Chapter 18

A few hours later, Susan, Lucy, Eboshi and the wolf brothers sat on proffered chairs outside Eboshi's house, which now housed Ashitaka and San, who hadn't left his side. Because of Lucy's cordial, the Narnians and the Iron Town villagers had suffered no casualties, and Ashitaka's swelling had been stopped. Peter, Edmund, and the Wolf brothers had returned to the Den, supposedly to return the army to Narnia.

John was nowhere to be found.

After the battle, when Lucy had administered her care onto Ashitaka, he had disappeared without a word to anyone. He had refused Lucy's cordial, and Susan was going spare worrying about him.

Lucifer might have been defeated, and Asano removed, but the price for both was nearly unbearable: Ashitaka was incapacitated, John had been injured and felt completely responsible for the whole thing, and San had practically banished him.

Susan was quite upset about that.

John had made mistakes, but it was Lucifer who had caused everything. It was terribly unfair, but predictable, that her new sister (or was it daughter?) would do such a thing.

Who knows where he was now!

She sat up as San came out with the Town's doctor, who announced that Ashitaka would live.


Eboshi breathed a sigh of relief, now realizing why John had left so soon because of his trust for Lucy, and Lucy allowed a smile on her face. Her cordial had done it's work!

Susan gave San a smile but was to upset with her to do anything else.

San glanced around, seeming enormously relieved, a big improvement from a few hours ago. "Where's John? I would have thought he'd feel obligated to at least help in-"

Eboshi interrupted coldly, before the Pevensies could. "I thought you would know, judging by the fact that you sent him away."

San snorted. "Ashitaka wouldn't be in this state if John hadn't let himself be captured."

Eboshi sneered. "If you really believe that this is John's fault, then you are every bit as stupid as you are a murdering savage!"

San spat in her direction. "This coming from the woman who has murdered hundreds of innocent creatures for her own gain?"

Susan cut in, before things got out of hand. "San, I think you would know best where he is right now, and both you and John need to talk this out."

San's hand was on the handle of her knife, and Eboshi's sword was half out of it's sheath, and Gonza was perfectly willing to add to the mayhem.

San turned to her, looking rebellious. "Why don't you go? I'm not in the mood to talk to him."

"Why, you-" Susan was about to start shouting, but Lucy cut in quietly. "San, please go. We've had fights with him before, but we've never seen him so depressed after fighting with us than fighting with you. Besides, I think there is more going on here than just the battle and Ashitaka, isn't there?"

San's eyes softened ever so slightly, but she still looked less than eager to consider forgiving him, but and after a moment, she sighed. "I'll be right back. I think I know where he might be."

She gestured to her brothers, who stopped growling at Eboshi, and came to her side. They had just returned after making sure that the Narnians had left. "We know where to go."

They did: the top of the highest hill in the forest, almost like a mountain, where they would often go to see the forest and to gather their thoughts.


After the wolves were out of earshot, Susan turned to Lucy. "What did you mean by that last part?"

Lucy sighed. "San's angry, but I think she's also a bit scared. What if John leaves?"

Susan frowned. "He seems to be doing fine without us being around all the time."

Lucy shook her head. "But this is different! San knows him better than we do."

Susan was about to protest, but Lucy held her hand up. "San's seen his whole personality, when he's angry and violent. He's always hidden that from us, but he doesn't hide anything from her, not what from what I've seen."

Susan thought of that for a moment, then nodded.

Lucy, seeing her hurt expression, waved her hand in protest. "That doesn't mean that he loves us any less. It's just that he is more held back around us than he is around her."

Susan smiled and shook her head in amazement. "How do you know all this, little sister?"

Lucy shrugged, an impish smile on her face. "I just do. I'm surprised you don't catch on, but then again, you are still growing!"

Susan sent her a playful glare, as Eboshi's laugh filled the air around them.


At the top of a certain hill, I sat there, my head in my hands. Gloom had replaced the anger and hate, and I felt as if I was being pressed by a great weight. What if Ashitaka was healed? San didn't want me, didn't need me.

What was supposed to have been my greatest and most desperate hour had become a nightmare.

"Things could be worse."

I stood, as Michael appeared in front of me. "Sod off! You are the last being I want to see!"

Michael sighed. "Lucifer cast a spell on the both of us so that I could not return to you until now. He's done this before, to some success."

I shook my head. "Save it! I'm not interested in your excuses. Luci may be dead, but I've lost more than I can take. I don't have the strength to do anything you want me to do." I turned my back on him, wanting him to go away.

He didn't. "For that, you have my thanks."

