Chapter 29 Bear the consequence
Ivan waited, it would not be long. The chill of the evening was approaching. He had been tracking it for a month learning all the signs of its coming. Sure enough the bear appeared, his white fur rippling as if it were rapids his snorting breath adding to the mist.
Leaning back against the little ravine wall well hidden Ivan did not even breathe. His arms were at the ready to release the rope and add a push to his great log trap. The end of the trunk had been sharpened like a spear point to stab into the bear’s heart while at the same time the logs weight would pin it against the opposite wall. This bear’s footsteps were more agile than that of any other bear however, if he kept to his trail, as he was prone to do, soon he would meet the end of it.
Snow fell from the creatures back as he pawed forward then after one long sniff he stood up on his hind legs and looked around warily. Ivan cursed in his mind for he still needed it to move further down stream. A child’s sobs echoed through the air. The bear made a confused noise and then turned and ran beneath the waterfall. Ivan grunted louder than the bear. He turned climbing up to the top to investigate the noise. If a child was in the woods Baba Yaga would want it more than the bear.
He followed the sounds and soon smelled blood. The tiny pieces of werewolf he had consumed had given him great senses. Even from a fair ways away he began to hear Rose as she talked to herself through choked sobs.
“You can do it. Just stop looking down.” There was a snap and she screamed. Ivan ran through the brush. He took out his axe and chopped any obstacles out of his way. Soon he was at the foot of the tree she was hanging from. Her protective hood was missing. The blood he had smelled was definitely her for she had scraped her knees on the side of the trunk that she clung too. She was shivering and had no foreseeable footholds directly below her and only one thin breaking branch that her hand held above her. Her face was damp and swollen from crying, knowing her only from the pain of her knees.
“Rose drop, I will catch you.” Ivan bellowed up to her after putting away his axe.
Rose was so startled by his deep rumbling voice that she jumped a little. The little branch snapped and she did fall. Ivan was true to his word, though the impact was a little rough. He gently set her down afterwards on the ground.
“Why have you come here?” Ivan looked at her sternly.
“I was looking for you. I wanted to see you catch the bear.” Rose lied even though she wanted to tell on the boy more than ever. Her Father would be angrier to hear she had wandered in with some stranger. He did not even trust Sadko.
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“Where is the hood your Grandmother made?” Ivan looked around as did Rose.
“He stole it! That little thief!” thought Rose, “He’s going to the market in Volpi!”
She looked down at her swelling, blistered hands. “I am sorry Father, I must have lost it. I thought it was hanging right here. I did not want it to catch on the branches I climbed.”
“It may have helped you.” Ivan carefully examined her knees and began to clean them with one of her mother’s handkerchiefs. Rose winced but her Father was gentle. Too gentle, Rose imagined he thought of her as frail.
“Grandmother will want to bind these.” Ivan shook his head. “Rose even if you are disobeying me you must wear the red hood. It has the power to protect you.”
That proved it. Oh well, it also proved that he loved her. They went home in silence and when they arrived they found the kitchen destroyed.
Babushka and Mother were standing outside of it while the men who had returned from the hunt cleared it out. Babushka’s clothes had holes in them though her large shall was intact. She was black from head to foot and her hair was giving off a terrible smell, still smoking in places. Elena was wringing her hands and when she saw Rose she scolded in the most fearsome wail Rose had ever heard from her.
“Rose, how could you? I told you that I needed you to stay and watch the kitchen whenever I step out! How could you just run off like that? That oven was far too hot and it nearly killed your Babushka!”
Rose failed to see how this was her fault. She had not been back in time to help this was true, surely her Mother could have had one of the other girls assist and why had she let the oven get so hot anyway? She did not know how to respond.
Ivan spoke instead. “I found her up in a tree crying. I think she thought she would not be forgiven. She lost her Red Hood and scraped her knees trying to climb down.”
Immediately Elena changed her tune, obviously the child had been frightened after seeing the explosion. She knelt down and hugged her. “Well we are lucky your Grandmother wasn’t hurt. She managed to make it out the side door.”
“I am sorry Grandmother for losing my Hood. We could not find it anywhere.” Rose hid behind her Father a little for the look on her Grandmother’s face was a little frightening.
“I am more upset about this.” Grandmother pointed to Rose’s knees. “How could you do this to yourself? What if you scar?! What then?! Do you want to end up with knees as wretched and ugly as mine! To the garden with you! I shall put on a proper poultice!”
“Grandmother, you need some salve as well. I could make some…” Elena began.
“None of your white magic on me just take her on ahead. I am a tough old bird who has survived more than you can imagine.” Grandmother turned to Ivan.
“The villagers did lose most of their food for tonight. Son, why don’t you go back into the woods and hunt for a larger breakfast for tomorrow?” This perked up the men who were working and they began to move a little faster. Elena picked up Rose who was limping and carried her to the garden. Grandmother pulled Ivan aside as they walked toward the wood and handed him a ribbon.
“Take a good long whiff of it. It is our enemy. Her appearance is as white as a drop of snow. She’s sure to run into a grove of flowers. Kill her and take her heart.”