Disclaimer: I own nothing of importance.

Also, I'd like to include a special thanks to anony for reviewing chapter three. Sorry I can't reply, but I do enjoy getting your reviews!

Chapter 4

A loud click was heard as a key turned in the lock. Hiei struggled to bring his mind to full consciousness, knowing the sound had a significant meaning, but unable to grasp what it was. Bright light flooded his dark, watery prison; temporarily blinding him. Blinking, he squinted his eyes, willing them to adjust quickly. A hand reached down and grabbed the front of his shirt.

The fire demon was hauled out of the metal box and thrown to the cold stone floor. Hiei gasped in pain as his left leg hit the ground, memories of Yukina breaking it flooding his mind along with the agony. Thrusting the distracting and painful recollections away to be dealt with later, he struggled to focus on the tall figure standing over him.

"Not so high and mighty now, are ya, Shortie?"

Hiei's eyes narrowed as he recognized the voice, Kuwabara's sneering face jumping into focus above him. A deep, burning hatred surged within him. "At least I don't need to have my opponents tied up and blindfolded in order to beat them," he returned in icy tones.

The tall ningen grinned cruelly. "Your hands and feet are free and your eyes aren't covered. I just bound your energy and blinded your Jagan to even the playing field."

The fire demon snorted. "Then allow me to break your leg to even it some more!" he said, lashing out.

Kuwabara was too slow to react, Hiei's fist connecting with his knee. The koorime smiled, hearing a loud crunch as the kneecap was shattered. The ningen screamed in pain as he fell, landing heavily on the floor.

Hiei was upon him in an instant. Rational thought fled, replaced by the need to bring as much pain as possible to the hated figure before him. All his strength was behind his fists as he hit the ningen over and over again, the sound of breaking bones being drowned out by Yukina's harsh words echoing in his mind. Pain broke through the red haze covering his mind as a solid blow connected with his left leg. Instinctively, he curled his body around the injured limb, protecting it from the flurry of blows that now rained down upon him. A large hand seized his throat, hoisting him up into the air.

"It seems as though you're still no match for me, eh, Shortie?" Kuwabara sneered, holding Hiei several feet above the floor.

The fire demon's eyes widened, though not because his air supply was being slowly cut off. How can he possibly be standing?! I crushed his kneecap! he thought, looking down. Although he couldn't tell through the pant leg, the ningen's knee seemed to be whole and undamaged.

The lack of air pushed all other problems aside, demanding immediate attention. His hands clutched uselessly at Kuwabara's, trying to loosen his hold. The ningen's leering expression swam in Hiei's vision, and the koorime wished for nothing more than to wipe that look off his face. He brought up his right leg and kicked with all his might. His boot caught the human in the jaw, snapping his head backward. Hiei fell to the floor, unable to hold back a choked cry as his bad leg crumpled beneath him. He raised himself up on shaking elbows, willing his flickering vision to clear. His efforts were in vain, however, as a boot solidly connected with his temple. His world fell, once again, into the darkness.

Kuwabara stood over the comatose fire demon, waiting to see if he would rise again. The tall teen nudged the broken leg with his foot. There was no response. Satisfied he was unconscious, the ningen began to change. His form shrank back down to a normal height, broad shoulders narrowing as his arms shortened. Curly orange hair was replaced by a shaggy brown mane, the school uniform changing to a light blue tunic with brown leggings. The broken jaw shifted as well, bones re-forming and melding together. Hazel eyes stared contemptuously at the body on the floor. He brought one hand up to his chin, as if in remembered pain. "I am surprised that you still have that much fight left in you. Had I been anyone else, I'm sure you would have killed me."

Atshushi leaned down, picking up Hiei and unceremoniously dropping him back into the box, ignoring the water that splashed up on him. The fire demon moaned, beginning to stir.

"There is no lost love between you and the ningen. But, I wonder how well you will fare against your friend?" he asked softly. The lid slammed shut, lock clicking in place before Hiei even opened his eyes.

. . .

