Chapter Six

Too Soon For Comfort

Katani appeared in her living room. It had been two minutes for her to make it through but she knew that all of her new companions would make it depending on their strength. The strongest would be the earliest. She knew the portal and it made special exceptions for her. The portal judged everyone their first time through and the results were always interesting.

"I wonder who will be first…" Katani thought as she quickly changed and began to brew some green tea.

"Need some help Katani?"

She jumped three feet in the air and nearly spilled the tea in the process. "How in the world did you make it through so fast?"

"Sorry, I didn't expect you to be so jumpy." Kurama smiled at her. "Here, let me take that." He took the tray from her while she stood staring at him.

"How did you make it through so quickly?" she said again. "It should've taken you at least another ten minutes."

He just smiled at her and set the tray gently on the table.

"He's not the only one." Hiei sat in the windowsill.

What is with him and windows? Katani thought.

Hiei grinned. "I like to see the outside."

"Stop doing that!"

"Make me, kitty."

"You dirty son of a-" The portal glowed and Yusuke fell on the floor.

"Phew, that was weird. So this your house Katani? Nice. Any soda?"

"Fridge, down that door to the left. Help yourself." Katani sat on the couch as Yusuke skipped to the kitchen happily.

"Do you realize what you've just done?" Hiei asked.

She glared at him but softened when she saw the teasing look in his cold eyes. "He's just messing with me." She made sure to block that thought from him.

"No. But I'm sure one of you are going to tell me." Kurama sat down beside her. She couldn't help but blush at how close he was to her.

"You've given him free access to you food supply." He said. "I hope you have a grocer nearby."

"He's only one person, how much can he possibly eat?"

Kurama looked at her with a mix of pity and laughter. "You'll find out soon enough."

"So you seem like the most… how can I put this… sane person in this group. What exactly is going on?"

Kurama poured three cups of tea. He handed one to Katani as she thanked him, one on the edge of the table for Hiei, and one for himself. He took a long drink of his own before answering her, wondering how much would be safe to tell. "You are currently on probation, as Hiei and I are, serving Spirit World. Instead of locking you in a prison Koenma wants to use you and your talents to help us stop a mysterious clan assassin and, more importantly, unlock the secrets behind your golden blood."

"So I'm a pawn now? Something you want to use and then study like some kind of scientific chimera?"

"Basically," Hiei said from the windowsill.

Instead of shouting at him Katani got up and took his cup of tea to him. He didn't look at her as she placed his tea beside him. Thanks, for earlier. I'm sorry. She thought is so loudly there was no way he could've missed it. She bowed low from her waist and returned to her seat.

"I'm sure you could make this easier on yourself by telling about your golden blood. I admit that I have been curious about it."

"You still have some of my blood inside of you Kurama. You have twenty days until all the blood in your body is replaced with new so why don't you tell me about it."

Kurama took another long sip. True, he still had a large amount of golden blood inside of him. He could feel it separate from his own and it filled him with new strength and connected him to Katani somehow. He could sense her feelings even though he didn't understand them all. I haven't even understood all of my own emotions lately. He thought as he pretended to be extremely thirsty.

At that awkward moment of silence Kuwabara came tumbling through the portal and it disappeared behind him.

"Well you decided to come after all. Not that anyone would have missed you if you didn't." Hiei looked over at Kuwabara.

"What? I came in right after you guys!"

Katani explained the powers of the portal to Kuwabara. "… so the strongest come through first and the weakest last."

Hiei started laughing. Katani thought it was a bit creepy. "Even a portal knows your weak!"

"I am not weak! That thing is obviously messed up. If I'm the weakest then where's Urameshi huh?"

"Kitchen," Katani pointed down the hall.

"Food?" Nothing anyone else said mattered anymore.

"Wait, I want some answers!" Katani wondered if she really would loose all her food. "I want Yusuke and you back in here to talk about this mission!"

"Food…"

"Did you hear me? I sai-" Bright colors flashed in front her eyes. She was stopped dead by a throbbing headache.

"Katani?" Kurama placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. He felt her pain in his blood. Heat ran through him as her headache worsened.

"I need to lay down. Please make yourselves at home. Don't let them eat everything." Katani rose and walked slowly to the steps. Kurama followed her.

"You need help." He didn't state it as a question but as fact.

"People have been telling me that for years." She smiled. Hiei appeared beside her.

"Kurama you talk some sense into those stupid humans. I'll escort her to her room."

Kurama looked as if he was about to protest but nodded.

"Is this really necessary?"

"Yes," The two boys said in unison.

