Chapter 3

Once, Sasuke's breathing evened out and Naruto could tell that he was asleep, he slid out from under the bed and made his way back to the window. Laying down in front of it, Naruto enjoyed the feel of the sun coming through the glass and warming him. Closing his eyes, Naruto found himself drifting off to sleep, enjoying the peace that had seemed like had finally found him.

"Mom, Dad" A young Naruto cried out in joy as he spotted both his parents coming towards him. They hadn't been gone that long but still Naruto didn't care, he didn't like being separated from them, even though he was now ten years old and more than capable of taking care of himself for a little while.

"Calm down Son" his father laughed as Naruto pounced on him as soon as he was close enough. "You would think we have been gone for years." Minato said as he looked over at his wife. Minato had yellow ears and tail while his wife, Kushina had red ears and tail. Minato had met Kushina 12 years ago when he had gone into Konoha to trade some furs that he had. It had been love at first sight for the two neko's. They had courted briefly before they had gotten married and then Naruto had come along two years later. Minato didn't think it was possible to be any happier than he was when he was with his family.

Though of late, some slave hunters were trying to buy Naruto from him and Kushina. Minato loving Naruto refused to give his son over, because he had heard of the things the slave hunters done to the slaves they captured. Minato was not going to allow Naruto to experience that. So far Minato had been able to fend them off, but the hunters were becoming more determined. And Minato could easily admit to becoming worried, he didn't want anything to happen to his family.

"Naruto we were only gone a couple of hours." Kushina said as she smiled at the father and son currently embroiled in a wrestling match. She watched them for a few minutes before disappearing into their cabin. Suddenly though she got a strong sense of danger, stopping, her ears twitched as she listened for anything that would point towards danger.

"I didn't think you and your husband would ever return" A harsh voice spoke from the darkness. "I'm done messing with you, I'm taking the little one and your not going to stop me."

"Yes, I will" Kushina hissed and growled "I won't allow you to lay a hand on my son."

"I plan on doing more than laying my hands on him." The man hissed as he raised his gun, and shoved her towards the door and back out onto the porch.

"I think I have something you want." The man yelled at Minato who was still wrestling with Naruto. "I will give you your wife for your son."

"Don't" Kushina mouthed to Minato shaking her head. "Don't give Naruto up."

"Its your wife's life if you don't hand him over." The hunter said as he pressed the gun against Kushina's temple. Minato and Naruto both looked panicked. Minato didn't want to hand Naruto over, but he didn't want to lose his wife either, they were both precious to him. Tears formed in Kushina's eyes as she looked down at Naruto. She knew from this moment on, Naruto's life would probably be more difficult no matter what happened, because there was no winning in this situation.

"Mom" Naruto cried as he breaks out of his father's hold and he rushes towards the porch, only to be slugged roughly in the stomach, leaving him gasping for air on the ground. Naruto can only raise his head and watch in terror as the hunter holding his mother, pulls the trigger on the gun, taking Naruto's mother's life instantly.

Blood sprayed Naruto's eyes as he stared in shock as the hunter dropped his mother's body carelessly to the ground. He started walking towards Naruto, reaching down and grabbing him by the back of his neck.

"He belongs to me now" The hunter told Minato as he raised the gun and shot Minato point blank in the chest.

"Father!" Naruto screamed as tears began to pour from his eyes.

"Shut up runt." the hunter growled as he roughly dropped Naruto to the ground, before placing a choke collar around Naruto's neck and clipping it to a leash, before tying his arms tightly behind him.

"I won't have you making any trouble." The hunter murmured into Naruto's ear, as he reached down into Naruto's pants and gripped him roughly. Naruto squeaked and tried to pull away but it was useless, he was bound too tightly.

"I don't think I can sell you to the mines for a few years since your so small" The hunter murmured "But I can afford to keep you until your big enough to sell."pulling his hand out of Naruto's pants, the hunter proceeded to shove him towards his wagon where, several other hunters were waiting around.

"I told you getting this runt would be easy, it only took murdering his parents." the hunter laughed cruelly ignoring the tears in the young neko's hunter tied the end of Naruto's leash to the wagon before climbing in and swishing the reins, making the weary horses move. Naruto gagged as the leash pulled tightly around his throat forcing him to nearly run to keep up with the wagon and to avoid choking. Naruto cried silently as he was forced to keep a cruel pace with the wagon for a few hours. It was only after dark that the hunters stopped. \

Naruto collapsed onto the ground, once the movement stopped, not caring that his movement was forcing his to stretch his neck so that he could breathe.

"Having a hard time?" the man with the snake like features asked grinning down at him, unhooking the leash from the wagon, the hunter dragged Naruto into the woods, where the man stripped him of his clothes and beat him into near unconsciousness before having his way with him. When he was finished he dragged the small neko back into the camping area, where Naruto was pulled into the air by the rope tied around his wrists, he was high enough his feet could barely touch the ground forcing Naruto to hold himself up by his wrists. As Naruto hung there, his wrists burning from the ropes, Naruto glared and hissed, wanting nothing more than to go back to his parents bodies and to die with them. He could still feel the blood running down his legs, and he hated the way the other men were staring at him.

"Do whatever you want to him." The man called Orochimaru said "but keep him alive, I want to be able to sell him." from there, the other men took turns whipping him as hard as they could manage, not caring that they were ripping the small neko's skin, they ignored his cries of pain as a few chose to have their way with him.

