Kaya Sees the World, Chap. 11
"Kaya!"
Ashitaka was ahead, but by only a few feet. Yakkul crashed forward through underbrush, covering both him and his master with scratches, but neither cared.
Ashitaka's heart was thumping against the walls of his rib cage. Gonza knew. Kaya had known something all along, and he didn't even have time to rage at why she hadn't told him. What did she know that Gonza was so desperate to keep covered up?
San stood poised, with her spear in hand. She didn't dare to look behind her for fear that she would give Kaya's position away, but she desperately hoped that the girl had found a good hiding place where she would be safe. Her wolf brothers growled menacingly, one on either side of their human sister.
"Kaya!"
There was the voice again. San stepped to the left, trying to see who it was, but a moment later something big and brown crashed through the woods and slammed into her. San shrieked and was pushed to the ground. She squirmed and rolled around, trying to avoid the animal's hooves. A moment later a second body crashed down on top of her, followed by a series of grunts.
"Ashitaka?" Her wolves were now attacking the animal-which she realized to be Yakkul-so she quickly ordered them to stop. "Ashitaka! What's-"
"Kaya." He cut her off, fear glazing his eyes. "Where is she?"
"Ashitaka, she's safe for now-what's going on-?"
"I don't have time, San! Where is she? Gonza's coming to kill her!" he yelled, the expression in his face converting from fear to frustration.
Just then a second party came crashing through the forest. Ashitaka made to grab San and push her aside, as she had done to his sister, but she was on her feet before he was.
It was Gonza, managing to hang onto his horse's reins with one hand while brandishing a rifle in the other. San noticed that his small band of men were following, rather reluctantly, at a much slower pace.
"YOU!" bellowed Gonza. "WHERE IS YOUR SISTER?"
Kaya, securely hidden under the branches, shivered at the familiar booming voice. She curled herself into a smaller ball and tried to press herself closer to the dirt wall. A spider crawled by in front of her, and she resisted the urge to move. She hated spiders.
Ashitaka opened his mouth to reply and San lifted the hand holding the spear, but neither was quicker than San's wolf brothers. They would accept Ashitaka and Kaya into their forest because they were San's friends, but they would not accept this human. They tore Gonza off of his horse (which gladly ran away, rejoining the other men) and dragged him a good ten feet before tossing him into the water.
"I can't swim!" roared Gonza, struggling to keep his head above the water. "WHERE ARE MY MEN?!"
They stayed at a safe distance. Not one of them made any move to help Gonza.
With Gonza being watched (and attacked) by the wolves, Ashitaka turned to San. "Kaya-where is she?"
San turned around, scanning their surroundings, and found the perfect hideout. She slipped agilely to the old tree and leaned over the roots. "Kaya? It's safe to come out now."
Kaya stepped out, being careful not to get her hair caught in the roots. Ashitaka gave her a hand and helped her up.
Gonza was still struggling in the water, and Kaya had the impression that both San and Ashitaka were trying to keep from laughing hysterically as Gonza yelled futilely for his men to help him. The wolves took pity on him and dragged him back on shore at last, but as soon as he made the first move to get back, one of them growled and took hold of his shirt. The other did the same and together, they dragged Gonza off into the woods, leaving a trail of water and crushed plants. After awhile Gonza's bellows could no longer be heard. The men looked at each other and suddenly all began cheering.
San's face broke into a smile and she threw herself into Ashitaka's arms. He lifted her up and spun her around.
"You'll come home with us tonight to celebrate, right?" He said, and San knew it was a command and not a request.
"Of course." She held him close.
Kaya smiled. Gonza was gone, Lady Eboshi's death was avenged, and she could begin to see a ray of hope in the future.
"Kaya!"
Ashitaka was ahead, but by only a few feet. Yakkul crashed forward through underbrush, covering both him and his master with scratches, but neither cared.
Ashitaka's heart was thumping against the walls of his rib cage. Gonza knew. Kaya had known something all along, and he didn't even have time to rage at why she hadn't told him. What did she know that Gonza was so desperate to keep covered up?
San stood poised, with her spear in hand. She didn't dare to look behind her for fear that she would give Kaya's position away, but she desperately hoped that the girl had found a good hiding place where she would be safe. Her wolf brothers growled menacingly, one on either side of their human sister.
"Kaya!"
There was the voice again. San stepped to the left, trying to see who it was, but a moment later something big and brown crashed through the woods and slammed into her. San shrieked and was pushed to the ground. She squirmed and rolled around, trying to avoid the animal's hooves. A moment later a second body crashed down on top of her, followed by a series of grunts.
"Ashitaka?" Her wolves were now attacking the animal-which she realized to be Yakkul-so she quickly ordered them to stop. "Ashitaka! What's-"
"Kaya." He cut her off, fear glazing his eyes. "Where is she?"
"Ashitaka, she's safe for now-what's going on-?"
"I don't have time, San! Where is she? Gonza's coming to kill her!" he yelled, the expression in his face converting from fear to frustration.
Just then a second party came crashing through the forest. Ashitaka made to grab San and push her aside, as she had done to his sister, but she was on her feet before he was.
It was Gonza, managing to hang onto his horse's reins with one hand while brandishing a rifle in the other. San noticed that his small band of men were following, rather reluctantly, at a much slower pace.
"YOU!" bellowed Gonza. "WHERE IS YOUR SISTER?"
Kaya, securely hidden under the branches, shivered at the familiar booming voice. She curled herself into a smaller ball and tried to press herself closer to the dirt wall. A spider crawled by in front of her, and she resisted the urge to move. She hated spiders.
Ashitaka opened his mouth to reply and San lifted the hand holding the spear, but neither was quicker than San's wolf brothers. They would accept Ashitaka and Kaya into their forest because they were San's friends, but they would not accept this human. They tore Gonza off of his horse (which gladly ran away, rejoining the other men) and dragged him a good ten feet before tossing him into the water.
"I can't swim!" roared Gonza, struggling to keep his head above the water. "WHERE ARE MY MEN?!"
They stayed at a safe distance. Not one of them made any move to help Gonza.
With Gonza being watched (and attacked) by the wolves, Ashitaka turned to San. "Kaya-where is she?"
San turned around, scanning their surroundings, and found the perfect hideout. She slipped agilely to the old tree and leaned over the roots. "Kaya? It's safe to come out now."
Kaya stepped out, being careful not to get her hair caught in the roots. Ashitaka gave her a hand and helped her up.
Gonza was still struggling in the water, and Kaya had the impression that both San and Ashitaka were trying to keep from laughing hysterically as Gonza yelled futilely for his men to help him. The wolves took pity on him and dragged him back on shore at last, but as soon as he made the first move to get back, one of them growled and took hold of his shirt. The other did the same and together, they dragged Gonza off into the woods, leaving a trail of water and crushed plants. After awhile Gonza's bellows could no longer be heard. The men looked at each other and suddenly all began cheering.
San's face broke into a smile and she threw herself into Ashitaka's arms. He lifted her up and spun her around.
"You'll come home with us tonight to celebrate, right?" He said, and San knew it was a command and not a request.
"Of course." She held him close.
Kaya smiled. Gonza was gone, Lady Eboshi's death was avenged, and she could begin to see a ray of hope in the future.