"So what's the plan?" asked Hiei, shoving his hands deep into his pockets and leaning against the tree. The others had succeeded in separating Inuyasha from Yusuke and now worked on keeping them at a distance for some time.

"Well to be honest, there really isn't one." stated Kurama with a disappointed sigh. "We're still not certain of what we're up against."

"Since when has that ever stopped us?" smiled the fire youkai. Kurama grinned in amusement.

"Yes, well this time we're dealing with someone who it seems knows well the habits of demons and could, if not defeat us, easily take advantage of our skills."

"So, we're stuck here for now with nothing?"

Kurama nodded. Sighing, Hiei turned a frowning countenance to the sky. Night was falling swiftly now, and soon they would need to find somewhere in which they could find safety and not have to worry about prying eyes that might spy them out.

"We should move." Kigeko stated. Hiei glanced her direction with a raised eyebrow. Her eyes were focused outward toward the empty streets. She was either very weary, or sensed something they did not. No one questioned her. It would be unwise anyway to stay in one spot for too long, especially when out in the open as they were now.

"Agreed." stated Kurama.

As one the group moved out of the park and onto the sidewalks, crossing the street and melting into the forest. They walked for some time until at last they came upon a great oak tree. The forest around them was clouded over, and it seemed as though a fog were drifting in around them. Each of the demons looked around suspiciously. This was not natural weather for a city-centered grove.

"Don't worry." Kigeko whispered as she circled the tree. "This fog is unnatural as you have probably sensed. It's the emanations of energy from a nearby tree sprite. He releases this fog and it acts as a protective barrier for those of us who used to hide here."

"How so?" asked Yusuke.

Kigeko flashed a smile at the Spirit Detective before disappearing around the tree again.

"It hides our energy."

"The Demon Hunter can find you with your spirit energy as well?" asked Hiei. Kigeko nodded, reappearing behind the tree looking slightly flustered.

"That's what they say. We take no risks now that there are so few of us left."

"Yes, that can be understood." stated Kurama. "What are you looking for?"

"A knob." Kigeko answered, peering around the tree trunk.

"The thing is full of them." Hiei commented, his own eyes combing the surface of the tree.

"Yes, thank you for that observation." replied the young woman sarcastically. "Obviously there's a specific one that I'm looking for."

Hiei frowned, angered that her sarcasm was aimed at him.

"You've been hiding here for how long and you still don't know how to get inside?" he retorted, eager to return the sarcasm.

"I don't usually hide here." Kigeko snapped. "I have a place."

"Then why are you taking us here?"

"Because there is more than one that I am taking care of now, so it seems. So we will need some place bigger."

"We can take care of ourselves, I assure you." sneered the fire demon.

"Yes, I'm sure." Kigeko sighed without interest. Her boldness was annoying, and Hiei could already say well that he didn't like her. Kurama, on the other hand, seemed highly entertained by the ordeal.

"Is there anything we can help you with?"

"No. I found it." She stated, and with a flick of her wrist she hit the one knob. The roots of the tree spread and revealed a large opening in which they could each squeeze through.

"C'mon." she urged them, ushering each inside. No one moved, however. "What's the matter with you?"

"What is that?" Kuwabara asked with wide eyes.

"The entrance to our hideaway." Kigeko frowned. "Have you not been listening?"

"He's like that." Yusuke winked, nudging the tall red head with an elbow. "His body is here but as for his brain....well it hasn't exactly turned up in the Lost and Found yet."

Kigeko blinked dumbly for a few seconds before chuckling at the young man's comment.

"Well are you going in or no?"

"You first," said Hiei with a glare. "How are we supposed to know there isn't something on the other end that's going to rip our heads off?"

"Well if you can take such good care of yourself, Hiei, why are you worried?"

Hiei grumbled and turned his gaze away from the group.

