At low tide the twins divided the sandbar into two countries. Kit claimed supremacy by virtue of his height; Leo challenged his dominance with a longer stick. (supremacy: dominance, ascendancy, mastery; dominance: predominance, ascendancy, supremacy) Before long each had a confederate, a flag and a theory about how to subjugate the other. (confederate: ally, associate, collaborator; flag: banner, standard, ensign; subjugate: subdue, conquer, dominate) The smallest child, who had a knack for finding pink shells, was appointed a subordinate and told to carry them. (knack: flair, aptitude, talent; subordinate: underling, assistant, junior)
Their hegemony lasted until the tide turned. (hegemony: dominance, domination, supremacy) The little girl was the only one who had noticed the water creeping behind them. Her quiet warning could barely penetrate the dominant captain's harangue. (dominant: predominant, leading, principal; harangue: tirade, diatribe, verbal onslaught) Finally she walked away with both flags, leaving him to defend the puddle that had once been his capital.
At supper he offered to renounce his claim if she would come back tomorrow. (renounce: relinquish, abandon, disown) She wanted to build a bridge. His brother was already looking for planks. A whole morning of rule had failed to compel the cooperation that one bridge secured. (compel: force, oblige, obligate)