______Kurama tossed and turned in bed as he tried to let sleep come to him. Try as hard as he could it wouldn’t seem to come. His partner Kuronue was fast asleep beside him though, his arm firmly wrapped around the pillow, his breath tickling Kurama’s cheek softly. They both had to get up early the next day for the long walk back to the Makai forest but Kurama had too much on his mind to be able to fall fast asleep.

______Maybe a short walk will calm my senses, Kurama thought, sitting up in bed. He looked down at his sleeping friend and smiled. Giving him a light kiss on the cheek, Kurama stood up and put his clothes back on. In one swift move he hopped out on to the window and jumped down to the small garden below. Looking around him, Kurama slowly rushed out into the night, heading in the direction of the park. The night seemed quite peaceful as he stopped by the lake, throwing a rock in and watching the ripples form in the water. Kurama smiled, feeling kind of calm at last. He took a seat by the waterside, dipping his hands into the water. Smiling he watched his reflection in the pool, his silvery hair swaying with the wind.

______Kurama was surprised to find another figure reflected behind him. " Hiei," he whispered," What are you doing here? Were you following me?" Hiei just continued to stand there, watching Kurama with an unreadable expression. Kurama sighed and continued to stir the water with his fingers. Hiei quietly took a seat beside him.

______" The Makai Forest is a dangerous place to be in at this time," Hiei told him seriously, " Yomi and the other lords have traps set out for the hunting season. You’d best stay clear from trouble." Kurama turned to look at Hiei. " Why does that matter to you, Hiei? Why are you warning me? I thought you hated me?!" Hiei reached for a stone and threw it neatly in the water. " I do," he said in the same tone of voice, " But I just don’t want a hell of a mess to clean up when you leave! Fried fox isn’t my preference for dinner you know."

______" Oh yeah, I forgot," Kurama said rolling his eyes, " Being the heir to Mukuro’s throne entitles you to all her lands. No wonder you killed her. Pretty good scheme Hiei, I’d expect as much from you…"

______Hiei threw another stone into the water, this time with great force. " Sorry to disappoint you Kurama. I gave up all the lands when I left for the Ningenkai, " Hiei said quietly, his tone bitter, " Stupid ne?"

______Kurama drew in a sharp breath. " Yeah it was…why did you do it?" Hiei shrugged. " I thought once I left for Ningenkai, I would never have to go back to the Makai. Thought I’d find myself I new home… guess I was wrong, " Hiei said, his voice acid. Kurama felt his heart tighten in his chest. He wanted so much to reach over and touch Hiei; hold him and try and wipe the pain from his eyes. But Kurama couldn’t. Maybe Suiichi could but he knew this Kurama couldn’t.

______" Hiei…" Kurama started to say but Hiei had already stood up to leave. In a flash the small koorime was gone, leaving a startled Kurama staring in empty space. Kurama bit his lip and sighed. He stood up himself and proceeded to take the dreary walk back home. Climbing back up the window and back into bed beside Kuronue, Kurama closed his eyes to let sleep get through. They had a long day ahead of them tomorrow; it was best to get well rested.

______And Kurama continued to toss and turn as he realized that his thoughts were all the more jumbled up after the walk than before. " K’so!" he cursed punching his pillow. How was he going to get any sleep now?!

______" Kurama, will you hurry up! You’ve lagged behind enough. We’re going way past the schedule. How do you expect us to reach the Makai crest by sundown?" Kuronue called out behind him as a staggering silver-haired yuoko heavily tromped up to catch up to him.

______" I can’t help it, I’m tired, Kuronue. Can..we…please….stop …first…?" Kurama panted. Kuronue rolled his eyes and sighed. " Fine, fine, Kurama…but just for a while. It’s kinda getting late you know." Kurama nodded and looked up tiredly in Kuronue’s direction. " I’m sorry Kuronue, I know I’m ruining our plans."

______Kuronue smiled softly and touched Kurama’s cheek tenderly with the tip of his finger. " Don’t worry about it Kurama, " he told him softly, " It’s spending time with you that’s most important, ne?" Kurama smiled back and leaned his head against Kuroune’s shoulder. Kuronue smiled, closing his eyes as both of them continued basking under the soft sunlight. After a few minutes, Kurama finally pulled himself away and poked Kuronue on. " Well, it’s high time we get going, Kuro-san! I think that’s enough rest for the moment." Kuronue looked over at him in concern. " Are you sure about that?"

