Disclaimer I do not own Princess Mononoke or any of the characters from it. Damn.
Chapter Four- Light Through the Crystal
Pain. That was the first thing I felt as I drifted to consciousness. The second thing I became aware of was someone was standing over me. My vision blurred in and out of focus, making my head spin and my stomach twist into knots. I tried to sit up, thinking it would help me.
"No, lay still. You've been badly injured." I heard a voice tell me. A strong hand forced me to lie back. Finally my eyes focused and I could see my surroundings. I was in a cave, and lying on some kind of foliage. The air was heavy with the scent of some kind of animal. As my eyes searched, they came upon a girl, not more than three years my elder. She had short cropped brown hair and deep blue eyes that seemed almost black. Her face was solemn, but not unfriendly.
"Who are you?" I managed, my voice shaky. She smiled slightly as she tended some wound of mine.
"I am San of the wolf clan." she told me. I was more than a little confused, but the pain from my injuries kept drawing me back to the present.
"I am Keiya...and I hate to be a burden..." I said. I couldn't see straight due to the pain, especially in my left leg. "How badly am I hurt?" I pressed.
"Bad. Your leg is sprained, and you're lucky it didn't shatter. Your arm has one large gash that is in danger of infection among numerous other smaller wounds." San explained. I felt another shooting pain as I tried to move again.
I didn't speak for a moment as I thought. I was hurt and probably far from Iron Town. "Where am I?" I asked.
"I found you at the cliff below Iron Town, but I refuse to go there. I brought you to my home, deep in the forest. You are safe here." she told me.
Just my luck. Wait...hadn't Huron said something about Ashitaka going into the forest? I turned to San, ready to voice my thoughts. But something around her neck caught my eye. It hung from a short red cord, but it was the same as I remembered it: my crystal dagger.
"You witch! You killed him!" I exploded. Somehow I managed to propel myself at her, ignoring the searing pain that clung to my like a damp blanket. San was surprised but her reaction time was amazing. She stopped my lunge and redirected my energy so I didn't hurt either of us.
But the pain at the thought that Ashitaka was dead was too much for me. I was raging and couldn't control myself. I lunged again.
"Calm down, Keiya! I didn't kill anyone!" she insisted. I wasn't going to listen to her lies.
"Shut up! You killed my brother!" I yelled, swinging my clenched fists at her. She grabbed my arms and pinned them.
"Who? I don't even know what you're talking about!" San told me. I looked at her, my eyes full of hot rage. I glanced at the crystal that made the dagger. Light shone through it and created a rainbow of colors.
"You killed him. How else would you have my dagger?" I spat. San glanced down at the dagger, then looked back up at me. Her eyes were soft as they examined my features.
"Oh my gods..." she gasped. She let go of my arms and I fell to my knees, the brief exhilaration gone. "You aren't...Ashitaka's sister...are you?" she asked, her eyes wide. I nodded, my glare cold. Unconsciously her hand drifted to her stomach. That motion confused me.
"You know my brother..." I trailed. It was her turn to nod. "Where is he?" She looked me in my eyes.
"He was due to come for a visit a few days ago. He hasn't arrived yet. He must have been held up in Iron Town." San explained. I shook my head.
"Huron told me that he saw Ashitaka off before he and the other riflemen left. He isn't at Iron Town, or wasn't then." I countered. San's somewhat calm expression faded.
"No. He has to be. He couldn't have-" she trailed off. She closed her eyes. I was worried now. If Ashitaka never made it to the forest...then where was he. Was he in trouble somewhere?
"We have to find him!" I exclaimed. San took one look at me and almost laughed. I was worth little more than a lump on the ground in my current condition, but if I had to help Ashitaka, I would put all of my pain aside.
"Rest awhile. If he doesn't come by morning, I will go search for him." she decided. I glared. I didn't want her to go alone. I was his sister after all. But I laid down and tried to sleep. Surprisingly, I was asleep sooner than I thought.
Hours later, I awoke. It was very early morning, in the twilight hours just before dawn. I sat up silently and glanced to the cave's entrance. I could faintly make out San's thin form sitting in the opening.
