Kaya Sees the World, Chap. 5
San?
The word reverberated in Kaya's head. This was San? And what did Ashitaka have to do with this wild woman anyway?
San took a step towards her, and Kaya drew back. Slowly, she answered, "My name is Kaya. I am new to Irontown."
Once again San was struck by the similarity between Kaya and Ashitaka. Were they related? She longed to ask, yet she couldn't let herself because this girl was a human and she hated all humans. Except for Ashitaka.San stroked Yakkul's nose some more, giving herself some time to think. Kaya sat silently and said nothing.
San's hand stopped, and slowly her gaze traveled up to meet Kaya's. She had Ashitaka's eyes, but there was more to it. Their features were shaped alike; had Kaya cut her hair and fashioned it the way Ashitaka did, they might have been twins.
Kaya sensed that this girl recognized her, and suddenly blurted out, "Do you know my brother Ashitaka?"
Brother? The word knocked San back a step. Ashitaka had a sister? She was tempted to ask if she had information about Ashitaka's whereabouts, but didn't let herself trust Kaya. Hope welled up in her when she looked up at the girl's face, and she did her best to mask it.
"Yes, I do," she said curtly, and without another word turned and disappeared into the woods. Something brushed against her neck and fell, but she didn't stop to retrieve it, nor did she care.
Kaya watched her disappear, filled with confusion. There was no mistaking that glow in San's eyes-it was the same dark glow she had seen in Ashitaka's eyes. He was in love with her, and she with him. But why would Ashitaka love someone as wild and crazy as San, especially when she was so cold?
Kaya bent down and picked up the object that San had dropped, then gasped. It was her crystal dagger, the one she had given Ashitaka five years ago when he had left.
She turned Yakkul around and rode back to Irontown, where Ashitaka was still snoring under the tree. She hopped off of Yakkul and entered Irontown where curious gazes still followed her. Realizing that she had nowhere to do, she stood for several moments, looking around her.
"Kaya?" Kaya whirled around to face a woman not much older than herself. "I'm Toki. Why don't you come and stay in our place with us?"
Nodding, Kaya followed her and Toki led her to a large wooden cabin. Smoke billowed out of the chimney and Kaya could hear laughing voices inside. She was easily accepted by the women and found that she liked them too. During dinner they were all laughing and sharing stories when Kaya suddenly interjected, "Do any of you know San?"
There was silence for a while, and then Toki cleared her throat and looked down, not meeting Kaya's eyes as she said, "The wolf girl. We have not seen her in many months." Kaya said nothing more and ate in silence.
That night she dreamed that she was alone and lost in the forest, screaming out Ashitaka's name. The forest had darkened considerably and Kaya ran on and on, screaming, then suddenly tripped over a rock. Angry red eyes glared at her out of a face clouded by hate. She covered her head with her hands and felt the demon's worms dripped onto her body. Then San was there, fighting back the demon, protecting Kaya. Kaya slowly raised her head and saw someone else riding towards them. Ashitaka?
"San! San!" "Ashitaka!"
San was crouched outside the cabin beside the woods. Where was Ashitaka? She had come to find him at once, naturally; if Kaya had found a way to come then surely Ashitaka had come with her. He was late for their meeting. She pressed a hand to her throat and in shock, realized that the crystal dagger was gone. With a sinking feeling she realized that it had probably fallen off when she had turned away from Kaya, and she had no time to go and retrieve it.
Kaya woke with a start, but the voices kept calling. She turned around and saw that Toki and the other women were still fast asleep. Soundlessly she crept out of her straw mattress and exited the cabin.
Two dark figures were standing to the right of the cabin, off towards the trees. Kaya watched in wonder as they held each other close, and stifled a gasp when she heard Ashitaka's voice.
"San. Thank goodness you're safe, San. I've missed you so much." "Oh, Ashitaka."
Kaya felt as if she were intruding upon their privacy and drew back into the cabin where she lay awake in silence for many hours.
