Yuugi Nocahan had been walking for twenty days on end

Later that night, Ashitaka was roused by the sound of rustling leaves. Groggily, he wondered if San could still be awake? It seemed logical, since she was the only other human being around here for miles.

Groaning softly, he raised himself up and peered outside the tent. Sure enough, San was nowhere to be found. He figured she'd probably gone back towards the river. He wondered if it would be a bad thing if he went with her? He was thirsty, after all, and a drink of water wouldn't hurt. Besides, it would give him a chance to clear up some things- something he desperately wanted to do. He didn't want San or himself to be quiet around each other, because, somehow, it just didn't seem…right. He always thought they were supposed to be happy together.

Bending over to re-lace his boots, he wearily straightened himself and began heading towards the river. Because it was so dark, he had to use the sound of the river, itself, to guide him. It didn't take him long to find it, and as soon as he had, he bent down to take several large mouthfuls of water, refreshing his dry mouth.

After he had done that, he laid back, cross-legged, onto the ground, peering through the darkness for any sign of San. If she were anywhere nearby, she would've already heard him coming. Did that mean she was avoiding him? It was hard to believe, but after what he'd done earlier, he wouldn't be surprised.

He had always noticed that San became jittery whenever they were close together, but he tried his best to act like he didn't notice. He thought that if he did that, then maybe she wouldn't mind as much. And now, he had brazenly embraced her- the closest they had ever been together since the last time he had held her, after she had stabbed him with the crystal dagger he had given her. He wouldn't blame her if she walked out on him right now, even though he knew she wouldn't. Even though she was incapable of expressing it in word or deed, she loved him in her own way, just as he loved her. Neither of them would walk out on the other, and yet…he almost wished he hadn't brought her. As each new day passed by, and they got closer and closer to the mountain, he realized that it would be harder for them to say good-bye. He was eternally grateful for her company thus far, and he would never forget it, but a time would come, not too far away, when they would have to separate and go their own way, and that was something he'd hoped would never happen.

He wondered how they would both deal with it. He smiled, inwardly. If he knew San (and if anyone knew her personality, it was himself) she would hold her head up in a proud, wolf-like manner. She would be strong for him, just as he tried to be strong for her.

But thinking so much of San got him wondering where she was. He did recall hearing her footsteps. Had she not come to the river? Pushing himself up, he made his way back in what he thought was the direction of the camp. Perhaps she hadn't gone anywhere. However, upon arriving at the campsite and not finding her, he began to get a little worried, although he knew that it was none of his concern. She had the right to go anywhere whenever she wanted to, and she didn't need his permission. All the same, he was still curious.

"San?" he called out cautiously. This was too similar to that "incident" a few nights ago. "San? Are you there?"

There was a long silence. Shaking his head, he was about to go back into his tent when he heard a muffled: "Yes…"

Ashitaka froze and smiled. "I guess you're not going to come out, are you?" he ventured.

"…No…" came the reply.

Ashitaka sighed. "San, I'm sorry about what happened earlier, and I know you said you weren't mad at me, but we still aren't talking to each other. I just…needed to repay you somehow, and that was the only way I could think of. If it makes you feel any better, I've already decided not to do it again, okay?"

"It's not that, Ashitaka…" San replied. "I…don't exactly know how to explain it. I guess I'm confused."

"It's okay to be confused sometimes, San," Ashitaka answered, sitting down on the ground. "There are lots of times in life when I was confused about one thing or another. The thing you have to remember, though, is that sometimes it's not as confusing as you think it is. People sometimes tend to blow things out of proportion."

"Well, wolves don't normally find themselves in human situations," San countered.

Ashitaka nodded. "Yes, I suppose you've got a point there. Perhaps I can shed some light on your mystery."

There was another long pause before San finally answered, "All right."

"Right," Ashitaka said, nodding. "You already know that I love you San, because I think I've told you on a number of occasions, but I don't recall you ever telling me the same thing. If my actions have only made that situation worse, then I apologize, but understand that just because I say I love you doesn't mean you have to feel the same way. You are in no way bound to me."

Ashitaka grimaced as he said this. He desperately wanted them to be together forever, but if she only loved him in a friendly way…

"No!" San corrected, almost shouting. "Ashitaka, I…I do love you, but…I don't know what to do about it!"

