~~I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. Please review!~~



Mother, I am coming, was all Kurama thought as he searched the

immense woods and valley for the plants needed to create an antidote.

He wasn't worried about finding the plants. He already had a pretty

good idea as to where they were located. Kurama didn't know if he

could create the antidote. The plants were poisonous, and alone they

could kill just as quickly the poison Rumbrigan had given his mother.

One poison should be strong enough to nullify the other. At least that

was what Kurama hoped.



Truthfully, he did not know if his plan would work. He had never used

such dangerous plants before. Even in his fox form he had found

poison a cowardly escape. A true fighter did not depend on a poison to

kill his enemy.



Kurama carefully removed the last plant from the ground and returned

to the small stream where Hiei waited. He had built a fire near the

water and was carving with the blade of his sword a smooth dip in a

large tree limb. He held the limb out to Kurama.



"Will this do?" he asked.



"That will be fine."



Kurama fell to his knees and tore the plants into halves and then

thirds before dropping the pieces into the wood. He cupped water in

his hand and allowed it to wash over the plants. Pulling a seed from

his hair, he held it over the plants and broke it in half. A green liquid

fell from it and dribbled down onto the plants.



"I don't know if this is going to work," he whispered as vines covered

the tree limb.



He turned and held the limb over the fire. He poured energy into the

limb, making it strong against the black flames seeking to rip it apart.

Kurama glanced at Hiei and found him watching him intently over the

black flames. Kurama blinked, startled to see flames reflected in Hiei's

blood red eyes.



"Hiei?" Kurama whispered, frightened and not knowing why.



"Keep your concentration on the task at hand, fox," Hiei said, breaking

eye contact.



Kurama swallowed hard and pulled the limb back form the flames. The

vines uncurled and revealed the soupy mixture. Hiei tossed Kurama a

small vial, and Kurama quickly poured the liquid into it. Hiei stood and

removed the ward from his forehead.



Kurama closed his eyes and tried to switch back to his human form.

The transformation failed. He tried again only to receive the same

result, and his chest tightened in panic.



"Hiei, I can't change back."



"You should be happy. You are finally freed of that weak human body."



"No!"



Hiei looked back at Kurama, his jagan glowing a deep purple as he

said, "You know, most demons would be pleased."



"I am not pleased! I want to change back!"



"There is nothing you can do. You will have to wait until you have

healed."



"What do you mean healed?"



"Your body has undergone much trauma. It will have to heal

completely before you can change back."



"How long?" Kurama asked softly.



"Could take two or more days. Maybe even as long as a year."



Kurama paled, shoulders trembling. A year? What was he supposed to

do if it took that long to heal? His mother couldn't see him like this. He

couldn't go back as Youko.



"Tell me something, Kurama. Would you rather her be alive and well

for a year while you hide out, or would you rather have dead so that

you could move on?" Hiei asked.



"What do you think?" Kurama snapped.



"I thought so. There is nothing you can do so why waste time fighting

it? So you will be in Makai for a year, if it even takes that long. You

can handle it. Leave a note telling that you are on a trip or

something."



The doorway between worlds formed between them. Jaw clenched,

Kurama stepped though followed by Hiei. The darkness cleared, and

Kurama found himself in Genki's temple. Yukina looked up at him. She

was sitting near the bed where his mother still slept motionless.



He held the vial out to her and knelt beside his mother. Kurama felt

his eyes sting as he slowly lowered his head and kissed her cheek. It

seemed strange to be near her in his Youko form. She seemed do

small compared to his large body.



"Goodbye, Mother. I will see you as soon as I am able. Yukina, tell her

I had to take care of something that may take awhile," he said,

standing once more.



"Kurama, where are you going?" Yukina asked.



Kurama glanced at Hiei who stood waiting in the doorway.



"Makai. I will be back. Tell her that for me."



He closed his eyes against the pain and backed away from the bed.

Mother, I will be back, he thought, and then was gone, following Hiei

into the dark night.