Dragon and Flames

--The Beckoning of Elves—

Silently slipping off of her perch, Rahn double-checked her senses for signs of heat nearby and took off away from camp. Each of her four companions were sleeping soundly and she sighed, knowing she still had to put up with them for three more days… at least.

Checking her belt she carefully examined the contents of each pouch. On both her left and right was straps to hold in her daggers, in between the two daggers hung three leather pouches containing herbs and medicines. Hanging in a long and thin leather instrument pouch behind her right dagger was her flute and piccolo.

Reaching for her flute, she began creeping along a hidden path, obviously one she alone knew because there were no visible markers surrounding it. As one faint and eerie note seeped through the flute, she urged on another… and another… until she was playing a soft melody that began bleeding into the sounds of the morning forest. Closing her eyes and swaying lightly she almost slept-walked along her secret path to the top of a hill.

Becoming aware of where she was, she opened her blind eyes but did not stop playing the flute even though her footsteps halted. Gathering in all she could feel below the hill she slowly marched down and came to a low, watery section of the forest beneath several damp trees.

Damp trees. They gave off less heat than the others did and the temporary relief from the bothersome heat made her sigh silently. With out the heat she was just as blind as any other blind girl, but still, it was nice to get away from those nagging feelings she felt from heat sources. Besides, hunting was easier in wet places, she could only sense her prey, and her surroundings didn't bother her in the water.

Letting the flute's music fade, she slowly put the instrument aside and in its' respectful pouch. Then, without a sound pulled a dagger from her left strap. In front of her was a lake, so covered with branches and leaves it could barely be seen…not that she could tell. She slowly began slinking toward the lake, clutching her dagger close to her side. Taking a deep breath, she sunk into the murky water and disappeared.

-- --- -- ---- - --

"What the—" Yusuke moaned, awakening from his sleep.

"Quiet Yusuke," Hiei cut into the morning silence.

"Why?" Yusuke asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Because," he snapped, "Rahn's left and I don't want to draw any attention to ourselves while we still know very little about this forest."

The black-haired teenager rolled his eyes, "Rahn?" * yawn * "Why 's everyone so concerned with Rahn?"

"Just be quiet! I though I heard something earlier," Hiei hissed.

"Hiei, this is a forest. Of course you're going to—"

"No, Yusuke," this time it was Kurama, "this sound was definitely human—or something like it." Kurama's eyes were closed and he was still lying down, feigning sleep. "Get down, maybe it'll show itself if it thinks we've gone to sleep again."

Hiei and Yusuke obliged and no more than a few minutes went by until Yusuke hissed angrily at the two demons, "Hey, did it ever occur to either one of you that that sound might just be Rahn?"

"Well, if it is, it certainly won't hurt."

"What? Kuwabara was up before me too?"

"SHH!"

Growling, Yusuke quieted and listened intently. Every now and then there was a rustle of branches as a chipmunk (Wonder what those chipmunks do… hope it's not as bad as those sticks…) ran through the forest. Sometimes a bird called to its' mate… but there were certainly no unusual sounds, at least none that could sound human, and then—

Pop! A brown stumpy little head that could very well have been a tree suddenly appeared in the bush beside Kurama. It made some squeaky noises, and motioned to some unknown creature behind them. The two creatures crept up behind Kurama and began to bind his hands and feet together. From his position on the ground next to Kurama, Yusuke could see a smirk spread across the red-haired fox demon. The stumpy creature too saw the smirk, but before he could do anything about it, Kurama had yanked the ropes and brought the ugly being down with him.

"Yargh!" It squeaked and soon the clearing was surrounded by brown beings just like it.

"It's the attack of the elves!" Kuwabara yelled.

Sure enough, the creatures sure looked like elves. Short and dark-colored, with pointy ears and large, round eyes. However, this observation made by Kuwabara only further angered the elves. They hopped up and down, raising dirt and clouding everyone's vision. Their high-pitched voices echoed and sounded something like, "No elf! No elf! No elf!"

Coughing, Hiei growled at Kuwabara, "You imbecile! You've angered them!"

"* cough * cough * How was I supposed * cough * to know?"

The elves continued their angry chant and raised their pointy spears, slowly; they began tightening the circle around the four, closing in as if hunting prey. Kurama, Hiei, Yusuke, and Kuwabara prepared to defend if they decided to attack, and just when the elves raised their spears high over their heads—

"Gonf! You filthy creature! What are you doing?" The practical and apparently annoyed voice of Rahn floated over the mayhem and the elves stopped their rampage. The first elf, the one that had tried to bind Kurama turned angrily toward Rahn, who had a giant eel slung over her shoulder.

