Yuugi Nocahan had been walking for twenty days on end

San watched silently as the wildebeest grazed, oblivious to the danger that it was in. Normally she wouldn't try to attack something of this size without the help of her two brothers, but today she was feeling rambunctious. She felt like pushing herself, slightly, although she doubted she would have too much difficulty taking this thing down. The animal just stood there, eating.

Silently moving through the dry leaves, a technique she had acquired through years of experience and training, she came up to the edge of the small clearing where the wildebeest was feeding.

Peering through the bushes, San tried to spot the rest of the herd. These creatures rarely traveled outside of one, and she wondered if she shouldn't be concerned that this one was alone. But then she spotted the rest of the group about a quarter of a mile east of her position.

San smiled. If she spooked the herd into charging her, she would have enough time to safely retreat back into the safety of the forest.

Baring her teeth, she took her long spear into her hand and tensed her leg muscles in preparation to leap out of her cover. All she needed to do was wait until it turned its head…THERE!

Silently, she darted out of the forest with blinding speed, instantly coming up to her startled victim. Using its confusion to her advantage, San took the opportunity to leap onto the creature's back, to which it started bucking in a desperate attempt to throw her. To try and maintain her position, San mercilessly drove her spear deep into the wildebeest's vital area, and used the spear as a balance.

Although it was as good as dead, the beast still maintained its feverish endeavor to throw her from its back- but to no avail. San's technique was flawless, and in a few moments the thing fell to the ground, lifeless.

Glancing over at the rest of the herd, San was somewhat surprised (though amused) to see that the rest of the herd had neither run away, nor was charging her. Instead they all just stared at her for a moment, and then went back to eating.

San laughed, wildly. This was the first time she'd ever killed a wildebeest by herself!

But then she remembered why…

"How am I going to carry this back?" she muttered to herself. She kicked the lifeless body with her foot, venting some of her anger. She'd gone through all this trouble; she refused to let it go to waste.

Drawing her dagger, she began the tedious process of skinning the beast where the choice pieces of meat could be found- mainly around the leg and shoulder area. With that done, she began to saw away at the exposed insides, managing to free a healthy portion of muscle from the beast.

Finished. The scavengers would clear out what was left of the carcass soon enough, so San turned to head back to where Ashitaka was waiting for her.

Glancing down at her arms and legs, she was glad they were following a river. She'd have to get all of this blood off her, and soon- it was starting to get itchy!

Ashitaka had fallen asleep while waiting for her.

"Lazybones!" San whispered, sticking her tongue out at him. She decided to go ahead and let him sleep, though. She didn't need his help to make a fire pit.

Gathering up the required stones and branches, she managed to erect a fairly decent pit with which to cook their meat. The noise, however, had woken Ashitaka.

"You're back! I see the hunt was successful," he said, motioning to the meat she had laid over the stake.

"Yes. I took down a wildebeest…but this was all I could carry," she admitted.

"That's okay. I'm sure you deserve to do things in excess every now and again," Ashitaka said. "Besides, you might as well get used to it. If you don't want rabbit and squirrel everyday for food, you're going to have to kill wildebeest. They're the only other things living in these parts."

"I know," San said, glancing at the strips of meat, hungrily.

Ashitaka smiled. "You don't have to wait, you know. I won't mind if you start without me." It had come as sort of a shock to him when he first stumbled across her eating raw animal flesh. She had said that sometimes she had to do it because there were no available methods of cooking it (and besides, it kept her insides tough), although she'd confided in him that she really preferred cooked meat.

"No, that's okay," San grinned. "I'll wait. You can't expect me to eat while you're staring at me, can you? Yes, I know you get all queasy whenever you see me eating it raw!"

Ashitaka laughed. "You got me, there. Well, what do you say we start the fire so we can eat?"

"Right," San replied, bending down to start the lighting process. After a few minutes, they had a blazing fire, and Ashitaka began hanging the portions over the pit.

"I guess all we do now is wait," San said, staring at the food that was being prepared.

"When was the last time you ate?" Ashitaka laughed. "You seem famished!"

San thought a moment. "Well…I think the last time I ate was the day when you and I were racing in Iron Town."

