Chapter Ten
The Hunt Begins
A week later Katani rose from bed at the Kojinki Inn. She had been in Tokyo for almost a week now and there was no clue about the people who had murdered her brother. Yusuke had contacted Kurama the previous night and the results of Osaka were the same. They had searched tirelessly and nothing turned up. Koenma feared the tribe was preparing for a sudden large-scale attack. Kurama feared the same. Yusuke bragged that they knew they were coming after them and were scared. Katani feared both. Either way she wouldn't put her brothers soul to rest. They had to find them and soon.
Katani checked her reflection in the mirror. He hair was frizzy on one side and flat on the other. With an impatient groan she ran a brush through it.
Kurama's mastery of her language grew every day When no one listened she spoke to him and almost every time he provided a correct verb change or description. If she were to keep her pride she would have to push him harder. It shocked her, was her tongue that easy to learn or was he just that smart?
They would have to work hard to make any progress before their deadline was up. Summer break didn't last too long and the Tsunami granted them a bit more time but she feared it wasn't enough. The site of her brother's murder were investigated countless times. The spot were Katani had slain the assassin was also investigated. Nothing.
Yusuke and Hiei, with the aide of Botan, had investigated the scenes of the murders in Osaka. All the bodies were in perfect condition. The only reason the coroner could provide for their deaths was their hearts had simply stopped beating. Katani had seen the sword strike her brother in the heart. What made him special that they stab him simply stop the hearts of others. Nothing seemed to fit. Clues only led to more clues, which became dead ends.
Koenma had given them a day off in all his mercy. Kuwabara was going to the arcade to "get his game on" (of all the ways to say it he chose that one…) and Kurama was going home to visit his mother. Katani felt it would a perfect day for riding and she deeply missed Feer. A horse and Tokyo don't mix so before she left she had handed him over to Ty who promised only the best for her stallion.
Katani dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, standard riding garb. Keys in one hand and a bagel in the other she ran out the door. The subway to Rising Crest was long and crowded. Every one fought for a space to stand and if you weren't careful someone would place his hand were it wasn't wanted. Katani ignored the humid air and tight places as long as it meant she could be with her horse.
Finally the door opened to Rising Crest. A blast of cool air came in from outside and all the people inside the car sighed with relief. Katani forced her way through. Off the beaten road stood two sleek bays. Hannah stood beside them, stroking the mare with white socks.
Katani called out to her and Hannah waved. They ran towards each other and embraced. The two girls exclaimed their joy at seeing each other once again and Hannah began rattling off all the things that had been happening at the stables. Katani mounted Ginger, one of the mares she had seen foaled five years ago. Ginger whickered and rubbed Katani's leg. She remembered the girl who had given her life after the death of her mother.
"Shana is a big girl now. She's been creating quite a name for herself at the tracks. And remember Gallant Sire? He's one of the most requested studs in Tokyo! Even Dropped Star has started racing. He's doing all right but he's improving rapidly. You should see him run, his stride is like butter." Hannah continued like this for the whole ride to Rising Crest. She updated Katani on every horse, hand, and finance of the ranch.
"Wow, a lot has happened in two weeks. It feels like I've been gone a lot longer." Katani shifted reign hands.
"Everyone is asking why you bailed so suddenly. Jonathon flipped when he found out you'd quit. Ty hasn't been his cocky self either." She cocked a brow at her.
Katani blushed when she remembered what had happened that day she fled the detectives. She had kissed Ty in a desperate attempt to flee. Did he still remember?
"Why did you leave, Katani?" Hannah increased the pace from a walk to canter. Katani spurred Ginger to match.
"That's a long story… I guess the easiest thing to explain it would be that I got into some trouble with the wrong people. I didn't want anyone at Crest to become involved so I fled. Thankfully everything has been resolved."
Hannah's eyes grew wide with possibilities. Katani insisted everything was fine and made her promise not to tell the others. Hannah nodded, she was one to keep a secret. Similar to Katani, her word was her bond.
"Ty is going to expect an explanation. He's been worried about you. I wouldn't be surprised if he held you and never let go." she grinned. "He really has the hots for you Kitty."
Katani could come up with no response. She only succeeded in starting a few sentences but never coming up with anything justifiable. Kurama flashed through her mind. Since that night a week ago he had not become Yoko or been as close to her. In fact he seemed to keep his distance and she usually initiated the conversations. I can't blame him. Even though he says I'm not a burden I'm not sure I believe him. He's such a good friend, but from the way he's been it seems like that's all he sees me as. Do I still feel something for him? One thought of his gentle words and quick smile was all it took to remind her that every day her feelings for him seemed to grow. No matter how much she shoved them in a corner.
