Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Fox Love ❯ Ring ( Chapter 13 )

Fox Love:
Chapter 13- Ring

The next day dawned pale and clear. The sun had not yet shown its face through the thin filmy clouds covering the sky, and the day had yet to warm. Beneath their blankets, five teens shivered and wished unconsciously for warmth. A wispy mist swirled above the chill ground and clung to their hair and faces, the only parts of them that showed out of their makeshift beds.

But, an hour later the clouds cleared, blown on the breath of a gentle east breeze and the mist dissipated under the sun's glare. The five awoke to a gorgeous morning and what seemed to be another perfect day.

Haven yawned as she stuffed her things into her pack. Another day or so of travel and they would probably find the Chaos Ring. After that...who knew what. Her bright green eyes roamed over the others, still packing, and fell upon Kurama. Kurama...Kurama! Last night's memories came flooding back into her mind in a rush. Her cheeks flushed as she remembered him holding her in his arms and her own around him. Her lower lip trembled slightly for a second then she regained her composure.

Kurama had said he loved her...but should she believe him? She desperately wanted to believe him, with all her heart, but she had been hurt before and had sworn to never commit again. Should she? Deep down inside a voice insisted she should. Because buried deep down inside, amid the slowly healing wreckage of her heart, she knew she loved him also. Her eyes had been on Kurama the whole time these thoughts were swirling in her mind, and he finally looked up, sensing someone's eyes upon him. Meeting her stare he smiled and Haven quickly looked away, her cheeks and ears pink.

Hiei, Kuwabara, and Yusuke exchanged knowing glances and Kurama walked over to the fox-girl and sat down beside her.

She refused, however, to meet his gaze until he spoke to her. "Haven," he said softly.

Her head slowly turned and tilted slightly up. He smiled once more and this time she responded with a smile of her own. His grin widening, Kurama stood up and grasped Haven's hands in his, pulling her with him.

"Ahem," Hiei coughed, not very tactfully. "We're ready to leave now."

He turned and began to skirt the edge of the lake, back towards the path, with Yusuke and Kuwabara following. Kurama turned to Haven and grasped her hand firmly in his.

"Come on, love," he said.

And so the little company continued its journey, not knowing what lie ahead. For if they had, they would have quit right then and there.

***************

The afternoon sun shone down harshly from above, the heat from it baking the path and causing it to shimmer. Swearing under his breath, Yusuke pulled off his shirt and stuffed it into the pack slung over his right shoulder. The other boys followed suit, the group stopping for a moment to fan themselves and take a drink.

Haven wiped her face on her arm and wished it wasn't so hot. She wasn't used to weather this extreme yet. As the group continued walking a few minutes later, Kurama's arm slipped about her slender waist. Settling into his side, she leaned her head on his shoulder for a moment to let him know she cared, and matched his pace stride for stride.

Giving her a gentle squeeze, Kurama called ou to Yusuke ahead of him and inquired how much longer until they could stop.

The answer never came for as the fox asked, Yusuke veered off the path and into a small grove of trees. Flopping down in the cool shade, he yanked out a water bottle and began to guzzle it down. The others sat down too, and began rummaging in their packs for their water also.

But before anyone could say anything, Haven pulled out the Chaos Whistle and held it out. Her friends didn't even have to look by now, to know what it was she wanted them to see. The Whistle hummed once more. She unsheathed the sword belted at her waist, and it hummed also. One by one Whip, Staff, and Sphere were also produced, humming in chorus with the Sword and Whistle.

"Looks like Boton was right," Yusuke commented smartly.

Nodding, they all put away the Articles, all except for the Sword, which Haven laid on the ground at her side. Resting for only a short time, they started their trek once more, following the Sword towards the Chaos Ring.

