The first day of spring greeted a waking Ashitaka by pouring the sun's light into the wolves' den. He stirred around under the deer skin blanket and opened his eyes. He immediately regretted waking up when the sunlight momentarily blinded him, sending him under the covers with a groan. Last night had been exciting, as it was the first time that San and her brothers had shown Ashitaka how to hunt like a wolf. From what Ashitaka had gathered, wolves stalked their prey and led them to more of their pack before striking. Fortunately for them, many of the forest creatures were coming out of hibernation. It was an excellent time to find prey.

The wolves spent five hours teaching Ashitaka how to hunt like they did. By the time they had returned to the den, they had gathered enough meat to last until early summer. San dried the meat while Ashitaka collapsed onto the cave floor, his legs having lost all feeling from the constant running. San told him that he would get used to it, though he was unsure if that was simply something she said to make him feel better. While she was used to chasing down animals until they were too exhausted to outrun her, he had never done such a thing before. He was used to farms and stores. Even when he did go hunting, it was never as intense or strenuous as what San and her brothers were accustomed to. He remained awake long enough to crawl into bed and roll onto his back. He saw that San had joined him in bed sometime earlier in the night.

Ashitaka got out of bed and felt the cool spring air caress his skin. His eyes scanned the green canopy as the sun rose in the horizon. He could hear San's brothers snoring above, having fallen asleep atop the cave the night before. They were usually awake during the night, roaming around the forests or keeping watch high above the ground.

I guess even Wolf Gods need to sleep, Ashitaka thought to himself as he stretched out his tired arms. He sat down as he continued to watch the sunrise. Down below, Yakul was already awake and eating leaves from low hanging branches. Ashitaka could see how much happier Yakul was in the forest. He was sure that it was much better than being confined to the stables.

In the time that Ashitaka had spent in the forest, he had been back to Irontown only twice. The first time was so that he could purchase some nets for fishing. He had been gone for only a few days, but he was asked dozens of questions as though he had been gone for years. The second time he had returned to Irontown, this time to buy some reins to replace the ones which had broke the day before. Many of the townspeople did a double take when Ashitaka came through the gates. He was dressed only in his sleeves and pants, the latter of which was covered in rips and tears. His arms, legs, and torso were stronger and more toned than before. His hair, which was hanging halfway down his neck the last time they saw him, was now almost shoulder length. One woman jokingly said that she expected him to have the same facial markings which San bore. Despite the physical changes, he was still the same calm, stoic man he always was.

As the sun continued to rise, more light continued to flow into the cave. San's eyes began to flutter as the warmth of the sun washed over her face. Ashitaka looked over to her when he heard her stirring under the covers. Her gray eyes shimmered like the surface of a lake as her body was bathed in golden sunlight. The two greeted each other good morning as San sat down next to him, admiring the rising sun as they were bathed in its warmth.

"How are you feeling?" San asked, "My brothers and I didn't tire you out too badly, did we?"

"I'm a bit sore," Ashitaka replied as he rubbed one of his legs, "But other than that, I feel fine."

"That's good to hear."

Ashitaka and San spent the next few moments in silence as they gazed at the forest below. The wind began to pick up, cooling the air and causing the leaves in the trees to sway. Ashitaka brushed away several strands of hair which got caught in his mouth, causing San to giggle. The sound made Ashitaka smile, as San rarely ever laughed. The two continued to simply watch the forest until Ashitaka broke the silence.

"San, do you think you would be okay if you and I had a wedding?" He asked, "I know they aren't done by wolves, but..." Ashitaka's voice trailed off as he wondered if he should mention that the ceremony was meant for humans. After a brief few seconds of silence, he said, "It's a ceremony which is used to officiate two humans becoming husband and wife– mates, if you will."

San looked over to the forest as she thought of the idea. On one hand, she was not a human. She was a wolf in heart, mind, and spirit, despite her physical human body. Would it be appropriate for her to take part in a ritual that was designed for humans? She knew that a human would never act in the way of a wolf. However, Ashitaka was a human, even if he was very different from the ones that she had encountered. She could understand why he would want a ceremony meant for humans.

San's silence served as a bit of reassurance for Ashitaka. He feared that she would outright say no without giving the idea a bit of thought. He knew that if she was quiet, she was considering the idea. He knew that she didn't see herself as a human. She didn't reject her human origins; rather, she didn't believe that they existed. Moro was her mother, Okami and Urufu were her brothers, and she was a member of their tribe.

"I suppose I would be willing to," San replied, "If you were to–"

Before more could be said between the two, their attention turned to San's brothers when one of them let out a loud groan. It was Okami, who had awoken several minutes ago. The large wolf stood on his four powerful legs, but found it difficult for him to make his way to the forest floor. Yakul took several steps back when he saw the wolf. His eyes were crusty and damp, with his eyelids barely open. His fur was matted and dirtier than usual. His breathing was loud and heavy, as though he had just sprinted up a tall, steep mountain.

