Pig Hunting

Three pigs wearing large traveling bags were walking down the street, chatting merrily with one another while looking around periodically at the large fields and forest around them. It was a warm and sunny day, and the pigs didn't have a care in the world it seemed as they broke off from one another during their walk, until finally it was just the last pig who was making his way further down the road. Once he reached the end of the road he peered back, assuring himself that he could see both of his brother in the distance, and began walking around a small area, as though checking the land. Hidden a little ways into the forest and lounging on a large rock, a wolf looked on in bored fascination, with two other Gray Wolves sitting on the ground beside him, arguing back and forth.

"Hey," the one on the rock said, prodding his paw out toward the three pigs. "I think we have new neighbors."

The wolves on the ground looked up from their argument to view the area outside the tree limit. Sure enough, the three pigs had begun setting the boundaries to make their houses and were laying out supplies from their bags.

"Ooh," the scruffiest of the wolves cooed, looking at the new meals with anticipation. "Want to go grab them now?"

"Not really in the mood." The wolf flopped his head back down on top of his paws and closed his eyes. "Just wanted to point it out."

"You're never in the mood, Spring Paw," the previously speaking wolf retorted. Spring Paw simply shrugged his shoulders in an un-wolf like fashion and remained with his eyes closed. The wolf growled and turned to his other neighbor, who had yet to say anything. "What about you Red Fang, you want to get 'em now?"

The wolf debated the option for a moment, and glanced between the pigs and the wolf who was asking him. Finally he shook his head. "Not interested Big Bad."

Big Bad huffed, puffing out his chest. "Fine, I'll go see if anyone else in the pack will go with me, you cowards can rot here."

With that, the scruffy wolf turned and made his way further into the woods. For a moment Red Fang debated lunging at him, but passed it up. Nothing Big Bad said was taken very seriously by the other pack members. Hearing a snort he turned to look at Spring Paw, who hadn't moved from his position.

"Big Bad. What was his mother doing when she named him that?" Spring Paw lazily opened one eye to look at his friend and asked, "Think anyone's going pig hunting with him?"

"No," Red Fang replied. "And if he wants to do anything, he should get a move on, those two houses in the distance are going up pretty fast."

"Yeah, you're- wait," Spring Paw paused, pushing himself up on the rock to get a better view. "Do they make metal in a light brown color with thin thread-like texture now?" At Red Fang’s bemused look he nodded to the furthest house. "If not, I think he's making his house out of straw."

"Looks like Big Bad has finally met his match then," Red Fang chuckled. The two wolves enjoyed a moment of comparing their pack mate to the senseless pigs before deciding to go back to the rest of the pack and see what Big Bad had accomplished after leaving them, if anything at all.

Upon returning further into the woods they found Big Bad sulking below one of the large trees on the outskirts of a small clearing, and crept past quietly as not to be noticed. As soon as they judged themselves to be out of bothering distance, they sprinted forward to a small cluster of wolves their age and took a seat. The group was talking about- what else- Big Bad and his offer to go kill the pigs.

"Want to just wait for him to fall asleep and go do it our selves?" one of the wolves in the group asked. "You know if we leave him to go hunting he'll blunder it somehow, he always does."

"No, then he'll get stingy about us stealing his kill," another replied. "I hate it when he nags."

"There are plenty of wild pigs over in the valley past the end of the forest, we can go there," Red Fang put in. "Let him have his fun with the little piglets."

With that the group decided to call it a day, and spent the rest of the afternoon chasing rabbits and grouse, trying to see who could get the most catches before nightfall. The next day Spring Paw and Red Fang went back down to the road where the three pigs were setting up their homes, and were amazed to see the final pig had decided to bring in a load of bricks and was busy layering them on top of one another to build his house. The second pig had finished with his house of sticks, and was down the road sitting with his brother on a bench outside the straw house.

"At least one of them has their priorities straight, those other houses look like they can be blown down," Red Fang muttered, looking at the pig hard at work on his dwelling. "Want to just go after them now?"

"Trying to steal my prey, Red Fang?" A voice floated from behind them. The two wolves grimaced and turned to look at Big Bad, who was standing behind them smirking. Did he follow them? Sprint Paw had a feeling he had.

"If I recall correctly, Spring Paw was the one who saw the pigs first Big Bad, get over yourself," Red Fang answered, which sufficiently wiped the smug look off of Big Bad's face. "Besides," Red Fang continued, "you had you're chance to get them yesterday and passed it up. I don't think you can really claim it any more."

"Well I'm going to kill them now!" the scruffy wolf shot back. "I only waited to give anyone else the chance to come with me if they wanted."

