Welcome to chapter 9! (laughs evilly) This chapter gets a little um...bloody. Not too much but just enough to curb my sick obsession with crime scene shows(Go Navy NCIS!) OK I'm done being silly read on my friends, read on.

Chapter 9: Reliving the Past

Hiei ran blindly through the forest. The blizzard that had come out of nowhere was becoming a moving fog as it whited out the scenery. The wind blew his dark hair and cloak around wildly making it even harder for him to see. The footprints he left behind vanished almost immediately after they were made. The worst of all was the silence. Ever since he'd heard her scream the forest had become deathly still. For some reason, that scream had shaken him to the core. Unsure of where she was he continued to run. His senses, already dulled in his human form, were nonexistent now. He was running on pure emotion. Something he hadn't done since the death of his family. The memory of his family's death was fresh and clear in his mind. It had happened the day after that horrible snowstorm…

A mother and her two children were walking through a forest. A gentle but cool breeze whipped through the trees and around the small band of travelers. The mother walked slowly with her pale hands encased around the smaller hands of her two children. Her pale blue hair fell down her back stopping just above her waist. The pastel yellow of kimono accented her hair and eyes. She smiled sweetly at her children with a renewed hope. They were going to make it through this.

On her right a small girl with sea green hair smiled cutely. Her hair was held in a loose ponytail by a dark read hair tie. Dressed in a light blue kimono she watched as a few birds flitted through some nearby trees. Her bright red eyes wandered around until they stopped on her twin brother.

The boy was the polar opposite of his family. His small face held a stern proud look and his black hair stood on end making him appear taller.His percing red eyes focused on the path ahead as he ignored his sister's pleading stares. He cared deeply for her but he wasn't about to admit it. If he did she'd be hanging all over him and he'd never have a moments peace.

The forest grew eerily quiet as the trio walked on. The mother grew apprehensive and stopped walking. Her children looked up at her in fear as she searched for a place to hide. The small boy, wise beyond his years grabbed his sister and ran into a nearby shrub.

A large vacer appeared from out of the trees. It watched the female demon as she moved drawing the beast away from her children. A toothy grin spread across it's face as it closed in on her.

The children watched in horror as their mother tried in vain to fight the animal. She tried her best to freeze it so they could escape but the ice had no effect on it. The Vacer lunged at her knocking her to the ground with enough force to break stone. A sickening crack echoed through the forest.

The Vacrer stepped away from the motionless form. Raising it's head in triumph it howled before digging into the unprotected flesh. Blood spilled from the Vacers mouth as it tore at her, yanking off her limbs viciously.

The two young ones sat petrified in the bush. Muffled sobs racked the small body of the girl. She clung to her brother who held her tightly chocking back his own tears for her sake. His mother lay dead with that beast ripping her apart. The vacer only mutilated her. It never swallowed a thing it just kept on ripping and tearing.

Hiei knew that this animal had been sent to kill them. He had to protect his sister, no matter what. The Vacer stopped it's bloody ritual and raised it'shead to send a glare at the two kids hiding in the bush. With it's mouth still wet from it's first kill it stalked over to the frightened children.

With one last glance at his mother Hiei grabbed his sister and left the cover of the foliage. If he could just keep running he knew that they would make it. They had too. He tried his best to ignore his sisters heart wrenching sobs as they attempted to escape the vacer. The vacer ran wildly after them. It's eyes taking on a crazy look as it gained on them.

The forest up ahead was becoming thinner as they ran. Hiei's breathing was ragged as he used all the energy he had to make out of the forest. He broke out of the shrubry and screamed as his whole world came crashing down. It wasn't a field or a town it was a cliff. He'd ran straight into a trap and now he and his dear sister would pay for it with their lives. As if to confirm his theory the vacer made it's grand appearance.

At the last possible moment his sister shoved him off the cliff sealing her own doom. A shocked Hiei snagged a small root and attempted to climb back up. His sister only proceded to knock him down again. Before he hit the ground the wind carried his sisters last words to him, "I love You"...

Hiei snapped back into reality to find himself far from where he had started. It had been a long time since that had happened. He hadn't been able to protect his mother or Yukina. Now another soul was being threatened because of him. With the pain of his first loss still fresh in his heart he ran deeper into the forest.

A loud crash resounded catching Hiei's undivided attention. He turned on his heels and continued in the direction of the noise. Helooked through a large group of trees to find a scene that made his heart skip a beat.

Two vacers were standing around a small huddled object. The trees and smaller plants in the general area were in shambles. They procedded to pick and prod at the body with there claws and fangs.

Hiei stared in horror as they tore up the ground and threw the branches at the small form. He knew very well what that object was but couldn't bring himself to believe it. Visions of his dead mother being ripped apart replayed over and over in his head. Without warning he screamed and leapt out of his hiding place to face his dark past and his unknown future.

Hiei's appearance was far from unnoticed as the vacers immediately homed in on him. The larger one swiped at himand missed.He took that chance to sink his blade deep into the vacers chest. A loud whinning cry emitted from it's throat. Hiei yanked it out and prepared to finish it when he felt sharp claws make contact with his own body.

