I'm really sorry this took about a month for me to upload. I've been busy with my college work, my job, planning for my newest D&D campaign, and playing through Tales of Vesperia (my new second favorite video game). I'm still dedicated to finishing this work. Of course, now that my first semester of college is complete, I should have more time for this tale. If you can, leave a review so I can have some idea of how the story is going so far. Despite the fact that I've been writing these stories for a year and a half now, I still don't know where I stand on my ability to write. Any input, criticisms, etc. are gladly welcome!

San was sitting outside the ishi's hut, carving pictures into a block of wood she found in the grass. She was avoiding the villagers as much as they were avoiding her. Without uttering a single word she managed to make them uneasy, as if an aura of terror emitted from her. Some of the children were curious of her, but their parents had them scurry away. It was because of the way she stood straight while tilting her head forward with a furrowed brow, narrowed gray eyes, and hateful glower. It was because of the spear she carried in one hand and the white stone knife in the other. It was because of the torn clothes, the short, boyish unkempt hair, and the sharp nails that created white streaks when they dragged across her skin.

While San was sitting alone outside the hut, Eboshi was more than happy to socialize with the villagers. She was sitting on a stone bench while a small crowd had gathered before her. They had never seen porcelain skin like hers, as their bodies were tanned from labor. They asked her many questions: where was she from? Which clan did she belong to? What happened to her arm? She gave truthful answers, though she only said that she lost her arm to a wolf rather than a Wolf God.

"Who is that other woman who arrived with you and the boy?" One man asked, "The one outside the ishi's hut?"

"The girl's name is San," Eboshi replied, "She's lived a very hard life. As far as I know, she never met her father, her brothers are very ill as we speak, and her mother was murdered a little more than a year ago."

The villagers who feared San only a minute ago turned their eyes towards her, now more curious than scared of her. She either didn't notice them staring or she didn't care. She continued to carve into the block of wood. She wasn't paying attention to Lady Eboshi and didn't know she had been mentioned.

"The man we came with is her husband," Lady Eboshi continued, "I'm not entirely sure why he chose her, but the two seem happy together."

"Hey! We've got company!" Somebody called at the edge of the village, "Some soldiers from Lord Ichigai have arrived."

Out in the woods, a hunter from Nejikomi named Yoshi was returning to the village. He was coming home empty handed but that didn't matter. He didn't need the meat and could always try again tomorrow. He carried a small bow with only a few arrows, most of which had been used several times. He also had a sling that he used on smaller game. Today was one of the few times he went hunting alone. He often went out with friends but none were free for the day. As far as he knew, he was the only man in the forest.

A loud horse's whinny caused Yoshi to jump. He spun around but could only see the thick trees and dense bushes. He could hear someone muttering angrily under their breath, though what he was saying was indecipherable. Before Yoshi could move towards the origin of the voice, a small band of soldiers passed by, failing to notice him. Although Yoshi had never met a soldier before, he thought it would be wise to inform the village. He knew that there were fights erupting between the daimyo. He hoped that the fighting hadn't reached his home.

When he had reached the village, he was surprised to see that some soldiers had already arrived. There were close to a hundred, standing in lines of eleven. One man stood front and center, armed with a spear in hand and two swords at his side, one longer than the other. The soldiers behind him were armored with black plate on leather. The man who led them had red armor on black leather, his face entirely hidden by a large helmet. In addition to their spears and swords, each man carried a bow. The largest of the samurai, including their apparent commander, carried a kanabo. Yoshi bowed to the warriors and inched past them. He was greeted by a couple of villagers in the crowd. He noticed someone he had never seen before: a tall woman, slightly pale, and missing her right arm.

"What's going on?" Yoshi asked a nearby woman, "Why are there soldiers here?"

"They just got here," She replied, "Lord Ichigai sent them."

"They're not the only ones who are showing up. I saw some others in the forest while I was hunting."

"You," The commanding samurai boomed, pointing a finger at a startled Yoshi, "Where are these warriors of which you speak?"

"They're in th-the forest, sir," He replied, "I don't think they followed me."

"What color was their armor?"

"Uh... white, I think?"

"Hm. Then Lord Ichigai's fears have come true; Hashigo is attempting an invasion."

Hashigo, another name which Lady Eboshi was familiar with. He was a fierce lord, one who commanded respect from all who lived on his land. However, the number of settlements he could call was far below those of even the most meek warlords. She knew nothing about his army, his allies, his enemies, or his goals.

"I assume this Hashigo is no friend of your Lord Ichigai?" Lady Eboshi asked the samurai leader.

"The two have never seen eye-to-eye. With the battles raging across the country, Lord Ichigai thought it would be wise to send more soldiers to the villages close to the region's borders. This village is the closest settlement to Hashigo's lands."

