I'm looking for a good word with which to identify the target of an attachment. For example, if a tick is attached to a dog, I'd like to say:
The dog is the ____ of the tick.
And I'd also like to use it in non-biological (inanimate) cases. For example, if a scope is attached to a rifle, I'd like to say:
The rifle is the ____ of the scope.
Bonus points if the word is somehow cognate with "attach" (but not necessary).