It was 8:30am in Japan and Spirit World was quiet as everything was just starting to begin for the new day. And then, with the crash of two large doors…the peace was broken.

"What do you want, Squirt? I was trying to sleep!" Yusuke Urameshi shouted wiping the sleep from his eyes angrily.

"Good morning, to you too, Yusuke," the young prince said flatly, having said similar thing to the boy dozens of times. "You have a new mission." He said directing it to the rest of the Spirit Detectives in his office. Turning to the screen, he switched it on revealing, to the surprise of the boys, a family photo. "This is the Higurashi family, they are your mission. You must protect them at all cost." He said sternly.

Meanwhile, back in Nigenkai…

The gaps in the blinds let thin rays of light shine through and land on her face, causing her to slowly wake from a deep sleep. She slowly rolled out of bed and stretched every tired muscle in her body. After a few pops and creaks, the light scent of cooked food floated to her nose. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. Her green eyes grew wide and a large smile grew on her face. As fast as her sleepy self could go, she raced down the flight of stairs and nearly ran into the door at the bottom. Opening it wide, she ran over to the kitchen table and wrapped her father in a tight embrace. Turning to the older man next to him, she hugged him as well then walked over and gave her mother a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Well, you seem happy," her mother smiled knowingly, "What's gotten into you…?" she teased.

"Oh, nothing much, just excited." She couldn't contain it anymore, " 'Cause it's my Birthday!!!" she shouted happily.

"Really? I had no idea, are you sure, I think I'd remember my own child's birthday." Her father joked, a small smile on his lips hidden by his coffee cup.

"Oh stop it, you guys really need to come up with better material. I stopped falling for it when I was 9." She said shaking her head at they're antics.

Her mother turned with a plate full of pancakes and another with ham, bacon and sausage. As she set them down, she looked at her husband nodding her head. "You know she's right. This is rather childish." She said with more believable sarcasm then before. She turned around went over to the stove, coming back with a plate with nothing but eggs, scrambled, poached, over easy, and a few in cheesy egg sandwiches. On the other plate there was nothing but toast and hashbrowns.

"Alright, dig in everybody," she said once she sat down. After all the food was pasted out they sat quietly for a moment before starting a new conversation.

"So, what are we doing today…? I can't wait till our little excursion begins." She asked in anticipation while stuffing the rest of the sausage link in her mouth.

"Calm down, child, the day is still young," he grandfather smiled at her warmly. "We're going to the lake for a picnic. Anything we do after is entirely up to you."

She smiled happily then finished her last pancake and stood. "I'm going to go take a quick shower. I'll be down in 15." She kissed her mothers cheek and thanked her for breakfast before rushing up the stair to her room.

Back in Reikai…

"Care to elaborate?" Hiei asked slightly annoyed.

He pushed a button, unseen by the boys, and the eldest member of the family's face was circled and enlarged so they could see it better. He had dull gray-blue eyes and silver hair that came down past his shoulders in a low braid. His clothes were old fashioned and gave him a certain air of royalty.

"This is Tatsuya Higurashi. He is a cat demon and was once the Demon Lord of the Northern Cat Demon Kingdom," he said looking at the boys making sure they were paying attention.

After pushing another hidden button, a circle appeared around the other man in the photo. He had blue eyes like the other man only they were a darker deeper shade, like navy or even midnight blue. His hair was as black as Yusukes hair, maybe darker but it seemed to have a blue tint to it in to sun. He wore casual yet nice clothes and he gave off firmness to his stance yet a kind, compassionate glint could be seen in his deep dark orbs.

"This is his son, Tatsuo, he was next in line for the throne. The woman standing next to him is his wife, Kimiko." He said as another circled closed around her face.

She had sandy blonde hair that was in a short wispy haircut framing her face perfectly. Her eyes were a vibrant shade of lime green, seeming to glow making pale yet slight natural tan more noticed with the bright contrast. She wore a pretty blouse and nice jeans, not at all like any of their mothers. She had a confidence that radiated off of her but still had the modest characteristic most mothers shared.

