Kaya Sees the World, Chap. 13
If you see weird symbols all over, please click on VIEW at the top of your toolbar in IE, go down to ENCODING and click on UNICODE (NTF – 8). Thanks!
Now that that problem's solved, thanks for the reviews! I was going to make this one a turning point but changed my mind (Thanks for the tip, Shadow!) so I'll slow it down some. I've been in Montana with my friend for two weeks so I haven't updated – sorry!
crystaldolphin88, you don't like Gonza either? ;) ( (that's supposed to be a winking face in case it doesn't show up)
"San, we've never gone this far into the forest before. What are you leading me to?"
"Just follow me."
Kaya followed somewhat reluctantly in San's footsteps. The wild foliage around her was becoming unfamiliar, and she had no idea as to how far they'd traveled. Certainly farther than she'd ever been.
San broke a path through the plants as she walked, ignoring the scratches of the thorns and sharp leaf edges on her tough skin. Kaya, on the other hand, wrapped her skirt tighter around her legs, hoping that she wouldn't tear it. It was her favorite kimono, in a shade of pale pink. Strategically she placed her feet in the same spots that San stepped to reduce the mess they made in the forest—and on themselves.
San walked on fearlessly, carelessly brushing aside branches as she did. At last she turned back to Kaya, a wide smile on her face. "Come here."
Kaya did as she was told and found herself facing an adorable baby elk. It flipped its ears rapidly upon seeing her, then blinked. It was loosely tied to a nearby tree trunk with a thick vine. The baby elk didn't seem to mind this at all; it wasn't straining to get away. In fact, it looked rather content yet startled at the appearance of Kaya and San.
"Go on, you can touch her," encouraged San. Then laughing, she added, "I told you I'd get you something other than a wolf to ride! And you said you were used to Ashitaka's elk, so I got you the youngest elk I could possibly find who was old enough to live away from her mother. She's yours to tame and ride, when she gets big enough."
Kaya gasped in surprise, and San laughed heartily at the shocked expression of delight on her face. Kaya stared from San to the elk and back, and ran over and flung herself into San's arms.
"THANK YOU!!!" she screamed, so loudly that the birds in the trees scolded and flew off to find a more peaceful perch. Her new elk, however, stood calmly and chewed on a piece of grass. It perked up an ear when she looked back at it.
Slowly Kaya approached it and patted it tentatively on the nose. "Hi," she whispered. "I'm Kaya."
The elk blinked again, as if it were rather startled at Kaya's touch. Then suddenly it began to nuzzle her hand and give it a gentle lick. Kaya laughed. "It tickles!" she called to San.
San laughed too, and came closer. "What are you going to name it?"
Kaya's hand stilled, and the baby elk nibbled lightly at it. Absentmindedly she began stroking it again. "I don't know. Since it's a girl, maybe…Hana?" she wondered out loud, and looked at the elk. It blinked once and then twice, then licked her hand.
San laughed. "I think she likes it."
Kaya put her arms gently around Hana's neck. San came closer and rubbed her back. "I think she may be better off in the forest for now, since she's still very young," she explained. "Eventually she can bond with Yakkul and you'll be able to ride her while Ashitaka rides him."
"They'd make a cute elk couple," said Kaya, and both of them giggled. "Shall I leave her with you for now?"
"That'll be fine. I'll take good care of her, but try and come down whenever you can so that she'll get used to your presence and obeying your commands. I don't particularly need an elk trailing me everywhere."
Kaya laughed and headed home shortly afterwards, both San and Hana watching her leave. She needed to get back soon in order to work her shift at the bellows, but she didn't step out of the forest until she had gathered a bouquet of blossoming starflowers.
Author's Note: If I'm not horribly mistaken, "Hana" means flower in Japanese. I've been informed that it also means "nose", but I really did not intend to name Kaya's little elk "Nose"!
If you see weird symbols all over, please click on VIEW at the top of your toolbar in IE, go down to ENCODING and click on UNICODE (NTF – 8). Thanks!
Now that that problem's solved, thanks for the reviews! I was going to make this one a turning point but changed my mind (Thanks for the tip, Shadow!) so I'll slow it down some. I've been in Montana with my friend for two weeks so I haven't updated – sorry!
crystaldolphin88, you don't like Gonza either? ;) ( (that's supposed to be a winking face in case it doesn't show up)
"San, we've never gone this far into the forest before. What are you leading me to?"
"Just follow me."
Kaya followed somewhat reluctantly in San's footsteps. The wild foliage around her was becoming unfamiliar, and she had no idea as to how far they'd traveled. Certainly farther than she'd ever been.
San broke a path through the plants as she walked, ignoring the scratches of the thorns and sharp leaf edges on her tough skin. Kaya, on the other hand, wrapped her skirt tighter around her legs, hoping that she wouldn't tear it. It was her favorite kimono, in a shade of pale pink. Strategically she placed her feet in the same spots that San stepped to reduce the mess they made in the forest—and on themselves.
San walked on fearlessly, carelessly brushing aside branches as she did. At last she turned back to Kaya, a wide smile on her face. "Come here."
Kaya did as she was told and found herself facing an adorable baby elk. It flipped its ears rapidly upon seeing her, then blinked. It was loosely tied to a nearby tree trunk with a thick vine. The baby elk didn't seem to mind this at all; it wasn't straining to get away. In fact, it looked rather content yet startled at the appearance of Kaya and San.
"Go on, you can touch her," encouraged San. Then laughing, she added, "I told you I'd get you something other than a wolf to ride! And you said you were used to Ashitaka's elk, so I got you the youngest elk I could possibly find who was old enough to live away from her mother. She's yours to tame and ride, when she gets big enough."
Kaya gasped in surprise, and San laughed heartily at the shocked expression of delight on her face. Kaya stared from San to the elk and back, and ran over and flung herself into San's arms.
"THANK YOU!!!" she screamed, so loudly that the birds in the trees scolded and flew off to find a more peaceful perch. Her new elk, however, stood calmly and chewed on a piece of grass. It perked up an ear when she looked back at it.
Slowly Kaya approached it and patted it tentatively on the nose. "Hi," she whispered. "I'm Kaya."
The elk blinked again, as if it were rather startled at Kaya's touch. Then suddenly it began to nuzzle her hand and give it a gentle lick. Kaya laughed. "It tickles!" she called to San.
San laughed too, and came closer. "What are you going to name it?"
Kaya's hand stilled, and the baby elk nibbled lightly at it. Absentmindedly she began stroking it again. "I don't know. Since it's a girl, maybe…Hana?" she wondered out loud, and looked at the elk. It blinked once and then twice, then licked her hand.
San laughed. "I think she likes it."
Kaya put her arms gently around Hana's neck. San came closer and rubbed her back. "I think she may be better off in the forest for now, since she's still very young," she explained. "Eventually she can bond with Yakkul and you'll be able to ride her while Ashitaka rides him."
"They'd make a cute elk couple," said Kaya, and both of them giggled. "Shall I leave her with you for now?"
"That'll be fine. I'll take good care of her, but try and come down whenever you can so that she'll get used to your presence and obeying your commands. I don't particularly need an elk trailing me everywhere."
Kaya laughed and headed home shortly afterwards, both San and Hana watching her leave. She needed to get back soon in order to work her shift at the bellows, but she didn't step out of the forest until she had gathered a bouquet of blossoming starflowers.
Author's Note: If I'm not horribly mistaken, "Hana" means flower in Japanese. I've been informed that it also means "nose", but I really did not intend to name Kaya's little elk "Nose"!