'No problem Ash, I do try to be helpful! Even if I'm not much good at it. And sorry about Hi leaving pawprints all over the sofa again'

'Ya really think a sewer rat can be fully adapted to living a domesticated life? Actually, don't answer that one' he looks down at himself

'Kenobi wouldn't do that, would ya Kenobi? He wouldn't, would he Ash?'

'I should hope not. Hi is one of my closest friends. Did I say that out loud?'

'Oh well, it's not something ya didn't know already! I mean, there was a time ya couldn't tell us apart! Can ya believe that?' He strokes Hi under the chin

'Kiara showed me a picture today that her friend drew. Apparently it was of a sewer hag and a wererat'

He unfolds a small piece of paper with a crudely-drawn picture. The 'sewer hag' is way too pretty to be a sewer hag, and the wererat is skinny and has blond hair

'Yeah. Don't know if this friend of Kiara's has seen something, or heard something. Luckily, Kiara doesn't seem to have spotted any connection between these rather disgusting individuals and her beloved parents' he grins crookedly

'Thanks, Ash. I mean, it's unlikely she'll join the dots. Back when we were both half-starved, disease-ridden, flea-bitten sewer dwellers, she hadn't been born yet. Man, am I lucky I have a wife who doesn't complain when I call her a half-starved, disease-ridden, flea-bitten sewer dweller'

'I think it was a Juliana?'

'Ya got beef with Juliana?'

*anyone on?*