No Man's World

by Stormwolf Dawn

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story is going to be really strange. Its an AU, I don't know why I am suddenly into AU's, but I truly enjoy writing them. This idea came to me in a dream(yes, I am psychotic, but they haven't caught me yet).

This is also slash, and will therefore be rated NC-17 for explicit sexual situations between two males.

Jim/Blair

Disclaimers: Hell Pet Fly may own them, but they sure haven't done much to them lately, therefore I have kidnapped these characters and I am keeping them in a cage in my house. I only let them out for excercise. LOL. Well anyway, I hope you enjoy this. I am not going to put up alot of background as to the hows and whys.

By Stormwolf Dawn

After a lengthy investigation of a museum robbery, Detectives Jim Ellison and Blair Sandburg capture the thief, and recover the stolen items. However, they find a strange black stone made of some unknown material among the thief's takings, only the stone was not mentioned in the theft report from the museum. Jim uses his sentinel abilities to learn more about the strange oblong stone, when he discovers a loose area on the stone. Accidently pressing the stone catch, there is a blinding light that surrounds the bullpen, and when it dissapears all persons within the bullpen and Simon's office are gone.

The snow fell in flurries across the forested landscape. The sky was a grey tone that seemed ominous as it hung over the mountains and forest. A cold north wind blew down into the sheltered valley where several humans huddled beneath fur hides blankets surrounding a large fire in a stone cairn. Above the fire spitted on sharpened wood was a small deer whose cavity was filled with the meager roots that could be found.

Sitting crosslegged on a rock not far from the campsite with a homemade bow lying across his lap, Jim Ellison studied the landscape around him with his Sentinel senses. Seated behind him, arms wrapped around the big cop's waist was his partner, lover and Guide, Blair Sandburg. Blair leaned his head against Jim's broad back trying to soak up what little warmth the sentinel offered. Both of them were clothed in hides that had been tanned and sewn together with what supplies they could find. Not a stitch remained of the clothes they had worn that day in the bullpen some three months before.

"We should have gotten out of these mountains before winter set in." Jim said for what to Blair had seemed the hundreth time.

"We couldn't. You know that. We didn't have the supplies, we didn't know where or even when we were. Hell, we still don't know that! And then there were the injuries. Dammit Jim, we had to stay together!" Blair explained exasperated at having to do so....again. Jim nodded, but seemed unconvinced. The sentinel looked over at the rest of the Major Crimes team. Rhonda was adding more wood to the fire, as Megan turned the spit. Rafe and Brown were gathering more of the wood, and setting it in the pile beside the fire. Simon was checking on Daryl, who had a slight fever. He forced his son to drink the tea that Blair had made from herbs he had found that would help with the fever. Daryl had been unlucky enough to have been visiting his dad that day.

"That's the last of our food, Chief." Jim said even though he knew Blair already knew that. Blair held onto his lover tighter at that. "I don't have a choice, Blair. Its either that, or watch all of you starve. I know what I am doing."

"Its dangerous, Jim. What if they catch you. Hell, we don't know what they are, why they're here. I mean, jeez. Where are the cities, where are the humans?" Blair cried as he tightened his grip on the sentinel.

"I don't know, Chief. They haven't bothered us yet. And they have what we need." He smiled suddenly, "I'll just be the fox that raids the chickencoop."

"Yeah, but sometimes the fox gets shot."

"Only if he's not sly enough, Chief. I'll go tomorrow night. There's a farmhouse a few miles from here. It had a large barn, and several livestock. I should be able to get what we need. We'll continue on our way to get out of these mountains and into the lowlands. There should be better hunting and foraging there."

Blair nodded, knowing that it was the only way.

The next night, Jim told Simon what he planned. Simon agreed, and told Jim to be careful. Of all of them, Jim's abilities, and training made him the logical choice to be the one to raid one of the Cats farmhouses.

The Cats, as the Major Crimes team called them, were the apparent lords of this strange earth. They were at a technological and social level of Medieval Earth. They looked a bit like Cats, and stood at an average of eleven feet tall. They had prehensile tails, like a monkey, clawed hands and feet, whiskers. Their senses, however, were no better than a humans. They did not have cat hearing or sight. They were powerfully strong, and extremely intelligent. Their society looked alot like Medievilism, with castles and towns built just like what humans had built long ago on their world. They had only seen the Cats at a distance, but the Cats had seen them too, and had not been shocked. They had pointed the humans out, however, to the younger Cats that had been among the caravan that had been traveling on a well paved road. All and all the world they found themselves to be in was strange indeed.

Jim shook his head from the thoughts as he gazed down at the quiet farmhouse below him. The house was a small one story building made of wood and stone. A dirt track led up to the house, and Jim knew the track eventually veered onto the stone highway that snaked its way throught the mountains and down to the city and castle that had been built near the Sound. Everything about the world was like earth. Specifically, Washington state. They were in the Cascade Mountains. The Puget Sound was right were it should be. Everything was there except for what humans had built. Not far from the farmhouse was the wood barn where he had watched the farmer haul his livestock into, as well as the large sacks of grains and other supplies earlier. There was no sign of a dog or other beast that could give warning of Jim's presence, so he turned to look at Blair who knelt behind him.

"Stay here. At the first sign of danger, head back over to camp, and warn them. If they catch me, there is no guarantee that they won't send out a hunting party to catch anymore humans. Alright."

"Just don't get caught." Blair said. Jim smiled and kissed Blair's mouth.

"Don't worry." With that he stood up and made his silent way to the barn.

Jim managed to steal a sack of grain, some eggs, a sack of dried fruit, and five dead chickens. He made his way back to the camp with Blair, and the people in the farmhouse never woke up.

They followed Jim's plan, and walked out of the mountains. Daryl's fever broke, and the boy was able to hold some food down. The group's diet consisted mostly of grain porridge, with dried fruit. The eggs and chickens were ate sparingly. When their supply ran out, Jim would raid another farmhouse, bringing back more food, and sometimes even supplies. At one farmhouse, Jim managed to steal a small hand-axe, and flint.

What the Major Crimes team didn't know was that the raids did not go entirely unoticed, and several farmers were sending complaints to their lords. Farmers who had not been raided were being given the warning. The Lord-Baron of the territory had already sent hunting parties.

Jim looked down at the farmhouse, and wondered if perhaps he should find another one to raid. This one was different from all the others. The house was a large two story house made of wood and stone, and the barn had a stable attached to it, as well as a corral were several horses were kept. There were other buldings around it as well were other Cats lived, and Jim wondered if perhaps the other Cats were servants or slaves. Whoever owned this farmstead was definitly rich, and Jim felt apprehension when he looked at the place. However, he thought of the starving cops waiting for him back at the small cave they had found for shelter. The snow had been falling heavily, and the group had not made good time. They had run out of supplies, and the farmhouse pickings were getting too slim, and the farmhouses few and far between. There was no telling when the next farmhouse would appear, and hunting and foraging was not an option in the heavy snow. Sighing, Jim turned to Blair, reminding him what he needed to do if Jim was caught. With a goodbye kiss, and a whispered "I love you" from both of them, Jim headed down toward the farmhouse using all his covert ops skills.

He made it to the barn, and opened the creaking door. He stopped suddenly when one of the horses near the entrance bobbed its head and looked over at Jim. Please don't whinny,Jim thought desperatly to the horse. The animal only snorted and watched Jim's slow movement through the barn. So intent was he on the horse, that he failed to notice the trap.

When his left foot stepped in the loop, the trap was sprung and Jim was pulled upside down, and hung from the rafters by his foot. The movement had caused a few bells to begins ringing and Jim could tell the commotion had woken the Cats. Jim bent upwards to try and untie his foot, only to discover that the rope was a steel cord and the loop was a slip ring. As long as Jim's weight tightened it, Jim could not get it off his ankle.

"Dammitt!" He cursed as he twisted around to see if there was another way to get down. The bells had alarmed the animals in the barn, and they had begun a racket that would definitly wake anyone who was still asleep.

Suddenly, the large barn doors were pushed open and a Cat walked in wearing a white shirt that had been hastily tucked into brown breeches. In his hands or paws was a loaded crossbow. Beside him were three more Cats, all hastily dressed, all armed. One had a regular compact bow, while the other two held pitchforks. It would have been a comical sight, if the situation wasn't so desperate. The Cat in the lead looked at Jim hanging in the middle of his barn, the lantern being held by a smaller, unarmed Cat. Upon seeing Jim, the Cat lowered his crossbow, and said something in their language to the others, who lowered their weapons. Two of them ran from the barn, up to the house. They were shouting something as they ran.

"Damn roadrunner booby traps." Jim cursed through clenched teeth as he continued to struggle usessly. He hope Blair had done what he was supposed to and gotten back to the camp. He was worried about the group, wondering how they would survive. Would starvation force them to try raiding farmhouses to eventual capture, or would they be hunted down and slaughtered like wolves. Jim wasn't worried about his own predicament. No doubt he would be killed, and his hide paraded around farmhouses to show that the thief had been dealt with. Maybe his head would decorate a castle wall. He didn't know, nor did he care. As long as Blair and the others were safe, his fate did not matter to him.

The Cat with the crossbow came forward, setting the crossbow on the ground. When he tried to reach out to grab Jim, the sentinel lashed out. Unpeturbed, the Cat grasped Jim's arms, as another Cat held him up so that the loop could be removed. When the loop came off, Jim began to struggle in earnest, ignoring the pain in his ankle. The Cats held him easily, however, until one of them managed to tie Jim's hands behind his back. Once that was done, Jim was lifted up by one of the Cats and taken to the farmhouse.

Blair saw from his hiding place Jim being carried toward the farmhouse. He could see that the sentinel was struggling so knew that his lover was still alive. Fighting the urge to run down there and help him, Blair knew that he needed to get back to the others. He stood up and ran, ignoring the shouts behind him. He did not notice that he had been spotted.

When he reached camp, Blair was out of breath, but managed to tell Simon what had happened. Banks concern and fear grew worse as Blair told his tale. He looked at the others, whose faces bore their fear. Rhonda cried in Rafe's arms and Daryl hugged his father.

"We have to get out of here. They might send hunters. Everybody pack up what you can." Banks ordered and the others scrambled to obey. Blair watched them get ready to leave.

"Come on, Blair. We have to go."

Blair shook his head, "No, I did what I needed to do, but I can't abandon Jim."

"What are you going to do?" Simon asked.

"I'm going back. To be with Jim, no matter what happens." With that he stood up. Simon made as if to stop him, but Blair broke into a run.

"Balir, come back!" Simon yelled.

"I can't. Goodbye!" And with that Blair was gone. Simon turned to the others. Tears filled their eyes, but they followed Banks through the snow in the opposite direction from where Blair had gone.

Jim was carried inside the farmhouse and layed on a table. The Cats who had captured him held him down on the table, while a female Cat removed his boot, and cleaned and bandaged his ankle from where the loop had cut into it. Jim struggled, but they held him down easily. When she finished dressing the wound, the female Cat then used a knife to cut away the rest of Jim's clothes. She searched his body for other wounds finding open sores, and cuts that she doctored. She opened his mouth and checked his teeth, and the inside for any sores. When she was done doctoring Jim, the Cats picked him up again, and carried him over to a tub filled with hot water. He was sat down in the tub and scrubbed clean with a harsh soap by the female. Once clean, Jim was dried off by the female who rubbed course towels over his body. With his hands still tied behind his back he was carried over to the table again. There he was dressed in clean furs and boots. From there he was carried to into a room with no windows, and left there. Inside the room was a bucket of water and a pan of grain porridge with honey and fruit. The door was locked from the outside, and Jim's hands were freed. He tested the strength of the door and found it unyielding.

Blair walked slowly down from the hill around the farmhouse. Several of the Cats stared at him, but made no move to capture him. Instead, a few ran toward the farmhouse, perhaps to tell the owner. Blair didn't know, all he cared about was getting to Jim. Cubs watched him with bright eyes, and other Cats would pick the cubs up and haul them away. Blair strolled determinedly toward the farmhouse. When he was within a few feet, the door opened and a Cat walked out. The Cat's fur was brown, white and black, and his green eyes looked at Blair for a moment. Blair looked back, seemingly unafraid. The Cat moved forward and grasped Blair's shoulder, then hauled him inside the house.

Once inside the house, Blair was picked up and sat on a table. He was stripped of his clothes and checked over by a tabby colored female. She doctored the cuts and sores he had on his body, then Blair was taken to a tub. They scrubbed him clean, and Blair did not fight back. He knew that they would take him to Jim eventually. Once dried off and redressed in clean furs, Blair was lead upstairs to a room that the calico unlocked, and pushed Blair inside, shutting and locking the door behind him. Blair looked at the only other occupant in the room, who was laying on the ground.

Jim looked up and saw Blair standing before him. "How the hell..." Jim said, but was interrupted when Blair threw his arms around him and kissed him deeply on the mouth. Jim kissed him back. Sandburg continued to rain kisses on Jim's face and neck, hugging the sentinel tightly to him.

"Was everyone captured?" Jim asked.

"No, they got away. I couldn't leave. So after I warned them, I came back."

"Dammit, Chief. You were supposed to go with them." Jim said holding Blair's face between his hands as he looked into his lover's deep blue eyes.

"I know, but I couldn't just leave you, alone. Whatever happens, at least we will be together."

Jim kissed Blair's lips, a deep kiss. Blair welcomed Jim's tongue into his own mouth.

When Jim pulled away, he looked at Blair again, then turned grabbing the bucket of water.

"Here, Chief. Your mouth is kinda dry." Blair chuckled, but drank the water.

"I guess they don't plan to kill us since they doctored us and bathed us. I mean why take care of something you plan to kill anyway."

"You take care of pigs and cows, at least until..." Blair trailed off. He had frightened himself with his thoughts.

Jim looked at him, "Shit, Chief. Why did you have to say that. It never occurred to me. I can handle being killed, but to be slaughtered so they could eat me. Uughh."

Blair shook his head, "I don't think that's what they'll do. If we were to be their meal, they would have kept us in the barn with the other livestock. I think. Why lock us up here in the house?"