Kurama came to a stop in front of a run-down shack. The sun was setting behind him, casting his long shadow on the ground. He walked up to the hut and knocked on the door. When no one answered, he let himself in.

A cursory glance around the room showed that no one had been here in quite some time. A thick layer of dust coated every surface, small tracks made by rodents visible here and there. Cobwebs lined the corners of the room, hanging off of the table and chairs and draping across the doorways. A quick search showed the rest of the house to be in a similar state. No one had been here in at least a year.

Exiting the shack, Kurama turned his footsteps towards the nearest town which was a few minutes away on foot. Perhaps he could find someone who knew where the changeling had moved to after he left. The light of a tavern on the outskirts caught his eye and he walked inside. He moved from group to group, buying a drink for and questioning every demon about Atshushi, but no one seemed to know anything. He was about to try his luck elsewhere when another patron walked into the bar and took a seat in the back. The right side of his face was badly scarred and he limped when he walked. Kurama moved towards him, feeling for the rapidly diminishing currency in his pocket. He still had plenty of money left, but it was disappointing to spend so much and not receive any information to show for it. He bought the apparition his first drink and asked about Atshushi, expecting another dead end. He was pleasantly surprised when he realized he had found a solid lead.

"Yeah, I remember 'im. He left two or three years ago," the demon replied, reaching for his drink with his left hand. The movement upset his cloak and it fell back, revealing the stump that was all that was left of his right arm.

"Do you know where he is now?" the redhead pressed.

The youkai snorted. "Why would I want to help a human-lover like you?" he asked derisively.

"Because I will make it well worth your while," Kurama replied, placing a small brown bag on the table.

The demon's eyes widened when he heard the metallic clink as the pouch was set down. "Come to think of it, I might know where he went..." he said, reaching for the bag.

Kurama pulled it back. "Where he went is of no consequence to me. I need to know his current location," he replied.

The apparition shrugged. "Same thing. He headed up north and is living in Kouya, up near the Sekiryou Mountains," he responded.

Kurama discreetly sniffed the air. "Kouya?" he repeated. He watched the demon carefully as he answered.

"Yeah."

"Are you working for Atshushi?"

"No. Look, I told you what you wanted to know, so this is now mine," he said, reaching for the money again.

The kitsune allowed himself to smile slightly as the bag was taken from his hands. Your body language says you are telling the truth, but your scent says you're lying, he thought, standing up. He bowed to the demon. "Thank you for your assistance," he said, walking past him. The youkai was too busy counting his money to pay any attention to the ningen.

Stopping behind him, Kurama delivered a quick blow to the back of his head. The apparition slumped forward, unconscious. Gathering up his money back into the pouch, the kitsune slung the youkai over his shoulder and headed out of the tavern. No one even gave him a second glance.

Had you provided me with the correct information, you would have escaped with the money. Now, however, you will tell me everything I need to know. Then, you will beg me to end your life, Kurama thought, disappearing into the night.

. . .

Hiei lay back wearily as the coughing finally subsided, the cool water gently lapping against his cheeks. He closed his eyes, trying to catch his breath, but seemed to be unable to get enough oxygen into his lungs. His entire body was shaking, though whether from the cold or fatigue, he couldn't tell. The pain in his leg was pretty much constant, increasing when a particularly violent tremor shook his frame, and the burns on his forehead were throbbing in unison with a large knot on the side of his skull. The rest of the aches and pain, which had been gathered from his most recent run-in with Kuwabara, all blurred and mixed together, contributing to his overall discomfort. All in all, Hiei was miserable.

The fire demon once again turned his thoughts towards his situation, trying to distract himself from his body's complaints. Although grateful for the unexpected break, the koorime wasn't sure what it meant for him. I'm sure I've been in here for nine hours, at least, yet the water has not risen once and no one has come for me. There is simply no way that they could have forgotten about me. What is going on out there? Are they planning to just leave me here to rot? he wondered, tiredly raising his hand to rest against the cool metal wall. He let his hand fall back, splashing as it hit the water. Why am I so tired? It feels like my energy is being drained away, but it isn't. I can still feel it within me-- I just can't access it. What is wrong with me?

