Genre: AU, Fantasy

Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 6x5

Disclaimer: Don't own nothin' but these words

Special Note: Dedicated to darkneko666 and Demonskid, this was a request to me. Hope you both like it!

Warnings: Yaoi, lemon, language, angst-ish, MPreg (sort of, probably not what you're expecting), demons

Author's Note: Last chapter I should have warned I time-jumped in the beginning, lol. I just sorta started it abruptly. Onto the next chapter! This chapter is pretty introspective, not a whole lot of action.

Demon Hunters

"I've been thinking about what Relena told us," Duo announced.

Startling Heero. The five of them had been silent for a time now, each lost in his own thoughts as their horses walked steadily along the road.

Wufei, who'd been pacing them in the form of a small black fox, transformed into his human form. "Oh you have?" he said. "Don't hurt yourself."

Duo gave him a glare. He was sitting in the saddle behind Heero so the sylvan couldn't actually see it, but he could feel its heat and it made him smile.

"The three signs," Duo went on somewhat archly. "The sky will weep? I think that means it will either be raining or will start to rain when we find this champion."

That was a logical assumption, Heero agreed silently, absently. His mind was on other things. Namely this morning. He'd woken to find the nymph had cuddled up to him during the night and was currently wrapped around him. Lying half on Heero's chest, one arm thrown across it, one leg nestled between Heero's. It was a warm and arousing position. It had only gotten better when a sleepy Duo mumbled something and snugged himself even closer, squirming around until Heero finally held him in a proper embrace. That seemed to satisfy the little baka, and it was another hour before he woke.

It had been a wonderful hour. Watching Duo's face as he dreamt. Feeling every subtle shift of muscle, having a great deal of smooth skin under his hands. He'd indulged in stroking it, which made the sleeping nymph in his arms all but purr. He indulged further in wondering how Duo would look awake, purring under his hands. All his skin naked and on display for Heero's hungry eyes. Everything about the nymph hybrid confused and excited Heero's senses. Most beings had pale, pastel colors at their essence. Pale blues, golds, silvers, grays, or greens. Duo's essence was a wild clash of blood-red and indigo at the core.

His wandering mind fixed on the closer past. When they'd mounted their new horses, Heero had wanted Duo to sit in front of him, but the demon hybrid clambered up behind him before he could arrange it that way. After a brief deliberation he'd decided it was for the best. Until he could seduce Duo properly, having the nymph sit between his thighs would be distracting to say the least. And the rolling gait of the mare would cause Duo to . . . ahem, rub against certain parts of his anatomy that didn't need that kind of stimulation.

"Oi, Heero!"

Heero blinked. "Nani?"

"Geez, you were somewhere on one of the moons, weren'tcha?" Duo teased, nudging Heero in the ribs. "I called your name three times!"

I'll make you call it more than that, and very soon, Heero promised himself. "What?"

"I asked you what you thought."

What I thought? What were we talking about? He didn't remember hearing anything after Duo's suggestion about the weeping sky meaning rain.

Quatre saved him from answering. "How far is Sovinth?" he asked. "I know Etharod is farther east, but how far would it take to ride there?"

Trowa reached into the saddlebags of his own mare. Quatre had given her the somewhat frivolous name Honey, but her dark gold fur did look somewhat like the sweet treat. Trowa unrolled the map the sprite had enchanted.

"Sovinth is a small provice that lies on Etharod's western border," he said. "About fifty leagues from here."

"We could make that in a week, maybe," Wufei said with a little frown. "Especially if we don't stop for anything but resting the horses."

Heero's brain finally checked into the conversation. "I'll boost their stamina," he said. "It'll last for several days. They'll need to rest afterward, but it won't cause them any lasting harm."

"And if it does, I'll just resurrect them," Duo cackled, tightening his arms around Heero's waist. "Or better yet, bring them back as undead. Damn, how cool would that be!"

"We should do it!" Quatre immediately piped up. "Can you imagine us on undead horses?"

Heero exchanged looks with Trowa and Wufei. These two certainly were . . . themselves. But I wouldn't trade them for normal, boring fey for anything in the world.

"I agree with your assessment, Maxwell," Wufei said, surprising Heero a little. "About the sky weeping meaning rain."

Duo stared at him. "Wow. What did it cost you to choke that one out?"

"When you speak reason, it's only natural I agree," Wufei said, sounding indignant.

