Hey peopls!!

Here's my newest installment of ::trumpets:: The Hunted!! yay!

Robin Autumn: You like it? You really do? Cool!! I like your story too! I'm thinking about reading the other one you have posted, also. I think You'll like this chapter, its not really serious yet, more humorous than anything else.

I've taken up enough of your, the readers, valuable reading time, so:

One for the money (which I don't get)

Two for the show (which I don't own)

Three to get ready (::crosses fingers::)

And here we go! (::click!::)

Chapter One

A twitch in the grass. Not noticeable if you weren't watching for it. Golden eyes narrowed, finding the source of the twitch.... there!

Soft red eyes danced in amusement as the kitten pounced on his litter mates tail, said litter mate immediately swiping at the other kitten, who, being used to this, fended it off. Yukina laughed, The kittens Kazuma brought are so cute.

Yukina was at Genkai's temple, in the garden. She was trying to get some work done, but the antics of the two month old kittens kept on distracting her. Kazuma had brought them here a few days ago, saying that Shizuru had said No More Cats and Could You Keep Them? How could she refuse?

She walked over to the two kittens, and tried putting them back with their other litter mates. The one that had pounced, named Monster, was all black except for his white tipped tail. The other one, which was by now thoroughly annoyed, was named Tsuki, was a pale silver-white, and generally the leader of them. She got them over to the blanket covered basket, only to discover that the 3 remaining kittens had escaped and were wreaking havoc on her cat-nip.

A shadowy figure in the trees above the garden watched the mint-haired girl try to save her cat-nip from five kittens, smirking as one hid in the tall grass. The girl was laughing, there fore she was happy, so he didn't have to kill the buffoon that had given her those kittens. The kitten that had been hiding in the grass—Monster?—leapt into Yukina's arms, purring.

Don't have to, but it doesn't mean I'm not tempted to, he growled under his breath. Yukina looked up into the tree at the small sound, eyes resting on the shadowy form after a moment. She smiled.

"Hiei, won't you come down and have some tea?"

Damnit.

Yukina bustled about the kitchen, looking for her tea mix as water boiled. She hadn't really been surprised to find Hiei in the tree; he was always looking out for her, watching over her. To everyone else, he didn't say much, and was actually kind of rude sometimes. But never to her, he was always polite. But, she thought as she found the tea, even though he's always there, he never seems to want to talk. She added the tea mix to the water. I wonder why?

She let the tea seep for a minute, before bringing it to the table in the living room, where a very uncomfortable Hiei was sitting. She served him tea, at which he muttered a "thank you" for. She smiled, and sat down.

"How have you been, Hiei?"

"Good, and you?" he replied, sounding like he was trying not to say anything that might offend her.

She smiled. "Good. Genkai was very nice to have let me stay here until I find my brother." At this her smile faltered. "...Hiei?"

Hiei had kept his face emotionless, but he was wincing on the inside. Oh no, here it comes, he thought morbidly. "Yes?"

Yukina fidgeted with the end of her kimono. "Have you found him yet?" Her eyes were hopeful.

I'm sorry, he thought. "No, not yet."

And the hope died. "Oh..." Yukina said, looking into her tea as though it would hold all the answers. Hiei had said he would help her find her twin brother, but so far, no luck. Why? Doesn't my brother WANT to find me? Is it because I'm weak? Am I not worthy? Does he not like me?

Oh, sister, if only you knew...he mentally slapped himself. She'd be a lot happier not knowing who her bother is, keeping her image of him, than finding her brother and knowing he's a convicted murderer and thief.

Each wrapped in their own thoughts, no one noticed the wards around the temple go off, signaling that someone was coming

"Man!! Does grandma HAVE to have all these steps?"

"Well Yusuke, she DOES live at the top of a hill."

"You call this a hill? Looks more like a mini-mountain to me..."

A black haired teen rolled his chocolate colored eyes, annoyed. "Thanks for making the journey that much more bearable, Kuwabara."

Kuwabara beamed proudly, striking a pose. "Anything to help a friend, 'cause I'm The Great Kuwabara with the—"

"We only have a short way to go before we reach the top." The third teen spoke up, cutting off Kuwabara's speech with the ease of familiarity. He brushed his blood red locks out of his hair.

"Since we're almost there, can you PLEASE tell us WHY we have to go to Grandmas on a WEEKEND, Kurama??" Yusuke said, irritated.

