Hey everybody! Terribly sorry, I kinda forgot all about this site after my computer yet again got bombarded with viruses. It's no fun, I tell you. And somehow I've miraculously made it through without losing anything...yet. So, gomen nasai, I'll try to be much faster from now on, thanks to everyone who reviewed. .

Disclaimer: I do not own YYH. But Catalyn is mine...ALL MINE! Ahem. Enjoy.

CHAPTER FOUR – CONVERSATIONS AND SECRETS

Catalyn got out of bed gingerly and stretched, stifling a bit of a yawn. I've been in a bed so long it seems I've gotten accustomed to sleeping, she thought with a small furrow of her eyebrows. She went over to the mirror in the room and inspected herself. She stuck her tongue out at her reflection, unravelling her bandages so she could put on some clean ones. Then she stuck her tongue at the scars on her arms before clean bandages hid them once more. Her hair had been loose while she spent her time in bed, so she used some extra bandage to tie it into its usual high ponytail. She stretched a little bit more, still regarding her figure. "It'll have to do until I get back in shape," she sighed. "My muscles are shrinking." Then she left for Koenma's office.

Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, and Kuwabara were already there. The toddler that was Koenma stood on his desk, starting when she walked through the door. "Oh, good, Catalyn, you made it," he said. "I thought you'd be a little late."

"I can't afford to be late for missions," she muttered under her breath. Kurama heard her and smiled. She felt her cheeks turn slightly pink. Even though she'd become good friends with him, she still got a little bit nervous when she was around him, but she was controlling herself quite well.

Koenma was explaining the mission. "There's been another break-in," he said, "but not into the human world, thank goodness. There's a special realm adjacent to the demon world, kind of like a different dimension. A whole city of demon outcasts lives there, and they've all joined up to try and destroy the Underworld. We've already caught a trio sneaking in to the secret vaults, trying to steal the treasures Kurama and Hiei once stole – I'm sure you all remember that."

Catalyn gasped, her head snapping away from Koenma to stare at Kurama. Kurama hadn't told her about this! He'd been a thief! Kurama met her eyes, suddenly looking guilty. Hiei gave her an I'm-better-than-you glare, which she returned. She could just picture Hiei as a thief on the Underworld's Most Wanted list, but not Kurama…

Then she realized that Koenma was speaking again: "…got a lot of information out of them, so now we're sending you to that realm and destroy the council of ten leaders that are the cause of this mayhem. All of the other demons there are virtually harmless compared to your strength, unlike the Ten, which is why they submitted to their will. So, your mission is to defeat the Ten and sign a peace treaty with the lower-level demons. Is that understood?"

"Yes," they all answered, some with more heart than others.

"Good," Koenma said, nodding. "I'll be sending Botan with you because I've given her more detailed information about the Ten that should prove useful." Botan, who was standing at the door, nodded and smiled. Koenma proceeded to open a portal at their feet. "This will take you there," he said. "Whenever you're ready, jump in."

Hiei stepped right into it and vanished. Kurama followed shortly.

"L-ladies first," Kuwabara said, motioning to Catalyn.

She nodded and jumped, instantly feeling like she was falling off the face of the earth. She wasn't uncomfortable, though. She had been trained not to panic in the face of the unknown. Okay, so she messed up with the vampire demon, but she wasn't going to let that happen again. Things were clearing up, and she saw ground below. She braced herself to land on all fours, with her tail ready to balance her, but she fell right –

…Into Kurama's arms. She blinked, surprised, as he stood her up. "I could have landed by myself, you know," she said instantly.

"I know," he replied. They were standing on a large plain, with only one tree in sight and a river to their left. Hiei was sitting in the tree. "We'll be waiting a while."

"Why's that?" Catalyn asked.

"Kuwabara's a bit afraid of heights," Kurama said solemnly. "And falling through dark holes, even more so."

Catalyn giggled. "So his toughness is just a bad act," she laughed, then suddenly became serious, remembering what she had just heard minutes ago. "Kurama…you were once an enemy of the Underworld?"

Kurama sighed in a way that made her wonder if he was expecting this question. But he explained, "I teamed up with Hiei and another demon called Goki so that I could steal a device to save my ill mother's life. It wasn't a decision made lightly…but I couldn't let my mother die. It was my only option."

"Oh." Suddenly, Catalyn had a flashback of her sensei, lying to Yusuke and Kuwabara so that she wouldn't get into trouble. She smiled at Kurama. "I guess sometimes you have to do a bad thing to help someone you care about." He grinned back, happy that she understood. "Besides," she continued, "I probably would have found out sooner or later. All secrets find their way into the open eventually, I guess."

Suddenly there was a yell and a terrible crash. Catalyn whirled around to see Yusuke standing next to the lump on the ground that was Kuwabara. Botan suddenly landed safely next to them.

