If there was something Chuuya loved more than cool hats was the cloak his older sister bought for him some time ago. It was his favorite thing to wear over his clothes — and honestly? It was sort of obvious with how the dark crimson fabric has faded over the months. The material felt soft against his skin, slightly worn at the edges from constant use.

But Chuuya still loved it, and would personally always wear it for as long as he physically could. Maybe that's why the whole village referred to him as "Little Red" because he really always did wear this badass cloak of his — and maybe because he was a little small, but that was just his stature! He was still growing. The weight of the fabric around his shoulders was comforting, like a constant companion.

He even purposely did a twirl, posing in front of the mirror until his door creaked open, the smell of soup, bread, and chicken wafting through the door as Kouyou entered the room with a basket. The aroma made his stomach growl loudly despite his attempts to hide his hunger. "Chuuya, are you done posin' yet?" She asked with exasperated fondness.

Chuuya, just now noticing her, let out a small yelp, his face flushing in embarrassment as he hid his face in his cloak. The fabric muffled his voice slightly when he spoke. "I—I was *not* posin'! Just... Agh.. What do ya need?" He decided to try and play it cool, as if he didn't just make a fool of himself in front of his older sister.

Kouyou just simply shook her head, holding out the basket for Chuuya to take. The wicker felt rough against his palms as he grasped it. "Remember Uncle Verlaine? He, like some of the other villagers, are startin' to get sick, and I need to run a few errands for the clinic so I need ya to take this to him. And *no*, ya can't eat any so don't even bother to take a peek in the basket."

Chuuya looked betrayed at that, even as he took the basket. The warm contents sloshed slightly with his movements, the scent of herbs and broth growing stronger. Sure, he could deliver food to his uncle no problem, but he couldn't eat any? That was unfair. "And why not? D'ya want me to starve or somethin'? I'm hungry too!"

Kouyou looked at him with that standard disappointed older sister look before she crossed her arms. The afternoon sunlight streaming through the window caught the strands of her dark hair. "If yer hungry then reheat the broth we have packed up on the coals 'fore you go. There's even some left-over bread, so you won't starve. Now go, 'alright? I want you back before it's dark."

"Alright, alright, worrywarts." Chuuya scoffed under his breath as his tightened the hood of his cloak and moved towards the door. The wooden floorboards creaked under his boots as he walked. He decided that he'll just eat his food when he gets back. Plus, he couldn't even change his mind now since Kouyou closed the door behind him with a definitive click.

**

Chuuya liked the forest. The crisp afternoon air carried the scent of pine and damp earth as he walked along the well-trodden path. Sunlight dappled through the canopy above, creating shifting patterns on the ground. He was just a naturally outdoorsy type of person. Humming to himself as he made his way down the path to his uncle's house, he would constantly look at the different sights, feeling calm as he observed the beauty of nature — birds flitting between branches, squirrels scurrying up trunks, and wildflowers growing along the trail.

But it wasn't all that calming, at least once Chuuya heard a branch break behind him. The sound echoed sharply in the otherwise peaceful forest. Chuuya felt himself tense up, his hands balling up around the basket handle, yet he was quick to try and remain calm, only to freeze up again when he heard another crack of a branch, closer this time.

Soon he was face-to-face with a rather humanoid wolf who had a chipper voice and a sweet toothy-grin that showcased all his fangs. The creature's eyes glinted like amber in the forest shade, and its fur had an almost metallic sheen. Huh, Chuuya momentarily wondered if all wolves were as cute as this one.