The Vampire's Apprentice

"Thank you, mighty dragon! I shall propose three riddles. If you answer two correctly, I shall tell you the secret hiding place of a treasure truly double the size of your own! If you answer all three correctly, not only shall I tell you the secret, but I shall also offer myself as your servant. Allow me to give you the first riddle:

I have a tail but I’m not a mouse
I have scales but I’m not a fish
I have wings but I’m not an airplane
I’m a mythical creature but I’m not a unicorn
I have fire coming out of my mouth but I’m not a flame thrower
 
Kitty paused for a half second. Airplanes didn't exist back then....
Whoops.
Best to keep going.

The great, shimmering beast thought him amusing. "A dragon, of course," he answered.
 
"Ah, excellent! A perfect answer, of course!" the wizard flattered the dragon. "Now for the second riddle."

Sometimes I shine, sometimes I’m dull, sometimes I am big, and sometimes I am small. I can be pointy, I can be curved, and don’t ask me questions because even though I’m sharp, I’m not smart enough to answer you. What am I?
 
"That is correct!" the wizard cheered. "More correctly, it is a kitchen knife, but I think the answer is close enough. Now for the final riddle!" He paused a long moment before asking, "How is a raven like a writing desk?"
 
Like a writing desk? The dragon thought and thought, and then he thought some more. The beast's pride was too much for him to guess incorrectly, but to guess not at all would be far worse.
"A raven is black," he answered slowly. "The same as ink is black. Isn't that right, wizard?"
 
"Ah, that was, indeed, a very good guess, but I am afraid it is wrong," the wizard said mournfully, seeming genuinely disappointed. Then he brightened. "But you did get two correct! That means I must tell you the location of the magnificent treasure!"
 
"Of course!" The wizard allowed his protective field to fall, and gestured for the dragon to look at his staff. "Here! I will show you." The end of his staff glittered. "Look close! It is a map," he coaxed the dragon, not that it would take much to coax a dragon to look at something sparkly.
 
The eye was the weakest point, also the smallest point, but when a dragon leans over and peers right up to the weapon, it's difficult to miss. The wizard let loose his spell, and it struck the dragon's eye. The dragon glowed in rainbow colors for a moment then exploded into a shower of buttlerflies made of pure gold, silver, and other precious metals and gemstones.

"There, a treasure worthy of a dragon!" the wizard said cheerfully as the butterflies fluttered around him.
 
It was almost dusk, back in the real world. Kitty thought she might wrap the story up out of fear for the very-real vampire and slight concern for the children's wellbeing.
"When the wizard returned, the King gave his daughter away as had been promised, but that would be a story for another time, and I daresay you two should return before your mum gets mad."
 
She rubbed her neck, a little embarrassed. Next time she hoped to have memorized a story from a book or something instead of starting so spontaneously. If there was a next time. Kitty pulled herself to her feet. "Now, off you go. It's getting late."
 
"Bye, Cat!" JP and JC waved and ran off to their own home.
Sam looked up at Kitty and panted happily. So many pets!
 
Sam shook himself off and trotted after her into the slowly darkening house. Was it time to eat? He'd love to eat right now!
 
She filled his dish, then found herself something to eat. Afterward, Kitty called him upstairs and offered the bone.
 
Sam sniffed the bone for only a second before taking it and sitting down to chew.

Clancy appeared a little later than usual, smoothing the lines in suit. "Good evening, Miss Kitty," he greeted.
 
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