"Quark," the Beast repeats insistently, rearing up to put its paws on the bed. If Jennifer had been starting to drift off again, that succeeds in waking her fully.

"Paws off," she says, voice no less stern for all that it's still a bit muzzy with sleepiness. The Quarkbeast looks mournful, but doesn't actually hop back to the floor until after Jennifer's sat up and flicked on her bedside lamp.

A quick sweep of the apartment reveals absolutely nothing unusual or out of place, and she squints up the side of the bookshelf as Aglet's squawking belatedly registers. "There's a what, now?"