Chapter Eight- Amishi Redemption
Disclaimer- I still don't own this... and my birthday just passed. Do we have some lazy reviewers out there? O_o Oh well. *sighs*
AN- This is the long awaited chapter 8! *hides under table* Enjoy!
His tent was bare of decorations, but that was to be expected. These men moved so often that it was pointless, even foolish to have trivial decorations. It lacked the feel of home, the one I can so faintly remember from long ago. Home had never felt the same after Ashitaka had left.
I was alone. I'm not sure if that's a good thing, or a bad one. At least no one was here making demands from me, ones I will never meet. I shrugged, not thinking of the many bloody wounds running down my back. I had to cringe as fire burned there.
"That was smart." I commented to myself, sitting on the floor.
"Not really." came another voice from the mouth of the tent. I shot my gaze up and almost choked when I saw who was there.
"San!" I cried, jumping up and running to her. She allowed me to hug her, but she did not return the gesture. "What happened to you?" I spoke.
"Be quiet. They don't know I'm here, and it would be nice if it stayed that way." she whispered hoarsely. I nodded slightly, blushing a bit in embarrassment.
"Sorry." I breathed, eyes cast down. She didn't seem to notice.
"We must escape. Where did they take Ashitaka?" she demanded of me. I blinked twice.
"I'm not sure... They said he was to be executed." I explained. She turned slightly paler.
"Then we must hurry. Come." she spoke, turning to leave. My eyes were wide as I followed. I was a bit dizzy, but I wasn't sure if that was from surprise or blood loss. My head spun and it seemed like the Earth and the sky were trying to trade places. I desperately pushed the feeling away. I couldn't be unalert now... it could cost lives.
"How are we going to rescue him?"I managed to ask. San turned slightly, her hand resting on her long knife. I suddenly knew what she intended.
"By force, if it comes to that." I gulped a bit, suddenly glad that I had never fallen to face the wolf girl before me.
The campfire that burned in the center of the camp sent an eerie glow around the edges of the white tents. My eyes took a moment to adjust as night fell fast. Almost unnaturally fast.
I could hear merry-making and a song of sorts. It surprised me as I peered around a tent to see them laughing and enjoying a good drink. It was hard to imagine these cold men, the dark hearted samurai to be human in any way. I suddenly wondered how many of them had wives and children and a nice home. Each passing second I found it harder to breath, harder to imagine killing any of them... they seemed... too human.
It was easy to hate them when they were nothing but shells, evil shells of men. "San... they're... they're..." I stuttered. The wolf girl turned, her shaggy cut brown hair falling around her face, catching me off guard with her wild appearance.
The men, the cold hearted samurai, suddenly seemed to be more human than my companion. I found it hard to breath.
"What is wrong?" she asked tensely, obviously a bit annoyed at my disturbing her thoughts.
"N-nothing." I managed. I shook my head. They were the enemy, the ones that had caused so much pain since I'd found Ashitaka. I was not going to give up now.
We tried to blend into the shadows, though San was much more skilled at this than I as I bungled along behind her. Slowly we crept. Ahead I could see a figure, Ashitaka I guessed tied to a tall pole. I prayed he was alright. I bit my tongue when I watched one drunken man toss the contents of his cup on my brother. I knew, somehow, that it had been wine. I could almost feel the burn of the alcohol against the raw wounds.
"We have to help him." I growled low, not sure who I was talking to. San seemed not to hear me as she slyly drew her knife.
"We can win, if we take them by surprise. We have to get Ashitaka out of there fast for us to have a chance." she explained, her tone business-like. I nodded. This I knew. We had to work fast. The best weapon I found I could muster was a gnarled tree branch was stacked with some others. I guessed they were firewood.
"Let's go." I urged. San held up her hand, her body motionless. In a blur of sudden motion her hand dropped and she was off. I was amazed at her speed, but that lasted only a moment. I quickly took off after her, my feet ringing off the hard earth. The drunken men barely took notice of us, but some of them were not drunk.