"Ashitaka...please be alright. I need you...more than even you know." she spoke to the night. I bit my lower lip, an action that caused a surprising amount of discomfort.
San loved Ashitaka. That much was obvious to me now. I suddenly felt a bond to San. She was a mystery to me still, but we shared some common ground. We both loved the same man, even if it was in different ways.
"You are not going, Keiya. You are hurt! H-U-R-T. Hurt!" San told me as I struggled to stand. I laughed bitterly. It was early morning and we were debating on whether I was entitled to go search for my brother.
"But San! He's my brother! I can't rest with the thought that he may be in danger. I've waited four long years to see him again, and wild horses couldn't keep me from it at this point." I told her. She scowled. "I'm going, whether you like it or not!" I added.
The wolf girl glared at me. I honestly shouldn't have been throwing my weight around like a pompous rat, but I didn't care at the moment. She finally sighed, turning and whistling long and clear. Moments later a very large wolf appeared at the cave's entrance.
"This is MY brother. You will ride him." she explained, sensing my fear. I stiffened. I had never quite mastered riding anything, let alone a giant wolf.
"That is a really big wolf." I stated obviously. San laughed, seeing she had the upped hand. The wolf approached me, sniffing at my feet.
*She seems familiar. Who is she, San?* I heard, more in my head than from the wolf's mouth. I was dumbfounded for a moment.
"Did that animal just talk?" I asked hoarsely. San laughed.
"Yes. All of the animals in this forest can talk, even since the Great Forest Spirit died. And she is Keiya, Ashitaka's little sister." she answered, addressing both questions. The wolf seemed satisfied and looked up at me. It's head was close to the size of my whole body. I took a deep breath.
"And I'm supposed to ride him." I said. San nodded.
*You can talk directly to me, human." the wolf stated. I laughed slightly. Talking to animals would take some getting use to.
The long awaited chapter four. ^_^ Hope you guys like it! And thanx to everyone who reviewed so far. That really helps me! And to all those who don't review...you AREN'T helping!
Chapter Four- Light Through the Crystal
Pain. That was the first thing I felt as I drifted to consciousness. The second thing I became aware of was someone was standing over me. My vision blurred in and out of focus, making my head spin and my stomach twist into knots. I tried to sit up, thinking it would help me.
"No, lay still. You've been badly injured." I heard a voice tell me. A strong hand forced me to lie back. Finally my eyes focused and I could see my surroundings. I was in a cave, and lying on some kind of foliage. The air was heavy with the scent of some kind of animal. As my eyes searched, they came upon a girl, not more than three years my elder. She had short cropped brown hair and deep blue eyes that seemed almost black. Her face was solemn, but not unfriendly.
"Who are you?" I managed, my voice shaky. She smiled slightly as she tended some wound of mine.
"I am San of the wolf clan." she told me. I was more than a little confused, but the pain from my injuries kept drawing me back to the present.
"I am Keiya...and I hate to be a burden..." I said. I couldn't see straight due to the pain, especially in my left leg. "How badly am I hurt?" I pressed.
"Bad. Your leg is sprained, and you're lucky it didn't shatter. Your arm has one large gash that is in danger of infection among numerous other smaller wounds." San explained. I felt another shooting pain as I tried to move again.
I didn't speak for a moment as I thought. I was hurt and probably far from Iron Town. "Where am I?" I asked.
"I found you at the cliff below Iron Town, but I refuse to go there. I brought you to my home, deep in the forest. You are safe here." she told me.
Just my luck. Wait...hadn't Huron said something about Ashitaka going into the forest? I turned to San, ready to voice my thoughts. But something around her neck caught my eye. It hung from a short red cord, but it was the same as I remembered it: my crystal dagger.
"You witch! You killed him!" I exploded. Somehow I managed to propel myself at her, ignoring the searing pain that clung to my like a damp blanket. San was surprised but her reaction time was amazing. She stopped my lunge and redirected my energy so I didn't hurt either of us.