Ashitaka gaped at her. "San, that was two days ago!" he almost shouted.

San just shrugged. "When you live out here as long as I have, you get used to irregular eating patterns."

"No wonder you've been acting so weird! You need to eat something!"

"Have I been acting strangely?" she asked, innocently.

"Well, occasionally you get this look in your eye like you're about to eat me!" Ashitaka teased.

San laughed at his joke. "Do not tempt me. Just be glad I brought back this," she said, indicating the meat, "otherwise I might have to consider it."

"I don't think you would," Ashitaka said. "I think you'd find out very quickly that humans have a bad taste. Their diet consists of…a lot of variety, let's say. A lot more than some of the animals you've eaten."

"Oh? I've never tried it, so I wouldn't know," San answered thoughtfully.

"Will it be safe to sleep in the same area with you, then?" Ashitaka asked. "You look like you're curious about trying it…"

"No!" San replied. "I wouldn't eat a human! That's gross!"

Ashitaka chuckled. "Yes, I'm inclined to believe you. Uh oh," he said, reaching over for the meat. It was beginning to burn. "OUCH!" Ashitaka shouted as he tentatively tried to remove the food from over the pit. "That is hot!" he said, sticking his fingers into his mouth.

San sighed. "Here, let me help- AAH!" she yelled as she drew her hands back. "Now what are we going to do?"

Ashitaka looked around. "Here," he said, grabbing his spreading cloth and holding it out to her. "Lay this out next to the pit.

She did so, and after she had finished making sure it was lined up, Ashitaka used his foot to push the contents of the stake onto the pelt.
"There," Ashitaka said as he cautiously poked the meat with his finger. "Much better. Shall we?" he smiled at her.

"Since when am I inclined to waiting?" San asked humorously as she grabbed a piece of the back strap, shoving it into her mouth, sitting down onto the mat.

"Whoa! Slow down there," Ashitaka said. "Don't burn yourself!"

"I'm not!" San said with her mouth full. "I'll be careful. Hey, this is really good!"

"Let's see…" Ashitaka said, removing his knife and slicing himself a good-sized portion of the leg, sitting down next to his companion. "It does," Ashitaka agreed after he had tasted the meat.

"That was quick," San remarked.

"What was?" Ashitaka asked, taking another bite out of his meal.

"You sat down without much trouble," she clarified. "Your leg must be feeling better."

"It is, actually," Ashitaka conceded. "It wasn't exactly a major opening."

"Come on!" San chuckled. "That thing tore your leg up! The hole was this big!" she said, spreading her arms out to an impossible length.

"All right, you, enough of that," he laughed. "But seriously, all he had to do was stitch it shut. It's not that big of a deal. I'll be back to my old self in no time!"

"You seem like your old self to me," San said, staring at him.

"You know what I mean," he said, giving her a friendly punch on the arm. Most women probably wouldn't approve of that kind of behavior, but San rather enjoyed the attention. "I won't be slowing you down so much."

"Oh, you're not slowing me down," San said. "I could go faster if I wanted to, and so could you, but why would I want to go fast? I want to spend as much time with you while I still can. I have to go back, remember?"

Ashitaka smiled warmly. "I hadn't forgotten. I'm glad you want to spend time with me, though. I had hoped we'd be able to do something like this after Iron Town was rebuilt. I just hadn't expected it to be under circumstances like this."

"Yeah," San said wistfully, slowly shoving the last piece of her meal into her mouth.

"Hey, don't look like that!" Ashitaka reprimanded. "We're still together, aren't we?"

"Stop trying to cheer me up all the time!" San warned. "You'll find that a cheery wolf is quite a load to deal with."

"In what way?" Ashitaka asked.

"Well," she answered, "whenever I'm happy, I like to run around a lot!"

Ashitaka nodded. "That seems natural. What's so bad about that?"

"Well, after that, I like to start fighting!" San growled playfully. "You get the idea- whenever I'm happy, I feel like I need to do something physical!"

"Yeah, so?" Ashitaka inquired. "How are you a load to deal with?"

Now San started to get a little irked. "I really don't think you'd appreciate it if I was constantly running around trying to pick fights with you!"