______Kurama nodded as he stood up and hoisted his pack. " C’mon up and let’s go----!!!" Kurama dropped the pack as he felt his feet go flying up into the air. The rope swung up and brought Kurama with it, throwing a net over its captive. Kurama struggled to get out as he realized he had stepped into a trap.

______" Kuronue!!" he screamed out for help.

______" Kurama--- watch out!!!" Kuronue screamed back. Kurama’s eyes widened in horror as two dozen spears shot out from the bushes, heading in his direction. Kurama closed his eyes, preparing himself for the pain before he felt his body fall through the net. What the—Kurama thought as he fell… straight into Kuronue’s arms. Kuronue hugged him tight. " Thank god, you cut the net in time," Kuronue said, relieved, " I thought you’d have been sliced up for good!"

______Kurama looked at his friend in surprise. " You mean it wasn’t you who cut the net?" Kuronue looked at his lover in confusion. " No, I thought you did."

______" I---" Kurama said when it suddenly hit him what could have happened. Pulling away from Kuronue he picked up the net lying at his feet and examined the cut on the top. Just as I thought, Kurama said to himself silently, The cut of a katana’s blade. There’s only one person I know who could do that… Kurama looked around but he could not seem to detect any youki anywhere.

______Hiei, I know you’re out there, Kurama thought to himself, Wherever you are…..thank you. Turning back to Kuronue he tugged his friend along. " C’mon, we’re losing time. We’ve got to get there by sundown!"

______Kuronue nodded and the two began a small race towards the Makai crest.

______Despite all their speed though, time ran even faster than the two partners and they were forced to camp out and rest for the night. Kurama settled down to make a bed for them both while Kuronue tried his best to light a fire.

______" Are you done yet, Kuro-san?" Kurama asked shivering, " Hurry up, I’m beginning to freeze out here!"

______" Damn it, I can’t find any twig that’s rough enough to rub against," Kuronue cursed. Kurama wrapped his arms around himself as he tried to control his teeth from chattering. " Didn’t you bring matches along with you?" Kuronue shook his head. " Unfortunately not."

______" Kuronue, of all the things to forget!" Kurama said quite loudly. Kuronue turned to glare at the fox spirit. " Hey I don’t see you producing any matches either!" Kurama let out a breath and it came out in small puffs of smoke. " So what do you propose we do, sit here and freeze to death?!"

______" I honestly don’t know, Kurama, " Kuronue said exasperated. He drew his cloak closer to his body as Kurama tried shrinking himself into a small ball to retain body heat. Both figures continued to shiver in the dark, the lack of fire numbing their senses.

______" You’re both bakas," a deep voice said from above them. Kurama raised his head up to see a black figure fly past him. Before they knew it, a large blazing fire had been lit in the middle of all the twigs that Kuronue had gathered. Kurama felt a warm hand tug against the folds of his clothes . Looking up, he was surprised to find Hiei dragging him closer to the fire. " H-Hiei," he croaked out.

______" Sssshhh," Hiei rebuffed him gently, " Stop talking Kurama and try to warm yourself. You’re as cold as an icicle." Kurama shivered as he thawed himself out. " I feel like an icicle." He admitted . "Serves you right for camping out where there would be the least likely chance of finding fire wood," Hiei said unmercifully.

______Kuronue moved closer to the fire as he watched Hiei and Kurama together. He couldn’t help but wonder about the strange, dark little fire demon. The way he and Kurama treated each other was…well, at opposite ends. Put together they were like a mixture of fire and ice. Kuronue couldn’t tell whether they were friends or good enemies. Maybe they were a mixture of both…

______" So your name’s Hiei, eh?" Kuronue said, trying to start a conversation with the dark fire demon. " How come you seem to know so much about the Makai? Have you been around? Are you a thief too?"

______" Hn. None of your business, baka," Hiei said turning away to leave. " Hiei wait!" Kurama said hurriedly. Hiei stopped but he didn’t bother to turn around. " What do you want, Kurama?"

______" I…I…" What did he want? Why did he call Hiei back in the first place anyway?!! " I just wanted to uh, thank you for saving my life—our lives--- even if what we’re doing is supposedly none of your concern…thank you anyway." Was that it? Kurama thought to himself, Was that all I really want to say?!