Arrows rang close to my ears, I tried to ignore them. My eyes locked on the battered man... my brother. He was awake, his eyes alert. "I..." I began, turning my makeshift club in my hand and cracking down on the nearest warrior. I used every once of strength my slim form could muster in the next strike. "...cannot..." I added through gritted teeth. Ashitaka locked his gaze with mine, neither wavering. "...be defeated!" I snapped, running the remaining few feet to Ashitaka.
"Keiya... what's going on?" he managed. I didn't speak and began to unravel the cords binding his hands. I smiled, the first honest smile I've had in a long time.
"Let's get out of here, brother." I suggested. Ashitaka smiled too, nodding his agreement. I glanced down, turning back towards the battle. He caught me off guard, however, and grabbed my arm. He spun me around and grabbed me in a fierce hug. I was shocked for a moment, but found myself returning the gesture.
"I've missed you, sister." he breathed, finally releasing me. I smiled sadly, suddenly realizing how much I had truly missed him.
"Cursed wretches of the Amishi tribe!" came a loud, roaring sneer. I turned my gaze in that direction. A tall man, his uniform marking him as a higher rank than the others stood at the head of the camp. I suddenly felt very young, my arms crossing in front of me. Ashitaka joined my side as we both looked at the man. "I curse you!" he yelled, cutting a slit across his arm, dark blood streaming down his arm. "By my blood, by the gods I curse you! Go back to where you belong! The shadow of death will be upon you until you find your place!" the man growled.
I blinked, my eyes growing wide in surprise. Had he cursed us? I was dumbfounded as the waves of men seemed to part before us. Ashitaka, it must have been him, grabbed my arm and drug me along behind him. I was dumbfounded, numb.
I barely noticed leaving the camp. When my arm was released, I sank to the ground. "Keiya? Are you alright?"
I couldn't answer at first. I was mute, or felt it.
I was cursed. I was going to die.
I didn't cry, until a gentle touch on my shoulder cracked my thin shell.
Author Note/ I have to huggle Etheral Angel for this one. *huggles Etheral Angel* She helped me get what little of a chapter this is out. Thanx man! As for the chapter ending like that, I will TRY my hardest to get the next chapter out tomorrow. I really will. It should be the last chapter.
WARNING: Though no one is going to die, I think the story will end in a cliffy state.
Disclaimer- I still don't own this... and my birthday just passed. Do we have some lazy reviewers out there? O_o Oh well. *sighs*
AN- This is the long awaited chapter 8! *hides under table* Enjoy!
His tent was bare of decorations, but that was to be expected. These men moved so often that it was pointless, even foolish to have trivial decorations. It lacked the feel of home, the one I can so faintly remember from long ago. Home had never felt the same after Ashitaka had left.
I was alone. I'm not sure if that's a good thing, or a bad one. At least no one was here making demands from me, ones I will never meet. I shrugged, not thinking of the many bloody wounds running down my back. I had to cringe as fire burned there.
"That was smart." I commented to myself, sitting on the floor.
"Not really." came another voice from the mouth of the tent. I shot my gaze up and almost choked when I saw who was there.
"San!" I cried, jumping up and running to her. She allowed me to hug her, but she did not return the gesture. "What happened to you?" I spoke.
"Be quiet. They don't know I'm here, and it would be nice if it stayed that way." she whispered hoarsely. I nodded slightly, blushing a bit in embarrassment.
"Sorry." I breathed, eyes cast down. She didn't seem to notice.
"We must escape. Where did they take Ashitaka?" she demanded of me. I blinked twice.
"I'm not sure... They said he was to be executed." I explained. She turned slightly paler.
"Then we must hurry. Come." she spoke, turning to leave. My eyes were wide as I followed. I was a bit dizzy, but I wasn't sure if that was from surprise or blood loss. My head spun and it seemed like the Earth and the sky were trying to trade places. I desperately pushed the feeling away. I couldn't be unalert now... it could cost lives.
"How are we going to rescue him?"I managed to ask. San turned slightly, her hand resting on her long knife. I suddenly knew what she intended.
"By force, if it comes to that." I gulped a bit, suddenly glad that I had never fallen to face the wolf girl before me.
The campfire that burned in the center of the camp sent an eerie glow around the edges of the white tents. My eyes took a moment to adjust as night fell fast. Almost unnaturally fast.