Ashitaka felt elated! San had actually confessed her love for him! "Why does anything have to be done?" he asked her. "Can't we just go on being good friends like we were yesterday? Why does anything have to be different just because we now know our feelings about one another?"

"Oh, stop pretending, Ashitaka!" San chastised. "You know it can't be the same."

"Why?" Ashitaka pleaded. He wanted things to stay the same!

"Because…" she answered. "A mutually loving relationship leads to something greater…much greater. Neither of us are ready for that yet."

"San…" Ashitaka whispered. He couldn't believe this! Was he going to lose her? "San, believe me when I say that I always knew you loved me. I understand that, coming from a different culture, you have an entirely different perspective on love and showing affection, but I've picked up on that. Even without your confessing it, I was able to tell from your actions how you felt about me. San, it doesn't have to be different, because I haven't, nor will I ever, force you to do anything you're not ready for, okay?"

San didn't answer.

"San, please, give us a chance again!" Ashitaka pleaded. "Don't be afraid! You were never afraid before! Please! I know we haven't known each other that long, but in that time, have I ever done anything to violate your trust? Will you please use that trust and allow us another chance?"

From the trees, he could hear San sigh. "Very well, Ashitaka. I did miss talking to you, and if we can forget about this whole thing and move on, I'm willing to trust you! I'm always willing to trust you, silly!" San said, bouncing down from her perch on a tree branch and running over to where he was sitting.

It seemed that San was prepared to forget about everything right away, and Ashitaka was more than willing to follow her example.

"You're right!" he said in a cheery tone, "I don't know what's come over me!" he teased. "I shall have to be punished!"

"You shall have to be punished!" San agreed.

"But…" Ashitaka hesitated. "How shall I be punished?"

San cocked her head and thought for a moment. "I'm not sure!"

Ashitaka laughed along with San as they both stood up.

"Well," Ashitaka said, "now that that's cleared up, I think I'm ready to go back to bed."

"Me, too!" San said, running around in circles.

"You don't seem tired to me," Ashitaka commented as San came to a halt. "You'd think running is something you'd do when you're wide awake."

"I'm just stretching my muscles," San answered him, scratching her arm. The mosquitoes were particularly bad this time of year.

"Are you itchy?" Ashitaka chuckled. "I guess that's what you get for sleeping on the ground."

"Well, you're sleeping on the ground, too!" San protested. "But you have a tent," she reminded him.

"That's very true," Ashitaka said, looking at the large tent they'd set up.

There was a long pause before San spoke up. "You…" she began.

"What?" Ashitaka asked.

"You, or…uh- would you be terribly upset…I mean, not to bother you or anything, but-"

Ashitaka laughed. "What's the matter, San? Just ask me."

"All right," San said, taking a deep breath. "Would you mind…if I slept in your den, too? To get away from the bugs, I mean?"

Ashitaka stared at her. It seemed she was more willing to forget about things than he'd thought. "Sure," he shrugged, trying to act casually. "If you don't mind, then be my guest," Ashitaka said, gesturing to the tent.

"Thank you!" San chirped, running into the tent. "Yes! This is perfect!" she said from inside. "No bugs at all!"
Ashitaka laughed as he came into the tent as well. "As you can see, it's not very big, but that's kind of the idea. You can use my sheet as a mattress to sleep on."

"What will you sleep on?" San asked, settling herself down onto the cloth.

"I'll…sleep on the ground, I suppose," Ashitaka said. "I don't mind."

"Are you sure?" San asked. "You can have the sheet if you want…"

"No, San, I gave it to you," he replied, laying down on his back.

"Well, if you're sure…"
"Yes, I'm sure," Ashitaka soothed.

They were both quiet for a long time, and Ashitaka lay there listening to the sounds of nature in the nighttime. It was almost like a melody in itself, and San's quiet breathing was adding to it. It was odd that the sound of her was like a melody to him, but stranger things have happened.

As he was dozing off, he was somewhat startled when San abruptly asked: "Are you sure you don't want the sheet?"

Ashitaka chuckled, glancing at her dark outline. "Good night, San," he said, rolling over onto his side.

