A Modern Grimm
Then comes the small, unnoticed thing — the kind that changes everything.
A gust of wind from an impossible direction.
A crack in the bottle’s seal, fine as an insincere smile.
A single drop slipping free, vanishing into the green.

The wolf lifts his head — alert, not to sound, but to scent.
Something once promised begins to stir again.
The heart beats, ignoring her.
A strange rhythm interrupts the song that once bound them.
She says his name. He flinches — politely, not obediently.
Affection still burns in his eyes, and beneath it, the faint memory of a “beforeno one managed to erase.
Romance can be a fence.
Threat can be a blanket.
Both keep you warm — until the wind changes.
“Not now,she whispers.
This time, it’s not the wolf who answers, but the heart in the glass — beating louder.
Somewhere in the undergrowth, something answers, keeping the same rhythm.
The wolf steps half aside. Not an attack — just the possibility of one.
Her hand finds his fur; her fingers trace the scar beneath his chin, where it all began.
For the blink of an eye, the world obeys.
Then the forest laughs — low, rumbling, like a landslide far away.
Whether the wolf stays because he wants to, or because the heart in the bottle finally belongs to someone else — that remains to be seen.
Maybe tonight.
Maybe when the seal fully breaks.
Until then, they walk on: hand in fur, heart in basket, and between them a song — more beautiful now that both know how easily it can turn.
-Samara Blue/Kerstin Ellinghoven

Making Of – “Little Red Riding Hood
I’ve always loved old fairy tales and their symbolism—especially when you take them out of their original context and mix them with something modern, even contradictory. For me, the real magic lies in transforming something classic into a new and unexpected form, without losing its original charm.

The image “Little Red Riding Hoodwas created in DAZ Studio, rendered with DAZ characters and assets. From the very beginning, my goal was not to portray the fairy tale as romantic or innocent, but as strong, dark, and self-determined. My Red Riding Hood is no victim—she’s someone who has taken control, of her story and of what once threatened her.

One detail that was especially important to me is the heart in the glass, an asset by MysticArtDesign. It symbolizes not only her victory over the wolf but also an inner transformation—between innocence and power, between fairy tale and myth. (And yes, I absolutely love MysticArtDesign’s content! )

The postwork was done in Photoshop, using several overlays to enhance atmosphere, texture, and depth of light. I deliberately work without preset filters or AI effects—everything was done manually using classic photo-editing tools: color correction, contrast adjustments, dodge & burn, subtle vignetting, and a carefully balanced lighting finish.

My aim was to capture the mood of an old, almost painterly scene while adding a modern, cinematic tension to it. A fairy tale that no longer distinguishes between good and evil, but shows that sometimes both can live within the same being. Perfect for the Halloween feeling, if you ask me .

And so, my Red Riding Hood became a figure between past and present, myth and power—slightly beautiful, slightly eerie, but without any splatter effects.

Made with Daz 3D I No Ki Krefeld,10.10.2025