The other vacer had embedded it's claws in his side. He let out a moan as he felt his own blood soaking his cloak.The one he'd injured was back on it's feet and ready for more as was it's partner. The two Vacers took turns attacking Hiei; it was all a game to them. Hiei fought them both determined to win. All the while he tried to get to the huddled form but every attempt was blocked by the Vacers.

Hiei grew tired of the game very fast. He wasn't strong enough to kill them or fast enough to outrun them. His choices were limited. He'd managed to wound one of them enough to slow it down but the smaller one had evaded every attack. It was the smaller one's turn to 'play' with him. He faked a fall and came up stabbing the vacers foreleg. It howled in fury at him and called to it's mate. The game was over. They knocked him off of his feet effortlessly and crowded around to finish him.

Hiei's vision had gone fuzzy from the loss of blood. Even though he was down he still swung his sword at his attackers. The male knocked it out of his hands and chomped down hard on his arm. Hiei grunted in pain. He had felt worse but he'd also been a demon. Now this pain was mind numbing. He could feel himself slipping as the Vacers pepared to take his life. He closed his eyes so that the darkness would consume him. When it didn't come he opened his eyes to a bright blue light.

Ashley stood with her arms stretched out in front of her. Bright jets of blue light streamed from her hands. Her dark skin glowed with an unnatural light as her black hair whipped around her head forming some kind of dark halo. Her body shuddered under the power radiating from her fingertips. Where her once warm brown eyes had been were now replaced by lifeless pale blue ones. Hiei stared in awe at her, still unsure of who or what it was that had saved him.

Eventually the light faded, her eyes changed back and her small form fell back down to the ground once again. Hiei's body finally sucumbed to his wounds and he laid back, fulfilling the pleas of his aching body.

Ashleypulled herself up onto her hands and knees andcrawled over to where Hiei lay sleeping. Her first priority was to wake him up. She forced herself into a sitting position so she couldtake a look at him. His body was covered in gashes and his right arm didn't look like an arm anymore. A few tears fell from her eyes falling to the ground as small pearls. It was her fault he was hurt. She placed a hesitant hand on his arm. She jerked back expecting him to wake up but he didn't move.

"Hey, are you alright?" she whispered. She scolded herself for asking that. Why had he come out here anyway? Had he come to finish the job, or had he come to save her? She sat there silently before reaching out her hand to touch him once more. Her hand was stopped on it's journey by one of his own.

"Uh" She stammered. He was holding her wrist and staring at her. His vibrant red eyes watching her closely.

"Um...are you ok?"she questioned. Hiei just stared on watching her every movement, never letting go. She blushed a little at the contact and looked away from his face to examine his wounds more closely.

"I..I'm sorry I got you hurt." she finally said. Hiei raised an eyebrow at her statement.

"Hn" Hiei continued to stare at her afraid that she would disappear if he looked away. The snowstorm had subsided after she had knocked out the vacers.

"We need to get you back to the mansion, can you walk?" She stood up slowly taking great care to not irritate her own wounds.

Hiei's hold on her hand became weak and fell back down to his side. He moved slowly and placed his hands beside of him to help him stand.

Ashley kept her distance as she watched him move. She was still unsure of his intentions and wanted to be able to run if the need came.

After a while Hiei finally stood on his feet. Blood still dripped from his wounds and his breathing was strained. He looked over at her and tried his best to come off as ok. "I'll be fine, I just need to rest." As soon as he stopped talking Hiei's legs gave out on him as he fell backwards awaiting the shock of hitting the cold ground.

The cold surface he'd been expecting was subsituted with a pair of small comforting arms. The chill his body had been creating was washed away by the warmth radiating from Ashley's arms. Opening his eyes he found her concerned face looming over him. It had been a long time since he'd felt so at peace with anyone. He smiled slightly reassuringly letting her know that he was okay before passing out in her arms.

Ashley panicked at first when he stopped talking. When he started to snore she breathed a sigh of relief. He'd fallen a sleep in her arms placing his life completely in her hands. She'd been wrong about him and felt bad that she'd thought he would kill her. She watched him sleep for a moment taking in his features. She brushed some of the dried blood from his hair and face. She then began ripping off large portions of her kimono and began to bandage some of his larger wounds. She laid him down gently and stood up once more. Her face contorted in pain as she lifted him up slowly and placed one of his arms around her neck. The curse was begining to take affect on her as she walked on. She was in a great deal of pain but she owed it to Hiei to get him home.

Back at the mansion Yusuke, Kuwabara and Botan were pacing around nervosuly waiting for their friends return. Kurama stood by one of the windows watching for any signs of them coming back. If they did not return soon he would go out after them. He turned away from the windowto announce his decision to the rest of the group.

A knock on the door brought everyone's stares to the noise. They all ran over to the door to open it with Yusuke beating them to the punch. He swung the doors open to reveal a small wounded Ashley holding an even more wounded Hiei. Yusuke took Hiei's mangaled body from her as she finally collapsed from exhaustion. Kurama picked her up and made his way over to the living room. This would be an interesting story to hear told when they woke up.

TADA! Hope you enjoyed it. I think I got this one out in a timely manner, don't you? Well now it's review time! I'd just like a little feedback on this story. Is it ok? Are my characters in character? Is this story making any sense? I'm just curious is all. Thanks for reading and reviewing.