Ryuusei No Solitude

Chapter XXXIII



Hours later they rendezvoused at the cave site they picked out. I was well enough away from the castle to put distance between them and Kurama concealed it behind a curtain of vines and bushes. A small creek ran a few yards away down a hill. A bush of hazelnuts grew close to the cave and not far from it was a raspberry bush, whether naturally or Kurama grew it Kanna didn't ask, but there wasn't any berries or nuts on the other bushes around them.



Kanna stirred the concoction of herbs in the pot, watching the sick girl on the soft bed next to her. The group that made of Hiei's friends brought, made, or gave up garments for the fire demon to use. Kanna and the other girls had curled up next to Hiei for hours to warm her as the men patrolled. Kurama had wanted to stay but a stern look from Kanna made the fox demon leave. He returned a few hours later and never left the fire demon's side. Yusuke and Koga had returned not long after they arrived with several bags of coins and jewels over their shoulders or tied to their belts. The gold and jewels were being evenly distributed as Kanna stirred the herbal medicine.



She had just filled a cup when Hiei started to stir.



"Okaasan," called the fire demon. "Yukina."



"Not quite, Hiei-chan," said Kanna. By then everyone had heard the stirring and joined the water demon around the make shift bed. Kurama sat next to the fire-demon.



"Hiei," he said with a smile, reached up, and caressed her hair. Hiei jumped away. "What's wrong?" But Hiei wouldn't answer. "Kanna, what's wrong with her?"



Kanna sighed. "Hiei, why don't you drink this? It'll make you feel better." After handing the cup to Hiei, Kanna turned to the others. "You men stay away from her as best as you can. Don't touch her or sit near her without one of the girls around. She may revert to her male form, so expect the change."



"You know about that," asked Yusuke.



"I know a lot of things, Urameshi," said Kanna. "Kurama, come with me." And she led the fox demon out. They stopped by the creek where Kanna made a ball of water and began to toy with it.



"What happened to her," asked Kurama again.



"The worst thing that could happen to a person," said Kanna. "She was raped!" And with a face of disgust she threw the ball of water back into the creek with a splash.



Kurama's normal golden eyes turned red with anger. "Who?"



"Yomi, or whoever wanted her, but in Hiei's case, Yomi. It was an un-written by line in the 'contract.' to keep him company whenever he feels like it. But Hiei, always a spirited person, fought back, so Yomi wasn't very happy. He roughed her up, badly. She hasn't gotten over it either. A shame too. It was her first time."

The trees around them began to groan. Kanna looked around curiously before turning to Kurama.



"Calm down, man. Not the first time it's happened, and you know it."



Kurama turned to her. "How can you just stand there and say it's nothing while my friend shrieks from the slightest touch?!"



"I never said It was nothing," yelled back Kanna. "Just that it's happened. Hiei's not the only one who felt Yomi's "gentle" ministrations!"



Kurama stopped glaring and looked at her. Her pupils hadn't dilated and her heartbeat was steady. She wasn't lying. But there was also a hurt in her eyes.



"I'm sorry. I shouldn't take it out on you. You were just trying to help."



Kanna nodded. "All right. It'll take some time but Hiei will heal. I'll stay till then."



Kurama nodded and both went back to the cave. The rest of the gang didn’t ask what they had discussed and Hiei had turned back into her male form, through he still didn't want to be touched by men. After a stomach filling meal and a bath with Kanna, Keiko and Shizuru Hiei went back to sleep. After some discussion on travel plans the rest of the group slept as well. Throughout the discussion Kanna couldn't help but notice that Kurama had been silent through the planning. When they went down to their sleeping rolls Kurama set his up ten feet from Hiei's and hadn't moved since he laid down. Kanna had an uneasy time going to sleep, a foreboding feeling settling in her stomach.



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Kurama laid awake for hours, listening to the others as they slept. He could hear he slight breathing of the girls and he roar thunder of Yusuke's and Kuwabara's snoring. Meko's snoring wasn't as loud and Koga's was a sound sleeper. Kanna slept near Hiei, which he envied. She was the only one the fire demon allowed to touch him. They had connected and bound like Kurama never could. And he never felt so useless.



