I have emerged from the ashes...
Happy Halloween...

Chapter 10: Confliction

Smell was the first thing that he registered.

Flowers and the smell of human clouded his senses, it brought a feeling of fear to spring to the forefront of his mind. He wasn't safe. Wasn't surrounded by the scent of his mate. The strong musky odor of sweat and nature didn't meet his nose. It was different, and it was frightening.

The second thing that sprung to his attention was pain. The slight ache of his lower back, wrist and his shoulder, was another reminder. He was alone and scared. The pain escalating and localizing at the bite mark on his shoulder. His mate, his other half, was the one who gave him this pain. The symbol of the sharp throb that met him only lead to the conclusion that his mate was nowhere near him.

As more of his senses were returning, a deep terror began to quell within the depths of his subconscious. Where was his mate? Why was he alone?

Glassy, scarlet eyes lidded open. His environment was unfamiliar, clouding his judgment further. His body felt leaden, heavy, unable to move well. A small groan left his lips in a small effort to call out to his mate, followed by a whine. Why did he leave?

Gaining the energy to move his head, he looked over at the creature that was next to him. A lanky redheaded male, human it smelled of, sleeping soundly next to him. The scent that came off of him didn't seem to be a threat, but it was mostly because he wasn't awake. The pounding of his human heart helped be-still some of the fear that ran ragged in his mind. However, he'd much rather hear the demonic heartbeat of his lover, the overpowered energy that pulsed through his mate in a rhythmic beat, symbolizing his strength.

He had to find his mate, his body craved the warmth and security that his stronger half obtained. Pulling away from the arms that held him place by the human, the demon let out a series of soft whines, calling out to his lost mate.

Making it to the edge of the makeshift bed, the raven-haired male pulled himself down, unable to keep from landing harshly, face down. The cave echoed softly at the sound of a body hitting stone. Hissing sharply as the pain shot through his lower half, the smaller demon attempted to stand only to stumble forwards on his hands and knees. A keen whine echoed through the cave, signaling the pain of the one who emitted it.

His balance was thrown off from the slight ringing in his ears, and the deep pants that kept him stationary. Dropping his lower half, to regain a sense of clarity, the frightened demon let out a wave of energy for his mate to hear and respond to.

Kuwabara jumped at the energy that shot right through him. Whispering, "What the…?" he looked around to see where it had come from, it sounded like a cry for help.

Suddenly, he noticed that his arms and bedside was empty of a certain fire-demon. Looking down at his arms like they were alien, he looked around trying to spot where he could have run off to. Apparently, the little shorty didn't get too far, as looking over the cotton-ball of a bed, lay his comrade. "Hiei?" he questioned, as he got off the bed and started to make his way towards the trembling form.

The anxiety grew tenfold at the sound of his name. It sounded so loud, but at the same time, so quietly spoken, almost gently. Sharp ruby eyes darted towards the human, suddenly the largest threat in the room. His whole body shook, shivering as if he was cold, as his eyes widened with unshed tears, a string of soft whines echoed from his quivering lips.

Gray eyes widened at the sight of the half-koorime, stopping immediately. He lowered himself to the floor as much as he could, even with his height he towered over the smaller form. "Woah, woah easy there… I ain't gonna hurt ya..." He spoke as softly as he could with his ragged voice, his arms held out in front of him non-threateningly. "It's gonna be alright..."

The words that the human spoke did not register in the smaller male's mind, but the position and gentleness of the voice did. Sniffling slightly, interjecting sobs making his body jump, Hiei curled himself back. The ningen didn't look like he wanted to do harm, but without his mate he was in danger. He was injured, alone and unable to move very far without toppling over.

Shuffling a bit closer, the taller redhead paused in his advance when he heard a small cry escape the tiny demon. "Shhhh… Hiei it's ok, I'm not gonna hurt ya, I swear..." It was so odd. The demon before him didn't seem to understand him at all.

