A/N - Thank you for the reviews everyone!

Jade - Yup I mean the black kind of leoprad. "Black Panther" refers to both black leopards and jaguars. A leopard suited Yami more for what I needed (smaller then a jaguar, fast, good tree climbers, strong, powerful, agents of darkness, etc) so I used the word leopard cause I didn't want threatening reviews thinking that I meant jaguar when I said "panther". As for Seto, I love the Final Fantasy games (grew up on them) but his outfit was actually inspired by a picture I have. I'm busy right now but later I'll upload it to KnY so you can see it. (would put in a smily face but ffnet would cut it off)

Seto blinked his eyes open to find a girl with long brunette hair hovering over him. Looking around Seto found he was in a small cottage that he deduced must be in the town that was near the windmill where he had been hunting the cat. Seto wondered what had happened as the last thing he remembered was blacking out during the fire. Somehow he had been saved but he doubted it was the girl's doing

"I'm glad you're awake, you're lucky to be alive," the girl said as she wiped at Seto's brow with a damp cloth. "You and your cat."

"Cat?" Seto questioned. Turning his head slightly, Seto received a face full of black fur as he found the sleeping cat next to him.

"Yes. Is he not yours?" the girl asked him. "My father was one of the first on scene when we saw the smoke rising from the windmill. The villagers found you and the cat outside the mill. The cat was asleep but woke when we began moving you. He followed you here and haven't left your side since. We assumed he was yours since he seemed to know you and felt bad for suspecting that he was a demon. After the fire we figured you sent him here to do some investigation and we thank you for it."

"Umm…you're welcome…I'm thirsty, can you get me some water, please?" Seto asked the girl who silently nodded before leaving the room.

"Wake up you," the hunter commanded as he sat up and began nudging the cat with his hand. Crimson eyes slowly open as Atemu stood and stretched his body. The cat then began rubbing his head against Seto's hand looking for pets.

With a disgusted growl, Seto shoved the cat to the floor. He quickly looked around for his weapons but before he could find them, Atemu had jumped back onto the bed, had climbed into the hunter's lap and began purring.

"Fine! You can live Demon," the hunter grumbled as he unconsciously stroked the cat's back. He noticed that the tips of the cat's fur had been singed in the fire.

"Here is your water Master Hunter," the girl said walking back into the room carrying the glass. She also had a bowl of milk for the cat. The girl handed Seto his water before placing the bowl on the floor, the black cat eagerly jumped down and began lapping at the milk.

"Thank you for your hospitality but I really must be going soon," Seto said to her after drowning his water. His muscles protested as he stood wanting more rest but he still had a job to do.

"I understand Master Hunter," the girl replied. "You have a very demanding job. Your items are in the other room. I will retrieve them for you."

With a small bow, the girl left, once again leaving the hunter and demon alone. Finished with his milk, Atemu quickly jumped up onto Seto's shoulders and immediately settled down.

"Oh no you don't!" Seto protested as he once again shoved the cat to the floor. "I don't know how but you must have some super demon strength for saving my life. That means I'll spare yours for now, not that you have a new best friend!"

Seto growled as the cat sat and stared up at him. Seto eyed Atemu as the cat made a move to leap back up onto his shoulders but once again the girl interrupted them.

"Here are your weapons, sir," she said handing him his quiver of arrows, bow, sword and dagger. "I also found this for your cat. It is wise to have a way to identify him from the many stray cats that roam the land."

Crouching down, the girl tied a red ribbon around the cat's neck. Attached to the ribbon was a small bell that would sound with every footstep the cat took. Seto couldn't help but laugh at the annoyed expression on the cat's face.

Seto had meant to leave the cat behind in the village. After gathering his things he had taken off quickly wanting to get away from the cat. Much to his annoyance however he had barely got out side the village when he heard a meow from behind him.

"Go away!" The cat however made no move to leave. Instead Atemu sat staring up at Seto with his crimson eyes.

"Leave!" The bell around Atemu's neck jingled as the cat got up and walked forward, rubbing his head against the hunter's leg. Seto made a move to kick the cat but then stopped himself; the cat really had not done any harm and had saved his life, perhaps he was wrong in thinking that all demons were evil.

As Seto was lost in his thoughts, he was caught off guard when Atemu jumped up onto his shoulders. The cat gave a gentle meow and rubbed against the hunter's neck before settling down and closings his eyes.

