Mother Goat knelt beside her children, her eyes scanning each face for injuries, her heart pounding with relief and rage. The youngest buried his face in her wool, tears soaking through. Bruises and scratches marked their bodies, but all were alive, traumatized by their ordeal inside the wolf's belly.
"My precious ones, you are safe now," she whispered fiercely. Her gaze hardened as she turned toward the door, where muddy wolf prints led away.
Mother Goat[/@ch_1] paces with barely contained fury. Shadows flicker across her face as she addresses her shaken children, voice low and steely.]
"He will not threaten us again. I will make him pay for what he's done," she said, her tone both soothing and fierce. The eldest, still trembling, asked, "But how, Mama? He's stronger than us."
"Strength is not always in muscle. Watch and learn," she replied, her mind already weaving a plan as thunder rumbled overhead.
Mother Goat[/@ch_1] arranges a trail of breadcrumbs and scraps of cheese, leading from the wolf’s den to the water’s edge. The swamp glistens ominously, shadows moving beneath its surface.]
Mother Goat waits, hidden among tall grasses, eyes sharp. The wolf, weakened and hungry after his ordeal, follows the tempting trail, limping with exhaustion and greed. His snout twitches as he nears the riverbank.
"Such a clever goat to leave me a feast," the wolf mutters, oblivious to the danger lurking in the murky water.
Mother Goat[/@ch_1] reveals herself on the opposite bank.]
"Justice finds those who prey on the innocent," she called out, her voice ringing across the water. The wolf darts back, but the alligator lunges, splashing mud and water. The struggle is brief—the wolf, caught in the beast’s jaws, disappears beneath the surface with a final howl, ripples fading as the swamp grows silent once more.
Mother Goat[/@ch_1] watches over them, her eyes softer but vigilant, every movement charged with protective love.]
"We will be safe now. I promise, no harm will come to you again," she says, stroking their heads. The children cling to her, gratitude mingling with relief. Outside, the woods are peaceful—the threat gone, justice served, and the family whole once more.