"We were just going to take some food! We were only—" Gonf replied, and the group in the middle was surprised to find that he seemed to know Rahn.

"So you brought spears? Gonf, we've had this conversation before…" Rahn spoke to the elf as a mother would her child.

"I know, I know…" the elf bowed his head, "but he called us elves!" To this he pointed to Kuwabara and all the stumpy creatures in the circle nodded furiously. "Yes, yes, yes, yes," they squeaked.

Rahn raised an eyebrow; "Oh he did, did he?" She glared at Kuwabara; "there are no such things as elves. These are dead tree stumps, commonly mistaken as elves."

"Tree stumps?" Yusuke said dully, "Is there anything around here that's normal?"

"Everything around here is normal!" the little "elf" called indignantly, "It's you who's strange!"

"Listen here you little runt," Yusuke raised his fist, "you better stuff that stick of yours away and go run home to you mommy because I don't wanna hear any of this 'humans deserve hell' crap from a molding midget who looks like he's been run-over by a car one too many times, understood?"

"Yusuke," Rahn growled, "let me handle this,"

"No Rahn! I'm fed up with this stupid forest and everything in it!"

"Yusuke…"

"Just shut up! Look, we can handle this. We're the most powerful beings in the Spirit World. A little forest isn't a problem. We're gonna take out these ridiculous looking elves and then we're heading over to the Ten's mansion and ending this thing once and for all. Got it?"

Rahn just stood there, blankly looking at the revolting Spirit Detective with mild interest.  Kurama noticed her right hand trembling slightly.

Her facial features barely moved as she replied coolly back, "Alright Yusuke. Let's see how you hold up on your own out here. Gonf: continue."

The "elf" smiled greedily and motioned for his crew of elves to move in around the band.

"Nice going Urameshi,"

"Just use your sword and shut up Kuwabara."

"Hmph, fine, but it's your fault if Koenma gets mad."

"Sure it is, let's just get outta here."

All four stood up, each brandishing their own weapon of choice, Hiei his sword, Kurama a red rose, Kuwabara his sword and Yusuke his finger. (A/n: Pick a finger, any finger. The meanings are endless. O_o)

The primitive elves stood no chance as they swarm in to attack with their pathetically weak spears and high-pitched voices ringing, but somehow, before any of the four fighters had a chance to use their weapons on the stumpy creatures, a vine wrangled together Hiei and Kuwabara's swords along with both Yusuke's arms and a dagger sliced through Kurama's rose. The gang looked perplexity at Rahn who replied coyly, "In this forest if you're not for you're against. Anything not on my side threatens me, and I don't take being threatened very well."

The four looked at her in stunned silence as they were roped up by the elves and strangled onto the largest of the kinds' backs. The group of elves arranged itself into a type of caravan and began to march into the forest.

The group squirmed, trying to break free but the ropes were tight and anytime a knot so much as budged an inch, Rahn left her position at the back of the line and came to tighten it back up. Even Hiei and Kurama were unable to escape the clutches of the short creatures. Eventually, Kurama suggested holding their energy for a time when the elves were off guard. They all agreed even as Gonf snorted and said they were never off-guard.

They marched on and on and after an hour of being hauled through a forest by two creatures half his size, Kuwabara began to complain of headaches.

"It's all Rahn's fault! She cheated! She didn't tell us she would help them!"

"Cheat?" She replied skeptically, "there are no rules in the Living Forest, and therefore it's impossible for me to 'cheat'."

"Oh stop it with the forest crap, we've heard enough of it already! Just get us out of here, okay?"

"No."

"Why not?" Yusuke growled back.

"You betrayed me—"

"We didn't betray you!"

"You didn't trust me, and as your hired guide I consider that betrayal."

"She has a point Yusuke," Kurama reasoned, "you did not trust her to handle the situation."

"Oh shut up, Kurama. And you Rahn— just get us out of here!"

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"Are you noticing a pattern, Yusuke, or are you really just that thick? I said 'no'."

"Well, then what do we have to do in order for you to get us out?"

"Apologize."

"In your dreams!"

"I'll take that as a 'I'll think about it'. Because, frankly Yusuke, once we arrive at Gonf's camp, you will have plenty of time to think about it before dinner."

"Excuse me?" Rahn only smiled in response and nodded her head to the front of the line where the caravan of elves was approaching a clearing with a large pit in the middle. The pit was lined with rocks and held a large pile of wood. Plump elf-wives were scurrying around with sticks to add to the small fire that was just beginning to kindle.

