Making his way to what-was-once the Shishigami's lake, Ashitaka's vigilance increased. The simplest rustle of a bush caused his eyes to dart to and fro. What could possibly have been in the forest last night? Even as deep as he now was in the forest, he didn't spot any signs of damage. Perhaps the creature had left? Perhaps there was never a creature at all.

Ashitaka stopped, gazing out towards the crystalline pool ahead of him. He found it hard to picture the terrifying events that had occurred just months prior, and could scarcely imagine the limp corpses of men sprawled across the soft undergrowth. Ashitaka continued his journey around the lake, stopping in front of a hidden entrance to a den of stone and earth. This is where San and her brothers lived now. He had imagined living there himself more than once; in fact, the entire forest without context felt quite homely. But never mind that, I have to check on San.

'San, are you here? I need to talk to you'.

No reply.

'San, are you okay?...I'm coming in'.

As Ashitaka made his way into the den, his panic rising as he foresaw what he might find there, a voice from the outside made him freeze.

'What are you doing here, kid?'

Ashitaka whipped around, to be standing face-to-face with San's brother, Ichi.

'Ichi! I mean no harm, I promise. I was wondering where San is. Do you know? Is she okay?'.

Ichi huffed with irritation.

'Of course she's okay, why wouldn't she be? But…she found something.'

'What?'

'It appears to be a human. We were out hunting when she found it lying in the grass. We were going to eat it before San realised it wasn't dead. She insisted we help it'. Ichi glared at him before adding 'it seems you've had quite an influence on her'.

Ashitaka ignored the last comment, although secretly glad she had chosen to help someone. A human lying unconscious in the forest? Could they be a victim of the beast they had heard?

Realising his opportunity now that he knew San was safe, Ashitaka questioned Ichi. It seemed to be a human boy, perhaps slightly younger than Ashitaka himself. He was gravely injured with San tending to his wounds, as she had done with him long ago.

'Is he one of those iron people from your home?' Ichi asked suspiciously, narrowing his eyes in contempt. Like San, he could not forgive the humans for what they had done. But he could tolerate them. For now.

'No…no, I don't think so' Ashitaka replied, hesitating. 'There aren't really any children in Tataraba. And if he was from there, we would definitely know if a child was missing'.

Ichi sighed, and said reluctantly.

'I suppose San could use your help. We don't know the healing techniques of humans. But don't try too hard. I could use a snack'.

Ashitaka couldn't help feeling a jab of panic at that.

Ashitaka arrived with Ichi into a mossy, rocky area. Near one of the overhanging boulders, dappled sunlight littered the ground, speckling San, her other brother, Nee, and the body of a stranger, with spots of light. Nee paced around San and the stranger, grumbling to himself, before noticing Ichi and Ashitaka's arrival.

'What is he doing here, Ichi? Is that boy an iron child?'

'Ashitaka!'

Before Ichi could reply, San had turned to Ashitaka, leaning towards him as much as she could without leaving the body with a wide smile, before her expression once again shifted to concern.

'San! Are you alright? What's going on?'

'...We found this boy. He can't be older than us, and he's very injured. Usually I wouldn't bother helping humans…' She trailed off, before sighing with a tone of both sympathy and annoyance at her softer side. 'But he's just a kid'.

Ashitaka took a closer look, gasping as he saw the ocean of red flowing and crusting on his face, obscuring most of his features. The large gash looked to be from the claws of a giant beast, running from his left cheek to his hair. The blood trickled down his neck, wetting his tattered moss-coloured kimono. Clearly the poor boy had been horribly mangled from a beast of some kind. Ashitaka shuddered as he remembered the silhouette of the creature from his dream. Perhaps there was some meaning behind it after all. The sudden possibility of that scared him.

'I've managed to clean him up a bit…' San continued, 'but I don't know how I could heal that wound. He's barely breathing.. Perhaps it would be better to put him out of his misery'.

Ashitaka, suddenly overcome with an instinctive dread, sharply said 'No!' The abruptness of this made San jump and caused her brothers to bear their teeth.

Ashitaka caught himself. 'I…can take him. His injuries are very bad. Tataraba has the resources that could save his life'.

San narrowed her eyes at this briefly, still slightly bitter about her and her clan's past with Tataraba. She knew how they treated outsiders. But she knew Ashitaka was right, this would be the only way to save his life. San internally scolded herself for caring so much about some stranger who would die soon anyway.

'Alright. I trust you, Ashitaka. But, please, can I see you there? Whatever attacked this human could still be around'.

'That's actually exactly why I came out here in the first place' Ashitaka admitted. 'We heard some loud screeching last night, even from Tataraba. I was worried about you' he murmured, a small smile on his face.

San lightly blushed at his concern for her. She felt lucky to have someone like him care about her so much. But no matter. San pushed the sentimental thoughts away, focusing on the more important information.

Regaining her more aloof nature and rationality, San reconciled her memories from last night.

'Screeching? We heard that last night too. It sounded like it came from something huge, far bigger than my brothers, and even my mother it seemed like. We waited until morning to investigate what had happened, and all we found was this boy'.

Ashitaka continued this line of questioning, determined to solve the mystery.

'Do you have any idea what the noise might have come from?'

'Maybe an animal of some kind. Or perhaps a human machine, who knows what grotesque machines have been created.'

Nee joined in solemnly. 'It was nothing like I have ever heard before. It was far too animalistic to be a human machine, yet far too horrifying to be an animal…' The white wolf bowed his head, gritting his teeth with frustration.

Ashitaka sighed, the mystery only becoming more convoluted in front of him.

Right now, I need to focus on helping this boy.

He proceeded to carefully lift the shivering body. Holding the boy's head to prevent it from lulling backwards, Ashitaka looked at the unknown face, unrecognisable behind the blood, even if he did know him. Walking over to Yakul, who was kneeling down in preparation, he slowly got onto his back. Ashitaka nodded to San and the wolves to follow as he set off back towards Tataraba.

Ashitaka knew he had a long argument in front of him. Ever since Jiko-bou and the samurai took Tataraba briefly when no one was looking, everyone had been particularly wary of letting in outsiders. Especially now when the town was in such a vulnerable position. But, surely, they could allow some sympathy for the child?