Blurb There are countless doors between the dragon realm and the human world, but they can only be unlocked by the dragons themselves. For centuries, humans haven't been allowed near them—mostly because they have a nasty habit of trying to steal from dragon hoards. Our Dragon is a hard-working, somewhat cynical reptile who spends his weeks in the human world disguised as a park pony just to earn enough coins to line his empty cave. He likes his solitude and his perfect feng shui. But his orderly life is turned completely upside down the night a stray, fiercely independent Cat materializes behind his rocks, refuses to leave, and bluntly informs him that his floor is freezing. What follows is a heartwarming story of home improvements, grocery lists, and a massive sacrifice that proves that even the most stubborn dragon can realize some things are worth more than gold.

There are countless doors between the dragon realm and the human world, but they can only be opened by dragons themselves or by those gifted a key. Being ancient and fiercely independent creatures, dragons weren’t fond of handing out keys. Consequently, humans hadn’t been seen in their realm for ages—much to the absolute delight of the original inhabitants, it must be said. Humans possessed a peculiar and highly unpleasant trait: they were constantly trying to pocket something from dragon caves. The great reptiles, meanwhile, despised sharing what they had earned through honest, backbreaking labor. Well, how backbreaking was it, really? For a dragon, any form of manual labor was considered a personal insult and a reason to question their own ancient dignity. Why did the doors exist in the first place, then? Word has it that in ancient times, dragons actually ventured into the human world to work, odd as it sounds, to gather riches for decorating their lairs. Later on, however, they grew incredibly lazy and limited their efforts entirely to moving piles of gold and gemstones from one corner to another, arguing over the split, and attending to other equally vital matters. Whenever an old dragon passed away, their hoard became a bone of contention among the kin. Yet young dragons rarely managed to snag a piece of the pie. Besides, dragons died so infrequently that, over time, the treasures simply pooled in the claws of the most ancient and powerful. Eventually, the day came when the young reptiles wondered where else they could get their talons on some wealth—and so they headed to the human world… to work. The younger generation was completely untainted by the prejudices of their elders. Among those who set off was our Dragon. To the envy of his peers, he managed to land a job rather quickly—giving children rides at a theme park while pretending to be a painted horse. It was humiliating, yes, but at the end of each week, they handed him special slips of paper called money. With his very first paycheck, the Dragon bought a few gold coins, which he later laid out on the floor of his previously empty cave with trembling paws. The Dragon felt quite discouraged. He had always considered himself a rather well-to-do representative of his species, but three tiny gold coins hardly reflected that status. Years rolled by, and he kept working at the park. His little pile of coins grew. Every evening, he would sort them from place to place, feeling just a tiny bit happier each time. One day, upon returning from work, the master of the cave noticed that someone had meddled with his treasure. Terrified, he recounted the coins and gems, fearing the absolute worst—that he had been robbed blind. But no, everything was accounted for. The Dragon let out a sigh of relief, though an unsettling anxiety lingered. Dropping into someone else's cave uninvited was terribly bad manners and simply wasn't done. He began inspecting his home rock by rock, and behind one of them, he discovered a strange, fluffy creature. "Who are you? And what on earth are you doing in my cave?" the Dragon demanded crossly. "I’m Cat. I live here." "No, you don't. This is my cave. Go back where you came from." "You know," Cat smiled, stretching out comfortably on the stone floor, "that’s not how this works. We cats decide for ourselves when to leave and when to show up." Furious, the Dragon scooped up Cat and tossed her outside. Yet, when he walked back in, the uninvited guest was already lounging on a rock again as if nothing had happened, wearing a smug grin. He carried Cat out to the street time and time again, but without fail, she would materialize right back inside. Eventually, he grew sick of the game. Besides, it was time for bed; he had another grueling shift tomorrow. With a heavy sigh, the Dragon curled himself around his hill of