Jim shrugged. Before he could answer, the door opened, and three Cats came into the room. One of them was the calico who had had the crossbow. The others were a tabby and a grey. All three males. Jim stood up, and placed Blair behind him. The calico frowned, then shut the door behind them. Jim could hear someone on the other side lock it. The calico came forward, as the grey and tabby moved on both sides. The moved at the same time, the grey and tabby grabbing Jim's arms, while the calico grabbed Blair. Jim fought, but the eleven foot plus Cats easily put Jim on the floor. Blair struggled in the calico's grip to no avail. The calico picked up Blair and slung him over his shoulder. The grey did the same with Jim, and the Cats walked down the stairs and out the door toward the barn. Inside the barn, a black striped, orange male with heavy muscles, was pumping the bellows on the forge that had been cold when Jim had first come into the barn. Now the coals burned a bright red, and pieces of metal were being heated in the flames. The tiger striped Cat looked up and smiled at their arrival. Using a pair of tongs, he brought out a piece of the metal and began to hammer it on the anvil. When he was done with that round of hammering, he place the metal back into the fire, then wiped his paws on his leather apron. He strode forward. The calico said something to the tiger-striped, who answered back. The calico turned to the grey, who nodded and brought Jim forward. He sat the sentinel down next to the anvil, and holding a knee into Jim's back, the grey pressed Jim's head down on top of the anvil. The tiger striped came forward with a metal shackle, which he easily place around Jim's neck. Placing a pin through the hole that went through both ends, he then used a hot pair of tongs to press the pin and melt the metal, securing the collar permantly. The blacksmith then poured cool water on Jim's neck. There was a hissing sound as the melted pin cooled. The grey then padlocked a chain to the ring that was on the side of the collar. Once the chain was secured he took his knee of Jim's back, then stepped back. Jim lifted himself off of the anvil and tried to pull the chain from the grey's hands. The grey, exasperated, brought the chain closer until Ellison was pressed against the grey's leg. To keep from choking Jim, the grey held Jim by pressure on the sentinel's shoulder rather than by the collar or chain.

The calico then brought Blair forward repeating the grey's procedure for Ellison. Blair recieved his own collar, and chain. Jim became enraged as he watched them place the metal collar around Blair's neck, but the grey pushed him onto his stomach and held him there for the duration. When they were done, the calico said something to the blacksmith, who nodded and pointed toward the back. The Cats then hauled Jim and Blair by the chains toward the back of the stables. In an empty stall, the two humans were chained to the back wall. The Cats left a bucket of fresh water near the stall's entrance to which both of the humans had access. When that was done, the Cats left, leaving only the blacksmith, who continued to work at his forge.

"Maybe you are right, Chief. We're in the barn now, tied up like dogs. I guess they plan to slaughter us for some celebration feast or something. Maybe they need to fatten us up first." Jim said morbidly.

"I don't think that's what they plan, Jim." Blair shook his head. "And anyway most beasts, if they could talk, would tell you that humans taste bad. Why would they eat us when there's better livestock around."

"Then what. I could understand them locking us in that room while they waited for the blacksmith to set up. What do they plan for us."

"I don't know. They went to all the trouble of making these permanent collars, chain us in a stall like a..." He trailed off as a thought occurred to him.

"Shit!" Jim cursed as he realised what Blair was thinking.

"It makes sense. They bath us, doctor us. Give us food and water. The collars, chaining us inside the barn. Perfect sense."

Jim struck the side of the stall with his fist, "Dammit all to hell. I am NOT someone's pet dog."

"Actually, Jim it looks like we don't have much of a choice in the matter."

Jim snorted at that.

A few minutes later, the grey retuned with a large bowl of hot oatmeal with a fruity jam mixed in with the oatmeal. He sat the bowl down near the bucket of water, then went over to the tiger striped blacksmith. The two cats talked while the blacksmith worked.

Jim and Blair had lain down in the dry straw, with Blair spooned up behind Jim, so that Jim was in a protective postion in front of Blair.

Blair's stomach growled as the smell of the oatmeal reached his nostrils. Jim reached out and picked up the large bowl and brought it over to Blair.

"Here, Blair. There's nothing wrong with it that I can smell."

They had no silverware, so Blair was forced to dip a finger in the mixture and suck the oatmeal off. He looked at Jim, then dipped his finger again holding out to his lover.

"You need to eat, too." Blair insisted. Jim took Blair's oatmeal covered finger into his mouth obediantly and sucked off the fruity tasting oatmeal.

They finished the bowl of oatmeal, using their fingers to feed themselves and each other. When they were done, Blair spooned up behind Jim, and fell asleep. The sentinel, however, stayed awake to keep an eye out.

Sometime later, Jim was awaken by the sound of boots scraping on wood. Cursing himself for having fallen asleep, Jim opened his eyes. Standing in front of him was the calico. The cat looked down at the Jim with its green gold eyes, paws on his hips. The calico was fully dressed now in dark grey trousers, a white ruffled shirt, and a grey vest. He wore a gold ring on one finger of his left paw.

((AUTHOR"S NOTE: THE FOLLOWING WILL CONTAIN CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN THE CATS. BE AWARE THAT THE CATS ARE SPEAKING IN A LANGUAGE THAT JIM AND BLAIR CANNOT UNDERSTAND.))

Walking up beside the calico, the grey cat placed a paw on the stall door. "Jaem, is everything all right?" The grey asked.

Jaem looked at the grey, "Fine Gerrod. Everything's fine. Just checking on our new acquisitions."

"Why do you think they're still in these mountains? All the other human packs are in the lowlands now." Gerrod asked.

Jaem shrugged, "Disease, injury. Who knows. How many did the hunters say was in this pack?"

"No more than seven. A small pack to have a sentinel, don't you think?"

"If he is a sentinel." Jaem said. He noticed that the human was watching him.

"Perhaps we should test it?" Gerrod suggested.

Jaem nodded, and Gerrod dug beneath his shirt to pull out a whistle which he immediatly blew. No audible sound came from the whistle. No audible sound to Cats or normal humans anyway. Jim on the other hand had clapped his hands over his ears, and was grimacing in pain. Blair immedialty used his voice to try and stop the sentinel's pain, asking in a worried tone what had happened.

The Cats watched them. Jaem nodded in satisfaction, "A sentinel. He is most definitly a sentinel. The other must be his guide."

"Befre we take them to Argus Ser perhaps we should find out for sure." Gerrod put in.

Jaem nodded, then opened the stall door, which caused Jim, to scramble to his feet in a defensive posture, thrusting Blair behind him.

"See the way the sentinel is acting. He's being protective of the other male. Obviously his guide."

"But are they bonded?" Jaem asked.

Gerrod immediatly went forward and grabbed the sentinel, who struggled. While Gerrod struggled with Jim, Jaem grabbed Blair, who kicked at him. Jaem grasped with one arm around Blair's chest pinning the guides arms, then used his other arm to hold Blair's legs. Blair squirmed.

Jaem checked on his brothers progress to see that Gerrod had the sentinel in a simialar position.

"Takem, bring a lantern." Jaem yelled at the tiger striped blacksmith.

"Yes, milord." Takem said grabbing a lantern and trotting over to the stall.

"Alright Takem, hang it on the post, and help Gerrod check the sentinel."

Jim found himself lain on his stomach on the ground. He stole a glance to see the calico holding Blair securely. The grey and the tiger striped were holding him down. Quickly and efficiently the grey stripped off the leather breeches Jim wore. Jim struggled, his mind screaming, What in the hell are they doing!. Warm furry paws gripped his butt cheeks and pried them apart. A furry padded finger found his opening, and prodded at it. There was minimal penetration, but enough to make Jim hiss in pain. He struggled again, but the tiger striped held him firmly. Finally, the grey finished his examination, and stood up while the tiger striped replaced Jim's breeches.

Gerrod shook his head, "Nope. No sign that the guide had ever bonded him. No scars, no recent tearings. Nothing."

Jaem was confused, surely this was the sentinel's guide.

"Perhaps they are just newly formed and haven't had the chance." Gerrod suggested.

"I don't know. It seems strange that they haven't bonded yet." Jaem sighed, "Go ahead and mark him."

Gerrod nodded. Takem removed the chain from Jim's collar, then picked up the sentinel, and carried him away from the stall. In Jaem's arms, Sandburg struggled, crying out, "No! Jim!" Jaem placed Blair on the ground, and stepped out of the stall closing the door behind him. Blair quickly went to his feet and rushed to the stall door. The chain was too short to allow him to reach the door, but he could see where they took Jim.

Takem placed the sentinel on the ground near his anvil. Gerrod held Jim down, even though the sentinel struggled. Jaem came over and knelt down grasping the sentinel's head firmly in his paws, holding it steady as Takem used an awl to pierce through the cartilage of Jim's left ear. Jim cried out in pain. Unlike the earlobe when he had it pierced after the Army, the Cats were piercing the cartilage about an inch above his earlobe and a few milimeters from the outer edge. Once the awl was all the way through, the blacksmith replaced the awl with a gold ring inserted in it. Using what looked like pliers that were red hot from the forge, the blacksmith melted the two ends of the ring together giving Jim a permanent earring. But they weren't done. With the awl, Takem peirced Jim's left ear again, a few milimeters below the first one, and repeated the procedure with another gold hoop.

When it was done, Takem poured a fiery liquid on Jim's ear that caused the piercing to sting. This cleaned the area throroughly to keep away infection. Jim could hear Blair trying desperatly to break free of the chain that kept him from Jim, crying out Jim's name.

Jim was then lifted into Jaem's arms. The Cat held him tightly whispering words in the Cat language all the while petting Jim's head with his paw as he took Jim back to the stall.

However, instead of the stall he had shared with Blair, Jim was placed in another empty stall two stalls down. Realising this, Jim began to fight and struggle, but Jaem was too strong for the sentinel. The calico layed Jim in the clean straw of the empty stall, and used the chain to secure him there. Jaem walked out of the stall closing and locking the door behind him.

"Make sure the sentinel gets some water. Check on his ear every few minutes to make sure there is no infection. If it continues to bleed, keep him clean of blood, and try to do what you can to stop it." Jaem gave the orders to Takem, who nodded and said, "As you wish, milord."

With a nod to his brother, Jaem walked out of the barn. Gerrod quickly followed.

"Don't you want to check the guide?" Gerrod aske dhis brother.

"What for? The Guide has to take the Sentinel for the bond to be formed. If the Sentinel takes the Guide its just sex." Jaem answered as he headed for his house. Gerrod followed.

Inside the house, Jaem walked over to the fireplace and warmed his paws. Rubbing them together, he turned and looked at Gerrod who had seated himself in a large wicker chair.

"Aren't you going to go out and meet the hunters?" Jaem asked.

"I thought about it. Do you think they've found them?"

"Not yet. Macen said that he would shoot a fire arrow into the sky when he found them. I thought you wanted to see the capture."

Gerrod shrugged, "Perhaps. I feel kind of bad about it."

Jaem looked at his brother, "Gerrod, there is something wrong with that pack. Wether disease, injury, or madness, that pack didn't get into the lowlands before winter. Whatever the reason, we cannot allow the pack to enter the lowlands this late in the season. If they have disease, they will spread it among the other packs. Either way, the pack will interrupt the mating season, and disrupt territorial claims. When we capture them, if they are diseased, we'll cure them if we can. If not they'll be destroyed, and the bodies burned. If its injury, we'll take care of that. But we cannot allow them to reach the lowlands."

Gerrod nodded in understanding. "Well, I'll go meet the hunters, and see if we can't get this pack before nightfall." With that Gerrod stood, and walked out into cold mountain air.

A page had been sent ahead to ready Gerrod's horse, so that by the time he reached the stable, his red sorrel gelding was saddled and waiting for him. Taking the reins from the page, Gerrod swung up into the saddle, then heeled his horse out of the stable and into the mountains.

He found the Hunter's camp rather easily. Macen, the Huntmaster, was waiting for him. The hunters, twelve in all, were seated in their saddles. The fire had been doused, and the Hunters were ready to continue. Macen nodded at Gerrod.

"Milord Gerrod, we are ready. The trackers have said that the pack is no more that thirty yards from us. We are safely hidden from them by the foliage, and are downwind of them. They shall not see until we are ready for them to."

"What is your plan, Macen?"

"Six of us will circle around, and the rest shall drive the pack into the waiting paws or in this case nets of my hunters."

"How many members in the pack?"

"Seven. Two females, one cub."

"Kind of uneven. Only one cub. How old?"

"Perhaps fifteen summers."

"Damn. They're mating these past years have been bad."

Macen shrugged his golden furred shoulders, "Perhaps the males are sterile. Or perhaps the females are."

"That pack would have died out in a few years anyway. And to think they had a sentinel."

"So he was one, was he?" Macen said as he heeled his grey dappled through the forest. Gerrod's gelding kept pace with the mare.

"Yes. Unbonded, as well."

"He'll bring less money than a bonded one."

"Perhaps. Depends on if someone has a guide potential human. They might be on the market for an unbonded sentinel."

Macen nodded.

The Hunt went relatively easy. Macen's six hunters had curcled around the Major crimes group without them knowing it, and readied their nets. Macen and Gerrod led the other group to chase the humans into the nets.

Rhonda and Joel were captured first. Netted, and unable to escape. Brown was caught next, with Rafe narrowly missing being caught with his partner. However, Rafe was lassoed by a black and white Cat by his legs, and was tied up as quickly as a bull calf, hands behind his back, legs bent, and ankles tied to his wrists. Megan was caught in two nets, and fought like a wildcat to no avail. Darryl led his pursuers on a merry chase through the trees, ducking and hiding in places only he was small enough to fit into. However, he was captured by Macen himself. The golden furred Cat picked up the boy by the scruff of his neck and hauled him over the withers of his gray dappled mare. Macen managed to tie Darryl's hands behind his back, and his feet together.

Simon was the last to be captured. He fought like a madman, and managed to unseat two Cats from their horses. He was surrounded on all sides by Cats on horseback, and it took five nets to bring him down.

A wagon was rolled up, and the prisoners were all hog tied, and placed in the back of the wagon for the trip to the farmhouse.

When the doors to the barn opened up, Jim stood up and looked over the stall door in time to see a wagon pulled by two draft horses roll up into the barn. In the back of the wagon was the Major Crimes team trussed up, and looking decidely angry.

"Simon!" Jim called, and the big captain squirmed around to look in the direction of the voice.

"Jim! Thank God your alive! Is Blair here?"

Blair popped up from his stall, "Yeah, I'm here Simon."

"Are you both alright?"

"We're none the worse for wear. What happened to you guys?" Jim asked watching as the Cats began to unload their prisoners.

Simon was the last one taken out of the wagon. "Some kind of hunting party captured us. They chased us into an ambush."

All the Major Crimes people recieved their own metal collars, and were chained in their own stall, except Darryl and Rhonda were placed in the same stall.

Gerrod helped unload and chain up the humans. He then ordered several servants to bring back some food for the humans as well as to fill up their water troughs. The servants obeyed quickly. Takem's apprentice filled the water troughs.

Gerrod stood by the stall of the apparent leader. "Takem, have Moira come. She can look them over here, and the servants can scrub them down."

"Yes, milord." Takem said. The tiger striped left the stable. As he walked out Lord Jaem walked in.

"Gerrod, Macen said you got them all." Jaem asked.

"Yes, brother. We did. Come and take a look at the Alpha male. He's a big one."

Jaem walked over to where his brother was and looked at Simon who glared at them with his best Captain's glare. One that usually sent detectives running for cover. It did not affect the Cats.

