Ethan took a long, slow look at his surroundings. They weren't particularly impressive, really; he'd seen so much more, both worse and not, during his time in the Dreaming. But simply because the vista in front of him wasn't quite awe-inspiring didn't encourage him to drop his guard. Things didn't have to be beautiful or hideous in the Dreaming to be threatening. Death or insanity or a thousand other perils could hide in even the plainest and most innocuous scenery. Besides, although in the Waking he was just Ethan Daniels, mousy world-class bibliophile, here in the Dreaming he was Ethan Daniels, heroic explorer and daring adventurer extraordinaire.<br/><br/>Which didn't really stop him from screaming just a little when the talking cat poked its head out of the helmet at his feet.<br/><br/>"There you are," it said. "What took you? We've got to get a move on if we're to get the girl. Please tell me you brought the book?"<br/><br/>Ethan was about to reply when he realized what just happened. He wasn't particularly stunned by the presence of a talking cat, of course; this was the Dreaming, after all. He wouldn't have been that surprised if the ground under his feet had sprouted a mouth and begun singing opera. He would, however, have been a little concerned, since he neither liked opera nor the idea of standing over a large mouth. But what had really struck him dumb was the cat's words, three of them in particular. 'Get the girl'.<br/><br/>Even in the Dreaming, that was something that Ethan just didn't hear every day. Especially with him included in the getting. He took a moment and straightened his wide-brimmed fedora, blinking rapidly as he felt the cat's annoyed impatience growing. Finally he spoke in what he felt under the circumstances was a very intelligent manner.<br/><br/>"Uh...move? Girl? B-book?...what?"