The Drama

 Jinu was carefully watching his pet touching the ball with his sharp-clawed paw. Too sharp-clawed. There comes a time in every responsible pet owner’s life, even with such an odd pet, when… When he has to pick up a claw clipper… …and pray…   Jinu hid the hand holding the claw clipper behind his back and carefully approached the Tiger. He glanced up with his bright eyes at his owner and returned to playing with the ball. Where did he take it? Home smelled like chamomile and metal. The Magpie was sitting on top of the bookshelf watching this scene attentively. He knew exactly what Jinu was compassing.                   — Kiddie? — he called approaching the tiger fallen at his side. The blue striped beast slowly opened one eye. Then another one. After that closed both, showing Jinu wasn’t that much interesting for him at the moment. Still less important than the toy. — Get up, moggie. Your hour has struck.  Derpy yawned with a sound of ooph-purrrr-pff which meant “fuck off” in Tigrish, and closed his neb with a tale. It was cute — but totally of no help.       Jinu squatted next to him, still hiding the hand with the clipper. The room immersed into intense silence.  The Magpie sitting at the top of the bookshelf raised his head and opened all his six eyes. Derpy froze when Jinu started to stroke his paw gently. Large eyes were now open wide as saucers. He laid back his ears. His tail leaped and hit the floor aggresively.              — No need to be the drama queen, — Jinu said in a quiet, really calm voice. — I’ll just… cut the tiny tips. Jinu grabbed the paw and cut one claw off. Right away Derpy jerked and cringed away from his owner.  — Just the tips!!! — Jinu slumped upon the Tiger trying to hold him. Derpy cringed away again and tried to disappear into the floor.             — Halt! — Jinu had known all these tricks for ages. No way! He grabbed the front paw tighter. — That’s fine. We are friends, aren’t we? Derpy squealed and hissed. The second claw flew away somewhere towards the carpet.  — Yeah, look! — Jinu exclaimed in triumph. — Hardly any left! Hold on, Derpy. Be a good mystic tiger. The third claw was cut off during their insane battle on the floor. And it the next round Jinu unevenly cut off a long incurved claw. The Tiger gave a shake and looked resentfully at Jinu. The Magpie on the shelf rolled its eyes. All three pairs. — I’m sorry, Derpy! — Jinu stepped back giving some space to the Tiger. — Don’t be so upset… Instead of answer Derpy started to sink into the spot of light under his paws.  — No! Where to! — The Tiger disappeared, but at last opened his maw and eeked out a lasting strained Meee-eeeee-oooo-wwww-uph. It sounded like he complained to the universe.  The Magpie yawned, head back, eyes rolled. — Of course, you’re the one left aside. — Jinu shook his head. What should he do now? For claws…  Fourteen more left. The previous time they had been cutting the claws for three days. And in the end Derpy avoided staying close to Jinu.  — Birdie… Maybe… We could cut your claws?  Instead of answering the Magpie flaw upwards to the ceiling, a single feather lost and slowly floated down.