Hello! Long time no see! I've been busy with all sorts of good stuff, and now I'm finally ready to post my first true, independent multi-chapter fanfic! Alright, I posted some of it on deviantART already, but whatever. Cheesy as it sounds, this is a story I've wanted to tell for years, ever since that fateful day I filled out that stupid shipping meme on deviantART... Ah, memories. Anyway, I probably don't have to say it, but this is very much an AU. The events of Princess Mononoke remain untouched, but the Inheritance Cycle timeline has been slightly altered in a way that I will address at a later date. For now, though, sit back and relax, and I shall tell you the tale...
Yakul marched through the forest, filled with determination. It had been almost half a day since he last saw his human emerge from the shelter of the cave. Although Ashitaka had been calm in the face of danger, as he had so many times before, things were very different now…
Ashitaka had been acting strangely for quite a while now, but ever since the pair had entered this labyrinthine mountain forest several weeks previously, it seemed like something was genuinely wrong with him. He ate less frequently, and barely offered any input as to where he wanted Yakul to go. When he wasn't riding Yakul, Ashitaka would often wander aimlessly, lost in his own thoughts. Needless to say, these uncharacteristic behaviors were more than a little shocking to the elk.
Everything finally came to a head one evening, when Ashitaka was taking another one of his walks. After arriving near a fast-moving stream at the base of a cliff, the young man had dismounted and removed Yakul's tack, as per usual. Yakul couldn't help but notice how thin Ashitaka had become over the past few weeks. His eyes appeared sunken and dull, and well-worn travelling clothes hung loosely on his once-athletic frame.
Though Ashitaka's walks usually gave Yakul time to himself to graze and relax after a long day's travel, some instinct told Yakul that, this time, he should follow. For the most part, the young man's walk was uneventful. He wandered through the fragrant pine trees, past a clearing of nearly ripe blackberry bushes, before doubling back toward the stream. All the while, he seemed completely oblivious to the large red elk just a little ways behind him.
Luckily for Ashitaka, this particular mountain stream happened to have a few large boulders forming a natural, makeshift bridge, as he seemed completely oblivious to the sudden change in terrain. He was snapped back to reality, however, when he stepped directly not onto rock, but a slick patch of river moss. Before Yakul could even react, Ashitaka completely lost his footing and, with a yelp of surprise, plunged sideways into the rushing stream.
The water ran deeper and faster than it seemed, for the young man could barely keep his head above surface, nor could he swim to shore, especially in his weakened state. The moment Ashitaka hit the water, though; brave, loyal Yakul was leaping right in after him.
Reaching the human was a lot more difficult than Yakul had anticipated. It seemed like every time the elk swam closer to him, Ashitaka slipped further downstream. Although Yakul was large enough for his hooves to find purchase on the rocky streambed, Ashitaka was helpless against the raging current, which threw his body against submerged rocks and logs as easily as any other debris.
Suddenly, the sound of rushing water began to intensify. Just ahead, the stream sharply gave way at the edge of a bluff, creating a short but steep waterfall. Although his loyalty to Ashitaka was strong, powerful animal instinct drove Yakul to haul himself out of the stream. If he was quick, perhaps he could save Ashitaka from shore.
Rushing ahead, Yakul held out his horns as far as he could over the stream, just as Ashitaka passed beneath them. The young man grabbed his left hand, then his right, but all he caught was air. Meeting his attempted rescuer's gaze with wide, terrified eyes, Ashitaka had no choice but to brace him for the drop.
Scrambling down the rocks, Yakul frantically scanned the pond for signs of life. The waterfall wasn't all that high, but enough so that survival was no guarantee, and the rocks at the bottom didn't help. Fortunately, only a few seconds passed before Ashitaka resurfaced, coughing and spitting water.
Filled with relief, Yakul waded out to meet his human. Although his near-death experience had clearly taken its toll, Ashitaka gently smiled and stroked Yakul's muzzle before hoisting himself onto the elk's back. As he did so, Ashitaka let out a sharp, involuntary scream, nearly causing Yakul to jump out of his skin.
