It never failed. She settled down one place, she would find herself in another. Alice tired of this, but always found that exasperation balanced with a curiosity of the things around her. Commonplace never sat well with her, so she started by dusting off her stockings and walked around, a moment later finding she had a curious creature following her.

It was something like a dog, but with odd darker color that started at the top of his forehead and extended a little past his neck. He growled at Alice, but found that the girl simply stared until he stopped, and then a moment later he was walking alongside her, looking tough as ever but no longer trying to intimidate the girl.

"Now where am I say," she said aloud. "Do you know the way, pup?"

No answer, of course.