The soft hush from the taller being, quieted his cries momentarily, tilting his head as he tried to understand the motives of the current threat. The man was about a foot away, his hands upturned in an open fashion, revealing no weapon of any kind. The closer he got, his body trembled further, feeling as if the earth itself was shaking.

Kuwabara felt awful seeing his little dragon in such a state. Reaching, ever-so slowly, he gently grazed his hand on the spiked hair, trying to initiate contact. His whole body was practically convulsing in fear.

Glossy, ruby eyes widened when that dangerous hand reached up to touch him. Clenching his eyes shut, Hiei flinched harshly, as if he was struck. A sharp whine escaped his lips that were trapped by fangs. His head sunk between his shoulders to try and avoid the dangerous contact. Would the human harm him?

Being as delicate as possible, Kuwabara gently petted the soft locks of the demon before him. He didn't inch any further, and only moved his fingers, gently scraping the fragile scalp underneath the smooth hair resembling fur. "Shhh… See? I ain't gonna hurt ya, Hiei..." He stated as quietly as he could as to not alarm the youkai any further.

Cherry colored irises peeked upwards at the arm that touched his head. The trembling dropped to only momentary shivers and the cries quieted to soft sniffles. Teary eyes opened further, as his shoulders sunk, looking at the human with a slight bit of confusion. His bandaged hands gripped the rock he was on, bracing for any impact he thought he'd receive.

Smiling, Kuwabara shuffled closer, getting a better petting angle that wouldn't tire his arm out as easily. With a chuckle, he spoke "Don't that feel nice…? I told ya I wasn't gonna hurt ya…" Looking into those tear-filled eyes, he moved his hand to behind the half-koorime's left ear, nearly massaging the fur behind it.

Pleasure shot through his core, all of a sudden, as his dark-red eyes widened briefly only for his eyelids to droop. A piercing purr echoed through the cave, glittering eyes glancing at the human. Was this the ningen's doing? The shaking stopped completely, and he had deemed this creature to be of a friendly manner. Leaning into the touch, gentle eyelids closed, focusing on the pleasing sensation the hand was causing.

A slight blush stained the large redhead's cheeks, as he cooed at the cute nature of a side of Hiei he thought he'd never see in his life. Reaching his other hand over, he pulled the small youkai over, pressing him against his chest so he could focus on caressing the fur-like hair.

Hiei curled into the warmth of the other man, relishing in the sensations. Hands reached up and gripped the shirt he wore, wrinkling up scent. The fragrance of the male only enhanced the feeling of pleasure throughout his body. He felt safer than he was before. His mate wasn't here, and the pain in his shoulder still stung with the reminder, but this creature could temporarily take the place of protection while his true guardian was away.

Pulling the demon into his lap, Kuwabara awed at the cuddling fire-youkai. Massaging his scalp further, he felt him calm completely in his arms almost into a trance-like state. He was glad that fear he saw earlier was gone. It hurt to be looked at in such a way, by the smaller male. He'd never seen that kind of terror etched in those garnet colored eyes before, especially directed at him. He felt guilt tug at his heartstrings, the swordsman couldn't imagine how Hiei was feeling. He was glad that he could at least bring a bit of safety to the demon in his lap.

Golden eyes stared on in admiration at the seated couple on the stony floor. The echoes of a pleasure-filled purr was music to his furred ears, as they twitched happily. Grinning, the Fox decided to move in on his targeted prey. Stalking ever closer, the only one who caught onto his stealth was the psychic human. It wasn't difficult to see the sliver of a tremble jump through his large form.

Kazuma stopped caressing the smaller demon's head the moment he felt someone else creep up behind them. It didn't feel threatening, but the thought process of fight-or-flight still leaped through his system momentarily. A grunt in question spoke out of him, as he glanced behind him. Only seeing those long legs and tail of a familiar kind, a questioning gaze looked upwards to a set of Silver ears and hair. "Kurama? Hey, man, your back. Kinda scared me there for a minute."

