The little creature's paws flex against his palm, kneading without the prick of claws that would come along with a real cat, then curls up, wings daintily folded, nose tucked beneath its little stone tail.

"Maybe," she says. "You know, I've never actually had a pet. Helped look after livestock on a few expeditions - there's no way out of that part of the chore rotation - but that's not quite the same thing."