“Ambush.”

Mir looked up from the campfire. Joon was standing, looking at Seungho while speaking. “That’s the best way to get to her; catch her when she’s off guard.”

Seungho shook his head. “No. If we’re going to kill her, we’re going to kill her the honourable way. I will not resort to creeping around and striking while my enemy’s back is turned, even if it is a woman. We have only had three confrontations, that’s no reason to give up yet.”

Mir let his eyes fall back to the campfire. He watched the flames dance and devour the wood on which they were burning. He sighed to himself, shaking his head lightly. How many times had they had this conversation?

Many a night Joon and Seungho would argue about war tactics, Sanghyun and Byeonghee would talk and gamble and occasionally put in a suggestion while Mir would sit by himself looking into the flames. Joon and Seungho’s arguments had only worsened this past week, as a variable component had showed up in their fool proof plan; the Red Riding Hood. Joon was already convinced that she was too good a warrior and they would not be able to defeat her in direct combat. He thought that they should use their cunning rather than brawn to defeat her and his newest idea was ambush. Seungho wouldn’t stand for it of course. He believed that they had to kill the Red Riding Hood with honour (though Mir didn’t know how much the leader of a gang of plunderers could know about honour).

Really, Mir being at this meeting - or a "war council" - was pointless. Out of the five present he was the smallest, and skinniest. He didn’t look like a warrior. The others did; if you met Seungho or Joon for the first time you would be able to guess instantly that they were warriors. They had strong bodies, their eyes were determined and they carried themselves and looked down at you like you were a maggot they were about to crush underfoot. The same went for Sanghyun and Byeonghee, but not to the same extent. Yet Mir was good with an axe. He inherited his dead father’s skills, and was able to use a battle axe so well he was acknowledged as one of the best warriors in the pack. Despite this, barely anyone took him seriously. He was simply known as the kid of the pack. He was a kid; he would rather spend these nights causing mischief with his friends then sitting listening to his elders argue.

The pack's story was a strange one. According to the elders, they lived in the large town of what used to be Huang Shi. Huang Shi used to be a large and prosperous city, home to hundreds, including the pack’s ancestors. They didn't worship FeiFei, the local Goddess. Instead they worshipped nature spirits in the form of animals; most importantly the wolf. The other people of the town didn't like them. They accused them of blasphemy and declared that they be banished in the name of FeiFei.

The hundred nature-worshippers of Huang Shi were chased out of the town and left in the woods to die. And die they would have, if it wasn’t for the leader, the first Alpha. The first Alpha led them to a valley between the mountains, and out of sheer determination, hunting and survival skills and a of luck, they lived.

In the mountains the pack struggled to survive, and as they watched Huang Shi shrink and dwindle down to a town not a fraction of its previous greatness, bitter feelings of resentment grew. Generations passed and when Seungho became the new Alpha, he was prepared to go to war so they could finally reclaim their old land.

The people hated the villagers of Huang Shi. They blamed them for being cast out onto the streets. They wanted to reclaim their land and slaughter the villagers. After all, many of their pack had died as a result of their banishment. Seeing as Huang Shi was now weak and vunerable, many believed now was the time for the villagers to pay the price.

When Seungho became the Alpha, he immediately began creating plans. Led by himself and his four best warriors, the pack would plunder Huang Shi, taking anything worth taking. And when there was nothing left for them, they would kill the remaining villagers and take back the town for themselves.

Being fully honest with himself, Mir didn't want these constant attacks on Huang Shi. He didn’t feel that he should risk his life daily to get revenge on something that happened decades before he was even born. Yes, life in the wilderness was hard but with the help of the Wolf and Nature Spirits the tribe had adapted well to their new surroundings.

Not that there was much risk in these raids. Twenty to thirty of them would howl and as they made their way to Huang Shi. The men there put up a pathetic fight, they would kill some villagers, and steal whatever they could get their paws on and run away once more. Seungho thought wanted to prolong the punishment of the village for as long as they could. And so ghat was the routine for many a night

That was, until she arrived on the scene.

A week ago, they had arrived in the centre square of Huang Shi. A lone female figure stood to oppose them.

She was small, rather thin. She wore a red riding cloak (with the hood pulled up) and was undoubtedly female. Despite the quiver on her back and the bow in her hand and the dagger in her belt, she didn’t look like a threat.

Or so they had thought.

She moved with astounding speed. As they ran towards her she quickly aimed an arrow in her bow and just as one of the tribe had gotten near, she released the bowstring. The arrow hit him in the neck and he died almost instantly.

After a moment of initial shock, the tribe attacked together but she was too fast. Despite them greatly outnumbering her, she dodged and avoided their attacks with ease. Everytime one of them got within a few feet she would simply jump to the side and swipe at him with either her bow or belt. She fired more arrows, but she didn’t kill another of them. Mir had a feeling it was on purpose.

When Seungho took an arrow to the knee they decided to retreat.

The next two nights they attacked again with greater numbers, and on both occasions the Red Riding Hood (as she was now called) defeated them. Not only was her speed great, but she also displayed stunning accuracy with both her arrows and dagger. Each night the death toll rose. Although she never spoke she made her message clear; her patience was running out. Stop attacking this village or more of you will die.

Mir knew already that there would be no backing down on the pack’s side. Not after the Red Riding Hood had killed some of them and injured others. Even Mir, who wasn’t at all patriotic to the pack, felt as if the Red Riding Hood had committed a heinous crime. He knew that Seungho and Joon wouldn’t stop until she was dead.

And Mir found he was okay with that.

Mir was snapped out of his deep thoughts by Seungho.

“Mir!”

“Uh, yes leader?”

Seungho shook his head, this kid obviously hadn’t been listening. “Alert the others. We run for Huang Shi in an hour.”

Mir nodded to show he understood. Standing up, he walked away from the warmth of the campfire to find the other warriors of the pack.

They would be attacking Huang Shi and the Red Riding Hood.

This time would be different. This time they would kill her. 

Mir didn't like killing, he didn't like fighting despite his skills. He just wanted the bloodshed to end.