Secret of the Princess
Chapter 2
San awoke just as the sun crested the horizon. Her two wolf brothers were absent, suggesting they were out hunting. She stretched slightly, and looked to where Ashitaka lay. In spite of her efforts of control, she smiled. Although his way of resolving conflict had been to kill as few things as possible, she had always trusted him, even when he had tried to save Eboshi in front of her very eyes. She would have normally leapt on the opportunity to rip out Eboshi's jugular, but some part of her and told her that Ashitaka knew what he was doing. Even still, she had voiced that she wasn't certain of Ashitaka's motives. She leant over him, a warm smile on her features. Just as she leant down to his cheek, which seemed extremely appealing at that point in time, something told her to look behind her. She whirled around to see her brothers stood there. Although wolves couldn't smile the way humans could, she could swear they were smiling at what she'd been about to do. She blushed somewhat, then Ashitaka awoke. He stretched, his hand brushing San's cheek as he did so. San went scarlet, and scurried backwards. Ashitaka came awake instantly and looked at her. San gave a small smile.
"Morning Ashitaka. You ready to go hunting?"
Ashitaka got up with a little effort. He walked to the cave entrance without showing any signs of how his foot hurt. He sat on a rock outside the cave, and inspected his hurt foot. All there was now was a red mark that was a bit tender to touch. He looked back at San and her wolf brothers, and nodded. San loved hunting with him more than anything. Soon the four of them were headed to a meadow deep in the forest, where deer grazed in large numbers. Since only San, her brothers and one or two other predators killed them, the deer continued to feed there even after one of their number was killed. From San's home, it was about four hours walking, two hours if they both rode the wolves. Ashitaka strung his bow and checked his quiver, and then nodded to San. San had donned her demon mask and wolf pelt cloak, and mounted one of her brothers. Ashitaka got up on the other, and they started off on the trail that led to the meadow.
Two hours later, the meadow first came into sight. As expected, there were deer there, but not nearly as many as they'd first thought. Normally the place was packed with deer eating the lush grass and tender new shoots. Today there were only about thirty or so. San frowned as they got to the edge of the clearing.
"Now that is really strange. Last time we came here, there must have been four or five times as many. Why are there so few now?"
Ashitaka looked into the meadow carefully.
"Well, we came this far San. Shall we still go ahead and get a deer?"
San looked uncomfortable, but nodded after some deliberation.
"Well, alright, we could use the food. Aim for a medium sized one Ashitaka. We'll use our old strategy to get their attention. Here goes."
Ashitaka grabbed her arm.
"Wait San."
San looked at him, a trace of irritation on her features.
"What is it?"
He pulled her in close and pressed his lips over hers. San was surprised to say the least, but returned the kiss nevertheless. She broke the embrace first, smiling warmly. Ashitaka smiled and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Kiss for luck."
San stared into his eyes for a few seconds, and then went into the long grass. Ashitaka watched as the two wolves slunk off into the gloom of the forest, only visible every now and then. He knew where San was by now; on the other side of the clearing. He notched an arrow onto his bow and took aim for a promising looking target. Both of the wolves emerged from the woods, catching the attention of the deer. Already they looked panicky. San dashed past, relying on her wolf pelt to hide the fact she was a human. Ashitaka gave a short wolf howl to tell San to get down flat, then released his arrow. It flew straight into the neck of a luckless deer, making it give a high-pitched groan of pain. He notched a second arrow to his bow in order to kill the animal in a quick and painless way. Suddenly came the sound of samurai war cries. From the hill above the meadow came perhaps fifteen samurai, each wearing traditional armour and carrying either a curved katana or a longbow. Ashitaka quickly weighed up the odds. The samurai had horses and metal weaponry. On his side he had San and the two wolves. Doubtlessly San would want to fight; indeed, he couldn't imagine her NOT wanting to fight human interlopers in her forest. But being outnumbered nearly 4 to 1 never boded well for anybody. Before he could fire the arrow at the nearest samurai, San arose from the grass, her knife in her hand. The deer stampeded away, leaving the injured one to die. The two wolves leapt at the rearmost riders and tore into them. Ashitaka let fly with his arrow, noting it embedded itself deep in the neck of the leader. The other samurai were recovering from their shock of being ambushed and were fighting better, but all they managed to land was one or two cuts on the wolves. In a remarkably short time, only two samurai were left in any state to fight. Ashitaka dispatched those still alive, and San addressed the remaining warriors.
"Listen carefully. We've spared you as messengers. Tell your leader to stay out of this forest unless he wants to risk the wrath of Princess Mononoke. Next time you venture here, you won't be so lucky. Now go before we turn you into vulture food."
The two samurai rode off instantly. San looked at the corpses of the dead samurai.
"Why are they coming into the forest in such numbers? Three or four and it could just be people passing through, but fifteen? Looked more like a scouting party to me."
Ashitaka was ridding the dead men of their quivers of arrows. Suddenly he stopped, and removed a flag from the grip of a dead samurai.
"San, you know whose symbol this is?"
San looked at it and shook her head. It was a white flag with four red spots.
"It's the symbol of Lord Asano."