I rolled my eyes. "You're not welcome. I'm back to square one: I'm an outcast again."

Michael snorted. "Do not be melodramatic, it does not suit you. She comes for you, even now, with no anger in her mind."

I glared back. "Nonetheless, don't expect to come to your aid anytime soon. Find some other poor sod to do your dirty work!"

I expected a beating, and I wanted him to try, and see where that got him! What ever trust between us was broken, probably beyond repair.

He didn't, and what he said next gave me some hope: "It is not I who needs you at the moment. It is your sister that needs you."

I paused, then turned to face him again. "Why the fuck do you care?'"

Michael sighed, seeming to be losing his patience. "You have a bond of warriors, a bond of the Wolf Pack. You have fought for each other, bled for each other, and loved each other to the extent that you know each other like no one else. The fact that she is on her way here is proof of that. It is rather touching, and I would be loath to tear you apart so soon."

He leaned in close, and finished: "My gift to you is life here, in this world, as long as you wish. But when the time comes when I need you, you will come. But that will not be for many, many years."

I breathed heavily, trying to keep myself from crowing with delight. "Why should I trust you again?"

"I do not see any other options other than what you have now. When I make a bargain, I keep it."

"Why are you doing this for me? Won't this put a monkey wrench into your plans?"

Michael laughed. "You understand not the concept of Spiritual Time. That is good, as you cannot hope to understand it. Rest assured, I shall give you all the time you need, young Wolf!"

Before I could thank him, he disappeared.


San rode along, the top of the hill now in sight through the branches of many trees. She could see that John was indeed there, and she didn't know how she felt about that. She was still angry with him, but she was sorry for telling him to go away. It was not like he had deliberately meant Ashitaka any harm, and she knew very well that he would gladly give his own life if it meant the safety of his Pack.

She chuckled as she remembered that he still had her spear!

But she also remembered that she had to be a leader, and Moro would not have cast John out like she had done, and the sign of a good leader was not heaping the blame onto another's haunches. She had also been emotionally unstable in the fight, almost getting herself killed for no good reason, an unacceptable blunder which couldn't happen again in the future.

Damn that man who made everything more complicated than it had to be!

In the end, she loved him more than she hated him, so San decided to put this matter behind them.

It was for the good of the tribe as well, and for the forest, she told herself.

No, she thought, it was good for her as well.


I sighed, as I heard the familiar thundering of paws.

Oh, here we go!

San and the brothers came into sight, and a moment later, San stood in front of me, the brothers sitting down to watch.

"Is Ashitaka-"

"Yes, he's fine, thanks to Lucy."

There was a pause, then I sighed. "Look, I-"

"I'm sorry."

I stared; mouth open. San had never apologized before now. "What did you say?"

"I said, 'I'm sorry!'"

After a few seconds, I shrugged. "I got what I deserved, San. If it wasn't for me cocking everything up, Ashitaka wouldn't have been in this position. Lucifer would never have touched him if I hadn't cocked it all up."

"But you never wanted any harm come to him. That counts for something, and I was too stupid to see it."

I shrugged. "How many mistakes can I make before everything crumbles, and what if it's you that's next? How can I risk that?"

San shook her head. "Stop! You worry far too much! We have to fight smarter, the both of us. I made mistakes too. I was supposed to be the leader of our sodding Tribe, but I was too emotionally involved during the fight."

"That's what happens when you're in love-"

"I wasn't finished! I also ignored the fact that you became a Wolf today, something I've been waiting for ever since you came into the tribe. You fought like a forest god, and you went toe-to-toe with the demon!"

I pointed to my painful wounds. "Yes, I did, and I got the shit kicked out of me."

San waved her hand. "Details. The fact is that you became a true Wolf today. You did the whole Tribe proud, and more importantly you didn't need that Archangel."

I grimaced, and she swelled with fury. "You just talked to him? What did you promise him?"

I raised my hands. "Nothing! He came to assure me that I wouldn't be leaving you anytime soon. He gave me what I wanted, what I needed!"

She turned away from me, shook her head, and when she looked back at me, I saw anger, and strangely, desperation in her eyes. "And what if he's lying?"

"San-"

"What happens if he decides to go back on his word, and takes you away from us, from me?"

I shook my head. "You know I won't let that happen. If he betrays me, he knows that he's lost me-"

"You still trust him? You can't serve him and the Wolf Tribe!"

It was my turn to get emotional. "Do you really think that I want to leave you? Ever since I took up this fucking job, I've hated it. Now that I have the chance to live my life without angels or demons, I'm not going to give it up. If it came down to a choice between them or you, you can be damn sure I would choose you!"

