~Prologue~ Disclaimer: I know I usually do a full chapter of disclaimer but I'm just going to do it here. The only characters I own are Corana, Hikina, Hanagoori, Kaori, and Takoma. All the others belong to other writers or to the owners of Yu Yu Hakusho. Enjoy!

A/N: Ok and now here's the much-awaited sequel to Winds and Shadows! I'm sure you've all been on pins and needles waiting for this since I just posted the final chapter to Winds and Shadows this morning. LOL. Oh and if you're reading this and HAVEN'T read Winds and Shadows, you'll be completely lost so I suggest you go back and read that first. I'm bringing back a lot characters you probably have never heard of unless you've read the prequel. Anyways, hope this lives up to my loyal readers' expectations.

Oh and Flame Fox! I SO wanted to give details, however, I just didn't know how much I could get away with without having my story completely erased and getting turned in by some ridiculously bitchy person, so I just made it the way I did so no one could get offended. I'm glad you liked it though! Thanks for all the support!

Let's take a step back and see what's happened to our friends since the end of the last fic.

Yukina and Kuwabara, much to Hiei's displeasure, have finally married and they are expecting their second child. They have a daughter already by the name of Hanagoori. She is eight when our story actually begins.

Yusuke and Keiko have been married for well several years and they have two children; Kaori and Takoma. When our story begins, Kaori is twelve and Takoma is ten.

Kurama and Arctic Fox mated after 5 years of courtship on both their parts and have seen two litters of pups. They won't show up much in this fic because I didn't feel like coming up with like a whole bunch of names.

Hiei is still the loner as always. He's still flitting around the three worlds doing Mukuro's and Koenma's dirty work.

Neko and Botan have been courting for quite sometime. Actually, since the last fic, but neither of them have been willing to begin a serious relationship. Neko used the castle Corana won him to start a training school for mixed heritage demons that want to learn to use their power. His services don't come free, but they take many forms of payment. Botan has been incredibly busy with work as a Ferry Girl so they're relationship is definitely more casual. Illeio and Darktydes head the training school with Neko. (For full description of all characters, see my previous fic.)

Corana has marked a decent sized territory out for herself and her daughter Hikina who is now 14 years old.

Now to begin the fiction:

~Chapter 1~
~Fourteen Years Later~

Hikina bolted around the clearing outside the cottage her mother had built shortly after her birth. Today she was racing bees, her mother having gone out to get supplies and food, Hikina had no one to train with. She had never seen another demon in her life outside of her Uncle Jin and Aunt Brigid and their son Corijin. Corana kept both herself and her daughter well isolated from the rest of the world. Hikina had been caught talking to a stranger once, and the tongue-lashing she'd received made her sure never to do it again. She never knew her father, but it was undeniable she had inherited some of her traits from him. Most prominent of course being her Jagan eye, also her hair looked nothing liker her mother's. It seemed to defy gravity and erupted into a white starburst on her forehead. Despite Kina's best efforts to tame the wild mass of hair, the only thing it ever did was stick straight up. Kina skidded to a halt when she heard the silent steps of someone moving nearby.

*********

Yukina gazed out the window of her room in Genkai's temple, reminiscing. She was in this mood often recently, with the baby due so soon.

Hiei walked in and disturbed her thoughts and she smiled brightly at her brother. "You're back."

"Hn." He sat down next to her. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." She smiled. "A little nostalgic, but otherwise good."

Hiei gave his sister a puzzled look. "Why would you be nostalgic?"

"I always get that way when I'm close to delivery. I just keep remembering the first baby born here." Yukina smiled softly. "Jin's little boy. Remember all the fuss Corana made over his mate?" she chuckled softly.

"Corana." Hiei mumbled softly. "I haven't thought about her in years."

"Me neither." Yukina nodded. "Not since everyone gave up looking for her." Yukina sighed. "It makes me feel so lucky to have the people I love around me. I can't imagine what child birth must have been like for Corana. All alone as she was."

Hiei blinked. This was news to him. Corana had a child? "When did you hear about Corana giving birth?" He asked.

"Well I assume she gave birth. She was pregnant when she left." Yukina looked at her brother puzzled, and then remembered she wasn't supposed to tell anyone. "Oh! But she made me swear not to say anything!" Her eyes widened. "I never understood why. Oh well. It was fourteen years ago. It can't do any harm now." She smiled innocently at her brother.

"Yes no harm." Hiei nodded grimly. He stood. "You should get some rest." Yukina nodded and Hiei left the room.