Katani gave up and let Hiei walk her to her room, which she had to tell him which one.

"Why don't you just read my mind and find out?" Katani teased.

"Your mind is too muddled, it wouldn't be worth it."

"Thanks… I think…" She walked to her dresser, ignoring him. Just as she picked out some pajamas she thought she heard a faint whisper in her mind say You're welcome It was so weak she could not be sure. Still, she was grateful.

Katani rose swiftly, her headache completely gone, and dressed in her baggy riding clothes. Only after she had braided her hair and grabbed an apple for breakfast did she remember she had visitors. Her reminder was an almost empty fridge. The fact that Yusuke and Kuwabara were sprawled in front of her game system dead asleep didn't hurt either.

Idiots.She walked outside and felt safe in the dense fog. Only by habit she knew where the barn was. She whistled and heard her proud stallion return with a mighty clarion call of his own. She ran to his side and chastised him for being so loud. "Juta domamn laraia." We are not the only ones here.

He nodded in reply to her and summoned his wings soundlessly.

"How did you do that?" She asked in her language. He seemed to smile at her with his eyes and flapped his great wings, creating a gust so strong it nearly knocked her off her feet. Clutching his mane for support she shouted, "Hey! Cut it out Feer!" He motioned for her to mount and as much as she would have liked to she turned him down. "We cannot make any attempts at a seeming escape with these boys here. If they know something about brother then we want to know it too. Be patient my beauty, be patient." He folded his wings and danced on his toes around her.

After a few exercises around the ring he was calm and she decided to jump him. His jumps were light and smooth as silk, he almost flew over the jumps now. All thanks to the Phoenix Down.

Katani decided to see what the Down did for her so she left Feer to his own devices and unlocked her sword. She didn't even finish two warm-ups when her back burned and she was forced to her knees. She cursed silently at her weakness.

What is this? Why won't my body accept my wings like Feer's did? It shouldn't be this way… She stopped when she felt a powerful aura come near her. She was to far away for Feer's help and the fog was to dense for her to see who it was. She thought she recognized the power but somehow it was changed. "Who are you?" she called to the mist. She got no reply but the hiss of a whip through the air. At the last minute she deflected it with her sword. She would've have thought it was Kurama but the aura was different. This person was much stronger. "Show yourself," she said calmly while praying the pain in her back didn't return.

A tall man stepped from the mist. His hair was like moon silver, as were his ears and tail. "Kitsune yokai…" She whispered. His golden eyes studied her and she thought he was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. That means he is quite deadly.

"What do you seek, kitsune?" She held her sword in the battle stance.

"I seek a fight." He pulled a tiny seed from behind his ear. "Are you worthy, girl?"

Katani smiled, she was used to being underestimated and liked it. It made the victory all the sweeter. Without waiting for a reply the kitsune activated the seed and it crawled to life before her. Long vines rippled across the ground like eels and Katani jumped avoid being ensnared. With crude but effective hacking she killed the plant. Though the fox had used this opportunity to move in on her and held a blade seemingly made from a grass in his right arm.

Katani faced him head on, using all the complex movements she had while ignoring the burning pain in her back. Yet before long it simmered to a point where she could barely see. Black dots swirled in front of her and the kitsune cut her shoulder. Gold blood stained her shirt and Katani screamed, "Lokalo demiair wratha!" A large orb of air ensnared the fox. He was clealy shocked that she could do such a thing, as was she. The compressed air formed blades all around the fox. He refused to cry out and fought with all his strength to break the bubble.

"Haleta!" Katani cried on impulse. The bubble of air blades disappeared the fox fell to the ground in a pool of his own wine red blood. Katani pressed the edge of her blade to his throat. "Give me one reason not to kill you right now." She stared coldly at the handsome and proud fox. He smirked at her.

"There isn't one." He sat cross-legged in front of her. "Kill me if you wish, Katani."

"How do you-?"

Feer nearly running her opponent over interrupted her. He bolted around and attempted to crush the kitsune between his hooves.

"Feer Himdolea!" He stopped with a great reluctance and stood protectively beside her, ears flat against his skull.

"Get up, Kurama." She smiled and put her sword away. Yoko Kurama complied.

"You didn't disappoint me. I knew you had magic inside of you. It only took a little prodding to pull it out."

"How did you alter your appearance?" She asked. "You look nothing like before. I could only recognize you by your blood. Even then it was changed. You are much more powerful then before. Are you a shape shifter?"

Yoko Kurama smiled at her, white teeth flashing. "No, this is only my past form. I am the great Yoko Kurama, the famous thief of demon world."

