Wearing that animal form Kinno could not cry. However his small, round eyes were glistening and teary. His pointed nose was very cold and moist, and he sniffed, his whiskers twitching as he breathed convulsively with fear. Kinno was just like a small, quivering golden ball of lustrous fur.

He didn't want the darkness, he didn't want the beatings, the punishments and the chain and shackles he'd be locked up with.

He could almost faint in sickness when he recalled the odor of his customers, their hands on his body, their bad breath, and their drool dripping on his skin as they ogled him, bending over to take him...

He was locked in a small box, bearing neither space enough for him to move, nor enough air to breathe. Weak, almost suffocating, it was difficult for him to even keep his eyes open. The swaying and swinging as the box was carried along carelessly by his owner, made the fox sick and disoriented.

The Fox yelped, in a low and pained agony. Kinno's head hurt, his legs were cramped by staying so long in the same position, and his small heart throbbed madly. His whole gracious and nimble body was seized by the nervous pulse of fear, doubt and total hopelessness.

Kinno had no food, no water, no light, no air. Locked inside that box, all he could notice was that rocking up and down, back and forth, as he was carried away...

He didn't want to be carried away.... He felt exactly as if he were dragged out of the his Dreamland into the most obnoxious prison, back to the torture and agony he didn't deserve.

He had always been a good youko; obedient, kind, agreeable, and yet he suffered so much... He didn't deserve all that torture... Why? Just because he was pretty and orphaned? All his dreams were ruined now. His daddy, his three-eyed grumpy and yet adorable Uncle, his new-found sweetheart, his friend Hikaru... He had lost all in a single twist of Fate.

It hurt inside him as the twist of a knife, piercing his little fox-heart...

The leash was once more attached to the collar around his neck.

Placed on the ground, Kinno laid down, his head resting on his front paws, a thankful light making his eyes twinkle in the darkness. And his tail was waved, in sheer happiness.

At least he could have a little rest, and a bit of fresh air...

Kinno sniffed the air. He could sense he was closer to his Master's territory. The fox looked around. It was after hours. He could not see much of the sky; they were surrounded by vast, high rocky cliffs. It was the bottom of a canyon, and Kinno could not avoid imagining how easily Hikaru, with his powers over earth and rocks, could rescue him then without a hitch.
 
His afflicted golden eyes turned towards his master. He was seated by a small fire, sheltered against the rocky cliffwall, devouring one small roasted critter - any low class youkai he could have laid his hands on.
 

He had had kinder Masters... But sometimes he imagined he'd better die than to submit to You Know Who... Only the dream of finding his daddy gave him strength to keep up, and now...

What now?

He yelped with very teary eyes, when he thought of how much he wanted to be with his daddy then... Even if he was mistreated... He knew his daddy would end up loving him if he tried to be a good youko, and then...

What would he do now?

It was a small piece of meat.

Kinno refused, shaking his head very slowly. Then he just stared at that monster he had to call Master, and even yet, there was no anger in his fox-eyes. Just a deep sadness.

But the youkai was not touched by the golden animal's helplessness.

"Turn Youko!"

The golden youngster didn't need to be ordered twice.

He trembled, but he obeyed, and stood before his master, his body shifting in a faint haze of you-ki as his form grew taller and bigger, moulded into Kinno's youko aspect.

"Come here, Kinno..." The youkai proposed, wickedly, pulling the youko closer. "Come show me something good..."

Kinno recognized the evil smile his master offered him. He tried to retreat from his touch and escape, but the youkai brought him closer, till Kinno stood right between his parted knees, tense, unwilling to be touched, feeling sick...

The youkai slipped one big, harsh hand around Kinno's waist, bringing his fingers down the curve of his sides till he touched his warm, round buttock. He squeezed the firm mound of muscle tightly, eliciting a moaning sound from Kinno.

"You're a very beautiful youko; you're lucky. I would have killed any other pet that had fled from me the way you did. But you - You are so pretty I want to have you back."

"Master... Let me go back to my daddy. Please... I'm not an orphan anymore, I have a family, and I wanna go back to daddy."