He closed his eyes again, intent on trying to go to sleep, when a soft click caught his attention. Adrenaline surged through his system as he readied himself. He would not be caught unawares and unprepared like last time.

The lid of the box opened and Hiei lunged forward, his hands closing around someone's neck. His vision flickered as his leg informed him that sitting up that quickly had most assuredly not been a good idea. He felt something connect with his arms, breaking his hold. He blinked to help clear his vision, his eyes focusing on the person who had opened his cage.

Kurama was kneeling on the ground several feet from the metal box, holding one hand to his neck. A thin stream of blood dribbled down from several gashes made by the koorime's fingernails. "Hiei, it's me," the redhead said, his tone soothing.

The fire demon eyed him suspiciously. Although he wanted to trust his friend, the experiences of the past few days made him a little leery.

The redhead stayed where he was, making no move to approach Hiei. "I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner. It was my carelessness that caused this situation. I knew something was wrong when Yukina went missing. Kuwabara was acting strangely, so I followed him. He had asked to borrow some herbs from me last week, saying he wanted to play a trick on Yuusuke. The plants have a hypnotic effect, causing whomever they are used on to believe whatever they are told. It only lasts for a few days, though, so I lent him some. However, he did not use it on Yuusuke. He used it on Yukina." Kurama paused, watching as the fire demon's eyes darkened. "I don't know what he was trying to accomplish here. Yukina has always had a soft spot for you and I guess Kuwabara was getting jealous. We have to get out of here before he comes back. Kuwabara is ningen. I, for one, have no inclination to go back to Reikai prison. Besides, you're in no condition to fight."

Hiei listened to what his friend said, the pieces all falling together in his mind. From the moment I met him at Maze Castle, the baka and I have never gotten along. Once my sister came into the picture, he felt threatened and wanted to get rid of me. What an idiot. The koorime shifted a little, clenching his teeth as a bolt of pain shot up his leg. I will make him suffer for what he did to Yukina! he thought darkly. He nodded to Kurama.

The redhead moved closer, doing a quick inspection and analysis of Hiei's most obvious wounds. "I have a cream for your burns," he said, pulling a container out of his pocket. He smiled as the fire demon looked up at him sharply. "One never can be too prepared. This salve can actually be applied to cuts and bruises, as well, and I figured that you would be injured. Now hold still. This may sting a little," he said unscrewing the lid. He dipped his fingers into the cream and began spreading it over Hiei's forehead.

Hiei closed his eyes, nails digging into the palms of his clenched fist. Sting a little bit. Yeah right! he thought, struggling to control his reaction in front of the redhead.

When he was done, Kurama put the balm back in his pocket before moving forward to peek out the doorway. "No one's coming. Let's go."

Hiei scooted back to the end of the box. Using his arms, he pushed himself up until he was sitting on the side. Taking a semi-deep breath, he grit his teeth together and lifted his left leg over the side. He paused, waiting for the pain to ebb before lifting his right leg out, as well. He looked up, seeing two wooden crutches in Kurama's hands.

"Something wrong with your leg?" he asked, handing the crutches to the fire demon.

"Broken," Hiei replied curtly. Using the crutches, he pulled himself upright, swaying slightly as the room spun. Latching onto the lid of his cell, he closed his eyes to center himself, waiting for the dizziness to pass. Kurama watched him calmly.

When Hiei had regained his equilibrium he nodded, signaling he was ready. Inclining his head as well, Kurama led the way.

They hadn't even reached the end of the hallway before Hiei was ready to sit down and take a break. He was practically gasping for air, feeling like he was suffocating and it took all of his strength just to keep moving. Kurama waited patiently while he staggered down the hallway. The redhead didn't offer to help and Hiei wasn't about to ask.