The soft rumble of the purr lowered in fervor to a dull and mild sound. Crimson eyes lidded open in question. Why did the human stop touching him? It felt good. Looking upwards, the half-koorime tilted his head curiously, wondering what the issue was. He heard the human speak, but it was towards someone behind him. Swallowing his purr to a complete stop, he felt the hand resting on his head, halting all pleasing movements now that the human's attention lay elsewhere.

Supple lips dipped into a frown, as Hiei's head drooped in sadness at the loss of feeling. He gripped tighter onto the shirt that he held and whimpered softly. Tilting his head towards the hand, he attempted to forcefully move in a way to stimulate the limb to petting him once again. Glowing, sparkling eyes glanced up, innocently, begging for the pleasing sensation to render him into a purring puddle, once again.

The soft whimpers made his ears twitch in response, also catching the redhead's attention as well. "Don't let my presence stop you. It looks to me that you are busy at the moment." The Youko smirked, seeing the dragon in the grasp of the large human psychic trying his hardest to gain the affectionate attention of the other.

He just couldn't hold back the soft "aww..." that left his lips a the look Hiei gave him. It reminded him too much of Eikichi at home, whenever she wanted to be petted. She'd look at her with those glowing green eyes filled with sadness, begging for attention and touch. "It's ok… See? I didn't stop, look. I'm pettin' ya, I'm pettin' ya..."

The moment the hand began it's deep massage, a shrill purr echoed once again. Ruby eyes lidded in pleasure, leaning into the touch easily. It was the catch of a scent that brought the dragon's brows together in question. He didn't sense it before, but he could of sworn that he heard another voice in the same cave as him and his human were dwelling. With the purr still strong, Hiei lifted his head to glance over the broad shoulder of the redhead, meeting the gaze of another demon.

Golden eyes widened slightly when rose-colored eyes met him. The moment they noticed each other, that valiant purr shut off like a faucet, even with Kazuma still petting him. The deafening silence filled the cave, uncomfortably, making the Fox's ears wilt with worry.

Pausing in his massage of the smaller demon, Kuwabara glanced down worriedly. "You ok there, short stuff?" He spoke quietly, momentarily snapping the tiny demon out of his trance from staring over his shoulder. The red eyes that met him only brought his own brows together in concern. That same fear that was shown in those glossy orbs now present, in the current trembling form. "Hey, what's wrong…?"

Gray ears wilted further at the look of terror that met him. It seemed that Hiei was going through an aftershock phase. His body and mind craving the heat and affection of his lost mate, altering his mindset into a near animalistic nature. He'd never encountered this before. The near primitive state that took hold of him was naturally due to Yusuke not being present. If the half-youkai were here, he would be able to keep the fire-demon stable and refined from just his presence alone. Stifling any cry or need Hiei may have with his own natural instincts to nurture and protect what belongs to him.

"Uh, don't be scared, it's only Kurama, remember…?" The psychic tried to coax the shaking demon in his grasp to understand, but it only made him regret saying anything at all. A sound of shock left his throat when he heard the soft clacks of tear-gems hit the floor, and the soft cries that met his ears.

The Fox-demon's heart ached at the terror that instilled upon the look in the fire-youkai's eyes. This was in due to there being a much powerful creature in the same cave. Hiei was crestfallen, and panic-stricken. It didn't help when he heard the light taps of tears hitting the stony floor. He heard Kazuma shush the smaller frame, once again attempting to ease the horrified look in the others face.

"Shhhhh, Shhhhh… It's ok, Hiei, it's ok… He ain't gonna do nothin' to ya, I swear it..." The lanky-redhead hushed quietly, rocking the shaking form in his grasp. He never thought he would see the day where Hiei would cry. Kuwabara thought that if he ever did see those forbidden tears, he would be laughing his ass off and making fun of him for it. It only made his heart hurt, looking at the quivering mess in his arms. The second time in his life, he witnessed those beautiful tears fall, resembling the darkened counterpart to his lovely Yukina's.

The deep pain in his shoulder rang out once again, making him jerk in a wince. This other demon was here. He was powerful, and he was alone, without his mate by his side for protection. Instincts forced him to shed tears in a direct reaction to his presence, hoping that would help keep the other demon at bay or to stall until his lover found him again. His human that held him spoke in a gentle and soft voice, hardly registering. That other youkai could easily kill him, but a familiar scent told him to not be afraid. It was so confusing.

