Chapter 6
"You foolish, suicidal, selfish human!"
I winced, as Moro's anger exploded over me, her breath blasting into my face, fangs inches from my face.
I had just tucked San under her furs, then walked outside. Moro was waiting for me, and I could see by her clenched jaws and trembling limbs that she was very angry.
"It wasn't me that did it, per se." I couldn't resist pointing out, but I probably should have kept my mouth shut, as she moved forward, snapping her jaws in my face.
I was trying, but failing, not to feel fear.
"Is everything a joke to you? Don't answer that, or I'll eat your tongue! I'll be the Forest doing a favor in doing so. You made me look weak!"
I obeyed her, scratching the back of my head awkwardly, and had only a second or two to realize that my hair was in great need of cutting, before she started again on me.
"I'll give you credit, human: you don't fear death, do you? You don't put much value in your own life, do you? I haven't given you permission to speak!" She finished, as I opened my mouth to answer her question.
Damn her, I hated hypothetical questions!
After she had yelled at me some more, she finished by asking: "What am I going to do with you?"
I shrugged. "Not especially, but I'll settle for asking what's next on the menu."
"You, boy, as I said to you before, will heal. We will do what we always do: stop the human invasion of our Forest."
I nodded, and she chuckled when she saw the disquiet on my face. "No matter how great a warrior is, be they human or animal, their bodies are not impenetrable. I see you are not use to staying in one place. An admirable quality, but if your hand does not heal correctly, you would be of no use to the Forest. If that happens, I will give you to my sons for sustenance. You may have San's heart, but you will have to work hard to ever have theirs."
I snorted. "I feel no affection for her, other than that of a close friend. She and I respect each other, and know what we are each capable of. I guess she's some sort of sister to me."
Moro hummed. "Think of her as you will. You are a strange specimen: more wolf than human."
Before I could stop myself, I patted her on the flank, and was surprised to find her coat softer than I had expected it. "You wouldn't have me any other way, luv."
She huffed. "Careful, boy. My mercy has limits, as does my tolerance!"
I winced. "Right."
She hummed. "I thank you for your actions today, but you must never do that again."
I nodded. "I know, I know. For the Forests' sake?"
She shook her head, her golden eyes meeting mine. "No, for San's sake. Now get some sleep."
As she watched the human reenter the Den, she knew that it would only be a matter of time before he joined the Wolf Clan.
Saving her life was one good reason, but San's affection for him was another. She looked at the human the same way she looked at Moro's sons.
Moro couldn't quite bring herself to think that this would become a problem, since, deep down, Moro felt something for the boy as well!
CRACK! SNAP! "Bugger me, ow! Fucking hell, holy shit!"
San sighed, as she tended to her friends broken hand, and couldn't resist a small smile. Setting bones back in place was something she had done before, but never with a subject with this kind of vocabulary!
Several of her friends' fingers were dislocated, and needed to be reset to avoid future complications, and she was halfway done her work. Now for his ribs.
"Are you ready for more?"
John sighed, and nodded. He was trying to hide the pain from her, but his clenched jaw and tired eyes gave it away. His other hand was closed in a fist, and it had pounded against the stone walls of the Den a couple of times during her procedures.
She paused, glanced around to check that nobody could see, then nuzzled my cheek fondly. "We're almost done, I promise."
I smiled back, and pressed my lips to her forehead.
I yelled as she used the flat of her spear to reset the rest of my fingers, before wrapping it in cloth with a healing poultice.
"Thanks, luv, I think," I panted, before resting my back against the wall with a wheezing grown.
San touched his cheek, who's fur was red, a contrast to his long ebony hair. The night before, hugging the human meant something special to her, and it meant something to him as well.
I shouldn't feel companionable with a human, but I can't help myself. He's more human than wolf, and every one of Pack knew it too.
She couldn't really say what it was, but she thought it was that they understood each other: We were both warriors, feared by many, and loved by few. We had spilled much blood in our pasts, but we also had families that accepted us despite us not having the same parents as them.
What did that make us? Friends? Family?
She wasn't sure, but they had something that went deeper than they had thought possible.
She had thus taken to showing me the signs of affection that she usually reserved for her family members, and he didn't mind it at all.
I smiled at her, exhausted. This was something different than what I had with the Pevensies, with Susan: I hid my Assassin nature from them: the wandering nomadic lifestyle, the bloodshed I had caused, and the outlaw in me.
San and I knew what this kind of life that we both led was, and we understood each other in ways the Pevensies probably never could.
Silently, I nodded to her in thanks, and she smiled back.
As I began to heal, I also continued teaching her the ways of the Assassin, and she got good enough for me to make a Hidden Blade for her, but she politely refused. "I have my nails, John."
Hmm, good point, as her nails were stronger and sharper than any I had ever seen. Trust me, they were formidable!