"…Good night, Ashitaka," came the quiet reply. After that, there was no more talking, and soon the pair was sound asleep.

Ashitaka had a strange dream during the remainder of that night.

He was being hurled about by an invisible force, like a piece of cloth being thrown about by the wind. Try as he might to overcome the powerful energy, eventually his muscles gave up, and he allowed himself to be blown away.

He was floating through blackness thicker than night, and its stench permeated his lungs with its acrid fumes, making it almost impossible to breathe. His arms flailed, desperately trying to grab hold of something to stop himself, but there was nothing- no one to come to his aid.

But then, from out of the darkness, an arm reached out, grabbing him with a firm grip, refusing to let him go. He recognized that touch…the soft, yet firm grasp could only be from one person…

"San?" he called out.

"Yes, Ashitaka, I'm here," came the reply.

As soon as she had finished saying that, immediately the winds picked up, and it felt as if San was going to lose her hold, but she only squeezed tighter. She wouldn't let him go.

"San! Where are you? I can't see you!" Ashitaka gasped. The wind was blowing so hard that he could not keep his eyes open.

"I'm right beside you, Ashitaka," she responded. "You must hold on, Ashitaka. Don't die on me- not now…"

As if outraged by her reply, the wind blew even harder, chilling the very fibers of Ashitaka's being. He felt his hand begin to slip from San's…if he let go he knew he would die…

"San!" Ashitaka pleaded. "San, I can't hold on a-anymore!" he shouted. His shoulder cracked under the extreme stress, but San still managed to keep her hold on him.

"No!" San screamed. "Please hold on! Don't give up!"

"I…" Ashitaka's eyes faded into a blurry nothingness. "San, I…I'm sorry," he breathed, before his arm went completely limp.

Inevitably, he was torn from his precious hold on life, and once again he felt himself being pulled towards the center of this nightmare. Tears of agony streaming down his face, Ashitaka could only pray that the end came quickly. He could not think of anything worse than living a life without San…hopefully the afterlife would be able to offer him sweet oblivion from his memories of her.

And then it came.

In a blinding flash, the wind stopped, and Ashitaka found himself standing on a high plateau, overlooking a vast desert with the blinding sun scorching everything in sight.

He shuddered. Did he have to cross that? Glancing behind him, he saw that the desert was not only in front of him- it completely surrounded him. From every direction in which he looked, he could only see a vast wasteland.

As he turned back to face the front, he was surprised to find that he was no longer standing on the plateau. He was standing at the base of it, and a soft breeze blew across the desert, almost as if it was pointing to him the way he should go.

Seeing no other alternative, Ashitaka began walking. As soon as he had taken the first step, the clouds overhead parted, revealing the face of his beloved, San.

"San!" Ashitaka cried, running after the mysterious vision. But the vision did not reply, and after a time, Ashitaka collapsed onto the ground exhausted, and yet still staring at San's face in the sky.

Ashitaka gazed at the tender face, even though it wasn't looking at him. It seemed to be looking at something in the distance, almost as if waiting for something. A tear streamed down her face, and Ashitaka gasped. He had never seen her cry before. Whatever it was she was waiting for, it must not be good…

Suddenly, the image vanished, and the soft breeze began to blow again, urging Ashitaka to take the next step.

Swallowing hard, Ashitaka stood and placed his left foot a few feet forward.

The blue sky collapsed, and the desert along with it, and Ashitaka saw that he was standing on something solid, even though there was nothing to stand on. Again, San appeared, but this time it was her whole body. She was crouched down…almost as if she was afraid.

"San?" Ashitaka asked, apprehensively.

A hand from an invisible body reached out and wrenched San's hair back, exposing her bare neck. A knife was pressed against it, threateningly.

"San, no!" Ashitaka shouted, chasing after the fleeting image. Who would dare?!

"A-ashitaka," San mumbled weakly.

"San! I'm here!"

"Ashitaka," she said again. "My prince…"

"Wha the bloody hell?" a rough voice shouted. "No more talk like that, lady, or yur gonna find yerself in a lot more trouble than yur already in, see?" it said, pressing the knife against San's throat.

Ashitaka drew his sword. "Take your hands off of her!" he commanded. But the vision didn't seem to notice.

