A Wolf Among Humans: Rebuilding and Threats
A/n: This is my very first Princess Mononoke fanfic. I was kind of making up the story while I was trying to fall asleep two nights ago and I was thinking of it while watching the movie with a friend last night. So, here is the premise: While Ashitaka is helping to rebuild Irontown, he goes to see San and after they take a rest from hunting, they are up in a tree when they hear Lord Asano and his men moving in towards the newly rebuilt town to attack. Can Ashitaka and San work with former enemies to stop another war or will rising tensions prevent them from allying with those who can help them? I don't own anything, except for any OC's that I may introduce. Please read and review! Thank you. Kirsten
It was a warm, sunny day and Ashitaka could not stop himself from looking towards the forest. How he would love to see San on a day like this and just run through the forest with her while also doing a bit of hunting or fishing. But, he couldn't break his promise to help rebuild Irontown. It was almost done and he planned to see San after everything was completed to ask her if she wanted him to live permanently with her in the forest. He was comfortable enough temporarily living with Kohroku and Toki, but he wanted his own home with San and he would never ask her to live amongst the humans that she hadn't forgiven yet. They could both survive together in the forest, but he knew that he would miss the friends he had made amongst the people. Still, his attention kept being diverted towards the trees and he almost hit Kohroku with a beam.
"Ashitaka! Watch out!" Kohroku yelled. Ashitaka snapped back into awareness and turned sharply to avoid knocking out his friend.
"I'm sorry, Kohroku," he apologized. "I don't know where my mind is."
"It's obviously on San. You've been thinking about her for the past three weeks," Toki said behind him, carrying a bucket full of shimmering pitch. "You can't stop looking towards the forest, Ashitaka. It's sweet that you miss her and want to see her again."
"I do want to see her again, but I promised that I would help to rebuild this town before going to her."
"Ashitaka, we're fine here. You can take the afternoon off if you want to," Toki told him a little too patiently. Ashitaka couldn't help smiling. Toki was reading his mind and he knew that he could always inform Lady Eboshi of any comings and goings to the forest.
"Just let me put this beam down first," he said. Kohroku stepped out of the way and Ashitaka laid the beam down on the marked foundation. He then hurried toward the house that he was sharing and grabbed his bow and arrows. Toki gave him a smile of approval when he reappeared.
"Go on and enjoy some time with the girl that you love. But not too much," she said with a wink before yelling at Kohroku for misplacing the nails again. Ashitaka found Lady Eboshi in the clearing that would be plotted out as farming land. The soil was very fertile and the timing for growing things was just right. She was doing all that she could to help with the planting even though she only had one arm. When she heard Ashitaka approaching, Lady Eboshi managed to greet him with a cordial smile.
"Off to the forest, Ashitaka?" she asked, a little out of breath.
"Only for the afternoon, Eboshi. I'll be back before nightfall," he answered.
"Very good. I will see you then."
Ashitaka nodded and headed off into the forest. He followed the trails that San had marked with branches and rocks pointed certain ways so that he would find her quickly, no matter where she was. He eventually found her at the river, playing with her wolf brothers, Otouto and Ookami. Ashitaka couldn't help smiling as he watched San splash and giggle and wrestle with the two wolves. She heard him approaching though and her face broke out into a huge smile when she saw him.
"Ashitaka!" she yelled joyfully and ran towards him. Ashitaka had just enough time to set down his bow and arrows before San pounced on him. He caught her in his arms and staggered to keep his balance, but they stayed upright. She kissed and licked his face and Ashitaka returned her kisses. It took San a little while to calm down and loosen her embrace a bit so that she could look up at him.
"It's so good to see you! I didn't know you were coming!" she exclaimed.
"Neither did I, but Toki told me to take the afternoon off," he told her, smiling down at the beautiful girl. "I couldn't stop looking towards the forest during the past three weeks and she noticed that I was thinking about you."
"I've been thinking about you too and I'm so happy that you are here, with me. Even if it's only for the afternoon," she said and snuggled against his chest. Ashitaka gently stroked her short hair, just enjoying having her in his arms again after so long. Her wolf brothers had stayed back while the two humans reunited, but Ashitaka could see them approaching after he had been holding San for a while. He let go of her to bow respectfully to them.
"Greetings Ashitaka," Ookami, the older wolf said.
"Hello Ookami. Otouto," Ashitaka told the two brothers.
"So what brings you to the forest, other than to see our sister?" Otouto asked, nodding towards Ashitaka's bow and arrows.
"I wanted to a bit of hunting. Do you want to come with me, San?" Ashitaka asked.
