"I would like that very much," Tintin says, tolerating the cooing with remarkable grace. "Come, uh... Snowy?"

The hound follows happily.

"Snowy" is a very smart and playful creature. The adults pay attention to them, but appear to be minding the other animals, so they don't get jealous of the extra attention Snowy is getting.

Tintin romps around with the dog as long as they will let him. He's a very energetic creature!

"I don't suppose they'll just let us keep him?" he asks Sovie eventually, sounding a bit sad. 

Aww that was entirely predictable. "I would like to talk to Stephen first. The boys have asked about dogs before, but we have been worried about monsters."

"You... have monsters?" Asks a vet student.

"They are very inconvenient. I think that he could take care of himself, but it makes sense to ask."

"No. I mean, what do you mean you have monsters? You just don't say that to someone that studies magic veterinary."

"My husband's family has a plot of land that creates them time from time. Every couple of months." Sovie explains. 

"Ah, the snow can deal with that kind of situation just fine. It's not meant to fight, but some are trained to go in warzones and the like."

"You are a talented puppy," Tintin says seriously to the hound. 

Aww.

"They won't attack something unfamiliar? We are talking about no two monsters being alike."

"Sounds easy enough to train."

"Actually, that sounds like a sufficient weird edge case that the Professor might want to sell you one just for the data point." Says the other student. "And then you get your boy an early birthday present."

"Oh!!! Can we!"

Sovie fidgets. It's hard to say no, and Tintin is such a good child. "Sure, I will talk about the arrangements." She feels she should say that it counts as a birthday and Christmas' gift but that is usually something Stephen is better at.

Tintin hugs Sovie around the leg. "You are the best auntie EVER," he asserts.

There is a lot of leg to hug and Sovie has to lean down to pat his head. "Do you want to keep playing while I talk to people about things?"

"Yes!"

He runs off to play with Snowy until it is time to go.

The students with them, helps by showing tricks knows.

Soon enough, Sovie returns with a not very convincing smile. "Everything is set to take Snowy. We just need to give you your final check-up before going."

"Something is wrong. The monsters?"

"There was an attack that started a few hours ago. It took a while for the message to get here." Again the attempt-at-reassuring smile. "But we haven't heard any bad news and when we get back it should be over."

"I suppose it will." Tintin pets his dog contemplatively. "Alright, let's go to the check-up."

They do that. Snowy is even allowed inside, despite the place being a medical facility. Sovie pets him and tries to not look like she wants to pick Tintin up and run back to Earth as fast as her legs allow.

The check-up points to everything being fine, and no need for last minute fine-tuning. The three can make their way back.

Tintin wants to go back just as much as Sovie does. He will even consent to be carried if she wants to take advantage of her long legs.

She might do that. Possible for emotional support too. Hug. Tintin is such a good child.

The way back trip takes about as long. Snowy is allowed with them for pretty much all of it, since it's an enhanced animal and know to be well-behaved.

Topher is there when they cross the final portal. "Everyone is alive and being treated from injuries." Is the first thing he says before offering a hug.

"How severe?" Tintin asks solemnly.

"Nothing we can't recover," he prefaces, "Aaron's got hit in the face, his brain is fine, they are figuring out how to fix his sight and nose. Temple got a couple cracked ribs. And everyone else is mostly bruised and already-healed ear damage. The monster was like a bear-porcupine thing but with blunt tips with a power that made deafening impacts."

Sovie is not relaxed, but is not expecting to be tenser. She hates coming back to bad news. "The others? Your dad? ...Morgan?"

"Dad's clones took most direct hits. Morgan is... gaunt, giving health for the others to heal faster. But fine. Adam is helping Franklyn with his animals." Morgan behavior is expected, Adam's is surprising, but welcome. "It was a straighforward fight, just annoying with it being so loud."