KUROKOOOO! Kagami screamed and without pausing to consider the consequences jumped down after Kuroko, praying he would reach him before he hit the ground. Thankfully, he did manage to grab Kuroko mid fall to protect the injured boy from the merciless ground. Kagami tensed, preparing himself for the flash of pain that he was sure to come, but it never did. Sure, he felt himself, hold Kuroko, hit the ground but there was no intense pain. It was like he had simply fallen from his bed and not from several feet up a tree. Kagami was defiantly very confusing but he was also aware of a more pressing matter then how he had not been injured in the fall. He quickly pulled himself up to lean against the tree he had just fallen from and laid Kuroko head gently in his lap to get a better look at what damage had been done. But the sight of Kuroko was more jarring to the Kagami then he would have thought possible. The small Teiko he had somehow come to befriend in the past few days looked both smaller and frailer then he had already been. His skin had taken on a frightfully sickly shade of white, and his breaths were coming in ragged, pained gasps. And then there was the wound. The blood from the injury had almost completely drenched the left shoulder of the shirt Kuroko was wearing and spilled down his arm. Kagami didn't hesitate to rip the soaked fabric away from the injury to see the injury and he almost threw up his lunch when he did.

"Oh god…" Kagami choked, the wound was more jagged, ugly and horrifying then Kagami could have imagined. He needed help, Kuroko needed help, there was no way he could fix this. Kuroko needed a hospital but couldn't bring Kuroko to one, they would surely notice that he was a Teiko, especially since Kuroko was unconscious and unable to hide his tail and ears. And Kagami was defiantly sure that the Teiko wouldn't be able to last long enough to make it back to his own people. So with shaky hands Kagami did his best to staunch the bleeding wound with the remains of Kuroko's shirt, though it seemed to do little good.

When he was sure there was nothing else he could do for the Teiko he decided to take a quick assessment of where they were. He hadn't really been paying much attention to where they had been going since he had been pretty busy with running from the group of dangerous-looking men. He found that they were in a park, and were thankfully not very close to any of the paths or lights that were sure to be placed around the park. He then realized that it was pitch black out but he could see everything as if it was still daylight out. And with this realization Kagami was now very close to breaking down completely. Something was happening to him but he had no idea as to why or how, his new friend had just been shot and was dying in his lap after the two of them had been chased down like animals.

"K-Kagami-kun…" Kagami almost jumped in out of his skin when Kuroko suddenly spoke.

"Kuroko! Don't talk! Y-you've been shot… just rest…" He told Kuroko as calmly as he could.

"D-Don't worry Kagami-kun, someone is coming…" Kuroko stuttered out weakly, like he had somehow noticed Kagami's worry.

"What?! But you're to hurt to move now! How are we going to-"

"Kagami-kun… they are coming to help…" And then Kuroko was out for the count again. Kagami had no idea as to how Kuroko would know such a thing but knew that he would have to trust his words since he couldn't just leave Kuroko alone now.

No sooner had Kuroko lapsed out of consciousness did two figures emerge from the shadows, one a woman with warm brown eyes and hair, the other was a man with wavy black hair that was just long enough to be pulled into a ponytail and eyes that were equally as dark. But the mysterious strangers said nothing until they were no more then a hands-reach away from the two boys.

"Kagami-sama, there is no need for fear now we mean Kuroko-sama no harm." The woman stranger told Kagami calmly, almost serenely.

"What do you want with us? And how do you know our names anyway?" Kagami growled defensively.

"We have no need to explain ourselves child." The male stranger snapped coldly at the teen. But he didn't spare Kagami a single moment longer of his attention and quickly turned to address his to his companion instead. "Kuroko-sama can't afford to wait any longer, Kaya we should just take him with us and go."

"That is not for you to decided Talan." The woman, Kaya, chided him coolly. "But you are right. Kagami-sama, time is of the essence so please do not take offense." And in a single motion the woman moved forward and lifted Kagami like he weighed no more then a small child.

