Who's Afraid of . . . is a 2012 fairytale satire by Camilla Rosen. It follows the exploits of Aubrey Robinson (essentially Little Red Riding Hood) after she discovers that The Big Bad Wolf attacking her grandmother is actually a detective investigating a series of assaults in the county - and that her grandmother is in fact a wicked witch, given to eating children and consorting with a shady bunch of suspects.
Aubrey is only interested in curing a curse placed on her cousin by some angry fae, and is more than willing to let her grandmother’s arrest and subjection to harsh interrogation pass. However, when the assaults move toward her hometown, Aubrey agrees to a tentative partnership with the wolf until they can sort out their affairs.
Who's Afraid Of . . . is still in progress, and can by read here
on Figment.
Has its own Character Sheet.
This page contains spoilers for unpublished chapters. Read at thy own risk.
Who's Afraid of . . . contains examples of:
- Always Chaotic Evil: This is what everyone believes Big Bad wolves are like - and it's true, in most cases.
- Battle Couple
- Aubrey and Ulric
- Day and Sterling
- Beast and Beauty: All the main couples, including those on the villain's side, have aspects of this.
- The Fair Folk: They're responsible for the curse on Gerard.
- The Highwayman: One has apparently been terrorizing rich travelers near Aubrey's hometown. Turns out that it was Day all along. She was undercover trying to find Sterling, and targeted any vehicle he might have been kept in - she planned on returning everything she stole.
- I Know Your True Name: Aubrey notes that it's a bad thing that Grandmother knows hers while they're fighting in the kitchen.
- Interspecies Romance: Aubrey and Ulric, eventually.
- Meaningful Name: Ulric means "Wolf Ruler" and Quant means "Rogue."
- Only a Flesh Wound: Lampshaded when Aubrey notices that Grandmother isn't dying from the vicious stab wound in her chest.
- Our Werewolves Are Different: There are many different kinds, and each species differs greatly in skills, eating habits, and times of transformation. They're also born, not made. Except that that's not entirely true.
- Partial Transformation: Ulric does this while fighting Grandmother - and it creeps Aubrey the heck out.
- Ragtag Bunch of Misfits: A small town girl, a werewolf, a retired-soldier-turned-mechanic wereswan, a prince-turned-dragon, and a knight masquerading as a highway robber.
- Shout-Out:
- To "Snow White" by way of the acid that spills near the apples in Grandmother's kitchen.
- And to "Hansel and Gretel" when the little boy is seen climbing out of the oven.
- They Walk Among Us: Witches, and other more humanoid creatures.
- True Love's Kiss: Used to control a curse placed on one of the main characters.
- The Unmasqued World: People used to consider witches and Big Bad wolves urban legends, but now witchcraft is a licensed practice. Big Bad wolves, however, still walk among people in secret. There existence is common knowledge though.