But Heero could see a small grin on his lips.

o8o o8o

For three days the five young fey and demons traveled steadily east, enjoying the company and the open road. Wufei supplemented their supplies by transforming into a sleek black wolf and hunting down several plump hares for them to eat. He greatly enjoyed running alongside the horses as either a fox or a cat, or sometimes winging high overhead as a falcon. He didn't usually tire until in the evening just before the sun went down, and then he settled on Heero's shoulder until the sylvan decided it was time to stop for the night.

The horses kept up a relentless pace, rejuvenated by the Creator's spell to boost their stamina. They ate into the distance far quicker than any normal horse could manage, and Wufei was pleased. He would like to find this Champion by the full moon, which was in twelve days' time. What they would do from there he yet didn't know, but there would be time to discuss those matters with this champion when they found him. Or her. Perhaps it would be a woman. Wufei hoped if it was a woman, she would be strong and capable. Not a skinny waif frightened of her own shadow.

His face crinkled up in disgust. If it was a woman, she better be like the druids of the Grove. Otherwise, he would say to hell with the prophecy and defeat the evil, just him and his four friends.

"Heero," Quatre abruptly called softly, "I can sense . . . something. Someone's watching us. Up there, by the river."

Wufei, who'd been sitting on Heero's shoulder as a falcon for the last half league, straightened as the sylvan leaned forward slightly in his saddle. The mare, a dark bloody chestnut mare Duo had named Crimson, picked up on his sudden intensity and danced a little. Heero calmed her with an absent look on his face.

"Intentions?" he asked.

Wufei watched the sprite concentrate.

"Not exactly friendly," he reported with a little frown, "but not quite hostile. They're waiting for us. They definitely want something. And not to make friends. They aren't human, either."

Judging by the look on the sylvan's face, Heero was thinking the same thing as Wufei. The demon hunters Relena had mentioned back in Cancaredes.

"If it's those demon hunters," Duo said, eyes dark as thunderclouds, "they'll have one helluva fight on their hands."

Duo, Wufei thought distractedly, was one of the biggest paradoxes in this little companionship. He was loud and vocal and had an opinion about everything, he seldom paid attention, was easily distracted, had a lackadaisal attitude about everything, and spent most of his time laughing and clowning around and making mischief. Yet his element was Water and his affinity Death. The switch from loud-mouthed serti to grim-faced Death was sometimes unsettling. It was just one of his strengths, his ability to be what the situation called for at the drop of a hat.

"How many are there?" Heero asked, finally bringing Crimson to a halt.

She tugged anxiously at her bit when Honey stopped at her side, and the two mares nuzzled as if to reassure each other. The pack horse, an even-tempered gelding Quatre had named Ash, snorted softly and rested his head across Crimson's back behind Duo.

Quatre rested his head against Trowa's back, closing his eyes. Wufei shifted his talons, knowing from experience Quatre was extending his senses to their full, impressive reach. Looking for those anomalies that would tell him where the rational minds separated from the instinctual ones.

"Six," Quatre replied after a moment. "Two of them are waiting by the riverbank, four are spread out in a good ambush formation. They are all Sorcerers like Trowa, but none of them as strong as we are. In fact, two of them are relatively weak."

Trowa shrugged. "We are young. I could understand why older demons would expect us to be weaker than them. How could they know we received special training from the druids in the Grove?"

And from each other, Wufei thought. All five of them had grown stronger and stronger, pitting their individual talents against each other. Very few demons or fey had that opportunity, since demons all tended to be Sorcerers and fey Enchanters. Necromancers, Creators, and Confessors were rarer magic-users.

"What should we do?" Duo asked, low and soft. "If we fight, we would win and scare them off, but that might make them want us all the more and come back with more, stronger demons."

Valid point. You do use your head sometimes, Maxwell.

"Discretion is the better part of valor," Quatre remarked.

A favorite saying of the druids.

"I'm not interested in fighting," Heero said, nodding to Quatre. "We'll avoid them. There may be a time when we can't avoid a confrontation, but until then we'll stay away from them. We'll travel around. Quatre, create a false trail in case they come this way looking for us. Wufei, fly ahead and scout the area. Report anything that looks unusual. Trowa, you two catch up with us, we'll find a place to camp somewhere off the road."

Wufei immediately launched himself off Heero's shoulder, winging hard and fast into the sky. He flew high where no one would see him and suspect. There were no all-black animals on this world that weren't demons.

o8o o8o

Duo let his body roll with Crimson's smooth gallop as the mare raced over the road. Behind her Ash kept pace a little less smoothly, built more stocky than the mare. He tightened his arms, smiling into Heero's back. It was so sexy when the sylvan took charge like that. A natural born leader. Why can't you take charge of me like that, Hee-ro? I promise I'd do whatever you said. Well, almost. It wasn't in Duo's nature to be completely subservient and submissive. He was glad Heero couldn't see his mischievous grin.