______" You’re welcome," Hiei said before continuing to walk away.

______" Hold on a minute, Hiei!" Kuronue called after him. " Look maybe you could help us. We’re not so familiar with these parts of the Makai forest and it would be a big help if you could sort of guide us along the way. You know, camp out with us for the night. We’ll probably reach the crest by morning so it really wouldn’t take too much of your time. What do you say, huh? Help us please?"

______Hiei turned around and focused his gaze on the Makai theif. " What’s in it for me?" Kuronue shrugged. " Well, if you help us we’ll share the loot with you fifty-fifty." Hiei stood still for a moment, considering the idea before turning his back towards them and walking away. " Your treasure doesn’t interest me," Hiei told him. " It’s not something I would risk life and limb for…."

______Kuronue frowned. " Don’t be stupid Hiei! You know it’s worth millions," he shouted at Hiei’s retreating back, " When we’re rich you’ll be sorry! You’ll be back, I just know it!!" But Kuronue’s words fell on deaf ears as the koorime’s figure disappeared into the wind. Kurama shook his head at his partner. " That holds no value to Hiei," he told him quietly, " He used to be a Makai lord, heir to about one fourth of this whole Makai. That’s richness even beyond our own grasp, Kuronue."

______Kuronue stared at the place where the demon had disappeared and arched his brow. " Well, he sure doesn’t dress like one. He looks like one of those plain old Makai creatures to me." Kurama looked down into the fire, staring long and hard at it before replying to Kuronue’s jest. " He left everything for a dream, Kuronue. Wouldn’t you do the same?" Kurama asked, looking meaningfully at his friend.

______Kuronue shrugged. " I guess you’re right. I would… But this is my dream," he said moving closer to the yuoko and putting his arm around his shoulders. " And I’m living it up to the fullest now." Kurama smiled, looking deep into Kuronue’s eyes. " What would I do without you, Kuro-san?!"

______Kuronue grinned and tilted his face up to the stars. " Oh, I don’t know, probably wait until the next reincarnation?" Kuronue laughed and Kurama couldn’t help but laugh with him. Laying his head against Kuronue’s shoulders, Kurama fixed his gaze upon the night stars shining above them.

______Looking up to the sky, Kuronue saw a bright future for both him and his koibto. For Kurama, he saw a semblance of his past illuminated in the stars. Both sat in deep contemplation, unaware of a small figure sitting nearby watching their every movement as a tear slipped past, unheeded, to the ground.

______Kurama lifted the heavy golden statue slowly, balancing it in his arms. " Careful Kuronue, it’s a bit slippery back up here. Try to avoid making a lot of noise okay? " Kuronue nodded slowly and climbed up where Kurama had left off. Shifting the statue’s weight from side to side, he waited anxiously for his partner to finish packing the rest of the loot. Kurama felt a slight nudge on his side as he turned to see Kuronue moving ahead carrying a large pack. They both quietly snuck out, hiding in the shadows to avoid being detected.

______This is almost too easy! Kuronue thought happily before he suddenly remembered something that made his blood run cold. The damn pendant! " K’so," he cursed under his breath, " Wait here Kurama, I’ll be back!"

______" Kuronue, where are you going?!" Kurama hissed as his friend sped off back in the direction they had come from. Kurama didn’t know what to do so he waited for his friend to return. When more than a couple of minutes had passed already and still Kuronue was nowhere to be found, Kurama began to worry. Where is he?! Kurama thought in a panic

______It took a few more minutes or so till Kurama found the silhouette of his partner, running back… amidst the silhouettes of more than a dozen angry youkos heading their way. " Run, Kurama, run!" Kuronue shouted as he tried to over run the angry creatures. Another pack of angry youkos came barreling the opposite way, trapping the two thieves in the middle.

______The two thieves backed away, moving towards the end of the wall as the guards edged closer and closer to them. Kuronue and Kurama did a back-to-back stance, guarding each other as they sized up the enemy. " I believe we’ll just have to fight our way out of this one, eh, Kurama."

______" Don’t be so happy about that prospect, Kuronue," Kurama said calculating their moves. " They outnumber us thirty to two!"

______" Thirty to three you mean, " Hiei said jumping down from above. " Hiei," Kurama said in shock, " I thought you didn’t want any part of this?!" Hiei glared back at him. " So I changed my mind, big deal. Now shut up and fight!"