Suddenly, we in each other's arms, hugging tightly.


After a long embrace, San and I parted, and she shook her head. "And what if it's too good to be true?"

I shrugged. "I'm thinking the same thing about Ashitaka's offer."

San nodded. "Yes, we need to talk about that."

I nodded, and then paced a bit, gathering my thoughts together before continuing. "Is this really possible? Can we really become something other than wolves? Both you and I were raised to fight and kill, and I'm sure as hell not putting down the sword anytime soon."

San shook her head. "Ashitaka's not foolish enough to believe that we will really turn against our carnal natures. Nevertheless, why don't we just give his offer some kind of consideration? Think of this, Brother: has he ever given us a reason to not trust him?"

Well, she had me there.

"Yes, that is true, but he doesn't understand us. To his credit, the lad means well, but is this really the right direction to go?"

San folded her powerful arms over her chest. "I can make it an order if you try my patience."

I was about to snap back at her, then realized that she was being the leader I knew she was capable of being.

"By your command, Empress!" I said, bowing.

I yelped a few seconds later, as San thwacked me upside the head with the butt of her spear.

Maybe I shouldn't have given it to her so soon, but knowing her, she would have ended up using something else to hit me with!

Behind us, the brothers exchanged a pleased look.

Back to normal!


When we returned to Iron Town, who bade us to go to our Den, as the Pevensies had gone there.

When we got there, the four of them were waiting at the mouth of the cave.

Susan and Lucy hugged the both of us, while the two brothers looked on. "What brings you here? It's not that you are unwelcome, but our Den is less...comfortable to humans," San said.

Susan waved her hand politely. "Nonsense. I quite like a rustic retreat once in a while."

As she said this, the wolves cuddled up to Lucy like trained, slovenly-obedient, hounds.

I raised my eyebrows, as Lucy petted them with delight.

San sent me a smirk, before she spoke again. "You are free to stay."

Peter smiled. "Aslan said we could, but not with the army."

I nearly did a flip with joy.

Peter and Edmund called San off the side, as the others stayed with me.

As soon as they were alone, Susan turned to me. "We need to talk. Laying aside the fact that you are as self-sacrificingly reckless as usual, such as catching a bullet with your bare hand, you fancy a woman that would gladly use any means to achieve her ends. Don't you dare look at me like that!" She finished, as I rolled my eyes.

"For Aslan's sake, Mum, I know she is capable of. I'm not so enamored that I don't see her faults. Besides, I didn't expect the bullet to cause that much damage!"

Susan sighed. "I'm not saying she's a monster, but don't let your guard down, not even for a minute. And, for the love of the Lion, please stop being so reckless!"

I nodded. "I won't, Mum, I promise. How will Narnia work without you?"

Susan smiled. "Aslan said that it didn't matter. He would sort it out."

"You have no idea how happy I am that you'll be here."


Close by, the Pevensie kings turned to San. "Now, as far as weapons go, a spear and a dagger are acceptable, but a sword can do so much better than those. Putting aside your already extensive experience and skill with your weaponry, you need all the weaponry you can get." Peter said, while Edmund produced a sword he had been hiding, and handing it to her.

The blade itself was as long as she was tall: thin, sturdy, and double-edged, sharp as it could get. The hilt was long enough for only one of her hands, and it's steel grip covered with red leather. It's pommel was gold and shaped in the head of the Lion.

"Is this for me?"

At the boys' nod, she took the blade, and hefted it, surprised at the ease of doing so.

"We made sure it was light enough for you to use your spear in the other hand. We made sure to make the hilt and pommel complemented your allegiances."

Peter elaborated, as a spellbound San studied her gift. "Thank you," she said, smiling at them both.

Edmund bowed. "Our pleasure, Lady. Welcome to the Pevensie family. Now, let's see how you can wield it, little Sister!"

San gave him her patented wolfish grin. "Give me your best shot, Brother!"

After giving her a lesson or two with the sword, Peter and Edmund could honestly say that San was the quickest learner they had ever seen, man or woman, and that she was a natural fighter.


Shortly afterwards, all the leaders met in the town.

The Four chose to lend their help to the newly renamed and reinventing Leaf Town. Susan was a natural leader, and Eboshi insisted that she needed her help as much as she needed the brawn of the two young men.

The Four decided to lay aside their crowns for a time, seeing that leadership was already set in place, and did so with a great deal of relief.

To seal the pact between the belligerents, Ashitaka of the Emishi and San Pevensie were happily wed in great ceremony.

And so began the Age of Forest-Town.