Chapter 3! I can't believe I'm still writing this! I'd like to thank all of those who reviewed! I feel loved. It gives me the strength to post my next chapter. Yes Heie is still Human and her skin is brown. You know African descent.

Chapter 3: Hearts set in Ice

A large bonfire burned brightly in the middle of what had once been a thriving village. The ones responsible for the towns ruin sat encamped around the blazing inferno. Their leader sat quietly gazing into the fire. The men were restless and shuffled around trying to keep themselves occupied. One of them would get up occasionaly to throw a logfrom the former hutsintothe firetokeep it going. Cricketschirped, each to their own tune, asbats and other nocturnal wanderers flew and ran about. One of the men, who could sit in the silence nolonger stood and proteseted.

"Sir Nomino why do we not just pursue the maiden into the forest?" He stared at his leader in confusion. The other men were shocked because no one questioned Sir Nomino without punishment.

Nomino did nothing as he continued to stare into the flames. His icy blue stare seemed to beignitingthe fire.Without looking up he answered the soilders question.

"We can not go into that forest. Are you not aware of it's history? His calm response to the outburst of their companion unsettled the others even more.

The youngman now quite flustered shook his head to the side. "I do not know the story Sir. None of us do."

Nomino sighed and looked around the fire. Looking each of them in the eye he knew they told the truth. "So you do not know the tale of Seriyu's forest. I shall enlighten you then."

The men all sat up and placed their full attention on Nomino as he told the horrible tale of Seriyu's Forest.

"Seriyu's forest is better known as the Realm of the ice apparitions. Some of the most powerful Ice Demons have come from this very forest, including Seriyu. The forest was named after a dmon who settled down there and claimed it in the name of all ice demons. His name was Seriyu, but he is not the reason the forest is cursed. A descendent of Seriyu is the one who tainted the ice demons and theirbeloved forest."

Nomino paused as he took in the image in front of him. In a matter of moments hisnine strong followers had been reduced to children. They sat on the edge of their logs drinking in every word that came out of his mouth. He chuckled lightly to himself and continued with his tale.

"Theice demons once lived in harmony with the other demons living around their forest home. Trading and selling with diffrent demon cultures they thrived teaching their ways and learning others. As you know most ice demons have gentle nature and care openly about others. One such demon race did not meet their approval, the fire demons. They shunned us and our rash firey nature and we had no desire to be near them either.

There was oneice demon who desired power and wished that he could be a fire demon.His namewas Setsuko. He wanted powereven as a young boy.He harbored the desire deep in his heart and studied,when no one was looking, dark books of magic and evil he had obtained from some dark source. He came forth one day to the head of theicedemons and proposed that they join their brother in the south. The Council did not agree and sent him away from them. One with such evil ambitions could not stay in the forest. Setsuko was outraged and with his twisted views set out to conquer the villages surrounding the forest with his new found power."

Nomino stopped his tale to stand and stretch. The men schooched and moved aboutanxiously as they waited for him to continue. Nomino found pleasure in watching them squirm and decided to stretch alittle more.

"Oh come on!" cried one of the men. With that the other men joined in coaxing Nomino to finish.

"Fine you win I'll continue" Nomino smirked at their reactions to his story and dove back into the tale.

"Setsuko destroyed every village around his home. Each time shouting to the villagers who were left that he did this in the name of the ice apparitons. Contempt and anger sprouted in the hearts of the villagers. Enraged, they banned together and went forth to kill the ice demons. Many lives were lost and what was left of the ice demons ran deep into their forest enchanting it so that all who did not belong there could not enter. That happened centuries ago and that is where most ice demons live." He pointed to the forest that they had been so eager to enter earlier.

Another man was a little less bright decided to state the obvious. "So, that lady is an ice demon."

"Aren't you just thelittle genious Heros" sneered another soldier.

Nomino sighed and stood up his persona demanding respect from the group. They all immeadeatly ceased their conversations and turned to him.

"There is one more curse that befell the ice demons. Before Setsuko was killed he cursed the ice apparitions line. The result is that every 500 years a fire demon is born from one of their own. That was almost a thousand years ago, which means that there are only two demons who have come from that curse. I Nomino was the first, the second is unknown to me."

