Again, kind of short, but that's just how it goes. Then I can write bigger chapters when I need too. ^.^

Shuuhei stepped into the sunlight pooled just outside his window. Normally he would've taken the same path as his master, but there was something else he had to do before he went on his way. Unknown to everyone, even Renji, a small garden had been built just outside his room. He wasn't exactly sure how people failed to notice it, but the place was beautiful, and the only way to get out was through his window or going straight up. Creatures lived in the small garden, that much he knew, and a little stream had found it's way into the enclosed area. The pool it formed glistened in the sunlight from above.

He wasn't alone when he went. Living in the garden was a young cat that he had taken to calling Sori, and along with him was a butterfly name Yu. Normally, he wouldn't have taken the time to name the creatures, but they were his only friends in the prison that had become his home.

Sori appeared then, jumping from one of the three trees that grew in the edges of the garden. The young cat landed gently on his shoulders, curling around his neck. Shuuhei reached up to run his fingers over the white cat's fur, hearing the creature purr quietly. "I have to go away for awhile, Sori. Will you be okay with catching mice for the rest of the week?" He asked. Although he expected no answer, the cat flicked his tail against his cheek, as if telling him not to fret.

The brunette sighed softly before letting him jump to the ground, pulling a small bag from the side of his robes. Inside were a few pieces of smoked jerky and he slipped them out, giving them to Sori and keeping one for himself. "And be nice to Yu while I'm gone, alright?" He scolded gently.

Turning away from the cat, he went back through the window and set to work getting ready. Shuuhei often wondered why Sori never left; the window was always left open, and he certainly never trapped the tom cat. After about five minutes of shifting around the room, he went to pull open the door, but a meow caught his attention.

Sori stood by his feet again, jumping up onto his hip before back onto his shoulders. "Sori, what are you doing? You can't come with me." The white cat meowed again, but it refused to move. Shuuhei swallowed nervously, realizing that he was going to be late if he waited any longer. Pulling the cat from his shoulders, he placed him in his bag, hearing him hiss in protest. "If you want to come, this is the best I can offer," he said sternly, running out of the room swiftly.

Renji grumbled softly as he watched his servant run from the castle. He was starting to doubt that the brunette would show up at all, but there he was. The boy looked nervous and flustered, so unlike the usual grace he held as he ran. Eyeing him suspiciously for a moment, he looked to Grimmjow, Izuru, and a fairly new member of his hidden guild, Rangiku, stood at his side. Besides Shuuhei, they were also accompanying him.

They looked tired in the half-light, and Renji knew that they were. His gathering of people, consisting mainly of Grimmjow, Izuru, Ichigo, and Rukia, was an illegal organization that he had formed behind the king's back. Only his closest allies were allowed to join, and Shuuhei would have been a member as well, but there were certain things that prevented him from granting the boy that permission.

He felt bad about taking the boy's freedom, but that had been in the beginning. By now, any regret he had was gone; he was selfish, and wanted Shuuhei for no one but himself. If he gave the brunette free will, then that gave him the right to chose who he wanted to be with and where he wanted to go, and Renji wanted him no where but at his side and with him. The child belonged to him, plain and simple.

As Shuuhei finally reached him, he climbed up onto his horse, watching as everyone but the brunette did the same. He would normally ride with the redhead, but Renji was still pissed off abut the tattoo, so he was forcing the teen to keep up with him. "Let's go," he said, spurring his horse as the four of them began to follow him as well.

Shuuhei stared after them in shock. Renji didn't actually expect him to run, did he . . .? He could barely run around the castle, let alone keep up with horses. Sori squirmed in the bag, but Shuuhei ran a gentle hand over the top of it, successfully calming the creeature down. Either way, he was going to be punished, in some way, shape, or form. In this case, it was follow Renji and possibly collapse from lack of breath, or two, stay behind. And that would result in an unwelcomed beating.

Beginning to run, he was already losing sight of the group as they moved swiftly across the plain. He stopped after a few minutes, trying to catch his breath. Acrid wind stung the back of his throat, scratched at his eyes, and scraped through his mouth. He wasn't going to be able to do this much longer; he'd already lost sight of the others, and his body was trembling violently. Keep up with running horses? Renji was insane!

Trying to force air into his lungs, the servant failed. His feet stumbled and he tripped, rolling across the ground. His last thought as he rested there was wondering if Sori was alright.

The cat will come into play later on in the story. ^w~ Anyways, bad Renji, making poor Shuu run like that. I shall see next chapter, if anyone of you are actually reading this. -Shuu