Carter opened his eyes. Otto sat upright in front of him. "Morning." He said. Carter sat upright. Did his cat just talk to him? He looked down at the cat. Otto was pawing at the road. He looked up.
"How much would you say one of these are worth?" Carter looked down at the road. The bricks were shining in the sunlight.
"A lot." Carter muttered. He smacked his face into hand.
"I'm talking to my cat." He breathed.
Otto looked up. "You always talk to me." He said. Carter stared wide eyed at the animal.
"You're not supposed to talk back!"
Otto pawed at his owners leg. "Well maybe it's time for a change then. I like talking. I think I'll do it a lot.

Carter didn't respond. Ignoring his pet, he around. The golden road stretched along to the horizon in both directions, and nothing but tall grass and bushes sat on either side. The only sound was the slight chirping of birds in the distance, and Otto's claws scraping against the bricks.
"You know if we were to take one of these, even just one-"
"Where are we?" Carter asked, standing up.
Otto looked around. "About to get hit by a cart."

Carter looked down. "Sorry what?"
Otto scratched at his leg. "Move idiot!" He yelled. Carter looked down the road to see a large wooden carriage speeding towards them. He grabbed his cat and jumped from the road into a bush. Carter peered through the tree branches as the carriage pulled to a stop and the door opened. Out stepped a tall, thin man wearing a wide brimmed hat. The man took the hat off, and Cater had to stifle a yell. It looked like a man, but his skin had the texture of burlap. Large black buttons shone out for eyes and stray thread hung from either end of mouth like seam. It reminded Carter of a rag doll, or maybe a... Scarecrow.

The man placed his hat back on his head and pulled back into the carriage. It once again started down the road. Carter stood up. Otto rolled onto his back in Carters arms, staring up at his owner.
"Are you connecting the same dots as I an?" He asked. Carter watched the carriage disappear from view. Otto ignored the lack of response and continued.
"The road is made of gold right?" He asked. "And that looked like a scarecrow."
Carter shook his head, dropping Otto.
"Hey!"
"This isn't real." He grunted. "This can't be. This is a dream or- Or a hallucination or-" He stood upright. "Am I dead?"

Otto dug his claws into Carters shin.
"Ow!" Carter yanked his leg out of the cats reach.
"No, you're not dead."
Carter resisted the urge to kick the feline. He looked at the carriage, now only a foot on the horizon. Otto started through the long grass.
"Where do you think you're going?" Carter called. Otto looked back.
"This way, duh." The cat rolled it's eyes and kept walking. Carter shook his head, and made his way after his pet.

***

The pair had reached the edge of a forest. Large pine trees blocked their path, towering into the sky.
"Should we go through it?" Carter scratched the back of his head.
"Sure."
"I wasn't asking you."
Otto looked up, bemused. "I'm the only other one here."
"You're not supposed to talk!" Carter snapped. Otto pawed at the ground. Without saying anything else, he jumped between two tree trunks and into the forest. Carter groaned and stepped through.

"Where are you going?" Carter asked, a branch slapping him across the face. Otto didn't reply.
"Hello?"
Otto looked back and poked out his tongue.
"Why are you ignoring me."
Otto stopped. "I'm not supposed to talk." He continued his way through the tree roots. Carter ducked under another branch.
"Well played cat. Well played."
Otto snickered, darting around a stump.

Soon the pair had found their way onto dirt path leading through the woods. The last light of the sun was beginning to disappear beyond the trees. Carter sat down on a stump and found some sticks.
"Whatcha doing?" Otto asked as he sat down next to his owner. Carter rubbed the sticks together.
"Trying to make a fire, we don't know how cold it gets here."
Otto nuzzled his knee. "When you say we, does that mean you've accepted I can talk?"
Carter put the sticks down and grabbed a bunch of leaves and branches, and placed them in front of himself.
"Just because I'm talking to you doesn't mean I accept it." He grunted, rubbing the sticks together again.

A ball of fire flew through the air and landed in the pile of kindling Carter had made. Protruding from the fire was and arrow with a bright red fletching. Carter jumped, toppling backwards off the stump.
"Hello? Is anyone there?"
"I'm here, does that count?" Otto whispered. Carter flicked his ear. The cat made a low hissing sound. Two figure dropped from the trees above onto the path on either side of them, their long hooded cloaks billowed out out behind them in the wind. The two figures bows were aimed directly at Carter...