Cassandra heard someone shouting the word 'swan.' Her first instinct, immediately, was to look up in the sky for a magnificent white bird, soaring above her head. But there was nothing there. Well, there were things there. Smoke and clouds and the tops of buildings that were really taller than any building had any business being. But no swans. She felt vaguely disappointed as she lowered her eyes. Swans were important somehow. She seemed to remember a goddess driving a carriage drawn by swans. Which was really quite a ridiculous notion.

She giggled a little, shaking her head. It was full of similarly ridiculous thoughts. She remembered a swan coupling with a beautiful woman. That was absurd too. Was there a single, serious thought left in her addled brain?

A frown marred her face as she considered that question. The frown wasn't for the question. It was really the fact that she couldn't seem to come up with an answer. For an instant or two, that was devastating. But then that feeling faded away.

She started walking again. For some reason, she felt it would be interesting to walk into the fog.