After what seemed like an eternity, Kurama ducked into one of the rooms down the hall. Mechanically, Hiei followed, trusting his friend to know the way out. He stopped just inside the doorway, seeing the redhead standing still across the room, his back towards the door. There was no other way out.

Hiei heard the door shut behind him, but his eyes were glued to the figure in front of him. Red hair lengthened and faded to silver, two triangular-shaped ears poking out from underneath it. The magenta school uniform shifted as well, changing into a pale white tunic. The fire demon's eyes narrowed as he watched his 'friend' transform from ningen to youkai. The only times I've seen the fox transform, he was shrouded in smoke and there was a huge display of power, he thought, warily eyeing the kitsune in front of him.

Youko turned around, amber eyes glinting. "You have outlived your usefulness to me." From out of nowhere, a large plant appeared behind him. It was as tall as the kitsune and at least three times as wide. The base split off into three smaller stems and allowed it to walk forward. Huge pink petals circled it at about waist height, appearing to be a skirt. The head was shaped like an upside-down cone sitting on the petals, with a large, sharp tooth-filled mouth. Two vines were attached to the head, looking very much like arms waving through the air. Youko smiled as it stepped past him, heading for the fire demon. "You are a liability. I no longer wish to be accountable for you and your actions. Koenma doesn't care if you are brought back dead or alive, but I thought I would give you a sporting chance. Should you fail to defend yourself, you will make a fine meal for my ochu."

Hiei divided his weight between his right leg and left crutch, shifting his grip on the other one. Holding the stick like a sword, he batted away the vines as they reached for him. Although adrenaline lent him strength, the short walk to the room had depleted almost all of his reserves. The blows from the plant seemed to be getting stronger, as if the ochu was becoming angry with the resistance met by its would-be lunch.

Hiei's harsh breathing echoed loudly in his ears, his lungs burning from the exertion. His vision was blurring and starting to fade out as his body began to fail him. Suddenly, a vine wrapped around the crutch, ripping it from his grasp. Before he had time to react, the other vine came from the side and sent him flying through the air. His head connected solidly with the wall. He fell in a crumpled heap and did not move as the demonic plant approached.

The ochu reached down with a vine, touching the cream covering Hiei's forehead. Without warning, it was consumed in flames, burning at a phenomenal rate. The charred plant fell to the side, already burning down to embers. Youko stood behind it, holding a flame-thrower in his hands. "What a pity. I really thought the fight would last longer than that. Ah, well. Perhaps he isn't as strong as I thought he was," he remarked. Seeing no point in remaining in the kitsune's form now that the fire demon was unconscious, Atshushi changed back to his normal state. Smirking, he leaned down and picked up Hiei, tossing him over his shoulder. "It is unfortunate that you got so weak so easily. I would have liked to torture you a lot more. But, then again, all good things must come to an end, eh?" he said, walking back out into the hallway. "The next time you wake up, it will be your last."

. . .

Kurama quickly made his way along the forest path, the noon sun shining down through the trees. Although it didn't take long to get the correct directions to Atshushi's hide-out, I didn't think it would be this far away. The fact that the demon was left behind to lead me on a wild goose chase indicates that the changeling suspected someone would come after Hiei, he thought. However, that should work to my advantage. Atshushi will not be expecting anyone to have figured out his little ruse.

The redhead turned off the main road, traveling down a much less-frequently used path. His eyes continually scanned the trees around him, searching for surveillance equipment or traps. There was none to be found, which indicated one of two things: either there was none, or it was too well concealed for the king of thieves to locate it. Given Atshushi's ineptitude when leaving a decoy, Kurama felt relatively certain that it was not the second option. After all, if he wanted to assure no one followed him, he shouldn't have told the demon where he would be.