Hannah was calling to her. "Huh, what?"
The tall stable hand reigned them to a walk. The stable was just on top of the crest. "Where were you just now? Were you thinking about Ty?"
"No! I was just…"
"Uh huh, sure," she smiled and gave her horse the heel. "Race you to the gates!" she sped off.
"Ginger, utomaraci!" Ginger responded and flew forward, holding nothing back. They passed Hannah by seven lengths.
Hannah sighed and expected nothing less. At least she was smiling again. Hannah remembered when she first met Katani four years ago. She was as green as her and the two got along well. Hannah didn't know a colt from a filly and her apprenticeship was a long one. The two girls were trained together in everything from saddling skills to shoeing. Hannah's father was killed so she had got the job to support herself while her father worked. Katani never gave her reasons for the job but mentioned owning a colt of her own. It was obvious she had background in horse care. No matter what they did Katani always seemed one step ahead.
Hannah was so small back then. With short cropped brown hair and flashing green eyes she fit in well at the stables. Her small and lithe figure were perfect for that of a jockey. Since then she had progressed and now was in charge of stud management. Still, she got a thrill out of racing and Katani was always up to the challenge. Despite their years together Hannah always thought she sensed a wall around Katani. Something kept her from truly opening up and that's why they were just friends. Hannah was content with the distance and thankful for the friendship they had. Yet it would have been nice to be closer to her. Especially on the subject of Ty. He couldn't stop talking about her after she handed Feer over to him. If other boys hadn't been with her Ty might have done something that meant much more then friendship.
One of the boys she was with seemed to have something strange about him. When they first came he looked at Ty like a jailer looks at his charge. She could see that he had set lines up that he shouldn't cross. Katani seemed to act neutral around him and the other. It was always hard to tell what she was thinking. Yet, halfway through the meeting Ty put his arm around Katani. When she didn't protest the boy seemed hurt for a moment and then held resolve. He seemed normal after that, or what she could guess was normal. Hannah wanted to ask Katani about everything that had been going on but she didn't have the courage. If she wouldn't tell her on her own it might be best that she not know.
An hour later Katani sat atop Feer in the farthermost paddock. The air was crisp and sun bright. Nothing seemed amiss in their little world. Feer was decked in his most lovely leather tack. Jonathon had been so pleased to see her that he gave her some new equipment. Though she had insisted on buying most of it. A lot had been lost in the Tsunami and she would need to replace most of her things for Feer. Luckily Rising Crest was spared any kind of destruction.
Katani was saved from seeing Ty so far. To avoid awkward conversations she purposely avoided him thus far. The only way she accomplished this was not letting him know she was even at Rising Crest. Once she had Feer with her once again she gave him a long bath and brushed his mane and tail till they gleamed. The proud stallion relished the attention. Now that they were out in the countryside she could begin to enjoy her day off. They rode through the fields and stopped at a cool stream. She dismounted and enjoyed a peaceful lunch. This was what life was about. Feer grazed beside her and gently pushed her shoulder when he desired a treat. It had been so long since the last time the two of them had just enjoyed each others company. For a brief moment she could forget about the spirit detectives, training, her sore back, and Kurama.
Whenever he surfaced in her mind everything seemed to be so complicated. She wanted to be with him but at the same time she just wanted them all to go away. If it caused tension between the others or if Hiei was right and attachments really did make one weaker she did not want to be the cause of that. Besides, from his recent actions it was clear that he didn't have any loving feels for her. Maybe there had been something that night a few weeks ago but since then there hadn't been much of anything that could be seen as "love". Friendship was what she wanted and what she had. Then why wasn't she happy?
She fixed her eyes on the sky and watched the clouds roll away. It had been a day just like this when she first saw her brother's killer. Why were the other assassins hiding now? She sighed and realized that even though it was her day off she could not forget about the case.
I doubt the others feel the same. They aren't as connected to the case as I am.
Yusuke sat at a bar with Botan. For their day off they were doing absolutely nothing. Hiei had gone off to do his own thing.
Yusuke slammed his fist on the table. The glasses clattered against each other.
"Now that's not going to help this case at all, Yusuke." Botan took a sip of her root beer.
"Yeah well it's not stopping anything either. Damn it, this is going nowhere. We're just sitting around waiting for them to kill someone else. This sucks."
"Well if you have any suggestions I'm all ears. Kurama and the others haven't reported anything either, they're going through the same thing we are. We just have to try harder."
Yusuke groaned and finished his drink. "I'm going out."
"Don't go far!" Botan felt like she was babysitting him.
