Disclaimer: I don't own Princess Mononoke, I'm not that lucky.
Note: This takes place immediately after the movie Princess Mononoke. If you haven't seen the movie then don't read this, it won't make sense.
I'll Always be Near
Ashitaka watched as San left with the wolves and he couldn't help thinking how far apart they were, there were so many differences between the two and Ashitaka knew they were a strange pair indeed. The breeze gently ruffled his hair as he stood alone with Yakkle, his loyal red elk. Yakkle gently nudged Ashitaka's arm, he reached up and patted the elk's muzzle. "Yakkle," he said softly as he patted the elk's back. He slowly began to inspect Yakkle's leg. He found that the wound from the arrow was nothing but a small scar now. "So, your leg was healed when the forest spirit fell, my friend," Ashitaka said as he looked at his right hand which held only a very slight reminiscence of the demon mark.
As soon as Ashitaka was sure his companion was strong enough, he mounted the elk. Ashitaka looked around at the beautiful hills which were now covered in green grass, and he looked at towards the woods where San had disappeared into. He had been sad to see her go and for a fleeting moment he had wanted to go with her, but he knew he would see her again, his heart told him so. But first, he had to go back to Iron town and he would help them rebuild. Maybe now the forest and humans good live in harmony with another. No more fighting would come, and he could find a place here, with the humans and the forest.
Ashitaka slowly rode his elk across the hills and towards the lake, where the town and other people were. As he came to the top of the hill he could see the fallen fortress, which had once been the great Iron works. Now it was covered in plant life and didn't resemble at all what it had once been. Where there was once smoke, the sky shown clearly, and where there had once been strong walls, there was only broken wood.
Ashitaka could see some of the Tatara women coming out of the great entrance, looking for him? Maybe they are, perhaps they think I'm dead. I hope they have more faith in me then that, Ashitaka thought with a small smile. Ashitaka looked back to the edge of the forest with only one thing on his mind, San, he thought with a sigh. He looked back at Iron town and noticed some of the women were pointing at him form across the lake. I guess they've finally seen me, Ashitaka thought to himself.
"Well Yakkle, this is going to be our new home for awhile, but we won't stay there all the time," he said to his elk, as he took one last glance back at the forest. "I have a feeling we're going to be in the forest a lot as well," Ashitaka mused to his loyal friend. After all, I told her I would visit her as often as I could, and I always keep my word. "Until then," Ashitaka thought aloud, "I'll be in Iron town, but no matter what, I'll always be near her, I will keep her heart near my own," Ashitaka promised to himself, but his words became lost in the strong winds that whipped around him. The winds rustled the grass and blew into the trees, carrying his words away deep into the forest. Ashitaka paused a moment and then set off with Yakkle towards the fallen town, towards his new home and towards a new beginning. Ashitaka thought of the forest spirit and Moro. He also thought about the curse that had been lifted from him, and wondered if he had never been cursed, then he would never had ended up here. He would have never been brought into this war, he would have never ridden a wolf or give a god back it's head. I wouldn't have met San, he thought to himself, and that is what made this whole thing worth it.
Sometimes fate, destiny, sometimes it all had it's way of working out and someting great can be made into something even better. Ashitaka closed his eyes and listened to Yakkle's hooves trot over the ground. Far off in the distance, Ashitaka thought he heard the faint howl of a wolf, but it could have just been the wind.
Author's note: I decided to write this story when I realized that not too many people have written Princess Mononoke stories. I wanted to write something because I love this movie and I wanted to see it get a little more attention. Thanks for reading, feel free to write a review, and always remember, ANIME RULES! Long Live Hayao Miyazaki!