Little Red Riding Chang Long

Once upon a time in a small village, there was a little cottage by the edge of the forest where Chang Long lived. She lived with her father, a notorious ruffian named Davy-chan, and a little pet fox cub named Kitsune. This morning, Chang Long was woken up by the loud clanging of a pan, courtesy of her father. Rubbing her eyes, she found him waiting by the door.

"What is it, Papa? It's so loud in the morning; I was still sleeping,"

Chang Long grumbled, grabbing her little fox to cuddle.

"Wake up, my sleepyhead daughter. I need you to run an errand for Papa,"

Davy-chan said sternly.

"Where to? Today is the day we visit Grandma,"

eight-year-old Chang Long replied, puzzled.

"You're visiting Grandma for me today. Papa have urgent business to attend to,"

Davy-chan replied vaguely, seeing his daughter's suspicious look, he beckoned her to follow.

At one of the windows overlooking the front yard, Chang Long and her father saw six men armed with weapons waiting patiently. Chang Long turned to her father, confused.

"Who are they, Papa? And what are they doing outside our house?"

"They're the village chiefs from around here. For some reason, they've come to challenge me for the head of the village council position,"

Davy-chan answered wearily, though his eyes twinkled with a hint of amusement.

"You seem to enjoy this, Papa."

"Not at all, it's a bother. But because of this, I can't visit Grandma today. Now, get dressed and start your journey. The morning air is refreshing."

And so, Little Red Riding Chang Long, in her red cloak, was reluctantly sent off by her father. She carried a basket filled with food for the journey and a gift for Grandma. She set off with her faithful pet, the fluffy little fox named Kitsune.

The two set off in the morning amid bright weather, with the gentle sunlight and cool breeze lifting the little girl's spirits. Chang Long and Kitsune walked along a narrow path in the forest. It was an open forest with tall trees scattered around and various shrubs and wildflowers. The girl wandered, enjoying the scenery until they reached a stream. The clear water flowed gently, revealing fish swimming within. She decided to take a break and let Kitsune run around as he pleased.

Swish!

Both Chang Long and Kitsune froze and turned towards the sound. It seemed like they had two visitors: fluffy white rabbits with red eyes. One was energetic, while the other was slim and mischievous. They approached Chang Long looking hungry, and she laughed with relief, having initially thought they might be fierce tigers or wolves.

Chang Long offered them two cookies made by her father. The rabbits gladly accepted and became friendlier after eating. When Chang Long resumed her journey, the rabbits followed her. After walking for a while, she heard the sound of wood chopping nearby and decided to investigate out of curiosity.

Behind a thick bush was a small log cabin. In front of it stood a handsome young man wielding a samurai sword, skillfully chopping wood into pieces. Chang Long's eyes sparkled with admiration, and she watched him, mesmerized.

"Little one, it's not nice to spy,"

the young man said, startling her. Embarrassed, she blushed, fearing she might be scolded.

"If you want to watch, you can come closer. I don't mind sharing my skills,"

he said, making Chang Long smile. She approached without fear, and the young man, appreciating her courage, handed her a sticky white sweet filled with red bean paste. She sat on a wooden bench in front of the house, munching on the treat while he continued chopping wood.

"Hey, little one, where do you come from? Why are you wandering alone in the forest?"

The young man asked curiously.

"I'm not alone. I have Kitsune and these two new friends,"

Chang Long replied, her cheeks puffed up from chewing the sweet. The young man saw the two rabbits now sitting on the bench, eating the daifuku with their front paws without fear.

"Your new friends are quite peculiar. But where are you heading to? This forest isn't a place for children to wander,"

the young man chuckled, unable to help himself as he watched the gluttonous rabbits.

"I'm visiting my grandma. Papa was supposed to come, but he had urgent business, so I came with Kitsune,"

Chang Long explained after finishing her treat, now energized and ready to continue her journey.

"Would you like me to come with you? Having an adult around might deter any wild animals,"

the young man offered, genuinely concerned for the brave little girl.

"I've never heard that having an adult around deters wild animals,"

Chang Long said and frowned, puzzled.

"Have you heard the saying Follow an adult, and the dogs won't bite?"

The young man shook his head and laughed lightly.