"Fine you can come with me," Seto reluctantly sighed as he reached up and petted Atemu's head. The cat gave off a purr of content. "At least this allows me to keep an eye on you."

The cat was silent now as Atemu fell into a peaceful sleep but Seto continued talking to him. It was nice change to have someone to talk to even if it was a demon cat. "I guess I should name you now….I think I'll call you Yami."

Atemu…Yami…lounged in the sun while he watched the demon hunter wade into the lake. Seto was stripped naked so he could bathe himself in the warm water. It had only been a day since the fire and he wanted to clean off the smoke smell from his body. Atemu certainly had gotten an eye full when Seto had stripped down to nothing right in front of him. Seto still knew that Atemu was a demon but had no clue that Yami also had a human form.

Seto swam across the lake while Atemu continued playing lifeguard, keeping an eye out for danger from where he laid. His head was lifted up so he could watch the demon hunter while his tail flickered back and forth in the sun.

The tall brunet eventually padded back to shore and flopped down on the grassy ground next to the black cat. Seto reached over to pet Atemu, who rolled onto his back and batted his paws playfully up at the demon hunter.

"You are kind of cute," Seto admitted with a small sigh. "But what am I going to do with you?"

"Meow".

"Damnit, I know you're a demon! I know it was you who killed those livestock; something a normal cat would not be able to do! And just how did you pull me out of that fire?"

"Meow".

"Okay, I'm obviously going crazy since I'm now talking to a cat. That fire must have effected me more then I originally thought."

"Meow."

"Shut up Yami," the hunter grumbled but he continued petting the small animal. Contently Atemu purred and rubbed his head into the palm of Seto's hand. "Yeah, you're cute."

Days passed while Seto and Atemu traveled together and became closer friends. Atemu was now used to being called 'Yami'. He really didn't mind Seto giving him that name. In fact he kind of liked it. At times Seto would spend long hours talking to the black cat. It was during one of those rambling talks that Atemu discovered 'Yami' meant 'darkness' in Seto's original language. Atemu thought 'darkness' suited him, not only his fur color but also because he was a leopard, which were called the agents of darkness for their abilities to excel at night. There was as well his past. He knew he would eventually have to come clean with Seto about his identity but for now he would wait content with merely being the demon hunter's pet.

Currently the pair was sitting next to a unite fire which Seto was trying to light. Unfortunately the area was damp which was causing some trouble for the demon hunter.

"Let me help," a voice said and seconds later the wood sparkled as it automatically lit on fire without anyone touching it. Snapping his head around, Seto found a slim white haired individual walking towards him and 'Yami'. The white haired individual stopped in front of the now lit campfire and smirked across it at the surprised demon hunter and cat.

"You're the one from that fire!" Seto snarled reaching for his sword that had been set on the ground next to him, so he could be more comfortable on the ground. The demon hunter however found himself cut off from it by a wall of fire that sprung up from the ground. Not so easily defeated, Seto still had his bow pulling it free from where it was attached to his back. Stringing an arrow, Seto fired at the white haired demon only to have the arrow disintegrate in a column of fire that shot from the demon's hand.

"Easy Hunter my beef isn't with you." The demon then turned his attention to the small black cat that was now hiding behind Seto with only his small head visible so he could watch what was happening. "Hello Kitten."

"Leave Yami alone!"

"Yami, huh?" The fire demon chuckled with amusement. "Nice…but I still prefer Kitten."

"Who are you?" Seto demanded to know, narrowing his eyes at the white haired individual.

"Bakura and I'm growing tired of this small talk." Extending a hand towards the campfire, the flames shot towards the Seto's face stopping only inches away from burning his skin. Seto tried backing up but Bakura would only extend the flames further so the demon hunter could do nothing but stay still and glare at the fire demon. "Come out and talk Kitten or your new friend dies. You have until the count of three. One…Two…"

"Bakura stop!"

Surprised, Seto took the risk to look next to him and instead of find a small, black cat he found a short young man with tri-colored spiky hair. The young man dressed in tight black leather and black cape.

"Nice bell Kitten."

It was only then that Seto realized Yami still had his red ribbon with bell around his neck. Seto would have laughed if it was a different situation where he didn't have flames scorching his skin. The hunter watched with interest as Yami glared at the fire demon with angrily crimson eyes.