Ashitaka laughed. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I just felt like making you angry, that's all." Now she would either explode or ignore his comment. To his surprise she started laughing, instead. "What's so funny?" he asked.

"You!" San responded between gasps. "You've got the most twisted sense of humor I've ever seen!"

"It wasn't supposed to be that funny!" Ashitaka said, and, despite himself, started laughing along with her.

Seeing the other laugh only made each of them laugh harder, until they were both rolling around on the ground holding their sides, turning red from a lack of oxygen.

"Stop! Stop!" San begged, finally regaining some control of herself. "Wow- I haven't laughed that much since…I can't remember when! I know it's been a long time!"

"You should try to laugh more often. It really lifts your spirits," Ashitaka told her. It had been quite a while since he'd laughed that much, also.

"There you go again!" San said, resting her arm on his shoulder.

"Um…San, you're getting my clothes all dirty!" he said, finishing up with a chuckle.

San glanced down at her bloody arm. "Oh," she said, withdrawing it immediately. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay," Ashitaka said. "It won't stain or anything. Do you need to go wash up?"

San smiled. "Yeah, obviously. Would you like to join me?"

"Sure," Ashitaka said. He needed to wash up as well, anyway.

Together they both walked over to the bank of the river, and began splashing their hands and faces in the water, rinsing off the remains of the bloody mess that was a result of their meal.

"Ah, hold on," Ashitaka said, "I'll be right back."

"Okay," San replied, rigorously scrubbing a particularly bloody area that wasn't coming clean.

Ashitaka stood up and went back towards their mini campground. He'd forgotten to bring along the blanket that had served as their table. By now, it looked as if it could use a good scrubbing as well.

Wrapping the cloth into his arms, he returned to the lake to find that San was missing. Glancing down, he noticed that her footprints led into the water, but it was clear that she wasn't there. Aside from the natural movement of the river, there was no outside indication that someone had gone through it.

"San?" he asked casually. "Are you there?" If she had decided to go somewhere without telling him, then that was her business. She'd come back in her own time.

But then a thought struck him.

Smiling inwardly, he bent over to begin scrubbing his cloth, all the while straining his ears for some source of sound. He thought he heard the faintest movement behind him, and now was the time to act.

Quickly, he leaned his upper body to the left, but left his foot in its original position.

With a startled cry, a body tripped over it, landing squarely into the river with a loud splash.

"Gotcha!" Ashitaka cried, laughing merrily as San hastily worked her way out of the water, glowing bright red. "Playing all the time," he informed her, "has some negative effects, too. Namely, having taught me to constantly be on my guard!"

"All right, all right!" San said, sitting down onto the forest floor, squeezing the ends of her kimono in an attempt to get some of the water out of it. "I just felt like playing, okay? Looks like you were ready for me this time, though."

"Yeah," Ashitaka answered, removing his cloak to wrap it around her shoulders. "Nice trick with the footprints. Almost threw me off guard."

"Thanks," San grinned, gratefully accepting the warmth the cloak offered her wet skin. "Well, I guess that takes care of my bath for the day."

"I should say so," he said. "Can you promise me something?"

"What?" she asked, looking up at him.

"I need you to promise me that I don't always have to be on my guard- worrying about getting attacked from you. I don't think my nerves could handle it."

"Well…all right," San consented. "I won't do it as often. But I'll still catch you when you're watching me!" she said, pretending to grab at him with her hand.

"Good enough," Ashitaka replied. "Don't you ever get tired of fighting?"

"Hey," San offered, "I had to wolf brothers growing up. How do you think I felt when I tried to play with them? Now I have someone closer to my size to play with- I'm going to take full advantage of it!"

"I wasn't saying you could never do it again," Ashitaka corrected. "I was just comment that you did it so much."

"Well, just be glad I'm feeling generous today!" San warned him. "Your next request might not go over so well."

Ashitaka shrugged. "We could always wrestle over it! No qualms there, eh?"

They both grinned at each other, and Ashitaka helped San to her feet before they both headed back to their fire pit.

"Well," San commented, surveying the scene, "I think we've stalled here long enough. Shall we press on?"

