Moriko screamed in anger, destroying the trees around her. She was using an immense amount of power, her rage fueled all the more by the loss of her mate. No matter how much she killed around her, she still wasn't satisfied. The forest was nearly gone completely. She didn't care, it's not like the forest was going to help her do anything useful. Tears weren't going to fall, but there was nothing else around her to destroy.

"Are we about finished here?" asked Hiei, who sat by watching the tantrum.

Moriko was breathing heavily before screaming again into the now rising morning, "It will not be finished until I have her head as a personal toilet!" she screamed at him.

"Hn. Then stop destroying trees and let's get on with it."

"I do not need you!"

"Yes, I see by the way you failed that you had everything under control."

Moriko growled, "He will lead her to the temple."

"It's a trap."

"Don't you think I know that?! We do not have a choice, Genkai is too weak to protect herself, as is Yukina."

Hiei's eyes narrowed. She seemed to have struck a nerve, "Then what are we doing wasting time here?"

"Wait. Takashi!" Moriko called out into the air.

"No need to yell, I'm right here," said Takashi.

Moriko turned around, as did Hiei. The fire demon narrowed his eyes, completely on guard. His last run in with the keeper of the prophecy was quite unpleasant, but Moriko had called him here.

"Watching everything that happened instead of being useful no doubt," Moriko coldly.

"Not exactly. Had to make sure she didn't kill you."

"But he can?!"

"He won't. Doesn't matter how much control she has over him, he will not kill you."

"Hn. Did you not know him before his human life?" asked Hiei, though it didn't sound much like a question.

"I've known his whole family, Hiei. Yours as well."

"You know nothing."

"I knew your father."

"Tell me how he died then?"

"He was killed by a lower class demon. I know everything about all the instruments of the prophecy."

"We are getting further from the point. What makes you so sure I cannot die by the hands of the bitch or my mate."

"His absence is necessary, but she cannot kill you. She will take him to Arashi."

"He did this?!"

"Why yes, Moriko. I found out when I investigated your attempted murder. Arashi tried to cheat again. He won't risk losing this power over you, the temple is safe."

"Hn. And what are we supposed to do in the mean time?"

"The fox has no memory of anything beyond when that demon raped him. They will compete in the next tournament, Arashi knowing that he cannot win."

Moriko sighed, "You cannot tell me how to reclaim him..."

"Sorry, this is all I can tell you. If Youko wins the tournament, Arashi will have free reign of the Makai. You know where that will lead."

"Hiroki will finally gain the power that he needs."

"You'll figure it out," said Takashi, disappearing.

"Well that was useless," said Hiei.

"The tournament will take place soon. We must gather our allies and meet with them. Go to the temple and gather everyone. Meet me at Yomi's palace. We will discuss our next move there."

"Hn. Not a chance. If the fox comes to his senses or tries to attack you, I don't want to listen to him cry about it for another few years."

"You care about him more than you let on. You really care about us, don't you Hiei?"

He didn't answer her, simply just took off to Yomi's palace. Moriko smirked taking off after him. She tried to push aside the pain she felt at not having her mate, that she had failed to protect him. She wasn't going to stand for it. She would get him back, and anyone in her way would die.

Yomi's palace was vast, not unlike the one he kept before the first Demon World Tournament. Moriko looked upon it and felt defeated. For some reason aaking Yomi for help with her mate made her feel as if she had lost to him, and she didn't know why. Yomi had always hated and admired her, and they often competed for appraisal from her mate in the old days. Didn't matter that it was years later, her going to Yomi now meant that she had failed him. She wasn't happy about this.

"Tell Yomi that Queen Moriko Chie of the Wolf Clan is here to see him," Moriko spoke down to the guard. Of course if she was going to admit defeat to Yomi, she would not show any sign of weakness.

"That won't be necessary," said Yomi, coming out of the doors, "I wish I could say that I am happy to see you, Moriko, but I could hear your screams."

"Talking here is unwise."

"Agreed."

They walked into the palace, lesser demons looking on curiously. Moriko looked down at them, holding her head regally. They were brought to a chamber on the second floor. Guards stood outside of the doors. Yomi sat, Hiei and Moriko standing. She knew that Yomi wouldn't try anything if he heard her screams, but she was too angry to sit.

"What brings you to my eatate?" asked Yomi.

"The Rekai Yogen."

"Remarkable. The ancient prophecy directly involves you."

"Yes, it appears the fates have chosen me."

"There's more than that. Your screams of rage suggest that something more serious is happening. I may not see, but I hear an awful lot."

"I will divuldge the information I have once everyone has arrived. I need you to send your fastest agents and gather all those I require."

"You're not in your realm to be delivering demands, Moriko."

"You will do as I ask. This is much bigger than all of us."

He was silent, looking angry. She knew his mind was processing all the things she was telling him. She also knew that he would want to know everything she knew, and that the only way to do it was to meet her demands, "Very well. Who do you require?"