"Hmmm, your right, Gerrod. He is big. So any sign of why they were still in the mountains?"

"None that I could see. They're a little underfed, no surprise since they've been in the mountains during winter. Other than that they look pretty healthy."

During this exchange, Simon had stopped paying attention to the Cats and began to question his people. "Rafe, Brown, Taggert, Conner, you guys alright?"

Rafe, Megan, Taggert and Brown had been placed in stalls near the entrance. "Yeah, Captain, except for being slightly embarrased at being captured." Rafe answered.

"Darryl, Rhonda?"

"I'm fine, Dad. Feeling alot better." Darryl answered. "Man this is bogus."

"I'm fine Captain. I don't know why they put us together, though."

Blair answered, "They probably think you're his mother."

"Why would they think that Blair?" Simon asked.

"They think we're a pack of beasts. Probably like wolves or something. Simon, your obviously an Alpha male, the pack leader. Since Rhonda's probably been taking care of Darryl. I bet they were even captured together, they think she's the Alpha female...no offense Megan. The rest of us are betas, except I'm not sure how Jim fits into this. They know he has heightened senses. They tested for it, and seemed surprised and pleased that he passed."

"So what do you think's going to happen next."

"Mmmm, well given what I've seen so far, I think they plan to sell us somewhere. We're probably going to be seperated and sold individually."

"Damn." Simon cursed. He looked over at Jim, "Why the hell do you have earrings in your ears."

Jim shrugged, "I don't know."

"I think its to identify him as a sentinel, Captain. You notice none of the rest of us have recieved any, unless this lord calico plans to keep Jim, and sell the rest of us."

Their conversation was interrupted when several servants came into the stall followed by the female who had checked over and nursed Jim's and Blair's injuries. Lord calico, and lord grey as the major crimes team had begun to call them along with the tiger blacksmith went inside Rafe's stall and pulled the GQ detective out of the stall. Much to his embarrassment, they stripped Rafe of his worn clothing, and the servants scrubbed him down with soap and warm water. When they dried him off, the female checked his entire body, treating his cuts, and sores. When she was done, the servants redressed Rafe in clean furs, and the lords chained him back in his stall. They then did Henri Brown the same way, then followed up with Taggert, then Megan. When they stripped Megan, everyone looked away to give her what privacy they could. They had watched with the others to be sure that the Cats did not harm them. Rhonda watched for Megan's sake. Daryl was next, then Rhonda, and Megan did her the same favor, then Simon. When they were all cleaned, and given new clothes, servants placed pans of oatmeal with fruit paste in their stalls. Two pans were places in Rhonda's and Darryl's.

Jim assured them that the food was not drugged, and was alright for them to eat. Even though the Major Crimes team was miffed at having been fed like animals, they were hungry, practically starved, and so decide to eat the food.

Some hours later, they were all fed again, this time with bits of cut up cooked meat, grain, and tubers, and rice cooked together. Night had fallen, and the tiger striped blacksmith cleaned up his forge with the help of his apprentice. Two stableboys locked up after the smith and his apprentice left, they lit the three stoves inside the barn. The stable boys then fixed up their pallets near the stoves, and rolled up in them after eating thier dinner which was nearly the same as what the Major Crimes people had been fed.

The stoves kept out the chill of the winter mountain air, and kept the barn pleasantly warm. The Major Crimes gang, tired and sleepy from their full stomachs lay on the straw that lined their stalls, and slept.

Jim was the last one to lay down. He kept an eye on the stoves, noticing that they were far from any straw, and that thier design kept stray sparks from flying out. Satisfied that there was no danger of the barn cathcing on fire, Jim layed down in the straw.

"Jim," Blair said in a sentinel soft tone only Jim could hear, "This is going to end badly, isn't it."

Jim wished he could reassure his guide that they would escape, but he didn't believe it would happen either.

The next morning, the Major Crimes team was awakened by the entrance of the tiger striped blacksmith, and several servants that brought pans of oatmeal with sugar and fruit jam. The blacksmith went immediatly to Jim's stall, and opened the door. Jim gained his feet quickly, but was unable to stop the Cat from grabbing Jim and pushing him onto the ground. The blacksmith inspected Jim's left ear, rubbing some more of the fiery liquid onto the holes, cleaning off the dried blood.

Jim struggled to regain his feet but to no avail. The Cats were incredibly strong compared to humans. A Cat was just as stronger to a human than a human was to a small dog.

When the blacksmith was satisfied that the ear wasn't becoming infected, he released the human, and walked over to his forge. A servant placed a food pan in the sentinel's stall, then closed and latched the stall door behind him.

The humans ate in relative silence, while Tacem heated up his forge.

Sometime later, Lord Jaem came into the stable and ordered his horse saddled. One of the stableboys rushed to obey, and Jaem's black stallion was saddled and waiting. Lord Jaem swung into the saddle and spurred his horse out of the stable.

"Where's he going in such a hurry?" Blair asked.

"Who knows." Simon answered.

The morning passed slowly. With the help of his apprentices, Takem managed to re-shoe some of the horses. Servants went about their daily tasks, feeding the animals which included pigs, sheep, chickens, cows, horses, and goats. Most of the animals were inside the barn which was attached to the stable. At one point several cubs ran into the barn laughing and playing, chasing a metal hoop with a stick. Takem looked up upon their arrival.

"What are you children doing?" Takem asked a smile on his face and humor in his voice.

"Please, Takem. We want to see the humans." The oldest little girl asked, her white fur shining in the sun streaming from the open door.

Takem smiled, "Alright, but don't go in the stall with them."

The children squealed in delight and ran to the stalls that held the humans.

The first stall they looked into held Blair.

"Oh! Look at his beautiful hair!" the white furred girl exclaimed.

"Lya! Lya! I wanna see." A little golden furred girl was bouncing up and down trying to see over the stall door.

The white furred girl, Lya, picked up the toddler and held her up to see Blair. "Ooooh! Pretty hair."

"Takem, will Uncle Jaem cut this one's hair. I would love to have some of the locks." Lya asked.

"I don't know sweetheart, but I am sure if you ask him nicely he will cut a lock off just for you." Takem knew that Jaem and Gerrod were both indulgant of their dead sister's daughter, and would give her just about anything.

"I wish I could braid his hair, and put ribbons in it. I bet its even softer than a horse's mane." Lya said wistfully.

"Now I don't think that will happen. They are wild, Lya, not tame like your pony."

"Lya, come look at this one." One of the boys said from where he was perched on a stall door. Lya and the little toddler made their way over to Simon's stall.

"Ooooh! He's big. Takem he is the Alpha?" Lya asked.

"Yes, he is Lya."

"Let me see, let me see." The toddler cried.

"Alright, Jana." Lya picked up Jana so that she could see Simon. The big captain couldn't glare at the cubs, after all they were only curious children. He settle for a neutral face.

"Takem, where's the sentinel? Uncle Gerrod said there was a sentinel." Lya asked.

"Oh, yeah. I wanna see the sentinel, too." the dark furred boy who had called Lya over said.

"Over there." Takem answered pointing to Jim's stall.

The children went immediatly to the stall and peered over the door. Jim just turned his back to them and faced the wall lying on his side.

"Oh, he won't let us see him." the boy said the dissapointment clear in his voice.

"Don't worry about it, Petyr. I am sure you'll have plenty of chances to see him later. Why don't you go look at the colt and his dam." Takem said as he replaced the horseshoe he had been shaping back into the hot coals. The children went immediatly to the stall that Takem pointed out.

Daryl looked at the children that poked their heads over the stall door. "You know their kinda cute. Like little kittens." Daryl said.

"I know what you mean. They're so full of curiousity." Rhonda agreed.

"They sure think we're the bomb, huh." Daryl continued.

"Mmmm, I guess so."

"Aaaaah, he's so cute." Lya said.

"Cute." Jana agreed.

"I wish we could keep him." Lya said. "Or the one with the long hair."

Lunch time came around, and the children recieved permission from their Nanny to have lunch in the stable. Takem just shook his head and set up a picnic table inside the barn, while the Nanny set up a tablecloth over it. Servants set the plates and dishes down. Takem was invited, and accepted. Lunch consisted of boiled ham, sharp cheddar cheese, and fresh baked bread. There was jam and honey on the table, as well as fresh milk along with tea. The children had a fine, and Takem left the stall doors open with permission from Gerrod so that the children could watch the humans. Lya, and Petry as oldest even got to help feed the humans. Lya snuck a piece of fresh bread onto Blair's plate. The food for the humans was a mixture of cut up pieces of chicken and ham, cheese, rolled oats, celery, lettuce, apples and pears. Blair ate the bread, even though he saw the little cub sneak onto his plate.

"Can we give them some milk?" Lya asked Takem.

"I don't see why not." Takem said, and gave orders to the servants to bring some pans and more milk.

Each of the children was delighted when they themsleves poured the milk into the pans, even though it was the servants who set the pans down in the stall.

However, their delight was short lived when Jim kicked his pan sending it flying against the wall, along with his pan of food. The children became a bit frightened when Jim began to kick the side of his stall in pure rage.

"Dammit." Takem said and immedialty closed the stall door, latching it into place. He looked at the children's Nanny, and the orange furred woman took the hint and began to herd the scared children from the stable murmuring soothing things to them.

"Jim! Calm down." Blair cried afraid for his sentinel. "Please, love. Calm down."

Jim's anger didn't abate however. It had been building since his capture. He had always feared being treated like a lab animal when they had been back on earth. Afraid that his abilties would be come known, and scientists would try and study him. He found, though, that he hated being stared at, marked, and treated like a beast. The milk, the giggling children, the extra piece of bread on Blair's plate, all had led to Jim's realising that they were nothing more than animals to the Cats, and it had exploded from him.

Takem went immediatly into the stall and grabbed the sentinel's arms and legs, holding him securely against his chest. The sentinel squirmed, fighting futily to free himself from the strong grasp.

Finally, after what seemed like hours but really only lasted one, Jim's strength gave out, and he stopped fighting. Only then did Takem release the sentinel, laying him on the straw covered ground. The other members of Major Crimes had stood in their stalls and watched the sentinel wear himself out trying to free himself from the tiger striped blacksmith's strong arms. Blair had kept up a constant stream of reassuring words in a steady, soothing guide tone.

Takem knelt over the exhausted sentinel, and petted the human's short hair. The sentinel, too tired to fight, endured the petting.

Takem nodded at that, then stood and made his way out of the stall. He went over to the table and took some of the bread and crumbled it into a pan, then poured some milk into the pan. Using a spoon he stirred it up and then walked back to the stall. Sitting crosslegged in front of the sentinel, Takem stirred the pan's contents and nodded to a servant. The servant came in and reach down picking up Jim and pinned his arms to his sides, and hefted him into a sort of sitting position.

When Jim refused to open his mouth for the first spoonful, the servant pinched his nostrils closed, and Jim's mouth came open to gasp for air. Takem managed to place a glob into Jim's mouth. Jim tried to spit it out, but the servant used his hand to keep Jim's mouth closed.

They continued in that fashion for sometime, till finally Jim just accepted the food without coercion.

When they were done, the two Cats left Jim's stall closing the door behind them. The other servants had all closed and latched the doors to the other stalls. Jim just lay on his side staring at the door, silent and brooding.

The stable door opened and Lord Jaem rode in on his black charger. With him was another Cat, a male with Persian coloring, riding a white charger.

The two Cats dismounted. Takem went immediatly to Lord Jaem and told him what had occurred. Jaem listened, and nodded knowlingly. He suspected that the sentinel would eventually go off like that.

"How are the children?' Jaem asked.

"They got a bit of a scare, but the Nanny was able to calm them down. She explained that the sentinel was just sad and missing his home. They took it in stride. Leya has a request for you when you can talk to her." Takem smiled at that, and Jaem wondered what the request was. He shrugged. Whatever it was he would probably do his best to get it for her. For all that she was indulged by her uncles, the girl was definitly not a spoiled brat.

Jaem turned to his guest, "So, Derryck, you want to take a look at them?" Jaem asked.

"Of course, Lord Jaem." the persian answered.

Jaem led him over to Blair's stall."Well isn't he a beauty." Derryck said, "That hair alone could fetch a pretty price." The merchant laughed.

"Aye. He's also guide potential." Jaem said.

"But not bonded to the sentinel. Very strange."

"I believe they would have bonded eventually if we had left them together, but I know the law."

Derryck nodded in understanding. The went next to the sentinel's stall. Jim was fast asleep, exhausted both physically and mentally and so never woke when they came close.

"Not young, but not to old either. Still some studding years left in him. He will bring a good price on the market. Not as much as he would if he were bonded, but still a high price."

"That's good. I would hope someone would buy them both and try to bond them, but I won't count on it."

They went to Simon's stall. "Yes. Definitly older than the sentinel, but still in prime breeding years. He will stud some beautiful colts."

Cats used the same terms for humans that they did for horses.

At Rhonda's and Daryl's stall, the merchant opened the door and stepped inside. While Jaem held Rhonda, Derryck held Darryl and opened the boy' mouth and checked his teeth. "Good." Derryck said, "He's old enough to be sold on his own. No need to drop down the price to sell him with his dam. They'll both sell high individually. Definitly a colt of the alpha. He'll grow into a strong sturdy stallion. I wouldn't even suggest gelding him. Would be a waste." Derryck set Darryl down, and Jaem released Rhonda. They left the stall and went to Taggert's stall. "Hmmm, definitly a bit to old. He's not going to sell for a good price. Maybe someone who wants a pet, instead of a working animal. Though he is wild."

They went to Henri's stall next. "Mmmmm..beautiful. A nice stallion, young, in good health it looks. I wonder if he's a colt of the alpha. Or perhaps the older one. He will bring in a pretty penny. I wouldn't suggest gelding him either."

They moved on to Megan's. "Stunning. A pretty brood mare. Young, still in bearing years. Has she born any children?"

Jaem shrugged at that. "I don't know."

"Doesn't matter I guess. She will before the year's out. I can almost guarantee it. She'll fetch a brood mare's price."

Onto Rafe's stall, and Derryck looked at the young detective closely. "Young, strong, sturdy. A good stud he'll make, but he'll make for a better show human. Fine lines, and nice shape. Good conformation. Yes definitly a show human. Gelding him would not be a bad idea, but I wouldn't recommend it."

Together, Derryck and Jaem walked out of the barn and toward the manor house. "You have a good herd there, Jaem. They'll bring an enormous profit. We'll settle it tonight and in two days I should have everything ready to take them with me on the caravan to Argus Ser."

"That's good. I'll send a contigent of guards with you to protect my interests."

Derryck nodded. "Good then its all settled. Have some feed made up for them, and I'll bring the wagon cages tomorrow."

Jaem shook paws with the merchant, and the Cat went back to the stable and mounted his horse. He left the Manor and farm and rode directly to the city of Talus Mer, where his shop was located.