Chapter 2
San awoke just as the sun crested the horizon. Her two wolf brothers were absent, suggesting they were out hunting. She stretched slightly, and looked to where Ashitaka lay. In spite of her efforts of control, she smiled. Although his way of resolving conflict had been to kill as few things as possible, she had always trusted him, even when he had tried to save Eboshi in front of her very eyes. She would have normally leapt on the opportunity to rip out Eboshi's jugular, but some part of her and told her that Ashitaka knew what he was doing. Even still, she had voiced that she wasn't certain of Ashitaka's motives. She leant over him, a warm smile on her features. Just as she leant down to his cheek, which seemed extremely appealing at that point in time, something told her to look behind her. She whirled around to see her brothers stood there. Although wolves couldn't smile the way humans could, she could swear they were smiling at what she'd been about to do. She blushed somewhat, then Ashitaka awoke. He stretched, his hand brushing San's cheek as he did so. San went scarlet, and scurried backwards. Ashitaka came awake instantly and looked at her. San gave a small smile.
"Morning Ashitaka. You ready to go hunting?"
Ashitaka got up with a little effort. He walked to the cave entrance without showing any signs of how his foot hurt. He sat on a rock outside the cave, and inspected his hurt foot. All there was now was a red mark that was a bit tender to touch. He looked back at San and her wolf brothers, and nodded. San loved hunting with him more than anything. Soon the four of them were headed to a meadow deep in the forest, where deer grazed in large numbers. Since only San, her brothers and one or two other predators killed them, the deer continued to feed there even after one of their number was killed. From San's home, it was about four hours walking, two hours if they both rode the wolves. Ashitaka strung his bow and checked his quiver, and then nodded to San. San had donned her demon mask and wolf pelt cloak, and mounted one of her brothers. Ashitaka got up on the other, and they started off on the trail that led to the meadow.
Two hours later, the meadow first came into sight. As expected, there were deer there, but not nearly as many as they'd first thought. Normally the place was packed with deer eating the lush grass and tender new shoots. Today there were only about thirty or so. San frowned as they got to the edge of the clearing.
"Now that is really strange. Last time we came here, there must have been four or five times as many. Why are there so few now?"
Ashitaka looked into the meadow carefully.
"Well, we came this far San. Shall we still go ahead and get a deer?"
San looked uncomfortable, but nodded after some deliberation.
"Well, alright, we could use the food. Aim for a medium sized one Ashitaka. We'll use our old strategy to get their attention. Here goes."
Ashitaka grabbed her arm.
"Wait San."
San looked at him, a trace of irritation on her features.
"What is it?"
He pulled her in close and pressed his lips over hers. San was surprised to say the least, but returned the kiss nevertheless. She broke the embrace first, smiling warmly. Ashitaka smiled and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Kiss for luck."
San stared into his eyes for a few seconds, and then went into the long grass. Ashitaka watched as the two wolves slunk off into the gloom of the forest, only visible every now and then. He knew where San was by now; on the other side of the clearing. He notched an arrow onto his bow and took aim for a promising looking target. Both of the wolves emerged from the woods, catching the attention of the deer. Already they looked panicky. San dashed past, relying on her wolf pelt to hide the fact she was a human. Ashitaka gave a short wolf howl to tell San to get down flat, then released his arrow. It flew straight into the neck of a luckless deer, making it give a high-pitched groan of pain. He notched a second arrow to his bow in order to kill the animal in a quick and painless way. Suddenly came the sound of samurai war cries. From the hill above the meadow came perhaps fifteen samurai, each wearing traditional armour and carrying either a curved katana or a longbow. Ashitaka quickly weighed up the odds. The samurai had horses and metal weaponry. On his side he had San and the two wolves. Doubtlessly San would want to fight; indeed, he couldn't imagine her NOT wanting to fight human interlopers in her forest. But being outnumbered nearly 4 to 1 never boded well for anybody. Before he could fire the arrow at the nearest samurai, San arose from the grass, her knife in her hand. The deer stampeded away, leaving the injured one to die. The two wolves leapt at the rearmost riders and tore into them. Ashitaka let fly with his arrow, noting it embedded itself deep in the neck of the leader. The other samurai were recovering from their shock of being ambushed and were fighting better, but all they managed to land was one or two cuts on the wolves. In a remarkably short time, only two samurai were left in any state to fight. Ashitaka dispatched those still alive, and San addressed the remaining warriors.
"Listen carefully. We've spared you as messengers. Tell your leader to stay out of this forest unless he wants to risk the wrath of Princess Mononoke. Next time you venture here, you won't be so lucky. Now go before we turn you into vulture food."
The two samurai rode off instantly. San looked at the corpses of the dead samurai.
"Why are they coming into the forest in such numbers? Three or four and it could just be people passing through, but fifteen? Looked more like a scouting party to me."
Ashitaka was ridding the dead men of their quivers of arrows. Suddenly he stopped, and removed a flag from the grip of a dead samurai.
"San, you know whose symbol this is?"
San looked at it and shook her head. It was a white flag with four red spots.
"It's the symbol of Lord Asano."