I was locked in a small cell out in a barn with Isa. I was pacing back and forth behind the locked stable door. Master left us with the Slave Trainer for a while, until we learn our place, he said.

Ha. That's not gonna happen. All this is gonna do, is show us we can fight back. But of course, he still left us here. Ah well, it means we're free of the experiment, right?

"Hayley, calm down..." Isa mumbled from a corner of the small room.

"How can I calm down! We're going to be treated worse than with Master! We're only here to be beaten into behaving, or do you not realize that!"

Isa gave a low sigh, "Of course I realize it. But we cannot do anything to stop it. My hope of being saved from this nightmare we may call life died a long time ago."

"Oh, you don't think I noted that?" I replied still pacing in front of him, "I didn't give in yet, Isa... I don't know when I will, either. But I know I won't give up to this guy."

"He's stronger than us. How can you expect to beat him?"

I let a sly grin cross my features, "Wait for the moon."

Isa blinked at me, "That's when he's going to come out and hurt us... he's trying to tame that side, remember?"

I nodded. "Yeah, that's why. That's when he'll be out here. It's when we can fight back!"

And... as if on queue, Ari walked into the barn and over to the stall we were trapped in. I swear, if the door wasn't metal, I woulda busted it down and killed the guy right then. Instead, I gripped the bars on the door and growled at him.

"Oh, relax, mutt. There's nothin' you c'n do to me. I'm out 'ere, you're in there."

I barked out at him... and I don't even know where it came from.. "Don't you call me that!"

"Ya think you can stop me from calling you that, dog?"

"Stop it!" I snarled and shook the bars of the door with all my strength, "Let me out of here!"

See, by that moment, I could feel my mind leaving. I felt the moonlight control and flare my anger, taking over my mind. I felt... powerful... Such a great feeling, raw power coursing through my veins.

Ari laughed out, "No matter 'ow strong ye feel, pooch, those bars can hold you. Why can't you be a good dog, like yer friend?" He nodded to where Isa was sitting in a corner, knees up to his chest and arms wrapped around his legs.

I looked at Isa and back to Ari. I snarled, "I haven't given up. I know Isa though, and he can get his hope back. I don't care what you think, what you say, or what you do."

"Oh, but you'll soon fin' out, mutt, I can and will break your hopes and dreams. I've done the same to many others like you."

"I'll win against you... I know I will. I'm not like the others, I can and I will fight back."

"'Not like the others' are ya?" Ari let out a harsh laugh, and it only made me grip the cell's bars tighter. He brought up his arm, showing me the cuts and scars. "Others have fought back. None have won against me. I'm an expert, dog."

"You haven't met us yet, then. We'll fight you!"

"Oh, really? Seems like your pal, there, has given up already."

I looked at Isa and frowned, turning back to Ari, I let out a low growl. "I can help him. I'll get him to believe again, just wait."

Ari laughed, "It's going to be difficult to train you, girl. But I love a good challenge."

And so do I, old man, so do I...

I snarled at Ari and gripped the bars of the cell tighter. A low growl escaped my throat as my eyes narrowed, "If you know what's good for you, you'd let me out of here..."

Ari snickered, "Oh please, girl. Wha' would make meh let ya out o' there?"

"If you let us out... I won't attack."

"Some'ow, I doubt that, puppy. 'm gettin' paid fer this. Why would I lose my best customer's pets?"

I growled again, tightening my grip on the bars. I bared my fangs, my teeth glistening in the moonlight. "I demand that you let me out of this cell!"

"Keepin' you in that cell, there, would make ya weak, dog." Ari gave me a grin, "Tha's why I'm keepin' ya in there."

"What are you talking about?" I nearly barked out at him.

"It's simple, little dog... I keep you in here, ya get weak. Ya get weak, Ah have an easier time 'training' you two."

Isa stood and moved to stand beside me. He crossed his arms over his chest and snarled. "Basically, you plan to starve us, and keep us locked in until we are too weak to fight back, correct?"

Ari gave a deep chuckle, looking over Isa's skinny figure, "Yer Master certainly gave you lessons on tha', didn't 'e?"

My friend spoke with no emotion in his voice, "He has taught us this lesson several times. Plus, I've learned to read the way people act, and the way you act is the same as our Master."

"Oh, is that true, mutt?" I saw Isa flinch at the name. Ari laughed and kept taunting, "It seems that not alot has gone into your stomachs. Ah don't know 'ow long you two can last without food."

I smirked, "We can last quite a while. That was one of Master's successful experiments." Isa nodded.

Ari smirked, "Stay here like good little puppies, or you'll need to be punished like the bad dogs you are."

"We are not dogs!" Isa nearly shouted at the man, snapping his jaws at Ari's hand on the cell's bar.

The Slave Trainer yanked his hand back as Isa grazed it with his fangs. A trickle of blood trailed down the big man's closed fist and dripped onto the hay covered floor. Ari smirked, "Does this mutt need to be punished already?"

Isa stood his ground, while I was there, arms crossed protectively, next to him, glaring down the man who was to replace our Master for a while. My friend snarled, showing his fangs, "I do not fear you, nor anything you would do."

Ari gave a dark laugh, "Ya don't do ya?" He pulled the cell's door to the side, sliding it open. He pushed me backwards, causing me to fall in a pile of hay. Isa was tugged forward by his wrist, through the cell door and next to Ari. I jumped up and tried to reach the door in time... it slammed shut in front of me, cutting me away from helping Isa. I cried out for him like a wounded wolf, whining for his safety.

The Slave Trainer chuckled, "Seems like your friend doesn' wanna see you hurt... boy, is she gonna be disappointed."

Isa was quiet; he looked down at the floor, trying to ignore the man talking to him.

Ari chuckled; he dug a fist in Isa's hair and pulled his head back. My friend bared his teeth, not giving the man any satisfaction of getting a pained noise from him. The Trainer snarled, pulling Isa's head back farther. My friend whimpered, closing his eyes lightly, trying to block out the pain.

I let out a light yelp, and sunk back into the cage. I let my hands move to cover my eyes; with any hope... this would all end soon...