San?
The word reverberated in Kaya's head. This was San? And what did Ashitaka have to do with this wild woman anyway?
San took a step towards her, and Kaya drew back. Slowly, she answered, "My name is Kaya. I am new to Irontown."
Once again San was struck by the similarity between Kaya and Ashitaka. Were they related? She longed to ask, yet she couldn't let herself because this girl was a human and she hated all humans. Except for Ashitaka.San stroked Yakkul's nose some more, giving herself some time to think. Kaya sat silently and said nothing.
San's hand stopped, and slowly her gaze traveled up to meet Kaya's. She had Ashitaka's eyes, but there was more to it. Their features were shaped alike; had Kaya cut her hair and fashioned it the way Ashitaka did, they might have been twins.
Kaya sensed that this girl recognized her, and suddenly blurted out, "Do you know my brother Ashitaka?"
Brother? The word knocked San back a step. Ashitaka had a sister? She was tempted to ask if she had information about Ashitaka's whereabouts, but didn't let herself trust Kaya. Hope welled up in her when she looked up at the girl's face, and she did her best to mask it.
"Yes, I do," she said curtly, and without another word turned and disappeared into the woods. Something brushed against her neck and fell, but she didn't stop to retrieve it, nor did she care.
Kaya watched her disappear, filled with confusion. There was no mistaking that glow in San's eyes-it was the same dark glow she had seen in Ashitaka's eyes. He was in love with her, and she with him. But why would Ashitaka love someone as wild and crazy as San, especially when she was so cold?
Kaya bent down and picked up the object that San had dropped, then gasped. It was her crystal dagger, the one she had given Ashitaka five years ago when he had left.
She turned Yakkul around and rode back to Irontown, where Ashitaka was still snoring under the tree. She hopped off of Yakkul and entered Irontown where curious gazes still followed her. Realizing that she had nowhere to do, she stood for several moments, looking around her.
"Kaya?" Kaya whirled around to face a woman not much older than herself. "I'm Toki. Why don't you come and stay in our place with us?"
Nodding, Kaya followed her and Toki led her to a large wooden cabin. Smoke billowed out of the chimney and Kaya could hear laughing voices inside. She was easily accepted by the women and found that she liked them too. During dinner they were all laughing and sharing stories when Kaya suddenly interjected, "Do any of you know San?"
There was silence for a while, and then Toki cleared her throat and looked down, not meeting Kaya's eyes as she said, "The wolf girl. We have not seen her in many months." Kaya said nothing more and ate in silence.
That night she dreamed that she was alone and lost in the forest, screaming out Ashitaka's name. The forest had darkened considerably and Kaya ran on and on, screaming, then suddenly tripped over a rock. Angry red eyes glared at her out of a face clouded by hate. She covered her head with her hands and felt the demon's worms dripped onto her body. Then San was there, fighting back the demon, protecting Kaya. Kaya slowly raised her head and saw someone else riding towards them. Ashitaka?
"San! San!" "Ashitaka!"
San was crouched outside the cabin beside the woods. Where was Ashitaka? She had come to find him at once, naturally; if Kaya had found a way to come then surely Ashitaka had come with her. He was late for their meeting. She pressed a hand to her throat and in shock, realized that the crystal dagger was gone. With a sinking feeling she realized that it had probably fallen off when she had turned away from Kaya, and she had no time to go and retrieve it.
Kaya woke with a start, but the voices kept calling. She turned around and saw that Toki and the other women were still fast asleep. Soundlessly she crept out of her straw mattress and exited the cabin.
Two dark figures were standing to the right of the cabin, off towards the trees. Kaya watched in wonder as they held each other close, and stifled a gasp when she heard Ashitaka's voice.
"San. Thank goodness you're safe, San. I've missed you so much." "Oh, Ashitaka."
Kaya felt as if she were intruding upon their privacy and drew back into the cabin where she lay awake in silence for many hours.