The Little Wolf [A Princess Mononoke Fanfic]

Epilogue

Ashitaka sighed as he felt something gentle moving against his lips. Something warm and wonderful. Someone's lips. Someone was kissing him. His hand pulled itself from the bed roll beneath him and caressed their cheek, his body moving instinctively towards the warmth of the person lying beside him, waking him up with a wonderful kiss. And all too soon, the lips pulled away and Ashitaka was left gasping for air as he tried to pull them back.

"Time to wake up, Ashitaka," a soft voice cooed. Ashitaka shuddered at the feeling of lips against his ear. He didn't want to wake up. This was so wonderful. Whoever it was laughed as he tried to pull them back to him. "Ashitaka~" Lips skimmed against his cheek and he felt his lips blossoming in a smile. "Ashitaka~"

"Fine," he groaned, flopping back down onto the bedroll, groaning when he felt the rough rocky floor shooting up to meet the back of his head. He still wasn't entirely used to living in a cave in the mountains, despite the year that had passed since his permanent move from the rebuilt Iron Town. He pushed his body up, eyes still clenched shut as he tried to shut out the pain.

When he opened his eyes, he realised that the one who had called to him was standing at the mouth of the cave, adjusting one of her earrings and the mask that sat atop her head. Her spear was still resting against the side of the cave wall behind her.

Ashitaka still couldn't believe that she was here. It had all seemed hopeless when he had watched the life leave her two years before when the wounds from the battle had been too severe. But the Forest Spirit had given him one more gift before leaving the mortal world. The gift of the love of his life.

* * *

Ashitaka's eyes slowly fluttered open, and as his vision cleared, he watched the sky above as the clouds rolled past, and as the tall grass around him bent and danced in the crisp morning breeze. Yakul was standing beside him, gently nipping his ear and pulling at the ends of his hair to try and wake him. He smiled up at the serow. The Forest Spirit had given him life. But there was a bittersweetness to the gift. He was alive, but the light of the forest, the light of his life, was gone. And he would have to wait to join her in the world beyond the grave. He pushed himself up from his place on the ground and glanced around. San was lying beside him, facing away from him, unconscious but alive.

He smiled and got to his feet, admiring the lush greenery of the valley. The Forest Spirit was dead now, but the forest had been healed. The Iron Town was destroyed and completely overgrown. What the humans had destroyed had grown back tenfold, and as he stood atop that mountainside, Ashitaka knew that peace would come to the valley.

"Ashitaka?"

Ashitaka turned and smiled when he saw San coming to. She rolled over onto her back and gazed up at him. For a moment, she seemed confused, and a moment later, her confusion melted to sadness and sorrow as she realised that she had been given another chance at life. Just as Ashitaka had been turned away from the place where her mother and sister now resided, she too had been denied entry. Her eyes shut again as tears started to flow, silently and softly as they drew rivers along her pale skin.

"I wish he hadn't healed me," she whispered to the wind.

"I know," Ashitaka said, crouching beside San and gently pulling her into a sitting position. "I know." There was nothing more to be said.

Howls echoed around the valley and Ashitaka and San smiled a bit at the sound of San's brothers. They were alive and well, having escaped from the hands of the Forest Spirit. And now they were returning to a healed valley. Ashitaka glanced over the tops of the grass, and as the wind parted the blades, he could see the familiar white shapes of the wolves leaping over the grass towards them. He took San by the hand and pulled her to her feet, giving her a soft smile before turning to greet her brothers.