______The yuokos all charged at them at the same time and the trio tried hacking their way out of the bloody mess. Creating an opening, Hiei hacked at one of the lesser powered yuokos at the side and motioned Kurama and Kuronue to pass through. Grabbing the treasure, the three of them ran as fast as they could towards the exit. " Once outside this fortress barrier we’ll be able to hide and elude them in the forest," Kuronue said as they neared the exit. Kurama felt the adrenaline rush through his veins as he ran, lugging the heavy golden statue with him. He could almost taste their victory when a loud shout reached his ears. Kurama didn’t know why he did it but he turned back to see what had happened and he suddenly felt his blood run cold as Hiei fell into one of the sand traps, making him an easy victim for the yuokos.

______" Kurama!" Kuronue shouted back, " Stop standing there and let’s go! They’re going to catch up to us if you don’t get a move on!"

______" But---Hiei…" Kurama said weakly, rooted to the spot. Kuronue ran back and tugged at his partner’s arm. " Don’t be a fool! Hiei gave us the opening that we need! Don’t let him down now!"

______" Kurama…save yourself…!!" Hiei screamed back before a yuoko attacked him, opening up his evil eye and penetrating through Hiei’s Jagan. Hiei’s screamed in pain, his voice echoing across the walls, just enough to rouse Kurama out of his daze. Turning back to Kuronue, he dropped the golden statue in his arms. " Save yourself, Kuronue!" he said with conviction, " I’m going back for Hiei!"

______Before Kuronue could argue any further, Kurama was bounding off towards the group of bloodthirsty monsters. " Kurama…NOOOOO!!!!" Kuronue screamed but to no avail.

______" Hiei!!!!!" Kurama called out as he ran back to save his friend. Hiei lay on the ground unconscious as the larger of the yuokos was crushing his bones to a pulp.

______And for once in his life, Kurama felt an extreme anger well up inside of him as his eyes laid sight of what they had done to the koorime.

______" GET AWAY FROM HIM, YOU MONSTERS!!!!" Kurama raged, powerful youki emanating from within him. His golden eyes burned with fury as the yuokos cowered down in fear. A flash of white fire burned around them as Kurama took them all in.

______" You’re all going to pay…and the only price is death," he hissed as he circled the flames around the large group of yuokos, the fire consuming up each and every part of their flesh as it ate it’s way towards the center. A dozen screams were heard as the white flames licked higher and higher, leaving no yuoko unharmed. Smoke began to rise from the ashes, covering the already dark cave with it’s snowy whiteness.

______" Kurama?" Kuronue, called out nervously, coughing from the smoke. " Kurama where are you?!" Kuronue’s eyes widened as he caught sight of the yuoko’s figure coming out from the smoke and flames, carrying a small, battered up koorime. Kurama’s front shirt was ripped to pieces and he had a large slash in his arm but Kurama didn’t seem to care about it; didn’t seem to care about anything else except fixing up the wounded fire demon.

______Kuronue felt his body go numb as he saw the look in Kurama’s eyes as he gazed down at the unconscious Hiei. No, it can’t be, Kuronue thought silently, He can’t be…Kurama can’t be…but, he saved that cold, dark koorime from dying. How…how could he?

______Kurama, suddenly realizing Kuronue’s presence, looked up slowly to face his friend--- and Kuronue saw it, the look he had been dreading to see on the yuoko’s face. Guilt. Kurama had guilt written clearly in his eyes. And that was when Kuronue knew… who Kurama truly loved.

______" Kuronue," Kurama rasped out in a hoarse voice. Kuronue turned away. " You… you saved him. From the yuokos. From danger; from death. You went back for him one last time… when you could have had the choice to leave him and run free with the treasure, you came back. Oboette imasu ka? A similar memory long ago… but… it doesn’t really matter now, does it, Kurama?"

______Kurama looked away. " I’m sorry, Kuronue." Kuronue clenched his fist and sighed, a bittersweet smile plastered on his face. " We’d better get him home to bed. He needs to be tended to before his wounds grow even worse. Kurama nodded. " You’re right."

______The two thieves began their walk back home, side by side, but any stranger passing by could tell you that their thoughts were a million miles away from each other.

To be continued... ;-)