Deciding to move closer, Youko gracefully, and carefully, came upon the seated couple, kneeling when he was about two feet away. His ears flew to the sides when a shriek of a whimper erupted in the air around them. Hiei curled further into the human's grasp trying his best to hide from the 'scary' animal demon. He could easily feel the pulse of energy emitting from the fire-demon, it was weak, but signaled out for his long lost mate to come and rescue him. Sadly, that call would not be heard, for this mating was one-sided. The fire-youkai was the only one bitten, Yusuke was not.

Kuwabara tried his best to calm him as best as he could. He just couldn't understand what has suddenly gotten into the hot-headed demon in his lap. When he woke up before, he understood words and knew the people who were before him. It was almost like he had amnesia and forgot who they were. The large hand that wasn't petting the furred hair, reached up and attempted to wipe the unshed tears that threatened to fall from his face. The moment his finger touched the gently rolling drop of liquid, he could feel it materialize instantaneously into a crystal. Slipping from the rounded shape, it fell to the floor, a bit smaller than the others he had shed.

"What's wrong with 'em Kurama? Why is he actin' like this?" The human quietly spoke to his comrade, trying to hush the demon in his arms. It was so bizarre; why was Hiei so frightened of them? At first, he was mildly alarmed at the redheaded swordsman, shying away with watery eyes. It was the sight of the gentle Fox that sprang the instant terror within the fire-youkai. He knew that the Silver Fox would never harm their friend, especially when he tried so valiantly to fight for his safety.

Sitting cross-legged, the eons old youkai attempted to emit a calming aura of energy towards the frightened soul. "I feared as much." His tail tapped gently on the ground, a rhythmic beat to help him concentrate on pacifying him. "A lot of demons, especially freshly mated ones, tend to go through an impulsive, natural drive. An episodic faze of basic instinct at its purest form." The youko spoke softly, as to not alarm the dragon any further. "He probably has not spoken a single word since he has awoken, correct?"

Kazuma paused to think back the short time Hiei had been awake. "Come to think of it… Yeah, he never spoke at all." What the fox-demon said made sense, in the long run. "But, why didn't he do this when he first woke up?" Sharp sobs jolted through the tiny creature in his arms, it brought a heavy ache in his heart at seeing his friend in such a state. Those glistening ruby orbs bore into the overly calm demon by his side, as he crushed himself further in his grasp as if to protect himself from the threat. He managed to stop those tears from falling, only spotting about four that officially fell, gently glowing in the dull light from the cave.

That was a great question, Kurama paused. The only guess he had was just a hypothesis. "Perhaps it was my plants influences." Reaching into his flowing locks, a single rose was pulled. The distinguishing centerpiece of his infamous rose-whip. This flower, however, was not charged with any of his ki. It was, merely, just a blossom. "The plants that I gave him seemed to be an inhibitor of those instincts and was just delaying the inevitable." Taking the rose, he easily charged it with his energy, and forced the thorns to recede into the stem. The fox handed over the beautiful flower to the jumpy creature being held by the psychic.

Hiei's shoulders flinched, as he hid his face away the moment he saw the threat move in on him. His grip tightened, almost enough to tear through the white undershirt he was holding onto. When a moment or two passed, scarlet eyes peeked from his hideaway to see a rose presented to him. Blinking a few times to make sure it wasn't dangerous, the half-koorime sniffled a bit, somewhat calmed by the scent of the blossom before him. It also helped that the terrifying animal-demon was emitting a calming aura, coaxing him further from his hiding place.

Kuwabara watched the scene quietly. Hiei released a clenched hand from his horridly wrinkled shirt, and slowly reached for the promising rose. With a shaking hand, the dragon grasped the offered gift quietly, retreating back to the safety of his human's hold. The youko slowly pulled his arm back and kept a firm golden gaze on the reaction of the gift. It was a sign of peace. Offering the beauty of the flower, without the threat of the sharp thorns.