treasure and drifted off to sleep. Cat, making sure he was completely dead to the world, settled down snugly right by his tail. The Dragon woke up feeling a strange weight on his chest. He cracked one eye open and was stunned to find Cat sleeping soundly right on top of him—curled into a tight ball with her fluffy tail end pointed directly at his face. This was an unmitigated piece of cheek! Not only had she broken into his home, but now she was shamelessly using the landlord as a mattress. Using his claws, the Dragon picked Cat up by the scruff of her neck and set her down on the floor. The guest gave an FIFO offended meow and glared at him reproachfully. "The floor is freezing!" It was said in a tone that implied the Dragon was personally responsible for the natural, sub-zero state of solid rock. "And what am I supposed to do about it, sweetheart?" the reptile retorted, trying to hide his desperate hope that she would just turn around and storm out. "You came here of your own accord. Learn to handle it, or pack your bags." "There are plenty of things you could do, but since it's the middle of the night, just lie back down. I'll sleep on top and use you for warmth!" Cat stared at him expectantly, poised to spring the moment he let his guard down. "Absolutely not. You will sleep on the floor like every other normal resident of this world." "Well, I'm not from this world, so I am sleeping on you." Cat looked slightly abashed, as if being an outsider were some sort of minor crime. "Then how did you even open the door? How did you end up here in the first place?" Uninvited guests were usually shown the door as swiftly as possible, and the Dragon wondered if this might be his ticket to freedom. "Didn't you say you wanted to sleep? Come on, lie down, I was right in the middle of a wonderful dream," the fluffy intruder said, abruptly changing the subject. She hopped onto the dragon’s chest, treading and kneading it as if plumping up a pillow. "Hey, watch it! Fine. Tonight you sleep on me, but this is the first and absolute last time, do you hear me, you cheeky creature?" Cat either didn't hear him, pretended not to, or simply chose to ignore him. She curled back into a ball and tucked her nose under her tail. Carefully, so as not to wake her, the Dragon settled onto the ground and couldn't help but think that the floor really was quite chilly.

In the morning, a thick fog crept into the cave, bringing a crisp, cool breeze. The Dragon woke up, stood up, and took a long stretch. A sudden panic hit him: Did I drop Cat? But the cave was completely empty. "Good riddance," the dragon told himself. "She left on her own, so I don't have to throw her out." Yet, for some reason, a wave of loneliness washed over him. After all, when you have a whole fluffy cat purring away on top of you, sleep becomes just a little bit magical. The Dragon grabbed his things, bolted down a leftover beef cutlet on the run, and hurried off to his job in the human world. The gateway between realms swung open, letting a rather gloomy dragon out into the foreign world. He tried to push the thoughts away, but his mind kept drifting back to the bold little cat who had crashed into his life unannounced. He was so lost in thought that a coworker had to nudge him to remind him that the shift was over and it was time to clock out. The Dragon sighed and dragged his feet—he caught himself thinking that he really didn't want to return to an empty cave. Meanwhile, Cat returned from the woods carrying an armful of sweet-smelling leaves. She scattered them neatly into the corners of the cave and pushed all of the Dragon’s treasures into one massive, central pile. In short, she was putting the place in order. She was a cat, after all; she did exactly as she pleased. The Dragon returned from work, but for the first time ever, he wasn't hauling shiny trinkets—he was dragging a massive sofa behind him. It might have been shaped a bit like a nest, but it was incredibly soft and warm. He scanned the cave but didn't see Cat, who was hiding up on a rocky ledge. She was smiling. The Dragon had taken the hint and was willing to change; that meant he was a keeper, and she was staying right here. "See? You finally admitted the floor was freezing." "Ah, there you are, you little furball…" The Dragon offered a warm, gentle smile. "Well, come on down. They say a cat has to sleep in a new spot first to make sure it's cozy." The graceful, fluffy guest leapt from the ledge onto the sofa, inspected it with a critical eye, and curled into a ball right at the very edge. "It'll do. Quite sleep-worthy," she approved, stretching out and shifting just an inch further to the side to make room for the Dragon to lie down beside her.

