Hiei smirked and said, "Mukuro's castle." You and Mich turn to each other and look at him. "Who?" "All the time I was at the castle Isaac never mentioned her." He sighed and replied, "She was the ruler of part of the Makai but lost in a tournment a while back. Now she and others like me help with lost ningens." You nodded at that. "I already know that part. I nearly got caught by an Irsh wind demon." Hiei looked at you funny for a second before realizing who you were talking about. "Ah. You mean that annoying Jin." He did a double take. "You ran into him?! He's further down from my post then where I met you!" "I know. I was running from him when I "met" those demons you saved me from." Mich sighed. "Rieces Pieces I cannot BELIEVE you. Going head first into danger like that." You glared at her. "Don't call me that! Jeesh! Just rescued and you're already name calling me!" Mich smirked at you while Hiei stared at you. Pudding mumbled, "Who's Rieces Pieces?" "No one." You growled. You picked her back up and start to storm away from them. "Just WHAT are you talking about? What's a Rieces Pieces?" Hiei asked her but you cut her off. "Don't tell him! Bad enough I told you! Don't be going telling other people!" She snickered at you but said, "It's candy that's common in the human world. When we were kids, I dared her to eat *outragous number* of them and she ATE them all!" She laughed a bit as she continued. "Afterwards she was so sick that she couldn't even budge an inch!" "ARG! ENOUGH, MICHELLE! IF YOU DON'T STOP I'LL SHAVE YOUR HAIR OFF!" Immediately she became quiet and Hiei looked at you funny before going back to his usual expression. You shook your head. "So where too from here? I mean, we can't keep traveling for long with Pudding's condition." You said to the group.
Hiei sighed and replied, "We're going past the springs where we stopped before. It's only a few days from here so don't panic something." You sigh. "I know. I just don't wan Michelle traveling too much in her conition. Once we get there we'll have to stay a few days so she can regain her strength." Mich sighed and replied, "I'm right HERE, ya know." "I know. I'm saying it so YOU'LL know...knowing you you would just continue as is to this Muruko person instead of taking it easy. I don't WANT you to go into early labor...in fact I don't want you in labor until we're somewhere safe." She smiled. "You haven't changed at all...except for finding cute guys and a whole lot of trouble." "MICHELLE!" You screamed as you guys resumed walking. "I swear if you weren't pregnant I'd be drop kicking your ass!" "Oh please! You know you love me!" was her reply. "Hn. Ningen onnas are insane." Hiei muttered as he hurried ahead of you two. "Hey Hiei! Wait up! Don't LEAVE me with her!" Mich cried after him. "Why not? She's your friend...the same one who spent months looking for you." was his reply before disappearing. "Hey! Where'd he go?! Where's he going?!" Mich asked wide eyed at his sudden action. "He always does that some times. Don't worry..he'll be back later. Probably when we set up camp tonight."
~Setting up camp~
"Oh. My. God. Sam! You never told me about some of the plants here! Their evil incarnate!" Michelle commented as she laid down on your bed. You decided to let her have the bed you've been using since you started this whole advanture. You laughed. "I know. Tell me about it. I've met up with a few and barely managed to escape. And that's BEFORE I met Hiei." She sighed and stretched out, putting her hands behind her head. "This is the longest I've been outside into the Makai. Normally Isaac wouldn't let me set a FOOT near any door." You glanced at her before she didn't add anything else. You sigh softly and checked Pudding's dressings. 'Good. The medicine I used is working good. At this rate she should be good as new in a few weeks.' you thought to yourself. *You know, you shouldn't worry about her so much...she's stronger than what she looks like..if her wounds are any indication* You heard a famailer voice say in your head and looked up to see Hiei in the tree above you. You smiled and said, "Hey. I was wondering if you were coming back." "Hn. I'll come and go as I please." was all he said before jumping down next to you and sat by the fire. You shook your head and covered the monkey demon up before going to sit by him. "Sooo...Hiei...what's up? Did you go and see that Murko person?" Michelle asked, turning to face him. He glanced at her before replying, "I did, she...agreed to it...for a price." You looked at him. "What price?" "That in a month or two you two will go back to the Ningen world and stay there for three weeks." You and Michelle said, "Huh? What are you talking about?" He glared at you two, Mich shivered slightly and turned away but you stood your ground. "What's the reason? Is there something special going on in two months?" He growled. "Fine. Since you don't seem to want to agree you guys aren't going to the castle." "Hey! Wait a minute! What kind of crap is that?! Just answer my questions!" "Don't have to!" "Ah. Yes. You do. I'm not agreeing to anything until you answer!" "Sam..." Hiei growled warningly but you continued stubbornly. "Hiei! Just SAY something! A hint! Anything!" "SAM! I don't have to answer ANYTHING you ask! I'm just taking you guys there long enough to recover and then you're going home! End of story!" Hiei snapped at you before taking off. You stared after him, hurt and confused about what just happen. "Woooooow. You said he had a temper but man! now THAT'S a temper!" was all Mich said before yawning. "I don't know about you but I'm going to bed. Night." "Night." You said quietly before moving to a tree so you can watch the camp. You sighed softly. 