Yusuke waved her off and walked down the streets of Osaka. He hated not doing anything while innocent people were being slaughtered. They just needed one thing, one good lead to get them somewhere. He really wanted to beat the crap out of something right now. He crossed into a small dirty park and just sat on a bench waiting for something, anything. One child was playing on a rusted set of monkey bars. He slipped and fell on the hard dirt. Yusuke watched him get up and see him. The little boy strode over confidently, not seeming bothered by the fall at all.
"Hi, mister," The kid was covered in dust and his black hair was matted, he had not seen a brush in a while.
"Hey kid. What's wrong, you lost or somethin'?"
The little boy laughed. It sounded hollow and jaded. Something about this kid wasn't right. Yusuke felt a strange aura from him, was he a demon?
"I'm looking for someone, maybe you can help. I want to find a detective." The child smiled wickedly.
"Well if I see anyone walking down the street with a magnifying glass I'll let you know." Yusuke readied himself.
"That would be cool, Mr. Urameshi." The boys reached in his pocket and pulled out a dagger. Yusuke slapped it away and reached for the kid. The child evaded him with unearthly speed.
"Who are you really?" Yusuke readied a spirit shotgun attack. The child laughed again. His voice cracked as his form split and he became a fierce ogre. Spikes erupted from his back and fangs from his maws.
"I am a representative of the Phoenix Tribe. We request that you cease in hunting us, or we may have to resort to drastic measures."
"It looks to me like we're the ones who will take you down. Tell your leaders they can go to hell. We're coming."
The ogre smiled, his teeth were coated in a slimy film. "It's too bad about your new friend. She was just sitting underneath a tree with her horse. Shame how it will end though." Yusuke stopped, he couldn't be talking about Katani. "She'll die just like her brother. It's sad that no one was there with her, she won't die completely alone though. I'm sure one of my men will… keep her company." He laughed wickedly.
"If you touch her-!"
"You'll what? My men are already there. She'll be dead before nightfall. Your tall friend too, we have him already. It wasn't hard to catch him while he was playing video games. All we needed to do was send in a pretty woman and he was ours. Your fox friend, he'll be a bit tougher. Clever that one is. But I have no doubts that you're friend with the blue hair will be quite easy. How kind of you to leave her all alone in a bar." He punched Yusuke in the gut.
Yusuke hit the fence and fell to the ground. He had to stop them, Katani and Kuwabara were to far away but maybe he could still get to Botan. He readied himself to shoot. From behind the ogre a blade stabbed from his neck. Hiei ripped his sword out and held a flaming fist to his face. "You will tell us who you work for or I will send you to a place much worse then hell. I am capable of giving you treats far worse then death." His eyes narrowed and a dark aura surrounded him. The demon relented instantly.
"Ok, ok! We haven't killed any of them yet! We have guards around the girl and boy but no one has been taken in. My master is-"
An arrow struck the ogre in the forehead, forever silencing him. Hiei swore and turned to the source. A woman clad in black held a bow. She stood on the fire escape of a nearby apartment building. Yusuke fired five rei gun blasts at her, she evaded all but one. The last one was her undoing and she fell with a splat to the ground. Yusuke flinched,
"That must've hurt." He and Hiei ran to the body. The ogre they left behind slowly began to dissolve; they could get nothing from him anyway. The woman was a kind of air demoness with two small black wings like a crows. No doubt this woman was of the same Phoenix Tribe as the others. Hiei searched her pockets and pulled out a folded piece of parchment before the body completely disappeared. This he opened and showed to Yusuke.
"It looks like a map or something." he said.
Hiei nodded, "It is. I can't make anything out of it but Kurama can. If you are concerned about Botan or the others we should go."
Yusuke nodded and tucked the map away. They finally had the lead they were looking for, but it was at the risk of others lives. He hoped that Katani knew enough to hold her own and that Kuwabara wasn't stupid enough to let himself get kidnapped again. Both were very unlikely.
Kuwabara stopped at midday from video games to grab some lunch. He paused at a fast food joint and ate in silence. By now he wished he had gone with Katani or even Kurama. Both of them were bound to have cooked something better then this sludge. Quickly he ate and decided to pay Katani a visit. Of all of them she was probably the most tolerant of his behavior. Besides, she had been asking him a lot more about love combine with battle and he thought it would be fun to be like an older brother and give her advice. No one ever asked him anything so he figured he would take advantage of it before she got smarter.