"Took you long enough," Catalyn said sarcastically to Kuwabara. "Next time, take longer and keep us waiting some more."

Hiei jumped down from the tree. Yusuke raised his eyebrows. "Nice scenery," he commented. "So, Botan, where to?"

Botan pointed in the direction of the river. "We follow the river due south," she said. "The Ten have a castle in that direction, which is where we'll find them and also where the city is. It's the only inhabited place in this realm."

So they all began marching single file down the river, with Yusuke in the lead, followed by Botan, Kuwabara, Catalyn, Kurama, and then Hiei bringing up the rear. As they all walked, Yusuke and Kuwabara began arguing over who would fight the first demon.

"Those two," she muttered. "Together they're almost as bad as Hiei."

"Don't say that," Kurama chided, coming up beside her. "Hiei's really not as bad as you think. Granted, he is harsh most of the time, but his heart's in the right place." Catalyn snorted. Kurama gave her a serious look. "I know you've got a grudge against him for what he did to you, but he really does feel guilty about it."

"He has a funny way of showing it," Catalyn snapped. She looked back at Hiei. He simply glares with his usual glare. She wondered if he had heard them, and then turned back to Kurama.

"Of course he has a funny way of showing it," Kurama said in a lower tone. "Just get to know him. He's developed a reputation that he likes to uphold. Admitting he feels guilt would ruin it. And he'd never hear the end of it from Yusuke and Kuwabara."

Catalyn smiled, and looked at Hiei again. He stared boldly back. "I could never get to know a guy like him," she stated in a final sort of way, and picked up her pace, leaving Kurama behind, so she could speak with Botan, who had dropped behind Yusuke and Kuwabara so as not to hear their arguing as much. "Hey, Botan, what can you tell me about the Ten?"

Botan grinned at her. "I guess you're the type who likes to think things through first. That's good, because Kurama's the only one out of these idiots who does." They both grinned. Botan leafed through some of the papers she'd been holding. "The Ten, as well as the other demons there, are all half-breeds of some sort who weren't wanted. They can be half fire, half ice, like Hiei, and things like that."

That's when Catalyn realized that the sun was almost finished setting. "We should stop and set up camp here for the night," Kurama suggested.

"Yes," Botan agreed. "I've brought tents in my backpack. We'll surely reach the castle by tomorrow."

Catalyn bent over the river, letting the water run through her fingers. It was cool and refreshing. But there is a sudden yell of "KAWABUNGA!" and a tsunami pours over her, completely drenching her clothes. She glared at Kuwabara for making such a cannonball. Then she heard Yusuke's cry of "YEEHA!" and dove backwards, narrowly avoiding getting wet again.

"IDIOTS! BOTH OF YOU!" she screeched at them as they laughed. Then she felt her scars itching. She groaned, and began to walk further away from the river in case the boys tried to splash her again. She didn't even stop to help Botan and Kurama set up the tents.

"Where are you going?" Botan asked.

"To take a walk," she muttered in reply. "I need to get away from those jerks."

As she continued to follow the river, a large shadow began to loom over her. Looking up, she saw a replica of the Great Wall of China towering over her, surrounding what she was positive was the demon city. There was a profound stench of demons coming from behind the wall. The doors must have been at least ten times her height, but she wasn't at all fazed. She began to jog towards the wall, and continued to pick up speed the closer she got. About a few metres from the doors, she leaped into the air, hit the door, and ran up it on her hands and feet. When gravity tried to overcome her, she used her tail as a spring and soared to the top of the wall. She grabbed the edge and held on for a little bit, letting her legs swing. Then she flipped over the top and landed on a sort of balcony.

She looked around. There were no demons on the wall. But towards the ground, she saw a few demons patrolling the streets of seemingly human-made wooden houses. The city was huge, and in the middle of it all was the castle, almost as tall as the wall was. This was a good opportunity for her to get to work. She pointed her palm in the direction of one of the demons, taking careful aim. A ball of flame formed, and in a simple act of concentration, it was hurled at the demon. It shrieks and quickly perishes. Catalyn absorbed its life energy and moved on to kill the two other demons that were on patrol in case they had seen her. Satisfied with the energy she'd received, she leaped over to the other side again, landing neatly on her feet with the help of her tail.

As she jogged back to the camp, she reflected upon her little conversation with Kurama. "All secrets find their way into the open eventually, I guess," she had told him.

That's when the reality of the words hit her, and she stopped dead in her tracks. She couldn't let the boys find out her secret! If she did – her life might very well end up at risk! But what more could she do?

She knew the answer to that question. Nothing. There's nothing I can do except go with the flow, and hopefully, I'll be able to find Kitkit before they figure it out.