After he was done with them, he went to the last member of the family, "Finally, this is Hitomi, she is Tatsuo and Kimiko's only child. The ages of the others are unknown but she is exactly 16 years old. They live in a large cabin only 40 miles from Genkai's temple, in the middle of the woods." He said explaining the location.

Hitomi rushed down the stairs as fast as she could. When she opened the door she noticed her mother had also changed into something for their trip. Her yellow knee length sundress was lovely on her mother, though she knew she'd never be caught dead in it.

"Are you ready to go, sweetie?" She looked up at her daughter with a small smile on her face. Hitomi couldn't remember a day when her mother hadn't had that smile.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she said with a shrug, pulling her long, silky black hair back in a high ponytail. She walked over to the back door and opened it up for her mother.

"Thank you, Hitomi," she smiled, "Your father and grandfather are waiting for us near the woods. Don't wander off like you did last time, alright?" Her mother said firmly, eyeing her daughter.

She rolled her eyes at her mother. "Alright, honestly mother, it was no big deal."

"Yes, I know but still…" she said with pleading eyes. "Don't run off again."

"So, why the hell do we have to protect them, Koenma?" Patience was never Yusuke's strong suit.

"I was getting there." He said in a frustrated sigh. "As I said before, Tatsuya was once the Lord of a great cat kingdom. He had a wife and three children, two sons and a daughter. His wife died when his children were young. Once they were all had grown older and matured he named his oldest child, Tatsuo, the next king. Tatsuo had a twin brother named Tsuyoshi and he was furious. He demanded his father to let him be the next lord but he refused him. Several nights later he attempted to kill his brother but their sister, Masumi, had seen him and stopped him but ended up dying in the end. Tsuyoshi was banished from the Kingdom because ancient law stated members of the royal family couldn't be executed. Several weeks later, he came back with 10 assassins and drove them out of the city. They escaped to Nigenkai and have lived there ever since. Tsuyoshi is now ruling and hasn't gone after them since he chased them off but my informants tell me that he found out where they are and is sending assassins to kill them tomorrow. You have to protect them at all cost." He said sternly. Eyeing each of them, he added, "You'll be staying there until the attack begins and you've defeated them. And try to be discreet, Hitomi knows nothing of this information and I'd like to keep it that way." He said turning off the screen.

"Wait a seconds, what do you mean she doesn't know?" Yusuke asked curiously.

"They never told her and she was probably too young to remember running way," Kurama said answering his question. Looking at Koenma, he asked a question that he couldn't easily find the answer to on his own.

"Koenma, why does Tsuyoshi rule if he was banished? And why is he still chasing after the Higurashi family?"

"He brainwashed the kingdom. He told them that his family gave up and ran away. He also told them he killed his sister because she was a traitor to the thorn but no one believed him at the time he was exiled." He looked angered at all he said but continued with a steady voice. "He's still after them because he fears they'll come back and try to take what he rightfully stole."

It took awhile but they reached the lake and Hitomi immediately jumped in with her clothes still on. She swam around in the near perfect crescent, waiting for her body to get used to the chill of the water. As her body relaxed to the cool temperature she swam over to the weeping willow that made the in curve of the lake. Taking a deep breath, she dove under and around the roots of the tree that were in the water and came to a spot where the trees roots didn't lock them selves to the ground. Swimming to the surface, she looked around her special hidden spot. It was like a cave. The tree met with the ground but was high enough for someone her height to sit comfortably. Some of the roots were open enough to see the outside, which she used to spy on animals and, at the moment, her parents, who were busy setting up for the picnic.

"Hitomi," her grandfather called, knowing her was in her secret spot.

She dove back into the water and with in a few seconds, was back at the top by the edge. "Hi Grandfather," she smiled shivering from the cold water her body refused to adjust to.

Her grandfather smiled knowingly and came closer to the edge letting his cane be hit by the mini waves that were made by Hitomi's constant shaking. "Is the water really that cold? You should wait for the sun to warm it before you start swimming, young one."