The moon was two hours past it's zenith before he decided to make his move. He always felt more powerful at night, especially under a full moon. He supposed it was the animal in him. Throwing back his cover he crept out of the cave, but not before he took one last look at Hiei.



The fire demon slept toward him, his face in the moonlight. After his washing the bruise on his face stood out more without the dirt, but it was fading thanks to a salve Kanna had rubbing on it to bring the swelling down. Hiei's hair had been brushed till it shone and his rags had been replaced with his black outfit. His Jagan Eye had been left uncovered and it was closed as if asleep as well. Except for the water demon next to him, it was like Hiei never left.



It was strange through, for a water apparition and a fire apparition to have bond closer then usual. Elemental apparitions were in constant conflict among each other. Each trying to prove the other element was superior. But there were others who would work together, like earth and plant, but Kurama had never known a water and fire element working together.



'There's a first time for everything,' he thought and walked out. It took him less then an hour to reach Yomi's castle. The whole castle was still cleaning up the mess made by Keiko's earthquake.



"Yomi," he yelled. "I demand to see you. NOW!" and he kept yelling for Yomi till he was noticed, which didn't take long. A few minutes later Yomi walked out of the double door entrance.



"Ah, Kurama," he said. "I thought I'd see you soon. Through I thought it would have been sooner. What with the death of your pet Chimera."



Kurama's eyes flash amber. "Keep Kuronue out of this."



Yomi sighed dramatically. "Very well. Is you insist."



"I do."



Yomi nodded and snapped his fingers. "Are you hungry? Thirsty? I wouldn't be a very good host if I didn't offer you anything." As Yomi spoke servants walked out with trays of food and drink.



"I don't want anything you offer, Yomi," said Kurama. Yomi waved the servants away.



"Then why the visit, Kurama," asked Yomi. "If not for revenge and not for entertainment, then why have you come?"



"Revenge, for Hiei."



"Hiei?" Yomi paused to think. "Oh, you mean the spirited fire-demon I took last month. If you were more corporate she wouldn't have been hurt that bad."



"You enjoy breaking people, Yomi," growled Kurama. "But this time, you broke the wrong person." And reaching into his hair he pulled out a leaf and created a sword from it. A guard ran over and gave Yomi his sword.



"Revenge is it, then," said Yomi. "Come at me then, Youko Kurama."



With a charging yell Kurama rushed at Yomi with a downward stroke with his leaf blade. Yomi met his sword for sword.



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"Kurama!"



Everyone woke at the fire-demon's sudden outburst. Kanna was the first to come to Hiei's side.



"Hiei, it's all right," she said. "Everyone's safe. We're all out of there."



Hiei shook his head. "No, everything's not all right," he said. "Kurama's gone! He's not here!"

Everyone looked around to find it was true. Kurama wasn't inside the cave. Yusuke and Kuwabara even went outside to see if he was wandering the woods but couldn't find him there as well.



"Where could he be," asked Keiko.



Everyone was silent as they thought over where their leader would be, or why he would just leave. Kanna was the first to come up with the conclusion.



"Yomi," she said.



"By why would he go there," asked Kuwabara.



"For revenge," said Shizuru.



Yusuke growled and licked the stone wall. "How are we going to get there? It's almost an hour's walk."



"And we only have two horses," said Meko. "With only eight of us."



"I'm faster then any horse," said Koga and everyone looked at him.



"You mean you want us to ride you," asked Yusuke.



"Not all of us," said Kanna. "Just a couple. Hiei for one."



"Who else," asked Keiko.



"I'll have to go with him," said Kanna. "He won't let anyone else touch him."



"I'll come too," said Yusuke. "You may need protection."



"We'll try to catch up," said Shizuru.



Kanna nodded and lead Hiei to the already transformed Koga in his immense rhinoceros form.



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Kurama blocked Yomi's swing and lunged at the demon. Yomi side-stepped the attack and swung at the fox again. Kurama moved aside in time, but not before the blade cut into his side. Kurama hissed when he felt the sting. The pain flared once before being numbed by adrenaline and he didn't try to stop the blood flow. His entire attention was focused on the demon in front of him.



"Well, what I want to know id," said Yomi twirling his sword in one hand, "is who she is to you?" At the end of the sentence he jabbed his sword at Kurama, who jumped back in time to avoid the point.



