A Wolf Tale
by Suz suzvoy@tesco.net

For sleekuk's fic challenge. Requirements:

Fandom: Into The Woods
Pairing: Little Red Riding Hood/The Wolf
Line: "There's a lump on her rump, big enough to be a hump".

Characters owned by...err actually, that's a good question. Who does own these characters?

sleekuk? Sweetie? As much as you rock I am NEVER EVER EVER WRITING ANOTHER INTO THE WOODS FIC AGAIN. Thhhhp! *pokes dead muse* I think you killed it! ;D

This is, uh, different. So feedback would be really helpful. Though you probably won't get this unless you know Into The Woods...oops.

*

The Wolf staggered through the cottage, one hand clutching at his gaping stomach as the other reached out to brace his weight against the doorway. There. Just a few feet outside the cottage, Little Red Riding Hood seemed to be searching for something.

Even now, though he was bleeding, dying, his mouth salivated at the thought of *tasting* her again. Nothing had ever been so delicious. As she bent over to pick something up, he watched and growled to himself. "There's a lump on her rump, big enough to be a hump."

Such a delicious rump.

Apparently he hadn't been as quiet as he'd thought because she suddenly straightened up, turned to look at him, and gasped.

"Mr Wolf!"

He grinned, displaying his impressive set of canines. "Helloooo little girl."

Frowning heavily she stomped towards him and only stopped as her right hand lifted up to slap him across the snout. "You *ate* me!"

No one had hit him before. Ever. Well, except for when people were trying to kill him. "Well...I ate you, yes that's true. But you're back now and I'm in two." He glanced down at his ruined stomach. Shouldn't it be hurting more? "But you knew it was I when you came inside, not your Grandma who tasted rough as old hide."

She blushed, turning away, and began rummaging on the ground for something again. Was she picking up...stones? "Mother said 'Straight ahead, not to delay or be mislead'. I should have heeded her advice...but you seemed so nice."

His big eyes widened. "You like me, little girl?"

Her hands full of stones now she stood up, though kept her back to him and her head lowered. Her voice was low, quiet. "You showed me things, many beautiful things, that I had not thought to explore. They were off my path so I never had dared, I had been so careful, I never had cared..."

Surprised he reached out, foolishly taking his weight off of the doorway and it was too much. He plummeted down to the ground, landing snout first. Growling in pain, he somehow managed to push himself onto his back.

"Mr Wolf, Mr Wolf!" She was kneeling next to him, her hands empty. "Please don't move, please just stay, can I get you water, are you okay?"

His stomach had been cut open and he was bleeding to death, but all he could do was look up at her. "No one's ever liked me before."

She snorted, and were those tears in her eyes? "You eat people and swallow them whole; is it really a shock they could hate you so?"

She was right and there was really no response other than to agree with her so he said nothing, staring at her face.

Her hands rubbed over his head, his ears. "Sleep, Mr Wolf."

The Wolf was suddenly very, very cold. "If I close my eyes...it will be for the last time." He knew this as certainly as he knew he'd give anything to taste her again.

Little Red Riding Hood smiled, perhaps a little sadly. "I'll be with you, always. Like a nursery rhyme."

She meant it, he could see that she meant it, but he was tired, so tired, so The Wolf closed his eyes, relaxed his body...

...and slept.

~FINIS

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