As soon as he said thoughs words the water slowly became warmer til it was bearable. "No, it's fine grand father." She said with a smile then she saw the look on his face abruptly change from it's usual free spirited smile to a icy glare. Walking out of the lake she came up to him with worried eyes. "Grandfather, are you okay, is something wrong?" Her voice etched with fear.

"Hitomi, go to your spot and stay as silent as possible until I say otherwise." He said ignoring her questions.

"But, Grandfather…" she started but he quickly interrupted her his cold glare on her now.

"Hitomi," he said looking back up in the direction of their house. "Go and promise me you'll stay as quiet as possible no matter what you see. Do you promise?" he turned to her, the look on his face scaring her.

With a shaky voice she replied, "I promise." She ran to the edge of the lake and dove in, quickly swimming to her hidden spot. Sitting quietly, she sat next to one of the small opening in the roots to watch what was going to take place.

"Koenma, Sir!" George said running in to the office out of breath.

"This better be good, Ogre, I'm in the middle of something important," Koenma said angrily. He glared a

him, having noticed the boys had turned their attention away from him and to the blue man behind them.

"The assassination. It's happening…right now." He said still trying to regain his breath.

Immediately his eyes grew wide with shock. "But my informants… Their never wrong." He said in disbelief.

"There's a first time for everything." Kurama said with a tone that clearly said they had to hurry.

"Alright," the prince said composing himself, "I have a portal already made up but it won't take you directly there but you'll be down the road from their house. It'll take ten minutes to reach it," he then looked down at a small computer screen on his desk. After pushing a few buttons, he looked up at them with anxiety in his dark brown eyes. "They currently at a lake 5 minutes from the house. Good luck boys, and hurry." They then all turned to the portal that just appeared next to the group of Spirit Detectives and all four boys quickly jumped through.

Hitomi looked out at her family, fear etched in her lime green eyes. She was about to call out to her grandfather when everything became silent. The birds stopped chirping, the wind stopped blowing… It was as if the forest itself quieted awaiting the unknown that had yet to come.

"Here pretty kitty…" a mocking voice came from the woods. She looked in the direction the noise came from and what she saw left her wide eyed with shock. 7 cloaked figures walked out from the shadows of the woods. They walked elegantly toward the clearing surrounding her family. They all had sinister glints in their eyes. But that's not what left her breath caught in her throat. On each of the tops of their heads sat two large cat ears and a long tail twitching behind each of them.

"What do you want from us?" her mother said with the confidence she radiated but barely showed.

"The bounty on your heads," an orange-haired being said in an old worn voice, his gold eyes glowing.

The wind then gradually began to pick up whipping around each of her family members. She looked at them with confusion and anxiety in her eyes. Their bodies gave off a strange glow, her mothers green, her fathers blue and her grandfathers silvery white. Soon they began to change; their nails grew long, their hair whipped wildly, growing slightly longer, they stood in fighting stances and once the glow died down and the wind stopped blowing, she stifled a gasp in surprise and shock. They all had cat ears and a tail just like the others.

"Good luck," her father said jumping at two of them. His nails were instantly 5ins each and he was using them like daggers keeping them at bay.

As her father went for them, her mother jumped at two as well but instead of attacking, she stayed on the defensive, watching each move perfectly as if calculating what they'd do next and then she struck, killing one.

She didn't know what shocked her most, her family's new appearance or them fighting and killing living creatures before her eyes. She looked over to her grandfather, not having seen him move the entire time. He was circled by the remaining three. Their eyes never came off him and vice versa.

"Yukio, you sniveling snake in the grass. I knew I could smell your stench." Her grandfather said with a coldness she had never seen from him before.

"Your as cruel an old man as the day you banished me, Lord Tatsuya," he said with malice.

'Lord? What in the world…?' she thought quietly to herself.

"Hey, guys, I see the house…" Kuwabara said as the building came into view.

"Really? I had no idea. Thanks for sharing…" Yusuke replied sarcastically. "Come on, we still have to get to the woods."

"I smell blood." Kurama said worriedly, "We have to hurry."

"Cruel? I wasn't the one who murdered a woman in front of her children." His eyes were full of hate; she almost gasped from the intensity in the depths of his gray-blue eyes.

