His eyes widened a bit as he got an answer. "An ass? And it's lived here so long, in this decrepit park? Goodness. I think we ought to unhitch it, if nothing else. Careful; their kick is said to fell a mountain lion. Why farmers kept them around, I hear. Well, that and load-bearing." His arm was as pretty stiff for being yanked, too numb to notice much in Bracken's duress. Still, he thought they were talking about a flesh-and-blood beast, instead of the much more unnerving thing belting out mechanical screeches.

His mind was so focused on finding a real donkey that he didn't pay much attention to anything else. "Where did you see it?"