There is no secret that can be completely kept hidden.

There was nothing that occurs that doesn't have at least one witness.

From the rats in the sewer to the birds in the sky, silent eyes were everywhere.

Usually, these animal watchers merely gossiped among themselves about the oddness that was humanity.  

Usually, what they saw went unknown by the humans they watched.

After all, it didn't occur to most humans that the dog that chased the stick they threw was really intelligent enough to understand that the little boy they love so much is dying of cancer.  Or that the gerbil in it's plastic cage knows when the strange man that gets brought home is definitely not the husband.

On a cold day in December, there were three such animals with their eyes on the apartment building that housed Ito no Kazuki outside of Mugenjou.  Two were birds just passing through and it was only chance that they happened to be watching.  The third was a small pug nosed dog who'd just happened to draw the short end of the stick that day and was taking his turn watching the silent apartment for the one human who did listen to them.

Years before he'd found the Beast Master, the dog had been a well-loved pet who's owner had passed on and who's daughter didn't like dogs.  The nice old human had named him Sano, and he remembered her with enough fondness to keep the human name.  When the woman's daughter had driven to the edge of Mugenjou and left him there to his fate, Sano had been doubly heartbroken- not to mention completely helpless.

What did a rich woman's spoiled house dog know about life on the streets?

Nothing.

It had been a few harrowing weeks before he'd been found by the Beast Master.  The human who talked to animals had found him a new home and made sure that the other animals stopped messing with him.  For that, Sano would do whatever he was asked.  Even sit in front of this boring old apartment watching nothing.

He was just getting resettled after having taken a lunch break when he noticed the two men approaching the apartment building. 

Having watched this building more than once, Sano was pretty much aware of who lived here and who didn't.  And besides, these two were mighty suspicious looking with their big thug like appearance stuffed into fancy suits. 

The pug hopped up and jogged over to the door just as the bigger of the pair opened it and slipped in under their feet.  If they were here for an innocent reason, he could always whine pathetically until that nice old lady came down to let him out.  If they weren't, then he needed to know.

"Hey, doggie.  Someone lock you out?"  The smaller one nudged the pug as he slipped past with a sharp boot toe, making it whimper pathetically and edge closer to the wall.

"Leave the mutt alone.  We've got better things to do than torture animals, Akito."

The one called Akito pouted meanly.  "But it's so much fun."

Rolling his eyes, the bigger one pushed his companion along.  "We've got other stops after this one and the Boss wanted us to report back immediately."

"You're so boring, Touya.  You never let me have any fun."

"Don't be childish.  You know any other day I'd let you do whatever you wanted."

"I hope Fuuchouin ignores the message and keeps talking."

Touya through his companion an annoyed look.  "Now that's just stupid, Akito.  Why the hell would you want that?"

"I've heard he's prettier than any woman."  A cruel leer twisted over the small one's face that made the pug shudder.  "I wouldn't mind playing with him a little if we had to bring him to the boss."

"No piece of ass is worth the trouble you'd be in with the boss."

"He wouldn't know if you didn't tell him,"  Akito wheedled.  "And you wouldn't do that, would you?"

 "Shut up, Akito.  It's not gonna happen so why ask?"

The sounds of their bickering continued as Sano followed them all the way to the door of the apartment the Beast Master had them watching.  He tried to stay far enough back so as not to garner attention from the mean one again so he was unable to get close enough to read the note they left.  It was the only note-worthy skill he had and he mourned that he wasn't able to use it.  

Darting back to the main door, he whined at an outgoing tenet who let him out.  The birds, once given a hurried explanation littered with the Beast Master's name, were more than happy to help by following the men to their destination once they came out.  

Reassured, Sano decided that delivering this news was more important than continuing to watch the apartment.

He made it all the way to the mansion with no mishaps.  It was only there that he hit the first stumbling block.  He had no idea how to get in and deliver his message. 

For the most part, the neighbors had gotten used to the strange comings and goings around the violinists home since she'd taken in that 'barbarian' as many of them privately called Fuyuki.  So none of them would have given little old Sano more than a passing glance and a shake of their head.  Unfortunately, just down the street someone new had moved in.  Snooty and rich, when he was out walking his poodle and saw the pug looking quite out of place, he did what one would expect from a snooty, rich young man.  He called the pound.  The poodle thought it outrageously funny and laughed the whole time he struggled with the dog catcher.

Sano spent almost a week in the pound before he managed to talk some rats and the other dogs into helping him escape.  They didn't all know the Beast Master personally, but a human who could talk to animals was unique enough that word of him had reached a great deal further than even Shido would have believed.  And everyone knew that the Beast Master had put them all on alert for certain things.  If this little pug had vital information- not that Sano realized that, he was just trying to sound important enough to garner a little help- then there was no way they could just arbitrarily let him take the long walk to the chamber that no one came back from. 

Another couple days of planning, and they were ready to make a break for it.

Unfortunately, the man who ran the pound wasn't the most scrupulous man in the world and the day before their planned jailbreak, he sold half the lot to a sick butcher from Mugenjou who mixed his regular beef and sausages with the meat of stray dogs and cats.

A perilously close encounter with a meat cleaver, a run in with a vicious animal hating gang, several nights spent in the mud were all almost more than he could take.  As it was, he'd developed a nasty chest cold.

By the time the poor pug managed to drag himself all the way back to the Beast Master, Sano was ready to call it a loss and move on.  Someone out there obviously didn't want the information passed along.

The poodle from before was being walked again and made snide remarks as her owner once again whipped out a cell phone.

Thankfully, the Beast Master was home this time and even better, outside fixing something in the front yard.  He looked properly alarmed when Sano passed out next to him.

As he relayed his message and his journey, the pug promised himself that the next time he saw that damn poodle, he was going to piss on her prissy pink fur.