[So like the description says, this is a fic about Ashitaka and Asbel eventually developing a romantic relationship. Why? Because they're my favorite Ghibli cuties and they need a little loving. (If you don't know who I'm talking about, it's Prince Asbel from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Ashitaka from Princess Mononoke.) Probably going to be three or four chapters long.]
The night air carried smells of the village over the plains. A young man sat atop his elk, bow strung on his back and short, dark brown hair being pulled by the wind. After a moment he urged on his steed with a few soft murmurs.
Even as they approached the Forbidden Forest his skin tingled with dread, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end.
As he entered the foliage of the forest, the bats and night-loving creatures scurried about, slipping through the undergrowth and running up trees. None too soon he came across a small clearing, a ring of flowers encircling the soft grass.
In the middle of the clearing were two large lumps of white fur, sides rising and falling evenly. The wolf siblings stirred as he came closer and slid their golden eyes open, sitting upright and regarding him with slightly raised lips.
He dismounted his elk and gave a bow.
"Good evening, wolf brothers. I am honored to join you tonight."
The wolves were silent, watching him carefully.
"You know they won't talk to you," a voice rang out behind him. He turned and watched as a young woman clad in a hand-made tunic and faux fur pelt skidded down a large, stooped tree. The discs hanging from her ears swung with the movement and the red marks on her face folded in on themselves as she gave a small smile.
"San," he greeted somewhat breathlessly. Beautiful as ever, he said to himself. San ginned wider and embraced him in a warm hug.
"Ashitaka, it's been so long! You've been spending more and more time at that stink hole Irontown." San let go of him and wrapped her arms around his elk. "And Yakul! Has Ashitaka been feeding you alright? He must be, you seem so healthy."
"I apologize. Lady Eboshi has been employing me for more and more hunting trips and projects concerning new additions in the village."
San bounced over to her brothers and rubbed at their ears. "Well, you're here now, at least. We've been sensing something odd in the forest for a few days."
His eyebrows knitted together and he frowned. "Odd?"
San nodded, growing grim. "It's such a strange, angry feeling. It travels throughout the forest, leaving trails of pain and fear. We thought that since you've had experience with demons before, perhaps you can help us."
Ashitaka gave another bow. "Of course, San. Anything for you."
She nodded and climbed onto one of her wolf brothers, grabbing as tufts of fur. "Yakul should be able to keep up with us. We're heading deep into the forest."
Ashitaka jumped onto his saddle and followed the blurs of white fur that ran in front of him.
After an hour of weaving between trees and leaping over arching roots, the wolves finally stopped at a circle of trees covered in something that looked like blackened moss. Vile flowers sprouted out of clumps of moldy brown.
In the air were bits of floating grey matter that almost looked like they were swarming. San bared her teeth and Ashitaka got off of Yakul to peer between the branches.
In the mass of black mold was a snake covered in bloody scales. The red ran in intricate veins all along its length and pulsed with malevolent energy. It was coiled in a tight ball, its tail sticking out and twitching as though in pain.
"What is this?" Ashitaka asked as the smell reached his nose. He brought around his bow and glanced at San as the wolves snarled lowly.
"That is Hebi," San told him, drawing her dagger. "He is the snake god. We received word that he disappeared a few days ago, but we never knew he was the cause of the strange presence in the forest."
"What do we do?" Ashitaka asked.
Before she could answer the possessed snake's sickly, glowing eyes opened and he reared up, jaws snapping open to unnatural angles. The veins of red started wriggling and twisting in conflicted waves, stretching out into the air around him. He turned his scaled head to their hiding spot, a screaming hiss pouring out of his mouth.
In a split second his fangs lunged forward, aiming for one of the wolves; they dodged out of range and its jaws clamped down on the tree, snapping its trunk. Before Ashitaka could move it was rearing back again, eyes rolled back and breathing coming out in labored gasps.
Ashitaka pivoted and ran towards San, only to feel a row of fangs sink into his shoulder and pull him back. San's roar of anger tore through the air as Hebi kept his jaw locked, Ashitaka struggling against the teeth in vain.
The wolves lunged, canines slicing through the snake's flesh as they bit down, San running at its head with her blade extended.
Hebi shook off the brothers and slithered up a nearby tree, keeping Ashitaka in its grasp. He reached for an arrow and grabbed one, bringing it out and stabbing the snake's eye. The veins screeched and wrapped around the snake's body, reaching and covering Ashitaka's head.
San rode forth on her brother, yelling. "Lord Hebi! Please release him! Your fear is controlling you!"
From her spot she saw the strange, vein-like vines of red expand and wrap around Lord Hebi and Ashitaka. All at once the black mold rose up like waves against the shore and covered the two.
When the wolves started to tear at the black it snapped back at them and hissed, leaving them with bleeding muzzles and bloodied gums.
The black moss started humming and shaking, a scarlet light spreading out from the center of the lump. The light flashed to a blinding brilliance and San had to cover her eyes, all three of them momentarily stunned.
When she opened her eyes, the black moss and Ashitaka were gone.