It wasn't long before he came across an old, ruined castle. Entire sections of the walls were missing, the broken stones littering the ground. Plants had almost completely overgrown the buildings, covering the dilapidated fortress in a green, leafy coat. Kurama studied the structure critically. An old castle, obviously abandoned for several centuries. The architecture and design appears to be from the Ankokujidai, he mused, looking around. His eyes narrowed slightly when they fell upon a path of trampled plants leading to a door. Making his way closer, the redhead noticed that the door had been repaired recently. He tried the handle and found it to be unlocked. Rolling his eyes at all the novice errors he kept running into, he pushed the door slightly. It swung open on silent hinges and he quietly slipped inside.

He paused inside the doorway, letting his eyes adjust to the dim lighting. He cocked his head to the side, listening. The faint sounds of what might be torture or a fight reached his ears, the hollow thwok of wood against something carrying through the hallways. He quickly traced the noise to its source, mindful of wayward demons that might be wandering around.

The sounds stopped abruptly. A brief roaring took its place, similar to pressing the nozzle on a can of compressed air, before it, too, faded away. A muffled voice reached his ears, but it was too soft for him to make out any of the words. He ducked back behind the corner as a door opened in the hallway he had been standing in. Hearing footsteps moving in the other direction, he chanced a peek around the wall. A demon was walking away from him, an unconscious Hiei slung casually over his shoulder.

Kurama followed at a distance, mentally drawing a map in his mind. The apparition, presumably Atshushi, entered another room not far from the first. The redhead waited in the hallway, not willing to risk being discovered while the youkai still had Hiei. There was a muted splash of water, followed by the boom of heavy metal falling on metal. The demon emerged a few seconds later and continued walking down the hall.

Waiting to make sure he was gone, Kurama entered the room Hiei had been taken to. It was empty, save for what appeared to be a long, narrow metal chest sitting against the far side. Several small tubes were attached to it, the other ends disappearing into the wall and a lock was built into the front.

Pulling a blade of grass from his hair, the redhead inserted it into the lock, using his spirit energy to make it stiff enough to pick it. After moving it around a bit, he was rewarded with a metallic click as the lid popped up just enough for him to get his fingers underneath it. He opened the chest and looked within. Hiei was lying inside it, his body almost completely submerged in the water. The trunk was barely bigger than he was. His breathing was fast and shallow, rasping in his throat. Dark bruises were starting to form on his arms, a startling contrast to his ashen face. A thick orange paste had been smeared across his forehead. The redhead touched it, bringing his finger up to his nose. A cream that attracts demonic flora. It's still fresh. The sounds I heard must have been Hiei fending off some plant when I arrived, he thought, eyes narrowing.

Setting aside his anger to be dealt with at a later time, Kurama rinsed the cream off, noting the burns it had been concealing. He shook his head and lifted the trembling fire demon out of the metal box, shocked at how far his body temperature had dropped, and laid him on the stone floor. He set the broken bone, encasing the entire leg in a wooden splint before checking the other limbs for similar injuries. Not finding any, he pulled several seeds from his hair, growing one into a leaf that was a little bit bigger than Hiei and twice as wide. He then used his youki to cause a red moss to cover it, leaning away from the heat it produced. Covering that with another leaf of the same size, he gently picked up the koorime and wrapped the makeshift blanket around him. The moss should start to warm him up while the leaf absorbs the excess water from his clothes. That's all I can do for now. Fortunately, I believe I have a lair located near here, Kurama thought, carefully lifting his friend. Cradling the smaller body to his chest, he quickly made his way out of the castle, escaping into the forest. He would be back to deal with Atshushi later. Right now, taking care of Hiei was his top priority.

He made his way back out to the main road, traveling more quickly now that the danger was behind him. Movement in the brush caught his attention and he turned his head sharply to the side. He only saw the creature for a second before it was gone. What is a bandersnatch doing here? I am fairly certain they are not native to this part of the country. I suppose it is possible for it to have gotten separated from its pack, but... Kurama let the thought trail off, turning his attention back to the matter at hand. It does not matter. A lone bandersnatch will not attack anything larger than itself, he thought, hurrying on. He had been traveling for about half an hour when a familiar voice caused him to stop abruptly.

"Hello? Can anyone hear me? Hello?"