He caught a bus out of the city and walked the rest of the way. It was oddly quiet for such a beautiful day. Suddenly Kuwabara stopped, he felt something, the aura of a demon was near. His sixth sense was going crazy as whatever it was got closer and closer. One hand was gripping the hilt of his spirit sword as he walked. As he rounded a bend in the road from behind a large sakura tree a cloaked and hooded demon charged at him. Kuwabara expected this and sliced him in half. The demon screeched and dissolved.
"Nobody can defeat the great Kuwabara!" he said. He didn't even realize that the demon he'd just slain was a minion of the Phoenix Tribe. He just thought he had killed a demon out to get him. Without a backwards glance he continued walking until he entered Rising Crest.
Kurama sat with his human mother at their kitchen table. His mother, Ms. Minamino, had prepared some tea while her son explained where he had been.
"My school is investigating some universities in Tokyo. I will likely be gone for a long time. I'm sorry mother," he poured some tea and gave it to her. She thanked him.
"That's quite alright, Shuichi, it's good you're working hard even during the summer." She took a sip and looked hard at her son. "So, who is she?"
Kurama jerked his head up. "Pardon?"
"Don't think I can't tell." She said with a smile. "You have that look in your eyes. I'm a woman. I know these things. Being your mother helps too. From your eyes it seems you care for her but haven't told her about it. Silently you lament not knowing whether or not she feels the same. Do you love her?"
Kurama looked back at the table. Did he? Or was it as Hiei said? Was her blood that toxic? Its influence was weakening over time. In two weeks not a trace of her gold blood would be left in his system. Would he care for her then? Would seeing her in pain, bleeding like she was a week ago cause his heart to cry out for her? She didn't love him. All she sought was someone to lean on. Whether that be him or anyone else was the question. He couldn't be sure of anything. Katani was… different. Kurama sighed softly, it made no difference really.
"I don't know. I really don't know if I care for her because of who she is or because of something else. Even then I am afraid that something will go wrong. I can't…" he wasn't sure how to put his feelings into words. "I can't risk something like that happening now."
Ms. Minamino nodded. "I see. It's good that you are seeing how you really feel about her. What's her name?"
"Sword, Katani Sword." His mother gasped. Hastily she left the table and began rummaging through a junk drawer. "Mother, do you know that name?" She sat back down and slid a snapshot across the table.
"Is this her?" A photo of a young girl with short blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes was sitting on a scruffy silver filly. The arch above said, "Rising Crest". Kurama couldn't believe his eyes.
"Yes… How did you?" He handed her the snapshot.
"She was my student a few years ago. I was teaching her to play the lute. What a sweet child she was and smart too. One of the best students I've had now that I think about it. Sadly she only stayed with me for a couple months before she was forced to stop taking lessons. Financial situations, you see. I still have her flute actually. How has she been?" His mother placed her head on her hands. This situation was all the more interesting now that she knew the girl his son desired.
"Not the best. She lost a family member recently."
"Oh dear, not Tithe I hope."
Kurama couldn't believe what he was hearing. His mother knew Katani well enough that she mentioned her brother. Such trust she rarely extended. Could this mean that they had meet before? If so why didn't he or she remember? Now that he thought of it did he ever tell her of his human identity? "Yes, I'm afraid her brother was murdered. She's in my class group and we've been looking at some of the same schools."
"I'm so sorry. Give her my condolences. I can't say I'm not surprised you like her. You two were a lot alike. I brought her over once when you weren't home. I remember she saw your garden and was absolutely enchanted by it. I'd really like to see her again. Do you think she would come over so we could catch up?" She stopped suddenly as if she remembered why they had been talking about Katani in the first place. "Oh, I'm sorry honey. Do you think she cares for you?"
Kurama thought a moment before responding. She had run from him after hearing Hiei and lately she has been very quiet. "I don't know if she sees me as just a friend or something more. I am not sure how I feel, I don't expect her to be any different."
Ms. Minamino placed her hand on her son's. "Shuichi, spend some time with her. You'll know if it's love or friendship. So will she, especially if I talk to her and ask." The kind mother's face lit up.
"Mother…" Kurama wasn't sure he liked the idea of his mother having a conversation with Katani about him.
"Now don't look at me like that. Hang on…" She took out a piece of stationary and wrote down a date and time. "Give this to her. I'd like to see her again."
Kurama slid the note in his pocket. "Thank you mother. I should get going now." He stood and embraced her
"I love you, Shuichi."
"I love you too, mother." The words rang in his ears as he walked down the street slowly. Did it really matter if her gave her the note? Maybe it would be better to leave the pot unstirred for the time being.