'Wonder what's gotten into Hiei? He seemed a little...out of it. That fight wasn't like our usual ones. I hope he's ok. I wonder if it's something I did.' "*sigh* I'm fine Onna. It's nothing you did." Hiei said before seating next to you. You turn to look at him and saw he was a little distracted again. "Hey. What's up? Usually you're on full alert but...you seem kinda...out of it." His gaze, which had been looking over the camp, snapped back to you and replied, "I'm fine. It just seems...too easy." "Hm? What do you mean?" "I mean, getting your friend out of there without bumping into Isaac. He's up to something. I'm trying to figure out what." You suddenly smiled. Hiei glared at you a little before asking, "What are you smiling about?" "That was probably the first time you actually TALKED about what was on your mind. I'm glad." He blushed slightly and quickly turned away.
"Hn. DON'T get use to it. I don't care for talking about feelings and such nonsense." You smirk and said, "You say that now but when you do later I'M gonna remind you you said this." He glared at you. "Shouldn't you be sleeping right now?" You shook your head. "I didn't want to. At least until you got here." He sighed. "I take it you trust me now?" You smiled cutely at him. "Yeah. Surprised? Join the club. I started to go through everything that's been going on and discovered I trust you." Unknown to you, he smiled a little before wrapping an arm around you and pulling you close. You sigh sleepily and laid your head on his shoulder and fell asleep. Just as you were falling asleep you felt a warm pair of lips on your own.

~At the springs...finally~

"Damn it Pudding! Quit LICKING those wounds! Their starting to heal finally! They'll get infected and I'll have to use MORE medicine on you!" You growled at Pudding, who woke up a few days ago, who was licking a wound on her arm. She glared and stuck her tongue out at you. You growled again and yelled, "PUDDING! ENOUGH! THEY'LL GET INFECTED AND THEN WHAT!" "Sam! Calm down! Yelling at her won't work." Mich said in a calm voice before asking sweetly, "Pudding dear. Will you please STOP agitating your injuries? You'll get sick if they get infected." Pudding sighed and replied, "I can't help it. It's in my nature." You sighed. "That's what yo said yesterday when you tried to EAT my tooth paste." She grinned sheepishly before taking off. "Hey! PUDDING! Git your furry butt BACK HERE! You're still injured!" "Hn. Don't worry so much. Let her learn the hard way." Hiei said while leaning on a nearby tree. You glared at him before replying angrily, "She doesn't NEED to wander about!" "But Sam, he's right. Let her run around. Sides, I'll watch her.3" You sighed as Mich said that. "Oh alright. You both win." "Yea!3 I'm right for once!" Mich went. You made a face at her before grabbing some cloths and a towl. "Where you going?" Hiei asked rudely. You glared and replied, "I'm going to take a bath. That alright with you?" You didn't give him a chance to answer before you took off. Once you were far away from them, you sighed. 'Guess that proves I'm still mad at him. Ah well. I've never question him hard before about anything. I'm sure he has his reasons for not telling.' You found a nice secluded spot and got in. "Awww..I still can't believe how nice these waters feel. Wish I can stay here forever." You sighed out loud.
You closed your eyes and leaned against a rock that was near the edge of the spring. You heard some splashing somewhere up ahead of you but you assumed it was the waterfall. You didn't notice someone was in there with you until they said, "That's a good way to become a demon's snack, onna." Your eyes snapped open to find Hiei in the water on the opposite side of the spring. You growled. "I was still paying attention, Hiei! No need to tell me something I already know! Hm?" You started before noticing that he didn't have a shirt on...and from the looks of things...nothing on for that matter either. Immediately you feel a blush form on your face when you realized that you guys were completely nude and quickly duck deeper into the water. "Hiei?! What's the big idea?! Haven't you heard a thing called privacy?!" Hiei smirked slowly before making his way towards you. You turned around to try to cover yourself better using the surroundings when you felt a pair of arms wrap around you.