Stepping off the road, the redhead carefully laid Hiei at the base of a tree, running a hand through his hair and dropping several seeds on the ground. He then turned and headed towards the voice coming from further within the brush.

"Is anyone there? Can someone please help me?"

Kurama slowed his approach as he drew nearer the speaker. Shiori was wandering aimlessly, looking very lost and confused as she called for help. "Mother?" he asked cautiously.

Her head followed the sound of his voice, relief evident on her face as she ran towards him. "Shuichi! Oh, I'm so glad I found you! I've been wandering around here for several hours. What is this place? I went to bed last night and woke up here this morning. What's going on?" she asked, her eyes begging him for an answer.

"I'll explain it to you later. For now, come with me," the redhead said, moving back towards the road.

Shiori started to follow him. She had not taken two steps when a spear-like vine shot through her chest. Eyes widened in surprise and pain as she wavered on her feet. "Shu...i...chi..." she gasped, reaching for him.

Kurama turned back around, watching impassively as she fell to the ground. "Kitsune are known for their heightened sense of smell," he remarked, his voice cold and aloof. "Fool. You should have known your enemy." Even though he knew it was not her, the sight of Shiori on the ground dying tore at his heart, although he did not allow any of these emotions to show on his face. Turning his back, he started walking forward as the vine shrank to a seed.

'Shiori's' wounds closed as soon as the plant was gone, her body reforming as she stood up. Her clothes changed to black, brown hair also becoming black as it stood on end with a white star burst on the front. Delicate feminine features shifted, becoming more masculine as a third eye appeared on the forehead. Crimson eyes stared at the redhead's retreating form. "I can't die as long as I am able to re-form my body," Hiei's voice said, stopping Kurama in his tracks. "It seems that you should have known your enemy. Who's the fool now? There's no way you can keep up with this body's speed!"

The kitsune looked at the changeling behind him, his expression unreadable. "I do not have to," he replied calmly. "By healing yourself, you have trapped the poison within your body. It is fairly fast acting, as you may have noticed."

Atshushi's eyes widened at Kurama's words, recognizing the sudden heaviness that was spreading throughout his limbs. He tried to run forward, but ended up tripping and landed at his opponent's feet. He reached out with one hand, clutching the kitsune's pant leg tightly. "You--" he ground out, desperately trying to fight the blackness hovering at the edges of his vision.

Kurama continued to watch him, hard green eyes studying him coldly. "I will not kill you, Atshushi. That privilege is reserved for another."

The shapeshifter's eyes rolled up into his head as he passed out, his arm falling back and lying limply on the ground. Black hair faded back to brown, the shaggy mane looking to be about shoulder length. The third eye disappeared and his black clothes were replaced with a blue tunic and brown leggings.

"So, this is your true form," Kurama remarked. He retrieved the seed he had dropped upon sighting Shiori, tucking the poisonous plant back in his hair, before eyeing the comatose demon on the ground. The sanpo kusaki should be sufficient, he thought, pulling a different seed from his long tresses and causing it to grow. Six long, sharp vines sprouted out, four acting as legs while the other two waved around in the air. A large flower emerged on top, petals opening up to sense prey nearby. One unique attribute of the sanpo kusaki was the lack of roots, allowing the plant to be mobile. They were quite handy for a plant master to have around.

The redhead strengthened it, using his youki to direct it to bring Atshushi. The plant wrapped one of its free vines around each foot and followed behind its master, dragging the shapeshifter.

Returning to the main road, Kurama carefully gathered and stowed the seeds he'd left back in his hair before gently picking up Hiei and continuing on to his lair. The sanpo kusaki trotted along after him, somehow managing to hit Atshushi's head on every rock along the way.

. . .

