The war was over. The conflict between the humans and the beasts had been resolved. Lord Asado had been driven away from the small settlement atop a grassy hill, and the citizens lived in relative peace. Iron town was being rebuilt without its iron works and bellows. Lady Eboshi sat with Ashitaka on the straw roof of a newly constructed house as they oversaw the development. Eboshi turned to the young man and opened her mouth to speak, then hesitated.
"What is it?" questioned Ashitaka, turning to lady Eboshi as he did so. "Speak your mind, and I will gladly listen."
"Well, it's that wolf girl, San," replied Eboshi. She detected a distinctive twitch from Ashitaka. "I'm just wondering why she won't embrace her human form and come to live with us…"
Ashitaka turned to watch the town's construction workers pile straw onto the wooden frames of moss-covered houses and said, "I often wonder myself…" He suddenly perked up and said, "Maybe I could persuade her to live among us for a few days. Just so she knows she's welcome." He turned to lady Eboshi and waited for her reply. After what seemed like forever it came.
"I think it would be a good idea to… let her see us for what we are," said lady Eboshi. She looked at Ashitaka out of the corner of her eye. "Perhaps you should try to get San to live with you here. Just for a few days." Ashitaka let out a nervously drawn breath and stood to face the one armed lady who had not feared the gods when they reared their heads, nor the demon's cursed flesh. He nodded and turned to mount Yakul, speaking as he did so.
"I'll see if I can get her to stay," he said over his shoulder. "But it won't be easy." With this he jumped from the roof and leapt on Yakul, briefly startling the animal.
"C'mon Yakul," said Ashitaka, urging Yakul forward. Let's go find San." But the great red elk just reared its head and snorted, walking in small circles as it did so. The watchtower gong sounded and the watchman shouted warning of an approaching stranger. Ashitaka dismounted and strode towards the heavy gate. He clambered up the watchtower ladder and peered intently at the man coming towards their village. Upon closer inspection he noticed the man was riddled with arrows and bleeding from dozens of wounds. He yelled to the men at the gate to let the strange man through. Reluctantly, they complied.
Ashitaka made a point of standing in the middle of the gateway, awaiting the stranger's entrance into his humble town. He yelled a greeting, but no reply came. He drew his sword and yelled again, this time a warning not to come closer. The man riding on his injured steed continued clumsily towards the town. Finally Ashitaka gave in and stood to the side as the man passed. Moments later he slumped down in his saddle and nearly fell off his horse, but was caught by a few of the commoners.
"You OK sir?" said one of them as he propped the man up on one shoulder. He received a short grunt in reply. He and his fellow commoners placed him down against one of the many wood piles and watched him closely along with many others. Ashitaka broke through the crowd and knelt beside the man. He took his pulse and his features hardened.
"His pulse is far to slow," said Ashitaka. "Is there a medic? This man may have important information."
"I'm a doctor!" yelled one man as he hurriedly burst through the crowd and stumbled to Ashitaka's side. He took out sets of unnecessary equipment and placed one on the man's wrist. The doctor leapt back and said, "He has no pulse!"
Ashitaka felt his wrist and nodded grimly. "I regret to say it, but he's dead." A few gasps came from the crowd. Ashitaka rose and began to walk away when he heard a strong but rasping voice behind him.
"Dead?" said the voice, chuckling as it did so. "I may be fool enough to venture into Asado's territory, but I think I can tell when I'm dead."
Ashitaka turned suddenly and looked at the man, who had pulled away his mask to reveal his handsome features, though not quite the same as Ashitaka's. A few gasps came from the women and Ashitaka approached the stranger.
"What is your name, stranger?" asked Ashitaka as he resumed his squatting position beside the man. The man coughed and managed to rasp out his name.
"My name is," he paused to cough, then continued. "Karasu Yuuhi." He coughed and slumped back against the wall, closing his eyes as he did so.
"What business do you have here?" asked Ashitaka, determined to get some sort of information from the stranger. He coughed and muttered in barely audible tones.
"I bring you message of Asano's spread through the north," replied the exhausted man. "I also wish to speak to San…" and he trailed off, falling back against the half built structure that server as his headrest. Ashitaka was tempted to shake him awake to ask him what he needed to say, or why he knew San, but he knew better. He opted instead to head in the direction of the forest and to find San to tell her of the events that unfolded in his small town.