I couldn't preform the 'burning of the finger' ceremony, as San's brothers were still suspicious of me, even though I did save their mother.
I was in no mood to get scarfed to pieces by those two thugs!
But, despite the fact that I could wield the sword with one hand, I had to admit that it wasn't enough for me to get back into the fight.
Since I was not receiving help from my two superiors, neither Michael nor Father coming to heal me, and I took that to mean that I needed to stay away from any conflict.
At least, so I thought, but the Forest had other plans.
About a week into my healing stint, I experienced something entirely unforeseen.
San and I washing ourselves clean of dirt and blood from a recent hunt, both of which we did on a regular basis.
She left, since doing so did not take her long at all, and I winced as I wrapped new bandages around my hand and chest. Prolonged pain was a constant factor when it came to broken bones, and I had a good number of such bones that needed to be attended to.
Suddenly, I felt a breeze of wind pass over me, and everything go silent. No bugs sounded, no birds singing. Just dead silence.
I felt goose bumps rising all over my body, and I knew that something was approaching me from behind.
I turned slowly, and gasped.
A deer-like creature was approaching me, deerlike in the sense that it had the body of one, but its head was the strange part. It had more antlers than I could count, and it's face was beet-red, contrasting wildly from it's tan body.
Yahweh's voice sounded in my head: "Stay your hand. This is the Great Forest Spirit, who is the ruler of this Forest. It was I who made him so, and he knows Me."
I stood, stock-still, as the creature closed in on me.
While he was doing so, I heard a cacophony of Kodama creaking their necks, and I saw that they were grouped in the branches of the trees around me.
I looked back at the creature, and I realized that, with every step that it took, the ground blossomed and sprouted with various flowers and plants from his hoofprints.
Although such steps were gradual, it didn't take long before his face was less than five inches from mine.
I tried to calm my breathing, and not back away from the creature.
Suddenly, before I could do anything, he stretched out his neck, and laid one kiss on the place where my ribs hurt, and then another onto my hand.
The pain dissipated instantly, and I looked at my hand, and realized that I had full control of it, and was as good as new!
The Forest Spirit had healed me.
I turned back to the beast, and bowed low in thanks, and he returned it with a nod of his head, and I realized that it was thanking me for my service.
I heard a gasp of shock, and turned to see San, who had just walked into view.
The Spirit promptly disappeared, leaving San and I to stand staring at the spot where the guardian had been seconds earlier.
Needless to say, this caused quite a commotion in the Den!
After I had described what had happened, Moro hummed thoughtfully. "You have been given a great honor. Be sure to put the gift to good use."
So that is what I did.
A week later, Eboshi decided to go into the mountains again.
This time, she gunned for Moro, who was badly injured. I had been riding on one of the brothers, but she was so concentrated on Moro, that she didn't see us.
We retreated, but not before laying waste to our enemies, killing several.
Some time later, we met Moro near the river, and San began to tend to her wounds by spitting out the rotting blood.
Grimacing in distaste, I stiffened as I sensed someone watching us not far away, among a collection of boulders.
I drew my sword, and called, "I can sense you, whoever you are! Step here!"
As one, The Wolf Tribe looked to the place I was looking at.
A few seconds later, a young Asian man leaped on top of a boulder he had been hiding behind.
He was dressed in a blue suit with a red hood, and his facial structure showed that he was close to San's age.
"My name is Ashitaka. I have traveled far from lands to the East. Are you ancient gods, and have I come at last to the realm of the Spirit of the Forest?"
I glanced at the wolves, and said out of the corner of my mouth. "I'll deal with the boy. If you wish, you can go."
San nodded in reply, mounted one of her Brothers, and left with the rest of her family.
As she did so, she looked at the boy, and told him to go away.
Once they were gone, Michael took it upon himself to instantly deposit me just under the boulder which the kid was standing on.
"You're taking a big risk coming here, Mate. Don't even think about it!" I finished, as the startled youth went for his sword, which resembled a machete.
"How did you-" The boy began, but I cut him off. "I'll be asking the questions, Lad. Step here, so I can get a good look at you."
Ashitaka frowned down at the tall man, His accent was foreign, and he could barely understand him. "How do I know you will not slay me if I do so, Foreigner?"
The warrior smiled humorlessly. "If I was going to kill you, I would done it already."
The youth grimaced, and did as I asked.
Ashitaka stared up at the man, whose size left Ashitaka only at the warrior's chest-height, as the elder lowered his hood.
The hooded man was impressive to behold: A strong body clothed in robes of crimson, his curly black hair down to his shoulders, and the enormous golden-hilted sword the man held.
He had forest-green eyes, a red beard, tanned skin, and he was not of Asian descent.
I studied him in turn. Despite his obvious youth, his body was sculpted, his dark hair at shoulder-height, and I could see it had been recently cut.
He had gentle brown eyes, sharp and clear, and I could see the good in him. It was then I decided not to harm him.