This went on for the next five years, until Naruto could no longer voice his fear and his shame. The hunters were pleased that Naruto was undernourished and seemed broken beyond repair mentally. The abuse not only affected Naruto mentally but physically as well, the lack of food made Naruto painfully thin, his skin stretched tightly over his ribs, giving him a gaunt appearance, not only that but the constant beatings had affected his height, the boy remained the same size as he had been when he had been captured. It was only after Naruto had been so broken, that he was fearful of anyone coming near him that Orochimaru decided to sell him at the slave market. From there Naruto had been put in with the other neko's but he had been unable to fight for his own food and he had been roughly used when the other males went into heat. So the Kabuto decided that it would be best to put the boy into a cage and hope that someone would want him, it was either that or he would put the miserable beast out of his misery.

Naruto jerked awake, as the sound of a door shutting not so quietly awoke him from his nightmare. Naruto fearfully climbed to his feet as Sasuke's door opened and anther dark haired man that Naruto hadn't seen entered the room.

"Itachi said he bought Sasuke a pet" the man said approaching the blonde who cowered into the corner, fear flooding his veins making him tremble. Naruto's ears pressed flat against his head, and he hissed as he pressed himself against the window.

"Looks like a feisty one too" Shisui said as he reached down and tugged on Naruto's ear, causing the neko to hiss and try to back away. "I will admit he is a good looking little pet. What does Sasuke need with you." Shisui reached down and roughly ran his hand down Naruto's chest, causing the boy to hiss again.

"Do you not talk?" Shisui asked "if that's the case Sasuke should certainly put you down, he has no need for someone like you." As Shisui poked him again, Naruto bared his fangs, hissing before burying his teeth into Shisui's wrist, not caring that he drew blood as the dark haired boy yanked his wrist out of Naruto's mouth. Without thinking Shisui drew his foot back and slammed it as hard as he could into Naruto's ribs, making a loud snapping sound.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" an angry Sasuke demanded when he heard the loud yowl of pain came from Naruto.

"He attacked me!" Shisui said glaring down at the gasping blonde, who trembled in fear.

"Any animal, when backed into a corner, will attack" Sasuke said glaring "and from what I can tell you obviously deserved. What the hell are you doing in here anyways."

"Itachi told me about your furry friend. I wanted to see him myself, if he gets anywhere near me, make no mistake I will shoot him." Shisui said glaring at Sasuke before turning and storming out of the room, slamming the door as he went.

Sasuke glared at the door, before turning and kneeling down beside the harshly panting neko. Naruto hissed softly as Sasuke reached out and touched the already bruising ribs.

"Shhh." Sasuke said gently "I'm not going to hurt you." he turned as his door opened and his brother entered the room.

"What got Shisui so pissed.?" Itachi asked.

"He got mad because he hurt Naruto and Naruto returned the favor" Sasuke replied. "I think Shisui broke a couple of his ribs, so do me a favor and fetch Tsunade would you?"

"Shisui does have a temper." Itachi muttered shaking his head. Before pulling his phone out and calling for the doctor. Naruto whimpered in pain bringing both boys attention back to the neko.

"I'm going to get you fixed up" Sasuke said softly reaching up and gently stroking Naruto's ears. "You won't be hurting too much longer." Naruto blinked back tears at the gentle tone of Sasuke's voice. Reaching out, Naruto gently nudged Sasuke's hand with his head. Sasuke blinked, that was the first time that Naruto himself had reached out for Sasuke's touch, the other times Sasuke had to initiate contact himself. Sasuke returned to stroking Naruto's soft ears, hoping that the movement would be enough to distract Naruto from his pain.

"Shisui said he would shoot Naruto the next time he saw him." Sasuke told Itachi as Tsunade entered the room, carrying her medical kit. "My advice would be to keep him in the East side of the manor so their paths will not cross. If it comes down to it, I will choose Naruto over him."

"He's your cousin." Itachi pointed out.

"He also screwed my girlfriend the entire time I was dating her." Sasuke replied "Family doesn't do that."

"You do have a point, but at some point you are going to have to forgive him." Itachi said.

"Not right now I don't" Sasuke said watching as Tsunade touched the injured ribs making Naruto hiss in pain.

"Watch it!" Sasuke snapped at the doctor, not liking that she was causing the neko more pain.

"I'm being as careful as I can." Tsunade replied "he has two broken ribs, there is no pain free way of treating that." Sasuke huffed out a breath and returned to distracting Naruto from the pain. Finally Naruto's ribs were wrapped, and Sasuke had helped the neko over to his bed, where he lay Naruto down on top of the covers.

"I promise I won't allow anyone else to harm you." Sasuke murmured trying to ignore the site of the scars on Naruto's back. He couldn't imagine what the boy had been through to get them.

"I'll make sure Shisui sticks to the East side from now on." Itachi said "There is no reason for him to be cruel to anyone human or hybrid." Sasuke nodded.

"He's going to be sore for a couple of weeks" Tsunade told Sasuke "So no rough housing with him."

"At the moment he kind of prefers hiding to interacting with anyone." Sasuke replied "I figure eventually he will figure out he can trust us." A few minutes later Tsunade left, leaving Sasuke and Naruto alone. Naruto was nearly asleep when Sasuke turned towards the door himself, however a small whine from the injured Naruto stopped him in his tracks and he turned around to see Naruto watching him. He whined again softly, and Sasuke walked over and sat down on the floor beside the bed, and Naruto turned his head towards Sasuke's hand. Sasuke smiled softly as the other began to drift to sleep. How did the neko trust him so much already? Sasuke didn't think he really deserved it, he didn't think that he had really earned it. Sasuke wanted Naruto to trust him, and he didn't mind working for it. He had the feeling that Naruto needed him as much as Sasuke needed Naruto.

SO I gave you guys a part of Naruto's past, he will eventually tell Sasuke. Thanks for reading and reviewing! Liz

PS. The Sound of Madness will be updated next!