"I need an agent called Kenji from my clan. Hiei will go to Ningenkai and gather Yusuke and the others. I need the six demons my mate gathered for you as well. Once they have all arrived, we will begin speaking of our plan."

...

The palace of Yomi was huge. Moriko had her own chambers, and she remained there for her stay. Yomi had provided her with everything she needed, and she supposed she was grateful for it. She barely slept, her mates capture and turn against her making it impossible. She missed him, the feeling of his arms wrapped around her while she slept, missed his smell and the way he would speak into her ear to tenderly. She missed the way he looked at her with pure love and adoration in his golden eyes. She sighed, a tear falling down her cheek.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you," said Yomi from her doorway. She looked over at him, taking her eyes off the setting sun in the distance.

"Not at all," she replied in a neutral tone.

"The smell in the air suggests that you have been crying "

"I teared, the light in my eye."

"Of course. The absence of your mate tells me otherwise."

Moriko sighed, looking out the window, "It is of no matter."

"Wolves cannot lie, Moriko. Whatever the reason you are keeping this from me, I can assure you that I mean you or Kurama no harm."

She was silent, not really knowing what to say. She didn't want to admit that she was defeated, that she had failed him. She definitely wasn't going to cry in front of Yomi. Her eyes stung, the tears trying to get out. What had happened to her? Had living in the Ningenkai really made her soft? The demon before the hunter would never have gotten upset, she would have take action. She would never have taken this defeat in the old days.

"I am sure you are aware of Youko's past endeavors with women."

"Yes. I remember many in his life."

She growled slightly, "I'm sure."

"You should not be angry with things that happened before your time. The first time he visited your den and saw you, he never took a mate until he was able to claim you. I had never seen him so stupid before."

"Before he became a bandit, during the time of his first mate, he was captured by two wolves. They mated with him, and now one has him under their control."

"If she was able to wrest him from you, then she must be really powerful."

"Perhaps. One would think that with all the power at my disposal that no one would be a threat."

"No matter how good you are, there will always be somewhere better. But there is more to this than you're willing to tell me."

"You were always greedy, Yomi. Just be happy I told you what I did."

He got up, going to the door of the room. She could tell he was angry with her last words. She didn't care, the details were really none of his business.

"Kenji has returned with a she-wolf. From the amount of marks on her, I'd say she was cast out not long after yourself."

"Thank you, Yomi."

"I am not trapping you here. You are free to roam, no one will harm you."

"Very well."

He closed the door, leaving her alone. He would give accommodations to the wolves, that she was sure of. Moriko wasn't going to see them, not until the others arrived. It had already been a week, and she couldn't get her mind back on track. They had been together for so long, she wasn't sure how much more she could take. She had to be stronger, everyone, including her mate was depending on her. They had been separated before, when they first escaped to the Ningenkai. But she had known there wasn't any danger then, knew that he was looking for her as well. This was different, she knew that he was in danger.

...

It was maybe another week later, and everyone Moriko had requested had finally arrived. She walked into the conference room, any traces of sorrow completely gone. They were waiting for her, not quite sure why they were all called to Yomi's palace and not Genkai's temple. Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei, Jin, Touya, Chu, Rinku, Shishi, Suzuka, Kenji, Yayoi and Yomi were all present and waiting for her to speak. Genkai amd Yukina were with Kyrokai, and that was another stop on her agenda.

"Where's Kurama?" asked Kuwabara.

"That is why we are here. We all know of the prophecy by now. Another event has occurred," Moriko began.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Yusuke.

"My mate has been taken by an underling of Arashi."

There were screams of protests. She waited until they got it out of their system before continuing.

"Why are we just sitting here?!" exclaimed Kuwabara.

"The demon who took him is a very powerful psychic. She was able to bend him to her will while fighitng me off. He has no memory of anything beyond mating with her, and probably has false ones in place to make up for time.

"We need a plan of action. It has come to my attention that Arashi has already made an attempt for the throne of Makai. He will not be able to acquire it, but he can use Youko. If he wins the next tournament, he will be free to step down and crown Arashi or worse, Hiroki."

This came as a shock to most in the room. Moriko wasn't sure who had known about Hiroki's return or that it was coming so close to another meeting with him. Moriko knew this was going to be hard for all of them. While she had all the help around her, she still felt alone without the brilliant mind of her mate. He would know exactly how to figure this out, or where her mistakes would be. At least this time there was only one clear answer.

"What do you propose, my Queen?" asked Kenji.

"There's only one thing we can do. We have four months to train for the next tournament, and make sure that one of us is victorious, by any means necessary."

"And if that course of action results in killing Youko Kurama?" asked Yomi.

Moriko was sure that if Yomi would narrow his eyes of he had them. She looked at them, her tawny eyes hard, "Then so be it."