A pile of construction sat on either side of the fire pit once their escorts had tied them up to four trees, Yusuke and the others watched as the construction was hoisted over the pit and became four roasting poles.

"They're going to eat us for dinner?!"

"Breakfast actually, but you're not that far off,"

"Oh excuse me for mistaking which meal we were to be!" Kuwabara exclaimed. "Because it really makes a difference to me!"

"It should," Rahn fell against the tree across from the gang to keep watch on them, "because it gives you that much more time for your 'leader' Urameshi to apologize and admit he was wrong and say he will never go against my word again."

"Urameshi! You had better—"

"Don't even say it Kuwabara. I'm not doing anything." At this, he glared defiantly at Rahn. The guide's response was a mere shrug.

"Have it your way."

"I will, thanks," he replied cockily, "besides, how do you think Koenma will take this, huh?"

"Koenma?" Rahn choked.

"That's right Miss High-n-Mighty… Koenma."

She "stared" blankly at Yusuke before breaking into laughs, "Koenma! That's the best he's got!"

She continued to cackle until she finally stopped to address the Spirit Detective. "I'm doing this as a favor for Koenma. Not only does he realize that I am the best and only authority regarding this forest, but I also do not hold myself above lying."

She paused, then, "In other words, my word goes." Rahn then sat down and began whittling at a stick with her daggers.

"That is positively barbaric," Kuwabara winced as he watched the stick struggle fruitlessly in Rahn's firm grasp. The blind guide only shook her head at Kuwabara and promptly cut off the upper section of the stick of which small screams were emitting. Kuwabara cringed as the "head" scurried up to him and made a series of rustling sounds with its' "mouth" and the ran off.

"It said 'thank you'."

"Oh."

-- --- -- ---- - --

Twilight was spreading across the sky and the atmosphere around the elf campsite was growing energetic. Little elves spent no effort in containing their enthusiasm as they huddled around Rahn and looked excitedly at the four newcomers. Every now and then, one plucked up the courage to make a run at Kuwabara or Kurama. They didn't bother with Yusuke, who was glaring maliciously at them, or Hiei, who tried to bite them whenever they came close enough.

"Having fun Yusuke? Enjoying the show?" Rahn smirked as Yusuke glared back.

 "No? Well, it gets more entertaining once they get the fire going. Oh you should see it. All those flames… the heat… it sounds positively painful."

"Hey Rahn, just out of curiosity, what does it feel like to be a selfish murderer?"

"Talk all you want Yusuke, the only words I'm taking notice to are the ones where you admit you were wrong leave me in charge."

"Rahn, I swear—"

"Hey kids!" Rahn turned from Yusuke to the huddle of stumps, "I've got a special treat for whoever will go up and give Mister Yusuke a big kiss!"

"WHAT?! Oh no! Oh no no no no no!" Yusuke wriggled as a chubby and sloppily dressed girl with a pink bow on her head ran up and hugged his leg.       "You little rat! I swear, you kiss that leg and you'll— aw no!" He whined as she puckered up and kissed his knee.

"Aw, Jecki, I think he likes you!" Jecki blushed as she ran back into Rahn's arms to receive her treat.

"You are cruel, and menacing, and despicable Rahn! Absolutely despicable!" Yusuke shrieked against the rope, failing to notice the little elves obviously thought differently. Some of them anyway; Yusuke noticed with satisfaction that others pulled her hair and gave her small thumps wherever they could reach her.

"Oh I know." She sighed, and looked pitifully at Yusuke. "I'm sorry," she rose from the ground and walked up to him. "I was really rude, I'm sorry Yusuke." She walked around the pole to where the rope was tied.

"You're forgiven," Yusuke growled.

"Good," she placed her hands on the rope, "because you're not!" she yanked the ropes where they had been slackening and walked back to her previous post listening to the protests of Yusuke.

-- --- -- --- - --

The sun had set an hour earlier and the elves finally had the fire blazing. The smoke rose in thin stripes up into deep sky where it gathered in a cloud of gray and was whisked away by the wind. Beneath this activity in the sky, the gang of elves danced and pounded their feet into the earth. Around the fire pit they swayed their meal of rabbits and fish Living Forest style cooking over the high flames.

Rahn sat as far from the flames as possible, but still near Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei, who were in her charge until the next morning. The flames taunted her, clouded her "second vision". The heat was spread and it was like she really was blind. If the humans and demons were to decide to make their move to escape now, they would have found themselves very successful. However, the four neglected the opportunity and instead spent the time speaking to one another. Kurama, and Kuwabara trying to convince Yusuke to give up on his pride, Yusuke refusing, and Hiei threatening death if the Spirit Detective did not comply to the demands of their guide.