"AND this early?" Kuwabara chimed in.

Kurama looked at the two teens strangely, and said as in as patient a tone as he could muster, said, "It's around 1 in the afternoon, I would hardly call that 'early'"

Yusuke snorted. "That's because you get up at five EVERY morning, school day or not. You just don't know what its like to sleep in."

Kuwabara looked pole-axed "FIVE o'clock??? EVERY day?!?!" He looked at Kurama, his onyx eyes wide in mixed disbelief and horror.

Yusuke cut in again "You didn't answer the question."

Kurama looked at his two companions, emerald eyes amused "Why, no. I didn't."

Yusuke was about to retort, when they reached the temple, Kuwabara immediately yelling, "YUKIIIIINAAAAA!" in a love struck voice. Yusuke made a gagging face; you could practically SEE the hearts floating around Kuwabara's orange head. Kurama just kept his face expressionless.

"YUKIIIIINAAAAA!" the irritating voice of what was in Hiei's mind, the most irritating person in the three worlds, rang over the once peaceful temple grounds.

Yukina and Hiei snapped out of their thoughts, looking towards the direction the voice had come from; Yukina in happiness, Hiei in resigned annoyance. "Kazuma!" Yukina said joyfully, going to the door to greet her guests.

"Hn." Hiei grunted. He did NOT like Kuwabara. May as well leave before he witnesses any more stupidity from him. Using his speed, he got up and left through the window, left open to the breeze. However, he didn't leave, not yet. He didn't trust Kuwabara, or, for that matter, ANYone, with the exception being Kurama and Genkai, with his sister. So what if she didn't know he was her brother? That didn't make him any less protective (if anything it made him more).

He settled into a comfortable spot in the braches of a nearby tree. From his vantage point, he could not only hear what was being said, but could see clearly into the room, and no one could see him. Perfect.

Yukina hurried to the door. She had more visitors! She opened the door, and went outside. Kazuma, she already knew he was there, she'd heard the yell...Oh! There was Yusuke...and Kurama! It wasn't often all four of the boys were here at the same time, not without the girls being here too. I wonder why? I wouldn't have minded...

"Yukina!" Kuwabara was there in a flash, beaming.

"Hello Kazuma, what are you doing here? And Yusuke and Kurama, also. Would you like to come in for tea? I've already got some made, and I could probably make something to eat, too..." She said as she went back inside, thinking about what to make.

"Actually, Yukina, is Genkai here? We need to speak with her, its urgent."

Yukina stopped, turning around. "I'm sorry, Kurama. Genkai isn't at the temple today, she said that she had to visit someone, and get some things done." Seeing Kurama's distraught look, she added, "She said she would be back before sunset, but you're welcome to stay until she gets back."

"Sure, why not?" Yusuke said, cutting Kurama off before he could even start to say no. Kuwabara was just as happy to be staying; after all, it gave him an excuse to be by his 'sweet heart'.

Yukina led the others to the living room, talking along the way. "Kazuma, the kittens you brought over are so cute! Even if they do like to hide when they have to go back into the basket. Genkai said that she should put them all in a box and mail them somewhere, but she didn't really mean it...I think." Yusuke snickered, Kuwabara looked caught between wanting to laugh or be worried for the kittens, while Kurama smiled. Yukina continued, "I was trying to get them earlier, and when I finally got them in, Hiei visited."

"The shrimp came here?" Kuwabara asked in a tone of disgust. Kuwabara disliked Hiei as much as Hiei disliked Kuwabara.

"Yes, he did. I invited him in for some tea, and he's still here, actually..." just as she said this, they got to the living room, finding the two cups of cooling tea, and no Hiei. "...or, he was..." Yukina trailed off, her voice sad. She sighed, and took Hiei's cup to the kitchen, coming back a few minutes later with three new cups.

The boys chorused a "Thank you" and accepted the offered cups. They all sat down at the table, silent. Finally though, Yukina broke it by saying, "Kurama, what was it you wanted to speak to Genkai about?"

At this, Yusuke and Kuwabara perked up, wanting to (finally!) hear the reason why they had to come all the way to Genkai's. Kurama just sighed and set his cup down. "Koenma contacted me just a few hours ago. We have a new mission."

"Dearly beloved
We are here today
To get through this thing called life"

Lets go crazy, by Prince

Because I wanted to put that there, and you'll get it later