Inner Needs
CHAPTER NINE: BEADS AND ALMOST FREE
Kagome looked up, barely able to track of Hiei as he bounded from tree to tree. Even with the wards blocking his access to his powers, the short demon was fast. She remembered the way he had taken the candy bar from her and ate half it before she blinked.
Inu Yasha didn't seem to care for the fire demon's antics at all. His golden eyes were turned up in disgust as he marched along side Kagome. A tiny flea demon named Myoga sat perched on the dog demon's shoulder. Hiei had found this demon especially amusing. It was terribly amusing to flatten him every time he tried to drink his blood.
"But your blood is especially tasty." The demon had croaked while floating like a leaf to the ground. "Almost healing."
Hiei growled as he leapt to another tree. It was the damn koorime blood that flowed through his veins. That was why he healed so fast. It was the blood of the ice maidens that was his curse. With a grunt, Hiei came to a stop in a far ahead tree and waited for the rest of the group to catch up with him.
The first to happen by was the little fox kit, Shippo. Hiei had grown a liking for the kid's constant need to annoy the half breed. Not only that, but the kid reminded him of Kurama. The stupid youko had always been so in touch with his fox side, yet strangely aloof from it. He glanced out over the tree tops and let a sigh escape him. He wanted nothing more then to see the baka kitsune with his own eyes and see that he was all right. But as the time ticked on, Hiei became less and less sure that that would happen.
"Hiei?" Kagome's voice broke through his thoughts. "Why don't you come down from there and eat lunch with us? You only had that chocolate for breakfast so you must be hungry."
"Hn." Hiei turned away from the ningen only to spot Inu Yasha glaring back at him. He was startled slightly, almost falling out of the tree at seeing those golden orbs so close.
"Shit!" He sputtered out swinging out at the dog demon. Inu Yasha grunted when the fire demon's fist hit his jaw.
"Ass!" The half breed growled. "Get down there before I half to deal with a teary eyed human."
Hiei suppressed the urge to laugh. It would make his day to see Inu Yasha flustered and dealing with a human. He on the other hand had no ties to ningens and therefore felt no desire to please them. And Inu Yasha was half human so Hiei turned away from him.
"That's your problem half breed." He grunted. "Now leave me be."
There was a slight scuffle below him and Hiei heard the monk mutter something along the lines of 'no way' before giving in with a sigh.
"Hiei," Miroku called up into the tree. "I really must insist that you come down to eat."
"Hn." Was the only response that the monk got.
Miroku sighed and hung his head. He said a silent prayer before said the only words that could bring about instant death.
"Hiei, sit."
Hiei yelped as he was dragged out of the tree. He plummeted to the ground, slamming full force into the dirt and grass. A groan escaped him as he pushed himself up off the ground. His fierce red eyes found the monk and pinned him to the spot. A snarl rose up in his throat as his lips peeled back to reveal his fangs. He approached the trembling Miroku and leaned in close to him.
"I really should kill you for that." He growled. "I've killed others for doing less to me. But a beating should be fine for now."
To Miroku's amazement, Sango laughed. She turned from the fire that was cooking their lunch and fixed an amused gaze on the fuming fire demon.
"I wouldn't try it Hiei." She said giving him a slight wink.
"Quiet baka ningen!" He shouted and then pulled back.
Kagome gave a quick shout of panic and the little fox demon jumped to her shoulder. Just as Hiei's fist was about to brush across the monk's jaw a pain flashed through his skull, lighting his sense on fire. He jerked back with a quick cry and fell to one knee. His fingers threaded through his star burst bangs and pulled at the white tipped hair. Slowly the pain faded away, leaving the fire demon on his hands and knees panting heavily.
"Oh my." Miroku muttered, still standing in the same spot. "I didn't know the wards would have that harsh an effect on him."
Hiei growled weakly, but it faded off into a wince. Damn wards. He would get these things removed.
"I tried to warn you." Sango called cheerfully from her seat by the fire. "You forget that along with not be able to call upon your powers, you can't hurt us either."
"Bitch." He ground out.
Suddenly the hanyou was at his side roaring with laughter. He leaned down over the fire demon, his ears flattened against his head.
"And you said I was pathetic letting humans control me." He taunted Hiei, who was slowly loosing his patience. "Look at you. You're nothing but a powerless twerp!"