"Everyone knew she deserved it except you. And now I'll give you what you so rightly deserve." At that they all jumped for him, their daggers drawn.

Waiting for the exact moment, he jumped kicking the daggers out of the hands of the other two. One made the fatal mistake to go after the weapon. Her grandfather, quickly seeing this, flicked up the other dagger with his tail and threw it at the unsuspecting cat creature, hitting it in the throat. She covered her mouth as not to scream from the sight before her. She closed her eyes, so she wouldn't witness any more deaths, and then she heard the scream of a woman and the only woman she remembered seeing was…her mother. Her eyes immediately snapped open and darted over to where her mother was. Her eyes widened greatly at what she saw. Embedded in her shoulder was a dagger that looked hauntingly similar to the one her grandfather had thrown. She clutched her shoulder at the same time her mother did. Tears escaped her eyes as she watched her father's heart broken look on his face. Her mother fell to her knees hissing in pain. Instantly, her father was at her side, fighting off the other 3 cat people. The first one she saw fall by her fathers hand was the one she believed tried to kill her mother, for her father had an emotionless glare watching him die.

She turned her head in disgust. At that moment she believed nothing could shock her anymore. She crawled into a corner of her little hide out and puked. Covering it, she wiped her face of with the water from the lake and turned back to the action. Her grandfather was doing pretty well until a gasp was heard. She looked over at her parents only to see her father on the ground and her mother clutching her stomach. One of the cat things grabbed her mother by the hair and forced her to her knees. Another cat came up behind her father and did the same making him face her.

"Look into her eyes," the cat said, his startling orange eyes glowed with a sick amusement. "See the pain she's in? You caused it." And with that the one holding her mother slapped her across the face then kicked her in the gut so she couldn't scream.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, tears of pain and fear streaking his face.

The cat behind him apparently didn't like this response because he then kneed her father straight in the kidney. He gasped in pain then his head dropped and he refused to look at his wife. "Your pathetic," he said darkly, "Look at her." He demanded. When her father refused, he shouted at him, "Look at her!" he jerked his head so he looked into her lime green eyes. They stared at each other for a moment then her mother began to cry silently. "Watch each other. You married each other, you ran together, you lived here together… It's only fitting you die together."

Hitomi looked away and shook her head as if to wake her self from a bad dream. She then looked over at her grandfather and saw him horribly beaten. He was putting all of his weight on his left side, his right arm was hanging loosely at his side and his neck, face and arms had claw marks on them. "Are you going to try and help them again, old man, or are you going to fight me?" the one earlier identified as Yukio said, a smirk on his face. Her grandfather took a step towards her parents only for another cat to attack and make him fall back.

She looked over at her parents. She couldn't believe what was happening. She wanted to run out and stop them but she couldn't move, or speak and at some moments she had to remind herself to breathe. Her wide, terrified eyes landed on her parents and she felt tears slide down her face.

"Say goodbye…" The orange-eyed cat creature said lifting a clawed hand to her father's neck, while at the same time the cat holding her mother did the same.

"I love you," her mother mouthed to her husband embracing what was to come.

"I love you too," he replied then it happened. Their bodies fell to the ground, their eyes still open and filled with fear.

The entire time she didn't know how she did it but she had remained silent, but after that she couldn't stop the loud gasp that escaped her lips. As soon as the noise reached feline ears they perked slightly and turned to the tree.

"Hitomi, run!" Her grandfather groaned in pain, throwing his staff at the tree. As soon as it hit the tree it seem to melt into it and untangle the roots. Hitomi was then revealed and quickly stood and bolted from the lake, deeper in the woods.

"Hmmm…" Yukio purred then turned to the older cat that was lying on the ground near death. "It seems you've been hiding something from us, old man."

"She's no one of any importance. You've gotten what you came for now leave." He pleaded, gasping for air.

Yukio arrogantly walked over, a wicked smirk on his face. He pressed his foot on Tatsuya's chest and leaned his head closer. "You seem to greatly care for her if you don't want us to go after her." He licked his lips and looked in the direction of the girl. "Come on boys, lets have some fun." He smiled at the dying cat creature, "Nighty night…" he then bound off into the woods, leaving the Tatsuya to die.

