The rustling leaves sounded loud to Shaun as he tried to hide further in the bushes. Holding his breath, he flattened himself as close to the ground as possible. When the man who had spoken moved slightly, Shaun scrambled backward. Unable to stop the sound, a low, warning pulse erupted from his throat and he stilled completely.

The man, who had been lying on his back, rolled slowly onto his stomach and peered into the brush. "You are a were. I won't hurt you. My name is Ashley." He got up and held out his hand. When Shaun didn't respond, the man named Ashley straightened his back. "Come," he said, using the authoritative inflection of a Master; although in his case, apparently one without a pet to control.

An enraged snarl filled the air but was quickly bitten back as the command almost shocked Shaun into obedience. Crawling forward, he slowly left his hiding place.

"I thought so." For a moment, Ashley stilled, looking Shaun over.

Muscular and sleek, Shaun knew he was a rare find even when only half-shifted, especially with his black-and-white striped fur.

"What is your name? If you know the command, then I know you can speak."

"Shaun." Clad only in a black loincloth, very little of him was covered. With fluid motion, he moved to his hands and knees in front of Ashley.

"You don't belong out here."

Ashley reached out and hummed softly. It was a technique used by Masters to calm their pets. He traced the outline of the tattoo etched into Shaun's skin, just at the nape of his neck. It was a procedure done when a were was captured. Once a Master took possession, the star would take on the form of the Master's initial, signifying ownership. Shaun's tattoo was still that of a perfect star, showing that he was unclaimed.

The soft trill brought a visible relaxation to Shaun's tense body, though he tried to fight against the effect. Biting at his lip, his head lowered, allowing Ashley to touch him.

"I won't hurt you," Ashley murmured. "How long have you been free?"

The words might have been meant as some form of comfort, but Shaun didn't take them that way.

Lifting his head and raising his chin higher in a defiant manner, he said, "For more than two months. I've lived out here on my own."

"You need proper bedding and a bath," Ashley said matter-of-factly. He picked up a cigarette butt from the grass beside him and stood slowly, pushing the butt into one of his jeans pockets. "Come."

Because he was given no choice in the matter, Shaun hissed angrily; but, nonetheless, he followed slowly behind the man. It would do no good to beg to be left out here. He already knew what a prize he'd be viewed as.

Kitten 2
There were only a few places that allowed pets to enter without being accompanied by their owners. Shaun could shop in the market if he had Ashley’s permission. The owner of the store knew Ashley so Shaun had been allowed to do their grocery shopping. Tonight he wanted a special dinner for his master.

He didn’t exactly have Ashley’s permission for this idea, but then it wouldn’t be a surprise if he did. Since his master trusted Shaun in all things, he felt no qualms as he pushed the cart around the aisles, searching for what he wanted. Carefully he selected the lobster tails and the ingredients for the seafood salad he planned on making. As he passed by a selection of candles, he hesitated. He definitely wanted something romantic for Ashley, and he paused for a long moment, eyeing row after row of candles. Finally, Shaun settled on two slender red ones with ruby-colored crystal holders.

After picking out a good wine, he took his purchases to the checkout. Shaun put everything on the counter and patiently waited his turn. He knew the clerk by name and gave her a smile as she began ringing his things up.

"Something special tonight, Shaun?" Tina asked as she scanned his items. Most of the clerks knew him quite well and were generally friendly to him.

"Master’s birthday." Shaun grinned at her. Spying a small box of Ashley’s favorite chocolates, he picked it up and quickly added it to the pile. Most of the time Ashley always bought Shaun’s favorite, and Shaun wanted to return the favor.

"Tell Ashley I said Happy Birthday."

"I will, Miss Tina." After he bagged everything, he took the receipt from her. In a good mood, he left the store and headed back to the house.

As he walked across the park, he spotted two enforcers walking toward him. Instead of passing the were by, one of them stepped abruptly in front of Shaun. Forced to stop, Shaun stared down at the ground, waiting for one of them to speak.

"Your mark, were," The older man demanded as he grabbed Shaun’s arm with bruising pressure.

Not daring to struggle or argue, Shaun bowed his head as the other man pulled back his hair. Shaun felt the press of the recorder to his neck as it scanned his tattoo.

"He belongs to Ashley Winters. He’s clear."

"Pity. He’d be worth ten years' salary on the market." Disgruntled, the man raised his hand and gripped Shaun’s chin, forcing Shaun to look at him.

Dread nearly made Shaun tremble as he saw the gleam of avarice in the man’s eyes. With a shrug, the other man said, "He’s legit. Nothing you can do."

Reminded of that fact, the enforcer released Shaun and moved to the side. "Get out of here, were."