Title: Karayami no Akai Bara

Rating: M

Genre: Drama/Action

Pairings: Kurama/Hiei, Yusuke/Keiko, Kuwabara/Yukina, Shizuru/OC (Don't like it? Don't read it!)

Summary: Sequel to Ryuusei no Solitude. The Kitsune Valley is at war and Kurama had to force his way to his rightful place on the throne. Can he win the war and keep Hiei by his side?

Chapter 1

She ran. She had been running for miles, for days none stop. Through the entire time she only thought of one thing. She had to find him. She had to tell him what happened. She was the fastest runner in all the tribes, which is why she was chosen for this mission.

A fire ball flew past her shoulder and exploded on the ground in front of her. She stopped right where she was; her speed and momentum making her skid and fall on her side.

"Did you really think I would let you warn him," said a voice and she looked behind her to see a gold kitsune covered in armor.

"I will warn him," she said. "And he will take his rightful place."

"He lost his place when he left," said the gold and a flame appeared in his hands. "Now I will ask you once. Join me and I won't kill you."

"I will never serve a false king!" And with that she threw her ki into the grass around her, turning it into blades. Then she grew the grass, making them into spears to pierce into his armor and through him, but he made a shield of fire around him and burned her grass spears into ashes.

"I wish you didn't do that," he said. "I really do like you, Hoshi."

"Go to the seven hells, Azumamaro," she cursed. Closing her eyes she sent her thoughts to the plants around her. 'Tell him. Tell him what he needs to know.'

"I'm sorry you feel that way." And he consumed her with fire. She shrieked as she burned.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Youko Kurama happily watched as half-demon Yusuke and cat demon Kuwabara played a game with Inuhi, a Makai devil dog that resembles a Ningenkai Doberman pincher, except for its blood red fur and two horns coming out of its head, six inch incisors curled out of its mouth. They were tossing a ball between them as Inuhi jumped to catch it. Inside the house cat demon Shizuru, earth demon Keiko, and Koorime Yukina made their dinner and nearby in a tree was the ever vigilante Jaganshi Hiei watching the odd-ball group doing their activities.

Smiling Kurama got off the porch and walked over to the tree. They had arrived at the house a few months ago after agreeing to take a small vacation since they had more then enough money to tide themselves over. Right then they were lazing around, only leaving to go to the nearby town to get supplies or visit the occasional bar.

"Come one down, Hiei," he said with a soft smile. Hiei looked down at Kurama and his face softened. Without a word he jumped down from the tree and joined Kurama's side, and watched the three play. Inuhi had finally caught the ball and was currently playing tug-of-war with it with Yusuke. Both the half and cat demons were tugging on it together but Inuhi wouldn't let go. They weren't even budging her from her spot. Finally the devil dog let go and both fell on each other. Both Kurama and Hiei laughed as the two sprawled on top of each other and Inuhi danced around them barking.

"Supper," called Keiko. With a cheer Yusuke and Kuwabara untangled themselves and ran inside. Kurama slipped one warm around Hiei's shoulder and started toward the house. He had just walked up to the porch when his ears twitched and he looked toward the forest.

"Kurama, what is it," asked Hiei looking up at his lover. Kurama switched his attention back to Hiei and kissed him gently.

"Go inside," he said. "I'll be in shortly."

"Are you all right?"

Kurama nodded. "I'll be fine. Ask Yukina-chan to keep my supper warm for me."

Hiei nodded but was still apprehensive on going inside and watched as Kurama walked down the porch steps and into the woods. Once the fox was out of sight did he enter the house.

Kurama kept walking until he was in a small glade and sat on the ground. He didn't like to leave Hiei's side but he couldn't ignore the trees when they shifted and changed auras, indicating that there was a message for him. Relaxing and closing his eyes he received the message. After a few minutes he opened his eyes in shock.

"No," he said softly. "Oh, Inari no! He can't be! No!"

Still in shock Kurama started to cry. He curled up on the glade floor and cried like a kit in his mother's arms, afraid of the storm outside of the den.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Kurama-kun has been gone a long time," said Yukina after the twelfth time Keiko beat Yusuke and Kuwabara away from the food.

"He said he'd be right back," said Shizuru.

"Where did he go," asked Yusuke and everyone looked at Hiei. The fire-Koorime was looking out the window watching the spot where he saw Kurama walk into the forest. The sun had fallen and stars dotted the sky. At his feet Inuhi had her head on his lap as Hiei petted her between her horns. He wouldn't voice it but he was also worried about the silver fox.

"Should someone go after him," asked Keiko from her place by the fireplace. Everyone went into and uneasy silence.

"I'll go," said Kuwabara getting up.

"No." Everyone looked at Hiei. "I'll go." And he got off the window and walked toward the door.

"Hiei-oneesan," said Yukina

"He'd be less likely to hurt me if he's angry," said Hiei opening the door and he ran toward the forest, using his sense to locate Kurama. He found the fox curled up in the glade they both frequently went to be alone.

"Kurama!" yelled Hiei in panic, thinking his lover dead. Turning Kurama over, setting his head on Hiei's lap, Hiei breathed a sigh of relief to find Kurama still alive. He noticed the redness under Kurama's eyes, the dirty streaks down his cheeks and the fox's puffy nose. The surrounding plant life also had an uneasy feel around them. Kurama had cried himself to exhaustion, pouring his energy into the surrounding plants until he was nearly depleted. What could have been so bad for him to be in so much anguish?

Gently he unclasped his cloak and wrapped it around Kurama. It was awkward picking Kurama up, since Kurama was so much taller then Hiei but he managed to walk toward the house. As soon as he was in sight Inuhi barked a warning and the others ran out.

"Kurama," yelled Yusuke and they all ran toward the two.

"He's all right," said Hiei as Kuwabara took Kurama from him. "He's just asleep."

"What's wrong with him," asked Keiko.

"I don't know," said Hiei, the worry evident in his voice.

They set Kurama on his bed and Yukina checked him for any injuries.

"He's not injured," she said and they breathed a sigh of relief. "But his energy is low. I will transfer some of mine to stabilize him."

She reached forward to do the transfer until Hiei stopped her.

"No," he said. "You are not strong enough, Yukina. I will."

Yukina nodded and stepped back to let Hiei transfer some of his energy to Kurama. Hiei sat on the bed and laid his forehead on Kurama's. He didn't need to be so intimate, but he wanted to. Closing his eyes he slowly gave some of his energy to his lover and was thankful that he had lain down. He was exhausted afterwards. He lay down with his head on Kurama's chest and almost fell asleep right there.

He felt arms wrap around him, taking him boots off, and laid him on the bed next to Kurama, drawing the blanket to cover them both. Before he fell asleep his saw his friends quietly leave the room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hiei woke when he felt something shuffle against him and he looked to find Kurama wrapped around him, his head on the fire-demon's shoulder. He could hear the sniffling and something wet dropped on his shoulder.

"Kurama? Fox, what's wrong?" But all he heard was Kurama's silent cry. Outside stars shone on the dark blue skies. "Shush. Hush, Kurama, it's going to be all right. I'm here. I'm not leaving. Hush."

For an hour Kurama continued to cry on Hiei's shoulders, silently, first in sniffles then in hiccups, his voice still harsh from his previous cry. Hiei held his lover as the fox cried, petting Kurama's hair, scratching behind his ears, anything Hiei could think of to make Kurama feel better. After a while Kurama calmed down and Hiei looked into Kurama's dead eyes.

"Kurama, what happened?"

"He's dead," said Kurama softly. "My father is dead."

TBC