But the pain at the thought that Ashitaka was dead was too much for me. I was raging and couldn't control myself. I lunged again.
"Calm down, Keiya! I didn't kill anyone!" she insisted. I wasn't going to listen to her lies.
"Shut up! You killed my brother!" I yelled, swinging my clenched fists at her. She grabbed my arms and pinned them.
"Who? I don't even know what you're talking about!" San told me. I looked at her, my eyes full of hot rage. I glanced at the crystal that made the dagger. Light shone through it and created a rainbow of colors.
"You killed him. How else would you have my dagger?" I spat. San glanced down at the dagger, then looked back up at me. Her eyes were soft as they examined my features.
"Oh my gods..." she gasped. She let go of my arms and I fell to my knees, the brief exhilaration gone. "You aren't...Ashitaka's sister...are you?" she asked, her eyes wide. I nodded, my glare cold. Unconsciously her hand drifted to her stomach. That motion confused me.
"You know my brother..." I trailed. It was her turn to nod. "Where is he?" She looked me in my eyes.
"He was due to come for a visit a few days ago. He hasn't arrived yet. He must have been held up in Iron Town." San explained. I shook my head.
"Huron told me that he saw Ashitaka off before he and the other riflemen left. He isn't at Iron Town, or wasn't then." I countered. San's somewhat calm expression faded.
"No. He has to be. He couldn't have-" she trailed off. She closed her eyes. I was worried now. If Ashitaka never made it to the forest...then where was he. Was he in trouble somewhere?
"We have to find him!" I exclaimed. San took one look at me and almost laughed. I was worth little more than a lump on the ground in my current condition, but if I had to help Ashitaka, I would put all of my pain aside.
"Rest awhile. If he doesn't come by morning, I will go search for him." she decided. I glared. I didn't want her to go alone. I was his sister after all. But I laid down and tried to sleep. Surprisingly, I was asleep sooner than I thought.
Hours later, I awoke. It was very early morning, in the twilight hours just before dawn. I sat up silently and glanced to the cave's entrance. I could faintly make out San's thin form sitting in the opening.
"Ashitaka...please be alright. I need you...more than even you know." she spoke to the night. I bit my lower lip, an action that caused a surprising amount of discomfort.
San loved Ashitaka. That much was obvious to me now. I suddenly felt a bond to San. She was a mystery to me still, but we shared some common ground. We both loved the same man, even if it was in different ways.
"You are not going, Keiya. You are hurt! H-U-R-T. Hurt!" San told me as I struggled to stand. I laughed bitterly. It was early morning and we were debating on whether I was entitled to go search for my brother.
"But San! He's my brother! I can't rest with the thought that he may be in danger. I've waited four long years to see him again, and wild horses couldn't keep me from it at this point." I told her. She scowled. "I'm going, whether you like it or not!" I added.
The wolf girl glared at me. I honestly shouldn't have been throwing my weight around like a pompous rat, but I didn't care at the moment. She finally sighed, turning and whistling long and clear. Moments later a very large wolf appeared at the cave's entrance.
"This is MY brother. You will ride him." she explained, sensing my fear. I stiffened. I had never quite mastered riding anything, let alone a giant wolf.
"That is a really big wolf." I stated obviously. San laughed, seeing she had the upped hand. The wolf approached me, sniffing at my feet.
*She seems familiar. Who is she, San?* I heard, more in my head than from the wolf's mouth. I was dumbfounded for a moment.
"Did that animal just talk?" I asked hoarsely. San laughed.
"Yes. All of the animals in this forest can talk, even since the Great Forest Spirit died. And she is Keiya, Ashitaka's little sister." she answered, addressing both questions. The wolf seemed satisfied and looked up at me. It's head was close to the size of my whole body. I took a deep breath.
"And I'm supposed to ride him." I said. San nodded.
*You can talk directly to me, human." the wolf stated. I laughed slightly. Talking to animals would take some getting use to.
The long awaited chapter four. ^_^ Hope you guys like it! And thanx to everyone who reviewed so far. That really helps me! And to all those who don't review...you AREN'T helping!