"I see." Lady Eboshi turned to Yoshi and asked, "Young man, how many of these soldiers did you see?"

"I only saw a few, but I think they may also have horses."

"If these warriors have come for battle, then we must know how many they have int their ranks. We cannot create an effective strategy without knowing their strength."

"Did you bring any scouts with you?" Lady Eboshi inquired.

"Unfortunately, no. I wouldn't want to risk sending one of the villagers to go spy on our enemies, either."

Eboshi knew that she couldn't just leave the village. Ashitaka was still deathly ill and the samurai could use help in defending the people. She didn't want to leave them without providing some help; Ashitaka would probably be the same. She couldn't act as a spy. One of the hunters in the village could go, though they had no combat training to fall upon if they were caught. As she looked at the worried faces in the crowd, a name popped into her mind. She excused herself from the crowd and made her way to the ishi's hut. San noticed Lady Eboshi's shadow and looked up.

"What?" San mumbled.

"I assume you've noticed the soldiers?" Eboshi asked, "They're here to protect the village."

San was wary when she first saw the warriors approaching the village, though her worries were cast aside when they did nothing to start a fight. She couldn't care less about why they were there. She, Ashitaka, and Lady Eboshi would be leaving after a few days, anyway. She was thankful that one of the villagers was able to help Ashitaka, but the three only had a limited time available. "And?"

"One of the villagers said that there were other soldiers in the forest, ones who fight under the banner of an enemy lord. If they are indeed close-by, then a battle is imminent. Lord Ichigai's men need to know how many warriors they will be fighting."

"Why are you telling me this?" San asked, putting down her knife and the block of wood.

"They have no scouts with them. I wanted to ask if you could see how many enemies they'll be facing. You have nothing better to do, it seems, and it would be a great help to these people."

San looked at the hundred warriors who had gathered at the edge of the village. She had never seen warriors like them before up close. She had seen the samurai which attacked Irontown but was at a distance. Dressed in armor and carrying several weapons, they seemed invincible. Even with the weak points she saw in their armor, a battle with even one would be a challenge. A fight with more seemed to be an impossibility. The samurai in the village wouldn't stand much of a chance if they were outnumbered. They would need to strike quickly and without warning. If this skirmish was lost, what would happen to her? To Ashitaka? Would her brothers perish if she were to not return?

"Where are these warriors?" San asked as she picked up her knife.

The scent of a horse's hide was palpable after only a few minutes of traveling through the forest. Wanting to avoid being seen, San was in the treetops, climbing, jumping, and swinging from one tree to the next. Her knife was held between her teeth as her hands grabbed one branch after the other. The leaves she brushed past made short rustles but keeping quiet wasn't her priority at the moment. She would know when she was close. She would be able to hear their footsteps, smell the odors coming from the animals they brought, and see their colored armor stick out against the dominant green and brown of the forest. She was told to watch for men in black and gold colored armor, some of whom may have been on horseback.

San had been maneuvering through the treetops for well over half an hour when she finally saw the warriors. She was a good distance away and couldn't see their faces, but she could hear them murmuring amongst themselves. Perched in a high tree branch with a dense wall of leaves hiding her, she silently observed the soldiers. They were resting, or perhaps waiting, in a large clearing. She quickly counted the samurai, estimating there to be a little under two hundred men, twenty of which were on horseback. One was dressed in a suit of armor heavier than those of his comrades. His armor was similar to the attire worn by commander of the samurai in the village. He was riding atop a copper colored horse that almost appeared red. She noticed another horse laying on its side, its leg bent at an awkward angle. It reminded San of when she had injured her own leg several months ago. Although she was still harbored a degree of dislike towards humans, she was grateful to those who had helped her. She was even appreciative towards Eboshi for keeping her presence in Irontown a secret.

San's eyes went wide when one of the samurai plunged his katana into the wounded horse's neck. Her hand immediately went to her knife, but she managed to restrain herself. She knew that there was no hope in fighting these many men alone. The humans she did battle with in the past had little to no armor, vulnerable to any strike. She kept her mouth shut as a quiet growl rumbled in her throat.

"How much further?" One man asked the captain.

"Not much longer now," The commander answered, "Make sure everybody is at peak condition. I want the men fed, rested, and ready to chase down any stragglers who may slip through our fingers."

"Yes sir."

"I want you to take a few soldiers and have them patrol around this area a bit, make sure nobody's watching. We'll head out in about an hour."

It was then that San slunk away, preferring to avoid an encounter with even one samurai. They sounded as vicious as she had imagined. There was no avoiding a battle, as these men were adamant on obliterating the village. The smaller force of samurai would have to do something to compensate for their inferior amount of manpower. The horses with the enemy were another factor which tipped the balance in favor of the invaders. San knew that the samurai had a code of honor, even if it wasn't adhered to very often. She wondered if they were above an ambush.