I could hear merry-making and a song of sorts. It surprised me as I peered around a tent to see them laughing and enjoying a good drink. It was hard to imagine these cold men, the dark hearted samurai to be human in any way. I suddenly wondered how many of them had wives and children and a nice home. Each passing second I found it harder to breath, harder to imagine killing any of them... they seemed... too human.
It was easy to hate them when they were nothing but shells, evil shells of men. "San... they're... they're..." I stuttered. The wolf girl turned, her shaggy cut brown hair falling around her face, catching me off guard with her wild appearance.
The men, the cold hearted samurai, suddenly seemed to be more human than my companion. I found it hard to breath.
"What is wrong?" she asked tensely, obviously a bit annoyed at my disturbing her thoughts.
"N-nothing." I managed. I shook my head. They were the enemy, the ones that had caused so much pain since I'd found Ashitaka. I was not going to give up now.
We tried to blend into the shadows, though San was much more skilled at this than I as I bungled along behind her. Slowly we crept. Ahead I could see a figure, Ashitaka I guessed tied to a tall pole. I prayed he was alright. I bit my tongue when I watched one drunken man toss the contents of his cup on my brother. I knew, somehow, that it had been wine. I could almost feel the burn of the alcohol against the raw wounds.
"We have to help him." I growled low, not sure who I was talking to. San seemed not to hear me as she slyly drew her knife.
"We can win, if we take them by surprise. We have to get Ashitaka out of there fast for us to have a chance." she explained, her tone business-like. I nodded. This I knew. We had to work fast. The best weapon I found I could muster was a gnarled tree branch was stacked with some others. I guessed they were firewood.
"Let's go." I urged. San held up her hand, her body motionless. In a blur of sudden motion her hand dropped and she was off. I was amazed at her speed, but that lasted only a moment. I quickly took off after her, my feet ringing off the hard earth. The drunken men barely took notice of us, but some of them were not drunk.
Arrows rang close to my ears, I tried to ignore them. My eyes locked on the battered man... my brother. He was awake, his eyes alert. "I..." I began, turning my makeshift club in my hand and cracking down on the nearest warrior. I used every once of strength my slim form could muster in the next strike. "...cannot..." I added through gritted teeth. Ashitaka locked his gaze with mine, neither wavering. "...be defeated!" I snapped, running the remaining few feet to Ashitaka.
"Keiya... what's going on?" he managed. I didn't speak and began to unravel the cords binding his hands. I smiled, the first honest smile I've had in a long time.
"Let's get out of here, brother." I suggested. Ashitaka smiled too, nodding his agreement. I glanced down, turning back towards the battle. He caught me off guard, however, and grabbed my arm. He spun me around and grabbed me in a fierce hug. I was shocked for a moment, but found myself returning the gesture.
"I've missed you, sister." he breathed, finally releasing me. I smiled sadly, suddenly realizing how much I had truly missed him.
"Cursed wretches of the Amishi tribe!" came a loud, roaring sneer. I turned my gaze in that direction. A tall man, his uniform marking him as a higher rank than the others stood at the head of the camp. I suddenly felt very young, my arms crossing in front of me. Ashitaka joined my side as we both looked at the man. "I curse you!" he yelled, cutting a slit across his arm, dark blood streaming down his arm. "By my blood, by the gods I curse you! Go back to where you belong! The shadow of death will be upon you until you find your place!" the man growled.
I blinked, my eyes growing wide in surprise. Had he cursed us? I was dumbfounded as the waves of men seemed to part before us. Ashitaka, it must have been him, grabbed my arm and drug me along behind him. I was dumbfounded, numb.
I barely noticed leaving the camp. When my arm was released, I sank to the ground. "Keiya? Are you alright?"
I couldn't answer at first. I was mute, or felt it.
I was cursed. I was going to die.
I didn't cry, until a gentle touch on my shoulder cracked my thin shell.
Author Note/ I have to huggle Etheral Angel for this one. *huggles Etheral Angel* She helped me get what little of a chapter this is out. Thanx man! As for the chapter ending like that, I will TRY my hardest to get the next chapter out tomorrow. I really will. It should be the last chapter.
WARNING: Though no one is going to die, I think the story will end in a cliffy state.