everybody wants to rule the world

Pooka kept himself from laughing, but only just. This was too good. He heard as the little pup went quiet, his words cutting her off mid sentence, and he could just imagine how startled she might look, unable to actually see her from where he hid.

Then something heavy thudded to the ground. Pooka quirked his ears wondering what it could possibly be. Darting from one hiding place to another, behind another stone, he chanced a glance towards the sound and saw the tiger, from behind it. He had not been able to look for more than an instant as he had been darting quickly from one hiding spot to another; but the orange and black were enough to tell him of the great creature?s presence.

Where had it come from? Pooka wondered for a moment if the tiger was the real shrine spirit; but that seemed an odd choice for a mostly white shrine. Perhaps it was a wandering god, or maybe just a tiger, though that last bit seemed unlikely. How could a tiger just drop from the sky out of nowhere like that? Pooka had been here all night and had seen no tigers.

The winter wolf had scoffed at Pooka?s game, had called him mad, and tried to call his bluff. Pooka might have been forced to give up the game, or play it differently; but the tiger?s arrival was the perfect thing to keep it going.

?Seeeeeeee? I have summoned this tiger, as a guardian to this shriiiiiiiine.? Pooka explained, still projecting his best ghost impression. ?Dooooooo yooooooou still doubt meeeeee? The tiger is here to guard the pup! Boooooow before the spring, and tell us mooooooore of your fabled princess.?

Pooka was having fun with this, and could only hope the tiger played along. Even if it denied his claims, he could simply claim he summoned the tiger without its knowledge. The only flaw in the plan was if it decided to attack the pup; but the way it had spoken this seemed unlikely for now.