San's eyes went eyed when she saw her brother in such a deplorable state. She rushed down the hill which the cave sat upon, calling for Urufu as she did. Ashitaka was not far behind her and stood at her side while she checked on her brother. When Urufu came down with them, his condition was no better than that of his older brother. Drool was flowing freely from his mouth with each pant, dripping off of his lolling tongue. Mucus was leaking from the younger wolf's nose. None could understand what was wrong with the two brothers. They seemed fine the night before.

"What happened, you two?" San asked, "Did you eat something poisonous?"

"No," Okami answered after a deep breath, "Neither of us awoke during the night."

"I have never felt so weak," Urufu moaned as he lay on his side, "I must admit, I haven't been feeling very well for the past few weeks."

Okami nodded his head as he struggled to keep himself from collapsing. "I can feel my strength draining from my body."

"Is there any way we can help?" Ashitaka asked, "There has to be something that San and I can do."

"I have never felt this way before, and I'm sure I speak for my brother as well. This is no ordinary sickness; we are immune to the disease which may ail ordinary animals and humans."

San was silent as she stared at her brothers with her mouth wide open. The only one in their clan who had ever been sick was her, and she had no idea how she could help her brothers. Ashitaka thought of asking someone in Irontown, but he doubted that anyone there would know what to do. However, he knew of one man who may have had an idea of what was wrong with the two wolves. It was a man who didn't see eye-to-eye with Ashitaka, a man who was just responsible for the destruction of the forest as Lady Eboshi: Jigo.

"Maybe somebody in Irontown can tell us what's wrong," Ashitaka suggested, not wanting to directly mention Jigo, as he knew that San resented the monk.

"Why would any of those humans help my brothers?" San questioned as she shot a glare at Ashitaka, "They hate us; they'll never give them any assistance."

"I'm sure there are some people who would be willing to help if they can. What if I go alone while you stay here?"

"San, as much as I hate to say it, I doubt that there is any being in this forest who would know what is wrong," Okami said, "I have never heard of a God falling ill before. For all we know, this may be a curse cast by a human."

San looked towards her brothers, then to Ashitaka. "I'll go with Ashitaka to the humans," She said, "Do you think you two will be okay?"

"For now, we should be fine," Urufu wheezed, "Just make sure that none of the humans try to harm you in any way."

San nodded and promised a speedy return. Ashitaka got onto Yakul's back while San sat behind. The elk raced towards Irontown, weaving in and out of the trees while leaping over other obstacles in his path. As Yakul was galloping, Ashitaka noticed that there weren't any kodama out despite the fact that the forest was healthy once again. He asked San when the tree spirits usually came back, to which she said they should have already returned.

"It's probably nothing," San said, "They will be back soon enough, though I can't say exactly when."

Atop the ramparts of Irontown, the guards walked in a slow, steady pace as they scanned the forest for any signs of danger. Their faces were hidden by white masks of cloth that covered their whole head. Only a few of them stood stationary: the men who were guarding the gate. On their call, the heavy wooden gates would rise, pulled open by the strength of ten men. One of the guards caught glimpse of a red elk with two riders on it: a man and a woman. He could immediately tell who it was and told the men below to prepare to open the gate. Sure enough, Ashitaka called for the gate to be opened.

San looked at the walls of Irontown with a scowl across her face. The way the wooden beams which made up the barrier tapered at the end made the town seem much less welcoming and friendly. It made the town feel more like a fortress than a place for families to live. She could never imagine living in such a small area, surrounded by so many others with noise constantly barraging her ears into the night. Nevertheless, she wanted to help her brothers and was willing to bear the humans and their ways for a while. Besides, Ashitaka would do most of the talking.

When the two walked through the gates, many of the townspeople stopped what they were doing and gawked at Ashitaka and San. How a man as kindhearted and calm as he willingly took the savage Wolf Girl as his own was a mystery to them. The two walked past the gathered crowds towards the inner walls of Irontown. Both tried to ignore the stares as they made their way through the streets, not saying a word to anyone as they did.

"San," Ashitaka said in a low, quiet voice, "I know somebody who may know what is wrong with your brothers, but you may not like who it is."

"It isn't that woman is it?" San asked in a whisper, referring to Lady Eboshi.

"No; you remember the man who led the hunters, right? Jigo is his name, and he is well-versed on the subject of Gods and other supernatural beings."

"So you are trusting this human to help my brothers? Is he not the one who brought the guns which killed my mother and so many others to this town?"

"I know of the horrible things he has done in the past, but asking him is the best thing we can do."

San begrudgingly accepted the idea of asking this human for help. Stubborn as she may be, she needed to help her brothers, and wasting time by asking random yokels on the street wasn't going to do any good. Even then, this man played a large part in destroying the forest and killing the matriarch of her clan. He would likely ask for a fee or a favor if he was going to be asked to help her brothers. Still, after seeing them in such a wretched state, she was willing to meet with this human, even if it was with her fists clenched.