San groaned, wearily. Ashitaka felt as if his heart would break in two to see his love in such misery. Why didn't she fight back?!

"What do'y say?" the voice asked. "To the victor go the spoils…" it chuckled.

"No," San pleaded weakly. "Ashitaka…"

"I said no more of that!" and a hand struck San across the face.

"NO!" Ashitaka screamed, howling like an inhuman beast. He desperately slashed at the image, but to no avail. It wasn't really there, anyway, and he couldn't stop it.

The groping hand caressed San's sore face, and she closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks, sobbing quietly.

"No…!" Ashitaka gasped, collapsing onto the ground and covering his eyes with his hands. "No, please! No more!"

But the vision still persisted, and he could see it, even though his eyes were closed. He wailed in agony as he saw every detail. He saw the rough hands force San about like a rag doll, throwing her body to the floor. He saw the hand tear the white fabric of San's clothes off, leaving her dressed only in the purple kimino.

"No!" Ashitaka wailed. "No, this isn't real!"

But it still persisted. Ashitaka screamed as loud as he could, mentally trying to block the horrifying images he was receiving.
"No! Stop! Stop!" he pleaded. "Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!"

"Ashitaka!" San shouted, shaking him. "Ashitaka, wake up! What's the matter?!"

Ashitaka woke up with a start, sitting up and screaming as if the forest itself were collapsing over them.

"San!" he screamed, groping around in the dark, blindly. "San! Where are you? Who are they? I'll kill them for what they've done!"

"Ashitaka!" San said, reaching out and grabbing his flailing hands. "Calm down! It was only a dream!"

Ashitaka blinked several times, breathing deep, his lower lip shivering. "Is that you, San?" he asked numbly.

"Yes, Ashitaka," she replied. "I'm right here! It's okay, nothings wrong," she said, laying his hands in his lap, and leaving her own there as well.

"San…" Ashitaka chocked, reaching up to her. "San, you're…okay," he said, sounding almost disbelieving.

"Of course I'm okay," San said, raising her eyebrows. What made you think otherwise?"

Ashitaka began to laugh softly, weakly, as if he was delirious from shock. He raised his arms and grabbed San's shoulders, feeling her to make sure she was there, and in good health. "San! You're okay!" he said again, almost triumphantly. "It was just a dream!"

San smiled, removing Ashitaka's sweaty palms from her shoulders. "Right," she said. "It was only a bad dream," she finished, reaching up to comfortingly stroke Ashitaka's wet hair. Even his clothes were soaked with sweat.

"It must've been some dream," San remarked as she felt the heat emanating from Ashitaka's body. His pulse was so forceful that she could swear she almost heard it.

Ashitaka merely nodded, savoring the comforting hand of San as she patted his knotted hair. His breathing began to slow, and his mind was now completely his to command again.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" San cooed.

Ashitaka grinned. "No, that's okay," he said. "I don't think you'd really appreciate it…" he said, tilting his head to stare at the ground.

"Oh really?" San growled. "Since when have you ever had something you couldn't tell me? It makes me wonder what other secrets you may be hiding, eh?" she said slyly.

"Oh, I have lots of secrets, believe me," Ashitaka said, laying down again. "But most of them, you don't need to know about. Not right now, anyway," he added.

San grinned at him. "You don't think I could wheedle them out of you?" she purred. "Come on, Ashitaka, act like a human for once! Something's bothering you! I don't think you've ever been that scared in your life! Are you sure you're okay?"

Ashitaka took a deep breath. "To tell you the truth," he said, "I'm not so sure. This almost seemed to real to be like a dream, and some of the things that happened…" Ashitaka shuddered at merely thinking of them. "I just don't know! They were so horrible, San!" he said, anger beginning to boil in him. "That man…it's a damn good thing he isn't here right now…" he seethed. His cured arm began to tingle, as if it longed to be one with the demons again.

"Don't worry, Ashitaka. I'll never let anything happen to you," San said.

"It wasn't about me, San," Ashitaka whispered. "It was about you…"

"Me?" San asked.

Ashitaka sighed. "Yes, San. The man…you were crying and beaten…his hands were moving about…touching you, San…I wanted to kill him, but I was forced to watch, and all I could do was listen to your cries of agony!" he shouted, shivering as if it were cold outside.

