Cantering at a slow pace, Ashitaka urged Yakkul forward to the beginning of
the forest. Upon nearing the tall trees covered in moss and tiny blossoms
at the base, Ashitaka dismounted and walked on foot into the forest, Yakkul
following by his side. The wind blew and rustled the leaves over head and
caressed the young man's cheek, a lovely scent of cherry blossoms heavy in
the air. It smelled of spring.
It has been too long, Ashitaka thought to himself. He should have come sooner. Everywhere he looked, he was forcibly reminded of how much time had passed. He should have come sooner ...
Yakkul moved closer and nuzzled his head on Ashitaka's arm, the same arm that had bourne the demon mark those three years ago. Smiling that small smile of his, Ashitaka stroked Yakkul's soft fur and murmured to him.
"You miss her too, don't you friend?" He asked his elk, walking still more purposefully deeper into the forest, the light of the sun flickering shafts of light through the gaps in the trees and bushes. Brushing back a long branch from his immediate path, Ashitaka stopped dead and stared ahead. It was the lake. If he closed his eyes and opened them he would see Moro the wolf god laying still upon the grass, the lower half of her body submerged in the water. He would see also the lord Akoto drenched in blood and the ooze of war standing over her. He did. He closed his eyes and he was forcibly taken to that day three years ago. He could hear San screaming his name, trapped in the rage and hate of the demon lord Akoto. He could smell and death and hear the pain in the air.
Opening his eyes, he took a steadying breath and moved forward, unnecessarily beckoning for Yakkul to follow. The two continued their way along the lake and through the trees on the opposite side, retracing his path from three years before to the cave San had shared with her wolf family. As he turned on the narrow path, he did indeed see one of her wolf brethren. He stopped still and waited, granting them their proper respect, as he bowed his head.
"You've returned, Ashitaka. Come forward. We've been waiting for you." Mune spoke, coming to stand from where he'd just been laying in the golden sunlight at the entrance to the cave. Straightening up, Ashitaka moved forward, his hand on Yakkul's bridle.
"Good day to you, Mune." Ashitaka inclined his head in a bow once again when he'd reached him, and smiled when he straightened.
The wolf looked upon the young man. He had certainly changed. His hair was a longer than he'd last seen it, tied back in a pony tail with a bit of green cloth. His features were angular and more pronounced, and he was slightly more muscular than Mune had remembered him to be. The boy had become a young man.
"You have grown. San has also. Come and see her. She will be pleased to see you have come at last." Mune swished his tail and entered the cave, clearly indicating for Ashitaka to follow. Respectfully, the young man did follow behind and could see at the very end she whom he had been thinking on for many a moon these past three years.
Mune was right. She has changed. Her hair was longer and was worn free. She had grown a bit taller and was still slender and lithe but very much fit. Her features were no longer soft but pert and she no longer painted her face as she had three years before.
"San, he has returned." Mune announced coming up to her, brushing at her arm with his head. She turned and smiled at her wolf brother and then straightened and caught sight of Ashitaka. She stood still and so did he. They stared at each other for a full minute before she smiled a slow smile, sweet like honey. "You've come at last like you promised." San murmured, her voice tinged with happiness as she moved forward to him.
"I promised I would and here I am, San." He smiled and moved forward also. It was as if the three years they'd spent apart melted away and it was just yesterday that they'd stood on the hill after the battle, after the passing of the Forest Spirit. It was as if no time had passed for them. He opened his arms out to her and she walked into his embrace. "Have you come to stay?" San asked him.
"Yes, but I must make a journey first. I must go back to my village and see my sister, Kaya. I would have gone there first and returned here after, but I had to see you. It's been too long." Ashitaka told his princess of the forest.
San, looked deep into his eyes and gave him a warm smile. "I shall go with you, Ashitaka. I shall journey with and we shall return together." She told him.
He didn't say anything. He simply stared deep into her eyes before he pulled her into a deeper embrace. "Thank you, princess." He whispered against her cheek.
It has been too long, Ashitaka thought to himself. He should have come sooner. Everywhere he looked, he was forcibly reminded of how much time had passed. He should have come sooner ...
Yakkul moved closer and nuzzled his head on Ashitaka's arm, the same arm that had bourne the demon mark those three years ago. Smiling that small smile of his, Ashitaka stroked Yakkul's soft fur and murmured to him.
"You miss her too, don't you friend?" He asked his elk, walking still more purposefully deeper into the forest, the light of the sun flickering shafts of light through the gaps in the trees and bushes. Brushing back a long branch from his immediate path, Ashitaka stopped dead and stared ahead. It was the lake. If he closed his eyes and opened them he would see Moro the wolf god laying still upon the grass, the lower half of her body submerged in the water. He would see also the lord Akoto drenched in blood and the ooze of war standing over her. He did. He closed his eyes and he was forcibly taken to that day three years ago. He could hear San screaming his name, trapped in the rage and hate of the demon lord Akoto. He could smell and death and hear the pain in the air.
Opening his eyes, he took a steadying breath and moved forward, unnecessarily beckoning for Yakkul to follow. The two continued their way along the lake and through the trees on the opposite side, retracing his path from three years before to the cave San had shared with her wolf family. As he turned on the narrow path, he did indeed see one of her wolf brethren. He stopped still and waited, granting them their proper respect, as he bowed his head.
"You've returned, Ashitaka. Come forward. We've been waiting for you." Mune spoke, coming to stand from where he'd just been laying in the golden sunlight at the entrance to the cave. Straightening up, Ashitaka moved forward, his hand on Yakkul's bridle.
"Good day to you, Mune." Ashitaka inclined his head in a bow once again when he'd reached him, and smiled when he straightened.
The wolf looked upon the young man. He had certainly changed. His hair was a longer than he'd last seen it, tied back in a pony tail with a bit of green cloth. His features were angular and more pronounced, and he was slightly more muscular than Mune had remembered him to be. The boy had become a young man.
"You have grown. San has also. Come and see her. She will be pleased to see you have come at last." Mune swished his tail and entered the cave, clearly indicating for Ashitaka to follow. Respectfully, the young man did follow behind and could see at the very end she whom he had been thinking on for many a moon these past three years.
Mune was right. She has changed. Her hair was longer and was worn free. She had grown a bit taller and was still slender and lithe but very much fit. Her features were no longer soft but pert and she no longer painted her face as she had three years before.
"San, he has returned." Mune announced coming up to her, brushing at her arm with his head. She turned and smiled at her wolf brother and then straightened and caught sight of Ashitaka. She stood still and so did he. They stared at each other for a full minute before she smiled a slow smile, sweet like honey. "You've come at last like you promised." San murmured, her voice tinged with happiness as she moved forward to him.
"I promised I would and here I am, San." He smiled and moved forward also. It was as if the three years they'd spent apart melted away and it was just yesterday that they'd stood on the hill after the battle, after the passing of the Forest Spirit. It was as if no time had passed for them. He opened his arms out to her and she walked into his embrace. "Have you come to stay?" San asked him.
"Yes, but I must make a journey first. I must go back to my village and see my sister, Kaya. I would have gone there first and returned here after, but I had to see you. It's been too long." Ashitaka told his princess of the forest.
San, looked deep into his eyes and gave him a warm smile. "I shall go with you, Ashitaka. I shall journey with and we shall return together." She told him.
He didn't say anything. He simply stared deep into her eyes before he pulled her into a deeper embrace. "Thank you, princess." He whispered against her cheek.