Hi everyone. I am really sorry for the wait. It is completely unforgiveable and if you want to stop reading my story you can I won't blame you. Anyway the long awaited chapter. And the next chapter I will try to get up either next week or the week after. I won't make you guys wait another year before the next one.

Ashitaka could barely breathe past the pain. A fire spread through his whole body making him wish for unconsciousness. After awhile he became aware of someone crying. It sounded familiar, but he couldn't place it. The sound helped him clear his mind and focus on something other than the pain that consumed him. Once aware of his surroundings he saw that somehow he had been moved into a cave that he had never been to. He knew the battle ended because he could see the women and children moving around helping the wounded. Finally he looked up to where the crying came from and was surprised to find San kneeling by him and crying for him. Angry with himself for making her worry about him. Ignoring the pain moving brought him, he sat up and hugged San close to his chest and embraced her wishing there was more he could do. He rubbed her back in soothing circles while singing a lullaby, in his native tongue, that his mother had sung to him when he had fallen ill during his childhood. They stayed like that until San fell limp in his arms, asleep.

"Nice to see you up," replied Kana behind him making him jump.

"Oh, it's you. Why are you guys here?" Ashitaka said not sure if it was the sister or brother.

"San was worried about you. She wanted to see you and when Yakuul left you to come and get us…. Well you know what she'd think." Kana said looking at San in Ashitaka's arms

"Where's Kitha?" Ashitaka said realizing that the wolf was Kana; if Kitha had seen San in his arms he would have attacked him.

"He's outside keeping watch. You should get some rest. Don't worry San will be all right," Kana said after glancing at Ashitaka. He looked like he was about to pass out.

"I'm fine," Ashitaka lied. Now that he knew San was safe, the pain, from his side reawakened with a vengeance. Not prepared he dropped San, and groaning curled into a ball. A nearby doctor came and gave him some pain and sleeping herbs after checking his wounds. Kana picked up San and went over to the entrance.

"Have you heard anything yet?" Kana asked "Are you so sure they'll come again?"

"Yeah, they wanted something. They were too organized for a renegade band of riflemen." Kitha replied never taking his eyes off the woods.

"Do you have any idea what they wanted?"

"Probably the ore found here," Kitha said. When Kana shook her head he added in a growl "Do you have any better ideas?"

"No, but I can't shake the feeling that they were looking for someone."

"You mean Ashitaka?"

"Yeah, I mean we don't even know where he came from. For all we know he is a runaway convict or something."

"I know what you mean, but for some reason I can't help, but trust him. Look at Yakuul, he's not a dumb beast, I doubt he would trust his life with Ashitaka if he was dangerous. He probably just wanted to start a new life."

"I don't think he would intentionally hurt us, but what if the past he's trying to run away from catches up with him?-"

"Hello San. Sorry to wake you." Kitha said cutting off whatever Kana was going to say. The look in his eyes told Kana that he didn't want San to know their thoughts knowing that it would only trouble her mind more.

"Why are you guys still awake. You should sleep. I'll take watch for awhile… And I'm sorry about before, I shouldn't let a human get to me like that. I put you and everyone else in danger." San said hopping down from Kana's back, not looking into their eyes.

They knew no words would make her feel better and instead they lay down on each side of her and nuzzled her, showing her that they understood and forgave her. They lay down and pretended to fall asleep.

San breathed a sigh of relief when she realized that they wouldn't argue with her. She moved to the edge of the forest and looked into it. There was no moon out tonight and the stars were covered by the clouds. She let the sounds of the night creatures fill her mind as she tried to forget everything that had happened so far that night. But soon she found her thoughts wondering back to Ashitaka and Iron town.

Why did the rifle men attack Iron town? They were too organized for a renegade band. San thought to herself. She sat there in frustrated silence until she gave up and let her mind wonder to Ashitaka. She recalled everything that had happened when she saw Ashitaka sliced down in front of her. She knew the sword had been poisoned, she could smell it as he hugged her and she knew that Kitha and Kana had smelt it too. San knew all the different poisons that were found in the area and it puzzled her when she couldn't figure out what the poison was. Fear gripped her heart as she realized that the poison probably came from far away, knowing that that would mean that the antidote would also not be found close by. Not knowing if the healers knew if he was poisoned she ran into the cave to tell them even though she knew they wouldn't trust her.

