I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. I only own Hope and Kayla and Mamoru and any other original character I create.

Story start

I awoke the next morning to a gentle breeze and the smell of cooked fish. I opened my eyes and saw Mamoru cooking fish. I yawned happily and hugged Mamoru. "Hello master," Mamoru said and I ruffled his hair.

"Hey Mamoru, this smells great," I said and he gave a proud smile.

Mamoru handed me a fish on a stick and he started eating himself as I took a bite. "So good," I said and gave the fish a heavenly look, which made Mamoru laugh.

I sighed after breakfast with my full stomach. I slowly stood up and rubbed my stomach. Mamoru chuckled and I stuck my tongue out at him. "So I'm going exploring, do you want to come with me?" I asked as I looked at the large fields and forests surrounding us.

"I'm going to visit my family's grave," Mamoru whispered and I gave him a hug.

"Just say my name if you need me," I whispered before giving him a small smile and I started walking away from him.

I stretched out my wings and flew up into the air. I smiled as the fresh air surrounded and passed me. "So calming," I thought while flying over the beautiful terrain. I flew over smaller demons and my heart darkened every time I saw a happy demon couple. I'm happy for them, but their happiness just reminds me how alone I am.

I sighed as I flew faster to get away from all of the fornicating demons. I smiled albeit a little sadly, as I landed on a mountain ledge for away from everyone. I had a perfect view of the land. I also had a perfect view of seeing a colorful portal appear by a small pond. I growled as I saw a form with flaming red hair appeared out of the portal. A shorter figure with gelled black hair also stepped out.

"Not those guys. I don't want to talk with them, especially not Kurama," I thought as I clawed the mountain. My nails produced that interesting sound of nails on a chalkboard and I sighed as the sound gave me a little less stress.

My neck and hands burned a little as I looked back at Kurama's form. "I belong to no one," I thought before flying up into the cloud coverage.

I flew above Kurama and Yusuke, but kept hidden amongst the clouds.

"Are you sure she's going to want to talk to you Kurama? She seemed really pissed at you," Yusuke said as he surveyed the area.

Kurama kept silent as he started walking towards the lake where I had stayed with Mamoru earlier. I held back my annoyance as I felt a flicker of curiosity at why Kurama would possibly follow me. He had a very sorrowful look in his eyes, which his face did not betray.

Yusuke sighed as he gave Kurama some room as Kurama smelled for my scent at the lake area. "Look up and you still won't see me," I thought with a sense of pride. However, my pride disappeared when I felt a sharp pain enter my heart and course through my body.

"Mamoru," I whispered before letting out a roar and flying towards where I sensed Mamoru. Kurama and Yusuke looked up and I did not care that they saw my enraged form, and I did not care that they were following me. All I cared about was getting to Mamoru and saving him. He was in trouble. I could sense it. "Mamoru," I yelled as I saw a dark cloud on the ground. A few people were standing there with smirks on their faces.

They gave me surprised looks when I roared and sent black fire towards them. They screamed in pain when it struck them. Hell's fire will burn any demon, no matter their power level.

I sniffed the air and gasped as I realized that Mamoru's flesh was burning in the black cloud. "Poison," I thought before diving towards the cloud. I flapped my wings harshly, but that did not diminish the cloud.

"Hope," Mamoru screamed as I felt my heart pulse with fiery pain.

"I'm coming," I yelled before flying up into the air and diving towards the cloud. I did not know if the cloud would try to trap me so I needed momentum on my side to keep the cloud from capturing me as well.

I hissed in pain as the cloud surrounded me and started burning me. I grabbed Mamoru's shivering and crying form and flew out of the cloud. The cloud disappeared after we were out. I growled when I smelled the blood from Mamoru. He was bleeding slowly from many places where the cloud had burned too much of his flesh away. I quickly landed close to the stream. Mamoru clung to me tightly as Yusuke and Kurama appeared.

I growled at them warningly if they tried anything I did not like. "Hope we can help him, we can save him. Let us help the boy," Yusuke said.

I glared at the two approaching me. "You want to help Mamoru now even though you so rudely judged him earlier," I growled out as I tried to soothe and cleanse Mamoru the best with the healing ability of my fire. Mamoru was whimpering as I heard his breathing struggle.

Yusuke gasped and Kurama downcast his eyes. "Let us help Hope, please, you're hurt too," Yusuke whispered as I felt my own wounds start to bleed, but they were miniscule compared to Mamoru's injuries. Mamoru let out a heart-wrenching cry as he tried to move in my arms. My heart broke as I stared at his hurt form.

"Alright save him, but if either of you hurt him then I'm ripping you to shreds," I threatened as I gently stood up and Yusuke opened a portal. I quickly stepped through and ended up in a medical room, no doubt in Koenma's palace.

I gently set Mamoru onto the bed in the room as Kurama and Yusuke entered through the portal. I gave Mamoru soothing words and a reassuring smile before allowing the doctors and Kurama to tend to Mamoru. I stood by the door and glared at anyone who was acting suspicious. I growled, as I smelled Koenma approaching the room.

"Hope, may I speak with you?" Koenma asked in a submissive tone, which I'm sure is something new for the prince of spirit world.

"Talk right here, I'm not leaving Mamoru," I said as I kept my eyes on Mamoru's sleeping form. The healers were doing quick and good work on Mamoru's burn wounds. A few people healed me earlier, since it was quicker with my miniscule wounds.

Koenma sighed and said, "I'm sorry for everything. I'm so sorry. I believed what everyone else has believed. I have been watching you and I heard the truth about Mamoru. I'm sorry. I know you won't forgive me any time soon, but please you and Mamoru stay here for both of your safeties. None of this would have happened if I hadn't made you be owned by someone because I believed false stories about Mamoru."

I gave Mamoru a small glance before looking at Koenma. He was in his toddler form and looked almost ready to cry. I sighed, picked him up, and held him in my arms. I looked into his eyes, which he looked into mine, and said, "I don't know when I'll forgive you, but thank you for realizing your mistake. However, I'm still pissed about the whole ownership thing. I do not belong to anyone, ever, well not in that way at least. I'm not a pet or a slave. Anyways, Mamoru and I will stay here. Mamoru is not to be harmed or you'll be missing some workers."

Koenma nodded and I looked back over at Mamoru. Kurama was applying a paste onto some of the deeper burns and our eyes met. He gave me a sincere sorry look and I just stared at him. My burns on my neck and hands were gone thanks to the healers, but I still felt the burning sensation as I looked at Kurama. I looked away from him and I could see out of my peripheral vision that he sighed and looked like he had just been kicked.

"He deserves the cold shoulder," I thought before resting against the wall. I was going to keep watch of Mamoru all night and all day until he woke up again. No one would move me. A bed is not important to me when Mamoru is in pain.