"You can take Aurora any time you like, if you want the peace of mind. She keeps her people safe."

He'd never been deeply enamored of dogs before Aurora was thrust upon him, but he's come to appreciate her in her owner's absence. Shouldn't think about it like that, really: he's her owner. He's raised her up longer than anyone, even if Casey did it first. When he sleeps alone she climbs up in the bed and sleeps against his back, and she did her best to warn and protect against the creatures on the other side.

And she saved their asses in the quake. He doesn't forget that. As Bodhi continues to work, he lets himself sink to the floor and scratch up her throat and ears, lavishing her in attention. "She's probably as close to a child as I'm ever going to have," he sighs, deeply aware of the stereotype he's played into without even trying. "Her and the bird."