dont own YYH


Chapt. 33

Secrets

It's a while later, after the others calmed Hiei and me down. We're sitting around, watching the wall. It's not as fun as it sounds.

"Can we please do something!" Yusuke yelled, clutching his un-gelled hair.

"When you come up with something, we'll do it," Osadyro snaps, tired of his and Kuwabara's complaining.

"I'm going for a run," I sigh, standing up.

"Alone and in the dark?" Kuwabara says, looking up at me with worry.

"I think I can handle myself, thanks." I get ready to leave, but remember something. "Oh yea, this is for you guys." I point to a box on a small table.

"What is it?" Botan asks, eyeing it carefully.

"Food."

Stampede. I smile a teleport to the forest I loved so.

"Darkfire's back."

"Yes, Darkfire's back."

"Welcome home!"

"Good to see you again."

I loved when the trees talked around me to the others. Everything echoed from one to another.

"It's good to be back," I smile.

The trees continue to whisper amongst themselves as I walk an unbeaten path. A wolf howled in the distance, beckoning my name. I howl a long, mournful howl, signaling that I have no name. The wolf walks from a shadow.

"Hello there," I say, bowing slightly.

"Don't bow to me!" it growls, baring its fangs. "Don't ever bow to anyone but your alpha!"

"I am a lone wolf, I have no alpha. I am a wandering fox, I have no clan. I have no one."

"Then you bow to no one!" The black wolf with glowing black eyes bowed before me. "We bow to you."

"Why? I am no one."

The wolf stands.

"You are the demon who will lead the wolves and foxes to peace." A blue light flashes and a man is standing before me now. "I learned that yesterday."

"Yasha? What're you doing here?"

"Reminding you that you bow to no one. You are a higher being than us all."

"But, Yasha..."

"No! You must take the pride, even if you don't want it! It is your duty to fulfill the task that your parents set up for you. This is the job you were entrusted with, and you must complete it above all else."

"I can't do it alone. I don't even know what to do."

"You aren't going to do it alone. You and the other chosen one will be the ones to bring peace to worlds that have never truly known it."

I look up at the amber sky. The stars were becoming visible as the amber turned to black.

"You have to fight to win. And you have to win to fight. You can't lose."

"I know I can't lose! But I'm not in this tournament to fulfill an ideal that no one wants me apart of. I'm fighting for those I care about. I'm here to protect those that have no protectors."

"So, who's protecting you?" He places his hand on my shoulder. "You can't always be the hero all the time in every story."

"You wouldn't understand." I break from him and continue my walk.

"I knew your mother. She was a great demon. As she taught me, she would tell me stories of old and stories of yet to come. She once told me that I would meet her child when she was older and fighting for a righteous cause. At the time I thought she was just being playful to a child. But she was right. I met you here, fighting for a righteous cause that I can't understand. But I do understand that your mother intended for us to meet."

I stop. He knew my mother? She never told me about him. Why not? She used to tell me of her students, but never of a black wolf. Why did she keep him a secret from me? And how many other secrets were left for me to find out? So many questions with no answers.

"Strange huh? A wolf looking up to a lowly fox."

I turn on him with a hard glare.

"Don't disgrace the fox!" I snarl.

"But your mother was exceptional," Yasha continues, ignoring me. "She was not the disgrace that her clan thought her to be. She was a great illusionist! And any demon that could not see that did not deserve to live! But, alas, I was too young and my voice did not matter."

"You idolized her didn't you?" I ask, calming down.

"She was a fine master. And she would be proud to see you today." He smiles a fanged smile. "You should rest, you need everything you have to win tomorrow." A blue light flashes again and a black wolf once again stands before me. "Good luck." He disappears into the night.

As long as I have my friends, I have all the strength I need. And I won't forget what you said Yasha; thank you for everything.

The trees whisper their good-byes and I teleport back.