With Respect and Gratitude

"It itches!"

"Stop fiddling with it," his mother scolded.

"Why do I have to wear this stupid thing anyway?"

"How we look is important."

"Who cares what they think? They're just dumb old f--" He fell silent under his mother's sharp glance.

"We have to keep in mind what they're about to do for us."

"It's not like they have a choice," he grumbled.

"Maybe not, but we can still-- (now look what you've done; you pulled it loose...) Besides, we don't want to scare them," she said, carefully adjusting the latex to cover his scales. "Fear ruins the meat."