“A great band name would be Tickling Whiskers. Especially if the lead singer is a cat. I’d love to audition for backup dancer.”

“I always thought I’d make a great backup singer. I don’t practice. It’s just pure talent.”

“They walked to school, talking about how much they were longing for the summer holidays."Oh, I am planning things," said Jamie. "Great, great things. I could join a band.""You gave up the guitar after two lessons.""Well," he said, "I could be a backup dancer.""Backup dancers have to wear belly shirts and glitter," said Mae. "So obviously, I support this plan.”

“Yeah? What'd you name all those cats?"Death, Famine, Pestilence, War, and Mr. Whiskers."You named your cats after the riders of the apocal--wait. Mr. Whiskers?"Well, there are only four horsemen.”

“He's skinny, but not the POW skinny I was expecting. More like lead-singer-of-an-emo-band skinny.”

“Orpheus. Had the name he had taken ever suited him better? But he would be wilier than the singer whose name he had stolen. He would indeed. He would send another man into the realm of Death in the Fire-Dancer's place-and he'd make sure that he didn't come back.”