Sangeetha Kamath

                      CHAPTER 17             QUEST FOR THE BEARS  The next day, the pigs trotted off to spread mischief in the woodland, their ricky-ticky steps scuffing the damp path into a mess of overturned leaves and broken twigs. Goldwynn stayed crouched behind the wonky rain barrel until the sound of their pig-trouble thinned, then thinned again, then dissolved into the larger quiet of the trees. She didn’t move right away. The woods had a way of listening after the pigs left, as if it wasn’t sure they were truly gone. The air held its breath with her. When she finally stood, the silence felt heavier than noise. No birds called. The light came down in broken pieces, the sun playing hide-and-seek through beech and alder, dappling the forest floor with spools of pale gold. The ground under her boots was soft and cold, a black earth that smelled of truffles gone to rot and old rain. It stuck to ...

                          CHAPTER 16                    THE BIG BAD WOLF  The pigs snarled like proper rascals, fixing their cold steely eyes on the Wolf's cottage. How dare he refuse to part with his cottage! When the pigs demand, it's given to them---no questions asked! Porkinn limped, Baconne was soggy, Swinedell rubbed a sore bump on his head, but they were far from defeated. Swinedell snorted, a crooked grin spreading across his face. "Wolf thinks 'e's posh, don't 'e? " Baconne sniffed the air, his nostrils flaring. "We want the cottage!” He growled. Porkinn cracked his fingers, his sly glance darting about.  The pigs crept towards the back door, their footsteps silent on the soft grass. They spotted the Wolf through the kitchen window, stirring a pot of steaming stew for dinner. They kicked the door in, the wood splintering jaggedly. The latch gave in....

                            CHAPTER 15                RUTHLESS REVELATIONS The Three Little Pigs stood triumphant in the whimsical cottage's living room, surrounded by mismatched furniture and waltzing dust motes. Baconne , Porkinn , and Swinedell grinned at each other, puffing out their chests like gangsters. Baconne swaggered closer to the makeshift bar. "You know," he said, stroking his shoulder, "the Big Bad Wolf wasn't so bad after all, was he?" His grin split wide, showing a gold-capped tooth. The pigs snorted, their belly laughs vibrating the chandeliers above. Swinedell poured three tiny glasses of wild truffle liqueur with a theatrical flourish. "Cheers to us!" he growled, hoisting a glass. "We wanted his posh cottage for ourselves. Wolfie mutt was just defending his pad." His eyes glinted like cheap jewels. Goldwynn's face paled. She stammered as she whispered, " Wha...

                          CHAPTER 14                          NO ESCAPE! Porkinn snarled wickedly, his gold chain swinging like a pendulum. Goldwynn, curled up and froze her eyes wide, face getting paler by the minute. Baconne lumbered in, Swinedell sliding in behind like a ghost.  Goldwyn lifted her chin, voice shaking a little. "I'm waiting for the bears." Porky chuckled, low and mean . "Bears ain't comin’ They're... displaced. Baconne guffawed, Porkinn’s grin was sinister. Goldwynn squinted her lips tight.  Porkinn leaned in, breathing on her face. "You wanna play nice? Tell us where the Locke Jewel is." Goldwynn clamped her mouth shut . No sooner Porkinn’s grin vanished . Baconne grabbed a nearby vase. "Tell us, or...  Goldwynn flinched. Porrkinn laughed, darting to the kitchen. "Let’s rummage the place." Baconne smashed the vase on th...

                           CHAPTER 13                          FIERY FRACAS  The brawl raged – fur flying, wood creaking, critters yelling. The pigs were outnumbered, but they weren't going down without a fight. Swinedell smashed a wooden chair, sending splinters flying. Porkinn kicked Chipper, sending him tumbling. Dapper somersaulted off a shelf, landing a series of rapid-fire nips on his scalp. Goldwynn yanked Baconne's tail, spinning him into a bookshelf. Hopper grabbed Porrkinn holding him in a tight rabbit grip. "Yield, porkchop!" he growled. Porrkinn grunted, his eyes glinting with malice as he cracked his knuckles, the sound echoing through like a threat. His porcine features twisted into a cruel grin, flashing a missing tooth, a souvenir from a previous brawl.  "You see, girl, we run things here," he drawled, his voice dripping with ...

                               CHAPTER 12                     PESKY PUNKY PIGS  Wait! Footsteps trampled heavily down the path. Goldwynn leaned out but couldn't make out much. The three little pigs sauntered down the twilight-dusted road, exuding an air of menace. Swinedell , the self-appointed kingpin, led the pack, his slicked-back scalp gleaming like polished onyx in the fading light. A black leather jacket with silver spikes seemed to swallow his frame, and ripped jeans added an air of dishevelment to his ruffian looks. A chunky gold chain swung from his neck, proclaiming his turf dominance. Baconne , the behemoth, rolled his massive shoulders, his sleeveless and shredded denim vest straining to contain the tattooed chaos beneath. His tree-trunk arms were a roadmap of pig-centric graffiti, each inked swirl – formidable. His heavy boots pulverized ...

                      CHAPTER 11     YARN OF THE GLOOMSPROUT DALE The mid morning sun streamed into the cozy cottage, casting a warm glow over the assembly. Goldwynn, with a deft touch, stirred the bubbling cauldron of honey oat mush for the darling critters who had been looking forward to this since forever. Dapper, Chipper, and Hopper sat at the table with anticipation.Their eyes were fixed upon the repast being prepared for their pleasure. "Goldwynn, what's the plan ? Where could the Bears be ?" Hopper furrowed his brow, worry writ large on his face. Goldwynn, with a gentle smile, poured the steaming Chamomile tea into delicate china cups, the aroma of the herb mingling with the scent of the steeped apple slices in it.  "We'll figure out a way soon, squad," she said, her voice as soothing as the gentle lullaby of the forest. “Meanwhile, toss your fretting onto the wind and have a hearty meal." Chipper's ears perked...