I'm back with another Princess Mononoke story! This is a continuation of the arc that started with "Catch the Rainbow" and continued with "Good Friends, Better Enemies" before I helped work on another user's work. I'm pretty sure I said somewhere that I was planning to start writing after Wrestlemania 32. Well, Wrestlemania's looking bleak this year, so I don't want to lose the spark before it starts. Anyway, as usual, I hope you enjoy the first chapter of the story. Please review if you have the time, particularly because I think my writing style unconsciously shifted thanks to a few other projects.
A thousand stars and the full moon hung above the forest canopy, bathing the beryl treetops with pale, dim light that little more than kissed the forest floor. Ashitaka sat on the overlooking ledge alone. Behind him, San and their newborn twin children, a boy and girl born healthy, slept in silence, something San was taught as a child so as not to attract unwanted attention. She gave birth several hours ago. Her body was no longer in pain from the ordeal, her agony having fled when she laid eyes upon her newborn children and held them in her arms. The two wolves she called her brothers left after she fell asleep, venturing into the forest for a nightly hunt that became increasingly difficult with every captured prey. Both felt their bodies' gradual weakening. Immortality was taken from them with the life of the Forest Spirit, leaving them with a supernatural yet still limited lifespan that death crept after to one day claim.
Warm wind cooled Ashitaka's glistened, sweaty face. Beads of moisture trailed town his tan skin, dripping onto the cold, rocky berm that peered over the forest and cast shadows below, further darkening the floor that sunlight had trouble touching. His heart was alight with joy. At the same time, his mind swirled a maelstrom of worry, anticipation, and anxiety over what the future held for he and his modest-sized family. How would their children be raised? He and San thought of moving back and forth between Irontown and the forest yet agreed that it would not work well to raise them in two environments when they would ultimately live in one. They agreed that when the children were a year old each, they would decide a permanent place for them to live and grow in, one that would satisfy both parents. Ashitaka had several ideas. Most were unlikely to be chosen by San, though he was sure that several could work if she was persuaded into giving them a chance. Still, it was a year away. Until that day arrived, he wished to spend time with San and their two kids, or pups, as she oftentimes referred to them, and lead a peaceful life that was untouched by the trifling disputes Lady Eboshi created, partook, and ended. Irontown wasn't a place he considered unfit for children. It was the state of the lands surrounding Irontown that worried him most, a peerless island whose borders were different depending on whose map was considered official.
Ashitaka returned to the cave. San remained asleep, her chest slowly rising and falling with each unconscious breath, with the two newborns by her side. The three each had their own blanket, the hides of elks caught in previous hunts, in which they were wrapped to ward away the cold. Their thickness and warmth were unnecessary during the warm summer evenings, but San preferred they put the hides to good use and Ashitaka desired that their children have their own beds. Feeding them was no challenge. Moro, San's adoptive wolf-mother, would tell stories of how she struggled to find of ways to feed the then-toothless girl when she was an infant but discovered several methods; San planned to mimic her mother's actions. Her brothers swore to help in any way possible, though what assistance they could offer boiled down to hunting in Ashitaka and San's place so the two could spend more time together and with their children. They thanked the two wolves profusely. Both knew the brothers were in pain.
A sigh from San made Ashitaka turn his head. He thought she awoke. San rolled from her left side onto her back, making another small sigh and groan as she shifted her sleeping position. Ashitaka smiled at her peaceful face. His eyes shut several times during her labor, an involuntary defense so he couldn't see her face contort and twist in an agony he couldn't fathom; he forced himself to stay by her side during the ordeal. Her hair no longer stuck to her face. Sweat sheened her skin when she was in pain, plastering her hair on her forehead, over her eyes, and on the side of her cheeks. The silence in the cave was welcoming.
Ashitaka's eyes moved from his sleeping wife to their twin children, a boy and girl respectively named Ryouken and Inu. They slept still and quiet. Their soft breathing reassured Ashitaka that there was no trouble with their birth, nor were there apparent issues concerning their health. He smiled with a light heart. Having a family of his own was an idea that not once crossed his mind during his journey to Irontown after the Emishi banished him. It was a joy unlike any he previously experienced; unexpected as it was, he felt that he and San were well-prepared for the challenges that awaited.
A dozen miles to the south lay Irontown. Ashitaka hadn't found the time to return to the settlement ever since San's pregnancy entered its later stages, preferring to remain by her side to tend to her needs. They were faring well, last he heard. Lady Eboshi kept the town running in its usual manner, ensuring that everyone fulfilled their part in keeping the walls guarded, the crops growing, and the people safe. She had no interest in expanding her territory. Her main goal was keeping what she already had, an objective that one man in particular threatened: a daimyo by the name of Lord Asano. He was a man whom Ashitaka only knew the name of, unsure of what he looked like or what area of land he ruled. Asano was a name he hadn't heard or thought of for months, not a fleeting care nor an off-hand comment from an overheard conversation. When wondering what dangers he would need to protect his family from, Asano never crossed his mind, a negligence brought on by his lack of regard for the feudal lord.
