“Ahem, you seem to have forgotten you belong to me,” Tigger interjected. “The big one, too, even though I’m not sure what use he’ll be.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Tutu leaned forward with a scowl.
“While you have a gift for complaining, as a servant, you don’t seem to provide me with any benefit.”
“I pay for this house and the food on the table.”
“But Iolana is the one caring for this shack and the one in charge of the meals. As your heir, if you were to disappear, she’d inherit.”
“Going to kill me?” Tutu’s sarcastic rejoinder.
“I might, but not yet. To truly benefit from your death, I’d need to be bigger or else I’d be wasting too much meat.”
“You’re going to eat me?” Surprise hued Tutu’s exclamation.
I’d never heard my grandfather use that high-pitched tone. Then again, he’d never been threatened before, which led me to getting involved in their verbal spat. “You will not eat my grandfather, Tigger.”
“I won’t if he shows his worth.”
“You won’t because we don’t eat people, period.” I wagged my finger at him.
“But they’re so tasty.” A low whining reply.
“How would you know if you were just born?”
Tigger tapped his temple. “Because my inherited memories say so. Humans rank first in flavor, followed by bison, cattle, sheep, then porcinis.”
“Maybe back in the day your mom chomped on people, but you try that now and you will be put down.”
“You would kill me?” Tigger slapped his paws to his chest.
“Not me. We have laws, and they say no killing. And when it comes to animals doing it, there’s no trial either, usually just a bullet or lethal injection.” I wasn’t entirely sure of that, but I wanted to put a stop to that kind of talk right away.
“I don’t think I like this modern society.” Tigger sulked.
“On that we can agree.” Tutu nodded.
I cleared the breakfast dishes and let them soak in the sink while I changed. I emerged from my room to find my grandfather peppering Tigger with questions.
“What do you mean you don’t know if there’s more dragon eggs in the volcano?”
“Because I wasn’t born when my maternal progenitor scattered them. It seems unlikely, though, that she would have left two in the same spot.”
I took it as a good sign they spoke. Also, a bad one, because Tutu’s interest meant he likely hadn’t heeded my warning about trying to sell Tigger.
“I’m going to head over to the shop and start polishing those tables while the next batch of obsidian melts. You coming with me, or staying here to watch television?” I asked.
“Here!” Tigger didn’t hesitate.
Tutu sighed. “Must be nice to be able to relax.”
“What do you have to work on today?”
“Shipping that stupid bowl,” Tutu groused.
“It sold already?” I couldn’t help a lilt of surprise.
He nodded. “Someone in Scotland ordered it and even paid extra for rush shipping.”