Jaem walked into the Manor house and was immediatly tackled by a white furred whirlwind, "Uncle Jaem, Uncle Jaem." Lya crowed.

Jaem picked up his neice and swung her around, then brought her back down for a hug. Walking into the den, Jaem set Lya on the ground, and seated himself in his leather plush chair. The other chair held his brother who was smoking his pipe.

"So what is it you wanted to ask me?" Jaem asked his neice.

"Can I have a lock of the guide's pretty hair?" She asked in her best begging voice.

"And what would you do with a lock of his hair?" Jaem said with a smile.

"Braid it." She said innocently.

Jaem laughed. "We'll see, Lya."

"So what did the merchant say." Gerrod asked.

"He said we'd get good prices on them. He'll bring a wagon cage tomorrow. I'll have the servants make up some feed for the humans. And eveything will be set for day after tomorrow. Macen and ten of his men will be going with him. To protect the caravan from bandits."

Gerrod nodded. Good.

Back inside the stable, the blacksmith continued with his chores, as did his apprentice who was pumping the bellows. The stableboys filled up the water troughs, and cleaned up.

Jim slowly came awake, his body still tired, but not fully echausted. He rolled over onto his stomach and pushed himself up to his knees.

"Hey, Jim, man, you awake?" Blair asked.

"Yeah, Chief. I'm awake." Jim groaned and gained his feet.

"Hey, man, you missed it." Blair said.

"Yeah, what?"

"Some Persian Cat. Came in and looked everyone over. Even manhandled Darryl."

"Why?" Jim asked.

"You know Jim, you keep asking me that like I would know the answers."

"Well, Chief. You usually have a theory for everything, and I would almost bet that you are right more than half the time."

"Only more than half. I'd say everytime. Kid understands human culture, even if these Cats aren't human." Simon put in.

"Uh, yeah. Guys thanks, but I really don't have a theory for the persian except maybe as a possible buyer."

"No, I don't think so. He didn't look like a buyer. He looked more as if he was about to make some money." This from Rafe.

"Why do you say that?" Brown asked his partner.

"I can spot a salesman a mile away, and he looked like a salesman to me." Rafe shrugged.

"Mmmm..merchant perhaps. Buy us then resale at a higher price?" Blair mused more to himself than anyone, but loud enough that they heard.

"This isn't good." Megan said, "If they sell us there's no guarantee we'll end up together. In fact we'll probably be split up."

Conner had voiced their fears.

Night fell once again, and the servants brought the humans their evening meals which consisted of nearly the same thing they had for lunch. This time Jim ate under the watchful eye of the calico lord, who seemed satisfied when Jim finished his meal. The humans were forced to eat with their fingers due to lack of utensils. They ended up washing their hands off in their water. The servants, however, kept their water fresh, so they didn't have to drink soiled water. After dinner each of the Major Crimes people were taken out of thier stall individually. While servants cleaned the stalls of the straw soiled with human waste, the humans were also stripped and washed right there in the stable.

When the stalls were all cleaned, and the humans had all been bathed, they were returned to the stalls. Lord Calico himself poured the fiery liquid on Jim's ear, and cleaned away the dried blood. The blacksmith shut down his forge, and everyone but the stableboys left. As the night before, the stableboys lit the stoves, and settled themselves into their pallets. The Major Crimes team was forced to bury themsleves in the clean straw for warmth, at least until the stoves heated up the stable.

The next morning a cock crowed them awake. The stable doors opend and the stableboys scrambled out of their pallets as Lord Calico himself walked into the stable followed by the gray, and tiger striped.

"So your going to do it. Why am I not surprised." Gerrod said.

"Oh come on. When was the last time you were able to say no to our neice. I remember you held out a full five minutes when she begged for a pony." Jaem said laughing inwardly.

They went immediatly to Blair's stall, and distinctly heard a growl coming from the sentinel. They stopped and looked at the sentinel who was glaring at them with his icy blue eyes.

"Protective isn't he. Too bad to. They would have made a good pair." Gerrod said.

Jaem nodded then opened the door to Blair's stall.

Blair tried to fight back as Takem held him. They could hear the rattle of chain and the beating on wood that said the sentinel was tring to free himself.

"Dammit, Gerrod, go check on him. Hold him down so he doesn't injure himself." Jaem growled in frustration.

Gerrod nodded and went immedialty to Jim's stall. The sentinel fought usessly, but Gerrod managed to grab the sentinel and push him onto the ground. With one hand holding the sentinel's left arm behind his back, and the other hand holding down the human's legs, Gerrod waited for his brother to finish what he was doing.

In Blair's stall, Jaem quickly grabbed a handful of the guide's hair and using his sharpest knife he cut it about an inch from the human's scalp. The human yelped as if in pain, but a quick check showed no injuries. Shrugging, Jaem motioned for Takem to release the human, then went immedialty to the sentinel's stall. While Takem and Gerrod both held Jim down, Jaem checked the sentinel over for injuries finding some bruises on the knuckles of sentinel's right hand, and bruises beneathe the iron collar. Jaem then checked on the sentinel's ankle, and ear. Once that was done, the three of them left.

"He cut my hair!" Blair whined rather loudly.

"Just a lock Sandy." Megan said.

"Yeah, but it was my hair." Blair continued to whine.

"Well just thank your lucky stars that that was all he cut off." Simon said.

"What are you talking about?" Blair asked.

"Sandburg, did it ever occurr to you that they might be planning to make sure we're a bit more...tame, if you catch my drift."

"Huh. I don't follow you, Simon."

Banks wished he had a cigar.

"Gelding, chief. He means that they might geld us. Make us more docile that way." Jim answered.

"Ouch." was all Blair said but he saw Brown's, Taggert's and Rafe's faces and realised it hadn't occurred to them either.

"Do you really thnk it will come to that, Captain?" Megan asked.

"Maybe, maybe not. I haven't really seen any indication that they would. Only Jim had been giving them any real trouble." Simon answered. "What do you think Sandburg."

Its a possibility. One I hadn't thought of. Uh, its a possible though that they might want to use us for uh breeding purposes. Kinda hard to do that if they uh you know snip snip."

"It will be a bit more complicated than that junior. Its not a vasectomy." Jim said. "We're talking the whole enchilada here, Chief."

"Ow." was Blair's answer.

Servants brought in breakfast. More oatmeal with sugar and milk this time along with the strawberry jam. They ate the oatmeal dipping their fingers into it and sucking their fingers clean.

"I am getting tired of oatmeal." Rhonda said.

"Yeah, so am I, but at least we're being fed." Blair said then dipped his fingers into the pan to scoop up the last of the oatmeal.

When they were all done, the servants took the empty pans to be washed, and the stableboys cleaned out the water troughs and put in fresh water.

The Major Crimes people had no choice but to eliminate their waste inside the stall on the straw which they did, quickly, and always in a corner.

Shouted orders from outside had the stable boys running to the large doors to open them up. Pulled into the stable by draft horses were two wagons with steel barred cages on the back. The drivers pulled on the reins and stopped the horses inside of the stable. The doors were quickly shut behind them. The Persian rode in before the doors were shut. He dismounted and was greeted by Lord Calico and the gray.

"So that's your salesman, I take it." Jim said looking at the Persian.

"Yep, that's him." Blair answered.

"Well here they are." Derryck said.

"I don't know, Deryck. They look to drafty. Its going to be a cold trip." Gerrod said looking the cages over.

"Oh don't worry. I brought plenty of furrs to keep them warm. And except for the sentinel, they'll be two to a cage. They can huddle together for body warmth as well. They'll be fine." Deryck answered.

"Alright, sounds good." Jaem said.

"I'll even open the cage doors at camps and chain them to the cage. That'll give them some time to do their business outside the cages, so that we won't have to continuously wash the furrs. And before you say anything, I'll make sure the sentinel is out of the other humans' reach. They won't be able to touch him."

Jaem nodded. "Alright. My servants are working on the feed right now. It'll be a mixture of dried fruit, meat and grain. Also some bags of oats, sugar, salt, and two goats for milk. Will that work."

"Of course, of course. They'll be fine."

"Good. I want to up the ration amount on the sentinel, the alpha, the dark colored young stallion, and the colt."

Derryck nodded.

While the Cats left the stable discussing the trip, Takem set up his forge.

The day went pretty much like the day before. The Major Crimes team were fed at lunch time. Blair's eyes had widened when he saw the white Kitten with the lock of Blair's hair braided and hanging from her belt. The children, hoever, did not stay long in the stable.

For the Major Crimes team the day dragged by. They discussed the possibilities, ever wary when one of the Cats would come into the stable. Takem cleaned Jim's ear twice, and put a liniment on the bruises beneath his collar, and on his knuckles. Lord Gerrod and Lord Jaem came into the stable a few times, and looked over the humans, nodded to Takem and then left.

Evening came, and the same procedure was done. The stalls and the humans were scrubbed down. They were dressed in clean furrs, and placed back in their stalls. Takem shut down the forge, the stableboys lit the stoves, and the stable doors were shut and locked.

The next day was a flurry of activity. Servants loaded full sacks onto the wagons brought by the merchant. Two goats, their udders full of milk, were tied to the back of one of the wagons. Lord Jaem and Lord Gerrod oversaw the operation. Stableboys harnessed up a team of draft horses to the wagons, while others saddled up several of the horses. Macen and his ten guards came into the stable and tied thier saddlebags onto their saddled mounts. Each man checked his or her mount over, lifting hooves, and checking mouths and nostrils.

The Major Crimes team watched the activities of the Cats with trepidation. Finally, Lord Jaem ordered servants to transfer the humans to the cages. While Jaem and Gerrod held down Jim, Macen, and Takem took Blair, unhooking his chain, and placed him inside one of the cages. Jim growled and struggled to free himself to no avail. Macen and Takem unchained Darryl and placed him in the cage with Blair. Simon and Joel were placed in a cage, Megan and Rhonda in another, then Brown and Rafe. Jim was the last, and was placed in his own seperate cage. Their chain leashes were attached via padlock to a bar of their cage, and heavy warm furs were placed in the cell with them. Jim, being by himself, was given more furs than the others because he would not be able to share body warmth with anyone. An unbonded sentinel, by law, is to stay unbonded until sold to an owner who would then be able to chose the guide for the sentinel. Most sentinels were born to their owners, and therefore were bonded as soon as they reached adulthood. Unbonded wild sentinels captured by someone who wishes to sell them must remain unbonded until sold so that the owner would have the option to bond the sentinel to whatever guide they wished. When his owner has Jim bonded to his guide, then one of the rings in his ear would be removed to show that he is a bonded sentinel.

Jim, and the others, of course didn't know this. They did not know why Jim was kept seperate from the rest of the Major Crimes team.

The merchants train showed up. The train consisted of fifteen wagons loaded down with supplies and goods to be sold in Argus Ser. Drivers reined the two wagons behind the train, and Macen and his men deployed themselves around the wagon train. Some of the wagons held cages of chickens, goats, sheep, and pigs that were to be sold. Fourteen horses had been tied in a line ot one of the wagons. Stock horses also to be sold in Argus Ser. Derryck shook paws with Lord Jaem and Gerrod, then hopped into his wagon. He motioned to the driver, and the Cat flicked the reins and the horses broke into a steady walk. The other wagons followed with Macen and his men around the train.

Jim, snuggled deep inside the furs, watched the trees that passed by his vision. The dials on his senses were down low thanks to the sounds and smells that surrounded him.

Each day the wagons would stop around noon according to the position of the sun. Fires were built, the cages were offloaded, and food was cooked. Each cage was placed on the ground, the doors unlocked and opened. The chains attached to their collars kept them from escaping, but allowed them to walk far enough away from the cage to eliminate waste. There was no privacy, the chains were only about two yards long. The cages were kept each night far enough away from each other than none of the Major Crimes team could come within touching distance of the sentinel.

Though he longed to hold his lover tight to his chest, Jim was forbidden by their circumstances and the dictates of the Cats to even touch fingertips with Blair. As each day and night passed Jim could feel with frightening certainty that he would never touch Blair again.

Nine days passed. The wagons moved along the curving mountain road slowly till at last on the eve of the ninth day the caravan rode over a hill and down into a valley where the oceon met land. The city of Argus Ser lay along the shoreline, stone quays built to accomadate the ribbed sailed ships, and triangular sailed ships that flooded the harbor. Stone buildings lay at the heart of the massive city surrounded by stone walls. Outwards toward the mountains the city had grown from without the walls. Townhouses, and other buldings lined paved roads that crisscrossed in maze like accurracy through out the outer city. Beyond the city in the pasturelands and hills were small cottages made of clay with straw thatched roofs and pens made of stone or wood that held farm animals. The caravan shared the road with other traffic. Farmers bearing their crop to the city, soldiers riding high in their saddles scanning the countryside for trouble, travelers with dusty cloaks that could tell tales in of themsleves.

Jim watched in disgust at a farm where a human male wearing a loincloth and a leather collar with a bell attached to the collar expertly chased and herded sheep into a stone pen where a teenaged cub held the wooden gate open. The cub closed the gate when the last of the sheep entered the pen, and the seemingly happy human trotted over to his master to recieve a pat on the head for a job well done. Jim turned his head angrily at the sight, and focused his attention on the city.

Smells and sounds assaulted the sentinel as they entered Argus Ser. Blair voice coaxed him through the steps of dialing down his senses to handle the sensory overload.

Cats of all shapes, colors and sizes moved through the city. Vendors with wooden carts lined the streets hawking thier wares, while citizens bought what they needed or conversed in groups. Some of the Cats held leashes to which humans, young, old, female, male were attached by leather collars. The humans, tame, followed their masters, smiling, excited, some even pulling on their leashes hoping to move faster. Jim scowled at that, and atempted to ignore the humans.

Cats looked at the passing caravan with interest. They especailly noticed the caged humans, and talk increased in their wake.

The caravan passed the gate into the Inner City after a brief inspection by a guard dressed in Royal blue and silver. The caravan then continued its route until it reached Market Square. A large courtyard about half the size of a football field surrounded by buildings that were mostly inns, Market Square was set up for wealthy merchants to sell their expensive wares to wealthy customers.

One of the inns, The Laughing Human, was owned and operated by Derryck's sister, Lana. The guards, wagon drivers, and servants were housed at the inn in small rooms. A roofed but open stable was used to house the animals that were for sale, while a closed stable was used for the workhorse and riding horses.

The Major Crimes team were placed in stalls that only had three walls. The stable itself had support posts that held the roof up, but only the one wall that connected it to the inn. This allowed potential customers to get a look at the merchandise.

They were placed in individual stalls, Jim furtherest on the end away from the others. They were all bathed before they were chained in their stalls. The pool they were bathed in had plumbing which brought in warm water, and drained it away. The other animals were also bathed. The horses were curried by servants, and the sheep were sheared, the wool to be cleaned and sold.

