Kurama didn't hear Hiei scream.

He felt it.

It raised every hair on his body and he was on his feet in the next moment.

Eyes wide, torn from his throughts, he stared into space as again came the sound that brushed against his skin.

"Hiei!" Kurama said, voice shaking.

He turned and bounded out of the park.

He could feel Hiei's youki now. It didn't feel right. There was something wrong with it. It was swelling rapidly, like the exansion of a ballon reaching its limits.

"Hiei..." Kurama whispered and ran faster.

He had forgotten. He had forgotten. The Jaganshi had wanted to meet with him. He had had a question.

Was this the answer to that question he had never asked?

Kurama came to a skidding stop in front of a fence and for a moment paused, pressed himself against the mesh, looping his fingers in and stared at the sight before him.

A building lay in ruins and a construction yard had been torn into pieces of plastic and metal confettii and there, in the center of it all...was Hiei.

The fire-demon was on his knees, his eyes heavy-lidded. He was barely conscious.

Kurama stared at him and wondered what he had done.

The power swirling around the other demon was massive, winged with a dark movement that almost seemed alive.

What had the Jaganshi done?

"Ku...Kurama...."

Kurama's head jerked up.

Hiei was staring straight at him.

"Hiei?" Kurama said, pressing his face against the fence.

Those two red eyes blinked one, twice. "Damned...fox...." Hiei said and slumped foreward.

"HIEI!!!"

Kurama jumped the fence, and in what seemed like a single step, he was at Hiei's side, pulling the injured demon in his arms and calling his name over and over.

He was so intent on that face that he never saw what was happening around him.

That rarely happened for Kurama.

The cloud of black energy swirling around his head swirled once, then turned calm. That's why Kurama finally glanced up at him. Then, before his wide, questioning eyes, the cloud exploded.

For Kurama, then, all went dark, darker, gone...

...to be continued...

Author's Note: Hiiiiii-ya! It's been a week since I've posted! Sorry! Hope this is worth the wait! Wai!!!! It continues!!! What will happen next (well, I KNOW, but you guys... :)) Don't worry, you won't have to wait too long! I should have an update this weekend. Tell me what you think! Thank you guys so much for all your kind reviews!!!!! :)

Author's Note #2: Sapphire Angel: Thank you again for the edits! I WILL put them in here, but I probably won't be able to edit the text for a while...but it will be done!!!! Thanks again! :)