Two nights after the "night of the tea", as Ashitaka had named it, he stood pacing on his earthy floor, trying to calm himself down and cool off after another jarring nightmare. He stopped and raised his hand before his face, his eyes raking over the purple brown streaks that stained on his hand, wrapping in diminishing spirals around his rist. A constant reminder of the suffering he had brought. 'If only that demon had never come that day' he thought to himself. Shaking his head when tears began to drip from his eyes, he cursed his weakness and stormed from his house. He walked, them broke into a blind run, down from his house on the hill, past the menacing walls of iron town, to the lake's shore. He collapsed into the silvery sand and strained to catch his breath. Crawling to the waters still surface, sheer and shining like a mirror, reflecting the moons bright white light, he dipped in his hands and splashed his face with the burning cold water, gasping as it forced him to awake from his daze. The ripple creeped out onto the water and echoed silently into nothing.
"About the-," a loud voice began abruptly from behind him.
"Holy sun god of-!" he cried, jumping to his feet and flying around. San stood behind him, smirking. "Holy!...San!" He flung his arms about and exclaimed exasperatedly.
"Yes, I suppose I am rather holy, aren't I," she said thoughtfully. Ashitaka rubbed a hand over his face and sighed,
"You know, you could make yourself known a little better, maybe a tap on the shoulder or a quiet hello."
"Ah, but that would be no fun," she smiled, stalking towards him. He looked up into her eyes and groaned.
"Your going to give me a heart attack. How would you like it if your antics wound me up dead?" He knew immediately he had said the wrong thing.
"Don't even say that!" She screeched.
"I'm sorry, San, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it," he apologized, holding out a hand to her.
"I've already lost far to many people I've loved, Ashitaka." Ashitaka stopped, and met her eyes. Tears glistened in them and they shine with grief and, unexplainably, love.
"Oh San," he said, striding forward and gathering her into his arms. She let herself be crushed against him and nuzzled her cheek into his shoulder.
"I just wanted to ask, I want to try that thing again. What did you call it, a kiss?" Ashitaka froze and backed up looking her over worriedly.
"What?" He asked, trying to make sure he had heard right. San cocked her head innocently, and leaned forward to kiss him, meeting his lips and smiling.
"Am I doing it right?" She asked. Ashitaka just nodded, leaning forward again. He dug his fingers into her hair and marveled at its smoothness, despite her living with wolves. She broke the kiss, her small smile turning into a wide, genuine one, her eyes glittering.
"Well that was fun," she said. Ashitaka smiled, gulping, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Will you come and stay with me for a few days. I'm sure you won't be missed. I want to show you some things I've discovered."
"Of course," Ashitaka replied taking her hand gently. She squeezed his and led him up the cliff path, chatting merrily until her cheery voice dissipated into the dense, dark quiet of the forest.