Tiny hands tore at the darkness, premature claws slicing through the thick atmosphere; they reached for something, anything in that blinding emptiness. The hands retracted to the sides of a small child as a whimper echoed in the surreal plane. The child looked around and saw a small oasis float towards him. In the small circle of light, he recognized his family, all deceased in their cat forms.

The child's grandfather gently meowed, his tone wise and soft, "Yugi, a wonderful person will take you away. You will become just what you are meant to be. Trust only those that are trustworthy, Yugi." He vanished, his eye giving a final wink before he was gone. The warm space which his presence had occupied was filled by Yugi's mother's form.

Curling up around her small kitten, his mother purred soft and sweet, her voice sounding out like a cheerful bell, "Oh, Yugi, my kitten. I will forever watch over you. Both your father and I will always be beside you. Our love shall forever surround you. Just call for us and we will come. You know our truthful names, kit, use them."

Yugi gently pressed against her stomach, curling into her, delving deep into her warmth, "Yes, mother. I will always remember your names." Looking up at his father, Yugi let out a low, respectful purr.

His father nuzzled into Yugi's neck before lifting him up and nudging him towards the darkness, his eyes held a soft almost sorrowful plea, "Go, my son—go and grow. You will become strong in whatever you do. Take the world and purge it. Purge it of the darkness that has taken root. You have the time–the clock of endless time–don't ever misuse it or we may have to retrieve it."

Yugi faced the darkness but he looked his father in the eye over his shoulder, "Father, that clock will never witness the darkness." Padding into the dark atmosphere, Yugi gave one wistful look over his shoulder at them before the oasis disappeared.

Yugi attempted to hold onto his mother's hand but he was torn from her side and stuffed into a leather bag. The tears fell but he was comforted that he knew his mother was always at his side. His long black tail wrapped itself around his waist and he curled up, falling dreamlessly into a restless sleep.

A good two months later, I curled into a tight ball and held onto my aching stomach. I had been placed in a small cage—one I was kept in everyday. Today I was not fed. Apparently I was being sold to someone. My ears flattened against my head, vanishing into my hair. My tail wrapped around my stomach, a comforting habit I had grown fond of.

Glancing outside of the cage, I watched as the man holding my cage spoke to one of the guards who then nodded and the gates opened. The grand palace behind them would have taken my breath away if my stomach didn't hurt and my eyes weren't blurred with tears.

The holder of my cage looked down at me with a glint in his eyes, "Listen brat. You are being sold to the Pharaoh today. You will be your best, understood."

Minutes, which felt like hours, later, the old man and I were both escorted to the huge throne room. People stood around the room wearing expensive clothing, they were beautiful but I held an immediate distaste for the way they looked at me, or rather the cage. Still curled in a ball, I turned myself to look at the front of the room. Two men were seated on the thrones.

One was extremely pale, his head adorned with hair exotic ebony dipped in crimson. Lightning bolts struck up the sides of his face, making the deep sorrow in his amethyst and crimson mixed eyes seem all the more prominent.

The other male was tanned with the same hair and burning crimson eyes filled with so deep a depression that it made my tears fall all the faster.

I wondered just what could have made them so sad.

Looking up, I saw a tradesman step into the room with a tiny cage. The man holding it had a long beard and he bowed to the floor. He set the cage down beside him.

"Rise." Atem's voice was commandingly cold. I watched as the old man boldly rose from the ground.

"My pharaoh, I bring a gift to help with your grief."

I raised an eyebrow at the old man and a stab of pain shot through my soul, 'Help with the grief? We lost our son seven sunrises ago.' That pain ached in the cold void that was now left empty from our son's presence.

"And what might that be?" Atem's chipped and cold tone filled the room, sending a shiver down my back even though he wasn't talking to me.

"Let me show you," the old man bent down and used his cane to open it. I felt horror fill my entire being when I heard a loud cry of pain when the man dragged something out of the cage with the hooked end of the cane. I felt Atem stiffen when he stepped aside to reveal a young baby, one hand around his stomach and one around his neck. "This is Yugi."

The tiny child had small black cat ears tipped in amethyst flat against his head and a long black tail with a soft amethyst tip wrapped around his waist. His eyes the same color as the tips of his long hair were narrowed and filled with tears that were threatening to follow the tracks of many more that had fallen before them.

