Author's Note: Hi everyone! Sorry it took so long to update. Thanks for the grammar tip, by the way. But I think I'll stick with how I've been typing. I don't get a lot of time on the computer, and the single quote saves me a lot of time. Thanks for reviewing! On with the story!

Later that night we continued on our journey. Originally, I had not wanted to move Hiei, but the fire demon argued so vehemently that I had to let him come along. Stubborn little baka.

Dawn broke, cold and dreary. As I looked north, I smiled happily. There, in the distance, were the ice plains. We would get there by noon.

Hopefully.

I looked in concern at all three of my friends. Yusuke and Kuwabara seemed all right. That was good. The last thing we needed was another of us falling sick.

I was terribly worried about Hiei, though. The poor demon was white as bone and shaking violently. Despite my many urgings, he refused to stop, refused to take a rest. He trudged on, determined to complete this mission.

We had cleared the forest and were walking across a broad expanse of grassy terrain. Several twisting trees dotted the landscape, but other than that, there were no breaks in the scenery. I bit my bottom lip, anxiety tightening in my chest. Would we find the herb in time?

Suddenly, Hiei stumbled. He fell to his knees, retching violently. I was beside him in an instant, Yusuke and Kuwabara hovering over my shoulder.

'Hiei?' I asked softly. He didn't reply, his eyes closed as he gasped for air. He supported himself with one arm, the other clutching his stomach.

Panic rose in my throat, threatening to suffocate me. Putting one hand under Hiei, I gently brought him down to the ground, rolling him onto his back. Yusuke tore open his backpack, pulling out the sleeping bag he had brought. Kuwabara helped the detective slide the bag under Hiei. I found my blanket and used it to cover him.

'What do we do know?' Yusuke asked. He tried to keep his voice calm, but it shook with fear.

'We make camp here,' I answered. Yusuke looked relieved at having something to do. He and Kuwabara began to set up camp while I sat by Hiei. The fire demon had stopped throwing up, simply because his stomach was empty. He hadn't eaten anything in a while.

My thoughts strayed to my mother. How was she doing? If Hiei had gotten this far in the sickness after only one day, how much time did Shiori have left? Terrified, I forced those thoughts away. I knew they would overwhelm me, and I couldn't afford that distraction.

Hiei moaned softly. I bent forward to put my hand on his forehead. His fever had risen drastically. Cold sweat matted his hair, and his eyes moved restlessly behind closed lids.

'Hiei? Are you all right?' I asked. Stupid question, I know. But I needed to get some type of response from him.

'…cold,' Hiei mumbled. I grabbed another blanket, wrapping my friend even more warmly. He muttered a thanks, his voice strained.

Well, I was in a fix and no mistake. Hiei was not fit to travel, and he needed someone to take care of him. And, no offense to them, but I didn't exactly trust Yusuke and Kuwabara in a situation like this. Not with a sick, volatile fire demon on our hands. But he also needed the cure, as did my mother and every other sick person. How were we to find the herb in time?

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. I watched as Yusuke and Kuwabara argued about how they should start a fire. Their raised voices grated on my nerves. Finally, exasperated, I jumped up, and, snatching the matches from Yusuke, started a roaring blaze.

'There,' I snapped. 'Now, could you please do something useful instead of proving what idiots you both are!'

I regretted the words as soon as they were out of my mouth. 'Sorry,' I said, ashamed. 'It's not right of me to take my frustration out on you.'

Yusuke walked over to my side, draping an arm comfortingly about my shoulders. 'It's ok, fox-boy,' he assured me. 'Kuwabara and I are idiots. We just have to be reminded every once and a while.'

I smiled, turning my attention back to Hiei. He had settled into an uneasy sleep. I shivered. How much longer until he was in a coma?

'We have a problem,' I said. 'Hiei can't go on, but we need to find the herb.'

'That's easy,' Yusuke said. 'Kuwabara and I'll take care of him. You go find the herb. Besides, you're the only one who's been on the ice plains before. You'd find it faster than us.'

'I thought of that,' I replied absently. To be honest, I was more worried for those two humans than for Hiei. Once, a long time before, I had taken care of Hiei when he had a cold. He had nearly knocked me unconscious when I suggested that he should take some medicine. My jaw still hurts from where he punched me.

'It's just…' I sighed. 'I don't want to leave him. What if he gets worse? What if he-'

I couldn't finish the thought. Once again, an image of my mother rose up before my eyes. I hastily turned away from my friends, furiously wiping away the tears that had come.

'You can trust us,' Yusuke said. He picked up my bag, motioning for me to take it. 'Hiei needs you to find that herb. It'll do him no good if all of us were here without a cure.'

Steeling my resolve, I nodded determinedly. I took my bag from Yusuke. On an impulse, I kneeled next to Hiei.

'Hiei,' I called softly. His eyes opened, glassy and round.

'Yeah, fox?' he rasped. I let out a shuddering breath.

'I…I'm leaving,' I explained. I don't know why, but I felt that Hiei needed to know. It would have been wrong of me to leave without saying anything. 'I'm going to find a cure for you. Yusuke and Kuwabara are going to take care of you.'

Somehow, Hiei managed to roll his eyes. I smiled weakly.

'Baka fox,' he coughed. 'Those two'll kill me.'

I grasped Hiei's hand briefly before standing up. 'Just hang on,' I said. He nodded before closing his eyes. 'I'll be back soon, I promise.'

'Be careful,' Hiei whispered. He fell asleep then, his sickness draining his strength. I sighed deeply, turning toward the plains.

'I'll see you later,' I said to Yusuke, trying to lighten the tension. He nodded, seeming to convince me as much as himself.

I set my jaw, taking my first steps toward the ice plains. I had to bring back that herb, for Hiei, for my mother, for everyone. But one word rang through my head as I set off.

Alone.

To be continued…

Author's Note: Well, how'd ya like it? This is my longest chapter so far, I think. Funny, I thought it would be my shortest. Please review! Love to hear from you! Until next time!