That night found the Urameshi Team in a small inn on the outskirts of a small town. The moon shone brightly through their open windows and the night breeze was heavily scented with the flowers' perfume. Her unbound hair rippling softly about her head, Haven sheathed the screeching Chaos Sword and sighed in relief when the sound was quickly cut off. They were close, she could tell. Tomorrow, rested and revived, they would search out the location of the Ring and gain possession of it. After that, all that was left was the Chaos Coronet, the most elusive of the Artifacts by far.

Sighing, Haven plopped down on her bed and stared up at the moon through her window. The stars around it winked with their own white light, and the tree branches swayed slowly. Sleep came easy that night, for everyone, and soon the moon looked down upon five sleeping teens.

Morning came all too fast. The sun woke them all in the early morning hours, before hiding behind a screen of pale gray clouds. A yawning team once more gathered behind Haven and the Sword as the two led them to their destination. Squealing and humming, the Sword was almost out of Haven, Kurama, and Yusuke's combined strengths. Hiei and Kuwabara hovered close behind, nervous, yet filled with the kind of excitement and anticipation they only felt before a battle.

A large field opened in front of the company and they stopped short when they saw what was standing before them. Another demon, this one with a glowing finger. The Sword jumped and shrieked once more, before going still. Relieved, Kurama and Yusuke let go, each drawing their on weapons.

The Chaos Whip seemed to sing in Kurama's experienced grasp as he unfurled it and snapped it high above his head. Yusuke laughed as his fingers glowed blue and the Chaos Sphere was twirled in his able grasp. Kuwabara's sword crackled and hissed as it sprang out of his left hand, and the Chaos Staff smacked the ground hard in his right. Grinning a feral, wolfish grin, Hiei, the only one without possession of a Chaos Artifact, pulled his sword free of the scabbard Haven had got him and sliced through the air in front of him.

They all shifted to fighting stance and the demon before them laughed. "I know what you want," he stated, his voice deep and mocking. "You want my Ring!"

"Aren't we the smart one?" Yusuke replied, his voice dripping sarcasm.

But the beast only laughed again, his huge chest heaving and he stomped on the ground, causing all but Haven to waver slightly. "Don't push me, children, I might get mad."

And he brought his hand up above his head. Lightning crackled overhead, seemingly attracted to the Ring. "You are dead!" he yelled and snapped his hand in their direction.

But they had anticipated this and were already moving. Surprised, the demon laughed again. "You are better then I thought," he chuckled cruelly. "But now the real fight begins!"

The lightning collected in his hand, forming a deadly ball of hissing, snapping energy. He threw the ball at Hiei, who dodged smartly and slashed at the demon's head. As if on cue, the rest of the team began their attack, moving as one.

As the fight wore on, the team's talent and deadly skill became apparent. They seemed as if they were one unit, for they all moved with each other; blocking where there was an opening, attacking when there was a chance. They protected one another, and moved as fluidly as water. They were perfectly timed, perfectly matched. The ideal fighting team.

The demon became less and less cocky as the fight continued. He noticed how well they all fought, how each one seemed to know exactly what the others were doing and what they were going to do next. He became afraid and allowed himself to slip and make stupid mistakes, which, in the end, cost him his life.

Two hours later the demon lay dead, the ground about him soaked with the crimson liquid of his lifeblood. A triumphant Urameshi Team stood to the side, admiring their latest possession. The Ring was later slipped into Yusuke's pack, for none of them wanted to wear it, and the team crowded around Yusuke as he contacted Boton on the mirror.

"Excellent job with the Ring!" she congratulated them.

"Thanks."

"Now you have to go south to find the Coronet! Koenma's not sure of it's exact location, but it's somewhere south of where you are."

"Gotcha!" The Spirit Detective answered.

"Good Luck!" And the link was shut down.

"Well, guys. Looks like we're leaving!" Yusuke exclaimed.

Smiling, his group followed, the dark cloud of the fate that awaited them still following. It moved slightly behind them, lurking in the shadows and dark corners of the woods, watching, waiting, for the moment when it would strike.