Chapter 12

Eboshi, unlike the Wolf Clan, did not sleep easy.

She regretted making her would-be lover leave, but she did not regret what she had said.

Well, not really.

The fact that she had learned from her past did not mean that she didn't miss his company.

The young man kissed like no other man.

She touched her own swollen lips, and smiled. It would not be the last time she would kiss the Assassin, but they needed absolute discretion.

It would not do at all to have that crazy little Wolf Girl find out about them.

That little witch would never understand how lucky she was to have John, and Eboshi was envious of her because of it.

San may never be John's lover, but she had his heart and his ultimate loyalty.

But the thing that most troubled her about her own relationship with John is that she feared facing her own failures.

When she had kissed him, part of her wanted to because she needed to distract herself from her losses. She wasn't quite willing to face what she had almost shot him, when he had tried to reason with her before she shot the Forest Spirit, among her other mistakes that she had committed today.

Did she love her enough to spend her life with him?

No, not quite. Besides, a man like was not a man who would stay in one place for very long. Anyway, he would choose San's family over me, if he had to choose.

It had been hard to push him away, but it had to be done.

She sighed. She had done the right thing...hadn't she?

Yes, she must think that, for both their sakes.

She had to be realistic: San would never accept her into their family and had ample reason to hate her.

Besides, she needed to concentrate on changing Iron Town for the better.


I woke up to the delightful smell of meat for breakfast.

Susan would have been horrified of the constant consumption of raw meat and table manners of the Wolf Tribe, but I had gotten used to both.

Most of our meat came from hunts. We would either eat it on the spot or dry it and save it for later.

After we were done, and the brothers went off to scout, San turned to me. "So, what will you do now?"

I shrugged. "According to Eboshi, they only ask for my help if Asano is involved. Other than that, it sounds like they won't poke their noses into our affairs, unless we ask them to."

San nodded. "Good. We don't need their help."

I nodded. "Probably not, no, but we might."

San shrugged grimly. "That's your concern. You are our representative to the humans, after all."

I frowned at her tone. "What's wrong with you?"

She turned to me, her expression mulish. "I want you to spend as little time around that Gun Bitch as possible. You really haven't noticed how she regards you? How she always has time to talk to you? She wants you all to herself!"

I winced inwardly.

San continued, her voice rising gradually. "I forbid you to be alone with that woman, do you hear me? I won't have you serving her instead of-"

CLANG! Losing my temper, I drew my sword and sent it crashing down on a nearby rock.

"That's enough! I won't hear any more about this!"

San was brought up short, as her foster brother rose to confront her, his green eyes blazing. "You want the truth? Well, fine by me! Yes, we have talked alone, I felt attracted to her, and we made agreements, but I've never, ever come even close to abandoning you. There is no one, in this world, I would put in front of you. You are my sister, my family, and nothing will ever change that! Here's another fact: I would choose you over her any bloody day of the week, and it's time you realized that!"

San was furious when he said he was attracted to that filthy human, but she knew that was how most males worked.

When her eyes met his, she saw some defiance, but none that suggested to her that his feelings for Eboshi ran deep at all. She saw some pain, but most of all, she saw sincerity.

That was what decided this argument and saved her brother from her and her brothers' wrath.

There was a long silence as we held our gazes, and then San nodded. "All right, I believe you, but stay away from her from now on!"

She saw the consequential surprise on his face, which said to her that he was surprised she didn't rip his face off for being attracted to Eboshi, bringing a satisfied smile to her face.

Good!


I tried hard to hide my relief.

I had dodged a bullet, and by the smile on her face, she knew it.

"I'll do just that." I said, and she nuzzled me. "Good choice!"

I decided to turn the tables on her. "Besides, it's not like you don't deal with romantic thoughts concerning humans."

She narrowed her eyes dangerously. "And just what is that supposed to mean?"

I gave her my own smug smile. "You know what I mean. He sent you his regards, by the way!"