"Who?" Katani asked, puzzled.

"You've never heard of me?" He was again obviously shocked.

"Should I have?"

"I don't suppose so… Anyway your fighting has improved, you are quite strong now."

"Don't insult me Kurama, I was strong before."

"I suppose so, I apologize."

"Apology accepted." Katani walked close to him. She rubbed some of her golden blood onto her palm and massaged it into his wounds. She felt him tense under her touch.

"You don't have to do that."

"Yes I do, it's my fault you're so busted up. I had no idea I could do that."

Kurama involuntary shuddered as she grazed his bicep. "You okay Kurama? Do you have a chill?"

"No, it's just that…" His white hair disappeared and was replaced with long red strands. His ears and tail disintegrated and his tall form shrank slightly. "You should not give your blood away so freely. If you use your blood to heal me we'll be connected longer."

Katani saw the human teen before her and stopped her healing. "Do you wish for your connection with me to be severed? I've never given blood to another before so I did not know it would do that. If it helps I haven't sensed anything from you. I'm sorry."

"No, it's alright. I just thought you would mind. If you like you can finish. I only wish I could do the same for your shoulder." He looked at her with something she could not identify.

A light blush crept into her checks. "I'll be fine, Feer can patch me up. Here, all done." She hastily sealed up the last wound. Feer wedged his way between the two and breathed gently on Katani's shoulder. The wound vanished and the veins were mended.

"Thank you Feer." The horse whickered with delight and nuzzled her arm. "That was a good fight, don't scare me like that again, I may just find a reason to kill you."

Kurama laughed and put a hand behind his head. "Yes, I am cocky in that form aren't I?"

"I'll say," And hot. Kurama blushed as he received her thought. Katani didn't notice and walked to the house. "You coming?"

"Yes," Kurama ran and caught up with her. Curious, he asked, "How do you think my two forms compare?"

Katani was taken aback. "What kind of question is that? I barely know you. I'm not in the position to compare." Inwardly she thought. Both of his forms are strong and deadly. How can he ask me to pick and choose the qualities of each? Kurama sensed this and smiled at the gift she had unknowingly given him.

"You're right. I apologize."

She gave him a look of doubt. "Something isn't right… Do you sense it?" She stopped on a rock by the stream.

Kurama watched the dawn light hit her and create a seemingly halo around her. "I've just never seen someone so beautiful." He said before he could stop himself.

Katani looked him full in the eyes. He was gazing at her in the way she'd seen a few minutes ago. "What did you-"

"Good morning Katani!" Kuwabara jumped in front of her.

Katani shrieked and fell of her boulder. The two boys heard a loud splash as Katani plunged into the stream. Yusuke appeared beside them, howling with laughter. "Good one Kuwabara!"

Katani threw a rock at him, hard. He fell over in crotch pain. Kuwabara looked from the yelping Yusuke to the growling Katani. "I'm sorry Katani! Please don't hurt me!"

"Why does everyone hate my crotch?" Yusuke moaned. Katani giggled despite herself. Her blonde hair fell out of its braid and covered her shoulders like a damp cloak.

"I won't hurt you Kuwabara. I should be thanking you, I'm clean now." Did Kurama actually say?… No, I must've been imagining things.

"Then why the heck did you hit me with a frikin rock?" Yusuke demanded.

"Just for fun."

"Why you-"

"Eep! Feer!" Just as Yusuke was about to throttle Katani, Feer jumped in front of her and rose on his hind legs to challenge Yusuke.

"Bring it on you oversized cow!" Yusuke yelled.

"No one calls Feer a cow!" Katani jumped in front of Feer, all regards for her own safety lost in rage.

She summoned her sword and batted Yusuke's spirit attack away. The two began to fight without weapons and only used their fists. Kuwabara and Kurama watched from beside Feer. "How long do you think it'll take them to stop?" Kuwabara asked.

"I can't say Kuwabara. They are both equally stubborn so it falls to chance. Though I doubt Yusuke could lose to anyone in a match of obdurate luck." Hiei appeared out of nowhere and held a long envelope in his hand.

"Are you idiots going to roll around in the dirt all morning or should we start the mission on our own?"

Katani jumped from the fight and landed nimbly beside the boys. "Good morning Hiei!" She said cheerily. "Did you sleep well?"

"Hn."

"Good. What's that?" She motioned to the envelope in his hand.

"Our orders. Here, I don't feel like reading them." He handed her the thin manila package. Everyone, except Hiei who had found a nice rock to sit on, gathered around her.

