Prince Takashi scoffed inside the overgrown meeting tent the nomadic tribes up North held for their meeting place. The large, but airy and frigid room was the only room large enough for Prince Takashi, Hikari and her family, and the lot who came with them to meet with representatives of the tribes that had survived Ichiro's take over and later the wolf tribes' take over. At least the tribes' representatives were willing to meet with them now that when they had arrived, but only after they took out the remaining wolf tribesmen. The other tribes were more willing to meet once freed from their oppressors, even if the lot of them were weary unfairly of Hikari.

The lot of them sat in a circle with a blazing fire in the middle. Takashi wished he could sit closer to it, even though he was given a seat of privilege near the leader of the tribes' council leader, Maeshu. She was older, mangy looking, a wild look to her. She was intimidating though, with a scar across her cheek that showed she was not one to be messed with. She had not been a fan of Hikari, what with how Ichiro bragged about her being his heir and on his side, but her mother was quick to help quell those rumors.

Next to Takashi sat Hikari, along with her family. Everyone else from their group were in the back, likely colder than he was. Hikari was at least warm to sit next. She blazed her heat up for him to help keep him warm. Her father was doing the same thing for her mother. A human-angel hybrid was certainly not made for cold weather, especially one who grew up in the balmy South. The only one who seemed comfortable sitting up in the cold like this was Izo, ice demon dominant in him.

Takashi groaned quietly to himself, ready to fall asleep if this dragged on meeting. Izo had even dozed off for a few minutes in the meeting, with his father discreetly pinching him to wake him up. The representatives had seen them rescue them from the wolf tribe, had heard what happened with Ichiro, and had learned the real truth of Hikari. Still they debated, under the leadership of Maeshu, the leader of the water tribe, as to what to do next. Accept the fact they were still under the Alaric territory and Hikari's leadership in turn, even though Hikari leaving them to their devices for years was what allowed Ichiro a chance to have a foothold in the region in the first place. That and the Hayato kingodm's rule which allowed the same. Or to flush out their lot and turn away from the territory and the kingdom's leadership and use what happened to them as a reason to declare their own independence.

Maeshu was continuing to drone on, "... few of us left remember what it was like under Lord Mukuro. Left to be independent, just like her ladyship's mother promised us, but not ignored. Lord Mukuro did not ignore us for years. Did not just leave us to our own devices. Someone from his inner circle stayed with us as his representative. That was taken away with an infant took over Alaric. Replaced with a few measly visits from a child a few times in her lifetime."

Hikari next to Takashi squirmed. "You hadn't wanted that," she blurted out. Maeshu looked down at her, clearly annoyed to hear her speaking. Hikari rose up, even though her mother, the angel, reached over to pull her back down. "When I was here last, what six years ago, my mother offered you that, and you turned it down, correct me if I am wrong."

Maeshu spoke, "your mother offered to ask the king on our behalf for an elf warrior from the capital. Elves are unsuitable for the climate up here, too frigid for their delicate demeanor compared to demons like us. Even now the elvish prince next to you shivers when it is so warm in here. She claimed she knew no demons strong enough to send us, even though her husband was suitable enough."

Hikari huffed, "when we return to the Alaric Castle, you can accompany us. Select any demon who is willing from there come back here with you as my representative." She sat down, looking down respectfully. Takashi could see her hands were shaking slightly after she placed them in her lap.

"We shall see, my lady," Maeshu responded, tone a bit contemptible. Maeshu looked over the meeting tent. "You do keep interesting company, what with part demons, elves, and humans in your midst," she commented. "The council now will need to vote, which means anyone without voting rights in the council and outsiders must leave the tent."

"As you wish," Hikari said respectfully.

Takashi rose up in time with Hikari first, both of them leading the way out of the tent first. Once outside, Takashi groaned. It was even colder outside, if that was even possible. When they were some distance from the meeting tent, not even caring who saw him, Takashi stepped up behind Hikari and wrapped his arms around her, grateful to be near her warmth. She did not even mind him doing so openly in front of the others. The angel shivered nearby, her even more susceptible to the cold than he was. Hiei stepped in front of her, allowing her the chance to wrap her arms around him. The other humans nearby shivered slightly as well. Uncle Yasha also shivered, not afraid to stand in the arms of Kurama, even though Kurama was hardly a fire demon able to warm him up much. Being a demon-human hybrid made him more resistant to the cold.

"Dude, how much longer do we have to wait outside?" Yusuke asked, shivering himself. "It's not like it's your guys' fault some crazy, power tripping asshole subjugated them when you weren't looking."

"Give them time," the angel said, her breath coming out in puffs. "We should have found a demon better suited for them..." she mumbled. "They said only Hiei would do though..."

"Hn," Hiei grunted. "If they had bothered to ask me personally, I would have refused."

Izo looked over at the meeting tent. Takashi's eyes followed, wishing he could be as comfortable in the cold. "They might still ask it again," he said.

"The answer would be the same," Hiei commented.

"One way or another, we'll find a solution," the angel said hopefully.

Hiei's head popped up, gaze turning in a far off direction. "Whose that?" he asked, tensing up.

Takashi turned and looked the direction Hiei was. So did everyone else. There was a figure clad in so many layers of clothes and fur it was almost comical to watch them run. Once he was close enough, Takashi recognized. "That's one of my father's servants!" he exclaimed.