Percival the Pig bustled about the kitchen, his pink snout scrunched in concentration. He glanced at the wolf reclining languidly across a large wooden chopping block, paws crossed behind his head. The wolf’s fur was mussed, his eyes half-closed and a lazy grin on his muzzle.
"Honestly, must you make this so difficult? You could at least look worried,"
Waldo the Wolf just chuckled, stretching a little as if this were a spa day rather than his last evening.
Percival rummaged through a jar of spices, his trotters clinking against glass. He shot Waldo a glare, clearly annoyed by his insouciance.
"Why worry, Percy? You’re the best chef in the county. If I must go, at least let it be delicious,"
"You are impossible! Hold still, or I’ll never get through all this fur," he snapped, brandishing a gleaming razor.
With precise, practiced strokes, Percival shaved away the thick coat, collecting the fur in a copper basin. Waldo hummed tunelessly, occasionally wriggling to make things more inconvenient. The pig’s frustration grew, his ears flicking with every offhanded comment.
"Careful! That tickles. At least leave me a little around the ankles,"
"You’re lucky I don’t leave you outside for the crows," Percival retorted, exasperated.
Percival poured oil over Waldo's back, massaging it in with a chef’s care. He sprinkled salt, pepper, and a dash of sage, working methodically while the wolf continued to joke.
"You’ve got a real touch, Percy. Ever consider opening a bistro?"
"I’d rather not serve wolf on the menu every night," Percival muttered, pressing down a sprig of rosemary for good measure.
Percival picked up the apple and turned to Waldo, whose grin had not faded. With a swift motion, he popped the apple into the wolf’s mouth, muffling any further wisecracks.
"There. Peace at last," he sighed, enjoying the sudden silence.
Percival gently closed the oven door, leaning against it with a weary sigh. The kitchen, once full of banter and bickering, now settled into a golden, savory hush. Through the oven window, the apple gleamed, and the pig finally allowed himself a small, satisfied smile.