Outside the cave, a gruff, rumbling voice spoke in a hushed tone, greeting Yakul. Okami, who uttered the gutteral greeting, led his younger brother, Urufu; both were wolves the color of snow and stood taller than Japan's largest horses. They approached with soft footfalls. Both were careful to ensure their sister was undisturbed and her newborns remained asleep; they were aware how loudly a human child could cry. San's cries as an infant were audible throughout the forest, from the Forest Spirit's pond to the ridge where the apes once gazed upon the distant lake.
The wolves first approached the entrance. They glanced inside and saw San, the children, and Ashitaka. Their wariness of Ashitaka long since vanished, now considering him a blood brother and a worthy mate of their young sister, whom once considered Ashitaka their enemy. Ashitaka bowed his head silently, to which they returned a similar greeting. Having confirmed that their sister was still asleep, they crept to the roof of the cave, giving the two a view of the forest only birds could match. Few sounds came from the forest. Nocturnal beasts stalked their prey. Those that were common victims of the nighttime predators kept within the shadows and moved with plotted motion.
"How much longer?" Urufu whispered to Okami. His quiet voice resembled distant thunder.
"I can't tell," Okami replied. "With my strength as it is, the next few years shouldn't be a problem; beyond that, I cannot say."
Urufu nodded. The acceptance of their impending death came the same moment their mortality came to light, an end they knew would come one day, though they expected a sudden, violent death rather than a slow yet, for the moment, painless one. They were the last spirits in the forest. Neither had seen a kodama in a year. Around the same time, the apes they knew vanished; neither knew if the apes lost their immortality and died quickly or if they lost their intelligence and became like the common animals.
"How are your senses?" Okami questioned.
"They're still sharp," Urufu answered. "Do you expect them to dull?"
"I'm unsure," Okami responded as his head lowered. "This isn't the same expectation of death I had when fighting the humans."
Urufu nodded again. They weren't hiding any fear to keep San or Ashitaka from worrying; they truly felt no dread as they neared the end of their lives. Ashitaka and San were prepared. San, who had lost her mother during the peak of the battle against the humans, steeled herself for the day she would wake up to find that one of her brothers, if not both, unstirred by the morning sun and chirping birds. She was happy enough that they could see her children. That eased the burden.
"Let's continue our hunt," Urufu suggested. "We still haven't found any prey yet."
Okami nodded and stood. They were unsure if San had eaten anything since they left, or if she would be hungry when she awoke. Their feet made miniscule noise as they crept back to the forest floor, their strides long and steps few until they felt the grass beneath their paws. Above hung a waning crescent moon. Pale light radiating from the slivered lunar body lit their path beneath the canopy and uncovered the hiding places of sleeping beasts. The wolves marched with tempered alertness.
Elsewhere in the forest, near a dozen miles to the south, sat a man on the hills that loomed over Irontown. His name was Akio Fujinami. He gazed at the streets as the orange torches diminished with each sleeping resident, leaving fewer lights every minute. The guardsmen who patrolled the ramparts and carried torches were a satisfactory source; they gave him a better overview of the settlement's defenses. Behind a thick, sturdy tree, he memorized as much as his mind would allow. Frigid air brushed his skin, though the blade of the knife tied around his belt was colder than any gust that night.
Akio had one assignment given to him: scout the defenses of Irontown. His daimyo was Lord Asano. He was one of several soldiers who were too weak to be useful in combat, but could suffice as an advance scout who gathered information on the enemy. Lady Eboshi was the ultimate target. Although Asano was unsure how, it was Eboshi's actions that led to many of his soldiers' deaths during the initial siege of Irontown. By now, his army was strong enough to attempt another attack, though he concocted a different plan to his initial strategy of breaking through the walls through force.
Akio's eyes drifted from the walled settlement to the forest behind him every so often. Though the darkness made it impossible to penetrate far past the trees, even with the stars and moon, he felt a gripping fear release from his chest whenever he glanced at the sturdy trunks. Legends of spirits, deities, and demons wandering the forest overlooking Irontown were commonplace, several of which were linked to Lord Asano's initial defeat. He calmed his heartbeat with a slow breath. His vision crept back to Irontown. Each time he felt his eyes quiver and shake side-to-side, he would turn his head to see the usual unmoving brush and motionless trees. There were few crickets chirping. Not one animal crossed Akio's path or ventured near him. Drowsiness had yet to take hold of him, as he slept during the day in preparation for a long night watch and need to keep a keen mind.
Irontown's walls were guarded by men armed with spears, some with naginatas. All carried a smaller weapon able to be wielded in one hand, most of which were simple clubs that were tied to belts with rope. The walls themselves were impressive. Despite the damage sustained months ago, they remained as stalwart as the day they were attacked. They were best defense. Having water surrounding Irontown on three sides proved another obstacle Lord Asano had to face, though it was one for which he was prepared. Akio examined the wall's shape. He checked for any possible weak points, any parts of the island where men could disembark and ascend the walls with climbing equipment, and which buildings were located closest to the barrier. There, the invaders could stand rather than hopping onto the streets and into a fierce militia. As the massive ironworks was partially demolished for resources, Akio had a full view of every section of the wall.
A distant wolf's howl broke Akio's concentration. He scrambled to his feet and reached for his knife. His body was still for a half minute before he sighed and replaced his blade, his hands trembling as he returned it to his belt. Despite his composed demeanor, he kept watch on the forest another several minutes before returning to his original mission; his eyes more frequently checked behind him.