"You should open it Yusuke, you're the leader right?"

Everyone broke into a fit of giggles. "Urameshi! A leader!" Kuwabara rolled on the ground. Yusuke leaned on a tree for support and Kurama bit his thumb.

"Alright," Katani ignored them and opened it herself.

"Hey!" Yusuke went off about how he should get to open it since he's the detective. Katani pretended she didn't hear him and began to read the fine cursive script.

" 'To Team Urameshi' Ha! I knew you were a team of some kind! 'There have been some recent breakouts of murder near Osaka and Tokyo. The two areas have dispatched police to try and catch the suspects but this is out of their hands. Our informants have determined that this is the work of the same clan that was responsible for the death of the gold blooded boy, Tithe Sword, on Mt. Jokatsu. I want each of you to train Katani for two hours; time is of the essence, and then dispatch her with two of you to investigate Tokyo. The other two will search for clues in Osaka. I will determine who the Teams will be. Yusuke I am expecting you to be responsible. ' " Yusuke scoffed. " 'I will be sending Botan to check your progress at sundown of the day you receive this. Waste nothing and check everything. If you fail this tribe may kill thousands of humans out of blood lust. To Katani: We are watching you and if you try to escape we will not hesitate to take drastic measures. You are either for us or against us till your sentence is served.' " Katani rumpled the paper in her hands. "Lokoa viza va Koenma didea." She murmured.

Feer tore at the earth and whinnied. "Gilud." She stroked his neck.

"Will you cut that out? It's very annoying." Yusuke said.

She didn't even look at him. "Xaxa." It sounded very much like a curse from her lips and Yusuke lost it.

"All right Blondie! Let's go! I'm training with you first!" He grabbed her arms firmly and pulled her into the woods. She tried to wrench her arm out of his grasp but he was surprisingly strong. She felt Feer flare up.

"Himdolea!" Feer stopped and kicked a sapling. The sapling flew into a large tree.

"Damn horse." Yusuke cursed. He continued to pull Katani for half an hour. She wondered whether he knew where he was going or if he was just fuming. She had acted badly for no reason save her own frustration. Koenma's threats infuriated her and she was taking it out on them. As her wrist began throb her resolve softened.

"For what it's worth… I apologize." Yusuke stopped. "I should not have taken my anger out on you. For that I am sorry, Yusuke." He dropped her wrist but refused to face her. She rubbed the red skin and was thankful he had taken her left instead of her right.

"Took you long enough, idiot." He turned around and smiled. "Your almost as stubborn as I am."

"Hn, how long would it have taken you to apologize?"

"I wouldn't have."

She shrugged. "What now?" They were in a small clearing cluttered with rocks and large boulders. Fifty yards south lay a cliff from which you could view the entire city.

"We fight. Street style." He began assaulting her with seemingly endless attacks. Katani had to train her eyes to tell which was a blur and which was his actual fist. After being struck ten times on the calf and shoulder she was able to strike back with a blow of her own to his shin. He didn't even flinch. "He's a lot stronger then I gave him credit for…" She thought.

"Move your feet! Block! Faster!" He didn't look it but was a harsh instructor. Katani was a quick study and after another hour she was able to almost match his movements. His rough style was quick and painful but she enjoyed it and memorized his motions. By the end he was pleased with her progress. "Well it looks like you're not a complete blonde. Too bad, we really could have hit it off." She glared at him with venom in her eyes. "Kidding! Kidding!" He waved his arms in defense. "Well it looks like we have enough time to make it back, come on kid."

"Kid?"

"Kid or blondie, you choose."

"My name is Ka-ta-ni. Say it with me now."

He started walking and she followed. He was all right.

They didn't walk more then ten minutes when Feer stepped from the forest with Hiei on his back. He looked dangerous and proud. "Holy crap, he's gonna kill me!" She thought. Feer looked equally deadly. Katani thought it amazing that he let him ride. She saw him with great respect now, if Feer could see through him and respected him then he was more man than she acknowledged. Yusuke nodded to Hiei and walked on. Hiei dismounted and Feer trotted back the way he had came. He just stared at her. The wind blew overhead and the sky filled with black clouds.

He seemed to be examining her. His eyes were the color of blood she had heard so many poems and songs speak of. Rain began to pour yet neither of them moved. She felt an inner power pulsing threw him. She focused on that thread while he continued to gaze into her. She gasped when she recognized the thrum. It was the pulse of a dragon! Hiei grinned, reading her thoughts.

With out a word he drew his katana and threw aside his cloak.