"What do you want Bakura?"

"Revenge."

"That was 3000 years ago!"

"I keep grudges a long time…"

"Bastard!"

"You're the one who attempted to kill me Kitten. I was just going to kill you but I think killing your new boyfriend will be more fun." With a sick grin on his face, Bakura had the flames inch closer to Seto's face.

"Stop it Bakura!" Yami angrily yelled at he lunged at the fire demon, transforming mid air into a leopard.

Yami caught Bakura by surprise and landed on him and they both fell to the ground with a heavy thud. Yami clawed at Bakura's body with his paws and sunk his teeth into Bakura's shoulder. The two demons rolled on a few times while Bakura fought to get out of Yami's grasp causing the cat demon to lose his grip on his former friend.

"Bastard!" Bakura spat at him as he stood and dusted himself off. Standing as well, Yami got ready to lunge again but before he could Bakura surrounded himself with a circle of fire. When the fire disappeared Bakura was gone.

Turning human again, Yami looked back at Seto to make sure he was safe and the campfire was back to normal. Instead he found Seto still kneeling on the ground but now with an arrow aimed at his head.

"Listen Seto I can explain…" Yami began but Seto wasn't wavering. "You knew I was a demon!"

"And I was right!"

"It's not like I lied to you!"

"True…" Seto admitted looking unsure of himself and he lowered the bow slightly. "And I owe you my life a second time now." The demon hunter scowled at this. "But I deserve an explanation."

"That was Bakura," Yami explained.

"I gathered…whoever the hell Bakura is..."

"We used to be friends until I tried to kill him…"

Seto quickly rose back up the bow and aimed it once again at the cat demon. "Admitting to attempting to kill your friend is not helping your cause."

"I can explain! When we were teens Bakura and I traveled to the Pool of Destiny…"

"That place actually exists?"

"Yes! Demons use it as a right of passage into adulthood. When demons look into the pool they'll be shown a glimpse of their future. I saw Bakura starting that fire with both you and I in it. So I tried killing him in his sleep to stop him but he woke up and attacked me. I swear I learned my lesson and regret what I did but I can't take it back! Obviously Bakura hasn't forgiven me for what happened since he's still trying to kill me…"

"Why should I believe you?"

"Seto you said it yourself, I saved your life twice. If I meant you harm I wouldn't have done it. I know I should have told you about myself and I'm for not being honest."

"A demon killed my brother," Seto spat as he lowered his bow once again. "I should have killed you before we left Kukai. I knew you'd bring me nothing but trouble."

"I know what happened to Mokuba." Seto winched at the mention of his brother's name but he remained quiet. "But not all demons are like the one who killed him." Taking a chance, Atemu kneeled on the ground next to Seto and placed a gentle hand on the hunter's knee. "I truly am sorry about your brother but I can help you get revenge. I can help you find the demon that did it. Even a demon hunter would have trouble against a powerful demon, which I think is the case in this situation.

"I work alone," Seto huffed shifting away from Yami.

"You didn't a few days ago…"

"That was different!"

"How so? You knew I was a demon then but suspected I was only a cat. You've since found out other wise but I fail to see how anything has changed."

"I don't even know you're name and you want me to trust you?"

"I like Yami."

"That's not you're name and you know it!"

"But that's what I prefer."

"Just tell me your name or leave!" Seto snapped.

"It's Atemu."

"Damn that bastard," Bakura muttered as he tended to the wound on his shoulder. He hadn't expected Atemu to be so defensive over the well being of the demon hunter. Currently Bakura was sitting on the ground some miles away from where he had his encounter with the hunter and the cat demon. He had only run far enough away to clean and wrap up the wound.

It was not uncommon for demons to grow attachments with another but they were only meant to be with the mate their goddess had chosen for them. Nothing could break the bond of two mated demons, not even death, but Bakura knew they had another few years until the latest 500 years were up allowing demons to mate again with a human and turn their mate into one of them.

"I wonder…" Bakura mused as he thought things over. Most demons wouldn't even bother looking for their potential mate until a few months before the ritual, but it was possible.

If Atemu had already found his mate then Bakura would have to change his game plan on extracting his revenge. If the hunter were destined to be with Atemu, then the cat demon would do whatever it took to protect him.

"I need sex," Bakura concluded as he stood and began walking towards the nearest town.