And now, for the disclaimer! I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. Yu Yu Hakusho belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi. Please don't sue me, I have no money. And now, I hope you enjoy the next installment of my story. And also, I don't want anyone flaming this story, because they don't like the content! If you don't like it, then please don't read it!

Chapter Six

Hiei held Kami tight as he waited for the group to arrive. First, Kurama came into the open, his silver tails swishing behind him as he cleared the way for the others. Hitomi walked behind him, as did Mai-Lin, Kuwabara and Yusuke. Kurama looked sadly at Hiei as he clutched his precious bundle to his chest tightly.

"I have brought them here, as you have requested, Hiei." Kurama said, his voice somber. Hiei nodded quickly, averting his eyes from the pair that was approaching him.

"What is wrong, Hiei? Kurama came to us and told us that you had something for-" she gasped when Hiei stood up and showed her what he held in his arms. " Oh, Inari, how in the Makai?" she gasped, her eyes like two saucers. Hiei slowly walked forward, and placed the child in Hitomi's arms.

"I…I found her. In the Ningenkai. She was in a Dumpster, and probably would have died if I hadn't of saved her. Kurama and I have named her Kami, and…and…" he almost couldn't say the rest over the lump that grew in his throat. He looked at Kurama, who smiled softly, reassuringly. "I want to keep her." as the last words escaped his lips, he heard several gasps of astonishment. He looked up sharply. Hitomi's clan was standing nearby. Hitomi looked at Hiei and shook her head, her face grave.

"No, Hiei, you may not keep her. She is sacred, a child of Inari, and-" Hiei cut her off, his voice harsh and low.

"I found her, took care of her, and now I LOVE HER! She is my child, just as if I was her blood father. Can't you see it?" he cried desperately, his blood-colored eyes glinting with unshed tears. Hitomi looked at the small kit in her arms. The child had woken up and was watching Hiei, her little green eyes never leaving his. Hitomi looked at the others that stood witness with them in the clearing. Yusuke and Kuwabara had moved to stand beside Kurama, but they were now frozen in place. Kurama stood looking from Hitomi to Hiei, his mouth a thin white line. When he spoke, his voice was clear, but had a hardness in it that made Hitomi listen.

"Hitomi, although you are the leader of the IcewindPeak clan of kitsunes, you are not a Priestess of Inari, and therefore, we should summon Inari to decide this matter! Hai, the child was originally intended to go into is care and later become a priestess, but due to the circumstances, it should be up to Inari to decide the fate of this child!" Everyone looked stunned at Kurama's vehemence. Hitomi looked shocked. She looked around wildly, clutching the child to her chest so hard that Kami began to mewl. Mai-Lin looked at Hitomi sharply.

"Hitomi-san, you are hurting the child! Calm down. What they say is correct. My people are not under the guidance of Inari, but we still know our cousin's laws and customs! In this situation, Inari should be summoned!" Hitomi turned on the young Wolf-ki and snarled at her.

"NO! I need this child! She is the key to everything, and now that I have her, nothing but death can stop me!" she shrieked, her mouth twisting into an obscene grimace. Suddenly, her form was changing. It shimmered and flowed like water for a second, before becoming something that looked slightly human. In all aspects, it looked like a humanoid, but with no hair or visible sex. The color was a blotched, pasty flesh tone, drawn tightly across the bones. Its eyes were reptilian and it had no visible nose. The mouth was large with sharp teeth protruding grotesquely while visquid bloody liquid dripped from the parting lips. Mai-Lin growled softly, and held her staff out towards the creature that had been Hitomi.

"What are you? Where is Hitomi?!?! What have you done with her?!" she cried. The creature laughed dryly.

"My dear. The IcewindPeak clan of kitsunes is no more in this world, They are all dead, and I'm assuming that they are still in the IcewindPeaks. I….needed their souls. I have taken others, and I will take more, but it will be so much easier to take them after I take this little child's soul. The soul of a child of Inari, that will be the one that makes me invincible! As for what I am, I am a changeling. Once we were the most fearsome of youkai, but now we are all but extinct. It has been thousands of years since I have seen another of my kind; I am probably the last." Mai-Lin was shaking from the varied emotions coursing through her.

"But what about the rest of the kitsune, back in the cave? What are they?" she demanded

"Those? They are minor demons that have been put under a spell. Changelings are known for using their spirit energy to become other species, but I am the only on ever know to the ancients that could changeling others! Now I go. I have a child to devour." Mai-Lin looked at the creature, horror-stricken. Hiei glared at the changeling for a moment, debating what to do. He changeling stroked Kami thoughtfully with its blotched, claw-like fingers. Kami looked at Hiei and whimpered, her green eyes wide with terror.

Hiei reached for his katana, but the demon held out one hand towards him. He went flying backwards into a tree. The others looked on, paralyzed with shock. Suddenly, the thing spoke. It's voice was nothing like Hitomi's, but was more like a cold glacier, harsh and sharp to hear.

"*You* think you can harm me? You are but a gnat, compared to my powers. And I will use this child to become even stronger! I would be wary about going back to the cave, Mai-Lin, now that my cover is blown, those minor youkai won't be too happy!" it shrieked.

Hiei got up and was about to charge again, but, all of a sudden, a great wind arose. It whirled around the creature, around Kami. Hiei ran towards the two of them, but they suddenly disappeared in the whiling wind. Hiei just stood there, not quite comprehending what had happened. Suddenly something on the ground caught his eye; it was Kami's beloved stuffed toy dragon. Hiei picked up the little black plushie, shedding a heartrending cry. In his mind...he felt he'd never see Kami again…or alive. Looking at the toy again, he felt a rage build within him. He placed the toy back in the pouch at his hip and turned to the others.

"We follow it," he said flatly, but with a sense of deep, bitter anger. His eyes burned with a heated, inner fire that only came from a mixture of agony and vengeance. Kurama nodded, and went to stand at his side. Kuwabara looked at them, his countenance revealing his puzzlement.

"Oi, Urameshi, how are we going to follow it? We don't even know where it went, it just disappeared into thin air!" Yusuke looked at Kuwabara.

"But remember, we have Kurama and Hiei with us, as well as Mai-Lin. Youkai are pretty good at tracking their victims, remember?" He replied, showing a rare patience. Kuwabara nodded.

Hiei turned to the others and said, simply. "We are not letting that bitch take Kami like that. I won't allow it. Not Kami. I don't care what ever It's plans are....but they DO NOT include her. We travel. We find them. We hunt! Even if it takes all night. I don't care! We have to find my girl.....before that, that Changeling-thing kills it. Do you understand? She's MINE and no one, and I mean NO ONE is going to take her from me!" he concluded with a violent huff.

He set off into the thick underbrush following the scent of the creature as best as he could. He motioned the others to follow, and knowing his mood, they'd be forever on his bad side if they failed to pay heed...

Thanks go out to everyone who reviewed. Special thanks to Trista, Crescent, Lia, Baki chan, and DeeGeta, who all helped in the final editing of this chapter. Please review, because I can't continue if you don't review. No flames, onegai.