"Or to do it for you," Spring Paw muttered. As he saw Big Bad about to open his mouth, he cut across. "You can't hunt for the life of you. You couldn't even get that doe the other day. You know we have to get our own food; if someone doesn't help you, you can't eat. Admit it, you want someone to do it for you."

"Whatever Springy," snarled Big Bad. "I'm a better hunter than you are, and I'll prove it. Hell, their houses look like they could be blown over, this'll be easy."

"Not so fast," Red Fang interrupted. He had a calculating look in his eye, and Spring Paw was momentarily worried about what he wanted and if it was going to get them in trouble. Big Bad just looked at the older wolf stubbornly, waiting for him to go on, which Red Fang did. "How about we make this a bet? You said you wanted to 'prove' yourself, right? Well, what better way than humiliating us in the process?"

"Red Fang-" Spring Paw tried to cut in, but he went ignored.

"We'll do it tomorrow, when the little piggy's house is finished," Red Fang said. "We'll get some of the other pack members to come and watch, and if you can actually kill all of them we'll give you bragging rights for a year. And we'll be proved wrong in front of the whole group. There's only one condition." Both of the listening wolves perked their ears up, waiting for what the catch was. "You have to blow the houses down- the first two at least we'll give you a break on the third- since you seemed so sure of yourself before."

"Fine! That's easy," Big Bad exclaimed with a smug expression on his face. "The both of you will regret this tomorrow, when I'm feasting on pork and you're busy eating my dust." With that Big Bad walked- no, strutted- away, leaving the other two wolves to look after him with mixtures of disgust and amusement.

"That wasn't even a good comeback," Spring Paw muttered to Red Fang, who shrugged.

"It had potential, he just didn't reach it," the older wolf replied. "Now, let's go get the others. We should get some snacks to go with our show tomorrow."

The next day came quickly, with just as much sunshine and warmth as the previous two days had. The group of wolves waited by the rock in the woods, giving them a perfect view of the proceeding events that would be happening down the road. The brick house was finished, complete with enforced windows and a dainty chimney emitting smoke from a fire. The pig had worked surprisingly fast, which impressed some of the wolves to an extent. Others just wanted Big Bad to hurry up and show so they could start watching the hunt. Sprint Paw had claimed his seat on the rock and was keeping look out for the last member to arrive. Upon seeing his scraggly pack mate coming down the road toward the houses he motioned for the others, who all stopped their chatter to watch the entertainment unfold.

"Didn't come see us first, did he?" Red Fang asked pointedly with a smirk.

"Too much of a coward, couldn't face us if he failed," another wolf replied, with the same sadistic humor creeping into his voice.

"He's going after the straw house first, guess that works," Spring Paw announced, clarifying what was happening for those who couldn't see the most distant house that well. "He's saying something- can't even keep his mouth shut and make it stealthy like a good wolf- and he's blowing at the house."

"Blowing? That looks more like huffing to me," Red Fang commented. All the wolves present had been informed of the bet, so none were surprised at this very un-wolf like behavior.

"Well, it looks like the house- hell, it's actually working," Spring Paw continued in a dumbfounded voice. "The house is bending in a bit, and there it goes. And there it goes- idiot! The pig just made a run for it. And Big Bad doesn't even notice, he's busy checking the straw. Now he noticed. Now it's too late, the pig's in the wooden house."

"Imbecile," a fellow wolf muttered in an unbelieving voice.

"Those pigs run fast," another commented, impressed despite himself.

"Yeah they do- now he's moving on, making his way to the wooden house, can you guys all see yet?" Spring Paw asked, turning to look at the others. Getting a noncommittal response from the group he shrugged and turned back to the road. "Fine, I'll keep going. He's almost at the wooden house, he's there, and he's shouting again. Still can't hear him, though I think that's a good thing. He's pausing, I think they're saying something back- that, or he's developed schizophrenia all of a sudden- and he's beginning to blow again. That house looks like it was built a little better, not sure if it'll work this time."

"Doesn't look like it's doing anything," Red Fang put in.

"No…he's still trying though…" Spring Paw trailed off into a moment of silence as everyone watched the scene in the distance. Finally his ears perked up and he exclaimed, "The wood is coming off! It's working again."

"That's the work of a pig for you," a voice in the back of the group stated.

"Alright, the woods coming off. Well, sticks really, but that's beside the point, he's blowing the house down," the wolf went on with his commentary. "It's almost done and- and there's a back door, and the pigs are sneaking out. And again he doesn't notice-there goes the house. Big Bad's looking around, he sees the pigs! He might have a chance this time, he's chasing them…and he tripped. For the love of-! He tripped. He actually tripped. And the pigs have made it to the brick house."