I smirked victoriously as she blushed deeply. "Shut up, or I'll-"

I raised my eyebrow skeptically. "Or you'll what? Kill me? Tear me a new one? If you do either, then the forest loses a vital asset. Ashitaka might not like how violent you are, although men tend to love a violent woman in their bed-"

With a roar, the little fire-brand flung herself at me, her face an exceptional deep crimson color.

We collided in mid-air, and engaged in a brutal, if one sided, wrestling match.


"You talk too much for your own good," San said, smirking while watching me close various small wounds on my body from our tussle.

I grunted. "I'll have you know that my voice has gotten me out of more sticky situations than anything else. You seem to have the opposite problem."

The brothers, who had arrived in time to stop San blacking one of my eyes, sniggered to each other as our adopted sister snorted. "Careful now. I wouldn't want to open you up again!"

I rolled my eyes. "The only reason that you aren't soaked in your own blood is that I was holding back."

San was about to answer, but Tommy spoke up. "As much as I enjoy watching a good fight, I bring news of Iron Town: there's no black smoke coming from it."

I turned to him, frowning. "Isn't there always smoke from the bellows coming out of Iron Town?"

Tommy nodded. "Yes, Little Brother, but not today."

I turned to San, who gave me a reluctant nod. "Just keep away from that bitch!"

Chuckling, I nodded. "Righto!"


Ashitaka was busying himself with sharpening his blade in the town's Armory, when I appeared right next to his left shoulder. "Ah, hello there, old chap! Fancy a Fag and a chat?"

Ashitaka frowned. "Excuse me?"

I waved my hand, grimacing. "Sorry, mate. Londonese, and all that! I heard there wasn't any smoke coming from this place, and I was curious as to how that was?"

Ashitaka took a moment to finish tending to his blade before facing me directly. "Lady Eboshi has ordered that the Bellows be closed. As she puts it, 'we are starting a new Iron Town.' The fields of grass surrounding the town will be converted to farmland."

I raised my eyebrows. "What's the catch?"

"There is no catch. She has had a change of heart."

I shook my head. "That doesn't make sense. The iron is all that's keeping her in competition with Asano and all the other sods that are breathing down her neck."

Ashitaka smiled slyly. "'Breathing down her neck?' An interesting choice of phrase, coming from you."

I was lucky I had my hood on, or Ashitaka would have seen me redden. "Yeah, whatever! Look, I'm all for giving her a second chance. Well, San isn't, but that's beside the point, but this all seems very sudden to me. Do you have any proof of this that I can give to my Clan?"

Ashitaka took a moment to think, and to check out my new cloak, before answering: "Is mine and Eboshi's word not enough?"

I shrugged. "Bloody hell, I don't know! They might believe you, but not her; not a sodding chance!"

Ashitaka sighed. "You don't trust many people, do you?"

I shrugged. "Occupational hazard of being an Assassin! Also, the Wolf Tribe can't afford to trust so easily."

Ashitaka wasn't impressed. "Why don't you or her trust me?"

I was starting to lose my rag, but I needed to remain calm. "It's nothing personal, really."

Ashitaka nodded. "Regardless, we will start the convert the land throughout the next couple of days."

I nodded and turned for the door. "I'll give your best to San, who is now the leader of the Wolf Tribe, by the way. She sends you her regards, and her love." I added, telling the truth.

I was about to leave, but Ashitaka stopped me with a question. "What of you and Eboshi?"

My heart clenched. "I can't...we can't. It can't happen, not with our responsibilities and with things the way they are."

"Why not?"

I turned back, suddenly angry. "Cripes! Look at us, and who we know! Isn't it obvious that she and I would never work out?"

Ashitaka remained calm. "San and I are no different, except that, unlike you, I'm not afraid of the consequences-"

Before he finished the sentence, I rushed forward, seizing him by the collar, and slamming him back against the wall. I saw only red, and I wanted to make him suffer.