It was still early so he went to the park and watched the children play. He hadn't sat there for ten minutes when his blood stirred. Katani was trying to reach him. The blood rang as he felt her try to reach him, fail, and then shy away. Had her mind not been so fortified he might have been able to reply. The current state of his nearly diluted blood connection to her wouldn't penetrate that. She was getting farther from him.
His cell phone rang in his pocket. He answered to hear Yusuke screaming at the other line.
"Where's Kuwabara! And Katani, is she with you!" He sounded frantic.
"No, we each went separate ways. Is something wrong, Yusuke?"
"Oh yeah, those demonic idiots have finally shown themselves. One killed her own to stop us from getting information. We were able to find out that they're after you guys. Kuwabara and Katani are in danger. The ogre demon I got said they're planning on taking them down. You have to get to them!"
Kurama hung up before Yusuke finished. Through the woods he ran until he came to a train. It didn't seem to move fast enough. He should have known earlier when she tried to reach him. But why did she block him out right after?
Katani finished eating and put the trash in Feer's saddlebag. Now was as good a time as any to get in her daily training. Carefully she unsheathed her sword and removed her shirt. Underneath she wore a sports bra that was uniquely shaped so that the scar on her shoulder was revealed. In this way she could unveil her wings without having to buy yet another top. With the tip of her blade she reached back to her scar and made a light incision over the burning mark.
A scream tore at the back of her throat as two large golden wings uncurled from her shoulders. Kurama had shown her how to make the cut so it healed quickly and bled little. Feer whickered and brought his wings out.
"Show off…" Katani pushed him. All he had to do was think about it and he got his wings. She spread them wide and flapped a few times to test them. In just a few short weeks she had made incredible progress. Every night in her room she'd slit her back and practice building the muscle in her wings. She was getting better and could stay aloft for about half an hour before getting tired. Flying came as naturally to her as walking now. With her brother's ring she made her physical appearance melt in with the environment. By placing a hand on Feer's chest and muttering a simple phrase she altered the rhythm of his heart so that he too could share the properties of the ring. She pushed of from the ground and flew above the plains. By keeping her vision southward she could focus on the rolling plains instead of the eye shore that was the city.
Below her she saw Rising Crest and all the horses being trained in strings. The whitewashed stables and smooth streets for delicate hooves glistened in the sunlight. Trailers filled with potential stars of the racetrack were being led to the course. Katani felt a strong gust of wind as she flew and fought to maintain balance. Feer was a much better flier then she was and darted and dashed above her. She had half a mind to make him visible. To the eyes of those below. Only she could she him and even that was a faint outline.
Feer settled into serious flying as Katani practiced evasive maneuvers. The day was warm and thermals lifted her high into the sky like air elevators. She had an easy time and left the wind do the flying for her. She barely had to flap, just practice and let the wind carry her when she got tired. For an hour she did this, resting on Feer if she became utterly exhausted.
After resting she gently flapped her one wing to cool herself. It still amazed her, this gift she was given. By using her wings more and more she began to control their withdrawal. The feathers did not require upkeep like the down of some birds. Every feather was repaired or replaced when she withdrew them.
Just when Katani was readying to fly again Feer whinnied sharply. Below Ty was racing across the field on his gelding, Lion's Bane. Lion's Bane was a thoroughbred he won a few years ago in a bet. The horse could fly on the track. Across these open plains he was a black streak of speed and power.
Feer lurched into a dive and was racing along the stallion in seconds. Katani retracted her wings and knew she'd better do something before Ty heard the heavy hoof beats. Feer considered Lion's Bane his rival and had to run against him given half a chance. She forced Feer behind a stretch of trees and released her control on the ring.
Feer neighed a challenge and Lion's Bane responded. Ty looked over and nearly fell out of the saddle. The two horses were flying in full gallop when they closed in on each other.
"Kitty!"
"Hi there Ty. How you been?"
Ty was staring at her. "You are… um do you?…"
It was at that moment that Katani remembered her shirt was still packed inside Feer's saddle bag. With gold cheeks she reached behind and pulled on the white t-shirt. All the blood inside her rushed to her cheeks and she adjusted the shirt.
"S-sorry about that…" she stuttered, "I was training and uh…"
Ty smiled. "That's all right Kitten, it was quite enjoyable."
"Ty!" Katani reached over and hit him.
The grinning stable hand checked Lion's Bane's speed and put him into a steady trot. Katani asked Feer to match his stride. The two rode in silence before Ty finally spoke.
"I've missed you, Kitty. You left so suddenly. Are you alright?"
"I've missed you too, Ty. And yes, I'm fine. Sorry for leaving and everything." Katani remembered that hurried morning with a smile. It was her first kiss, and nothing like she would have imagined. If only she had known then what she knew now. Had she known that Yusuke and the others would grow to be a close group of friends she could rely on she would have never run for so long.
