Chapter 7: On The Trail

Hi there everybody, I hope you're all excited about this next installment in "A Mate for a Pet".

And . Go.

Atemu yawned as he wondered aimlessly along the walkway of the menagerie, he'd been allowed out after breakfast for some excerise. The morning sun was bright and cheerful, a sharp contrast to the young werewolf's mood.

Atemu's depression always seemed to amplify when the sun would disappear, leaving darkness in it's place.

"How much" Atemu wondered staring up at the clouds "How much longer?"

"Hey there Atemu!" a voice called pulling Atemu out of his thoughts.

"Oh hello Valon" Valon and his cousin Alister were two of the servants assigned as caretakers to the menagerie.

"Word is the king is for a new werewolf" the brown haired boy said chucking large pieces of meat into the hyena pit.

"A mate actually" Atemu muttered.

Valon grinned wolfishly "Ah, so you're finally gonna get some huh?" he snickered.

"V-Valon there's more to it than that!" Atemu stammered blushing.

"Hahaha aw are you blushing?" the brown haired keeper laughed.

Atemu decided to change the subject "Anyway, Pegasus didn't come by this morning, is he busy?"

"Oh you could say that" Valon said wiping his hands on a piece of cloth "Tea, the Queens lady in waiting was telling us all at dinner last night that her highness is planning to another child." The young werewolf's eyes widened in surprise.

"Is that so?" Atemu never knew why Pegasus and Cecilia didn't have any children, they had a small son once he'd died. He did not know the details as it was a topic the gentle queen couldn't bare to talk about, and a subject the king pointedly avoided "That's great I guess".

Valon smiled and patted Atemu on the back "Hey you want to help me today? I have to give the baby elephant a bath".

"Absolutely".


Yami and Joey had their noses hard at work sniffing the ground, the air, and the gangly roots of nearby scrubs and trees, hoping to find some traces of their missing pack mates.

Yami knew that searching around the swimming hole was useless so focusing their efforts in the direction the pepper bomb was thrown was their best bet.

"Find anything Joey?" the alpha inquired.

The gold werewolf took a strong whiff from a moss bed "I don't - wait I think I got something!" he shouted excitedly wagging his tail "They *sniff* went this way, towards the meadow!"

"Well what are we waiting for let's go!" the black werewolf said.

And with that, the two companions dashed away, streaking through the undergrowth of the forest.


Yami and Joey burst on scene in a flurry of leaves. But the meadow where Bakura had set up camp was completely empty; the only evidence was the ashy remains of the cooking fire and an old beat up water bucket.

"I don't understand" Joey was the first to break the uneasy silence "All three of their scents are strongest here, so where are they?"

"It smells like they had company" Yami growled sniffing the grass.

"Hey look over here Yami I found something!" Joey called standing by a patchy area.

"Wagon tracks…let's follow them Joey, we must be getting closer." Yami growled staring at the track marks in the soft earth.

"I'm right behind you so brave leader!"


Ryou panted slightly as he was forced to walk chained to the back of the cage wagon, Yugi had shifted into his small black wolf form. Ryou sighed tiredly, he couldn't risk that luxury, even though his feet hurt from this so called death march, and the chains hurt his slender pale wrists, he had to convince these strange people that he was human like Bakura. So far the simple disguise was working.

"What did Marik do to Bakura" the albino wondered glancing between the Rare Hunter and the poacher who walked like a zombie next to him. Bakura's normally shiny brown eyes were glazed over and distant.

"Whatever he did, that gold rod was cause of it, please Bakura snap out of it soon". Ryou prayed silently.

The further they progressed the thinner tree's became, the Rare Hunters were leading them out of the protection of the forest. Just then, the groups single female member Ishizu spoke up "Look brother the castle is near, should we take precaution?"

Marik squinted his violet eyes in thought "No sister, I believe we will make it to the castle gates just fine, the werewolf is successfully caged, and the prisoners are secure. I do not think we'll have any problems".

Finally the tree's gave way to reveal Pegasus's castle, both Yugi and Ryou were in awe, they'd never been outside the forest before so seeing such a structure was mind blowing. The high torrets and towers rose higher than the tallest pine tree's, the walls of the castle looked thick and impenetrable. Here and there giant red flags with a winged white horse flapped in the breeze from the battlements.

Ryou sighed in relief when the procession stopped at the iron gates of the fortress.

"Who goes there?" a guard called.

"The Rare Hunters have returned with a gift for the King!" Marik responded. The heavy gates thundered and clanked upward to allow the party through to the court yard.

Just then a strangled cry of pain and fear filled the air, causing Marik to whirl around in surprise "What the devil?!" he shouted angrily.

End Chapter.

Done! Everyone please review and tell me how you simply can't live without my expert story telling. I think this chapter was okay for now, until then.