Wait, wait, wait, Alora said, raising her paws up in front of her. You have to teach my place, but since you dont know how, you have to tell Grimmy? What, is this another one of his rules?
Codes, Vur said. This is one of his codes.
Alora sighed. Alright, sure, codes, rules, whatever. She nodded. Id rather you teach my place than tell Grimmy. Why dont you know how to teach my place for eating your people?
Vur scratched his snout. To teach you your place, I have to beat you up and make sure you never want to invade my territory again, but another one of Grimmys code said I shouldnt hurt family without a good reason. So, I dont know how to teach you your place since I cant beat you up. Then the only option left is to tell Grimmy.
Can you pretend to beat up? Alora asked. Ill pretend to get hurt, and thatll be that. After you pretend to beat , Ill promise not to eat your people or invade your space, okay?
Would that work? Vur tilted his head. He grunted. No, I think I should tell Grimmy. It sounds like you dont want to tell Grimmy, so the best way for to teach you your place is to do what you dont want to do the most, which is tell Grimmy. He nodded and crouched, readying himself to leap into the air.
Wait! Alora said, rising onto her hindlegs. She waddled forward and placed her front paws on Vurs shoulders, preventing him from jumping. Lets think this through together and find a loophole in Grimmys code, okay? He said you shouldnt hurt family without a good reason. Isnt eating your people a good enough reason? I think it is. I definitely deserve to be smacked for doing that. Yep.
Thats not a good enough reason.
Alora frowned. If I were one of your people, Id be pretty upset after hearing that, she said. Her head turned to the side, and she pointed at the lone trembling sheepman with her tail. Hey. Arent you upset your great leader isnt taking revenge for you?
The trembling sheepman stiffened. His eyes shifted from side to side, glancing at Alora, then Vur, then back to Alora. A small bleat escaped from his mouth as his eyes rolled up to the top of his head. Then he fainted, toppling to the ground like a wet noodle.
Doesnt seem like it, Vur said and shrugged. He nodded and stared into Aloras eyes. Why dont you want to tell Grimmy? Are you scared of him?
S-scared of him? Alora asked. Of course not. Why would I be scared of him? Look, eating your people makes a bad person who deserves to be punished. Thats why you want to tell Grimmy, right?
Vur nodded. Right.
Alora took her paws off of Vurs shoulder and took a step back, still standing on her hindlegs. Now, since bad people deserve to be punished, what do you think your people will think if you dont punish ? Theyll lose all respect for you! You cant let that happen.
But Im punishing you by telling Grimmy, Vur said and tilted his head.
Yes, yes, Alora said and nodded twice. But thats not punishing yourself. Imagine if, lets say Bonnie stole your cookie. Then, normally, Grandma scolds her and makes her apologize to you, right?
Right.
Thats the kind of punishnt shell receive if you tattle on her, Alora said. But is it enough? Of course it isnt! She ate the cookie, and all she gets is a scolding? She didnt even have to return the cookie! Instead of telling Grandma, you can flip her over onto her back and tickle her stomach until she returns the cookie to you. She gets punished, and you get your cookie back, and you didnt have to waste Grandmas ti, see?
Vur blinked before furrowing his brow. Youre saying I should flip you over and tickle you until you vomit?
Exactly! Alora said, raising one claw into the air. She paused. Wait. No. That was just an analogy. You were supposed to realize that dishing out punishnt yourself is much fairer for the cookies, no, sheepn that were eaten instead of tattling to Grimmy.
That was a terrible analogy, Stella said, her head appearing from the tip of Vurs snout. Cookies are ant to be eaten, sheepn are not. You cant compare the two.
Alora stared at Stella. Then her gaze went up to et Vurs. As I was saying, your people will only respect you if you punish yourself, not by telling soone else to punish . Its not that Im afraid of Grimmy, I just want you to be as respected as possible by your people. She nodded. Im really sorry about eating them and want to make it up to you.
Aloras claw shone with a white light. You really are the evil dragon here.
Vurs and Stellas gazes shifted over to Aloras claw. Who was that? Stella asked. Who spoke just now and why is your claw glowing?
Aloras expression blanked. You can, uh, see this? she asked. And you heard him too?
Stella dragged her arm out of Vurs snout and pointed. Its a really bright light. Wed have to be blind not to see that.
The voice was really loud too, Vur said.
Alora blinked and looked at her claw. She whispered, I thought people couldnt see or hear you.
Zyocuh whispered back, I think that sheepman was lying to you to buy ti for his brethren to escape.
Alora lowered her claw and looked up at Vur. Did you like my ventriloquism? I can make my claw speak. She wet her lips with her tongue. Its a neat party trick, right? My lips dont move, but my voice cos out anyway.
Vur narrowed his eyes. What does Grimmys code of honor say about lying?
Um. Dont? Alora nodded. She raised her paw, pointing her claw at Vur. Nothing happened. She glared and smacked the back of her paw.
I wasnt lying about practicing ventriloquism, Zyocuhs voice said as Aloras claw lit up. Dont you think its neat that I can make my claw talk?
Vur rubbed his chin and squinted. How do you do that?
Vur! Stella said, rotating her body which was still half-embedded in his snout. Thats not ventriloquism, thats Zyocuhs voice! Hes Marys evil uncle! He mustve possessed Alora!
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