[CupcakeDolly]

While the spirit man and the cloud of smoke were exchanging words, Ophelia maneuvered herself in front of the scary man, gently using her presence to slow his retreat.

"Sir," she started, carefully affecting her most persuasive tone of voice - which, to anyone but herself, sounded similar to her normal tone of voice, "while I understand that you and your dog companion must be a very important man and dog with very important man and dog matters to attend to, I wonder if it wouldn't be too much trouble for me to accompany you? I could very well use safe shelter from those who are coming or are quite possibly here already - and perhaps a bath as well - and, quite frankly, I'm not eager to throw my lot in with that talkative cloud of smoke over there."