"What the heck --" Douglas took a startled step backward as their hitherto-forgotten companion made its presence known -- largely by taking a stumbling step forward, yapping at the activity in which it was not included, and tumbling forward onto its face with a yelp.

"Ah," Wraith began, then paused, unable to think of sufficient explanation.

"Is it a.. dog?" The human crouched, poking at the mutant animal with interest. It responded by batting at his hands in an attempt to pin him down for inspection.

"Not.. exactly." Wraith glanced at Sorn, but he was standing a few feet apart and to all appearances uninterested in the conversation.

Douglas gave a delighted laugh. The puppy -- or whatever it was -- had finally gotten his hand still and was licking at his fingers. "It's awesome!" He looked up at her. "We can keep it, right? We can keep it?"

"Erm.." She gave him an alarmed look, but he had already scooped the puppy off the ground and was swooping it into the air, reiterating his declaration that it was 'awesome.' "Douglas, don't do that --" She heard what she thought might have been a very understated snort and turned back to Sorn, looking somewhat defeated. "I guess we're keeping it."

"It appears so."

She smiled wryly. "And then there were three."

A low growl sounded at her ankle, and she glanced down to nudge her ward's robotic reaction with her foot. "Four, then." She crouched and rubbed the ugly beast's nose with a very faint smile. "Don't tell me you're jealous of the baby." Fisker looked away from her with great dignity.

"Hey -- hey, Wraith!"

"What is it, Douglas?" She looked at him sideways, standing again.

"What's the name of that guy who was down there with you?"

"Sorn." She glanced at him for confirmation, and he nodded. "Why do you --"

"Great! Then I'll call him Sorn!" The human swung the puppy up again, and it gave a small yap.

A pained expression flashed across Wraith's face. "Douglas, I don't think --"

"What? I think it makes a great dog name!"

The pained expression grew, and she pressed her fingers to her forehead with a sigh. "Douglas, it's usually considered good manners to wait until the other person is out of earshot before you say something like that about his name."

"Huh?" He turned back to them, wholly unabashed. "He's still here?"