A quieted giggle, made Hiei jump in fear, eyes darting to the redhead who made it. "Look, Hiei, you can wear it in your hair." The psychic gently pried the beautiful rose from smaller hands, those same colored eyes watching his every movement. Being careful, and slow, a pink tongue darted out in concentration; he situated the stem on top of his left ear hidden within a sea of black hair. "There ya go." He stated proudly, as he leaned back a bit to view his work.

The bud of the rose protruded, proudly, from the hairline on the side of the tiny dragon's head. Sparkling garnet colored eyes widened, as Hiei looked to his left to attempt to view the lovely bloom, his head tilting a bit in the same direction. The tears that threatened to fall before, no longer shown within the depths of those large almond shaped eyes. "Aww, now don't you look precious~..." Kuwabara said softly, with a slight hint of mockery that was undetectable to the average ear. Ruby eyes glanced down shyly, a stunning blush coating his cheeks, his shoulders shifting almost sheepishly.

The softest of smiles etched it's way onto the fox-demon as his gift was graciously accepted. The smile faltered, when he saw that flushed face look over in his direction, his gaze held trepidation and curiosity. Attempting to seal the deal, Kurama let out the gentlest of purrs, showing that he meant no harm. Words wouldn't work in this situation, it was clear that Hiei couldn't understand basic vocabulary at this moment in time. Right now, actions spoke louder than words ever could.

The flush on his cheeks reddened further, as the dragon's eyes widened with a basic understanding. This demon meant no harm to him. His mate was still not responding to his energy signals of distress, but this other demon seemed to be attempting to comfort him in his time of need. The throbbing in his shoulder still sounded off with a jarring pain that reminded him of the notion that his mate was still not with him. Maybe this fox-youkai could ease his fears and worries until he sees his other half once more.

Kuwabara blinked in question, when he felt the body in his arms shift. Lifting his arms away easily, gray eyes kept an eye on the half-koorime as he crawled off of his lap. Those rose-colored eyes locked onto golden, as he shifted his way closer to Kurama. A grunt caught his attention, as that gaze broke from the closed lids belonging to the fire-youkai. It wasn't difficult to see the sliver of pain jut through him, as he stopped in his advances. Seated between the human and the youko, another small series of whines caught both of their attention.

It warmed Kurama's heart to see Hiei finally opening up more towards him. However, he noticed that shock of pain, and easily smelt it. As much as he hated to admit it, Yusuke had torn him from the encounter. Those whines were not in vain; the scent of blood began to permeate the air. The injury must have began to mend itself, until the smaller youkai began to shuffle against the stone floor. Sadly, only time can heal that wound, there wouldn't be much the Fox can do to assist in that injury.

"H-Hey, is he alright?" The lanky redhead asked, mostly to the Fox rather than the person in question. He understood now that Hiei wasn't going to respond unless he acts like an animal himself. The protective brute wanted to immediately hold the youkai in his arms once again, but held himself back. He wanted the protection of the silver fox, not the psychic.

Deciding to ease Kazuma's worries, Youko dismissed his concern. "He will be fine. He is still a little sore." He didn't dare move towards him. One wrong move, and Hiei could easily be frightened right back to the human's arms, or worse. The fire-demon needed patience and understanding. Kurama sat calmly, tapping the tip of his tail in wait. Hiei needed to be the one to advance when he is ready, otherwise he could seem too demanding. The half-koorime was in a fearful-submissive mindset, he needed a calm-dominant to balance and keep him sane.

The pain ripped through his backside, as his hind met the stony floor. He should not have slid off of his ningen's lap so haphazardly. Glancing his distressed gaze upward, he still noted the calmness that was presented within the animal-demon he was trying to get to. It made him all the more willing to trust this man, almost like his body is calling to him; his mate never responded to his desperate situation. The first thought that came to his mind was death. His mate was not responding because he was dead. Although, that couldn't be, even in his haze filled mind, he knew that if his mate had truly died the mark on his shoulder would start to rot with immense pain.