"I'll go first." Kurama volunteered. He bent down on all fours and slowly began to crawl through the opening. Instantly he disappeared from view with a grunt, and the others started in worry. But a few seconds later he called up to them, assuring them that it was safe and that he was all right.

Yusuke followed, along with Kuwabara. With some arguing, Hiei soon followed, and Kigeko behind him, closing the entrance so that no one would find them. Within a few minutes, the fog covered where they had been standing.

------

Kagome trembled where she stood. She'd not been harmed, but nevertheless she felt very much abused. A helpless little girl chained to a wall, with this man making her his play thing.

"So innocent." he commented, pulling her eyes to gaze up into his own. "I don't understand it. Why did you stay with that hanyou? How did you survive? Why didn't he tear you to pieces?"

"What?" Kagome muttered, uncertain of what he meant. "What do you mean?"

"This one you call Inuyasha. He's a demon."

"Yes."

"How did you survive." the man eyed her up and down. "Are you a witch? Did you control him through some spell?"

"No!" she spat, but this man wasn't listening. He seemed to be speaking to himself while looking at her. Through her. Into her. It were as though he were reading every inch of her, and discovering things that Kagome didn't want anyone to know about her. It disturbed her. "He's my friend!"

"A human can't be friends with a demon!" spat the man, and he grabbed her face tightly in his hands. "A demon doesn't have any contemplation of that word. Just as they have no contemplation for love."

Angry, Kagome gathered all of her courage and aimed a dark glare at this man.

"Then what exactly is love? This!? Than it seems to me that you've a more messed up opinion of love than any demon I've ever known!"

When Kagome had said that, the man's back had been turned to her. But soon after uttering that sentence, he rounded quickly on her, his hand gliding hard across her face, leaving a hand imprint across her cheek and temple. Kagome whimpered as he struck her, and trembled after it was done, the sting still very fervent upon her skin.

"Do not dare to compare me to their kind!" he hissed. "I've finished with you. If you love your demons so much you can share one of their cages!"

He unhooked her chains from the walls, but did not release her from them. The cuffs remained around her wrists, and like a dog he lead her to another section of the dungeon. Kagome's arms shook from being strung up for so long, and her knees were weak from her experience a few moments ago. Her stomach growled with hunger and her eyes screamed to be shut. She wasn't sure how long she'd been in there, but Kagome knew that it had been far too long.

"Here, wench!" he opened a door and threw her inside. She hit the ground hard, even though it was covered in straw. "I will come for you again to teach you a lesson in decency!" And with that, he shut the door hard behind her and stormed out.

Kagome shuttered once more. It seemed colder in here than in the chamber she had been kept in previously.

"H-hello?" she whispered fearfully. "Is anyone here?"

"Yes." came an answer. Kagome looked around in fright. She was so tired and so cold that she barely recognized the voice. "Kagome, is that you?"

"How do you...." she stopped, realizing at last that she was at least with someone she knew would not harm her. "Kouga?"

A troubled face emerged from the shadows, and only grew more troubled when he saw the condition of his dear friend. In a flash he was at her side.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, but Kagome did not answer. She couldn't. He had already seen the tremendous bruise forming on her cheek. Kouga snarled. "He has hurt you!"

"Not badly," she tried to reassure him, pulling herself shakily to her knees. Kouga assisted her. He took her hand to comfort her, but only frowned deeper.

"You are cold!" Kagome sighed and pulled away.

"Really, it's okay Kouga."

"No it is not." he frowned. "This man has hurt you."

"Kouga, please-" she begged, but decided to let it rest. Kagome knew she should be grateful to be with someone who would take care of her. With a sigh, she leaned against him and allowed him to wrap her in his arms.

"I will keep you warm." he promised. With that, Kagome smiled, and drifted into a blissful sleep.

------

Author's Note: Well, hope that was satisfactory. Sorry I haven't been writing. Been busy. Suddenly my muses have kicked in with original fiction and costume making. Wheeeee!!!!!!