DRAGON IN THE SHADOWS - 1st book in the cat analysis trilogy

Chapter 6: Midnight at Midnight

     Peter woke to the sound of birds chirping and Midnight lying on top of him. Again. He shoved the cat off of him, sat up and admired the beautiful day outside.
     Midnight mewed and ran off to the kitchen for his breakfast. Peter got up, dressed and followed Midnight for the same reasons.
     When he got there, he prepared his cereal and sat down. Midnight was rubbing against his legs and mewing in protest as he watched Peter eat his breakfast.
     "Oh, ok." He said, and emptied a can of cat food into Midnight's bowl.
     He picked up the Sunday paper and began to read it. In bold writing on the front page, a title read, Cat found countless times in Frostvale. It stated that the same black cat with emerald green eyes had been found circling through and around the town, as if looking for something.
     Midnight, Peter thought instantaneously, but when his senses kicked in he realized that there could be tons of black cats with green eyes in town. He went into Lucinda's bedroom to wake her and inform her of the news, but he found that she was already awake.
     Peter told her of the news and she instantly adopted a worried look.
     A few seconds later, her expression disappeared and was replaced by a puzzled look.
     "But there must be heaps of black cats in town", She said.
     "I know", Said Peter, "That's what I thought, until I saw the date on the article."
     She immediately picked the paper up and her mouth dropped open when she glimpsed the date.
     "Yesterday!" She exclaimed.
     "Yes", He answered, "Which makes me think what Midnight was doing yesterday."
     "Hmmm... What if... No, that's stupid. I don't know."
     "What were you going to say?" Asked Peter.
     "Well, what if it has something to do with the tablet?"
     "You're right, that really is a stupid idea." He said, and seeing her face quickly cut in, "But worth a try, I guess."
     A silence surrounded them for a while.
     "Actually, it's possible that it's not a bad idea, because The Shadow X said not to give the orb to a cat, so what if Midnight was trying to find it?"
     "Great idea! Why don't we give Midnight the orb and see what he does with it, because the other note said not to listen to rule two?"
     "Yeah! I'll get Midnight, you get the orb."
     "Ok. See you soon."
     Peter went to his bedroom and heaved the black cat off his pillow. He picked him up, made his way to the lounge room and put Midnight down underneath the tablet on the mantelpiece.
     "Right. Let's see if this works, shall we?"
     "Yes." Lucinda dropped the orb at Midnight's feet and the tablet by his side.
     Midnight stared at them as if wondering how on earth it got there. Then he picked the orb up with his teeth and fit it into the hole in the tablet. It shone bright green, but did not show any writing. The metal that was still on the mantelpiece glowed blue and Midnight jumped up and caught it in his teeth. He placed it in the hole, and it fit perfectly.
     This left Peter wondering why it fit for Midnight, but not him, though he didn't have much time to wonder, for the metal sank it to the tablet, leaving no hole behind and Midnight vanished from Lucinda and Peter's sight.
     They ended up having to search for midnight again, but this time, he was nowhere to be found. They decided that Midnight would come to them and enjoyed the rest of the day at the town pool.
     The pair had their showers at home, but Midnight was still nowhere to be found.
     They had a quick search by the river Tirren and were about to go home when Peter saw Midnight running along the side of the river and around the side of the house.
     "Quick! Lets follow!" Peter exclaimed and the two of them ran after him.
     The sun was going down quickly and they hadn't found Midnight yet.
     They continued to run in the same direction until they couldn't see any more.
     3 hours went by in a flash.
     "I'm tired and going to bed", Lucinda said, yawning, and she ran off before Peter could complain.
     He took a glance at his watch. 11:00pm. He decided he would continue to look for Midnight for five more minutes before going to bed.
     He walked around the house for a last check and was about to go back inside when he heard a distant roar and a flash of blue light shone overhead.
     He spun around and there, in front of his two eyes, was a massive black (or at least he thought it was black) dragon with the same details as the one from his dream and the clock.
     Peter stared into his, assuming it was male, large green eyes and the dragon stared back fiercely, but not in a harmful way.
     He turned and bolted for the door, but the dragon easily caught up and blew a jet of white-blue fire into the sky. The fire disappeared and he turned, expecting the dragon to lunge at him.
     There was another bright flash, and there, in front of him, sat Midnight.
     "Midnight?" He muttered in astonishment.
     Yes. A young voice spoke clearly and loudly and Peter could hear it from all around. He looked around, expecting a person to be there, but could not see any other form of fauna other than Midnight. He looked at the cat closely and whispered in the depths of his mind;
     Was that you?
     It was a pointless idea, or so Peter thought, until the voice replied,
     Yes. Peter was beginning to feel a little dizzy.
     What... How can you do this? Peter asked.
     There is a telepathic link between us, Midnight answered.
     Yes, but how?
     You and I were born at the exact same time at 7:46 on the 16th of October. This formed a telepathic link.
     So, we share minds? Peter asked.
     Not exactly. We can touch each other's minds, and occasionally merge into a single physical form, but we still control our own minds.
     Ok, then. So... what about the dragon?
     We were born at the same time, so when I was merged with the dragon, the magic that was transferred to me was embedded in you as well.
     Oh, so in other words, I'm never going to live a normal life again?
     Well, that depends on your definition of 'normal'.
     Ha, Ha. I'm going to bed. You coming?
     Yes.