"If you're ready," Ashitaka replied, shrugging his shoulders. "I didn't think you'd be in the mood to travel while you're all wet."

"I don't really care. Besides, I hardly notice it," she answered. "I go swimming in my clothes all the time."

"Odd," Ashitaka answered.

San stared at him, and then snickered. "You would rather me wear nothing?"

"No, no!" Ashitaka said hastily, correcting himself. "That's not what I meant! I just meant- well, most people just don't go swimming with their clothes on, that's all."

"But what's the point of taking them off if you're just going to have to put them on again?" San asked, apparently trying to suggest the notion to start moving, as she began walking.

"Well," Ashitaka stated, picking up his belongings and following her, "for one thing, it'll make your clothes last a lot longer. You should only get them wet once in a while, like washing them, for example."

"I see," San said thoughtfully. "It seems I still have quite a way to go before I begin to fully understand the way most humans live."

"There's no hurry," Ashitaka comforted. "I'm in no rush to see you change. I like you just the way you are."

"That's comforting," San remarked dryly. "I doubt the rest of the population shares your belief."

Ashitaka laughed quietly. "I really don't think it's any of their concern whether you change or not. It's all based on the decisions that you decide to make. No one can make them for you."

"Still," San said, climbing over a large boulder that was blocking their path, "in the best interests of at least moderately fitting in, I think I need to change, if only a little. There are some things I won't change, though," she called back to him.

"Like what?" Ashitaka asked, opting to go around the large boulder, rather than climb over it.

"Well, like my clothes," San replied. "I see no reason why I should have to change the way I present myself. In any case, it's comfortable and easy to move around in- why should I change that? It doesn't look bad, does it?"

Ashitaka tried to determine if she was genuinely asking him, or if she was just throwing out questions. He decided to treat it like a question. "I think it looks wonderful on you," he said. "Has anyone been complaining about it?"

San chortled, and said, "No one has the courage to say it to my face. I hear them talking amongst themselves, though. I think they forget that I have better hearing than they do…"

"Is that the only thing you won't change?" Ashitaka further inquired.

"I hear some of the townspeople talking that I behave too much like an animal, and that I need to be taught how to act more civilly…"

"But you are an animal!" Ashitaka insisted, trying not to laugh. Most people would've taken insult to that, but it was obvious that San was not like most people.

"I know!" San agreed in a loud tone. "But they don't think so…" she muttered, staring down at the ground as she walked.

"Are their opinions starting to influence you?" Ashitaka asked. He tripped over a high tree root, but managed to catch himself before he fell.

"Well, it's not like I can ignore it!" San whined. "No matter what I say, I am part human- and it is a human characteristic to crave acceptance. I couldn't live with myself knowing that other people…people," she said the word again for emphasis, "are looking down at me. I feel like I need to fit in, somehow. But another part of me does not want to fit in. You understand, don't you?"

"It is an unusual predicament," Ashitaka concurred. "I'm not sure what to say to you, except to be yourself. You'll never be happy if you're always conforming the way you act to suit other people. Not only will it end up hurting you more in the long run, but it'll make you even more unhappy than you might otherwise have been!" She didn't say anything, so he continued. "But to say that you aren't accepted isn't true. There are many people that accept you in the town. You have good ears, San, but they cannot be everywhere at the same time. I have had people tell me that you are a noble person, and that (despite past grievances you may have caused to them) you are worthy of their respect. Even Eboshi, although she may not get along with you, respects you for who you are. Gonza, as well, holds you in high regard."

"Then how come they don't tell me in person?" San retorted hotly. "It's not the same to have someone telling me that they say that- I have to hear it with my own two ears."
Ashitaka raised his eyebrows. "Well, you don't exactly spend a lot of time around people, do you?"

San stopped at looked at him, menacingly. The anger was not directed towards him; it was, rather, at the discussion they were having. "No," she grumbled, realizing that she had caused her own problem, yet even more angered that only she could fix it. "But I can't stand being around people!" she yelled while starting to walk again. "They're loud, they're obnoxious, and they have no consideration for other people's feelings! They smell, too…" she added, glancing back at Ashitaka.