Ty pulled his black horse to a halt and Katani followed suit.
"I saw the scar on your back, what happened? You're lying to me. I care about you Kitten." He reached over and stroked her arm. She didn't recoil.
"I… got it in a car accident."
Ty could always tell when Katani was lying. Lately she had been lying a lot. Leaving her favorite place in the world to run of with four boys just wasn't like her. It upset him greatly to not understand what she was going through. It hurt him to know she didn't want to share it with him. Now she was all alone and locked up inside. He would convince her to share her burden with him like she used too.
"I'm sorry Ty. I just can't divulge anything." Katani averted her eyes and dismounted Feer. Ty followed her.
"You can tell me anything, Kitten, you should know that. I… I love you, Katani." Ty placed a hand on her shoulder and the other on her hip. He leaned forward and placed his lips on hers. She didn't fight him. Is this what I want? Why is my heart fighting against him but everything in my mind says this is logical. Why shouldn't I be with Ty? He cares for me, what else is there?
She saw Kurama's face when the roof of her stable fell, his eyes when he carried her from their training, his gentle smile when learning the words she'd kept secret for so long. All she saw was him.
Katani forced herself to pull away from Ty's comforting arms. "I'm sorry. I can't. I'm not ready Ty, I can't," her voice was barely a whisper.
"I see," Ty nodded. "I will wait for you, Kitten." The tone of his voice suddenly changed from concerned to protective. He stepped in front of Katani. "What do you want with her this time? Stay away from her. Get out of here Kitty."
Katani looked behind her. Kurama was standing there, looking oddly out of breath. In a moment he was once again his calm and reserved self. The look on Kurama's face made Katani take a step back. His face was intense, a fighter ready for battle. She found it hard not to look at him, for his gaze was so strong. And what she did see scared her.
"Ty, he's my friend," her voice was low and shaky. Words were hard to find. "Let me go to him." Ty looked at her with disbelief.
"The last time I saw them they were chasing you! One of them held a sword to my throat! You expect me to just stand aside and let you have a conversation with one of them? No, I won't let it happen. I love you Katani and I'm not letting them hurt you. Besides, I can tell from your voice that you are afraid."
Kurama's eyes flashed. "Please step aside, I need to speak with Katani."
"Listen you're not going near her! Come on Kitten," he grabbed her wrist but she couldn't move. Not even when they had first met had she seen Kurama this fierce. It scared her, as if something inside him that she had never seen was exposed. She had to talk to him and find out what was wrong before things got out of hand.
"Ty," she tried to pull away but once again a man was too strong for her.
"Let her go," the voice sent shivers down her spine. Ty turned and Yoko Kurama stood behind them. In an instant he summoned a wicked looking plant that wrapped its vines around his legs and arms. Ty dropped Katani's wrist immediately.
"Kurama, please! Let him go! Kurama!" she couldn't believe what he had done. Not only had he revealed himself to a human he was attacking him. Katani had known Ty for years and he was like her brother. Ty's eyes were defiant but she could tell he was in pain. With one slice she could have cut through the vines but sense still controlled her actions. Far be it from her to reveal everything to him.
"Yoko!" Katani saw her one chance to end it. White with fear for Ty she clung to Yoko, hoping that if he saw her he would come back to his senses.
Yoko saw her eyes, wide with fear. He stopped and instantly let Ty go. Her eyes said it all, she was afraid of him. The silver fox let out a deep sigh and the plants slid back into the earth. Katani ran to Ty.
"Are you okay?" she checked him for poison. He seemed shaken but fine. Katani put his arm around her shoulder and helped lift him to his feet.
"I'm not leaving you, Kitten. Come with me, quickly."
"I'm sorry. You must forget."
"What?"
Katani took her brothers ring and thrust it on his finger. He fell over instantly, as if dead. She called Feer and Lion over and tied Ty to Lion's saddle. "Flightogo."
Fear was replaced with anger. Fists clenched she turned to Yoko. "What were you thinking? How could you reveal yourself to him like that and then attack him? I never thought I'd have to ask you of all people this but what is wrong with you?"
Yoko glanced at her, gold eyes flashing. "We received information that you were in danger. It appears that is not the case."
Katani saw the fury in his eyes.
"What I do on my time off is…" Katani shut her eyes. "I have never seen you like this. It scares me, please stop."
Yoko looked her over carefully before letting his gaze soften. Clearly he was still furious and at what Katani did not know.
"Am I really in danger?" Katani sat down in the grass.
