9: A Different Path Unfolds

"Don't say it Ashitaka." San said.

"San, you know as well as I do, that Moro has changed. A little maybe, but she has changed. Her humanity has taken affect within her." Ashitaka said calmly.

"NO! I will not have that! She cannot become a human..never!" San cried.

"I know. She will grow to become the next in line. But have you ever thought of what Moro wanted? What if she doesn't want to become the next in line?" Ashitaka asked. "I'm not sure if I really want to be the next in line anymore...I mean, I don't like this fighting. It causes deaths I don't want that. Mama wants me to become strong, and I want to become strong, but I don't want to fight anybody unless it's a last resort..." he remembered Moro say when she was smaller.

"Then she will leave the pack and go with you back to Iron Town. If she will not become the leader, then after me there will be no more wolf clan..." San said quietly.

"Mama?..." Moro asked quietly. San was shaken by this, and so was Ashitaka. They wondered how long she had been standing there.

"Moro...what did you hear? Did you hear anything we said?" Ashitaka asked. Moro only nodded silently. Everyone was silent now.

"Then what is your decision?.." San asked her.

"I'm ready...I've always been." Moro replied. San sighed with a little bit of relief, and Ashitaka wondered if that was Moro's true answer. As Ashitaka went back to Iron Town, he promised that he would still visit them, and San thought that this would be going back to the way things were, leaving Iron Town in the past. So, she continued to train Moro. At first Moro was a little off, but then after a couple of fights she was back to normal, and forgot everything she had learned in Iron Town. Already it had been two weeks, and San was very satisfied with the progress Moro had made. Already she looked ready to become the new leader. She was more calm at some points, and very wise.

"That's it Moro, feel your rage and your hidden power will come. You will become a great fighter someday when I am gone, and I will smile down upon you when that day comes." San said with satisfaction as her daughter charged at her, daggers at hand. Moro gave her mother everything she had. Anger and rage consumed her, and she completely forgot what she was doing. San felt a little insecure around Moro now, and tried to calm her down, but Moro would not stop.

"Moro! Calm down this instant!" San cried. Her mother's voice snapped her out of her rage, and she blinked a couple of times. She then looked at the ground and apologized to her mother while she bowed. San wasn't sure what to say to her.

"Well, you sure have grown strong. I'm proud." San said to Moro and ran her hand through her daughter's beautiful, long, dark brown hair. Moro only smiled at this, and the two continued to train. She needed to be at her best in fighting to become the forest's protector and the clan's leader. Suddenly, Yakul came up to them. He motioned the two, and San recieved the letter. It was meant for Moro. San summoned her daughter over, and Moro quickly looked over the letter. At first she looked at it strangely, but then realized some of the words. This made her go into shock, and she crumpled the letter up, and tore it into pieces. Her hair looked as if it were standing on end.

"Moro? What's the matter? What did it say?" San asked.

"It said words that were meaningless. It's nothing but..." Moro started, and then her anger subsided.

"Mama...I'm sorry..." Moro said to her and just sobbed in her mother's arms.

"I'm sorry..I'm sorry.." she continued to mumble, and San could not bear anymore, so she only embraced her daughter, not saying a word. Only comfort was able to help Moro through this time of difficulty. It was now night, and Moro could feel her mother's presence. She waited a couple of minutes, and then got up slowly. She left the cave quietly, not making a sound. She looked back at her family, and sighed heavily. She then looked out, and down upon the forest. She was in deep thought. She remembered everything the letter had said. It said that she was to meet Enishi at the place where it was hidden, except for them. She then raced off to the secret place of, dreams. At least, that was what she had named it. As she reached her destination, she quickly went down the shoot and saw Enishi standing before her. He looked at her with sad eyes, and she stared at him blankly, showing no emotion. The two walked all the way to the end, and let everything out in their mind. Enishi screamed in his, and Moro only sobbed. As they reached the end, they appeared in the heart of the forest, the lake. They then sat on the island, and stayed silent for quite some time.