San's mouth gaped. What a horrible dream! "That's impossible, you know," San said, trying to make Ashitaka feel better. "I would never let any man do anything to me…especially a stranger. And if you're there to protect me as well, then, what do I have to worry about?" San confided.

Ashitaka hesitated. "San," he said, taking her hand and pulling her close to him, "I was dead. I had died, and what I saw happened afterwards."

"W..?" San began, eyes darting around, looking at everything but Ashitaka. "W-what are you saying? Are you saying that you had a vision of the future?"

"It was so real, San!" Ashitaka insisted. "I don't want to jump to conclusions, but know this: I will do everything in my power to prevent anything like that from happening to you, even if I'm dead."

"Ashitaka!" San gasped. "How dare you talk like that! You know that you're going to be fine! We'll beat this…thing! You're going to be fine, and if it takes you to protect me from some strange man, then I'm sure you'll find what it takes to make sure that it doesn't happen!"

"All right, fine," Ashitaka sighed, releasing San's hands from his own. He didn't really want to talk about all of this, anyway- at least, not yet. "I suppose the sun's going to come up soon. I might as well start packing."

San nodded, pressing the ground against her hands to stand up. "I'll help you," she said.

Ashitaka parted the opening of the tent and stepped out. The sun had just begun to peak over the horizon.

"Ashitaka," San said quietly.

"Yes, what is it?" he asked her, turning around to face her.

"Something's wrong. I smell something awful…"

"It's probably me," Ashitaka teased.

"No, it's not that. I'm serious. Stop moving- let me listen for a moment…"

Ashitaka, though confused, obeyed. If she thought there was danger nearby, then it would be best to listen to her. When they had both stopped moving, the forest seemed to grow still- the birds stopped chirping, and even the river seemed to slow. It was so unnatural that Ashitaka was inclined to believe that something out of the ordinary was happening. It was either that, or maybe San's command extended beyond the boundaries of a human's perspective.

After a few minutes of standing in silence, Ashitaka began to grow concerned. Neither himself, nor San had said anything, and yet her forehead furrowed deeper and deeper until her brow was a mass of wrinkles, her eyes squinting in concentration.

Ashitaka, in the mean time, strained his own ears, trying to see what the cause of her alarm was. If she'd smelt, rather than hear whatever was out there, then he might as well give up now. Her sense of smell was far greater than his.

Ashitaka hesitated, and then asked, "San?" cautiously. "What is it?"

"Something over there," San said, opening her eyes, and pointing in the direction they had been coming from.

Ashitaka spun around and stared at the forest behind them. Was somebody following them? Were they dangerous? "I think we'd better hurry," Ashitaka advised. "We may be able to stay ahead of whatever it is if we move quickly."

San understood, and began to fold up their tent while Ashitaka walked around the campground picking up any stray items that they had used the previous night.

Once they had assembled, they started off without a word. It was odd the way they didn't have to communicate to get across an idea, but under pressure, the senses are elevated, but if they were lucky, they didn't really have anything to worry about at all.

They had been walking for a long while, and San's feeling that someone was behind them was still with her, making her extremely irritable. She'd even been so bold as to ask Ashitaka if she could hunt and kill whatever was out there so that she could continue on in peace. He had refused that particular point, but he didn't object to finding out what it was.

"But make sure," Ashitaka began, "that you don't actually kill it unless you have to- especially if we really are being followed. If that's the case, then it may be a human, and if that's what it is, you will let me try talking to them, okay?"

"Right," San said, nodding. Her eyes were blazing with an intensity Ashitaka had rarely seen in her. This was her true calling: the hunt of a wolf.

All right, let's go," San said, gritting her teeth and drawing her knife. "If you wait here, I'll circle around and come up behind it. I promise that I won't kill it unless I have to."

"Okay," Ashitaka agreed. "And San? Be careful…"

The fire that was in her eyes flared up even more, and she grinned, "I am not careless."

With that, she disappeared from his vision in a flash. He caught a glimpse of her white skin before she disappeared into the woods entirely, not making a sound against the dry autumn leaves that were on the ground.