Less than 5 minutes later the boys arrived at the clearing only to see they already had failed the mission. They stood there and took in the sight of the bloody battle they had barely missed. Kurama noticed to familiar faces and walked over.

"Maybe they got away…" Kuwabara suggested. He knew he was more than likely going to be proven wrong.

"No, they didn't." Kurama said a grim look on his face. "They're right here." He said standing and looking down at the couple. He walked back over to the group and shook his head. "Now all we need to do is find the other two."

As soon as these words were spoken, a hand reached out and grabbed Hiei's ankle. He quickly reached for his katana and looked down with a deadly glare on his face.

"Help…" Tatsuya groaned. He coughed, blood spurting from his mouth.

Kurama was instantly at his side examining his wounds. "We will. We're the Spirit Detectives. You'll be fine." He had on a reassuring smile but he knew they were too late to help him.

"There's no need to lie to me, young one, I know it's my time." He said holding Kurama's hand, his eyes were kind and understanding but immediately turned anxious. "You have to help my grand daughter. She," he began but started coughing again, then continued, "She needs you. They'll kill her."

"We'll help her. We won't let anything happen to her." He said with determination in his eyes.

"You must promise me you'll save her." He squeezed Kurama's hand his voice urgent. His gray-blue eyes were fading but refused to dim completely until he promised.

"I-I promise…" he said looking into the man's eyes, his own green ones wide.

"You promised… Help her… Help her… Save…" and with that he sighed his last breath his eyes were closed and his hand was limp. Kurama set it down gently and stood. He looked into the direction of the girls' faint scent. "Let's go." They then began to run as fast as they could to the dying smell.

She ran as fast as she could, her breathing heavy and ragged. Her black short shorts were still drenched as if she were still sitting in the lake. The black and white plaid suspenders flapped the sides of her legs as she ran, occasionally getting caught on something. At one point she ripped them off and threw them after they fell from her shoulders for the third time, which she had put them there to keep them out of the way. She didn't know where she was going but she knew she couldn't stop. And for the strangest reason, she wasn't tired like she usually was after running. She was also running slightly faster. Almost too fast apparently, for she almost ran right off the cliff that was now right in front of her. She skidded to a halt then looked in either direction. It was like a little outlet 200ft in diameter. And the only way out of there was to go back or jump.

"Aww… is the little girl afraid of heights?" said an all too familiar voice. Yukio walked out of the woods towards here his remaining lackeys right behind him.

She just looked at him with a mixture of anger, hatred, fear and disgust shining in her bright eyes. She knew what was to come. She was going to die, possibly horribly beaten in the process with the slight chance of rape, but she didn't care. She had nothing to live for now. Her only family was dead and no one at school cared. She had nothing, so why was she desperate to escape or fight, not that she stood a chance… Then one of the emotions she had felt exploded inside her and she had on her infamous glare that sent most of the kids at school to the counselors.

"Oh, what's wrong, Sweetie? Did we make you mad?" one of the cat things said with a mocking smirk, his brown ears twitching with delight at the look on her face.

She didn't want to talk to them. She wanted to spit on them. They were vermin. They were filth. They didn't even deserve a name they were so pathetic.

"I think we hurt her feelings…" another said faux sympathy in his yellow eyes.

"Why don't we make it feel all better boys…?" Yukio said sauntering towards her.

As the boys raced on Kuwabara tripped on something that was on the path. "What the hell?" Kuwabara said lifting up what caused him to fall, revealing suspenders.

"That has the sent of a cat on it. She was here. Come on, we're wasting time." He said just as Kuwabara stood an earthshaking scream could be heard in the distance not that far from them.

