Chapter 7:

Kurama awoke later that night. It couldn't tell what had woke up, but he had the strangest feeling. He looked down at his body and saw that the vines were limp. He slowly sat up and carefully took the plants off him, careful not to disturb or wake the plant. He knew if that happened, Youko would somehow find out that he was disobeying him. But frankly, at this point, Kurama did not care what Youko would do to him. It was half because he was tired and wasn't thinking straight, the other half was due to the headache he's been having because you Youko's ways.

Once he have gotten all the plants off of him and clearly out of the way, he slowly got up and off the bed. Once he was off, he walked slowly to the doorway. He could see the light from the high windows pouring moonlight in.

Soon he was walking down a dark hallway. He walked slowly, careful not to make any loud noises. He could tell he wasn't going to be leaving anytime soon, so he should find out as much as he could about this place…

As he turned a corner, he saw a strange door that stood out from all the rest. It was an odd color of brown and a bit dirty. It barely had hinges keeping it on. Kurama raised a hand to it and slowly pushed it open, mistake number one.

A loud high pitched sound filled the halls as the door slowly moved open. Kurama cringed at the loud sound and quickly grabbed the door, mistake number two. The door came off the hinges and started down a set of stairs, rather noisily, with Kurama falling after it.

When he hit the stone floor at the end of the stairs, he swore quietly. Something a bit out of his personality, but he thought the occasion called for it. He clumsily got up, trying to make no noise at all. He dusted himself off and looked around, everything was dark. He sighed, it wasn't going to be long before Youko found him now, you'd have to be half deft not to hear that.

Kurama reached into his hair and pulled out a small seed and watched as it grew a small flower that gave off a large amount of light. For a moment it hurt his eyes, but he soon adjusted to it. He shielded it with his hands, making sure no light leaked out into the hall of which he had just came/fallen out of.

He advanced forward in the room. The rooms walls were made completely out of stone. He put and hand to the wall and felt that it was moist and wet. He sighed and looked forward, and to see that a cave looking tunnel laid ahead of him. He took a step or two forward looked into it. His gut was telling him not to, but he couldn't do much else. Youko was probably coming to find out what that noise was. Wouldn't it be just such a pleasant surprise for him to find Kurama? Oh yes, wonderful.

After a moment in deep thought, Kurama took a step towards the opening, and then another. He had chosen to take the choice as to follow the tunnel, and so he did. Inside it was cool and quiet moist, as if a rain shower had just ended. He walked upon the tunnel floor for what seemed like fifteen minutes, and then saw a light at the end of the darkness. He broke into a run and saw the light come closer and closer until…

Kurama ran out of the tunnel and saw that he was still in the forest. But it wasn't all bad, it was beautiful. The trees were very, very tall indeed. The air surrounding the mists were filled with a mist that seemed to glow. Kurama looked up and seemed to become dizzy, he unconsciously laid himself down on the grassy forest floor and stared up at the trees. He just wanted to lay there. He looked towards that moon that was full, it illuminated the trees. He could barely see it though the trees, but it was beautiful nonetheless. He laid there for a while, and common sense reared into his mind and reminded him that he should be looked for a way out or familiarizing himself with the territory of which he was captive of, but yet, could not will himself to tear his gaze away from the scene that was before him. It seemed it would be a sin.

Kurama did not notice a certain someone come laid next to him. But he was quickly jerked out of his trance when he felt someone tug on a lock of his hair. Kurama gasped and quickly looked to his side to see Youko lying besides him with a smirk.

"Y-Youko…I-I was just-,"

"Hush, I know what you were doing. It's painfully obvious that you wanted to see my plants. For a moment, I thought you were trying to escape, but yet, I'm proven wrong,"

"You could say that…" Kurama said, his eyes darting nervously away from Youko's.

"What are you saying, koi? Are there other reasons you came out here? If so, please tell me. I would love to know,"

Kurama hesitated. And it was quite evident. "There's no other reason, just as you said, I came out here to admire your plants, no other reason,"

"Oh really?" Youko asked skeptically.

"Yes, really. And as you may guess, I would very much like the thought of being able to leave…perhaps?"

Maybe Kurama could somehow weave that thought of Youko letting him leave into a common conversation. Perhaps it could work?

"Leave? What do you mean by that?"

"Oh you know," Kurama said, trying to sound reasonable. "Letting me leave. You do know that I do have another life, rather than just that of the spirit world. I have a family and all that stuff of that like. Do you really, honestly, think it's fair to take all that from me, just because you think I'm a nice piece of eye-candy?"

"Yes, of course it is. You've wandered thoughtlessly into my territory; hence, you belong to me, and only me. That theory should not be questioned. I will be honest when I tell you that I strongly doubt that you shall ever see what family you have, ever again,"

"B-but why? That's not right! I never even knew I was in your territory, had I known I would of surely-,"

"Hush, it stops there. I refuse to change my mind, and there's very little you can do to change it,"

Kurama mentally seethed. He was trying to be nice and ask, but no, Youko couldn't accept just that.

Kurama slowly got off the ground and started walking away from Youko. Youko, on the other hand, laid there and watched Kurama with much interest.

'Now what is it that my little koi is up to?' Thought Youko with a sly smirk.

"Where are you off to? I'm afraid you won't mind a way out if you go straight. This forest is similar to a riddle, when you think you're out, you're only deeper in. The only way out is through my consent, which will not happen in your case,"

Kurama stopped, but did not turn to face Youko.

"You should know I am very good at riddles…"

Kurama suddenly felt someone grab hold of his wrists. He stopped his pace and softly gasp.

"Did ever cross your mind that I don't feel like playing those games right now?"

Kurama felt anger course through himself quickly.

"Did it ever cross your mind that I don't care?" Kurama said defensively as he ripped his wrists out of Youko's grasp.

This time Youko got a bit anger at Kurama's words. What right did he have to talk like that?

Youko swiftly seized grabbed Kurama by his shoulder and turned him around. Kurama was caught off guard when he felt Youko strike him in the face. Kurama let out a stifled and short cry and crouched down quietly.

Kurama put a hand to his face and felt something warm, wet, and sticky. Blood. It was running down his face slowly. And he did something he hadn't done in years, cried…

Thanks for the reviews! I tried to make this one a little longer Hope you enjoy, and done forget to leave a review!

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