Chapter Nine:
The Discovery
"Takua…Takua…Wake up!"
Takua received a sharp poke and woke, looking around dazedly. "Wuzzgoinon?" The sun was low in the grey sky. The trees rustled as the gentle wind tussled their leafs. And there was Inochi, her eyes alive with an all too familiar rage.
"Get up." She said.
Her voice was cold.
Takua stood up immediately, and watched as Inochi held out her hand, where several black dog hairs were nestled in her palm.
"Do you know where I found these?"
Takua blinked. His brain was too sleepy to work right now…
"Where?"
"In the air."
"Where in the air?"
"In front of a den."
Takua's stomach clenched. His brain seemed to be alert now. "W-what?"
"A den. A stone den. A big stone den, high in the air!"
Inochi now had her fists clenched. "What do they smell like?" Takua sniffed. "Onee?"
"Yes." She looked at him, then climbed onto his back.
"Let's go." Sighing, Takua left for the den at a brisk trot, the bright morning sun gleaming on his back.
"Ah, Inochi? I could use some help…" Ashitaka woke up to hear voices reverberating off the stone walls. He stared at the cold blue ceiling for a moment, then turned to San.
But she wasn't there.
Her bed of leafs was empty, but Ashitaka wasn't worried. No matter how much he tried, he could never wake up before her. So he got up, stretched, and walked outside. He looked around, squinting in the sun's bright light. "Heeeelllp meeee!"
Takua was stuck on one of the stone platforms a few feet away. Ashitaka turned his head to see a pale white hand rise over the ledge he was standing on, followed by an arm, followed by another arm, which was followed by a head-Inochi's head.
"Oh, yeah, sure! Ignore me then!" Takua shouted angrily as Inochi heaved herself onto the platform.
"Hello." Ashitaka said cheerily.
After receiving a dark look in reply, Ashitaka asked, "Have you seen San lately?"
"No, but I have an idea where she went."
Startled, Ashitaka looked at Inochi. He was surprised she responded, and in English.
"Can you tell me?"
She walked past him. "Maybe. But if I'm right, you wouldn't want to know."
And then she picked up something dazzlingly bright. She held it by it's edge, held it in the air, and brought it down with a woosh. Ashitaka, realizing the bright object as San's cloak, watched as several black hairs rose into the air.
Siffing the air, Inochi raised the cloak again. This time, something dark and shiny landed with a clatter at Inochi's feet. Ashitaka's heart jumped into his throat as she held the crystal dagger up to the light, looked at it, and showed it to Ashitaka.
"Do you know anything about this?"
Dazed, Ashitaka only managed to croak "Where is she?"
Inochi looked at him for a moment, then turned and whistled to Takua. Once she had his attention, she said
"Kieto, Bukkorosu homa-tsu sheildoh."*
And with that, she lead Takua back down to land and vanished , leaving Ashitaka alone.
* "Attack, Bukkorosu, as soon as moonrise."