Much to the Major Crimes teams's dismay, they were bathed, and their haire brushed and trimmed. They were placed back in their stalls naked. The air was warm in the city which wasn't surprising since Jim knew that they were farther south than where Washington state would have been if that was their earth.

They were given pans of food, and their water troughs were filled. Once the animals had been taken care of the Cats went inside the inn to drink and eat.

Some of the residents of Argus Ser walked through the Market Square and slowed to look at the animals that were to be sold. Some even walked beneath the roof, but none touched any of the animals. A few of the Macens's guards had stayed behind to be sure of the animals' safety.

Jim ignored the Cats who stared at him, instead he curled up in the straw facing the back wall. Blair,on the other hand, ever the anthropologists studied the Cats, the city, everything around, making mental observations, wishing he understand Cat language. But even his scientific curiousity was diverted every so often when he would look toward the mountains that jutted up along the eastern horizon, craving the freedom that the mountains represented.

Later that day Derryck emerged from the inn along with his workers. Other merchants met him at the open aired stable and they talked of when the auction was to be held. Announcements had to be made, papers had to be signed, and fees paid.

"You said they are all members of a small pack?" Boden another merchant asked Derryck. Derryck looked at his long time friend.

"Yes."

"You need to register them then, and have the pack given a name and mark to keep down any chance of inbreeding." Boden told him.

Derryck nodded, "I sent one of my servants to the law office with the fee and correct papers. He should be back in a few sunlengths."

"The horses are all unbranded?" Gildesh, a snow white furred merchant asked.

"Yep. Two year olds mostly. A few racers. Papers are being registered as we speak."

"How about the wool?" Mosan asked.

"Cleaned, and ready to sell. I am hoping to get five coppers a pound."

Mosan whistled. "Wool prices are down. You'll be lucky to get three. Its been to prosperous a year for wool. But you should make it back in the furs. Fur prices are at their highest this year."

Derryck listened intently as Mosan began his usual lecture on the fluxuating prices of fur, wool, and cotton. He didn't bother to discuss silk prices. Silk was imported from overseas, and the prices were always outlandish.

A servant came up to Derryck, a leather satchel in his hands.

"Aaah, good, Melis. You got them." He took the satchel from the servant and opened it pulling out the papers within. He read over the paperwork. "Mmmm...mhmmm...yes, looks good. Melis get Breon working on this right away." Derryck handed one of the papers to the servant who took it and ran quickly into the inn.

Another servant of Derryck's came back to inform him that the racing colts's papers had been registered. Derryck nodded and sent the servant into the inn.

Derryck went with Boden, Gildesh, and Mosan to the Merchant's Guild House to finish the paperwork. The Guild sent invitations to the Blooded Houses, as well as sending heralds to the streets to announce the auction set for three days from then. After Derryck paid an outragious fee of course.

When Derryck got back he found Breon at the forges hard at work.

"About how long?" Derryck asked.

"Tomorrow, maybe. Detail work that small takes time." Breon answered not looking up from where he used a small hammer on a piece of hot metal.

"Cutting close, but it will do." Derryck then made a walk through the open aired stable, then went into the inn for some meade.

Servants continued to keep the animals fed and cleaned.

"How long you think it'll be, Jim?" Blair asked.

Jim shrugged.

"Why do you think they seperated us?"

"Your the one with all the theories, Chief. I'm just a dumb cop." Jim said with a smile keeping the sting out of the words.

"It has something to do with what they did, you know, right before they gave you the earrings. I just know it does. But what?"

Jim shrugged, "I don't know, Chief. I don't even know what they were checking for."

Tears fell down Blair's face, "I don't want to be alone without you, Jim. I don't think I could stand it."

Jim longed to be able to hug Blair to him. The guide was seven stalls away from his. The others were asleep, buried beneath the straw to stay warm.

"Chief, look at me. You have to be strong. Someday we'll be together, but you have to be strong till then. I want you to survive till then, okay." Wishing he could wipe the tears from Blair's cheeks, he contented himself with just looking into Blair's blue eyes.

Nodding, Blair wiped away the tears and slid to the floor of his stall. He buried his naked body beneath the straw, and cried himself to sleep.

Jim stayed awake listening to the soft tears of his guide.

Morning came quickly and early in the city. The Major Crimes team was awoken by bells tolling from a tower in the middle of the city. Servants walked out of the inn and filled food pans and water troughs for all the animals beneath the open stable. Derryck came out of the inn a few hours after the morning bells tolled, and walked into the blacksmith's forge. Breon was already hard at work pounding away with his hammer. The blacksmith didn't even bother to look up when Derryck entered. Derryck watched Breon work for a few minutes, then nodded and left the forge. He walked over to the stable and looked over the wares.

"He seems happy." Blair noted watching Derryck.

"Probably because he's going to be making alot of money soon." Rafe said.

"Wonder how much we'll go for?" Henri wondered.

Rafe made a show of looking his friend over, "Depends on if they're selling by the pound or not."

"Why you..." Henri tried to grab Rafe, who dodged backwards against the other side of the stall. Rafe laughed as Henri 'oofed' as he tried to lean over the stall wall. Their antics caught the attention of Derryck, who looked at them curiously. Rafe and Brown ignored him.

"I'll show you who's fat." Henri said leaning over the wall, and trying to grab at Rafe.

"What's matter Henri, can't get me. Two much weight to try and climb over." Rafe teased knowing full well that the chain was preventing him from climbing over and exacting his revenge.

"Will you two settle down before that merchant seperates you guys." Simon ordered.

"Sorry Simon." Henri said as he settled back into his own stall. Rafe mumbled his apologies.

"Guys, I am not trying to stifle you fun, but I don't think you want to draw attention to yourselves." Simon continued.

"Your right, Simon." Rafe said.

Derryck had watched the interplay between them, observing how Simon's order had settled the two detectives down. Nodding to himself, Derryck made his way back into the inn.

Two hours passed. The Major Crimes team entertained themselves by listening to Blair lecture them on some unpronounceable tribe, living in a quickly forgotten country. Darryl asked questions, Rafe and Brown asked for a repeat of a few things.

They were interrupted when Derryck showed up with two other Cats and walked into Jim's stall.

The sentinel struggled but was easily subdued by one of the other Cats. Derryck unhooked Jim's chain, and the sentinel was carried into the blacksmith's forge. A moment later a cry of pain from Jim had the Major Crimes team holding their breathes, and Blair crying out for Jim.

Inside the forge, The Cat held Jim on the ground while Derryck took the small branding iron Breon had been working on from the fire. The iron head was about the size of a quarter, and had an intricatley detealed pattern to it. While the Cats held Jim down, Derryck touched the red hot head of the iron to Jim's left buttock cheek. Jim cried out in pain as the iron seared his flesh, and the smell of burned human skin filled his nostrils. When Derryck removed the iron replacing it into the hot forge, he picked up a bucket of water and poured it over the burn. The water helped sooth the burn a bit, but it still hurt. Derryck smeared an ointment smelling of herbs onto the burn, then one of the other Cats picked Jim up in his arms,and carried him out to the stable.

"Get the alpha next." Derryck said.

The Major Crimes team watched as Jim was brought back to the stable and rechained back in his stall. The cats then went immediatly to Simon, who like Jim, struggled uselessly, and was carried to the forge.

Derryck branded the big captain, who bit his lip to keep from crying out. The Cats then took Henri inside the forge. The detective managed to kick Derryck in the shin, but the merchant quickly branded Brown, and only just rubbed his shin, then had the Cats remove the detective after they rubbed the ointment in. Rafe was next, then Darryl. Megan fought, and managed to have the Cat drop her. Megan immediatly tried to run, but the other Cat caught her before she made it out of the Courtyard. The other humans had cheered her on, yelling at her to escape. They watched in dissapointment when she was recaptured. Rhonda's scream pierced the air, and she scratched her captor pretty good across the face. Rafe and Taggert were then branded next.

Derryck wasn't stupid. When he sent the Cats to bring the guide, he had one of them hold Jim down. The Cat held Jim until Blair was brought back to his stall. When Blair had cried out, Jim had bucked throwing the Cat off of him. Without thought he ran out of the stall and was brought up short by the chain. Somehow, though, Jim managed not to break his neck, and the Cat pushed him down into the bottom of the stall and held him there. The others had watched in concern unable to help their fellow officer.

Blair was brought back, and chained back in his stall. Derryck had followed the Cat holding Blair out of the forge. When the cat was done chaining Blair, Derryck went over to Jim's stall.

"Damn sentinel tried to kill himself, boss. Managed to get away from me and ran out of the stall. Nearly broke his neck when the chain brought him up short." The Cat still holding Jim said.

Derryck knelt down, and moved Jim's collar up so that he could see the neck beneath. Releasing the collar, Derryck absently patted Jim's shoulder saying, "He'll be bruised, but no major damage." With that Derryck stepped out of the stall, and the Cat released Jim and followed his employer.

"Blair are you alright?" Jim asked concerned.

"Yeah, just burns." Blair mumbled an answer.

"I can't believe they did that." Brown exclaimed.

"And why? We haven't been sold yet. I don't think." Rafe said.

"Maybe we have. One of those Cats who were talking to the merchant yesterday could have bought us." Darryl answered.

"No. Those were merchants too, I'd bet." Rafe shook his head.

"Then why the brands?" Simon asked.

Jim lost his temper, "Why does it matter! Your speculating doesn't do any damn good. They'll do whatever they want to us, and we haven't a chance in hell of fighting them!" With that he layed down in his stall, and ignored the rest of the Major Crimes team, who stared at each other in shock.

Blair tried to hold back tears, wishing he could go to his lover, and hold him. Everything that had happened had come to a head inside the sentinel, and he had burst. Later he would be appalled at his behavior, for now he suffered in silence.

The day passed slowly. They were fed, bathed, and curried. Their stalls were cleaned out and fresh straw replaced soiled straw. They were still given no clothes, but did not suffer from the cold too much. When night finally fell, the Major Crimes team was already curled up inside their stalls buried beneath the straw for warmth. Sleep was a long time coming.

The next day was a bustle of activity. Servants swept the courtyard, while others fed and watered the animals. Box seats with curtains were set up for the Blooded House members that would be attending. The auction block itself was set up. The Courtyard was readied for the auction.

By mid morning, potential buyers had trickled in. Blooded House members had driven up in their carriages, and seated themselves inside the boxes with servants bringing them drinks, and fruit. My the afternoon, the courtyard was filled with potential buyers, and the auction began.

The smaller animals had already been sold, so that all that was left to auction off were the horses, cattles and humans.

Each horse was brought out on a halter, and paraded around as the auctioneer took bids. Servants swept up manure after each sale. When all the horses were sold, the cattle were brought out one by one.

From their place beneath the stable, the humans watched the other animals get sold off.

"This is it guys." Blair said tears in his eyes, "I want to say that it was great working with you guys. I really enjoyed it. And I don't regret anything."

Eyes were hastily wiped by hands before tears could fall, and a few sniffles were audible as the others listened to Blair.

"It was good knowing you too, Hairboy." Brown said. They all said their goodbyes to each other.

Blair looked at Jim who was to far from any of the Major Crimes team to touch them much less hug them as they were doing to each other.

"I wish I could touch you Jim. One last time." Blair said.

"I know, Chief. I wish I could to."

The last cow sold, and the handler came back to the stable. He went first to Daryl's stall, and unhooked the chain from the collar, and attached a shorter leash to it instead. He led the boy to the auctioneer block. Bids began immediatly. Simon watched with apprehension, tears flooding his eyes. Not for the first time, Simon wished Darryl had not been in the bullpen all those months ago.

Daryl was sold right away to a member of one of the Blooded Houses. Simon sagged to his knees in the stall when he watched as Darryl's leash was handed over to another Cat, who handed over a bag of silver coins. Daryl was led to the part of the courtyard where the carriages waited, and chained to the back of a carriage.

Rhonda was taken out next. She too was sold to a member of the Blooded Houses, and chained to the back of a waiting carriage, albeit a different one from Darryl's. Taggert was sold next rather quickly to an innkeeper, who took Taggert away from the Courtyard completely. Rafe was sold to a Blooded House member, who immediatly left after buying Rafe. Fortunatly Rafe was not forced to run beside the carriage like the two horses the Cat had brought, but was placed inside the carriage.

Again Jim was held down as they snapped a leash on to Blair's collar and led him to the auctioneer block. The bidding went high, and Blair was finally sold to a Blooded House member, who kept Blair beside him in the box he occupied. Megan was sold after Blair to a merchant. Brown was sold to another merchant. Simon was taken out there struggling against his leash, and the bidding went high before he was finally sold to a Blooded House member.

Jim was the last to be sold. He was brought out, though not struggling. Instead, his eyes watched Blair from where his guide sat on the floor of the box beside the Cat who had bought him. He ignored the stares from the other Cats, and did not hear when he was sold.

The Cat who bought Jim came forward and paid the bid. The Cat was a tiger striped with a scar over his left eye, but the eyeball was firmly in place in the socket. The Cat wore baggy trousers, and had gold rings in his tufted ears. He wore a bright red vest, and a sash, and was barefooted. The Cat was a ship's captain.

The ship captain took the leash, and left the Courtyard. Jim was forced to follow or be dragged. He took one look back in time to see Blair hauled inside a carriage, and the horses take off.

******************

Jim did not struggle as his new...master led Jim down to the stone docks of the harbor and onto a wooden gangplank that led to a large ship with ribbed sails. Instead he walked his head down allowing the meloncholy to settle in his heart. The ships's captain led Jim down into the dark hold, where Jim's senses told him another human awaited. Pupils dialated fully catching all the light in the room allowing the sentinel to see clearly in the dark, Jim managed a good look at the other human. Male, with light blonde hair, almost white, that fell down past his shoulders, the man was tall, nicely built, but not as big as Jim. There was a long jagged scar down the left side of the man's face, and his green eyes looked toward the sentinel and the captain. The Captain attached a chain coming from the wall to Jim's collar, then removed the short leash he had been using. With a pat on Jim's head followed by a ruffling of his hair, the Captain left the hold.

Jim watched the Cat leave, then looked over at the human. The man wore nothing but a leather collar dyed red. A chain was hooked to the man's collar as well, securing him to the wall. Ignoring the man, Jim laid down on the floor on his stomach, thoughts whirring around in his head. Blair's face appeared quite often.

So intent was he on his own thoughts that he didn't hear the other human coming up on him until he felt the man's hand on his ass, and the man's lips against his neck above the metal collar. In a fury, Jim threw the man off of him with a snarl. The man hit the wall rather hard, crying out loudly, whimpering. A shout followed by crashing noises accompanied the Captain's arrival.

"What in the Seven Hells is going on!" The captain shouted. He stopped when the other human crawled to him whimpering, moving as if hurt.