"What if it's not a dog but a tiger or a lion?"

Chang Long asked innocently, making the young man want to pinch her cheeks.

"Oh, in that case, it's every man for himself. Run as fast as you can,"

the young man joked, leaving Chang Long speechless. He laughed heartily and assured her he was kidding. He explained that he was a skilled samurai on a journey to hone his skills and that he could easily protect someone as small as her.

"Make sure to protect Kitsune and the rabbits too,"

Chang Long quickly added, fearing the young man might not help her pet and new friends.

"Hahaha, of course. So, which way is your grandmother's house? I'll take you there myself."

"Thank you, Mr. Samurai!"

With her new travel companion, Chang Long eagerly headed towards her grandmother's house. It was on the far side of the forest, but being a child, she frequently veered off the path to chase insects or lay in the grass. When it was time to continue, she turned to her companions, smiling brightly, and asked:

"Which way is Grandma's house?"

Kitsune, the young samurai, and the two rabbits were stunned agape. How could this little girl ask them for directions to her grandmother's house? If she did not know the way, how could they possibly know?

"What did you say...?"

The young samurai asked, hardly believing his ears.

"Heh... I forgot which way to go to Grandma's house. By the way, how did we get to this flower field?"

Chang Long laughed, leaving her companions nearly falling over in exasperation. The two rabbits even raised their front paws to their heads, not expecting to get lost in the forest with a child who seemed to have no sense of direction.

"Try to think. Don't you recognize anything around here? This is almost the southern edge of the forest,"

the young samurai encouraged Chang Long to look around and find something familiar.

"Yes, the southern edge of the forest. Grandma's house is at the southern edge of the forest... But which way is the southern edge?"

The samurai, Kitsune, and the two rabbits were momentarily relieved by her answer, only to be puzzled again by her next question. Although Chang Long knew her grandmother's house was at the southern edge of the forest, she set out without knowing which way that was. What kind of father lets his child travel without a map!

After silently cursing Chang Long's father, the young samurai offered to take Chang Long to the southern edge of the forest. He had been there a few times. The group set off again, and he successfully led them to the southern edge. It seemed like there was a small village nearby, so the samurai took Chang Long to ask for directions.

A woman was standing by a roadside stall with a boy about Chang Long's age. The boy met Chang Long's curious gaze as she looked around, and it felt like Cupid's arrow had struck his heart. His heart pounded irregularly, and his cheeks flushed as red as tomatoes. When he saw the girl walking toward him, his heart nearly stopped.

"Excuse me, we are looking for an elderly woman's house near the edge of the forest. Do you know where it is?"

The young samurai asked the woman and boy. The woman glanced dismissively at the samurai but then saw the little girl in the red cloak and her eyes lit up with delight.

"Are you looking for your grandmother, little one? How sweet,"

the woman said, crouching to speak to Chang Long.

"I'm looking for my grandma,"

Chang Long replied, frowning.

"Oh, right. Would you like to rest and have some tea at my house first? Then I'll show you the way to your grandma's. How does that sound?"

The woman invited, ignoring the young samurai who stood beside her.

"Okay,"

Chang Long agreed. The woman then asked the young samurai if he would join them, but he declined. Seeing that Chang Long had found someone to guide her to her grandmother's house, he took his leave. Chang Long followed the strange woman and the boy, with Kitsune and the two rabbits tagging along.

The woman's house was a small cottage decorated with sweets. She invited the children inside, where the cottage was filled with various confections. She poured sweet-smelling milk tea for the children and set a tray of sweets for them to choose from. The children each picked a treat without much conversation, as did the rabbits. The woman disappeared into the kitchen with a sly smile.

While the young samurai was heading back into the forest, he overheard two housewives talking about strange occurrences in the village. They mentioned a beautiful woman who often invited children to her home for tea, but those children never returned. The samurai's eyes widened in alarm. Fearing for Chang Long's safety, he ran back to where he had last seen her. He asked villagers about a little girl in a red cloak, but found no clues. His worry grew as he ventured further from the village, searching for any sign of her. Evening was approaching, and he still had no leads. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to Chang Long.

