[audio]

[kestreldawn]

It seems that having small, sentient companions is rather common here on Earth. Can someone explain why so many people seem to want and/or have them? Especially when they are incredibly small and seem to serve no purpose in terms of protection or strength?

Comments

[reexamined]

Good to know you assume I don't clean myself. No, it won't be a problem. Poe has set up an oil bath in his backyard I can use.

[kestreldawn]

That's not what I meant, and you know that. I was more concerned about whether it would be too much for you to take care of. From what I've learnt, these dogs can have very, very long hair and shed in incredible amounts. [There's another sigh.] I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you've jumped to conclusions about my intentions and misconstrued my meaning well.

[reexamined]

[Alright, fine, he did do that out of reflex.

He takes a slightly nicer tone this time:]

I once had to "babysit" three Wookiee children for a day. Their hair is longer than dog hair, and despite the fact they enjoyed climbing on me, their hair or shedding was never an issue with getting in my joints. It won't be a concern. Thank you for worrying about my comfort.

[kestreldawn]

I've never met a Wookiee, though I was always curious about whether or not they shed. I suppose it would make sense for them to do so.

[Anyway.

She lets his 'thank you' hang in the air a second, silently acknowledging and accepting the sentiment before moving on.]

Would you be all right with having a dog of some kind in the house?

[reexamined]

Anything organic sheds something.

[Hair. Skin. Liquid. It's gross.]

Only if it likes cats.

[kestreldawn]

I suppose that's true.

.. Why? Are you planning on getting one?

[reexamined]

No, I'm not.

But Cassian has been feeding six stray cats that live in this neighborhood in our back yard.

[kestreldawn]

If they're strays, don't they roam about? Having a dog - even if it doesn't particularly like cats - wouldn't be too much of an issue, I wouldn't think.

[reexamined]

Well you can go ahead and explain that to Cassian when the dog scares them all away for good.

[kestreldawn]

[She lets out a small huff.] I'm sure the cats are able to hold their own, if it came to it. They have sharp claws, don't they?

[reexamined]

Now you want stray cats to attack our future dog.

[kestreldawn]

If it's in self-defense, yes. I'd hope the dog would be able to hold its own, as well.

[reexamined]

Are you sure you wouldn't prefer a hamster or a ferret?

[kestreldawn]

[She makes a face at this.] No, they're rodents.

[reexamined]

So? They're domesticated rodents.

[kestreldawn]

One has to wonder how domesticated wild animals - rodent or not - can truly be.

[reexamined]

A dog is the result of hundreds of years worth of a domestication of a wild animal. A domesticated rodent is the same.

[kestreldawn]

Hundreds of years in the grand scheme of the universe is hardly a droplet of water in a lake.