"Dammit!" The captain said kneeling down. With one paw, he petted the man's head soothingly, while the other checked him over for injuries.

Satisfied that they were only bruises, the captain looked at the sentinel who growled at them both. At the sentinel's growl, the other human whimpered and trembled trying to snuggle closer to his master.

"Easy there, Star, its alright." The captain said in a soothing voice while petting the trembling human. The Captain looked at the sentinel.

"Damn you Derryck. Why didn't you tell us that the guide and sentinel were already half bonded. Dammit, I should fucking sue his ass." He growled beneath his breath. Though Jim heard him speak, he didn't understand the words. "There is no way in hell he is going to let Star touch him."

The clatter of boots behind him announced the arrival of his first mate. "Captain, what's going on?"

"Callum, take Star to my quarters. The sentinel just attacked him."

Callum gasped in shock. "A sentinel attack a guide."

"That damn fool merchant forgot to mention that this particular sentinel was already half bonded with a guide. I am going to have to do this the hard way, dammit. I can't have an unbonded sentinel on my hands."

Callum nodded and with voice and hand gestures coaxed Star into his arms, and carried the human from the hold.

Jim watched, figuring he was about to be punished for attacking the other human, and stood his ground. The captain however stood up and with a look back, left the hold, closing the door behind him. Jim watched him leave, then layed back down on the wooden deck glad that he was alone.

Captain Erron went to his quarters. Callum had placed Star in the Captain's quarters, which was were Star usually stayed anyway, and the Captain found Star laying on his bunk. He went over and sat on the edge of his bunk and began to pet the human.

"Sorry about that Star." The Captain said as if the human could understand anything but his name, "You'll just have to wait a few days. Give it time for the seperation to thin down his bond with the other guide. I just hope he didn't frighten you too much to where you won't be able to do what you need to." With that he patted Star's head one last time, then left his cabbin to attend to his duties.

The cargo they had picked up was loaded into the hold. Jim was rather annoyed when the men started lowering crated in there with him, but since there wasn't anything he could do about it, he learned to ignore the movements of the Cats around him. Once the cargo was loaded, the captain gave orders to hoist the anchor, and lower the sails. The crew used large oars to move them away from the docks and out into the open sea.

Inside the hold, Jim felt the familiar rocking motion of being out on open sea, and even though he couldn't see it, his fear for deep water began to slowly trickle into his heart. And there was no Blair close by to comfort him.

*********************

Blair was picked up by his master and placed inside the carriage on the floorboard between the two seats. He had watched Jim as long as he could. Watched as the tiger striped Cat had taken Jim's leash and led him naked through the courtyard and away from Blair. When the carriage door had closed on the sight, Blair had slumped down onto the floorboards and allowed tears to trickle down his face. The Cat who had bought him was seated on the cushioned benches of the carriage, and reached down to pet Blair's head. Blair ignored him.

The carriage ride was long. The Cat lord lived at a Manor house south of the city about three hours ride. The stopped once, and the Cat took Blair for a walk. At first Blair just followed the leash, but then he realised that the Cat was giving him an opportunity to take a piss. Embarrassed that he had been walked like dog, Blair however took the opportunity, pissing against a tree until he was done. Shaking himself, Blair then took the initiative and headed back to the carriage. His...master followed him pleased. Once back inside the carriage, the driver snapped the reins and the horses broke into a swift trot. Blair closed his eyes, allowing images of his sentinel to flicker across his mind.

At the Manor house, servants rushed out to greet their lord. One female Cat ran quickly to the Lord.

"Lord Mattin, did the messenger get to you?" The female asked.

"I recieved no message." Mattin answered as he stepped out of the carriage Blair's leash firmly in his hand. Blair stepped out of the carriage and stood beside the Cat, ignoring everything around him.

"My Lord, Hunter...Hunter became ill. The healers can do nothing. They say it won't be long till he dies." The female said with tears on her eyes.

"Oh gods." And with that he raced into the house, Blair forced to follow. They went into a room upstairs. On a pallet in the floor beside a large bed, lay bundled up in blankets a human. A Cat knelt beside the human washing the man's forehead with a wet cloth. As the door opened, the Healer turned to look.

"Is he contagious?" Lord Mattin asked.

"No, milord. It is an infection inside. I can do nothing for him except to ease his suffering."

Lord Mattin locked the end of Blair's leash to a ring in the wall, then walked over to the pallet to kneel beside the healer.

Blair watched as the Lord petted the sick human, who leaned into the touch. The Cat whispered in a low voice, and Blair looked closely at the human to see, like Jim, that he wore two rings in his left ear.

He's a sentinel, Blair thought shocked. The sentinel tried with what little strength he had to rub his head a against his master's hand. Blair was shocked at the level of affection the human held for the Cat, as well as that of the Cat to the human.

"Go ahead." Lord Mattin told the healer.

The Healer nodded, and mixed some dried herbs into a cup of hot water. The sentinel drank at his master's command.

Lord Mattin held the sentinel he had had since the human was a newborn cub, stroking the long black hair, as the human breathed shallowly. Eventually, the human stopped whimpering, and trying to snuggle against his master as he fell into a deep sleep. Sometime later, the sentinel stopped breathing, and Blair saw in shock that the Cat had tears in his green eyes as he laid the dead sentinel back onto the pallet.

The Lord sat upon his bed, face buried in his hands so that he did not see when servants came and wrapped up the body of the sentinel and carried it out of the room. Blair watched however as they did so. He knew that whatever the Healer had given the sentinel in that cup was the cause of the sentinel's death. Blair figured the sentinel had already been close to death, so that had been their way to ease the man's suffering.

Blair seated himself on the floor and watched as the Healer attempted to comfort Lord Mattin. He was surprised at the depth of grieving. He had yet to see any evidence until now that the Cats cared for the humans in any way.

Hours passed by. The Cat had fallen asleep, his grief deep and exhausting. The Healer had given him something to drink, and had tucked the Lord into his bed.

Blair was left were he was, a pallet made for him by one of the servants, a bowl of water kept full near him. Blair had lain on his pallet. The Cat's own grief had brought out Blair's grief at being seperated from his own sentinel. Blair had figured that he had been bought to guide the Lord's sentinel, only now that sentinel was dead. Fate had conspired against him. If the Lord had not had a sentinel, perhaps he would have bought both Jim and Blair. But it did not happen that way, and not for the first time Blair cursed this nightmare world, and its inhabitants.

The Lord Cat awoke a few hours later. He climbed out of his bed and padded over to Blair, who lay upon his pallet and watched the Cat's every movement. He fllinched away when the Cat kneeled down and reached out with a paw. The Cat's paw lowered to the Cat's knee, and the green gold eyes looked at him with a hint of amusement tinged with grief.

"So now what do I do with you, my silky haired guide. I have no sentinel for you to guide. My poor Hunter is gone, and now I have you. I wish that I could have bought that sentinel. If I had known about my poor Hunter, I would have." Lord Mattin smiled at Blair. "Well, I believe the first order of business shall be food, and after that we'll see about getting you tamed, hey, Silk."

Blair just glared at him.

*****************

One month later...

"Damnit, Shark! Calm down!" Captain Erron hissed as he and Callum tried to hold the sentinel down. Jim, however, refused to cooperate. He struggled beneath their paws, fighting to get free.

Callum put a knee in the sentinel's back, and brought back the sentinel's left arm to meet the right one that Captain Erron had. Quickly and efficiently, Captain Erron tied the sentinel's wrists together. Once the sentinel's wrists were tied, Captain Erron and First Mate Callum stepped away from Jim.

Jim lay on his stomach, wrists tied at the small of his back, collared with the chain shortened so that Jim could not go far.

"What about his feet Captain?" Callum asked.

Captain Erron sighed. "I can't believe its come to this, Callum."

"Its the only way, sir. The sentinel's zoned several times, and he refuses to come up on deck. He's scared to death of the water. What else can you do?"

"This won't work unless Star can get over his fear of this one." Erron mentioned.

Callum shrugged, "What do you expect. Shark has attacked Star on five seperate occassions."

Erron nodded, "Alright, Callum, let's tie his feet to the deck so he can't kick."

When they tried to grab his ankles, Jim lashed out with his feet. He connected with Callum's chin, and Erron's shoulder, but did no damage. The tied his feet to iron rings embedded in the deck, used to lash down cargo. They tied him so that his legs were spread apart, wide.

Captain Erron ran his paw down Jim's face, and neck, though Jim tried to jerk away from his touch. Jim knew what was about to happen.

Callum walked up the ladder to the upper deck, while Erron stayed with Jim, trying to calm the sentinel with touch and voice.

For the last month, the Captain had been bringing the other human down to the hold. At first the other human was too afraid of Jim, and the sentinel just ignored them both. Eventually, when Jim did nothing, Star stayed calm. However, when Star had touch him almost intimately, Jim had exploded in anger. Erron would rescue Star, but not before the potential guide came away with bruises. Jim could tolerate the guide's presence, but not his touch. Jim had figured out that Star was to be his new guide. And that the Cats that had caught him had been checking to see if Blair had taken Jim. Jim didn't know the significance of penetration, but he knew now that that was the reason they kept Jim and Blair apart. Jim's lack of evidence that Blair had penetrated him. Though they loved one another, and had done many things to satisfy each other, neither he nor Blair had tried anal sex. They had not been ready to take that step.

However, now that choice was to be taken from Jim.

Callum came down the ladder with Star in his arms. At the sight of Jim, Star began to whine, and struggle in Callum's arms. Callum petted the human trying to comfort him.

"Stop it, Star." Captain Erron ordered surprising Callum. The Captain was always affectionate towards Star, that tone of voice was only reserved when Star did bad. Callum knew the captain was upset at what they were being forced to do, and it was straining the captain's tolerance.

At the tone, Star stopped immedialty. Callum handed Star over to Erron, who took the guide gently in his arms, and rubbed the human's head afffectionatly to show Star that he wasn't mad any more. Erron then sat Star down on the deck, and snapped a chain to the human's collar.

"Let's go. I want you to check on them every fifteen minutes. Make sure Shark isn't hurting himself, and get him some water. I hope it won't take long for Star to get over his fear of Shark. I don't like keeping Shark tied down. When its done, unchain Star and keep Shark on that short chain, but untie his hands and feet. And take care of him."

Callum nodded.

Down in the hold, Star stayed far away from Jim.

"Star scared." Star mumbled. "Star scared of Shark." Star had his arms wrapped around his knees and was rocking back and forth.

It had shocked Jim to hear english words coming from Star, but even though he questioned Star on where he had learned them, Jim learned quickly that Star had a limited vocabulary, and limited understanding of what Jim was asking. Finally, all he could answer was that Mama had taught him. Star also understood the cat language, or at least some of it. He knew his name, and what it meant, and he had been able to tell Jim that the Cats called him Shark. Jim recognized his name in the Cat's language, and a few commands that he knew from Star that meant stay, calm down, and lay down.

"Star scared of Shark." Star said again.

"Yeah, you'd better be." Jim said. If Star was to scared of Jim than maybe Jim could delay this. "You had better be scared. Come near me, Star, and I'll hurt you."

Jim didn't hate Star, or even particularly dislike him. He felt sorry for him, if anything. But he would fight back to keep Star from trying to take him. It seemed to be instinct with the little bugger, though, to try and take Jim. Because everytime, Star would gather his courage and try again, and again, and again. Each time Jim had had to hurt him. Now Jim was in no position to fight back. Once Star gathered his courage, it was going to happen, and Jim couldn't stop it.

Callum came down and checked on them both. He brought a bowl of water, and placed it near Jim's head, so that sentinel could lift his head and drink. Callum check on the bonds, then petted them both and left.

Jim shuddered when he heard Star begin to move. He growled at Star hoping to put the fear back into the guide. It worked for a few minutes, but then Star was moving again. Jim's growling, and cursing at him didn't work. When Jim's felt a hand touch his calf, he tried to jerk away. The hand came away quickly at the small jerk, but the bonds held fast, and Jim was unable to hurt Star. Star's hand touched him again this time on his thigh. Jim shuddered, but the hands moved higher, lips touched the back of his neck above the permanant metal collar. Jim closed his eyes, and tried to zone on the sound of the oceon waves crashing against the hull.

When it was over, Callum came down. He unchained Star, who stayed beside Jim, one hand on his back between his shoulder blades. Callum then untied Jim's hands and feet. Once free the sentinel did not try to move. The attempt to zone had not worked. He lay still and quiet as Callum used a wet rag to clean blood and semen from Jim's ass. He did not flinch when Callum checked for damage. All the time, Star crooned softly to his sentinel, rubbing his hand over Jim's back in soothing circles. Jim couldn't help but be calmed. the man may not be Blair, but it was obvious he was a guide, and connected to Jim in some way. Jim felt as if he had betrayed Blair, and all he could do was lie there while tears fell. When Callum was done, the Cat went back up the stairs.

Star continued to pet his back, crooning in a wordless voice. Jim didn't bother to try and shove Star away from him. What was the point. Star had done what Jim had been trying to prevent, and Jim had been unable to fight back. It wasn't Star's fault. The guide had done what guides do. The Cats thought they were pets, animals, with no thoughts or feelings, just useful animals to control, and own.

A few minutes later Captain Erron and Callum came down into he hold. The Captain unsnapped the Jim's lead from the iron ring, picked Jim up in his arms, rather easily. Star followed closely as Erron took Jim out of the hold and onto the deck.

Jim turned his gaze away from the large expanse of water that surrounded the ship. Erron petted his head with a a large paw, while Star petted his leg soothingly. Jim knew they were trying to get him over his fear of the water. Problem was, Jim didn't want to get over his fear. He wanted nothing to do with Star. Blair was his guide.

Jim began to struggle in the Captain's arms who only held him tighter. Captain Erron fastened the lead to an iron ring on the mast, and sat Jim down ont he deck. Jim practically hugged the mast, forehead against the hard wood. Star came up and encircled Jim with his arms. The sentinel could hear the guide's heart beating, and he found it soothing. He detected the difference that told him that it wasn't Blair, but Jim knew that he he would be able to detect Star's heartbeat, just as he would Blair's. Closing his eyes, Jim began to cry, knowing that he had betrayed Blair once again, and felt grief well up inside him. Star held him and crooned.

*****************************

(WARNING: The following is really really bad. Rafe babes are gonna kill me. Note to self: Never write during PMS.)

Three months later...

Rafe stood stock still as the leather crop was moved lightly over his bare skin. The judge's green gold eyes followed the crop, measuring each curve and muscle of Rafe's body. Beside him, Rafe's master stood quietly holding the leash to Rafe's permanent metal collar.

Rafe tried not to tense when the judge's crop reached his penis and lifted it carefully, examining the scarring beneath. The judge's face showed no hint of his emotions. He examined Rafe carefully, lowering the ex-detective's penis, then moved on to the next human in line.