His mate was alive somewhere, he just never responded to his cries of despair. Biting his tongue, the half-koorime pulled his body across the small foot gap and invited himself upon the lap of the calm creature. Exhaustion suddenly took over him, as he leaned his full weight on the silver demon's torso for support, expecting the other to care for his needs as his mate was supposed to. Scent immediately took over his senses, and a stuttering purr left the youkai's throat in pure pleasure. With his face pressed against a strong torso, the fragrance of a dominant male threw his head for a loop.

Swallowing thickly, the Youko gasped and gently situated the youkai in his lap to a more comfortable position. Attempting to ignore the purrs that radiated pleasure through his ears, he couldn't contain one of his own to reciprocate. It seemed that he was easily accepted as a temporary dominant male to replace his mate for the time being. Molding the demon in place, he was easily putty in his hands. The half-koorime's body was practically limp, his scent nearly knocking him out-cold. He was shifted with his legs over one of his thighs, while the side of his body leaned onto his chest for full support.

"He-he, looks like you got shrimp-watching duty now, Kurama." That initial shock of acceptance was so jarring. The Fox almost didn't catch the limp figure flopping against him. Amber eyes glanced at the tiny dragon in his arms, then at the psychic redhead. "Can this help him snap out of it?" He asked solemnly, reaching down to pick up the four tear pearls. Looking down at the spheres, it brought a sense of dreariness to his heart. These were shed through fear, an emotion that was thought to never exist in the emotionless demon. Now, he knows it to be untrue.

Blinking slowly, Kurama reached over and grabbed one of the pearls from the human's hand. "I can only hope so." The clear black gem radiated a faint red glow, radiating from the tiny flame in the center of the ball. The treasure hunter in the thief grinned at the idea of holding such a rarity among collectors in his hands. After all of these years, he has obtained the unattainable. The tear gem of a male koorime. Not only that, but one of such rare blood mix, the sinful joining of fire and ice. The outside seemed to be coated in that cloudy-clear black ice, while the inside held the fire. With regret, he returned the treasure to Kazuma's hand. "The only one who can truly snap him out of it is Yusuke. His balance lies with him. We can only hope that he will come to Hiei's aid. It should only be a matter of time."

~ O ~

The Toushin felt irritable. These feelings of loss, ached within his entire body. It confused him, but mostly, it angered him. Yusuke had tried to ignore them, attempting to sleep it off. He had the idea of going back to Genkai's place, but decided against going back there to destroy more of her property. He felt like he had to kill something to get this itch off of his skin. Something was missing, and it didn't make any sense.

A shrill growl erupted in the night air, as rage radiated off of him in waves of pure demonic energy. He grabbed at a tree, nearly crushing the base of the bark in his grasp, trying to take his mind off of it. The slick-haired leader was restless, removing his hands from the crushed bark to pace back and forwards. He felt like a caged animal, just like before when that striking heat smell hit him. The scent was no longer airborne, but the smell of Hiei still lingered in his thoughts heavily. If he concentrated enough, he could easily pinpoint the location of where the dragon was at.

It wasn't difficult to notice the energy waves that struck him. Those were made by the fire-youkai, no doubt. He had been a bit bitter before, but once those waves it reached him, it him like an ocean. Fury clawed at his conscious. Something told him to follow them at once. The force was laden with a fear that had testosterone pumping through his veins in response. He is scared. He is in danger. The thoughts flooded through his mind as quickly as he paced. Those waves were a cry for help, and it took everything for him not to respond by tearing this whole forest apart to find him.

A feeling in his gut told him to not let the Fox-demon take his submissive away, but he didn't listen at the moment. He was on high-heaven after taking the smaller demon's virginity. That dominant high made him feel invincible, and practically uncaring on what happens. Once that was out of his system, the urge to go back to the dragon only increased as the night went on. Once those energy waves hit him like a truck, it brought a sense of wrath he has never experienced before.

Grabbing his head, he tried to combat the feeling of deprive from his thoughts. Eyes glowing red, he let out a scream of agony alongside a massive wave of demon energy in response to his other half.