Arriving at his lair, the kitsune was pleased to find everything just as he had left it. The plants were excited by their master's return, leaning over in an imaginary wind and brushing against his legs as he walked by. Entering the den, Kurama laid Hiei on a bed in one of the spare rooms before taking Atshushi to another. Not having any cages lying around, the kitsune caused vines to grow from the ceiling to the floor in a square pattern, acting as bars. Pulling a sharp leaf from his hair, he made a small cut on the changeling's arm and inserted a seed into it before tossing the demon onto the floor of the cage. The deadly vetch should drain away enough of his energy to keep him here until I can acquire a ward, he thought. He could feel the plant growing stronger as it absorbed the demon's youki.

One problem taken care of, he returned to the other room to tend to Hiei. He built a fire in the fireplace, closing the doors and curtains to keep as much heat in the room as he could. Removing the makeshift splint, he took off the koorime's wet clothes, checking for more wounds. Finding only bruises, he replaced the wooden cast before wrapping him in a blanket and hanging the garments by the fire to dry. He found a ward attached to the back of Hiei's neck directly over his spinal cord, but the only injuries he had seemed to be the burns, broken leg and a multitude of bruises covering his back and arms. Knowing from experience how painful removing wards could be, he decided to save that for later, heading into the kitchen and putting some water on the stove to boil instead. He pulled several seeds from his hair, growing them and plucking off large handfuls of leaves. Replacing the seeds, he dropped the leaves into a big bowl and began grinding them up, adding a bit of water to form a paste. By this time, the kettle on the stove was boiling so he mashed a few leaves between his fingers, dropping them into the liquid and setting it off to the side to steep. He pulled out several different seeds, crushing their leaves in a separate bowl before mixing them with the first. By the time he was done with the poultice, the tea was ready. Placing them both on a tray, he grabbed a roll of bandages and returned to Hiei's room.

The fire had grown considerably, making the small room stiflingly hot. Kurama ignored his discomfort, setting the tray on the nightstand next to the bed. He sat down next to Hiei, raising his head up and pouring a bit of the tea into his mouth. The fire demon swallowed reflexively and Kurama repeated the procedure until he had drained the cup. He applied the medicinal paste to Hiei's burns, allowing time for the drugs to take affect.

The burns seemed to be second degree, several blisters covering the area, but the skin was not broken. What could have caused this? the redhead wondered. Being a fire demon, it is almost impossible for Hiei to be burned. These are all centered over his Jagan, as well. So, it seems this was designed to injure his evil eye. But what could have-- Kurama's train of thought stopped abruptly as a piece of information surfaced in his mind. Holy water. Water that has been blessed or purified by a priest has an effect similar to, and in some cases stronger than, wards. The burns are all in one place, signifying that only small doses of water were used, focusing all the spiritual energy on one point-- his Jagan. He shook his head, cringing internally at the pain that must have caused his friend. I only hope his evil eye has not been damaged beyond repair.

After he had finished bandaging Hiei's head, Kurama carefully rolled the fire demon onto his stomach. Bracing one hand against the koorime's neck, Kurama took a firm grip of the edge of the paper and ripped it off in one smooth motion. He had to jump back to avoid being burned by the flames as the fire demon instinctually lashed out at whomever was causing him pain.

Hiei opened his eyes, pain exploding at the base of his neck and spreading out across his back. Not wanting to lay still as the punishment continued, he tried pushing himself up on his hands and knees. His leg protested the action and he bit his lip to keep from crying out in pain. Rolling onto his back, he blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to clear his fuzzy vision and get a good look at where he was. His mind was covered in a haze, penetrated only by the ever-present pain of the various wounds covering his body. His breathing was fast and shallow, as though he just couldn't get enough oxygen into his lungs. His entire body ached all over. Crimson eyes narrowed in hatred as they landed on one of the ones that were the source of his suffering. He pushed himself to a sitting position and slid off the bed, leaning all of his weight on his right leg. He held onto the bedpost with his right hand, his left already gathering flames for an attack.