Inu Yasha was suddenly thrown backwards by an uppercut from Hiei. The fire demon smiled sadistically and then leapt into the tree above them. The half demon jumped up and glared at the leaves that hid Hiei.
"What the hell was that?" He shouted. "I thought that midget couldn't hurt us!"
"Key word there Inu Yasha." Miroku shrugged and sat beside Sango. "Us. Humans. Those with demon blood are fair game to him still." He cast a glance at the shadowed bump that was the sulking fire demon. "Angry fellow he is though. "
"Feh." Inu Yasha grunted before diving into a bowl of ramen.
Sango on the other hand turned to peer at the shadow in the tree. Her heart felt bad for the small demon. He was in a strange place searching for a friend, which judging by his attitude, was sparse in his life. And now they had stripped him of his powers. All they could do now was help the lost demon and pray for his friend's safety.
~*~
Kurama groaned and forced his eyes open. He was greeted by the sight of cold stone walls. Rolling on his back, the fox was saddened by the sight of the same stone forming an arched ceiling. A cave. He whimpered slightly and tugged at the ropes that tied bound his wrists. Damn this weakness, he couldn't do a thing to save himself. Youko Kurama would never be caught dead like this. A bitter laugh forced its way out of his dry throat when he saw the silver strands of hair lay across the cave floor. His dirt caked tail was hanging limply out of the hole in the back of his pants. On second thought it looked like Youko Kurama had been caught like this.
Slowly observing the cave, he realized he had been deposited in the farthest back corner of the stony shelter. It would take him quite a while to crawl to the opening with his hands behind his back. And with his hand behind his back he couldn't reach any of his seeds or more importantly his rose. So there was no way for him to cut through these bonds. He cursed lightly. The demon he was dealing with was smarter then he thought.
Kurama shifted his weight and winced as something dug into his back. Craning to see behind him, he spotted a jagged rock poking up from the floor of the cave. His eyes lit up. Finally his luck was changing. Digging his heels into the soft dirt, he pushed himself backwards until he felt the sharp tip jab him in the soft flesh of his wrist. He quickly began to rub the rope briskly against the dagger like stone.
It took a few minutes longer then he expected, but finally the bindings broke with a snap and his arms jerked free to his sides. With a relieved sigh he rubbed at his raw wrists. Crawling towards the opening of his makeshift prison, a faint joy bubbled up in him. Freedom was so close, so very close.
Suddenly a harsh pain flashed through him. His clamped shut tightly as a scream poured from his lips. A fiery agony raced from his chest through out all of his limbs, freezing them in mid-motion. His vision blurred for a second, his escape route disappearing.
'No!' He whispered weakly. 'Not now, not now! No! No! No!'
Another spasm rocked through him, drawing a howl from him. The jewel! That was what was causing this pain. Which meant it was close. He growled weakly. His jewel was close.
No! It wasn't his jewel. It was Kagome's and Inu Yasha's. He whimpered as pitched forward, the rocks on the cave floor digging painfully into his soft flesh. Why was this happening now?
The opening, that was all that mattered. Getting to the opening. He shameless began to drag his tired body to the opening. Escaping fueled him. If he didn't get away he would be sold into a tortures life as a human's demon slave. And that was something that Youko Kurama could never be.
He let out a weak cry of relief as he sun light warmed his face as he crawled out beneath the open blue sky. All he had to do was get into the forest and then the plants could help him. But right now he was stuck on the rocky, grassless ground.
Kurama was about to start dragging himself again when a shadow fell over him. His heart turned to ice and plummeted to the pit of stomach. He looked up to see the black haired demon grinning at him. A miserable sound escaped him as he collapsed into the rocky dirt.
"Please," He whimpered as the demon picked him up and carried him back into the cave, "The jewel."
He felt the demon jerk to a stop but that was when his comprehension ended. Oblivion came up on him fast, swallowing everything around him. With a shuddering sigh, he went limp in his captor's arms.
Another problem!! Kurama revealed to his captor that he knows of the jewel! Now what will happen? (The demon's name will be revealed in the next chapter)
And Hiei and Inu Yasha hate each other, not to mention the hanyou is the only one in the group that Hiei can hurt. And after uttering the word again will Miroku survive till the end of the trip?
In the next chapter things get interesting with Shippo finally becoming a character and Kurama finding out some rather alarming information.
Now Please review!!