A whole year had passed since Ashitaka had come to the west and the forest spirit's head had been taken. It had been returned but the forest spirit could not be saved. Nothing had been seen of the Forest spirit or nightwalker since. Moro and Lord Okkoto were gone and the boar tribe had gone south to find a new leader. Iron town was still in the process of being rebuilt.

San sped down the hillside, the wind in her hair. Then she caught side of Yakul and Ashitaka. The wolf she was riding on came to a stop.

" Lady Eboshi has requested a meeting with us. Today." Ashitaka said solemnly.

"Ashitaka, just because the forest and the humans are no longer at war it doesn't mean we are on close terms yet either. I don't want to talk to that wretched gunwoman." San replied, spitting the last words out.

"Your mother left her mark on Eboshi, when she took her arm. Isn't that enough? It sounded serious San. We have to go speak with her." Ashitaka said, patiently.

San got back on the wolf and after a short silence looked up and nodded. She knew it had to be done.

So they sped off down the hill, the wolf and the elk darting in front of each other, on their way to Iron town. They arrived at the great gates, which Ashitaka had once opened by himself, even though it took ten men normally. Sometimes the curse had come in handy, ashitaka thought to himself as the gate opened up in front of them. Together they rode down the path, and many of the people stared at San, whom they had once been afraid of.

They heard whispers saying things like, "The savage girl? She's come to kill Lady Eboshi! We must warn M'lady."

San dismissed the whispers and stares. She hated them all. After walking through the town they got to the large shack which belonged to Lady Eboshi. Outside was Gonza.

"M'lady has been waiting for you. Go right on in" even though he allowed them in he seemed very hostile towards them both.

" Welcome back Ashitaka. And greetings princess of ghosts, ghouls and demons. Princess

Mononoke." Lady Eboshi said in a friendly manner. San scowled at her and reached to her belt and touched her dagger, but Ashitaka put a firm hand on her arm.

"I didn't call you here to fight San. In the past I underestimated the wolf tribe." She said as she tentatively caressed the stump where her arm had once been.

"I wanted to talk to you both because yesterday a messenger from a small town in the Eastern regions of Japan reported that many of the villages there have been ravaged and the people there massacred by a…a…. Well by a kind of demon." She finished abruptly. Ashitaka looked stunned. His home was in the East. What if this demon had hit his village? His family, his friends, Kaya! They would all…. Be gone. A sudden burst of hatred filled him. He had never felt this kind of hatred except when he had been covered by the curse laid on him by Nago. He then shook it off realising he was just presuming things.

"This new demon is different. Both of you know about demons. Nago, lord Okkoto, they are normal demons. But those who have seen this demon describe it as a giant deer like creature with a human like face. It is always smiling and it looks friendly. Sound familiar?"

Both Ashitaka and San looked stunned.

"The forest spirit! Can it have returned to us? But it can't be the forest spirit killing those people. He wouldn't do that. He saved Ashitaka!" San said growing angry but also upset.

"I realise this San, that is why I want you two to go and help the people in the east, because you have both dealt with demons and you know more about the Forest spirit than any normal man or woman would. The people of the East need your help. Will you go?" Lady Eboshi asked calmly.

Ashitaka nodded slowly. But San looked troubled.

"Why should I help humans at all. It was humans who killed the Forest Spirit. And my mother." She exclaimed loudly.

"Then don't do it for the humans. Go to see if the Forest spirit is really back, and if so to prove its innocence." Lady Eboshi said quietly and kindly.

Eventually San nodded and agreed to make the journey to the East with Ashitaka. They both left iron Town and that night San said goodbye to her wolf siblings and her and Ashitaka, riding on Yakul left the forest and departed to the East.