"Moro..." Enishi said quietly. She only looked up at the starry sky. Enishi looked at her, guilt was written all over his face.

"Yes?.." she asked.

"Moro I..back there at the gravesites...I didn't mean what I said..not all of it. I don't hate you. I..I would never ever hate you. It's the complete opposite." he started. Moro only gasped at this, and started to blush, a smile forming. She tried hiding it, but it didn't really work. Enishi saw this, and continued.

"Yeah...it's nothing like that. I could never hate you. You're so beautiful...and pretty...wait those are the same words. Hahaha.." he laughed hysterically. 'You idiot! You're making a total fool out of yourself!' he thought as he laughed embarassingly. Moro only hid her laughter, but started to giggle and chuckle. Soon she started to laugh silently, and Enishi smiled at her happiness.

"You know...I was born under the full moon...like this one." Moro said silently.

"No wonder you're so beautiful..the moon is always perfect when it is full." Enishi replied. Moro only blushed even more, and giggled.

"But still...I did mean it when I said that...I hated beasts...I do not like the boars...but, like that boar Tamashi said he would try, I decided that I too would try not to hate them. I felt like he and I were alike.." Enishi said to her. Moro only blinked, and then looked at Enishi with surprised eyes. He looked back at her with kind ones. She smiled, and hugged him tightly. This made his face red as a beet, and he had no idea what to do next.

"Thank you..this is great..maybe now, there will never be a war again.." Moro said to him, and he only smiled at that thought, but wondered if it would ever come true...

As Enishi returned to Iron Town, and Moro back to her cave, the two promised to visit eachother often at their secret place. As Enishi slipped back quietly into his house, he saw Ashitaka staring at him. Enishi didn't know what to do, and ran to his sister's grave, with Ashitaka following close behind.

"Enishi-sama. Where did you run off to tonight?" Ashitaka asked him calmly.

"I..I went to see a friend." he said.

"Did you go and see Moro?" Ashitaka asked.

"Yes." he replied

"Well then, how is she?" Ashitaka asked.

"Fine." he said.

"Good. But I must ask you not to see her again. You musn't. If San were ever to find out, she would have your head. You mean so much to Moro, she could not bear it if you were to die. I must forbid you from visiting her ever again. I will send Yakul though with letters if you ever want to write to her." Ashitaka said.

"But-"

"No. Moro is to become the next leader of the pack. If she is ever to achieve that goal, she must not have any contact with her former life in Iron Town. Sadly, it will only destroy her..." Ashitaka said, and with that left. Enishi was only left to sob. As Moro returned to her home, San was very angered with her, and wanted to know where she went.

"I went to the lake." she said. It was true after all.

"Moro, you smell of human. You've been in contact with that boy, haven't you?" her uncle asked her.

"No I haven't..the smell probably hasn't worn off yet." Moro replied.

"Lies. It's already been two weeks." San replied.

"Why were you with him?" her other uncle asked.

"I just was..." Moro replied.

"What did the letter say to you? Tell me. You cannot lie to your own flesh and blood." San snapped.

"It told me to meet him by the lake." Moro said. That was another lie, but her mother seemed to believe her.

"Then, I forbid you to ever set foot near that lake again." San said to her. Moro nodded silently, and was left to cry her heart out. Now both of them could not see eachother, and this made them depressed.

"Enishi-sama? Why won't you come join us anymore?" Ares asked.

"I don't feel like it." he replied.

"Moro, you aren't fighting back. What's the matter?" San asked.

"I'm fine." Moro replied and fought back with force. Niether would admit it, but without the other it was as if life itself was pointless. Already three years passed, and the two were 18, still lonely and incomplete without eachother.

A/N: Well, there ya have it chappie 9. Sorry if it's another shortie, but chappie 10 isn't (at least I don't think it is. . .)so stay tuned :) . Click the lil button to go to chappie 10! Hope u like the story so far folks ;)