"Are you a god?" Ashitaka asked after a moment.
I laughed. "Not in the slightest, mate! I'm as human as you are. So, why are you looking for the Forest?"
Ashitaka pulled off the sleeve of one of his arms, and showed me a scar on his arm.
There was something not quite right about it: It was quite sizeable, as long as the boy's forearm. It was a mass of purple splotches, clearly infected, and pulsing strangely. There was nothing good about that thing
I frowned, as Ashitaka explained that a demon had attacked his village, and he had been wounded when he killed it.
"So you're under the impression that the Forest Spirit can clean it up, yeah?"
Ashitaka nodded. "Indeed. I am in dire need of healing."
I paused, and Michael spoke. "Try healing it yourself. You may not be able to get rid of it, but you may give him some respite."
I sighed, wondering how I was going to do this.
"You can't, but I can work through you. Just use my Name to do so," Jehovah whispered, and I nodded. "Stretch out your arm."
Ashitaka did so, and I laid a hand on the wound. "In the name of my Father, the Lord God Jesus Christ, I heal you."
Ashitaka gasped as a warmth spread across his arm from the fingers of the warrior, and within seconds, the purple splotches receeded until they were thin lines.
I slumped against the rock Ashitaka had hidden behind, exhausted by the process.
"I couldn't heal it completely, but He has allowed me to at least give you some time."
Ashitaka bowed. "Thank you, Stranger! I wish I had something to give you in return."
I shrugged. "Don't mention it. What's next for you?"
Ashitaka sighed. "I have rescued a few survivors from your ambush, and I mean to return them to their home."
I shook my head. "Do what you want with your wounded, but avoid their leader. Her ambition destroys this Forest bit by knacking bit, and she wants it all."
Ashitaka nodded. "I will keep that in mind."
I nodded in return. "If you do intend to come to this Forest, be careful. This Forest hates humans. The girl you saw and yours truly are rare exceptions because we are protectors of the Forest."
Ashitaka nodded again. "Once again, I thank you. I hope our paths cross again."
With that, the boy turned, and dissapeared among the boulders where I had found him.
I smiled after him. "We probably will, kid. We probably will!"
When I got back to the Den, only Moro was there.
It didn't take a genius to know that San and the brothers would be thirsty for revenge, and were now on a rampage.
"Do not go after them," Moro warned tiredly. "I was unable to stop them, but I would prefer that Eboshi doesn't know of your survival."
I nodded. "Righto! Let's see what I can do about that bullet, then, shall I?"
Moro smiled tiredly. "Do what you can. I promise not to bite your head off as you tend to my wound."
I sighed. "That's bloody comforting!"
After a while, I was able to get the bullet out, keeping as far away from her jaws as I could. That little bastard was huge, at least as wide as my thumb, and rather weighty as well!
"You are more useful than you seem, boy," Moro noted, as I bandaged the wound after cleaning it with water from a nearby stream.
"Well, I'm full of surprises," I quipped, and she chuckled. "When San and my sons get back, we will make more plans. With myself out of the fight, We will need your help more than ever!"
I sighed tiredly. "I can't wait!"
When they did, and we had gotten comfortable, I cleared my throat. "Well, it seems that Iron Town's got more firepower than we had anticipated. This could be bad, but it could make them overconfident. We kicked them in the teeth. But despite their losses, those buggers will be quite chuffed with themselves right about now."
I pointed out the Den's entrance into the evening sky. "With night coming, Eboshi and her people will think that our anger has dissipated. It hasn't, but we have to be smart about this."
I paused, glancing at Moro, who nodded for me to continue.
"They may be expecting another attack, but they won't be expecting me as well."
San bared her teeth in a savage smile. "You will be a diversion, while we attack!"
I nodded. "Exactly! While I make a scene in that bloody town, you lot will sneak up, and let them have it. If all goes well, we'll give them such a hiding that they will regret ever crossing us!"
San nodded, and even the brothers seemed impressed.
It was Moro who spoke next: "So be it. We will begin in the dead of night, when they least expect it! But, before we do, we must do something that I perhaps should have done sooner."
She turned to San, and whispered something into her ear.
After a few seconds, San's look of puzzlement change to one of delight. She left, returning a few minutes later with what looked like clay cups of wet paint.
She nodded to Moro, who turned to me. "John Elder Lewis, you came to us a short time ago, promising to aid us in our attempts to save this Forest. While you were doing so, we have come to see that what you promised to do was done, and more so. Therefore, as the Matriarch of the Wolf Clan, I welcome you into our Den. You are one of us now, and will be forever more."
With that, San sat me down, and painted the same markings she had on her own face. Her smile stretched from ear to ear as she did so, and after she was done, she hugged me tightly, as the Wolves added their own licks to my bare arms or face.
And that is how I became a Wolf!