"NO! Guys, I am not groveling at the feet of some blind, forest-obsessed, control freak!"

"You will if it means you'll live to see lunch." Rahn sung over the squeaking voices of the elves.

"Shut up!"

"Yusuke," Hiei strained to look at the high-school punk from his position three poles down, "if you don't—"

"Don't give me those threats Hiei! We'll be out of here soon, and then you'll see—"

"He's right you know. You'll be out of here and down their stomachs in a matter of hours."

"Stop interrupting!"

"Oh, all right." Rahn said, and then she began to hum a particularly dreary funeral march.

Yusuke began to growl back a response when Gonf ran away from the feasting with a half-eaten roasted rabbit on a stick. He looked around for Rahn and once he had found her, trotted up and opened his mouth to speak.

"If you aren't getting them out of there within the next two minutes, I want your word that they can't confess and be gone over the night. I have to know what I'm feeding my tribe after all."

"Of course Gonf." She glared at Yusuke, "If he hasn't apologized within two minutes, they're all yours."

"Good, now, I'm getting back to the party! We haven't had a gathering this big for months!" He grinned wildly and scurried back to the festivities.

The next few minutes passed by silently, all negotiations on Kurama' and Kuwabara's part halted. The only activity was an intense "stare"-down between Rahn and Yusuke.

"Do you really plan to break free when they cut you loose tomorrow morning? Because I can already tell you that they'll drug you until you're hanging directly over that fire."

"Well I guess I don't have much of a choice now, do I? It's been well more than two minutes.

"Well," she shrugged, "that really remains to be seen. If you'll apologize…" she trailed off. "I hold no remorse for abandoning them. As a matter-of-fact, they've made my life a living hell. Just say the word."

"Alright! All right! I'm sorry! You're in control; I'll listen to you from now on, okay! Just get us out of here before those freaks of nature eat us for breakfast!"

Rahn smirked. "Done." And in a quick slash of her dagger, the prisoners were set loose. "C'mon, follow me," she slipped off into the darkness, and after rubbing their bodies where the bonds had been, Hiei, Kuwabara, Kurama and Yusuke followed.

-- --- -- --- --

       "So, were you really gonna leave us there to be eaten, Rahn?" Kuwabara demanded.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

Rahn shrugged.

"Why not?"

"Huh?" Kuwabara asked, confused.

"It doesn't really matter to me if you die here. I'm doing this on the off chance you can actually beat The Ten."  Rahn stated matter-of-factly.

"What makes you think we can't?" Yusuke asked sourly.

"I know how they operate."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"What do you care?"

"Why can't you just answer my question?"

"I should have left you for the elves! I can't believe I'm stuck with you people for the next three days!"

"About that, why is it gonna take so long?"

"'Cause you can't keep up!"

"Who says?!"

Rahn stopped walking and faced Yusuke.

"You think you can keep up with me?"

"Yeah!"

In a flash, Rahn was gone.

"What the-?" Yusuke yelped.

Hiei disappeared as well, though Yusuke was quick enough to realize he'd gone into the trees, jumping from one to another. Kurama soon followed.

"Hey, guys, wait up! HEY!" Yusuke yelled as Kuwabara started to follow.

-- --- -- --- --

Hours later-

Yusuke collapsed onto a dead log in a clearing. The log promptly dumped him on the forest floor. At least it didn't bite me… Then log then nibbled Yusuke's hand, and found itself thrown against a tree. Yusuke's shoulder's drooped; the trip had taken a lot out of him.

"I HATE this godforsaken forest!" Yusuke yelled.

Kuwabara wholeheartedly agreed. However, his mouth had a large bite on it and he couldn't talk. Yusuke thought this was the only good thing that had happened that day. Everyone but Rahn was beat. Even Hiei was breathing hard and looking as if he'd gone through a tough workout.

Rahn leapt from a branch 40 feet in the air and landed in front of Kurama, looking much happier since she hadn't had to travel on the ground.

"Tell me one thing…" Kurama requested breathlessly, "how on earth could you navigate through that so easily?"

Rahn knew he was referring to her nonexistent sight.

"Practice." she answered indifferently. "Must we stop now?"

Yusuke groaned.

"You're not human!"

Rahn shrugged and chose a tree to spend the night in.

-- --- -- --- --


A/n ec: All right, so how'd y'all like it? The next chappy is really an interesting one so look out for it! (BTW: Today would be my b-day so do me a favor and leave a nice big review, 'k? ^_^)

A/n BW: That was fun! ^_^