At this point a few of the wolves had started laughing while other looked ashamed at having Big Bad be a member of the same pack. Scratch that, they were ashamed he was even a member of the same species.

"This is getting painful," Red Fang commented happily.

Spring Paw shot him a look before going back to his job of telling the events. "Well, he's gotten up. He looks pretty angry, and now he's making his way to the brick house. He's there, yelling, pause, yadda yadda…and he's blowing at the house. We said we were going to give him a break on this house. Yet he's blowing. Imbecile forgot." There was another long pause where nobody bothered doing anything but watch and laugh at his antics or shake their heads sadly. There was a stretch of minutes were the wolves started getting bored of watching Big Bad huffing away and began chatting to themselves, looking back at the scene and poking fun at their pack mate, but soon they got tired of that as well. After about fifteen minutes Spring Paw motioned for them to hush and said, "I think he's giving up. He's stumbling back from the house, I guess he's out of breath. He tripped, again. Man, this guy's a loser. Alright, he's…laying there. He hasn't gotten up yet." There was an awkward silence. "It doesn't look like he's moving at all…The door to the house just opened, one of the pigs is coming out, the other two are in the doorway still. He just bent down to look at Big Bad…now he's cheering?"

Red Fang stood up and walked closer, without leaving the shadows of the trees. "You guys," he called back- everyone was interested now. "I think Big Bad's dead."

There was a long silence, where nobody said anything. The wolves glanced at each other, trying to find something to say in a situation like this. He wasn't suppose to die, just become extremely embarrassed.

"We're going to be the laughingstocks of the forest now, you know," a wolf commented, pawing at the ground nervously. A few of the wolves looked around as though expecting squirrels and chipmunks to start crawling out of bushes to mock them. Others had more pressing concerns on their mind.

"How are we going to explain this to the rest of the pack?" Spring Paw questioned, getting up from his spot on the rock and leaping to the ground. "Hey, sorry, but we made a bet with Big Bad and now he's dead from air deprivation. What? No, he didn't suffocate, he just started blowing at bricks and exhausted himself!"

"I think that'd be death from exhaustion-" Red Fang began cutting in, but a glare from Spring Paw silenced him. After a moment where everyone was silent again Red Fang continued. "We can't bring him back…and he's not exactly a loss. What we really need to do is get back at the pigs before anyone finds out."

"A little late for that I think," one of the other wolves put in. "All the other rodents would've seen this by now, news is going to travel. All the pigs will probably have some big happy get together for their great victory over the wolves and we're going to be humiliated beyond redemption."

Red Fang had been listening with a grim expression on his face, but suddenly his eyes lit up. "That's it. That's how we get back at them." When the other wolves looked at him in confusion he plowed on. "They're going to want to celebrate this, and if none of us mess this up we'll have our chance. We'll make it look like this event has shocked us and we don't plan on doing anything right away, then, when they all get together, we get the pack and ambush them in a group. They're pigs, only Big Bad could actually mess this up. And it'll get the pack off our backs. Come on, let's set this up."

With that Red Fang took off down the forest trail, and after glancing at each other the rest followed. The rest of the day went as smoothly as possible. The pack leaders were furious when they heard what had happened, but after Red Fang explained the plan the group was let off with glares and curses. More than their pack member dieing, the wolves were concerned about how he died. If they let the pigs get away with this, then their influence in the forest would go down the drain and the pack would be a laughingstock. Soon enough word spread around, and with the help of a few foxes the rumor that the wolves were too shocked to do anything leaked out as well. Whether or not the pigs believed them, nothing happened for the rest of the day besides the two piglets who had their houses blown down checking out the rubble. The wolves waited until the next day, when word had spread to the other wild pigs over in the valley, and sure enough just that afternoon the mother of the three came by. Seeing that nothing had happened from the wolves, the pigs started talking about a celebration, and it was set for the very next day.

The wolves heard about this from the foxes who overheard it, and began preparing. The next morning pigs began rolling in from all over the forest, intent on meeting the newfound 'wolf killer' and commemorating the occasion. It was high afternoon when the wolves gathered in the forest where they'd watched the incident occur. The other two houses were beginning to be remade with bricks, but weren't yet complete to offer additional protection from the upcoming ambush.

"All the pigs will be in the house or going home by night time, so this is the time to do it," Red Fang said quietly. "Someone go around to the other side of the road, cut off anyone who tries to run that way. The rest of us circle around where the party is, we'll round them into one position and take them out. Spring Paw, you're fastest, go for the door of the house and make sure as few pigs as possible get inside before we can get there. When you see me head out, that's your cue everyone. Let's go."