As soon as they heard, it they were off. In less then 2 minutes, they were there and what they saw scared them. 5 cat demons stood around her, their claws out, dripping with blood. They all seemed untouched but she was… It was a wonder she was still standing. Her legs and arms had scrapes and cuts on them. Her stomach, which was exposed because besides the shorts, the only other thing she was wearing was her black two-piece, had several puncture wounds and gashes that were bleeding excessively. Her back had large 'X' shaped claw marks across it. Bruises were already developing on her face and a few fist-shaped ones on her chest and stomach. Her wrist looked broken from the swelling and purple-green color that was forming around it. They all were dumb-founded until the sound of her whimpering in pain brought them back.

"Hey buddy, why don't you pick on someone your own gender?" Kuwabara said angrily. His fists were clenched as well as his jaw.

"Oh look, more play things." The orange-eyed cat said with a smirk. The other 4 cat demons attacked the boys, menacing smirks on their faces, while Yukio stayed by Hitomi, the only thing that kept her from collapsing was him holding her up by her now dull black hair. Everyone but Yusuke, was using their usual attacks to keep their opponents at bay as they slashed their claws at the Detectives. Yukio's eyes narrowed in annoyance when he saw his men fall so quickly. Anyone else would have said they put up a good fight but to him 10 minutes wasn't good enough. As the boys walked closer, glares on their faces, Yukio subconsciously took a few steps back, pulling Hitomi with him. He continued until his foot hit the edge of the cliff and a smirk appeared on his face.

"It was fun while it lasted," he said leaning back his hand still tightly tangled in her black mane.

Yusuke, seeing what was to happen, pointed his finger at the cat and fired his Spirit Gun. The cat's eyes widened and once it hit him, they relaxed and closed as he fell backwards off the cliff, his hand loosening from Hitomi. She stood there momentarily, then let out a loud gasp and fainted. She was just about to hit the ground when Hiei grabbed her, holding her bridal style.

Kurama looked at him anxiously until Hiei answered the unasked question; "She's alive fox, but just barely."

Yusuke quickly took out his communicator and Koenma's face appeared on the screen. "Well, are they okay?" His voice was lined with worry and urgency.

"Sorry Koenma, we were too late. Hitomi is the only survivor and she's barely holding on." He looked at the girl Hiei held with painful eyes.

"Well, hurry up and get her here. The closest portal I can get to you guys is the one you used to get there." He began typing something and nodded at the teen. "It's ready. Now please hurry."

"Hiei…" Kurama started but the fire demon was no longer there. He had already left with the cat demon in his arms. "Koenma, Hiei's on his way with her." His voice was low and saddened. He couldn't imagine what she had seen.

"You guys' need to do one more thing for me, you need to get Tatsuya's staff. It's somewhere in the clearing," he began to type something then turned back. "Here are the coordinates. I trust you'll find it." He said with a nod then the screen went blank.

"Come on, the faster we find it the faster we can go home," Yusuke said running towards the clearing.

Once Hiei had heard 'the toddler', as he referred to him, begin to freak out and told them where the portal was, he was off. As he neared it, he felt her wince as he jumped suddenly avoiding a tree limb, jerking her. He didn't look down at her but knew she more than likely had a pained look on her face. He jumped through the swirling vortex, only to meet two Spirit World doctors that had a gurney in Koenma's office waiting for them. He placed her on it and as he pulled away, he felt a tug on his neck keeping him for moving. He looked down and suddenly noticed her arms were wrapped around his neck tightly. He pulled again but after she didn't let go, he grabbed her wrist's and pulled them apart. She gasped in pain, her eyes squeezing tightly. He set her arms down next to her and the two doctors ran her off to the medical wing. He felt something warm on his hands and he looked down only to see them covered in blood. He then felt the back of his neck, which was also soaked with the red liquid. He stared down at his hands and stayed that way until the rest of the boys came through the portal. Yusuke was the first to speak.

"There. We're done, now can we go home now? I need to take a shower." He said angrily throwing the staff, this was obviously not what he had in mind for his summer vacation.

"Yes, you can go. But come back later today at around 2. I need to speak with you about Hitomi." The young prince said with a stern voice his eyes never leaving theirs. They all quickly left silently the only noise that could be heard was coming from the medical ward as Hitomi screamed in pain.

Well, there you go. You like it? I hope so. Read and review my friends...