A plump pig stands at the stove, tapping a trotters on the tile, snout scrunched in thought. The air is scented with onions and woodsmoke, but dinner remains undecided. Shadows gather in the corners as dusk deepens, and the only sound is the slow, steady ticking of the clock.
The pig startles, blinking at the recipe. The wind dies as abruptly as it came, leaving a chill in its wake. The words on the page seem to shimmer, drawing him closer.
"Roast fox... That’s something new," he whispers, eyes narrowing with a mixture of curiosity and hunger.
The pig[/@ch_1] rummages through a battered trunk, pulling out a patched hunting cape, a net, and an old crossbow.]
He straps a lantern to his belt and glances back at the cookbook, which sits open and expectant on the counter. The candlelight flickers over the recipe, casting long, twitching shadows across the floor. Outside, the world is velvet-dark, pierced only by the lantern’s glow.
The book remembers another night, long ago, when a wolf once pored over its pages. It wonders if tonight the pages will stain with new blood, and if, by morning, it might find itself in the paws of a new owner. The possibility thrills the ancient tome—change is always so delicious.
the pig[/@ch_1] stalks through the woods, crossbow at the ready. The forest is thick and silent, save for the snap of twigs and the distant, wary rustle of leaves.]
A pair of amber eyes gleams from the brambles—a fox, red and quick, watching the pig with hungry calculation.
The fox darts away, and the pig gives chase, heart pounding with anticipation and fear.
the pig[/@ch_1] loses sight of the fox. Suddenly, he is ensnared in a clever trap—vines snap tight, and the crossbow tumbles from his grasp.]
The fox steps from the shadows, grinning slyly, eyes glinting with mischief and hunger.
"Well, well. Looks like dinner is back on the menu. But whose recipe shall we use tonight, pig?"
It waits, patient and ancient, ever ready to guide. Whether it is the pig or the fox who claims the kitchen next, the book will serve faithfully—just as it did for the wolf before them.
