The Crow and The Cat

Chapter 11

Atem rushed down the stairs and into the kitchen just as a large black car retreated from sight, to fast and wild to be discarded.

"Yuugi, are you here?" He called. No answer. Of course, his initial reaction was to chase after the car, which was possible considering he had just grown his wings again, but he knew better. Even if he did catch up, what could he do? His head hung. Even if he'd only met his little counter-part a few days ago, he felt attached to the younger teen. Very attached, he already missed the sweet smile and... His head snapped up. That car was a rental, and it had an Egyptian symbol in the back window. That could only mean... Atem bolted for the stairs. "Seto. Seto get up. Now." He shouted, bursting through the door and kicking at his cousins side... a little harder than he had intended. It ghosted over the brunette and ended up landing on the Blondes tail. Both sleeping boys were awoken, and the golden puppy went into hysterics.

"I-I'm sorry! I won't do it again!" He cried, shielding his face with his hands. Atem cringed at his reaction, and the glare he received from Seto. If looks could kill, Atem knew he would be a pile of ash as of now.

"Calm down, Puppy. You're safe, I'm here." Kaiba soothed, pulling the blonde flush against his body. Atem watched in surprised silence as the blonde calmed and buried his face in his cousin's neck. It took him a moment, but he soon remembered the problem at hand.

"Both of you, listen to me!"

Jounouchi, even though Kaiba's hand had found it's way to into the hair at the top of his head, turned and looked at Atem.

"What is it?" He asked, removing Seto's hand from his head and leaning out of his embrace.

"Yuugi's been kidnapped."

"I can smell him! He went this way!"

Atem, Seto and Katsuya were in the front yard, and the blonde was sniffing around. Atem winced.

"Seto, can't you turn him, fully, into a dog?" He asked. The other turned and looked at him with an impassive, yet eerily annoyed face.

"I suppose I could, why?"

I motioned to the half human, he had his head close to the ground and his body sticking up behind it. His cousin smirked, it seemed he was... enjoying the view. Atem shivered, disgusted with his cousin's blatant staring. He wasn't below begging, or bribing...

"If you turn him full dog, you can carry him you know."

His cousin looked intrigued, then smiled... or leered, whichever. Atem never knew he could be so creepy.

"Puppy, come over here a moment."

The blonde turned and blew a raspberry at the brunette.

"Don't call me that!"

Seto frowned, then simply walked up to Jounouchi and took ahold of his shoulder;

"Look at me, Puppy." He said softly. Jounouchi tried to pull away, a strained look on his face. Kaiba's hand tightened.

"Katsuya, look at me."

The blonde finally turned and looked at the brunette, annoyed.

"What is it, Kaiba?"

Seto leaned in, until he was almost touching noses with Jounouchi, the passed and whispered something into his ear. The blonde blushed, a bright red that rivaled that of Atem's own hair, before whimpering and completely transforming into a dog. Atem was impressed. The key to the transformation of any of them; Seto, Katsuya, Yuugi or himself was trust. If the one being transformed trusted the transformer enough, they would become either full animal or human.

"Cousin, what did you say to him?" He asked, patting the Jou-dog on his head. The golden puppy pouted.

"None of your business, now let's get going. If the Embassy got a hold of him, we don't have much time…"

Yuugi's arms were tied in a straightjacket, his feet bound by ropes, a gag had been placed in his mouth and his entire head was placed in a potato sack. He was hot and tired and his mouth was raw at the corners, but he was also worried about his friends. He hopped that Jounouchi, Kaiba and Atem were all safe. A small whimper escaped his throat along with a single word;

"Atemu-san."

Atem froze, he was sure he had heard his Aibou's voice just then. Neither Jounouchi nor Kaiba had noticed him stop and continued their search. A shiver went through Atem's spine as he remembered the small voice uttering his name and the need to find Yuugi suddenly elevated.

"Have you found anything?" Atem asked, catching up to his cousin and friend. Kaiba turned around with a glare, but Jounouchi's tail wagged.

"Yeah, he's this way!" He exclaimed, jumping from Seto's arms and running full speed down the road. Both Atem and Seto followed him, struggling to keep up as the golden puppy continued on.

"Hey mutt, wait for us!" bellowed Seto, speeding up. Atem was left in the pair's dust, and he wasn't happy about it. Gathering all his energy and desperation he increased his speed.

Wait for me Aibou, trust in me.

Yuugi was unloaded from the trunk of the car and thrown roughly onto the ground. He whimpered quietly as he was picked up and carried.

"Wait for me Aibou, trust in me."

"Atemu-san!" he whispered, he was sure he had heard him.

"Aibou! ... My Aibou, listen to me, we don't have much time. I need you to trust me."

Yuugi nodded, even though he knew Atem couldn't see it.

"I trust you." He whispered, it was the truth. He could feel Atem's smile.

"Good."

"Aibou!" Atem exclaimed, stopping in his tracks and holding his head in his hands. Katsuya and Seto stopped, both turning to stare at Atem. He stopped talking and tried to convey his thoughts to his little one;

'...My Aibou ,listen to me, we don't have much time. I need you to trust me.' He thought. He was awarded with a tiny voice;

"I trust you."

"Good."

Atem then ran to Kaiba and took him aside.

"I need to know what you said to Jounouchi so I can say it to my Aibou. I need him to change into his animal."

His cousin leered, a creepy aura emanating from him.

"Sure I can tell you, but I don't think it'll work with him."