Archive of Our Own

Once there was a young lad name Kakavasha. One of his earliest memories was when his elder sister had scrounged together what little money she could in order to gift him a lovely gemstone green cloak the colour of green quartz. Such a precious gift from his remaining family meant that little Vasha would wear this clock wherever he went, so much that the people of his town began to call him Little Aventurine. As he grew, Vasha embraced the nickname of his hometown and, as he travelled, began to introduce himself as Aventurine. The name became his tribute to his sister and the village that raised him after war had torn through the region, a massacre erasing the physical reminders of his childhood.

One day, as he was resting at a tavern, he heard a little girl with heather grey hair protesting as her mother cautioned her about the "Big Bad Wolf" that was known to wander to woods nearby. A wolf who disappeared little children who stumbled across it. When search parties went out, all that remained of the children were bits of clothing and any items they had been carrying. The first vanishing had been a pair twins with dove grey hair, a little boy and girl known to rumage around where the shopkeepers discarded their old or broken wares. All that had been left were a pair of grey mittens with small yellow stars, and a long grey scarf with paw prints and clouds stitched in black. The second to vanish was a young boy who had left behind only a small green spear, a little dragon statuette, and a scattering of maple leaves. The next child had been a little girl who left behind a blue toy camera and a collection of blue and pink crystals. The most recent to disappear had been another set of siblings, both with hair as soft as feathers, and little cowlicks reminiscent of fluttering wings. All that had remained was a small cape of white and blue, and two little circlets, one of thorns and another of flowers.

These serial disappearances had led to parents to ceased allowing their little ones to run errands between the villages as they often disappeared upon entering the woods. Rising from his seat, Vasha strode over to the mother and daughter, if they were so fearful of the forest, it was nothing but a small gesture of generosity to offer to accompany them. After all, he was seeking out the River of Woe, and his path was through the woods the mother was warning about.

"Good afternoon ma'am," he began, "I couldn't help but overhear that you and your daughter were worried about the wolf lurking around these parts. If you would like, I would not be opposed to accompanying you. I am headed home and my path takes me through these woods."

"Oh, how very generous of you." the woman smiled, "If it would not be too much trouble, would you mind going with her? I must remain here, but she says her mother is in need of provisions."

"I don't mind at all my friend." He smiled back and knelt down to address the little girl, "What a lovely little yellow cape you have. Would you mind if I accompanied you to your Mother's house Little Star?"

The child giggled at the handsome blond man in the green cloak, "Thank you for your help Mister. Mother is awfully busy and needs me to bring some uh 'essential supplies and some recreational items'!" she paused, "Also, this lady isn't my mother, she just owns the tavern."

Chuckling, he took the girl's small hand in his own when she reached out to him. Bidding the woman farewell, he began walking beside the little girl as they made their way towards the forest path that led through the woods to the neighboring town.

It wasn't long before the little girl's happy chattering lulled into small comments about how quiet the woods had gotten, and how far away her mother's house was. Upon reaching a crossroads, they came upon a lone man sitting by one of the trees, a large tome in his hands and a thick wolf pelt blanketing his shoulders. A solitary traveler was a rather suspicious in these parts as many tried their best to travel with a companion, and one would have to be a fool to spend their time leisurely reading books in these woods.

"Hello," despite Vasha's tensing up and his eyeing of the stranger warily, Vasha's charge did not seem the least bit concerned by the violet hair man with eyes the colour of marigolds, "We're simply traveling through, are you in need of directions?"

A low melodic huff of laughter came from the man. Closing his book and brushing off his lap, he rose to his full height and strode over towards them. The stranger approached the two and Vasha felt the smoldering gaze appraise him, though the man showed no reaction when Vasha casually rested his hand behind his back, the small trembles hidden under the shadow of his cloak as he brushed against the sheath of the knife he had hidden.

"Well, I've lived around these parts for quite a while and am familiar with the terrain. That being said, my children are in need of a few things. I was told there would be travelers today and was curious to see who dared traverse these woods."

Vasha looked down at his charge, "Little Star, why don't we let this nice man be on his way, we don't want to leave your mother waiting too long now do we?"

Little Star nodded a secretive smile crossing her lips, "Right, Mother will worry if we take too long." as they walked away she turned back and waved to the tall stranger, "See you soon!"

The man smiled, "I'll be sure to welcome you when I see you again."