Far from the village, a candy house glowed in the night, light spilling from its windows hinting at a commotion inside. Soon, the door burst open, and Chang Long emerged, holding the hand of a cute boy, both of them looking frightened. Kitsune followed closely behind, with the two terrified rabbits in tow.

"Ah!"

The boy tripped, and Chang Long quickly helped him up before they continued running. The forest at night was very different from the day; it was dark, cold, and terrifying. Branches swayed in the wind, casting shadows that seemed like chasing predators. The two children clung to each other for support as they pressed forward.

"My food. Stop right there!"

A shrill, angry voice came from the candy house. The fleeing group turned pale with fear, the children almost too scared to move.

"Don't be afraid. I'll protect you!"

Chang Long's voice trembled, but she tried to be brave. The boy looked into her eyes, seeing the glimmer of hope and courage that gave him strength too. He nodded, his blue eyes shining. As Chang Long stared at the boy absent-mindedly, he tightened his grip on her hand as they ran again.

"Stop. I told you to stop!"

The woman, who had been beautiful as flower in the daytime, had transformed into a frightening old witch. She pointed a gnarled finger, resembling a twig at the children, her wide smile revealing blackened teeth, while the other hand held a long, blood-stained black knife.

"The hearts of little children, just two more hearts, and I will possess eternal beauty. Come, children!"

The witch's face twisted with malevolence. The children backed up against a large tree, the boy pursed his lips, hugging the girl in the red cloak tightly, trying to protect her. But he was just a child with no weapon or strength.

"Chang Long!"

"Mr. Samurai, we're here!"

In their moment of despair, the young samurai's voice was like a beacon of hope. Chang Long called out as loud as she could. The samurai rushed in like a flash of lightning, standing between the children and the ugly witch.

"Little Chang!"

"Papa!"

Finally, Chang Long's father had found her. The samurai and her father stood protectively in front of the children, ready to face any danger. Chang Long noticed a large red burn on the boy's arm from hot water. She calmed herself and took out a handkerchief with a fox pattern to bandage his wound.

"It... it's okay,"

the boy protested, blushing. His arm felt like ants were crawling over it, tickling him.

"No, you helped me, so I have to help you back!"

Chang Long said firmly. Her determination softened the boy's heart, and he let her bandage his arm. Afterward, she shared her cloak with him. The two children hugged each other, watching the adults confront the witch. The boy's eyes sparkled with admiration. He wanted to be as strong and brave as they were. Glancing at the pretty girl hugging him, he blushed again. No, blushing would not help. He wanted to be strong enough to protect her, just like the adults. No! even stronger than these adults.

As he was deep in determined thought, his cheek began to hurt. The image of the little girl in front of him started to blur, as if she was slowly moving further away. She looked at him with curiosity while his cheek felt increasingly painful.

"Sieg!"

"Ah!"

The young man snapped his eyes open, finding the face of the girl from his dream enlarged and more mature. However, the curiosity in her beautiful eyes remained unchanged. For a moment, he felt disoriented, blinking and raising his hand to his cheek, only to feel a soft hand still pinching him. Siegfried quickly grasped the soft, small hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it lightly without thinking.

"Siegfried!"

Chang Long's distinctive soft voice called his name again in surprise. The young man blinked again, looking at her hand still pressed against his lips and then back at her startled face. Her usually pale cheeks were now a rare shade of red, but she did not pull her hand away.

"Hmm... Did I fall asleep?"

The young man released her soft hand gently, feeling a bit regretful. Chang Long pursed her lips and nodded, her shy expression looking incredibly cute. If only he could...

"Oof!"

This time, the young man was fully awake. His tent was a mess because of Draco's little dragon, Firetail. It had just pounced onto his chest with full force, knocking the wind out of him. Draco hurried over to grab it, repeatedly apologizing. Siegfried held his head; had he just dreamed within a dream? And that second dream before waking up...

Outside the tent, Chang Long was sitting with her chin in her hands, watching the chaos inside with a relaxed smile. She noticed Siegfried's frustrated look and silently mouthed a greeting when their eyes met. Siegfried smiled and nodded in response before Chang Long turned to talk to Peach Blossom. The young man petted Firetail, who refused to return to Draco, and smiled. That dream just now... it was not bad at all.

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