The youkai just gave a broad, vicious grin. His answer was to touch Kinno's entrance and force his finger into it with one long, steady push.

"There are many customers eager to play daddy with you..."

He shook his head vehemently.

"No! I want my real daddy!"

The youkai roared. He glared at Kinno, and the youko sniffled his whiny cry.

"Go down!" Kinno's master commanded him. The finger inside him reached deeper, hurting him as his master grabbed his whole behind and forced him down, while his other hand started to unfasten his belt and fly.

"No Master.. Please... I don't want it..."

The reply came quick and harsh.

"I don't give a damn to what you want! Do your job, and do it well, or I'll punish you hard!"

Kinno sobbed, but his plaintive cry didn't move his Master.

"I can't take it, Master. I'm sick... I'm gonna throw up..."

He huffed, when the invading finger was pulled abruptly out of his rear. He tried to stand up, but then he was hit by a heavy slap on his head.

"Piece of crap! Do it, and don't you dare to throw up on me, or I kill you!"

Kinno breathed deeply. He acquiesced to the other then, doing all he could to suffocate his nausea as he went down on his Master.

He couldn't lose his hope... No... In the meanwhile, he needed to accept the orders not to suffer even more. Hope was all he had left...

He parted his lips, and allowed the abuse. But all the while, as he did, it, diligently, the way he had always been told, the way his clients enjoyed it the most, he cried, and instead of  bearing the rosy flush of excitement, his cheeks were covered with tears.

Hiei walked closer to the edge, contemplating with concern their vast scenery. They had climbed to the highest part of their territory. From  there they could have a hill top view extending as far as Gandara's towers, the horizons, the distant, turbulent rivers, and the forests which extended beyond.

Hiei scanned the area then. His red yes were shut, and only the Jagan on his brow scrutinized the landscape.

Kurama could not avoid feeling a bit guilty, even though he was no baby sitter. He and Hiei had so much better  things to do than to keep track of  Kinno's daily routine...

Soon, and with relief, Hiei and Kurama got used to Kinno not being present most of the time.

Two days before they had been too busy to notice Kinno hadn't come home. In fact they were so busy they had woken up very late the following morning. Then Kurama naturally assumed the youko had already left to Gandara, for his chores.

Therefore, neither Kurama nor Hiei had any concern about Kinno's whereabouts.

The kid hadn't show up in the evening but Kurama considered he could be spending the night with his friend Skunk somewhere. After all,  Gandara was a very safe city, and the golden youko had never mentioned he had any enemies...

With a smile, and kisses, and very insinuating caresses, the youko made Hiei forget any concerns he might have then...

Now, the sun was almost set, and Kinno had not returned. It had been three days now since they last saw him.

K'so!

Kurama just knew Hiei would blame him for that, but till then he had done nothing, said nothing, keeping his usual dour, silent mood....

Yeah, but the youko could see it coming... Hiei had been standing atop that hill for hours now, focusing his Jagan to the broadest scope he could reach.

And yet, the pretty Fire Demon showed no sign of exhaustion.

The youkai crossed his hands behind his back, the bandanna hanging loose from his fidgeting fingers. He opened his eyes then, and folded his Jagan.

"You should have told me Kinno was missing."

Kurama's eyes narrowed as he frowned his brow, annoyed at that coment.

"I am not a youko au-pair!"

Hiei gazed at Kurama with an irritated expression as well. He fumbled the bandanna into one of his cloak's pockets, and eyed his lover, very seriously.

"What did you tell the kid?"

"You must have said something very bad to make him leave this way!"

"I said nothing, and I did nothing to that tramp!" Kurama breathed deeper then, and glared at Hiei. "Reproach me, or accuse me again, and I will be the one to leave!"

Hiei smirked.

"Hn. And where would you go to? Back to momma's house?"

Kurama's eyes glinted in the dusk, showing a true evil intent.

"At least I have my momma's house to go back to!"

They gave their backs one to the other then.

A heavy, tense silence fell around them. For long, difficult moments they could only listen to the night breeze, slow and  soft all over.

Hiei snorted.

Kurama gave out a long, apparently annoyed sigh.

Hiei fidgeted in place, and kicked a shrub of dandelions growing right next to him.

