Kyo was not a happy person. His current emotional state would most likely be described best by annoyed, uncomfortable, and very, very angry. Currently, he was chained to a girl who smelled like she was one of those stupid rats and was cowering in a corner, crying her stupid eyes out over her stupid mother, who probably didn't care about the stupid girl anyway. That forced Kyo to in the corner too, and they had him in close proximity to a rat which filled him with even more contempt and hatred for the whole species. They, though Kyo hated to associate himself with the rats in anyway, were trapped in a dark wooden cart, jammed full with prisoners of one species or another, all on their way to be sold to some snobbish rich people as pets and manual laborers. Most of them had animal of some kind in them, though Kyo didn't know how in God's name they did that. Everyone was chained to someone of another species to avoid escapes. Species stayed together- and did not associate with any other.

Kyo looked around, his cats eyes helping to pierce thorough the gloom, and saw about an even number of girls and boys, boys for manual labor, and girls for dolls and, well he felt a tiny amount of pity for those bought by men who couldn't get some from their own wives. Kyo didn't see any more cats, but then again, they were generally hard to control and smart, so not many people wanted them, and not many were made. They were just that awesome. He saw many snakes and rats, as those were in fashion right now, and bunnies were ever popular. Dogs were used most often for manual labor, and he did see a few around the other end of the cart. Oxen were similar, and there was a clump in the corner opposite him. The cursed rat was really starting to get on his nerves. Crying like that. Didn't she know that her own mother didn't care? None of their mothers or fathers cared. They were just off making more children. Stupid girl, they were off to be sold. Didn't she know that it was a whole lot worse than losing a family member that didn't care about you anyway?

Suddenly, before Kyo could voice his rather rude opinions, the cart jerked to a halt and the doors were thrown open by a red faced beefy man armed with a leather whip. Kyo enjoyed a moment of amusement, and a small smile, thinking of how the oxen must feel, whipped by the skin of one of their distant relatives. Then a sting on his cheek brought him back to the present.

"Something funny fur ball? There's nothing funny about where you're going." That was the red faced man and his whip. Mustn't forget the whip. That was a status symbol of those who owned and traded slaves, the whip showing they had control of you and you couldn't do anything about it. "Didn't you hear me fur face? Answer when a master speaks to you!" He was shouting again, and there was that same nickname. Creative man, wasn't he?

"Nothing funny but your face sir, you might want to watch that though, you look like you are about to have a stroke, and that would be unpleasant. Not for me, mind, but you might need someone to tell you, seeing that you are to stupid to notice on your own." Kyo replied coolly and with utmost politeness. That might not have been the best idea, seeing as the man's face had been getting darker and now resembled a dark purple, throbbing bruise.

"Well this one has a smart mouth, eh? I'll just have to fix that for any owners you might have." The man then led the slaves out of the cart, and sent the rest on with his other whip bearing comrades, unlocking the rat girl, and fastened her onto an ox, leaving just him and Kyo. The red faced man then took off Kyo's scratchy shirt and made him kneel in the dusty road. Kyo felt sweat trickle down his tan back because it really was hot out. It's not like he was sweating from nervous apprehension.

Ten lashes wasn't so bad, he could take it, and he sensed the man behind him, silently waiting for him to talk, or yell, but Kyo wouldn't because he was competitive, and he couldn't let the man win.

Twenty lashes were starting to really hurt, but he still stayed silent, because the man couldn't win.

Thirty lashes really tore his back apart, but Kyo wouldn't say a word, because that would make it worse, and the man would get pleasure knowing he beat Kyo, but Kyo wouldn't be beaten.

Forty lashes and Kyo's vision swam, and he began to forget why he wasn't talking. Shouldn't people scream when they are in pain? But no he couldn't do that…

He lost count after that but it went on after that. His vision tunneled and he only knew pain and the vague sense that he shouldn't say anything, but for the life of him he couldn't remember why, and it was important.

He then pulled the cloth back over Kyo's back, and the only thought going through his head was ow, but he didn't make a sound, even though he forgot the reason, and now the man was pulling his arm and his back hurt. He was walking but he could barely see where, and sweat was tricking down his back because it was hot, but the salt stung, and his shirt stung, and there was wetness traveling down his legs, and that was blood.

Eventually he got to the town they were heading to, the whole time the man was grumbling and pushing him and that hurt so much that he stumbled, but he didn't talk because that was important, and he didn't think he was ever going to remember the reason why. The man- what did he do to infuriate the man again? –pushed him onto a bed and called for a healer. The last thing Kyo saw was neatly cropped black hair and purple eyes before he passed out because he was on his back and that hurt.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed it! Remember that reviews feed kittens and flames kick puppies!