~ O ~

Kuwabara and Kurama's eyes widened simultaneously at the sudden burst that shifted through their bodies. Goosebumps ran up the redhead's body in absolute fear as he held himself as if he was cold. "W-What in the hell was that!?" He whispered loudly to the silver fox. That almost made him throw up at how powerful that force was. He was sure that if he was near it, he would have been burned by the radiation of power.

The youko didn't react with terror as the human did, but he did feel a sliver of it run though his system. He couldn't help but to guess that was Yusuke giving off that wave. "It was probably in response to Hiei's own cries for help earlier. Yusuke is just now reacting." It was odd, but understandable. If the Toushin was bitten by the half-koorime, the moment Hiei would send out a slight whine his dominant would come crashing in to defend him in an instant. The feeling to protect could not be ignored, the need would be too great.

Any dominant within the area would have been able to pick up on a submissive's cry of energy. Hiei's was weak, but it rang with an urge of need that even his own self responded to promptly. He was surprised that Yusuke didn't come barging in to aid in his submissive's need, when he first sent out that distress signal. He must have been fighting it off for him to ignore it for so long. The leader would have been more affected by the signal due to the bite mark left on the youkai, he was tough to have resisted for this long.

The shaking in the Fox's arms made him look down at the demon he held. Hiei's eyes were wide, and he trembled horribly. There was no doubt that he felt Yusuke through that forceful wave. The scent of relief mixed with a slight hint of arousal sprung through the tiny youkai in his arms. Hiei had just felt safe in the arms of a strong demon, but the moment the Toushin would appear he would easily drop the Fox. Soft whines filled the fire-demon's throat in response, his breathing shuttering to the vibration of his shaking.

Leaning down, the Youko purred and coddled the weight in his arms, attempting to ease the trembling. He knew that Hiei felt no fear, the quivering was a knee-jerk reaction to the feeling of ki humming through his body. The emotion of the dominant that bit him brought such a rush of pleasure through him, it shook him to his core. A stuttering moan left those soft lips, cradling closer to the warmth of the larger demon. It was sad to watch. No submissive should be without his dominant. The Fox would gladly substitute. He would only imagine what the outcome would have been if he was not there when Yusuke had finished mating. Would Hiei have been killed by a lower-class demon? Would he succumb to the elements and fall ill or worse?

A growl sprung from the dark thoughts that sprung through his head. It made the smaller youkai in his grasp flinch, looking up at him with those large almond eyes. Golden eyes focused and softened, the growl rolling into a soft purr once again. The head in his lap tilted a bit in confusion, but rested easily against the strong chest.

"That was Urameshi?" Kazuma questioned. It wasn't hard to believe that the burst came from their leader. However, the energy felt so deprived, empty and riddled with a strong need. It almost brought a sense of guilt to loom over his entire being. "I hope he doesn't come in here with that. It felt really sad, almost like he is grieving or something." Just the thought of the Toushin finding them sent a shiver through his core. He knew that the half-demon was unstable, as the Fox said, but he might take it out on the rest of their team.

Silver ears twitched in response to the one who spoke, his purr slowing to a stop so he could speak. "With how Yusuke is now, there is no doubt that he would kill us if he found us here with Hiei." His heart went out to those widened gray eyes lined with fear. "The best thing for us to do is to keep him calm. If Hiei is feeling safe, he will not send out distress signals." Sighing in defeat, there would be no way for them to defend. A wild dominant trying to protect their mate would be nearly impossible to combat. Death would be inevitable.

Humming in question, "This is all the Shrimp's fault? Those energy waves from before couldn't have reached him. They were so weak; I hardly felt them and I have a very strong sixth-sense." Reaching over, a large hand gracefully combed through those soft locks of black hair once again. The stuttering purr that filled the air only increased in volume, nearly making the trembling form vibrate from the over-sensory of pleasure. "Urameshi's senses were garbage, Genkai said so herself. Even after their training, I heard that he hardly improved in that area."