His hair was a deep black with purple tips and it reached down to below his waist but it looked matted and as if it hadn't been combed in ages. He had the palest white skin I had ever seen, bypassing my own to the point that I swore I could almost see through his skin. The only thing the poor child wore was a pair of tattered and torn, brown pants.

My heart went out to him as he whimpered, "Mew?" it was easy to tell he was frightened by the way his tender voice shook and he looked around. He blinked back his tears and tilted his head to the side when he looked up at us, "Mew?"

I slowly rose from my seat and walked very slowly towards the child. He shook with every step I took. I sat down before him and I reached my hand out to him but he flinched when my hand got closer. Again my heart went out to the little guy, he was so scared I was going to hurt him. I glared up at the old man and if anything my eyes would have bit into his soul.

The little boy, or Yugi, looked at my hand when I stopped moving and sniffed at it. His tail uncurled and his left ear stood up, leaving the other limp. He hesitantly licked the tip my fingers. In curiosity, he looked up at me with wide eyes.

He was adorable but then the old man hit him in the back with the cane, making him scream again. The tears fell from his eyes but if felt like I was the one crying.

I placed my hand on his head softly and scratched behind his ears, making him stop crying and even a small purr flooded forth.

Footsteps behind me made me turn to see Atem standing just behind me, looking at Yugi. His face and eyes were blank, revealing nothing.

"M-mew?" I heard Yugi's voice shake and I looked back at him. His ears were flat against his head again, his tail curled between his legs. His eyes were watering and he looked so tiny. He couldn't even look at Atem, his body was shaking.

I slowly stood and stepped back, letting Atem move forward.

Yugi fell to the floor, his legs collapsed. He was laying on his back, his arms curling under his chin and his legs folded above him, showing his delicate belly. He was pure submission, I understood that, Atem was complete Alpha and it shone through the way he stared down at the little boy.

Atem reached down ant gently rubbed his belly.

It was no surprise that Yugi was in shock over Atem's gentleness, his eyes were wide and his little mouth was opened in a tiny purr.

Atem whispered just barely loud enough for me to hear, "Good boy." Atem stood and looked at the old man, his eyes cold, "We'll take him."

The old man nodded, "Oh, before I go," he looked down at Yugi with a glare so fierce I was terribly shocked and I could feel the shock flowing off Atem in angered waves, "Yugi is somewhat food aggressive."

Atem nodded silently, containing his anger and looked down at Yugi who was sitting in the same spot.

Yugi shook violently in fear as the old man bent down and sneered close to his face, whispering something that I couldn't hear but to me it looked like a warning.

The old man left quickly before I could say anything.

"Mew?" Yugi was looked after the old man. He stopped shaking the instant the throne room doors shut behind the man. He stared up at me, his head tilted again and his right ear limp. "Mew?" I heard Yugi's stomach growl loudly and I wondered "Did they not feed him?"

I looked over at Atem, "I'm going to get him something to eat."

Atem nodded but before he could walk back to his throne, I kissed him gently on the lips before walking out of the throne room so he could finish the council meeting.

Walking into the kitchen, I carefully sat Yugi down in a high chair and warmed a bottle of milk. I lifted him back up and gently put the nipple to his mouth but he growled. I looked down at him only to see him glaring at me, or trying to. I tried removing the bottle but his small hands clasped around mine, keeping it as place as he ate. He calmed as he finished and I took the empty bottle away from him.

"Nayn," he cooed cutely before he fell asleep in my arms. I walked down a few halls to Atem's and my chambers. I laid Yugi down in the crib and covered him up with the small purple silk blanket. I smiled and laid down on the bed, falling asleep myself.

Watching Yami leave with Yugi, I returned to the meeting.

"Are you sure Yami is safe with that animal in his arms?"

My head snapped towards Seth, "That so called 'animal' happened to have brought a smile to Yami's face after…" I didn't dare finish as pain shot through me.

"So you think that this 'cat-boy' will help you both?" Seth's cold blue eyes narrowed.

I sighed in response, "I'm not sure, but he can at least try."

"I hope so. But I wonder what happened to the little guy's parents. Shouldn't he be with them? I mean aren't Nekos supposed to be with their families? But why isn't he?"