart from the trees, quickly I walked up to them my sense of carefulness put out of wack from that evening.
"Scarlet?" I asked quietly as I approached her. "Wha..." I didn't finish my sentance because I caught sight of the tall man standing across from her. I found myself almost hiding behind Scarlet feeling exsposed as the dark brown eyes searched my face.

Hey guys (btw this is Dragonet on my friends acount), I'm so sorry I haven't posted yet, but I'm on vacation and the internet has been down the whole time I've been here. So, I'll try to post when I get home. Once again, sorry!

Just a minor note. Big Bads can not transform unless it it a full moon. Currently it is not a full moon. At this point Big Bads will have their human form, but will have inhuman strength and speed. No need to change your posts just keep that in mind.

Echo

I liked the trees.

I really did. Wolves couldn't climb up here- not normal ones, anyway. It was partially why I was up here now. Everyone thought since I had the red cloak, I could kill any creature alive- surely a plain, run of the mill wolf would be nothing. But the truth? They still sent my trauma racing back in. Might as well stay away from it.

I was curled on a top branch, almost high enough, it seemed, to shape the clouds. One knee was pulled to my chest, the other flat on the swaying, creaking limb. Other Hoods I knew would be telling me fiercely to get down, this branch was too thin, there was no purpose- but I didn't care. Not when they were here, not when I was alone. This was my forest. My trees. I knew my limits, and their limits. I would be fine.

My bow was digging into my shoulder blade, but I was fine with it. I'd be using it soon enough. They got upset if I wandered and got nothing done. My ears pricked up. Oh god, not a wolf. A Big Bad? ...But it was hardly even half moon. I wrapped a hand around the sheath of my sword and bent over, looking cautiously through the canopy of leaves.

Jade.

I sighed in relief and found my hand hold almost immediately, shimmying down in less than fifteen seconds. I raised a hand in greeting, wiggling my fingers a bit. Jade smiled and nodded one way. Which way? Not where most of the girls were, that was one thing. I pulled my hood over my ears, keeping out the nighttime chill.

Echo and Jade, trees and earth and sky and stars. Didn't need more than that, I think.

Um...Mazzi? Unless you made plans with PhoenixBishop, you probably shouldn't have written that much about Camden, it's kinda God-modding. I'm just saying that, BigBads are suppose to be bad and evil, so unless you have permission, you shouldn't have made Camden surrender like that. And, I'm not sure if you can have that much power, like making a shield around him.

I hope I'm not sounding bossy (I probably am), but I just want you to be conscious of stuff like that. (Am I correct in saying that this is one of your first SBs?). So, anyways, I just wanted to help.

Serena

I sat alone in my room in the Queen's palace, writing. I wasn't writing anything important, just in my journal, the one thing I did nightly. I played with my hair as I wrote, letting the candle light dance over my pages as I wrote. I was anxious to get out, even if I wasn't hunting.

Another boring day. Another day in which there was no new task given. Hm. I should like to become a rouge. Although, that may not be as entertaining. In fact, it may be more boring.

I put my pen down, and blew out the candle. For some reason, my brain couldn't function. I slipped on my shoes, and tied my cloak around my neck. I pulled the hood over my face, so it covered my telltale blonde hair. Then I pushed open the heavy doors to the castle, and ran out, letting the cold wind hit my face.

I didn’t know that I’d do. Maybe I’d climb a tree, maybe I’d go around to another smaller village. I pulled a knife from my boot, and clutched the handle tightly. I hated the dark. I hated the way the wind made shiver run up my arms, the way everything became a shadow. I kept walking, even though I only had a vague awareness of where I was going. I could see the glimmer of my silver blade right in front of me. I guarded myself more then I would in the daylight, because evil things hid in the shadows.

I could hear the quiet movements of animals around me. I wondered what it would be like to be an animal, to live outside all the time. I didn’t know what I was doing outside. The wind slowly numbed my fingers, and I sat down at the base of the tree, becoming a shadow in the dark.

Dragonet wrote:Um...Mazzi? Unless you made plans with PhoenixBishop, you probably shouldn't have written that much about Camden, it's kinda God-modding. I'm just saying that, BigBads are suppose to be bad and evil, so unless you have permission, you shouldn't have made Camden surrender like that. And, I'm not sure if you can have that much power, like making a shield around him.

I hope I'm not sounding bossy (I probably am), but I just want you to be conscious of stuff like that. (Am I correct in saying that this is one of your first SBs?). So, anyways, I just wanted to help.

This is partially true. Yes it is a bit God moddish. But your statement that Big Bad's are evil is not entirely accurate. True, they are pure monster when changed, but none the less they are human. Red Hoods of course have the opinion that their humanity does not save them from their monstrous side, thus they kill them.

It is truw however that you should not have trapped another person’s character so easily. I allowed your character to have magic because in this world people can train in the art. After al,l the Queen practices magic, but she has lived for hundreds of years to obtain that power. Your character is young and should only be able to do simple stuff. Even if her magic level was accounted for trapping other characters with such ease and having them surrender is a no no.

About battles: This is going to be a storybook that will have many battles, because of this it is easy to stray into God Modding. Why? Because you want your character to win the fight. This however does not mean you can just write that you have one. This will require a joint effort. Pm people you are in combat in and you can talk about who is going to win.

Thanks Dragon for your comment. I should have addressed the issue sooner, but have been busy.