I didn't say it was sentient, I said it fought back. I don't eat anything I can have a conversation with.

[The look Connie's given suggests either the human girl has suddenly sprouted an extra head, or the idea was simply crazy. Either way.

But Connie did seem to be trying to be helpful, and Malachite grudgingly could acknowledge that deserved at least some measure of tolerance.]

Mm. Well. Is there a way to get it to send me back before someone decides to try to add me to that collection of captives?