The Dragon let out a massive sneeze, shooting a stray leaf right out of his nostril. He grimaced and threw a disapproving look at Cat, who had somehow managed to monopolize a good half of the sofa overnight, despite being smaller than him by a factor of… well, at least ten! "Why did you bring all this trash inside, you silly thing?" he asked quietly, trying not to wake her. But the furball was already wide awake. She stretched, extending her claws, and blinked at the Dragon with an innocent, uncomprehending look. "Do you really want to share this cave with anyone other than me? And here you were, claiming you live alone and don't need a soul…" Under the landlord’s baffled stare, Cat lines of reasoning continued: "These are spice-tree leaves. The scent keeps all the creepy-crawlies away. I mean, if you want me to, I can throw them out, but who knows what those little pests will do to your precious shiny things." Cat had a real talent for pressing his buttons, making every single one of her antics look like a grand act of self-sacrifice. Look at me, being so thoughtful and bringing leaves, while you play the ungrateful villain. Mind you, Cat simply adored the scent herself. Even if the greenery possessed zero practical benefits, she would have dragged it inside anyway. The Dragon waved a paw in resignation. He was already getting used to Cat doing whatever she pleased. What was it she said? I come and go as I like. She clearly didn't give a toss about the owner's opinion! "Hush now… See, if we just had some of those little woven baskets, the leaves wouldn't blow around and get up your nose." Cat walked over, plucked a couple more leaves out of his nostril, and gave him a classic pleading look. Come on, buy the baskets. You're so smart, kind, and generous… and after all, you're a dragon! her eyes seemed to say. The Dragon sighed again. How could he argue when she actually made a fair point? The reptile had already come to terms with the fact that as long as Cat was around, he could forget about expanding his treasure collection. Every penny he earned went straight toward funding her whims—useful whims, sure, but entirely hers, not his.

That evening, the Dragon nearly walked right past his own cave—he simply didn't recognize it. A flowerbed had been planted near the entrance, and a massive log lay right by the opening. "What on earth is this for now?" the reptile asked wearily, collapsing on the ground outside. He was actually afraid to step inside, terrified of what other home improvements Cat might have conjured up. "It’s for aesthetic appeal. Don’t you like it?" the fluffy decorator inquired, peeking out from behind the log. "I tried to build a proper bench, to be honest, but I could only manage to roll this log over…" "A bench? Flowers? What are you playing at?! I am a dragon! A dragon is supposed to be a terrifying, fire-breathing monster, get it?" the reptile tried to object, putting on his best fierce face. "Yes, yes, that's just a reputation. But at home, you're just a big softie who gets tired and needs to unwind. And to unwind properly, you need a cozy atmosphere. By the way, did you bring the baskets?" Cat swiftly pivoted to the offensive. "Yes… Here. I didn't know which ones to get, so take your pick," the sheepish Dragon stammered, while his fluffy house-master simply smiled. She had fully expected him to buy a whole assortment of things that an empty house desperately needed. "Perfect! Oh, and tomorrow you need to hit the grocery store. We’re completely out of meat…" The next morning, the dragon stared at the shopping list in sheer disbelief and let out a miserable groan. "I am a dragon, not a pack mule! How am I supposed to haul all of this back for you, you demanding creature?" "Well, you didn't ask how I managed to bring that massive log here, did you? So I won't ask how you're going to bring this back." "Actually, how did you do it?" the Dragon asked, genuinely perplexed. Cat offered a totally disarming smile. "I shoved it off the cliff. So, now that you know my secret, you should have no trouble getting everything on that list…"

The Dragon got home late that night; things had run over at his dragon job again. Yes, it happens. Or did you think a mountain of treasure in a cave just grows on trees? Think again! First, you have to put on a mountain of makeup, then spend the entire day carrying human children on your back to earn colorful slips of paper, and only then can you trade those papers for gold coins. The final step annoyed the dragon to no end: why couldn't they just pay him in hard gold on the spot? No, they had to put on this whole song and dance! He preferred not to dwell on the fact that he was essentially a circus animal himself in this scenario. Stripping off his fireproof costume at the threshold, the master of the house sauntered in, eyeing his gleaming pile of gold. "One, two… thirty-eight… Who