Rafe continued to stand, his master's hand running down his head and neck in a petting motion attempting to keep Rafe calm.

When the judging was concluded, Rafe recieved a blue ribbon pinned to his collar, and his master recieved the award money, and trophy. After Rafe's master was congratulated by other Cats, the Cat led Rafe over to his carriage, where he attached the leash to the back of it. The Cat then left to socialise with the other Cats at the fair.

Rafe craned his neck, searching through the throngs of Cats, horses and humans in hopes that he would see some of the others from Major Crimes. So far he had recognized none of the humans there.

About to give up and quit searching, Rafe heard a familiar voice.

"Rafe!" The voice belonged to the human being led by a leash by a Cat on horseback through the throngs. Rafe smiled as he saw his old partner Henri Brown.

Luck was with them for the Cat led his horse to the hitchin post that the carriage's horses were tied to. While the Cat tied his own horse to the rail, Henri and Rafe tried very hard not to hug each other.

When the Cat was done tying the reins, he walked over and petted Henri.

"Be a good boy, Cloud, and stay." The Cat told Henri. Both humans recognized the words for 'stay' and 'good boy', but only Henri recognized his name. The Cat then walked out into the fair grounds.

The two partners hugged, "Damn, its good to see you!" Henri said. There were tears in his brown eyes, and Rafe's eyes shined.

"Its good to see you, Henri." Rafe said after HEnri released him from the bear hug. "Have you seen any of the others?"

"I saw Darryl about a month ago. He was looking pretty good. Healthy, but missing his dad. His master," God Henri hated that word, but it was the only one that fit the Cats that had bought them,"was taking pretty good care of him."

"I saw Megan." Rafe said. "She was pregnant. About two months along. This was eight days ago, I think."

"Oh god. Did she seem...alright."

Rafe shrugged, "I'm not sure, but I suspect she isn't. We only had a few minutes to talk. She told me about being pregnant. Said that one of her master's other humans was the father. She seemed distant. Sad." Rafe shook himself.

Henri closed his eyes, tears leaking from them. "How about you?" Henri asked after a few moments of silence.

"I'm doing alright, I guess." He gestured at himself, "This was done ten days after the auction. I'm still in a state of shock, I think."

Henri felt sick to his stomach. He hadn't missed the difference in his friend. He had seen it right away. Hard to miss when both he and Rafe were standing there nude. Henri had been scared to death that his own master would do that ot him, but so far it had yet to happen. Henri looked at his friend, trying to keep his eyes on Rafe's face and not to the penis that lay lax between his legs with the lack of the ball sack evident. Henri shivered inside.

"Its good to see you again. God I miss home. What I wouldn't give to be back in the bullpen." Henri said.

"I don't think that's going to ever happen, partner." Rafe said.

Henri nodded solemnly.

At that moment, Rafe's master came over and unhooked Rafe from the back of the carriage and ushered the gelded man inside. The door closed. The driver untied the horses, and the carriage rolled away.

Henri watched it dissapear in the distance, then allowed the unshed tears to fall freely.

******************

Taggert lay on the pallet before the fireplace as his Master's wife lay on the bed behind him screaming. Taggert's master sat on the head of the bed, murmuring to his wife, and soothing her forehead with a wet cloth. Between the woman's legs, the doctor worked diligently to bring the new life into the world.

A cry turned Taggert's attention to the bed in time to see the doctor lift a cub covered in birthing fluids, and hand it over to the midwife who stood waiting with a clean towel. The midwife cleaned the newborn cub, the wrapped the infant in swaddling clothes and handed the cub over to Taggert's Master who took the baby gently. Cooing softly at the child, the Master smiled down at his newborn cub. From his place on the pallet, Joel watched them. Having been with the innkeeper since the auction, Joel had been treated fairly well. The innkeeper had two other humans, both older females no longer able to bear children, who had taught him the Cat language, or at least as much as he needed to know to survive. Human throats could not produce the sounds needed to speak the Cat language, but whenever their Master said soemthing, the two women named Sunshine, and Marigold, twins who in their youth had beautiful blonde locks, would tell him what the words meant. Joel knew his own name, which was Bear, and the frequently used orders such as sit, stay, lay down, and such. Marigold and sunshine actually belonged to the Master's wife, and were doted on by the female Cat, while Joel belonged to the master. Joel was what they considered a housepet, not a working pet like some humans.

Joel took that moment to stand up and leave the room. He had free rein inside the Inn just so long as he stayed out from underfoot. Downstairs in the near empty common room, Joel settled down in front of the hearth with its warm flickering flames. A familiar voice startled him out of his musings.

"Joel?"

The ex-Captain of the Bomb Squad turned and saw his friend and fellow ex-Captain Simon Banks walking into the common room on a leash held by the Cat who had bought him at the auction.

"Simon?" Joel was shocked.

Simon's Master shrugged out of his sodden cloak, and handed it to one of the Immkeeper's servants who had come to help the Lord. The Cat spoke to the servant who nodded. Joel caught a few words here and there, mostly room, and price, but enough to know that the Lord wanted a room for the night.

The lord Cat made his way into the Common Room, and servants came to take his order. The Cat attached the chain of Simon's leash to one of several rings embedded in the wall near the fireplace for just such purposes. He then seated himself at one of the tables and ordered dinner for himself and for Simon.

"Damn, Joel, its good to see you." Simon said.

"And you, Simon. How have you been?" Joel asked his friend.

"Lousy. I miss Darryl. Have you seen him.?" Simon asked.

Joel shook his head, "But I saw Henri a couple days ago. He told me he had seen Darryl, and the kid was just fine. The Cats hadn't hurt him or anything. He told me, though, that he had seen Rafe. The Cats had had Rafe castrated, Simon. Oh God, Henri cried in my arms, Simon. I couldn't do anything, but hold him."

Simon closed his eyes, a deep sadness filling his heart at the thought of his detective's pain and anguish. "What about the others, have you seen them."

"Henri said that Rafe saw Megan. She was pregnant by one of her Master's other humans. I saw Rhonda not to long ago. She was pregnant as well, but she seemd resigned, and bit a happy about it. Told me that it wasn't rape. She said it had taken awhile, but she had come to like the guy. I was happy for her. Glad something good had come from all this. What about you. Have you seen any of them?"

"I saw Blair." Simon said quietly.

"Oh, God. How is he?"

"Not to good. He's worried sick about Jim. Said something really strange to me. Said he knew why they had been seperated and not sold together. Said if only he had given in to what Jim wanted, then they would be together. 'One moment of pain compared to a lifetime of misery', and when he said it he cried. I didn't understand him."

Joel shrugged, comfused by the statement as well. Trying to change the subject, Joel asked, "So what are you doing here."

"HE's on his way back from a Tournament, and HE's dragging me along with him. HE likes to parade me around in front of his peers. Apparently a big black man is something of a novelty." Simon's tone was bitter and full of anger. Joel noticed that unlike all the other Major Crime's people, Simon did not call the Cat who had bought him his master.

"So your just basically for show?" Joel asked.

"Oh yeah, unless you count all the money he collects for allowing a woman to share the tent with me for the night. God, Joel, he's collecting money,and I am not even having sex, but I feel like a damn prostitute anyway. He doesn't even seem to care that I don't have sex with the women, and strangely enough he tells these women's masters that I haven't but they continue to pay the fee."

"That is weird. It could be worse, Simon. What happened to Rafe could easily have happened to any of us."

"I know. Its just so damn frustrating to be treated like a pet. I can understand some of their language, but I ignore HIM most of the time. But sometimes I can't ignore HIM, and it pisses me off."

"What about Jim, have you seen him or heard anything?" Joel asked.

Simon shook his head, "Nothing. God I hope he's alright."

Joel nodded.

Food was brought for both Simon and his Master. Simon ate his food methodically, and spoke very little as he did.

When Simon's Master was done, he unhooked the leash and lead Simon up the stairs into the room he had rented for the night. A quick bath for himself, and one he gave to Simon, then the Cat climbed into his bed beneath the covers. Simon slept on the foot of it, his leash attached to the bedpost securely. His thoughts filled with Darryl, Rafe, Henri, Rhonda, Megan, Joel, Blair and Jim, knowing that they had all acknowledged the day the collars had been permanantly placed around their necks was the day that they had lost their freedom forever, and that they would never return to their Earth, and the lives they had led there. Simon found sleep a long time coming.

Morning came it seemed to Simon rather quickly, and after a hearty breakfast, the Cat lord loaded himself inside his carriage. His driver, who had slept in the barn with the horses, snapped the reins, and Simon left Joel behind.

Through the open window of the cab, Simon saw the open courtyard where they had been seperated and sold. Angrily, Simon snapped the curtain closed and seated himself on the floor of the cab. He ignored the paw that reached out and petted his head. Ignored the soothing words coming from the Cat's mouth in another language, and only half heard the name his Master had given him. "Easy, Rogue. calm down."

******************

Jim opened his eyes when he felt the familiar lips against the back of his neck. Yawning, Jim allowed Star, who had slept spooned up behind him, to kiss at his neck and shoulders. He looked around to find that the Captain had already left his quarters to begin the day leaving Jim and Star to sleep. Months after having been tied up and raped by the human behind him, Jim had settled into the routine knowing full well that the Captain would not hesitate to tie Jim up again. The familair feeling of guilt settled into his stomach and the images of Blair raced across his mind. Shaking his head angriliy, Jim acknowledged that he had no right to think of Blair after having betrayed him. By allowing Star to fuck him, Jim had betrayed his real guide, and the sentinel would never forgive himself.

Star's hands fubbed down Jim's chest and stomach to his lax cock. The hands kneaded the balls within the sacs, and Jim felt himself responding to the stimulation. His gut tightened, but Jim managed not to vomit. An insistent poking at his sore lower back told Jim that Star was interested in more than cuddling. Jim groaned. He was still sore from the last time, and though his ass had become used to the felling of being filled, and he no longer bled unless Star got really rough which was rare, it still hurt and was never pleasurable to the sentinel.

Star's hands continue to rub and stroke his now hardened cock until Jim came with a groan. Star brought his hands to Jim's face, and Jim licked them clean of his own semen. The hands then moved to part his ass cheeks, and Star's cock slipped inside. Jim gritted his teeth and forced himself to relax. Star's mouth nibbled at the base of his neck, and the hands moved to tweak at his nipples as Star slowly rocked in and out.

Finally, Star released his seed deep inside Jim, biting Jim's shoulder hard at the moment of climax, adding to the small white scars already evident on Jim's neck and shoulders. Marks placed there by Star's teeth.

One of the rings in Jim's ear had been snapped and removed indicating that Jim was now a bonded sentinel. That and those white scars indicated his status, and everytime Jim saw them in mirror, his gut would tighten and it took all his willpower not to puke.

Behind him, Star slowly sat up, kissed Jim on the lips lightly, then stretched.

Star then tugged on Jim's hand, and the sentinel unwillingly got up and followed Star out onto the deck. The First Mate was waiting for them, and Star stood still as the Cat used buckets of salt water and soap to scrub the guide down and rinse him off. When he was done with Star, the First Mate used a chain attaching it Jim's collar, and securing him to one of the masts. He then used soap to scrub the sentinel down taking extra attetnion to to the sentinel's semen leaking center which was the reason Jim was chained. He didn't like his daily baths and cleansing. The salt water stung, and left his skin feeling gritty. When the First Mate was done with his cleaning and examination of Jim, he rinsed off the water, then unchained the sentinel.

"There you go, Shark. Nice and clean." The First Mate said. Jim only caught his name and the word clean, but got the gist of the sentence.

Jim followed Star down to the galley where the cook had their breakfast ready and waiting in their pans on the floor. After breakfast, Star went back on deck practically dragging Jim with him. Jim made it a point not to look at the ocean surrounding them on all sides. His fear was still there, but what made his stomach tighten even more was what he was doing to try and ignore the water. Like he used to do with Blair, Jim was concentrating on the now familiar heartbeat of Star's. Another betrayal he would never forgive himself for.

The Captain found them on the deck. Star was happy to see the Captain, rubbing his head beneath the captain's paws, making sounds of pleasure in his throat. Jim, on the other hand, allowed the Captain to pet him and manhandle him, but refused to demonstrate any affection or pleasure. The Captain seemed content with it, and after patting Star, he petted Jim's head then moved on about his duties. Star settled himself down on a coil of rope, and Jim layed down beside him on his back, hands crossed behind his head. Star's hand rubbed over Jim's flat stomach, while Jim watched the clouds moving through the sky. Around them the crew was making the ship ready to sail into port. Jim had no idea where they were. He wasn't allowed on deck at night, and therefore could not see the stars to give him some idea of their location. Only during the day was he free to move about the ship. His nights belonged to Star as did his body, and Jim had come to accept that. After all, what he suffered was penance for his mistakes. He had messed with the device sending them all to the alternate earth, he had been captured and had in return got them all captured. So Jim accepted his punishment, and lived on when almost daily he felt that he should just leap over the side and end it all.

Sometime later, a shout from the Cat in the crow's nest woke Jim up from the light sleep he had fallen into. Star was also asleep, he head resting on Jim's chest, spooned up beside him. the shout woke Star to, and the guide opeend his eyes and yawned. Jim sat up when Star got off of him, and looked to see that they were sailing into port. The city was not familiar to Jim, so it wasn't one of the three ports that the ship had been in since Jim had been brought aboard. Laying his chin on the rail, Jim watched the port coming closer as the ship sailed in.

*******************

Blair stood by his Master as the Cat paid the large grey Cat who wore only a pair of silk trousers, and three rings in his ear, and one in his nose. The Cargo Master took the money and weighed in on a scale that sat on a crate waiting to be taken aboard the ship. Blair had no idea where his Master was going, or why he wanted to take Blair, but the young guide was glad to be getting away from the farm. His master had other humans living at the farm. there was an older woman, about fifty eight years, who acted as the Mother of all the other humans there. Blair had found out that she had actually been the birth mother of the sentinel who had died. The others were either related in some way, two of them were actually the children of that sentinel, or had been brought there as young children and had been raised by the Grandmotherly woman. The master watched as their cargo was loaded onto the ship, and Blair took the time to observe the Cats. The crewmen of the ship were a gruff lot, as well as colorful, but they were hard workers. There was not an ouce of fat between them. The crew laughed and talked as they worked, loading crates, and boxes. A young cub, probably the Cabin Boy, led Blair and his master up the gangplank and onto the ship. Blair stopped in shock at the top of the gangplank. Blair's Master stopped and looked at Blair curiously then followed the guide's line of sight. Not far from them sitting on the deck near the main mast were two other humans. One of them the Master recognized immediatly. He gasped in shock.