Kurama cleared his throat loudly.

Hiei inspected his right arm, checking to see if his dragon  was properly wrapped.

Kurama tossed at his hair, his fingers flipping the long silver bangs off his eyes.

"Stupid Youko. Your mother would never accept you back in this aspect."

"I don't wanna go back anyway. Only if you send me away, baby..."

"I will never send you away, youko..."
 

"Yeah... It's better..."

Kurama smiled then, but there was a tint of bitterness in his face.

"So, don't blame me for it, allright?"

He patted the space by his side, and took one sweet glimpse to his youko, calling Kurama to join.

"Come here, Kurama....'

"Hn... I can't live without you, my insatiable silver fox."

Kurama brought one hand to his lips, his fingers tenderly hiding his smile, in one gesture which he would not abandon,  not even if his old days of his existence as Minamino  Shuuichi had ended.

"Oh... Me neither, my Fire Stud."
 
Kurama rested his chin atop Hiei's head when the youkai nestled his face against his chest. He stroked his youkai's shoulder and arm with one long, calm touch, trying to ease him. He could feel this pretty was really concerned about the kid's whereabouts.

"Do you think he might have been kidnapped?"

Kurama shook his head very slowly.

"I don't think so..."

Hiei heaved a deep sigh.

"I can't find him anywhere around."

"Your Jagan has a limited range, baby; don't worry much"

"He must be too far away then for me not to detect him."

"Do you think he might have someone? A lover, a owner, a master who could seize him back?"

Hiei blinked. He rubbed himself on his youko then, enjoying the warmth of his so much bigger lover; Kurama was like his super-dose of  tranquilizer.

"Kinno has never mentioned anyone to me."

"And that friend of his? Maybe the Skunk knows something."

Hiei shook his head in one long, upset negative.

"I can't find him either. Something odd must be happening."

"Yomi's city is safe. I wouldn't send the youko there if  it weren't."

"I don't want anything really bad happenning to the that stupid kid..." Kurama breathed deeply, then, and he cupped Hiei's nape very tenderly. "I don't know whether he's my son or not, but as soon as he came to live with us, I assumed I had responsibilities..."

"We have responsibilities..." Hiei added, emphasizing very sweetly, that he wanted to be included.

"Hiei, I don't like that rent-youko, but I would never shove him away without your consent..."

"I know that."

"I'd like to know the truth, but meanwhile, I can only do my best to live as well as I can with him."

Hiei pulled himself back, and faced the youko, with a direct, serious, and yet loving expression.

"That's why I brought him along, Kurama; on account of the doubt. I'd feel too guilty if I hadn't at least tried something "

Kurama sighed deeply. He could understand Hiei's motives very clearly then.

"Yes, baby. It's better to face doubt than guilt."

Hiei stood up, with one nimble, quick move. Decisively, he stared at Kurama and offered him one small yet tender smile.

"I'm gonna find Kinno."

Hiei walked along the precipice's edge, and focusing south, he stopped, shutting his eyes and opening his Jagan wide. Kurama knew Hiei would not give himself any rest till he had scanned the whole Makai, maybe beyond, after Kinno.

He smiled slightly.

Well, He could be of  help too.

The youko called forth his you-ki, which grew like a rotating spiral around him, and the outline of his body started to lose definition, growing smaller and yet brighter, as his silver aura concentrated, wholly, in his six-tailed fox aspect.

Then with a toss of his small head, the fox stepped towards Hiei.

His six tails were waved in a beautiful succession, to one side and then the other, as he rubbed his torso along Hiei's leg, demanding attention.

The youkai interrupted his search for a while, just enough to pat his partner's head, and play a little with his twitching pointed ears. He cupped Kurama's pointed face with one hand, and bend over to place a soft kiss on the fox's snout.

"You are looking for the kid too? Thanks Fox..."

Kurama faced Hiei with his round, fox eyes, full of loving, and then licked the palm of his hand, in a foxy kiss.

"Take care, Kurama!"

Kurama left Hiei there, and merged into the darkness and the vegetation, silently,  in all his vulpine stealth and grace.
 

 

To be Continued...