"That's none of your business, Yomi," said Kurama.



"Now, Kuronue I understand. You two used to be lovers, and I had a hand in his death. But to attack me for someone who was under my services that I willingly took…."



"You forced her, teme," growled Kurama. "You took her without her consent and beat her when she fought back!"



His grip on the leaf blade grew tighter. "And I will kill you for it."



Yomi's eyes took an interested gleam. "You care for her," he said with a laugh. "Maybe even, dare I say it, love her. This is very interesting."



"I'll let you think about it later, on your way to hell!" and with that, Kurama charged at Yomi again. Yomi dodged and attempted another swipe at Kurama's side but Kurama blocked it and shoved Yomi away with a swipe, managing to cut Yomi's hand at the same time. Yomi yelled and dropped his sword. Kurama lunged at Yomi again but the other demon managed to pick up his sword and block it. even then Kurama managed to cut a vital blow. His sword cut across both of Yomi's eyes. Yomi cried out and dropped his sword to clutch at his now useless eyes.



"And this will end it," said Kurama and raised his leaf blade.



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Riding a rhino was more different then Kanna first thought. There was nothing to hold onto except rough skin so they tied a strap around Koga's shoulder's and held onto it. The rest was just moving with the stride. Kanna had put Hiei in front and both were holding the straps tightly. Yusuke was behind Kanna and holding her tightly. She wanted to turn around and slap him for how close he was holding her.



The forest went by quickly and Kanna held tightly to the strap and Hiei as Koga swung on a turn. What would have taken forty-five minutes took thirty. They arrived in time to see Kurama cut Yomi eyes and held his sword up for the kill.



"Kurama, no," yelled Hiei. Kurama turned in surprise at the sound of Hiei's voice. "As much as I would like to see this demon dead, it won't change the fact that he killed Kuronue, or what he did to me."



"He's a cretin," growled Kurama, sword still raised. "He has to die."



"And he will, but not by you. You took away his sight, that's punishment enough. Don't be like him. Let him live."



Kurama held his ground for a moment longer before throwing his leaf blade away, the blade changing back to a simple leaf. Still glaring at Yomi he walked over to Hiei, Kanna, Koga and Yusuke. He reached up, stopping short of Hiei's cheek, looking intently at the fire-demon. Yusuke and the others kept watched over Yomi's and his guards.



"Yusuke," yelled Keiko, finally catching up to the, she and Meko rode on a large black creature. Its eyes were blood red and two great horns curled out of its head. Instead of blunted molars it had sharp canines and iron like hooves. This was a Makai horse. Shizuru and Kuwabara rode a similar creature.



"What's happened," asked Keiko.



"Kurama fought Yomi," said Yusuke.



"Well, we know that," said Shizuru. "What happened?"



"Looks like Kurama blinded Yomi," said Meko.



"What?" said Kuwabara. "Is he crazy? Yomi will kill him now."



"Not if Yomi can't see him," said Kanna, but they continued to keep watch. Meanwhile Kurama and Hiei continued to talk.



"I looked for you," said Kurama, hoping, wishing Hiei would let him touch him.



"I know," said Hiei. He reached out and took Kurama's hand. Tears come to the fox's eyes. "I never gave up. I knew you would come for me."



Kurama smiled. "Are you sure you're not in your girl form?"



Hiei punched him in the arm with a smile, soft enough to be friendly but hard enough to bruise. Kurama smiled.



"Look out," yelled Kanna and the next thing Kurama knew a wave of water flooded Yomi's side, with Kanna riding it. all the rest of Kurama's group crowded around Kurama and Hiei in a shield. A guard, a minor one by his badge, had tried to take advantage of the diversion and aimed an attack toward Kurama. Kanna, the only one not watching the scene between the two demons, saw the attack coming.



"I suggest you keep your lackeys on a tighter leash, Yomi," she said. She settled herself on the ground gently. "Or no leash at all." Holding up the four circlets and threw them on the ground, the metal softly clicking as they hit against each other. With a final glare at Yomi she walked back to Kurama and the group.



"An impressive display of ki," said Shizuru.



"Just a lesson to never mess with me," said Kanna.



"Let's go," said Kurama. He climbed onto Koga's back behind Hiei and they all left Yomi's territory.



TBC