[Child of the 7th Age]

Child opened her eyes and groggily gazed around. Despite what Littlemanpoet had implied, she'd had no trouble with gin. But she had consumed a number of pints of ale and finally laid her head down on the table for several hours to snooze off the effects.

Again awake and alert, she glanced about the room and was surprised to see two dogs who had come to the party. Much to her surprise, she saw that they were with Pioseniel and Ealasaide. Her face belied her true feelings concerning the interlopers. Noisy, slobbering creatures! They looked too lively to be dead. Over the years, Child had lived with an assortment of dogs, all shapes and sizes, and frequently was left to clean up their messes in the yard and on the footpath. Why couldn't a dog be tidy like a cat? This was one subject on which the Professor had definitely gotten things wrong. There was nothing as appealing as a large purring furball!

Child reached down to unlatch her bag, looking for the plate of lox and bagels that she had brought to the party. The bagels were still there, but the lox had totally disappeared. Digging into the bag a bit deeper, she was surprised to find her dear, sweet Cornelius, his tummy round and firm, catnapping at the very bottom of the sack. Corny wiggled out of the bag and arched his back in disapproval as he spied the two dogs perched near their owners. The offended cat flung a jaundiced look at Child, one that clearly said why did you let these canine partypoopers come to this lovely gathering? And then, before Child could even lift a finger, her cat had leapt down and gone tearing across the room towards the two dogs with loud and menacing hisses.