********
Hiei watched the girl from the bushes as she darted around the clearing. Using his Jagan, he'd been able to pin point the girl's location. She stopped when he hit a stray twig.

"Who's there?" She demanded confidently.

Hiei stepped from the shadows and the girl's blue orbs widened in recognition. "You're Hiei!" She gasped in awe. "Mukuro's heir." As isolated as she was, her mother did share SOME news of the outside world.

"You're fast girl." Hiei nodded. "You can increase your speed however, if you isolate your leg muscles and use them as your main propelling force. No need to swing your head around like a horse."

Hikina glared at him and the look was so similar to his own death glare, that Hiei took a step back. "I'll show you who's a horse." She growled. Hiei noticed, quite pleased, that she had taken his advice however. He sped after her.

"Good. Now stop pumping your arms. Use just your legs." He commanded as he jogged next to her. She glared at him, but obeyed and her speed increased. She grinned in pleasure as she raced around the clearing.

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!" Hikina heard her mother's voice demand.

Hikina skidded to an immediate halt. Hiei was able to stop his forward motion much more gracefully than his daughter. "Corana." He nodded.

"Mom! You know Hiei!" Hikina was shocked. She always thought her mother was the most boring person in the world.

"Get inside." Corana commanded without taking her eyes of Hiei.

"But mom-" Hikina protested.

"I said GO!" Corana barked, turning her glare at her daughter.

Hikina knew better than to disobey that look and turned and went indoors, muttering curses under her breath.

"What are you doing here Hiei?" Corana demanded trying to make her look appear more angry than shocked. She dropped the parcels she'd been carrying from the nearest town.

"I don't have a right to see my daughter?" Hiei growled.

"She's not your daughter Hiei." Corana shook her head. "Go ahead and go home."

"Don't lie to me." He snarled and soon had Corana pinned against a tree, his hand around her neck. "Yukina let it slip that you were pregnant when you left. Which also explains why you've kept yourself so well hidden all these years." He sneered.

Corana punched him in the stomach, using a blast of wind to increase it's power. "You may have sired her, but you owe us nothing. We are doing fine without you."

Hiei looked at Corana in shock. This was not the same demon that would take his insults with a smile and return with her own witty comment. She was a mother protecting her child, from whom? "Why didn't you tell me?" He was hurt beyond words that Corana had not trusted him in the least. "Do you think you were the only one who wanted a child?"

"You seemed happy enough that we were both sterile." Corana hissed.

"It wasn't because I wouldn't welcome a child. I thought you were afraid of pregnancy." Hiei insisted.

"After the talks we'd had while Brigid was there? Are you fucking stupid?!" Corana shook her head.

Hiei growled. "I hope my stupidity transferred to our daughter. It'd be much better than yours." With an angry glare, he leapt into the trees and disappeared. He knew well enough that Corana would make everything seem like his fault and maybe it was. He'd never even used his Jagan when they'd all been searching for Corana, but he'd kept believing that she'd come back to them when she was ready.

******

Corana watched Hiei leave with mixed feelings in her heart. She wondered if she should tell Corana.
"OK mom." Corana came running out of the cottage. "How do you know Hiei?"

"He helped me out awhile back." Corana replied cryptically, not looking at her daughter.

"You're lying." Hikina stated angrily.

"So what?" Corana sighed.

"You never fucking tell me anything!" Hikina vented. "Something happened between you and Hiei. I saw you guys out there. He was angry about SOMEthing."

"It's none of your business Kina!" Corana snapped. "And don't swear at your mother!"

"Fine!" Hikina snarled. She was tired of the isolation, the half- truths, and the tiny tidbits of the outside world. "If you won't tell me the answers. I'll go find them on my own!" Hikina bolted to her room and locked the door.

Corana, thinking this was just a tantrum, left her daughter alone; still too shocked and drained from her encounter with Hiei to care. She began to plan one of Hikina's favorite breakfasts to make up for her temper.

When Corana woke, early the next morning, Hikina was already gone and only a note was left.

Mom,

Went to go figure out my life. You can't help me anymore or you won't help
me anymore. Don't bother trying to find me. I don't even know where I'm
going. If I need you, I know where to find you right? So don't worry about me.

Love,
Hikina

Corana punched the wall of Hikina's room, note crumpled in her hand and sobbed. "Kina..." She whispered through her sobs.

A/N: Well there you have it! Let me know what you think!