The Other Wolf Girl
A princess Mononoke fan fiction
All rights go to the Princess Mononoke makers. I only own Miki
Ashitaka and I get to where the man was screaming. "A kodama?" I whisper to myself. "Yes, I never thought I would see one of them here." I nod and look to the man making the weird noises. "Please the little thing couldn't even kill and fly let alone a full grown man." I sigh and watch as Ashitaka approached him. "Easy there. You don't want to make your injuries worse, do you?" the man falls silent and we all watch as the little creature turns it head. "He's a tree spirit. He brings good luck. It's a sign this forest is healthy." the man looks back and forth in worry. "But they'll lead their lord and master right to us." Ashitaka looks down at him with a confused face. "Who do you mean? You mean those wolves I just saw? "No, I mean a real monster, like a huge enormous dear, except they say it's got a human face sometimes, and then at night they say it-" the little creature disappears. "Where'd it go?" the man screams hideously. The man again looks back and forth until his eyes see more of the creatures upon the tree and the elk. "Look! Reinforcements! We're doomed!" I sigh at the stupidity of the man. "They won't kill us. The man is talking about the Spirit of the forest. The wolves that you saw earlier Ashitaka are the guardians of the forest that haven't yet become stupid beasts." Ashitaka looks back at me. "So that's why you screamed to them. They were your family." he asked me while the man still screams. "Yes those where my mother, brothers and my younger sister San." Ashitaka looks at me with eyes of wonder which shock me since I have never been given the look before. "So that's why you're so beautiful. You're just like a human wolf." I blush at this not expecting it at all and just look at the Elk who had one of the little creatures. To calm the man Ashitaka stops him. "If Yakul's not afraid, then we have nothing to worry about here." he approaches the creature upon the elks back. "Would you be kind enough to grant us passage through your forest, little one?" It disappears. "That means yes." Ashitaka takes the very injured man while I help the scared man upon the elk. We follow the little creatures but as Ashitaka is talking to one of them he has to stop for breathe. "Do you need help Ashitaka?" he shakes his head which was covered in sweat. "No." he breathes out and then we begin walking again. We reach to the place where I used to live with mother but it's been very long since I been here. "Wow it's still as beautiful as it was when I left." I look around in wonder. Ashitaka finds the tracks of my family and takes note that this is where they live. Ashitaka puts the man down and gets some water with the red bowl he carries. I approach him and see the tracks he was staring at. "More tracks? Whatever made these made them recently." he looks around but it's mostly silent. Ashitaka look around. I follow his line of sight and gasp in shock. "The forest spirit." All of a sudden the curse begins to act up and I quickly shove Ashitaka's arm into the water. "Are you ok Ashitaka?" I ask in worry. Ashitaka gasps in pain "I am fine Miki" "Sir! Miss! What's going on?" Are you alright?" I look back where I saw the spirit of the forest and it was gone. "Strange." Ashitaka gets back up. "Uh sir, what just happened there? You went white as a sheet all of a sudden. I warned you about this place." Ashitaka slowly gives the injured man on the ground some water. "Here did you see anything just then?" the man shakes his head. "Like what?" Ashitaka hides his eyes with his hair. "Forget it. Hang on just a little longer. You're almost home." the man grunts and begins to speak filled with pain. "I failed her." Ashitaka looks back at where the Spirit of the forest was and it was gone. "It's gone whatever it was." Ashitaka carefully picks up the man as I guide the elk by the reins. The man laughs about how his arm was healed up than cries that it was still broken. I shake my head at the man and try to hold in a laugh. "Sir, you were right. We made it back home just like you said." The man cries as we approach sun light and our eyes where met with a horrible sight. "It's a fortress." "It's a forest killed." I snarl. "Its lady Eboshi's Iron town. We make iron here from the ore in the sand." we keep going until we meet fisher men. I keep hidden, careful not reveal my face or any of the markers on my face or body. "Look! It's me! Kohroku, the ox driver!" I shake my head at the man. We our guided to the fortress by the men on boat until we get to shore. We are greeted by the people. I almost sigh in sadness in hearing about the people who didn't make it but I do not make a sound."Listen to me everyone! These strangers saved our lives. They help the rifleman and me all the way back here. You should be grateful to him. Ow! Hey, watch the arm." I follow Ashitaka off the boat and snarl as the husky man approached us. "I am very grateful for the both you bringing these men back to us, strangers, but something doesn't smell right. You got back almost as fast as we did and through the forbidden forest. On top of that you did it with the help of a small women with two badly injured men, and you want me to believe that you-" I snarl at the man. I am not small! I may be petite but not small. I bet I could rip the man's head off in ten seconds flat. "Kohroku! Kohroku! You're alive!" a woman cries as the runs down the trail "Toki, my love!" the woman inspects her husband and I giggle quietly. "That's just great! How are you gonna drive the ox now all banged up and mangled?" the man whimpers like a dog "But, my little flower-" "You scared me half to death. Don't' you "little flower" me. I wish the wolves had eaten you. Then maybe I could have found a real husband!" I smile under my furs. I would gladly help her if I didn't want to be found out. "Sweetness, can we discuss this later?" The husky man interrupts her. "Toki, save your sweet nothings for some other times." the woman turns her anger onto the man. "And as for you, Gonza, a fine captain of the guard you are, always strutting and throwing your weight around once the danger's over. You never do a, lick of work around here." "That's unfair and untrue." The woman looks over at me and Ashitaka. "Thanks, strangers. My husband's an idiot, but I am glad he's safe and sound." I nod and Ashitaka speaks. "That's relief. I was starting to think I'd done something wrong by bringing him back home." the woman laughs "Say, why don't you take the masks off? I bet you both would look handsome." I look up as a woman speaks. "Gonza? Bring the strangers to me later. I would like to thank him personally. Kohroku." The man responds. "Uh, yes?" "I'm happy you're back and I apologize." "Uh,okay." Toki responds "Uh-oh milady, you really shouldn't tell him things like that. If you're too nice to him, he'll walk all over you." "I hope you'll forgive me, too Toki. I was responsible. I should never have let it happen." "Oh, that's all right. Milady, if you hadn't been there, the wolves would have eaten everyone, and then we'd all have to find ourselves new husbands." the woman nods. "Get some rest, travelers. I will see you both this evening." I bring my furs away from my face as does Ashitaka. "Oh hey you're not handsome your gorgeous! And you're a beautiful woman! I am sorry!" I look at her in confusion in her not saying anything about my markings until when I look into the water my skin is as white as my hair with no markings. I brush it off and follow the people into their town while taking off my furs. I sit next to Ashitaka with the men and scowl as the women try to flirt with him but as I look down to the floor an arm comes around the waist. "Sorry ladies but I already have someone." he tells them calmly without emotion. I blush and just keep eating some of the rice until Ashitaka turns his head to say something about how he wanted to see how the women make iron. I nod. "I want to learn too if you don't mind." the woman laugh and giggle and leave saying that they will be waiting for us.