Looking back at his rider, Yakul smelled the blood before he saw it. Below the knee, Ashitaka's right leg hung down limply, with red stains appearing on his tan leggings. Yakul's ears folded back anxiously; for as long as they'd been together, Yakul could only remember a handful of times Ashitaka had been injured badly enough to show weakness. Not even taking an iron bullet through the chest had stopped him from calmly helping his friend, San, escape from Iron Town the year before. Ever since he and Ashitaka last saw San and her wolves, though, Yakul had noticed more vulnerability in the young man, mentally and physically.
Rather than allowing Ashitaka to risk injuring himself further, Yakul carried him out of the water, the young man slung across the elk's back like a hunter's prize. Taking shelter beneath a dry overhang near the base of the falls, Yakul lay down on his belly to allow Ashitaka to slide off. Though injured and weak, Ashitaka managed to pull himself into a sitting position against his elk. He winced and rubbed his left wrist as he did so; it was definitely broken in the fall, as well as one of his ribs. However, Ashitaka had more pressing injuries to attend to, and he turned his attention to his leg.
As the young man pulled the boot from his injured foot, Yakul's nostrils flared at the sight of the watered-down blood spilling from the soft leather. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Ashitaka rolled up his pants-leg to reveal swollen, bruised flesh, and worst of all, a bloody gash on his shin through which a pale sliver of bone could be seen.
Dread filled both man and elk alike. An injury such as this, even ignoring the fact that walking was now impossible, could easily become infected and prove fatal if not cleaned and dressed properly. However, all of Ashitaka's survival gear was in Yakul's saddlebags, which were now lying on the ground all the way upstream.
With no way of treating his injuries and dusk fast approaching, there seemed to be little choice in what Ashitaka could do. Turning toward Yakul, he wrapped his arms around the elk's neck, gently stroking the thick, red fur. When he finally let go, Yakul saw tears forming in the corners of Ashitaka's grey-blue eyes.
"Thank you for everything, my friend." The young man's voice quivered with emotion, but he remained calm as ever. "Please don't worry about me. Just promise me you'll live the best life you can. If anyone deserves to, it's you."
Being an elk, Yakul couldn't understand much of what humans had to say, but the way Ashitaka spoke to him now filled him with dread. Turning away from Yakul, the young man began to drag himself toward a small cave at the base of the cliff, disappearing from sight into the tomb-like structure. This wasn't unusual behavior for Ashitaka, who often slept in natural shelters when he could find him, though this time Yakul was very uncomfortable letting his human leave his side. Eventually, exhaustion got the better of the red elk, and he drifted off to sleep.
When morning came, Yakul was the first to wake up. After a quick drink from the pool beneath the waterfall and a few mouthfuls of grass, he poked his head into the cave to check on Ashitaka. Though nothing was visible in the darkness of the hollow, Yakul could tell all he needed to know with just his ears and nose, confirming his worst fears. Though Ashitaka was still breathing, it was shallow and labored. The sour smell of infection and dried blood hung like a shroud in the cramped space.
Finally, it all made sense to Yakul. Ashitaka was going to die. Just like a sick or wounded animal, he had hidden himself away, quietly waiting for nature to take its course.
Well, Yakul wouldn't stand for it. He and Ashitaka had survived a lot worse, and this time would be no different. It had to be. It couldn't end here, and certainly not like this!
Though he was no animal god or forest spirit, Yakul was still quite intelligent for a simple red elk. He knew that the only reason humans were able to recover from injuries and illnesses that might otherwise prove fatal was, in fact, other humans! If Yakul had the ability to do so, he would have laughed at such an obvious solution: all he had to do was find another human, lead him or her to the cave, and that person could heal Ashitaka. Of course!
From the pool at the base of the waterfall, the stream continued eastward, down the slope of the hill. Since Yakul knew that humans usually built their homes along rivers, and that he hadn't seen any living along this particular one so far, there was a good chance that there might be a farm or village built further downstream. With one last glance at his companion's rocky shelter, Yakul set off. If he knew how, he would have prayed that it wasn't too late.