"...so there I was, trying to help my friend kill the beast. The Tabikat was one of the biggest I've ever seen! I luckily escaped with my life but without my foot. I suppose word got out cuz another Tabikat took my arm years later when you all were just beginning to walk!" Pops concluded his epic story before taking a bite of his chicken. Dead silence greeted his words. The teens had heard this tale too many times now. Looking like he was gonna fall asleep, Buddy muttered, "That's about as interesting as the first hundred times you told us..."
"Show some respect!" Gidget hissed at Buddy. Daisy, meanwhile, whacked him on the head with a chicken leg bone. Mel just sat in silence by his friend, taking another bite of his own dinner. Max hadn't even touched his food as he stared at the flames. Sitting next to his little brother, Duke pointed out, "You didn't tell them about the fun fact!"
"Oh yeah! The Tabikat who you all faced today is the one who took my hand!" Pops declared. Mel gasped at that while Buddy rolled his eyes. Daisy tossed her bones into the fire as she murmured, "If we ever face that dragon again, I'll chop off its legs for ya!"
"Nah, that won't do you any good," Pops replied. Pulling off a chicken wing, he went on, "You need to go for its wings and tail. It can't get away from ya if it can't fly. A downed dragon is a dead dragon." Hearing that, Max's eyes widened. While the others continued talking about training, he got up and left the fire pit. He was heading for the blacksmith shop.
He had an idea.