From the looks he was receiving, it was obvious to Kurama that the shape shifter had taken his form during at least some of the torture. This is going to make things a bit difficult, especially since he can't use the Jagan to ascertain my identity, the redhead thought, edging away as the flames in the fireplace roared in response to the koorime's anger. Kurama dodged to the side as the flames leapt out, trying to embrace him within their fiery grasp. He glanced back at the bed, slightly glazed enraged red eyes following his every move. Hiei's body is too weak to sustain an attack of this magnitude for very long. I have to stop him before he ends up killing himself, while regaining his trust so I don't have to do this again the next time he wakes. But how? "Hiei, listen to me! I am not your enemy! I took care of Atshushi and brought you to one of my dens!" he said, trying to reason with the injured demon while dodging the fire.

"I know no Atshushi!" Hiei snarled.

The redhead twisted out of the way, frowning as a chair went up in smoke. "He's the changeling that captured you! A shapeshifter! I don't know what he did to you, but it was not me!"

The fire demon paused, his mind replaying the events of the past few days. Yukina's smiling face as she broke his leg; Kuwabara's leering expression as he choked him; Kurama giving him a salve for his burns before summoning the ochu. Hiei shook his head, the conclusion he reached obvious in his expression. He didn't know what to think anymore, couldn't tell the difference between what was real and what was an illusion. The only thing he did know was that he was not going to allow himself to be caught a second time.

Kurama watched the emotions playing across Hiei's features. The open display looked so out of place on the normally stoic face, showing the redhead exactly how confused the fire demon was. Kurama could tell that, even though he wanted to believe him, the koorime would not allow himself to be captured and tortured again. Knowing Hiei, he's probably expecting to die in this fight. He's too weak for me to risk attacking him, which would only confirm in his mind that I am an imposter. The redhead shook his head, briefly closing his eyes. There was only one thing to do.

Kurama stood up, facing Hiei, emerald eyes meeting crimson. "I do not know what happened to you during your captivity or why the changeling assumed my form. Atshushi has been detained; I am Kurama. If you feel you must kill me, then I will not stop you," he said. I just hope he's too weak to do so at this point.

Hiei didn't even hesitate before attacking. The flames were already rushing towards his opponent when his mind processed what had been said. He'll let me kill him? Yeah, right. How does he expect me to be able to... Hiei's thought trailed off as he realized something, almost like a light clicking on in his mind. His youki was no longer bound. The fact that he had been using his demonic energy to attack and not even realizing it spoke volumes about his current state of mind. However, this brought up a more pressing issue at the current moment. Kurama had left himself open to the attack. Already knowing it was too late, Hiei tried to stop the flames as they collided with his friend.

A thick cloud of smoke filled the room, obscuring everything from view. Hiei relaxed at the familiar sight, the crackle of energy briefly drowning out the roaring fire. It lasted for a few seconds, disappearing as quickly as it had come, and revealing a slightly scorched and annoyed Youko standing across the room. "While I am grateful that you diverted most of the flames, I would have appreciated it if you had called off the entire attack altogether," the kitsune stated, brushing soot from his clothes.

Hiei's mouth turned up in a halfhearted smirk. "You should know better than to leave yourself open to an enemy's attack," he said, relief evident in his features, if not his voice.

One delicate eyebrow arched at the comment. "And you should know better than to attack your allies," he retorted.

Hiei wavered slightly where he stood, clinging to the bed frame for support. "Sometimes it is difficult to tell the two apart," he whispered. The adrenaline was gone and his reserves of energy had been depleted in his assault against Kurama. His eyes slid closed as his body collapsed.

Youko crossed the room in an instant, catching the fire demon before he fell and gently laying him back on the bed. He pulled the blanket up over the koorime, turning to study the charred room. Various parts of chairs and tables were still smoldering, the bed being the only piece of furniture to have escaped harm. Sighing, the kitsune left the room, wiping the sweat from his brow. A burst of cool air washed over him as he opened the door, quickly closing it behind him. Hiei might enjoy the heat, but the fox most certainly did not. Moving over to the mirror, the demon studied his reflection critically. He wrinkled his nose at what he saw. I need a bath. I think my hot spring should still be functional out back...

. . .

To Be Continued

Ankokujidai - Dark Ages

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