messed with the thirty-ninth coin pyramid?!" His fury knew no bounds. Honestly, you leave the place perfectly arranged according to feng shui, and someone immediately comes along to scramble it! The Dragon knew perfectly well who the culprit was, but he asked just for form's sake. A sleek black shadow darted behind one of the pyramids. The moment the Dragon spotted it, the chase was on. But the shadow was incredibly nimble, flashing here and there, slipping right through his heavy dragon paws while his temper flared. After half an hour of frantic scurrying, the exhausted dragon collapsed onto the pile of gold—which until recently had been thirty-nine meticulously constructed pyramids. Only then did the cat decide to grace him with her presence. "What are you shouting for? Everything's fine… I was just dusting." She put on a convincing show of apologizing, but the dragon wasn't buying it. "Yeah, right. And then I'll find something missing later, like always? What is it this time?" Cat immediately played the innocent victim. "How could you?! Here I am, a cat, keeping his cave spotless, cooking him dinner, staying up late waiting for him to get back from work, and he calls me a thief!" The Dragon sighed and pointed a heavy claw at a brand-new toy ball, complete with a little bell and stuffed with catnip. "And what, pray tell, is that?" he inquired wearily. He didn't want to pick a fight; they usually got along like a house on fire. But she needed to remember who wore the pants in this cave. "Oh… that," Cat beamed. "Well, they gave me that as change when I was buying your beef tenderloin. They didn't have any small coins left…" The Dragon let out yet another sigh. What was he supposed to do with her? The poor silly thing had been short-changed again, but her heart was in the right place. "Alright, let's get some dinner," he said gently, wrapping an arm around Cat while secretly batting at the new toy with the very tip of his tail. And so they coexisted: he tried to hoard wealth, while she simply turned his cave into a home—a place he actually looked forward to returning to after a long day's work.

Cat was now running the show in the cave, filling it with all sorts of things that seemed utterly useless at first glance but made the space feel incredibly cozy. The Dragon had fully accepted that his dreams of a fierce, terrifying lair were gone for good. Cat had moved in lock, stock, and barrel. Every evening, he would come home from work, bringing the groceries and the items from her list, to find a delicious hot dinner waiting on the table and a patient listener curled up in the armchair. Somewhere along the line, it had simply become a routine. "How exactly do you breathe fire?" Cat asked one evening after dinner while clearing the table. The question had been nagging at her for a while. "Oh… I don't really know. It just happens naturally. I'm a dragon, it's what we do," the reptile replied with a slightly sheepish look. "I see…" Cat murmured, a touch of sadness slipping into her voice. Lately, she had been feeling down because he wasn't a cat. Or because she wasn't a dragon. "Hey, what's wrong?" the Dragon asked gently, pulling her into a warm embrace. "It's just… I'm a cat, and you're a dragon. We're from two completely different worlds. I feel like I've ruined your cave." "That is absolute nonsense!" the Dragon countered, holding her close. "Sure, things would be different without you, but who's to say they'd be better? By the way, how did you even get into our dragon world? You're a…" Cat looked away. It was a painful topic, but she didn't want to keep secrets from him. "Yes, I was born in the human world, just like thousands of others… We cats have nine lives, you know. And there's a reason for that. Humans can be incredibly cruel. They drowned me twice when I was just a kitten, even though I hadn't done a single thing wrong. Three times I was hunted by dogs. Twice I was lucky enough to live out a long, happy life with a loving family until old age. And once, someone ran over me with a car just for a bet… My last owner didn't care for me at all, and when his child broke my paw, he just kicked me out into the street. That's how I ended up in your world." "But your paw wasn't broken when you got here!" the Dragon exclaimed in surprise. When he first found her, she seemed perfectly healthy. "No, another dragon found me first. He healed my leg, but then… he used to blow fire at me just for his own amusement…" "Why, I'll teach him a lesson he won't forget! Just show me the scoundrel!" The Dragon was ready to fly off the handle and hunt the bully down then and there, but Cat gently pulled him back. "He passed away. That's why I came to you… to live out my days." "What do you mean by that?" "You dragons live for millennia, but our time is fleeting…" Cat replied softly, slipping out of his grasp and walking out into the night.