"Are you finished?" Ashitaka asked in a forceful tone. "What about me? I am a human, and am I all those things that you said? Neither are most other people, if you'd just take the time to look. You've just had a bad influence, being raised during a…tenuous era. And they do not smell!" Ashitaka said, laughing as he finally realized what she had said.

Recovering from the slightly scared feeling she had from having Ashitaka speak to her in such a way, she laughed along with him. She never meant to make him upset or angry- it always made her feel sad. A second reason, though, was that, like herself, Ashitaka had a powerful presence and voice that could instill fear if he so desired. He kept most of it hidden for her sake, though, and for that, she was grateful. She would never like to see him in a blinding rage, although she sincerely doubted he would ever let himself loose while she was around.

"Okay, okay," she consented, "they don't stink. I just said that to make you angry!"

"Well you did!" Ashitaka said, putting on a hurt look. "You've hurt my feelings…we aren't on speaking terms anymore."

San froze. "We're not?" she asked cautiously.

Ashitaka cocked his head. Was she serious? "San, I'm joking!" he informed. "I could never in my wildest dreams want to not be on speaking terms with you!"

"Oh!" San said, nodding her head. "What a relief! I thought you were serious. You're a very good actor," she commented.

"I'll have to turn into a bad one," he answered. "That face you gave me could've melted stone, it was so pitiful!"

"I learned from the best," San agreed.

"Hey!"

"Just kidding!"

"Okay, I think we need to change the subject now. We're just confusing ourselves!" Ashitaka said, amused that they were both falling over each other's jokes.

"Well," San said thoughtfully, "You've asked an awful lot about me, but I don't recall you ever telling me anything about yourself! Greedy! Why don't you tell me a little bit about your life back in your hometown?"

Ashitaka looked confused. "Didn't…Yakuul already tell you?"

"You give me too much credit," San said, slowing down her pace so that she could walk beside him. "I can't talk with animals as I do with you- he simply gave me a basic idea of what it was like."

"I see," Ashitaka stated. "Well, my town was high up in the mountains, much like this forest. It was really beautiful there; you would've liked it. We had a simple lifestyle in a simple village. Quite the opposite of the gigantic Iron Town."

San looked like she was hanging on every word.

"The population consisted mostly of elders, but there were some adults, many of them with two or three children. Basically, it was a town where everybody knew everyone. Like I've said before, we were mostly farmers and hunters. Sometimes a few of the young men would travel to other towns to trade a few goods and find out what was going on in the outside world."

"And Kaiya was there!" San said, recalling that Ashitaka had talked about her once.

Ashitaka smiled. "That's right! You remembered. Yes, Kaiya, my little sister, was there. She had a little posse of other young girls she liked to spend time with. I could kick myself for not remembering their names…they were always coming in and out of the house for a visit, or to ask if Kaiya could play."

"Sounds homey," San remarked.

"It was definitely that," Ashitaka agreed.

"Did you have any legends that you passed down? Like a history?"

"I'm not sure…why?"

"I've told you some of our wolf legends!" San protested. "I just want to know a little bit more about your past, that's all. That way, I can get to know you better!"

"You don't know me already?" Ashitaka asked.

"I know you!" San said, pushing him with her arm. "But I don't know…you. At least, not in that sense."

"That sounds a bit redundant…okay, okay! Don't look at me like that! I'll tell you! Let's see…one of the most popular stories was a tale that mothers would tell their children before they went to bed."

"Oh?" San asked, eagerly waiting for him to continue.

"Let me see if I can remember how it goes…I think it started out with, 'It was a day just like any other'. Pretty straightforward, eh?"

San nodded.

"Well, then it goes: 'Modeki was out plowing his fields when a strange man came up to him. "Will you tell me where I can find food and lodging for the night?" "I'm sorry," Modeki said, "but there is no place for you to stay here. All of our houses are full. If you'd like, I can see if we could make a small room for you in my shed? It is better than sleeping outside." The stranger thanked the man and followed him to his home where his wife was preparing dinner. "I see you brought a stranger," the wife said. "Have you eaten? I have cooked extra tonight, and there is plenty enough to go around." "I thank you, kind madam," the stranger said, bowing. "It has been many days since I have eaten, and your husband has offered to fix me shelter in your shed." "Oh?" "Yes," the stranger answered, "but I shan't be staying long." "It is no trouble," said Modeki. "You may feel free to stay as long as you wish."'"