"Don't you ever, ever call me afraid, you little shit! I've been fighting and killing before you were even fucking born! I've faced creatures that are so bloodthirsty and murderous that you couldn't dream up in that naive little head of yours! You wouldn't last a single fucking day in my shoes, so keep your little trap shut, before I rip your pretty face of your pretty skull! Is that clear?"

Ashitaka, seeming to understand his predicament, nodded. "Crystal clear."

Breathing heavily, I let go of him. "Next time, you'd better have a sword in your hand before calling me a coward."


With that, I left the armory, walking straight into Eboshi, who stopped short at the sight of me.

"What brings you here?" I asked, bowing.

Eboshi returned it with a nod. "Ashitaka agreed to teach me how to use a sword one-handed."

I nodded, and stepped aside. "Don't let me get in the way."

She didn't move, giving me a sad, wistful smile. "John, we need to talk."

I winced. And so it kicks off!

"I know what you are going to say, and I agree: there can't be anything other than friendship between us."

Eboshi sighed. "I take it your little Wolf Girl found out? I'm surprised you are still alive!"

I smiled. "She trusts me, luckily for me."

She seemed as pained of this situation as I felt. "I wish it could be different."

I nodded. "So do I, luv. So do I. Being friends is enough, yeah?"

She returned the nod. "Indeed."

There was a short silence, then I changed the subject. "I heard the iron-making for your town is done. Ashitaka said something about a change of heart."

Eboshi nodded. "It's true. After doing the things I did, and seeing the consequences of my actions, I thought that a new direction was long overdue."

I nodded. "It takes a hell of a lot of humility and courage to admit as such."

She returned my nod. "I'll let you know of anything to do with Asano if he tries anything."

I bowed, recognizing a dismissal when I heard it. "And I'll come to your aid, when I can."

She leaned in, and pressed her lips against mine, giving me one last slow, deep kiss.

I returned it, putting as much as I could into it, before using Michael's power to return to the Den.

It was a crying shame, but it was the right thing to do...right?


"What do you mean?" San asked, looking completely perplexed, with the two brothers listening in.

I sighed impatiently, having just relayed the information I had gathered. "She's going to start farming instead of making iron. She wants to make amends for what went down a few days ago."

San shook her head. "This doesn't make sense."

I nodded. "That's just what I said, but Ashitaka believes her, and that should be good enough for us."

San frowned. "You talked to her? Why?"

I sat down heavily. "I think you know."

She paused, then nodded. "It had to be done. You know that."

I returned the nod. "Yeah, I do."

There was a short pause, then I changed the subject. "Anyways, if both Eboshi and Ashitaka are telling the same story, then it bloody well means something, doesn't it?"

Richard, Tommy's brother, spoke up, lifting his head from gnawing on a stray bone. "I agree with our Little Brother. That human boy who helped us is worth trusting."

San paused, and then nodded. "Fine. But if this is a trick, we'll attack without mercy!"

I sighed. Well, I suppose that's the best I am going to get out of her. "Whatever you say."

San cleared her throat, seeming to think deeply about something. "Why was it Eboshi, of all people?"

I gave her a look, as the brothers paused in their knowing to listen. "A mixture of several things: looks, power, ambition, the fact that she was my age. But it's over, so don't bother your head about it!"

Ignoring my parting shot, San held my gaze. "Why not me?"

I stared at her. "You? Come off it! You're not my age, and unless it slipped your mind, I'm your adopted brother. It's Ashitaka you should concern yourself with!"

San shrugged. "I'm surprised you didn't try to bed me early."

After I stammered for a short time, she burst into laughter. "If you could see your face! That just made my day."

I sighed, as the brothers howled with laughter. "Laugh it up, you gits!"

She leaned into my chest, nuzzling my collarbone. "You're so easy sometimes!"

I burst into reluctant laughter. "This will be the last time you get the best of me!"

As the Wolf Tribe went on conversing with each other, all thoughts of past injuries and present troubles were put aside, and they enjoyed what little leisure time they had with each other.

It wouldn't be long before events resulted in one of their number being torn from their midst!


And the revamp continues!