For the next few weeks, that heartbreaking conversation completely consumed the Dragon's thoughts. He had grown incredibly attached to Cat and couldn't bear the thought of losing her. He was even ready to part with all of his shiny treasures. He paused on that thought, carefully weighing the pros and cons. Letting go of his gold was an agonizing prospect, but suddenly, a life without Cat felt infinitely more tragic. Looking down warmly at Cat, who had drifted into a restless sleep, the Dragon decided to take matters into his own hands. Tucking her in safely with a blanket, he gathered every single bit of his treasure and set off toward the cave of the most ancient dragon—a true master of magic. The Dragon was terrified of being too late. Cat had said her time was short, which meant her life was slowly slipping away with each passing day. Outside a grim, black cavern lay the Ancient One. He cracked open a single eye and cast a lazy glance at the visitor. "What brings you here?" His voice was thick with exhaustion and indifference; he asked more out of politeness than actual curiosity. "They say you trade what is most precious for wishes?" the Dragon asked, his heart hammering against his ribs. "I do… and what are you willing to sacrifice to make your dream a reality?" The Ancient One turned his head, suddenly intrigued. He loved a good trade. The Dragon placed his small chest of treasures before the great beast's snout. "Is this it? You have nothing else to offer?" the ancient one asked, raising an eyebrow as he pried the lid open. "I have Cat, but I cannot give her up. In fact, she is the sole reason I am here." "You have a cat, you say. Do you require another?" "No, I want this one to live." "Then what is the issue? They have nine lives. Surely you knew that?" The Dragon froze, a heavy lump forming in his throat. "This is her ninth life, Ancient One… Her very last." The old sorcerer fell silent. He poured out the Dragon’s treasures, counting them meticulously with a deep frown. "This isn't enough to buy an entire extra life… However, I can turn her into a dragon. Your hoard is just enough to cover that. Do we have a deal?" the Ancient One asked, extending a massive claw. The Dragon extended his own in return, and they shook on it. With a swift movement, the Ancient One snapped the chest shut and swept it deep into his cave. "I will come tonight while she sleeps. You must not be home. This is an ancient, secret magic that could harm you… Leave now and do not return until tomorrow morning."

The Dragon chose not to argue, even though he felt terribly anxious. The Ancient One radiated a primal, unstoppable power that couldn't be achieved by age alone; it required immense, dedicated training. Worse still, the Dragon was plagued by the fear that the magic might fail. That night turned out to be the longest night of his entire life. The moment the first rays of dawn broke, he sprinted back to his cave as fast as his legs could carry him, only to find… his Cat, now sporting a pair of wings and clutching a gold coin beneath her left paw. She's alive! the dragon thought with a rush of pure joy, throwing his arms around his favorite creature. "What on earth happened?" Cat asked blankly, blinking herself awake. She waved her new wings in sheer bewilderment. "And what are these things?" "You're not just a cat anymore—you're a real dragon! And your ninth life isn't going to end for a very, very long time!" Cat let out a musical laugh and, wriggling out of the dragon's tight embrace, padded over to the mirror. "Well… maybe not a full dragon, more like a little DraCat, but I must say, I look rather fetching! I hope you don't regret this." "Never. Because you are my Cat, and I am your Dragon." And so the Dragon and his Cat lived on together. They had their fair share of bickers and misunderstandings, but you would be hard-pressed to find a happier couple in either world. The End