Once again this chapter was finished with the help of BlackSabbath4ever. This time he/she came up with the idea for the plot and helped me with it. Thank you for helping me in what is probably the third, fourth, or fifth chapter. And please reviewers read and review.
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The four ventured further into the forest for what felt like hours. Their feet couldn't carry them any longer and their stomachs ached for food. Many times already they had glanced behind in worry of the Emperor and his personal guard, though they appeared to have given up the chase. Yakul was breathing heavy and Ashitaka didn't want to push him further. Shojubo was gasping for air and the woman they met in town had to lean against a tree to stand. San had hopped off Yakul earlier to ease his burden. She was bent over trying to catch her breath.
"We have to rest soon." Ashitaka said between breaths, "Let's rest here for a bit. One of us can remain on watch for the Emperor."
"Yes... please." Shojubo wheezed, on the verge of collapsing. His lungs felt like they could poke his ribs. The woman and San nodded.
"Alright, Yakul, let's relax for a while." Ashitaka said as he brushed Yakul's neck. The elk bowed his head and sat on the soft forest floor. Everybody followed suit and their legs gave out. Shojubo fell flat on his back, arms spread out to cushion the blow. San and Ashitaka sat with their backs against a thick tree. Their companion whose name they knew not dropped to the ground, shoulders against a tree trunk and legs fully extended.
A half hour passed before anybody moved. Shojubo managed to muster the strength sit up, stretching his neck and cracking his knuckles. Ashitaka looked half-asleep. His head rested on San's lap, who brushed his hair as though it were wolf fur. The woman was still with her head low and eyes shut.
Shojubo's body became sluggish as the adrenaline evaporated from his veins. His muscles felt like melting into water. The bones in his legs burned and ached, unable to bend or keep him standing. He couldn't keep his back straight. Unable to tell what time of day it was, he held his head in his hands and tried staying awake. When he looked back up, San was missing and Ashitaka was standing, twisting his back left and right.
"Where'd San go?" Shojubo asked.
"She felt hungry and went to go find some fruit." Ashitaka replied, "We're somewhat low on food and she doesn't feel like hunting, so she's hoping to find some berries."
"Really? She doesn't seem like the type to eat fruit."
Ashitaka cracked a smile. "She's not quite the person most make her out to be."
"So I've seen. She seems quite nice. You're both great people, honestly." Ashitaka only smiled at the compliment. "I'm a bit curious, actually; are all of your people like yourself?"
"For the most part, yes. I was largely raised by the village elders, who all worked hard to maintain our traditions. My mother died shortly after giving birth to my sister, and my father fell ill shortly after. When he passed, they made me prince and taught me everything I needed to lead. What about you? I still don't know much about your own family. You and your mother seemed a bit at odds."
Shojubo sighed and scratched the back of his head. "It's a bit tough. I love my mother and I don't want to see her as downtrodden as she's been, but she never seems to be in a good mood when by herself. My father died when I was young and I'm unsure if she ever got over his death. There were those who helped her, and even a man who I looked up to as a father, but I don't think she's ever considered remarriage. Honestly, I felt a little bad for leaving her alone. Sure, she can be a bit overbearing, but she's a great woman deep down inside."
"You helped her out as a child?"
Shojubo nodded. "There were plenty of things I wanted to do, but I couldn't let my mother do everything by herself. I wanted to help her, and I still want to find a way to make her happy again. What about you? What were your duties as a prince?"
"I never took on the full duties of a prince; the village elders considered me too young to become a complete leader. Still, I helped whoever needed help, I watched over the children of the village, and I defended the people whenever necessary. The reason I was forced to leave was because I was hurt when a demon attacked us." Ashitaka recounted his battle against Nago and his journey to Irontown. Shojubo listened with his legs crossed. He couldn't believe the strength which Nago's curse gave Ashitaka, wondering if Ashitaka could have become even stronger if the curse never diminished.
What both men believed was a growl interrupted their conversation. They turned their heads to the origin of the sound, only to see the still-unnamed woman staring at her stomach. Although her head was down, they could see it flushed red. Shojubo stifled a laugh. The woman shot a glare at him in response. Her eyes were neither narrowed nor wide, but her stare caused a chill to run up Shojubo's spine.
"Sorry." Shojubo apologized, barely hiding a smirk, "We can go looking for food if you want."
"No, I'm fine for now." The woman replied, "It's better to rest for the moment."
"I can go alone."
"Can you even stand at the moment?"
Shojubo remained silent. The tendons in his legs felt like loose string and his muscles felt weak. He felt like his legs would snap if he tried standing. "I see your point."
The woman nodded. "Thank you for the offer."
Shojubo nodded and stretched out his legs. They had gone numb several minutes earlier. He tried to rub some feeling back into them, though they felt more sore when than earlier.
"Excuse me, miss, I suppose while you're awake, I was wondering if you could finally tell us your name. It'd be a bit awkward for us to travel with you and not know your name."
The woman sat motionless for a moment; even her breathing seemed to pause. She blinked once and let out a deep breath through her nose. "My name is Ayuto. Your name is Shojubo, correct?"
"Yes... how did you know that?" Shojubo asked. He couldn't recall giving Ayuto his name.
"I heard Ashitaka call for you when those men back in town tried to kill you."
Shojubo nodded. Ayuto's stomach growled once more, though she didn't show any sign of annoyance. She leaned back her head and rubbed her left eye with one hand. Her brief nap hadn't done much other than make her more tired.