The men might as well have oooed and awwed Nomino as he left the campsite. He left them to think and learn from his tale. They were going to cleanse the ice demons from the Earth and they needed her to do it.

Hiei sat in the dark recesses of his room, thinking. He had not been out of it since he had seen that women down stairs. The likeness was uncanny, she looked just like the woman that had cursed him years ago.

Her skin was that same rich brown color too. He wondered what her eyes were like as his thoughtful face turned into one of disgust. Hiei shook his head to rid himself of the image. That onna had better heal quickly or he'd see to it that she didn't heal at all.

He lied awake on his bed and cleared his mind. It was becoming increasingly hard to stay focused. It was this human body he was trapped in. His body tensed up at the thought of his human form. Kurama may have embraced his current situation but he would not. He would find this light and regain his demon powers. He felt blind and vulnerable and weak. The feelings were somethinghe would never adapt to and he would make sure of that. A loud crash interrupted his neagative thoughts.

"Urameshi!!!!" The scratchy voice of Kuwabara whined. Hiei winced inwardly as his voice made it to his ears. He hated humans and him most of all. Insufferable baka.

Hiei stood and exited his room. He hated to admit but he was hungry and he hadn't been out of his room in days. Surely by now that onna was gone.

Hiei came into the room and froze.

Yusuke and Kuwabara were at it again. This time they choose to fight in the dining room. The once beautiful room now looked like it had done battle with a tornado and lost miserably. The table was the only thing in tact and that was it. Yusuke stood on one side ofthe table looking very upset about something and Kuwabara had out his spirit sword. This happened often so this isn't why Hiei froze. He froze because of the extra figure in the room with them.

Ashley stood at the edge of the table rooting them on. She was oblivious to Hiei's entrance until she noticed the two looking behind her.

She slowly turned to see what would stop them from fighting and only found a little boy.

From what she could tell he stood only an inch or more higher then her. His black hair stood up and spiked out in all directions. His frame was smaller then most men but he didn't look like a pushover. His outfit wasn't anything special just a pair of black pants and a shirt that had definantly seen better days.

The silence stretched as her eyes roamed around taking in his features. They ceased their movement when she focused on his eyes. Red eyes she'd never seen red eyes before.

Yusuke and Kuwabara who had for some reason remained quiet decided to make noise again.

Ashley was startled out of her trance and looked back at the boys who had resumed their battle. She turned back to see where the boy had gone and found nothing. She stepped out of the room and looked down the hallway but still seen nothing.

She couldn't shake the feeling that she had met him before. Another question rose to the surface, why had she not been introduced to him? She'd have to ask Kurama about this later.

Hiei stood breathless at the end of the hall. What had made him freeze up like that. He decided it was a lack of sleep and that he'd only seen her once. Satisfied with his deduction he headed on to the kitchen.

In the kitchen a disastor was waiting to happen. Kurama was attempting to teach Botan how to bake cookies and she wasn't learning much. She had already burnt three batches and was on her way to burn a fourth. Kurama was at the end of his rope. He had hoped to get some form of help in the kitchen but that dream was being snuffed out.

Hiei's nose was assualted by the cloud of smoke coming out of the kitchen.That stupid womanwas at it again. Why Kurama tried was beyond him. He simply walked in grabed a few burnt cokies and left.

Botan and Kurama watched him leave then allowed themselves to breath. Usually the fire demon was quick to sanp at anyone and he hardly ever ate infront of them, let alone cookies.

"Is he alright?" Botan's pink eyes stared at Kurama in confusion.

"I believe it is just a coincidence Botan. I'm sure everything will return to normal."

Well he can at least finish those cookies before he comes back to his senses."

Kurama smiled and pulled out more ingredients to make the cookies. In the background he could hear the sound of somthing breaking. Kurama sighed heavily and continued what he was doing. When Botan found out they trashed the dining room again they would pay dearly.

There you have it. Chapter three. I hope you enjoyed it. It was kinda short. Hey let me know if this starts to mold ok? Review!