Continuing on their way, Vasha's young companion began to tire after trekking up a few steep hills. Hefting her onto his back, Vasha took the basket she had been swinging by her side and carried them both for a bit until they reached another fork in the road. Nudging the little girl, he asked which way it was to her mother's house. Little Star eagerly point in the correct direction and after a while they came upon a small cottage nestled in a small clearing a little off the beaten path. How odd for a single woman to decide to settle in a place so far from other people.

Little Star's excitement was palpable and he soon was force to let her down from his shoulders when the grey haired girl's restlessness became too much. Bounding over to the door, the little girl began to knock enthusiastically. They waited a few moments and Little Star decided to knock again.

"Perhaps Mother is not feeling so well." the little girl murmured, "We should go see if she's ok."

Nodding, Vasha nudge her away from the door, "Excuse me Ma'am and pardon the intrusion!"

Giving himself a few paces distance, he rushed the door, intending to use his weight to force the door open. At the last second, the wooden barrier swung open and he tripped across the threshold, faceplanting in the middle of the entryway. Five pairs of eye blinked down at him in curiosity and suspicion at the blond man in the green clock who had come barreling into their house.

"Brother, is Mother not here?" Asked Little Star to a boy nearly identical to her in appearance, pausing when she saw the four other children standing around the fallen man, "Is this a bad time?"

"Welcome back Stelle." the deep voice sounded familiar, "I suppose I should welcome our guest as well."

"You." stated Vasha as he rose to his feet, "Why are you here."

The stranger from the first fork in the forest path had entered the room, emerging from a shadowed doorway leading deeper into the house, "Well, this is certainly a surprise. I did not expect a human adult to be able to find this place even with my daughter's help."

"What have you done with their mother?" he snarled, "I find it hard ot believe anyone would leave a flock of children unattended in the middle of the woods with a male stranger."

The violet hair stranger let out a low chuckled, "Perhaps you had best ask who their 'mother' is rather than what happened to her."

"Start explaining." he hissed, resting his hand on his hunting knife, "You have neither the looks nor the demeanor of a mother."

"Heh, you poor misled fool." the man set down his book and strode over, "Did no one tell you that 'Mother's' house was a place for children unhappy with their simple village lives? You see, these little ones have nowhere to go and, as a being capable of providing them what they need, I saw no reason to allow them to stay where they were unhappy. Why should I leave them where their curiosity was stifled by the sheer amount of human idiocy festering in those quaint little villages?"

"What are you."

The beautiful stranger laughed, "That so-called "Big Bad Wolf" is I, you poor fool. Just as the she-wolf found and nurtured the founder of Amorphous' successor, I am the 'Mother' little Stelle here has spoken to you of. What is a mother but one who cares for and nurtures those they protect?"

"Those children are not yours, they were kidnapped in the forest..." He frowned, "All that was found were their belongings."

Another bout of cynical laughter, "How narrow minded of you, these 'kidnapped' children merely left behind the things that tethered them to their old lives. In fact, I think you might be another in need of shedding their old life. Even if you manage to find The River of Woe, she holds none of the answer you seek. Perhaps you would be amendable to staying here, I may have some information of use to you."

"Start speaking you wretch."

"Oh, how horrid of you to threaten a mother in front of their children." the man stated emotionlessly, "You may find the Big Bad Wolf is not as bad as you think. Tell you what, stay a while and perhaps you'll find that things are not always as they seem."

"Fine."

It is said the that nearby woods hold secrets the village peoples are not ready to know and that the ominous warning of the wolf who appears to sweep away young travelers is but a local legends. Parents warn their children that the wolf is an omen of death, that they will disappear just as the wolf disappears into the woods after selecting its next target. Though perhaps disappearance is not the death parents speak of. Should children wander into these woods, all that can be found of them are the trinkets they carried with them when they left the safety of their homes. As of late, the warning have changed and locals whisper that the wolf now has a human companion, a lone hunter who tricks parents into allowing their children into the woods. He cajoles them to leave their children in his care, flattering them for worrying about the children's safety and soothing their fear by promising to safeguard those under his protection from the wolf. After he gives them the name Aventurine, they are unable to resist his wiles as he takes their children. They will welcome his company and, as he bids them farewell, they simply smile as the man in the quartz green cloak disappears into the wood hand in hand with the child.