"Yes." San picked up her spear and the two headed off into the forest. They walked silently amongst the trees, listening to the wind sighing through the leaves, the animals scurrying about, the little rattles of the Kodama, and the birds singing in their nests. San and Ashitaka trusted one another to watch their backs, even though no harm would come to them for only taking what they needed from the forest. They bagged a few rabbits and game birds, stopping when they had enough. After they had placed their kills and weapons in the cave that San shared with her brothers, they went back into the forest, wandering hand in hand through the paths. Ashitaka told San about the progress of rebuilding Irontown while she informed him of the latest peace efforts that the gods and the spirits were talking about to make with the humans. When they stopped for a rest, they were at the very bottom of a tall tree just outside of the Forest Spirit's sacred lake. San kept looking up at the tree and Ashitaka noticed her marking the handholds and footholds with her eyes.
"San, did you want to climb that tree so that we could have some privacy?" he asked her.
"I do," she replied. She stepped back though to let Ashitaka climb up ahead of her. However, she was quick to follow him, scurrying up like a squirrel. Ashitaka stopped when they reached a branch that was wide and sturdy enough to hold two humans. He settled back against the trunk and sat in a way that allowed San to lean against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist and San took his hands in hers. They turned their faces up towards the sunlight and just enjoyed the warmth for a while. Ashitaka was dozing off when he suddenly felt San's finger tracing over the scar that remained from the curse that Nago had placed on him a few months before.
"Does it ever hurt?" she asked.
"Only when I feel anger or hatred," he answered. "It'll burn a little bit to remind me not to let my temper get the better of me."
"I wish I had a reminder like that. I seem to get angry every time I see any human but you near the forest."
"It's all right, San. Just don't kill anybody."
"I'll try not to."
Ashitaka knew that was the best he was going to get from San and she seemed willing to let the issue drop. He completely understood her feelings towards the humans and he wasn't going to try to change that for her. San let out a short sigh before relaxing again, but it wasn't too long before they noticed how unusually quiet things were. They both waited, listening. They soon heard the sounds of quite a lot of men and animals moving through the forest. Peering down through the leaves, they could see a richly attired male figure on a horse with what looked to be a whole army of samurai behind him. The man on horseback stopped just below their tree and raised a hand and everyone halted.
"We'll camp here for the night," the leader said in a cold, authoritative tone. He took off his helmet and they could see that he was a sharply handsome man with close cropped dark brown hair and beard, high cheekbones, a hooked nose, and piercing blue eyes. His mouth seemed to be twisted up in a permanent smirk. Another man came up to him to ask a question after he dismounted.
"Lord Asano, how long will it be until we get to Irontown?"
"We will arrive by tomorrow morning, but we will stay hidden from the people for a few more days. I want to spy them out before attacking. Lady Eboshi thinks she can stop me from getting to the iron, but we shall take over her people easily."
"And what about the gods and that wolf girl living in this forest, my lord?"
"Well, the samurai who survived told me that they will fight to the death. However, I intend to capture the wolf girl to keep them from doing so and who knows? She may amuse me for some time before I strangle her."
Ashitaka could see San tensing to attack and he quickly reached out to grip her arm before she leapt down from the tree. He was fighting his own anger and it wasn't easy to do so. How dare this Lord Asano assume that he could just take Ashitaka's San! They would both fight him to the death.
"Now, leave me in peace. Take care of my horse," Lord Asano told the other man. The man bowed and took the reins. Ashitaka put his mouth right up to San's ear to whisper his plan to her.
"I have to warn Lady Eboshi and her people right away, San."
San turned towards him to whisper back.
"We'll have to leap through the treetops. Can you do that?"
"Yes."
San nodded and crouched down to leap over to the next tree. Ashitaka quickly followed her. The trees grew closely together so that they didn't have to take huge leaps. However, Ashitaka undershot the distance for one of the trees that two men were collecting firewood under. He would have fallen if San had not grabbed his arm and hauled him up with her. Their rustling caused the two men to look up.
"What was that?" one of them asked.
"Probably just an ape," the other answered. San and Ashitaka waited, breathing as quietly as possible while the men gathered up the wood and walked back towards the camp. Only when they could no longer hear their footsteps did San turn to Ashitaka.
"Are you all right?" she asked with concern.
"I'm fine," he answered.
"We're halfway to the cave, but I want to put a few more trees behind us just to be safe."
Ashitaka nodded in understanding before they leapt again. After five more trees, they finally felt safe enough to climb down. They hurried quickly to the cave. Luckily, San's brothers were there.
"San, what is it?" Ookami asked the moment he saw how scared and angry they looked.
She quickly explained what was going on to her brothers while Ashitaka collected his bow and arrows. When he emerged from the cave, San didn't look scared anymore, but she was a great deal angrier.
"What's going on?" he asked tentatively.
"It's a stupid idea!" San exclaimed and she glared at her two wolf brothers.
Otouto sighed before answering Ashitaka's question. "We think San should go back with you to the rebuilt town with the humans."
A/n: I think this is a good place to end the first chapter. So, do you think San will go with Ashitaka or will she fight hand and tooth to stay with her brothers?