"Shotgun." announced the cat, staking a claim on the front passenger seat without so much as a glance back. Mathias bit his tongue to avoid an argumentative reply. His feline friend was clearly baiting him, looking for a fight after suffering the indignity that was Matty's backpack.

"No problem." was Matty's pleasant reply. He opened the door for the cat and folded himself into the backseat. Oobis managed to look both suspicious and pleased. Matty looked like he had been folded in half, but was oddly good natured about the whole thing. He grinned at Joleen as she slid behind the wheel. "It can't be that far right?"

They hit the road and Oobis stared out the window, unblinking, as the town rolled by. First the houses got smaller, and closer together, then things started getting greener and the houses were more spread out. The tractor yard was in a fairly rural area. The cat blinked slowly. Almost "coming back" from his thoughts, "Maybe that's why no one heard anything? There's no one around."

He was looking out the window again, this time, his eyes were slightly narrowed.