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ashitaka opened his eyes, groaning and placing his hand over his now healed wound. he gasped and shot up. "the bullet wound is gone!" he winced, lying back down, yakul nibbling at his clothes. the elk's head flew up at the sound of footsteps before relaxing to see it was san.
she stroked yakul, glancing down to ashitaka.
"finally you're awake, you know you really should thank yakul he hasn't left your side this whole time," the man opened his eyes, letting go of a breath he was holding.
"how'd you know his name is yakul?" he eyed the girl who was scratching his elk in a comforting manner.
"he told me and he told me about you, about your village, your people and your forest. the forest spirit brought you back to life again, he wants you to live," san knelt beside ashitaka, pulling a piece of meat.
"i had the strangest dream, there was a golden creature," he whispered hoarsley.
"here, eat this," the wolf girl handed him the meat, frowning as he struggled to chew. he coughed and san ripped off another piece of meat. she chewed it in her mouth slightly, feeding it to ashitaka through herself. he ate with ease, his face relaxing.
tears began to fall from his eyes and san's head shot up at the sound of footsteps. through the trees, she saw a familiar head bouncing around as [name] jumped over plants. moro trailed her, her pups on either side. they came into view and san stood up. [name] stopped slightly behind the wolf god, staring straight ahead. the princess followed her eyes, glancing to where the child was looking at. there were boars, loads of them. san stepped over ashitaka, holding his sword.
"we are here to kill the humans and save the forest, why are the humans here moro?!"
"humans are everywhere these days, go back to your own mountain. kill them there. these girls are san and [name], my daughters,"
"we will kill them here, we will save this forest!" the boar argued, his tribe squealing . "what is that other human doing here?!"
"he was shot and then the great spirit healed his wound, this man is not our enemy!" san clutched the sword.
"the forest spirit saved him?! saved the life of that loathsome runt?! why didn't he save nago?! is he not the guardian of the forest?!"
"the forest spirit gives life and takes life away, life and death are his alone or have you boars forgotten that?"
"you lie! you must've begged the forest to save his life but you didn't beg for nago did you?!" moro's lip twitched at his words.
"nago was afraid to die, now i too carry within my breast a poisoned human bullet. nago fled and the darkness took him, i remain and contemplate my death,"
"mother, please ask the forest spirit to save you!" san was distressed, [name]'s grip on moro's fur tightening.
"i have lived long enough san, soon the forest spirit will let me rest forever,"
"all these years you have defended the forest spirit, he must save you!"
"you are not fooling us! nago was beautiful and strong, he would not run from anything! you wolves must've eaten him!" his words were harsh, [name] pulling out her dagger and reaching out for one of the boars but not yet attacking it.
"quiet! watch what you say you filthy pig!"
"gods of the mountains, please listen to me," a strained voice interrupted, everyone looking over to see ashitaka. "nago died far from here and i was the one who killed him. he had become some kind of demon. one day he attacked our village," he began to take of the straps on his fingers . "if you want proof, look at where he touched me," he slipped his glove off, displaying the purple scars that ran down his arm. "i came here to beg for the forest spirit to lift nago's curse from me. he healed the wound in my side but the demon mark remains,"
ashitaka opened his eyes, staring up at the trees that loomed over the water. "first it will tear my soul apart and then it will kill me," the boars began to retreat, sliding into the forest as a much older boar passed.
"okkoto, finally a boar who will listen to reason," okkoto strode towards ashitaka, sniffing at him.
"you can't eat him!" [name] frowned, kneeling beside the man as san followed.
"ah, you are moro's human children aren't you? i've heard of the two of you," his nostrils flared, sending hot air into san's face.
"you're blind,"
"stand back, i will not eat him," [name] let go of the hold on ashitaka's clothes, still kneeling as san had not moved.
"it's alright, my lord okkoto, what i said about nago's death was the truth," san backed away, dragging the child with her who made a noise of protest when the boar god moved forward . ashitaka lifted his palm onto his snout, okkoto sniffing.
"i believe you, and i thank you for it young one. i am only grieved and ashamed that a demon has come from our trible," [name] looked over her shoulder, sticking her tongue out at the tribe.
"o mighty lord, is there a way to lift nago's curse from me?"
"leave this forest...for the next time we meet, i will have to kill you," the child struggled in san's grip at okkoto's words.
"you cannot win against the humans. their guns will destroy you all," moro reasoned.
"look on my tribe moro. we grow small, and we grow stupid, we will soon be nothing but squealing game that the humans hunt for their meat,"
"you'd risk everything on one last battle? that's just what the humans want," she shook her head.
"i do not ask for the help of the wolf tribe, even if everyone of us dies, it will be a battle the humans never forget," he turned and left, the rest of the boars behind him squealed.
"i hate those stupid pigs," [name] stood, thrashing her head to free herself of san's grip on her collar and dragging herself back the way they came, moro talking the child out of her sulking as they left.
