The Ceramic Citadel

A smooth ceramic butter dish dome gleamed quietly on the marble breakfast bar. No delay! In two rapid, clicking bounds from the toaster tray, I lunged straight onto the domed porcelain lid. Whoosh! The glazed cover slid slickly across its base, threatening to pitch me into the butter dish rim! Sudden slip! I flared both crystalline wings wide, whipped my segmented tail two full coils around the handle of an upright stainless steel butter knife resting in the groove, and drove my front talons hard against the porcelain knob. Clink! The slide froze solid. The morning citadel remains firmly governed!