"Now for my part," Ashitaka said to himself, drawing his sword and crouching down slowly. The skin that San had given him blended in with the ground almost perfectly- the ideal camouflage. Now all he had to do was wait for San to give him a signal to join her.

Almost instantly, a long howl that he recognized as San echoed throughout the forest. He jumped up and sprinted in her direction, sword held at the ready position. It was always best to be prepared.

"EEYAAAA!" a shrill voice screamed.

Ashitaka's heart stopped. That was a human! What had San done to him?!

Slicing a path through the underbrush, Ashitaka stumbled into a small opening where he encountered San, her dagger pointed at the shrouded figure kneeling on the ground, clutching his chest.

"San!" Ashitaka exclaimed. "What did you do to him?!"

San spread her arms. "I didn't do anything to him! He just yelled at collapsed."

"She lies!" the man said hotly, pointing a finger at San. "She said that a wolf's fury was upon me! She was going to eat me!"

San gasped. "I was not!" she yelled back at him.

"You were to! And don't deny it! I saw it with my own two eyes, I did!"

"Why you little…" San growled, taking a menacing step towards him.

The man whimpered and cowered down at her feet. "Please, don't eat m-me! I wasn't gonna do you any harm, I swear! I don't hurt no one!"

"Were you following us?" Ashitaka asked, sheathing his sword. The man was so shaken that he could barely talk. To have to stare at a menacing sword wouldn't help the situation any.

"Aye, I was," the man said, "but only since yesterday." He cast a suspicious glance at San before he continued. "Y'see, we don't get many visitors around here, and I happened to be on my way home when I thought I heard voices…yes! Over by the river they were! So I followed 'em."

"Why didn't you just go home?" San spat, sheathing her own weapon and crossing her arms.

"You're only a few miles away from me home!" the man cackled. "If you kept following the river, you woulda come upon it like that!" the man said, snapping his fingers.

"You live by yourself out here?" Ashitaka asked. Maybe he could get some ideas from this man about the area.

"Are you kiddin?" the man chocked. "A man cannae live out here by himself! The land's too harsh. I live in a village of about, oh, two hundred people, I suppose. We tend to our sheep, there's a small pasture nearby, see?, and keep to our own business. Course, the lands not the only trouble," he snorted, glancing at San, who had lost interest in him and had begun to play chase a small squirrel. "We gotta defend ourselves from stray animals that come aboot. We don't have much trouble wid them, but now we gotta start looking out for wolf people, as well! How're we supposed to defend ourselves against that?!" the man said loudly.

"Hey!" San said, turning her attention to the man again.

"San, please!" Ashitaka said, smiling. "You're behaving like a child."

"Hmph."

"Please, sir," Ashitaka said, addressing the man again, "do you think your village would be kind enough to allow us shelter for a while?"

The man looked thrilled. "You bet every last one o'yer hairs you can! A visitor is always welcome! Err…is she comin, too?" he said, pointing a thumb in San's direction. "I'm not sure if they'll like her…somethin' too wild aboot her, y'know?"

Ashitaka shook his head. "It's either both of us, or neither, I'm afraid. San may seem intimidating at first, but she's only that way when she has to be. If she is left alone, she will have no qualms with you."

"Well…uh," the man stammered. "Aw, what the 'ell? Just be sure to mind yer manners, young one!" he said.

San simply narrowed her eyes at him.

But that seemed to be enough of an answer for him. He cackled again, and darted ahead. "Come on!" he shouted, waving them towards him. "We gotta get there soon! They're expectin me, and they'll have a nice pot o' soup waitin for us! Hurry!"

He disappeared into the forest.

"That man is insane," San said, indicating with her head the direction that he'd gone off in.

"Maybe," Ashitaka said. "He certainly does seem to be a little…nervous. But give him some credit, San. He was ambushed by a very imposing figure!"

"Oh?" San asked, turning to face him. "Do you find me imposing?" she grinned, spreading her arms out in a mock-submissive form.

"Oh yes," Ashitaka teased, "You are very imposing. Good thing you aren't that way all the time, eh? You've got a soft spot!"

San opened her mouth to say something when a piercing shrill yelled, "Hey, come on! I cannae wait all day fer ya!"