Chapter One
A small sqeakbeast scurried into the dimly lite cave, only to be trapped by a large boot. A boney hand reached down, picking the squeakbeast from the floor and twirling it in his own hand.
"Life's not fair, is it?" A deep grumbling voice spoke to the frightened squeakbeast. " You see I - wwell, I - shall nevver be King."
Exhaling softly, he squeazed the squeakbeast in his large grip. "And you shall nevver see the light of another day."
He tightened his grip to kill the small squeakbeast before he was interrupted.
"Didn't your lusus ever tell you to not mess with the other lusii?"
"Sigh." The adult troll, still holding the squeakbeast, turned to the voice. "Wwhat do you wwant?"
"I'm here to announce that King Summoner is on his way." The interrupting lusus bowed to him. "So you'd better have a good excuse for missing the ceremony this morning."
The squeakbeast fell to the floor and scampered away. The adult troll looked down at the escaping squeakbeast with dissapointment.
"Oh noww, look Tinkerbull." He sighed. "You made me lose my kill."
"Ha!" Tinkerbull laughed. "You'll be losing alot more than that when the King gets through with you! He's as mad as a hoofbeast with a hernia!"
"Oooh, I'm quivverin wwith fear." The troll gazed his eyes onto Tinkerbull, ready to catch him.
"Now, Dualscar." Tinkerbull worried, backing up a bit. "Don't look at me that way... HELP!"
Dualscar sprang up as Tinkerbull tried to fly off, grasping him in his huge hands.
"DUALSCAR."
He turned to where the voice came from, still tightly grasping Tinkerbull.
"Yes?" He smiled.
"Drop him." The deep sound echoed through the cave.
"Impeccable timing, your majesty." Tinkerbull stared at the King, who was standing in the entrance to the cave.
Dualscar dropped Tinkerbull and he plopped on the floor.
"Wwhy," Dualscar sarcastically overjoyed. "If it isn't my big brother, descending from on high to mingle wwith the commoners."
"I didn't see you at the presentation of Tavros." Summoner growled.
"Oh, that wwas today? I feel simply awwful."
Dualscar looked down at his fingers.
"Must havve slipped my mind."
"Yes, well," Tinkerbell scolded as he began hovering again. "As slippery as your mind is, as the king's brother, you should have been first in line!"
Dualscar growled at Tinkerbull. He jumped and flew off to hide behind Summoner.
"Wwell, I wwas first in line," Dualscar sneered. "Until the little hairball wwas born."
Summoner stared at him angrily and balled up his fists. "That 'hairball' is my son. And your future king."
"Oh, I shall practice my curtsy." Dualscar turned away to walk deeper into the cave.
"Don't turn your back on me, Dualscar!" Summoner yelled into the cave.
"Oh, no, Summoner. Perhaps you shouldn't turn your back on me."
Summoner's wings buzzed as he sped in front of Dualscar and looked down on him.
"Is that a challenge?"
"Temper, temper. I wwouldn't dream of challengin you."
"Pity." Tinkerbull stared at Dualscar. "Why not?"
Dualscar stared back at Tinkerbull. "Wwell, as far as brains go, I got the troll's share. But, wwhen it comes to brute strength, I'm afraid I'm at the shalloww end of the gene pool."
Dualscar turned and walked further into the cave.
Summoner plated his feet back on the ground and walked out of the cave, Tinkerbull hovering near his shoulder.
"There's one in every family, sire." Tinkerbull sighed. "Two in mine, actually. And they always manage to ruin special occasions."
"What am I going to do with him?" Summoner asked.
"He'd make a very nice throw rug."
"Tinkerbull!" Summoner laughed as Tinkerbull landed on top of one of Summoner's large horns.
"And just think! Whenever he gets dirty, you take him out, and BEAT him!"
They both walk off in the distance, chuckling.