Blair couldn't tear his eyes away from Jim, who was sitting leaning against the main mast with another human practically in his lap nibbling on his neck. Jim had seen him to, and had lowered his head and eyes. The other human saw Blair as well and growled deep in his throat, which caused Jim to lower his head even more. Blair wanted to break down and cry. Of course the Cats would try and bond him to another guide. Something inside Blair broke at the sight of Jim acting submissive to the other human who glared at Blair as if Blair wanted to steal what was his.

Blair's master was the first to move. Gently, but quickly picking up Blair, the Cat followed the Cabin Cub below decks to the passenger quarters. Blair watched Jim as long as he could until they were below decks. Once inside the cabin, Blair's master set him on the lone bunk, and attached Blair's chain to the ring.

"Dammit, dammit, dammit." Lord Mattin said as he finished chaining silk to the ring. "Why does it have to be THIS ship." He growled. He patted Blair's head suddenly, "Its not you fault, Silk. I am not mad at you. I need to go talk to the Captain." With that Lord Mattin walked out of the cabin leaving Blair behind.

Lord Mattin found the Captain in Navigation room along with his First Mate.

"Captain Erron, I need to speak with you."

The Captain looked up from where he was reading the charts to see the Lord who had hired his entire ship and crew for several days. "What can I do for you milord."

"It concerns your sentinel."

"They aein't for sale, My Lord."

Mattin shook his furred head, "No. That's not it. Captain, I bought my Silk at the same auction in which you bought your sentinel."

"Damn, you mean the one he was half bonded to already." Captain Erron growled.

"So you know about that do you."

Captain Erron nodded, "Aye, he wouldn't bond with my Star. He would beat Star if the guide touched him. I had to force the bond. That damn merchant paid dearly for selling me a half bonded sentinel."

"Unfortunatly, Captain, my sentinel died before I could get them bonded. I don't know how, but your guide is very jelous of my guide. I would like to keep them seperated. The last we need if for them to fight to the death over a sentinel."

"Aye, yer right about that. I'll keep Star and Shark away from yer Cabin. I don't like taking away their liberties. they think they are being punished."

Lord Mattin nodded, "I will keep Silk locked in my cabin. He is not used to being free when we are traveling. Just so that you know what is going on and can keep them apart will be fine by me, Captain."

"Of course, My Lord. We will see to it."

With that Lord Mattin left the Captain to his duties and returned to his quarters. The ship left port and sailed out into the Sound.

******************

Jim had watched Blair's master take Blair down to the passenger quarters beneath his eyelashes. His head down and eyes down, Jim was trying very hard to be submissive to Star. The guide was reeking with jealousy and anger, the smell coming off of him in waves. When Blair was no longer in sight, Star turned his anger towards Jim. It had been awhile since Star had taken him so rough. Star's teeth peirced the skin on the back of Jim's neck below the permanent collar, as his nail raked down Jim's flanks, and Star's hard cock pounded into his ass. One hand on Jim's cock, pumping it furiously kept Jim from zoning on the pain. Star came deep inside his ass, and Jim released his own seed not long after. When he was done, Star withdrew his cock. Slowly, Jim turned around, and licked Star's cock and hand clean. When he was done, Star licked the bleeding wound on Jim's neck affectionatly, then proceeded to wash Jim's neck and face with his tongue while Jim remained in a submissive posture.

Before they were settled in for the night, Callum washed them both, and inspected Jim for damage. Jim didn't fight as Callum smeared some herbal smelling stuff into Jim's torn ass. The tears weren't deep, just long, and had stopped bleeding.

When night fell, the Captain carried Jim into the his cabin with Star trailing behind. Inside the cabin, Captain Erron layed Jim on their pallet, and Star spooned up behind his sentinel. Star fell asleep while rubbing his hand over Jim's chest. Jim, however, couldn't sleep. Instead, he laid awake listening to the sounds of breathing and heartbeats coming from both Star and their master.

Sometime later, Jim was awoken by a loud boom that echoed through the cabin. The ship suddenly lurched to the left, then righted itself. The Captain was awake and barking orders. In the confusion, he forgot to lock his cabin door,and Jim raced out of the cabin onto the deck with Star at his side.

Not far from the ship was another ship, barely discernible in the moonless night to any but Jim. Another boom, and a spark of light from the other ship as it fired its cannon. The cannonball missed, sinking into the water with a huge splash not far from the ship which rocked beneath the resulting waves. Crewman ran over the deck as the Captain shouted orders to man the cannons, and raise the sails no doubt hoping to out run the other ship which appeared to be heavier.

Star tugged at Jim's hand, "Come on, Shark. We need to get below." Star said, his tone authorative.

"Your crazy. Its safer up here. The deck could collapse on top of us." Jim told Star.

But Star wasn't listening. His training said go below, but Jim's common sense said no. Another cannon was fired and it hit the ship's bow, splintering wood, and catching some of it on fire. Star was becoming scared, but he stayed near Jim.

Another cannon fired, this time from their ship. It missed its target.

Suddenly the cannon from the other ship fired again, and hit on deck. Jim and Star were thrown clear.

Jim regained consciousness. He was lying on the deck, his head hurt. Flames on the deck, and mast illuminated the ship. Most of the bow was gone, while the stern seemed barely intact. Fires raged around them, and bodies of Cats were literally strewn about what was left of the deck. Jim saw the Captain not far from him. Or at least his upper half. the lower half of the captain was no where to be seen.

Groaning, Jim tried to sit up. His head hurt, and he felt dizzy. Trying to asses his condition with his senses only brought about more pain in his head.

Then another explosion, and Jim hit the cold water.

Gasping for breath as he reached the surface, Jim discovered that his arms and legs were apparently intact and working as he treaded water. Burning debris fell all around him, and Jim scanned the area with his sight looking for survivors.

His sight spotted the familiar blonde hair and he swam over to find Star. Turning his guide over, Jim saw the wide staring vacant eyes, and the five foot wooden debris that had stabbed the guide right through the heart.

Pain hit him then. The sentinel had failed to protect the guide. The guide was dead. Those were the only words that rushed through his head. He had failed again. He deserved his punishment, whatever fate willed it to be.

A familiar thumping sound reached his ears. Jim opened his eyes and looked at Star. But Star was dead. Confused, Jim strained with his hearing. The thumping got louder. Piggybacking sight onto sound, Jim zeroed in on a lone figure trying desperatly to cling to a piece of wood. Chestnut brown curls plasterd down by salt water to the beautifully shaped skull. The heartbeat strong, and the owner alive.

Jim swam strongly to Blair, and wrapped his arms around Sandburg.

"Jim!" Blair gasped through mouthfuls of water.

"Easy, Chief, I've got you." Jim backstroked to the large piece of flat wood that floated not far from them. Avoiding floating bodies, and burning debris, Jim made it to the makeshift raft. He hauled Blair on top of it. The guide choked and spewed water, then coughed. Jim tried to push himself onto the raft, but his arms were weak, and his body was succumbing to the numbing cold.

Suddenly, a paw grabbed Jim's collar and pushed him onto the raft. Jim rolled onto his side in time to see Blair's master push himself onto the raft.

The Cat's green eyes glittered in the light of the burning ship like rubies, the flames reflected in their depth. The Cat then reached over and patted Blair's wet head, then picked up a floating piece of wood and usd it was a paddle to try and get them away from the burning ship.

It was then that Jim remembered the other ship, and quickly scanned the area. The attacking ship was on the other side of the burning one. Small boats were being hoisted over the side with Cats aboard. The attacking Cats then used pikes and nets to gather the floating goods that remained undamaged.

The Lord Cat that was Blair's master paddled the little boat away from the chaos. Jim used his sight to see that shore was several miles away, but hopefully those on land would see the fires and send ships to help. The pirates would no doubt get away, but perhaps some other survivors would be rescued.

Hesitant about going near Jim, Blair instead spoke to the sentinel, one eye watching his master carefully. "Jim, are you okay?"

Jim turned to look at him. There was a haunted expression on his face, full of sadness and regret for just an instant before it was replaced by a stoic mask.

"I'm fine, Chief. How about you?"

"My ankle hurts kind of bad, actually, but other than that I think I'm alright."

At the thought that Blair was hurt Jim moved to Sandburg's side, only to be blocked by Blair's master.

"I don't think that's such a good idea, Shark. Stay." He ordered sharply. Jim looked at him with a icy blue-eyed glare.

"Don't even look at me like that. Your guide is dead. I saw that for myself. Until I am damn sure that Silk isn't going to die, I am not letting you re bond. So lay down, and STAY!"

Jim stayed where he was. Instead he used his sight on Blair's ankle to determine that it was a compound fracture. He could see the bone sticking through the skin.

"Its broke, Chief." Jim said.

"I know." Blair said quietly.

Jim lowered his head, closing his eyes tight to try and stop the flow of tears. "i'm sorry, Blair." Jim whispered.

"What for?" Blair asked in shock. He could hear the nearly overwhelming guilt within his sentinel's voice.

"I'm sorry I betrayed you. I'm sorry I got us all in this mess."

"Jim. Listen to me. You didn't betray me. It wasn't your fault. They seperated us. You needed a guide to survive. Its not your fault." Blair said firmly.

Jim just laid his head down on his arms, and let the tears fall. A paw touched his head, and petted him gently. Jim wanted to shake the paw off, but intead allowed the touch. Needing the comfort, nevermind the source.

Eventually, the cat's strength gave up, and the Lord layed down on the raft in exhaustion. Jim looked at the shore. It was only about a mile away. Jim rolled and fell into the water. Coming up behind the raft, he gripped it, then began to kick with his legs. Pushing the raft, Jim swam toward shore.

Blair had lost consciousness before the Cat had, and now both lay upon the raft oblivious to Jim's efforts. Eventually, Jim's foot hit solid ground. Standing up, Jim pushed the raft onto the shore, then collapsed in the sand.

He awoke to a hand on his face, and Blair's image over him. He could hear voices getting closer. Voices speaking in the Cat language.

Looking around, Jim found they were still on the shore. The Cat was asleep, still lying on the raft. Blair had apparently dragged himself over to Jim.

"Jim, they're coming. You need to go now." Blair said.

Jim looked at Blair in shock, "Please, Blair. I'm sorry. Don't send me away."

The submissiveness in his voice as well as the total anguish pierced Blair's heart. "Jim, I'm not sending you away. I don't blame you for anything. I want you to be free. I can't leave with my ankle, but you can. Please, I want you to be free."

Jim reached up and ran his hand through the chestnut curls. The silky feel of them nearly had Jim zoning. The heartbeat in his ears was a soothing welcoming sound. "I will always be free, Blair. As long as I am with you." Jim said, the voice full of love.

Balir's eyes glittered with unshed tears. "Oh, Jim. I can't believe your finally with me." He leaned down and gently kissed Jim's lips. Jim welcomed the kiss. Reveling in the taste of Blair, the feel of Blair, the smell of Blair. All his senses honed in on Blair as he kissed his guide back.

Suddenly, Blair felt a hand on his shoulder, and looked up to see his Master standing over them. The voices shouted, and the Master shouted back at them. Jim moved as if to stand, and the Master reached out and grasped Jim's collar. Lord Mattin undid his belt, and wound it beneath Jim's collar into a makeshift leash. Then he called to the voices again. Jim sat quietly while other Cats appeared on the beach. They had litters which they gently placed Blair on one, and Blair's master on the other. Jim's leash was handed over to another Cat, who picked him up in his arms and carried him, following the litters. Jim kept his eye on his guide as they were carried into the nearby city.

Epilogue

Chickens fluttered away cackling as Blair ran through them in attempt to get away. Behind him, he could hear the angry shout of a drenched sentinel. "Sandburg!! When I get my hands on you..."

Blair risked a glance over his shoulder in time to see his sentinel, water flowing down his muscular naked body scramble out of the barn, and break into a run.

"Oh no!" Blair said as he realised Jim was catching up. "Oh shit." Blair tried to run faster.

He was out of luck. Blair was 'captured' right in front of the Manor house, and brought to the ground by a crazed sentinel. "I'll get you for that." Jim said then proceeded to tickle Balir into submission.

"Haha, please stop...hahaha..oh please, Jim...hahahaha..hiccup...Jim."

Finally Jim, believing his guide had been punished enough for throwing a bucket of cold water on him while he had been napping in the barn, released Blair and stood up.

It took a few minutes for Blair to recover, but eventually Blair regained his feet.

Blair's Master had taken Jim in when it was discovered that the Captain had had no relatives to bequeath the sentinel to. During their recovery period in the city, they had run across Joel Taggert. He had been happy to know that Jim and Blair were together again. Joel had told of his meeting with Simon, and all that he knew of the others. It had saddened them, to hear of their friends' fates. Later Blair had been busy trying to keep Jim from becoming overwhelmed at the guilt he felt for their friends' situations.

It had taken a lot of patience that Blair would have not thought he had to get Jim whole again. The sentinel still had relapses where he would wake up in a cold sweat from his dreams, or when Blair would get angry and Jim would suddenly go all submissive on him. So far they had yet to finish the bond. Jim had wanted to do it right away, but Blair knew that if they rushed, Jim would always associate their relationship with pain. Blair wasn't going to let that happen.

Two nights after the tickling incident, Blair and Jim met in the barn. They had free rein over the entire farm, even at night. Blair had managed to steal a pot of oil which he used to carefully prepare his sentinel. They kissed, and moved their hands over each other in an attempt to memorize every line and curve. Jim was heady from Blair's scent, and for once actually enjoyed the feel of something inside him. Blair prepared Jim with his fingers, tears forming in his eyes at the sight of the white scars that disappeared inside Jim's anus. But he prepared Jim gently, going as slow as possible, starting with one finger and moving on to two when Jim was ready, until finally three were inside, and brushing Jim's prostate. The sentinel was groaning in pleasure, thrusting back against the fingers. When Jim was prepared, Blair smeared oil on his swollen, rock hard cock, and slowly pushed inside Jim, giving the sentinel time to get used to the feeling. Eventually, Blair's balls rested against Jim's buttocks. He waited for Jim to tell him when to move. Finally, the sentinel thrust back, and Blair moved slowly inside his sentinel. Changing the angle, Blair moved against Jim's prostate, and eventually the pleasure became overwhelming and Jim came with a shout of pleasure. The muscles contracted tightly around Blair's cock until Blair came as well, spilling his seed deep inside Jim's ass. Blair collapsed onto Jim's back, his spent cock still inside his sentinel. Ignoring the white scars on Jim's neck, Blair kissed Jim's shoulders until Jim turned his head so that Blair's lips found Jim's mouth. Pulling out of Jim, Blair kissed his sentinel, tongue fucking Jim's mouth. Finally, calm and peace settled over them, and sentinel and guide curled around each other and slept.

They never tried to escape again, not after the first three times. They had been hunted down, and brought back only to be punished. Eventually they realized that even if they escaped from Lord Mattin, the collars and brands would identify them everywhere. Such was their life, such was their fate. But they were together, sentinel and guide, lovers, one soul, one heart...forever.