"What the hell! What is with people and grabbing other people violently?!" Kagami shouted half in fear, half in irritation as he struggled against the woman's grasp to no result. But from his position, slung over the woman's shoulder, he was able to watch as the man, Talan, knelt beside Kuroko and gently placed a hand over Kuroko's wound and muttered something that he couldn't hear. The blood didn't suddenly vanish or the wound suddenly heal up inexplicably but Kuroko did seem to regain some color in his face and his breathing was more stead and less ragged.

"Kaya lets go, we can move him now." The man declared tiredly as he lifted the unconscious Kuroko off the ground gently. Kaya turned, nodded silently and then took off across the ground at an inhuman speed with Kagami, followed effortlessly by Talan who still had Kuroko in his arms.

-x-

Kagami didn't know how far they had gone but when strange lady stopped they were standing infront of the gates to a very grand but traditional Japanese estate. The wooden gates swung open of their own accord and they entered. Once the gates had swung closed behind them with a bang his captor released Kagami, allowing him to stand on his own. He was more than a little worried when he realized that the man who had Kuroko had long since entered the house that was before them.

"I apologize deeply for my rude behavior Kagami-sama. I could not come with a better way to reach the manor fast enough." His would-be captor apologized almost shamefully, kneeling before Kagami reverently.

"Hey wait a minute! You still haven't told me how you know me! And what's with all this "sama" stuff?! And where is Kuroko?!"

"He truly dosen't know? This is looking to be a very long conversation…" She though to herself quietly before answering Kagami. "Do not worry about Kuroko-sama, he is being very well taken care of by Telan. I give you my word I will answer all of your questions, but first why don't we go inside?" She offered with a kind smile, gesturing toward the house.

"Fine. Lead on…" Kagami muttered reluctantly, allowing Kaya to lead him into the house and to a small, comfortably arranged room. Once they were both seated in comfortable chairs Kagami began his questions again.

"Explain everything. What do you know? How do you know me? How do you know Kuroko? And most importantly do you know whats been happening or why?"

"Kagami-sama, it would appear you have not been made aware of your lineage so I think it best if I begin there."

"My lineage? What has that got to do with this?"

"It has everything to do with this. Your mother, Maki-sama, was a Teiko, head of the tiger Teiko clan to be specific, though your father is indeed human." There was no way to really describe the expression of shock and disbelief that Kagami Taiga's face made at her words. "She and Yuki-sama, Kuroko-sama's mother, are the ones who made this place possible."

"This place?"

"Yes, a place were those who are not full blood Teiko's can exist without fear. The Teiko clans do not look kindly on those who share a bed with a human and the same sentiment extends to any children they might have. I address you as Kagami-sama because your mother was a teacher, protector, dear friend to me and unquestionably my better, as was Kuroko-sama's mother. The reason you can see Kuroko-sama's ears and tail, speak Hueal naturally and possibly other things as well is because of your mother's blood, though I don't believe you will ever be a able to shift, it would seem that no one but pure Teiko's can do that." Kagami soaked up every word but his head still spinning from this revelation. He couldn't really remember his mother very well since she had died when he was still very young. Or that was what his father had told him anyway.

"Can you tell me more about my mother?" He whispered almost fearfully.

"Of course, if that is what you want."

"Is she really dead?" Pain and sadness flashed across the woman, Kaya's, face.

"Yes, and I wish I could say it was painless… Both Maki-sama and Yuki-sama paid dearly to protect us and those whom they loved."

How?! I want to know how they died!" Kagami shouted at her, his pain and anger spilling into his words. Kaya flinched at his outburst but didn't reprimand him for it, she only made a solum and serious expression before answering him.

"Very well…"

And so she began.

A/N- Oh my gosh! This chapter just took FOREEEEEVER to finish! Thank you all so much for your pactice! Please don't kill me for the cliffhanger! The next chapter should be following this one pretty quickly! (I have been planning this part of the stroy for awhile, you might ever get a few surprises if your nice!) Thank you all for reading my story! Please leave a review! Thanks!