"I'm afraid so," he seemed embarrassed.
He should be, after what he just did.
Katani felt her golden blood resonate.
"Look out!" She ripped her wings from her back, the cut still fresh, and grabbed Yoko. Arms holding him tight she folded her wings around the two of them. Long waves of spirit energy collided with the shimmering old feathers. The silver spears that struck seemed to dissolve her feathers. She cried out in pain, her muscle was being burned as well.
"Katani!" Yoko pulled away and created a shield to block the energy. Katani felt her gold blood ring again. The first attack was a distraction. Just as quickly as she realized she felt Yoko notice and turn to face the threat. A tall man with twin swords and covered in a black cloak dove at them.
Katani brought her wings back and leapt into the air. Flying was nearly impossible but the man had been behind and if she had not jumped she'd been killed.
"Lokalo demiair wratha!" she cried.
The man was ensnared by her spheres of wind and sliced to pieces. Katani fell to the ground and her arm struck a concealed rock. The skin split and bone broke.
Yoko ran to her as the assassin dissolved in a cloud of dust. "Don't touch it!" she winced when he examined her arm.
"It's broken. Here," gently he ran his hand over the arm and realigned the bone. Pain shot up an down her arm but she but her lip. Yoko took a seed and crushed it in his palm. The dust was a bright red. This he sprinkled over the wound.
"It should be fine now,"
She muttered a small thanks and whistled. Feer returned and dropped her brother's ring in her hand.
"We need to go," she stood and cocked a brow. "Can you fly?"
"It might be best if we talk about-"
"I don't want to talk right now!" Katani yelled.
Feer half reared at the tone in her voice. For a moment everything was silent. The darkening sky seemed to hang in anticipation.
Standing around like this would get them nowhere. Katani walked over to Feer.
"Is he alright?" she asked. The large stallion nodded in reply. Calling on her courage Katani faced Yoko. Right now the only thing she should focus on was getting in touch with the others. Now the other golden bloods were showing themselves. "You said I'm in danger? What about the others?"
Yoko folded his arms across his chest, "Yes, Yusuke said they are in need as well but you were my first priority."
"I can feel Kuwabara. He is close, lets fly to him. Though I'm not sure, can you?"
Yoko nodded and two large wings like those of a moth grew from his back. Plants, how surprising.
"What about you?" Yoko glanced at her battered wings.
She looked hard at him. "Don't underestimate me,"
He saw that fear in her eyes again. Calming himself he said, "Lakiman verojn cartyu." I say because I worry.
"Cartyu verojn lakiman." I worry because you say.
"Oh there you guys are!" Kuwabara ran, huffing, up to them. His darted from Katani's tattered wings to Yoko. "Have you guys been in a fight?"
"Yes, we need to get with the others soon." Katani said. "I doubt you can fly."
"What? Fly? Are you crazy?" Kuwabara backed up.
Katani snapped. "I don't have time for this! Listen, I don't care if you run all the way to Osaka but one way or another we are getting there so we can solve this stupid case and all get on with our lives!"
Without waiting for a response she shoved Kuwabara over to Feer. Scared, Kuwabara hastily mounted and kept quite. Katani slipped her brother's ring on and walked to Feer. With one hand on Feer's chest she muttered the spell. He disappeared. The same she did to Kuwabara. Once she was through Feer rose into the air to await them. Now she stood before Yoko and placed a quavering hand on his chest.
"Do you fear me?" he asked gently.
"Shouldn't I after what you just did? You almost killed my friend, how was I supposed to react?"
"I was trying to help you, forgive me for attacking your mate," his voice took on a bitter tone.
"He's not my mate," she stopped and took her hand off his chest. After gathering her courage she said, "There is only one person I ever dreamed of but now, I'm not so sure."
Yoko grabbed her hand and held it to his chest. Through his shirt she could feel the slow beat of his heart. "Then look at me, look me in the eyes. You care for him, that human, you love him."
"You seemed to have figured it all out. I don't need to add anything. Fersight." Yoko became invisible to her eyes. Lastly she performed the charm on herself. Above them she flew, she could sense their aura below her. The sudden strain caused her wings to cry out in protest. She refused to give in and bit her lip to keep from moaning.
They flew in silence. The recent arrival of the man sent Katani's mind in circles. From the second he appeared she could tell he had the same blood as she did. But why was he after her if they were kin? As angry as she was with Kurama she was even angrier at those of golden blood like herself. A faint outline of Feer rose to her side. The gold stallion was worried for his master. Rarely did she lose her temper as before. The sun began to set in the horizon and she could make out his body by the shadow.