It was full dark by the time Heero stopped. He'd some time ago veered Crimson off the road and away from the river, and now she lowered her head to drink from a small stream. It trickled through the lush forest, catching some of the moonlight and starlight to glitter invitingly. Duo realized he was quite thirsty.

"This is a good place to camp," Heero observed, nimbly hopping from Crimson's saddle and looking around. The stream cut right through a small clearing that would be easy to defend and lay wards.

To Duo's delight, the sylvan held up his arms to the nymph, offering to help him down. Though Duo hardly needed help, he accepted anyway. Placing his hands on Heero's shoulders, he shivered inside at the strong hands that settled around his waist and easily lifted him as though he were a featherweight. These displays of strength never failed to excite Duo. And was it his imagination, or did Heero hold him a teeny bit longer than strictly necessary before lowering him to the ground?

"Ne, how many demons d'ya suppose are in this demon-hunting cult?" he asked as he started gathering loose wood for a fire. Trowa could light it when the efreet and sprite arrived.

Heero, unloading the horses, started laying out their bedrolls. "It could be any number," he said with a one-shouldered shrug. "I would hope for less rather than more, but something vaguely similar to this happened in Azrong's time. His followers formed a cult and went from country to country singing the dragon prince's praises and recruiting new demons to their cause everywhere. Humans, too. They started attacking and killing all who spoke out against Azrong until quite a dictatorship had formed. That was when the sylvan decided they would fight back and seal him."

Clearing grass and ferns away from a small area large enough for a fire, Duo laid the wood down on the dirt. Heero would be able to make it all grow back when they broke camp in the morning. "Sounds like a bad time to be alive," he mused, glad things weren't that grim these days. He hissed when a piece of wood slipped and gouged a sliver into his finger.

He absently brought his fingers to his mouth to suck the blood off, but before he could get that far Heero was at his side gently gripping his wrist. A thrill ran through him when he saw brilliant hunger darken Heero's cobalt eyes, but the sylvan only covered the tiny injury with his hand.

"Let me," he murmured, their faces so close Duo could feel the warm wash of air over his skin.

It made him shiver. "You don' have to," he objected faintly, heart not in it at all. "'s just a sliver."

A warm, sweet tingle raced through his finger straight to the base of his skull as Heero healed the wound. Those skillful fingers of his wiped away the tiny bead of blood, and Duo watched as the sylvan raised them to his lips as though to lick it clean. He stopped and his eyes cleared, then he lowered his hand with a rueful look.

"It's okay," Duo murmured. "I don't mind, 'Ro."

Oh, oh, that look in Heero's eye, it was so dark, so dangerous, so very nearly out of control, it was flame and desire, the sylvan he loved more than anything was so close to him they were almost touching and he was leaning closer and Oh Vashti, he's going to kiss me-

"Don't tempt me," Heero breathed across his lips.

So close, so close . . .

They both heard the rustle in the undergrowth at the same time and broke away from each other to see Wufei trotting into the camp as a black fox. While normally Duo loved to see him in this form (it was damn cute), right now he wanted to pick him up, roll him into a ball, and throw him as far and as hard as he could. Or drop-kick him. Hanthra-be-damned! Heero was gonna kiss me you ass, and you pick NOW to show up?

Seemingly unaware of Duo's ire, Wufei transformed into his human shape, the stark black clothing making his skin look particularly pale in the wan moonlight. "Road's clear ahead, Heero," he said, "and better traveled. "We could probably disguise our non-human-ness easily enough to blend better until we get to Sovinth."

"Non-human-ness?" Duo repeated with a little growl. "What kind of word is that?"

Wufei looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "You've a better one?"

Duo subsided with a fierce scowl. One downside of sleeping in the open. No convenient walls to block out the prying eyes of his friends. Only a few mornings ago he'd awakened in bed with Heero, and since neither of them wore much to bed a great deal of naked skin was aligned with naked skin. It had been so warm and delicious, feeling and seeing all that golden Heero all around. He'd been sprawled all over the love of his life, and Heero hadn't seemed to mind much. Maybe . . . maybe he wants me as much as I want him? Judging from the smoldering heat in Heero's eyes, it seemed a safe bet.

His heart skipped a beat. For the first time he realized he might have reason to hope. That one day, one precious day Heero would realize he loved Duo and take him and make him his own. His lover, his soulmate. Just the thought made him giddy and deliriously happy. He hoped that 'one day' would come soon.