"Why are they being so nice to him?" San interrupted. "Have they ever met him before?"

"Be patient, San. Is there something wrong with helping out a stranger?"

"No," San said. "It just seems like they're being a little overly-nice, that's all."

"Well," Ashitaka continued, "'The stranger said, "I'm afraid it must be so. I have pressing business to attend to in the city. I must arrive there as shortly as possible." Modeki and his wife looked with pity on the stranger. He was dressed in such a horrid fashion that they wondered what business he could possibly have in the city. So the stranger stayed the night at their home, ate of their labor, and slept in their with their finest pillows. Now, a few weeks later, a harsh storm came through the area, destroying many homes, not excluding that of Modeki and his wife. Many other homes were destroyed as well, but something strange happened. A band of workers came out of nowhere and began to repair Modeki's house, making it even grander than it had been before. After they had finished, Modeki asked, "To whom do we owe this kindness?" They replied: "To his Lordship, the Great Erijimi Hayazuka! He says that he stayed here one night, many days ago while he was traveling under cover, and that you were kind to him. He also tells us that he tried to speak with other people, but they refused to have anything to do with him. It is for this reason that we repair your house, and your house alone. And now, we bid you farewell." And they left a stunned Mediko behind, grateful, and convinced that he had been blessed by the Gods!'" Ashitaka finished.

"What an adorable story!" San remarked. "I suppose you're trying to tell the person that kindness should be shown to everyone, and not just a few."

"Correct. It's not the most thought-provoking tale, but then again, it is intended for children during the years of their development," Ashitaka said.

"Well, I think it's wonderful. It's good to know that some mother's are trying to teach their children good moral values."

"Yeah," Ashitaka said mournfully. "I wonder how they're doing?"

"Do you miss them?" San asked, grabbing his fist into her own.

"Yes…" Ashitaka admitted. "That crystal dagger you wear was given to me by my sister the night I left. I'm glad you still wear it. It reminds me of home."

"Ashitaka!" she stammered, "I didn't know! Do you want it back?" She said this regretfully. She had grown quite fond of the tiny dagger he had given her.

"No," he replied, "I gave it to you. It's yours to keep- forever."

"All right," San consented, Ashitaka's pouch springing to her mind at this moment. Now wasn't the time, though. It would come soon enough.

"You can't go back?" San asked. She instantly regretted it. Even if he could go back, he wouldn't be able to, now that he was infected with the ailment. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I didn't mean to-"

"It's all right," Ashitaka said, squeezing her hand, comfortingly. "I can't go back. It is a law that when a person leaves the tribe, he can never return. He becomes outcast to the society. I suppose it gives the person an incentive to stay, although there wasn't really another option open to me." He giggled at the thought of young Kaiya, running up to him against the wishes of the elders to give him her dagger. "Still, I think it all turned out for the best. I helped a devastated society, helped rebuild that society, become cured of my curse…and I met you, also."

"Only to be cursed yet again," San whispered under her breath.

"What?" Ashitaka asked.

"I think it turned out for the best, too!" she replied.

"Oh. Well, I'm glad you agree with me. I'd hate to have to think you thought our meeting was a bad thing!"

San chuckled. "Well, at first I thought it was. That first time…where you said I was beautiful…?"

"Yes," Ashitaka said, blushing. "I remember."

"I was scared, because I had been told what love was, but I had never actually experienced it. Not that I fell in love with you at that moment! I could tell that there was something about you. It's why I didn't kill you…"

"You would've killed an unconscious person?" Ashitaka asked.

San thought for a moment. "You know, I'm not really sure! Most of the people I encountered were wide-awake, yelling and screaming: 'The Wolf Princess is here!' I liked it when they did that. It made me feel like I was actually somebody. Ashitaka?" she asked, noticing that he had let go of her hand and had fallen behind.