"Hey Kuwabara," her voice sounded strange even to her ears. "how are you holding up?"
"Fine but you don't look to well, what happened down there?"
Yoko glanced up at them. Part of his mind wondered if she would tell him what really happened.
Katani decided how to handle the situation. "Oh it's nothing," she waved him off. "I just haven't been feeling well I guess. Should be taking my vitamins or maybe I'm dehydrated could be one of those." Katani ebbed his worries with a long laugh at her own weakness.
Kuwabara gave her a strange look. She had never laughed like that before. It scared him a little.
With a flick of her wings she swooped away from Kuwabara and drifted to Yoko's shadow. The barriers of her mind were never stronger. Even Hiei would be proud. If he wouldn't listen to then she wasn't going to talk. Her heart broke. It came down to this. If she didn't start smiling Yusuke would get mad again. Things would be awkward at the worst possible moment. They were being attacked by the assassins. They needed to stick together now more then ever.
Yoko Kurama sensed Katani's presence above. The fury in him grew. He felt the love for the human in her blood, in his blood. She couldn't hide it. When he saw that filthy boy kiss her Katani didn't resist. The sight of them together enraged him. As Yoko his emotions increased two fold, especially his anger. She hadn't denied loving the boy. He wanted nothing but to grab her and demand to know what she felt. Despite that he knew he could never be so violent with her.
"Finoloa," Katani said to him. "Describe its meaning and telling me the changes you make when referring to a group."
Yoko didn't respond. After a long time he muttered the words to her. More verbs and nouns she gave him and he answered each one perfectly. They had to be civil, at least for now. She wouldn't let him in her mind but he sensed from her blood that they needed to be united to stand any chance against the upcoming evil.
It became completely dark so Katani removed the invisibility spell from them. She was between Kurama and Feer now. Osaka lay an hour away. Below the ground changed from Tokyo highways to the bustling Osaka streets. Bright lights below looked like an array of multicolored lights. The sight was like a pile of flavored hard candies in the sunlight.
Despite the beautiful sights Katani's torn wings continued to throb with pain. The muscle had been eaten away as if by acid. Feathers had been falling since they started flying. The only reason she was flying now was due to the rising thermals. Ever so slowly her wings stoked up and down.
"Firous beunssa," You're tired, Yoko observed.
She said nothing. There was nothing to say. Yeah she was tired but what was he going to do? Carry her?
She flew over to Feet and sat behind Kuwabara. So she wouldn't fall of she folded her wings to reduce resistance. They arrived in Osaka by nine.
Hiei met them on the roof of one of the hotels. Feeling a hard surface beneath her feet caused Katani to stumble. Yoko shifted to his human form as Katani leaned against the shoulder of her gold stallion.
"Yusuke said that Kurama and Katani are in a room with me, Kuwabara you'll be with Yusuke. What do you plan on doing with Feer?"
Katani carefully sheathed her wings and turned to the stallion. In hushed tones she gave him instructions before cloaking him in invisibility. The wind from his wings buffeted them as he rose into the sky and disappeared.
The hotel was not the best and not the worst. Each room consisted of two large beds and a small bathroom. A small table and chair near the window helped provide some more seating room. At the foot of each bed sat a suitcase of clothes and other things taken from their previous hotels. Both teams had never been to this hotel before that day. Koenma claimed a change location would make it more difficult for their enemies to find them. Once in the room Katani grabbed her duffel bag and showered without a word to either of them. Her energy was spent and all her emotions seemed to run down the drain as she bathed. Once her hair was combed and pajamas put on she left the bathroom and began to make a place on the floor.
"What are you doing?" Hiei stared at her.
"Getting ready for bed," Katani replied.
Kurama sighed, "Katani, you don't have to do that-"
"Sorry but I'm not sharing a bed with either of you."
"You idiot, I'm not even sleeping in one of those filthy human beds." Hiei sat on the floor against a wall. "Sleep in that one if you want, or don't. I don't care."
"Liar," Katani said while pulling the covers back on the bed that would have been his. "If you really didn't care you wouldn't have said anything."
Hiei didn't respond. In fact, it looked as if he was already asleep. Kurama looked from him to Katani before sitting beside her on the bed.
"Goodnight, Kurama." Katani lay down and closed her eyes.
"You can't ignore me forever," he said.
"I'm not ignoring you, I'm trying to sleep. You don't know how tired I am."
"Actually," Kurama felt the gold blood inside him stretch and pull almost in a yawn. "I do. But I don't think this can wait."
"Kurama, don't. I can't do this right now." Katani's voice was weary and faint. "Please, just let me sleep for a couple of hours."