Kitha and Kana saw her rushing into the cave and they moved to follow her, but a rustle in the bushes stopped them. They looked to the forest waiting for whatever had moved to show itself. They tensed as they prepared to defend the cave's entrance. A few heart beats passed and a family of bunnies hopped out of the bushes. Kana let out the breathe she had been holding as Kitha growled at the family, scaring them away. This is ridiculous. If we stay this paranoid next time we'll be trying to save the humans from a swarm of flies. Kitha thought as he turned around and followed his sister into the cave. He froze barely inside the cave when he saw what was going on. It seemed all the healers had converged around a spot a little way away from everyone else with San in the middle of the mob. Kitha was about to push past everyone to get to San, but Kana blocked his path, gaving him a look that said to wait and see if any action from them was needed. Growling softly in the back of his throat he nodded his head telling her he understood and would wait before turning his attention to the commotion.

"...that wouldn't work," a healer told San angrily.

"What else can we do? We can't just stay back and watch him die," San said clenching her teeth.

"You think we would repay his kindness by letting him die? What about you? Why don't you go and get the sword that poisoned him so we can figure out what he was poisoned with?" Another healer asked San.

San just stared at them trying to figure out a way to get them to agree with her. Only now realizing how many people had congregated around her. She stifled a gasp as she involuntarily took a step back from the enormous group of people.

She heard as Kitha in a barely contained growl say that finding the sword was impossible, but she wasn't really paying attention because Yakuul had caught her attention and she was trying to figure out what he was telling her. Silently she slipped past the mob of healers and went over to him.

"Alright Yakuul, what did you have to tell me?" San asked staring into his eyes. She was so absorbed in what Yakuul was telling her that she jumped a foot in the air when she turned around to find Kana behind her. Kitha was still arguing with the healers diverting their attention from her. Silently thanking her brother, she turned to her sister.

"So, what do we do now?" Kana asked.

"We have to wait until Ashitaka wakes. Yakuul said that the poison is a common one that Ashitaka's people use when defending their village. The only problem is that the antidote-,"

"Is found only in his homeland, right?" Kana said deciphering San's hesitant and frustrated mood.

San nodded mutely. Suddenly the cave became deadly silent as Eboshi entered the cave.

"I don't know what all the ruckus in here is about, but I do know that it is not good for the wounded. If you must talk, go outside and if it is so important that you absolutely must talk then I would like to know what it is." Eboshi said eyeing the crowd of healers near Kitha.

The chief healer walked up to her and in a low whisper told her that Ashitaka was poisoned by an unknown poison. When Eboshi heard the news her face paled and she had to lean on the wall to steady herself. She looked over at where Ashitaka lay and then back at the healer. She nodded and left. One by one a group of five healers went out behind her. Kitha looked to San and she nodded before going out behind him. Kana stayed behind to talk with the elk.

Outside things started to heat up. Nobody could agree on anything. San hadn't told them what she had found out because she didn't want to explain how she had found out. She was ready to kill them all though. The things they came up with were just going to kill him or make him even weaker. Before anyone one started fighting Eboshi silenced them.

"Nothing else can be done tonight. We will wait until tomorrow before deciding on a course of action. The poison won't kill him tonight so for now I suggest that everyone try to get a good night's sleep. If no one can come up with a decent idea of what to do in the morning then San will decide what we do with Ashitaka," Eboshi said heading into the cave and going over to her mat before lying down wearily and tried to sorted out everything that had happened that night.

San watch as the healers fallowed Eboshi into the cave. When she was all alone with Kitha, she climbed on his back and he ran into the night. The feel of the icy wind blowing through her hair and the feel of Kitha running beneath her helped her clear her head and calm her down. When he stopped she jumped down and ran into the forest. Kitha knowing she wanted to be by herself waited for her to return. San was thankful to be alone. She let out all the pent up feelings of frustration, anxiety and confusion of the last few hours loose. Tears blinded her and she couldn't figure out where she was or where she was going, but she didn't stop. She kept tripping over tree roots and stones. Finally she fell and stayed down on the ground until there were no more tears left. The sun was coming up before she headed back to Kitha. She felt numb and she knew she looked terrible, but she couldn't bring herself to care. When she returned to the spot where she left Kitha, Kana was there waiting for her instead. Kana took one look at her face and brought her over to a river nearby to clean up and they went to the cave. The actions of the wolf clan must have scared off all the animals because the forest was eerily silent.

So what did you think? Do you still like the story? I'm sorry if a few passages didn't make any sense. I couldn't wait for my sister to read over the chapter to make sure I didn't make any mistakes or rambled on without confusing people. I figured you all waited enough for this chapter. Sorry and please reply it is really hard to continue without knowing what you think.