"Sorry," he answered. "My boot-lace came untied," he said, jogging to catch up with her. "You know, if it makes you feel any better, some people still say that when they see you, although they don't shout it so loudly."

San puffed out her chest. "Yes, it does make me feel better!"

"Okay, don't go getting all proud on me," Ashitaka teased.

"I have to be a little proud! Otherwise I'll be…humble," she said in a deep voice.

Ashitaka laughed. "You almost sounded like a man!"

San blushed. "No, I didn't!" she said awkwardly.

Ashitaka kept on laughing. "If I hadn't seen the person that the voice came from, I would swear that it was a guy."

"So what if I can make my voice low?" San said in her deep tone again, to which Ashitaka laughed harder. She liked it when he laughed. It was such a deep, cheerful laugh, full of tone and spirit.

"All right! I'm sorry!" Ashitaka fumbled. "Gosh, it feels like we've been walking for hours!" he commented.

"Tired already?" San asked.

"No," Ashitaka countered. "Just wondering how far we've been walking, that's all. Ah, the mountain looks closer already," he said dreamily.

"Silly!" San said, pointing a finger at him. "You can't even see the mountain!"

"That doesn't mean it's not closer!" Ashitaka pointed out.

"But!" San protested. "But…you can't see it!"

"I'm just trying to be funny, San! Humor me!"

San sighed. "You do that almost as much as I like to wrestle," she commented.

"Oh? You feel like wrestling?" he asked tauntingly.

"I always feel like wrestling, Ashitaka," San snarled.

"Then let's have a go, shall we?" the other said, throwing down his pouches and pouncing on her before she even had a chance to react. He usually wasn't the one to instigate a fight.

It didn't go uphill from there. They finished the rest of the afternoon by running around the forest, playing as small wolves would, by fighting, wrestling, stalking, and anything else that they could think of, until they were both exhausted and ready for a good night's sleep.

Ashitaka pulled out the large blanket he'd packed just for such a purpose. Finding two tall sticks, he managed to erect a somewhat large tent that they could sleep under. If it rained, though, then they were in trouble. He doubted that it would, however- the skies had been clear earlier.

Stuffing his packages into a corner of the tent, he wearily laid his head down onto the soft, new cloak San had given him. He was glad to take his weight off of his leg- it was starting to ache again. Maybe after tonight, it wouldn't hurt at all? Strange that it had healed so fast…

But such things were beyond concern. All he wanted to do right now was sleep, but something was missing. Was it San?

"San?" he called out softly, sleepily.

"Yes?" came a quiet reply.

"Aren't you tired?"

There was a pause. "No," she answered him back. "I don't feel like sleeping right now…"

Ashitaka shrugged. "All right, then. Don't stay up too late, okay?"

"I won't," she answered back, as Ashitaka once again laid down on his fur pillow. Sleep came slowly, but soon he dozed off, eventually drifting into a deep sleep.

Meanwhile, San paced the grounds of the small camp they had set up. Was Ashitaka serious? He had just invited her into his den? Her thoughts wandered back to when they had slept in her own den, but that had been different, and besides, he was already asleep when she had gotten there.

Still…it was just like Ashitaka to be oblivious of such things. Could it be that he still hadn't figured it out that she could never invade a male den? She thought she had made that clear. Of course, these weren't exactly normal circumstances, so perhaps he thought she might make an exception. In all actuality, he probably hadn't been thinking of anything at all. He must've been real sleepy, because she could already hear his soft breathing coming from the tent.

She didn't really think he'd actually do anything, but every wolf instinct screamed at her that invading a male's den was just not done. A wolf could sleep wherever they wanted to, though, so she decided that, for arguments sake, she would follow the rules of her tribe and sleep someplace else.

San looked around for a suitable location to curl up and rest in. Her options were somewhat limited, so she ended up making a big pile of leaves to sleep in. It was better than nothing.

Trying to be quiet, she slowly laid herself down onto the mass and, putting her fur underneath her to use as a pillow, closed her eyes to sleep.

Immediately, she was off in a dream world.

San dreamed that she was young again, and that she and her wolf brothers were playing like they always had.