The group broke apart and moved into positions, going around the gathering, keeping to the woods and out of site. The pigs were drinking and grunting happily to one another. A chance for celebration wasn't common to them, and this was a remarkable occasion. The wind brushed over the assembly, carrying the sent of the get-together to the wolves preparing to strike. Red Fang hunched down, stalking as close to the pigs as he could get without being noticed. He was aiming toward the youngest brother of the three original pigs, figuring it would be the best shock to send the supposed 'wolf killer'. As soon as he was a close as he could get, he paused, then launched himself forward.

The pigs began screaming as the large Gray Wolf snapped his jaw down on the smallest pig's shoulder, dragging him backward and shaking him violently. The pigs tried to turn and flee, only to see other wolves jumped out of the large grass and forests surrounding the gathering. All the crowd's participants decided on the same last resort upon seeing the chaos the wolves were bringing and moved toward the house. A few of the closest pigs managed to get inside, the eldest brother and a child from the valley, but a second Gray Wolf bolted in front of the rest of the crowd before any more could make it into the shelter.

Spring Paw bared his fangs as the little pigs as he heard the door behind him slam shut, and the pigs stumbled back, only to collide with other party goers. Gray Wolves were surrounding all of the pigs, pushing them into a large circle with hunched backs and bared teeth. It was soon apparent that there was no escape, and with the crowd captured, the massacre began.

Shortly after finishing off the last pig that was on the outside, the wolves began inspecting the house, trying to find a weakness Big Bad had been too oblivious to discover. All of the windows were made with reinforced glass and had been barricaded with furniture from the inside. Spring Paw leapt subtly onto the roof- the house only being one story high and Gray Wolves being a large breed, this wasn't extremely difficult. He glanced around and made his way to the chimney, looking down. He felt heat brush across his face, and realized the fire was lit.

"Can we get in through there?" Red fang called up to him. Spring Paw went to the side of the roof and shook his head.

"They have the fireplace lit," he responded. "If we go down we'll end up burned, or dead."

Red Fang shook his head and walked around, looking around the area for inspiration. They couldn't let the cause of their pack mate's death live. If it had only been the child inside they could've walked away, but not the brother. For vengeance's sake, he had to go. Seeing all of the bodies littering the dirt road and crisps grass he noticed the youngest brother, whom he'd taken out first. Suddenly an idea hit him.

"Spring Paw," he called. When the wolf looked down from the roof he motion for him to join him on the ground. The wolf complied and went to stand next to the older male. "If you were to see a pack mate dead, would it frighten you more if it was their entire body, or just a head?"

Spring Paw felt his eyes widen, and looked at Red Fang's face to see if he was serious. Deciding that he was, the younger wolf glanced around the scattered corpses. "A head, I think."

"Alright then." Red fang motioned for the rest of the pack to come over to them, and began telling them the new plan.

Inside the house the little pig and oldest brother sat in silence. They had heard the screams of their friends and family, and now that it was quiet they knew what must have happened. The wolves could still be heard from time to time, and the oldest piglet knew better than to open the door now. Just a few minutes before a wolf had been on the roof, peering down the chimney into the brick house. The brother was a smart pig, and had started the fire to prevent any of the wolves from entering just that way.

Suddenly there was another sound on the roof. The wolves were trying it again. He wondered if they would give up if they couldn't get him to come out in a day or two. He hoped they would- he didn't know how much food he had or how long it'd last for two people. The child was in shock, and was sitting silently against the wall opposite the fireplace, staring at the flames with large eyes. The movement got louder, and he realized another wolf had jumped on top of the house. They were at the fireplace again, and the pig slowly stood up to retrieve a poker from the mettle stand in front of the grate. If they tried anything, he would be ready.

Something round and wet was dropped down the chimney, landing in the fire with a loud squelch. At first the brother though that they had wet something to throw it down and try to put out the fire, but after staring at it for a moment he gave a cry and stumbled back. His brother! That was his brother's head! His younger, baby brother! Another squelch resounded throughout the small house, and the head of the second brother followed the first, landing in the flames and proceeding to burn merrily. Small droplets of blood splattered out onto the rug, but the pieces remained inside the fire for the most part. He stared at the heads in shock, wondering why type of monsters the wolves could be to do this. The scent of burning flesh began filling the house, and suddenly the boy behind the oldest brother started to scream. Another head fell- the brother's mother, the eyes on the face staring wide with shock. The boy saw the heads, and in a panic he shot up out of his sitting position and scrambled for the door.

Before the older pig could call out and tell him to stop, the boy had undone the lock and yanked the door open, straight into the waiting jaws of a lurking Grey Wolf.