Speaking of someone who was actually present and could hear one's words in third person was impolite, and resorting to the word 'thing' as a designation for that very someone was straightforwardly rude. He had already demonstrated being sentient and communicative, even if it had just been a single word! And since that guy was, for some mysterious conincidence that just added itself to the heap of things yet to be investigated, speaking the same language, the gargoyle had some reason to assume that this rather dark-skinned man should have some sort of apprehension for this.

On the other hand, Vaughtar wasn't the one to become infuriated just because of this. He was flabbergasted, but the slow pace he lifted himself off the crate and started walking around the table towards Vata indicated that he wasn't angry. However he left another trail of small scratches behind him as he forgot about his claws again. This just had not been an issue on Munimis' dirt roads and wilderness. And there was so much drag induced by his folded wings that a noticable, short-lived breeze filled one half of the room.

He didn't come closer to the other man that about two yards and squatted down, taking two or three seconds to examine his face before speaking.
"Please feel free to touch me. I'm breathing, talking, am emitting body warmth and I even eat. What makes you think I'm a 'thing' ?"