Silver ears twitched lowly at the dragon in his arms. The sound of his breathing was lengthening out, signaling a light sleep. The purr still echoed deeply in the cavern, enticed further by a massaging hand in blue-highlighted locks of dark hair. "As unwise as it may seem, perhaps it is within our best interest if we temporarily abandon Hiei." It stung to say those words. To leave the injured and frightened youkai alone wasn't something the Fox wanted to do at all. However, with the Toushin as unstable as he is, if he decided to go onto the hunt for his mate, he would easily slaughter Kazuma and finish off the Youko.

The caring buffoon let out a sound of disbelief, "Leave him…?! How could you say that, man. He's our teammate. He's hurt, and what if he wakes up all scared again?" He whispered out harshly, not wanting to wake the slumbering fire-demon in the grasp of the eons old Fox. He didn't know if he could ever witness such a look coming from Hiei ever again. It wasn't feasible to think of how the tiny dragon would look waking up alone. He was already abandoned as a child, he wasn't going to do it again.

He understood the anger of his human companion. That is just the way those creatures were. They were naturally caring, and empathetic. "Precisely." Amber eyes glanced down at the treasure within his grasp. "He needs Yusuke. If he feels alone, the cries of desperation would erupt ten-fold. Yusuke would not be able to fight them, and seek him out." The Youko's gaze saddened, as the thought of the half-koorime waking frightened and alone. It wasn't something that he wanted to do, but it seemed that it had to be done. "Trust me, Kuwabara, I do not want to abandon Hiei's side in such a trying time for him. However, it is within his and our best interest. Yusuke will kill us if he finds us with him."

The smaller male was healing well, the injury obtained from the spirit demon that they tracked down still left a mark on him. The only marks that still caused any issues would be the scar on his shoulder. The bite mark that Yusuke left would linger the longest, unless left abandoned from his mate. Hiei did bite back, but not on the half-demon. His wrist was wrapped in a bandaged from where his teeth punctured sensitive skin. Energy was seeping from the wound on his shoulder-blade, it probably caused a deep ache of loss. It was not easy to find mated demons far from one another; extended separation can cause a great deal of pain and illness to befall one or both of them.

Sadly, in this case, it was a one-sided mating. Never, in all of the Fox's years, has he ever witness this. Normally, any freshly-mated pairs would be so attached to one another that it seemed impossible to separate them unless one of them died. It seemed to affect Hiei the most, as he was bitten by Yusuke, but did not bite him back. Most of the negative effects were splaying towards the smaller demon. Nevertheless, it seemed that the Toushin had problems of his own, although, they were not as severe. They have only been separated from each other for about five hours.

"We shall abandon him by morning. For now, let him rest." Kurama spoke softly, his gaze boring into the gray's that met his. It was a final say. Both he and Kazuma knew that they would have to leave the small dragon's side. It was an awful feeling to take in stride, but it needed to be done. Hopefully, their leader can rescue their fallen teammate in this critical time.

"I hope ya know what you're doin', Kurama… This don't feel right…" The human-psychic mumbled, as he watched the silver fox stand, carrying the delicate package with him. Youko placed the smaller youkai back in the mound of cotton, eyes widening in regret when he saw that small wrist was still hanging onto the white shirt the animal-demon usually wore. Clawed hands, carefully gripped onto softer ones forcing him to let go.

"It is best for him. Come, Kazuma. We should go now while he is sleeping." With a heart full of regret, Kurama turned and walked out the exit of the cave, taking away the plants that guarded the entryway. Yusuke would find him in here, and they would bond better in a secluded area.

Sighing deeply, Kuwabara looked over at the tiny lump in the cotton-ball bed. Everything within his heart told him to go back to coddling the little creature once again. That purr from before was fading into obscurity, the longer he was without being petted. As foreign as it was, it now felt wrong; almost like Hiei purred on a daily basis. The creeping silence was eerie, as the vibration slowed to a halt. The idling gaze lingered for a bit longer in the quietness of the cavern, as he finally turned and walked out the exit.