Ashitaka bent down to retrieve a pheasant from the ground. There was a huge bloody gap in its keel where his arrowhead passed through, but even still, he checked to make sure the bird was dead. Sometimes unlucky birds survived wounds like that.

Ritualistically, he twisted its neck around until it broke, and tied it with a strand of leather to the other. There was one slung over Yakul's saddle already.

He wiped the blood off of the head of his arrow on the grass, and slid it down into the quiver with the others. He hummed thoughtfully as he counted the remaining arrows. There were four. Much less than he had when he first came to this mountain. Several had been victims of breakage, snapping against bones or losing their feathers in the body of a felled beast. He would have to make more soon.

Ashitaka reached for the lead of Yakul's reigns and gently pulled his head up from the grass he was grazing on. He mounted up and rode up the mountain toward the wolf den.

He had left the den to hunt earlier in the morning, just before sunrise. It was later now, and all the morning dew was dry. By his estimate, it had been just over two hours since he left. He was glad to have caught the second pheasant when he did, or he wouldn't have been happy to leave San alone for much longer.

As he approached the wolf's den he could see San sitting on the outcropping of rock that overlooked the mountainside. She wasn't there when he left, and he worried briefly that she might have hurt herself trying to get there.

She was watching him approach, but made no move to call out to him first.

"Where are your brothers?" he asked once he was close enough to be heard. As far as he knew, they never returned last night. When he left to get food he'd been torn between the need to provide for San, and the need to not leave her unattended. He'd reconciled and chosen to hunt partially under the impression that her brothers would surely return by the time he got back. Now their absence was even more suspect.

"They howled from across the mountain an hour ago. They said they were hunting. In case you were to come back empty handed, I think." Ashitaka thought he could see her grinning slightly at the presumed ineptitude.

"So you moved out into the open on your own?" he asked. She must have heard the disapproval in his voice. she rolled her head from one shoulder to the other in annoyance.

"Don't act like you care more about my leg than I do" she chided. "If it hurt too much to move, I wouldn't move."

He said nothing, but quietly thought that he very well might care more about her leg than she did. She had very little regard for self preservation. Her greatest fault, to be sure.

Ashitaka removed both the saddle and its contents from Yakul's back.

"I'm glad that your good mood has healed at least" he said, carrying his things up to the den.

He set about the well worn practice of meal preparation when all of his things were set with him upon the floor of the outcropping of rock. He made sure to gather his things near San so she wouldn't need to move herself to reach.

He was striking flame from flint over a bed of wood when San reached for the limp lifeless necks of the pheasants.

"I've never eaten these" she mused as the turned its body in her hands curiously. "Too hard to catch when they can fly."

"Their meat is more tender than venison or beef" he explained. "I was always fond of it."

The moment he connected the conversation to his own life, suddenly it seemed her attention was piqued. She turned her eyes toward him and let her hold on the dead bird fall lax beside her folded leg.

"You ate a lot of birds back home?"

"Not a lot." He began to assemble sticks for the fire before elaborating. "I've rarely had a whole bird to myself. Nearly all the food our tribe caught was shared among us. Although I've eaten pheasant many times, all the pieces of bird meat I've eaten combined might only have amounted to a few whole birds. We would mix their meat with water and rice. Often the meat was stretched so thin that I felt like I was simply eating stew a bird had bathed in."

She bit her lip as she briefly wrestled with some internal conflict. Ashitaka watched with interest as she went about this internal struggle. After a moment, a winner was decided and she spoke.

"Hunting has never been so bad for our tribe. Until recently" she said. Then, there was a heavy pause. "Mother was a good provider for the three of us. Until the humans drove much of our prey away."

Her mother's death was still such a fresh wound on her heart. And yet, she was beginning to recount the past she knew her by with a more subdued sorrow. The kind that he knew would be foolish to hope ever left her. It was the same sorrow he felt when thinking of his family and home. The kind that was more like a tattoo than a scar.

Ashitaka knew there was nothing comforting he could say in reply, so he let silence hang between them for a while. San did not attempt to continue to speak of her mother.

The practice of food preparation was as cathartic as it had been before. San went about the gruesome task of skinning and gutting, while Ashitaka lit the fire. It felt so domestic to him. Like they'd been living together for years.

He had to insist on her eating the meat cooked, unlike she always did. He told her a story about a boy in his village that he once knew who ate raw bird, and grew very ill. She seemed to be more amused than cautioned by the story, but did agree to cook her food all the same, and he was satisfied.

. But although he could dissuade her inclinations for eating meat raw, he could not dissuade her from her methods of eating. While Ashitaka broke off small pieces of meat one-at-a-time, San would bite straight into the whole of the meat, and tear off however much fit into her mouth. Anyone who imagined themselves civilized might've been offended by her abhorrent manners. For his part, Ashitaka could only ever admire her for her unrestrained wild energy in all things.

Unsurprisingly, San finished eating much faster than him. "It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," she said as she wiped grease from her mouth.

"Thank you" he smiled, choosing to be flattered.

"But I wouldn't have the patience to ask you to cook for me again. It's too tedious."

"Are you in much of a hurry?"

"Not lately" she said, punctuating the answer by tapping her fingers on her bandaged leg. When she smiled, he knew it was meant in good humor, but it was difficult to smile back. Thinking of her injury was unpleasant.

"It was nice, though," she went on, "To take part in some small way in your culture."

"It wasn't exactly how I would've prepared it if I'd been back home." He became wistful suddenly, but briefly. "But I'm glad you appreciated it for what it was."

He finished eating and worked to clean up after the meal. In the cold of the mid-autumn day he was inclined to keep the fire going, but thought better of it. A fire would need constant fuel, which the discarded branches nearby couldn't have provided for longer than a few more hours; better to save what wood there was for the colder nights ahead.

Thinking of how much warmer she'd be under her furs, Ashitaka offered to help her move into the den. He was expecting her to refuse and maneuver on her own, but to his relief, she accepted his help.

In fact, she lingered on him as he supported her weight. He knew not whether she lingered from weakness or from a desire to linger.

When she was comfortably set down, he left her side only long enough to bring her water. When he returned, she was absentmindedly picking at the wrappings of her bandage. Pulling the fabric just enough to let the skin beneath it breathe. She suddenly sensed his gaze upon her, and when their eyes met she seemed to understand that he was going to ask her not to do that. So, without being asked, she pulled her hand away from her leg with an almost exaggerated display of exasperation.

"Does it hurt?" he asked as he offered her his waterskin.

Her brow was creased, but when she reached for the water she looked visibly relieved. "Nothing could really prevent it from hurting."

"Does it hurt more now than this morning?"

She looked away from him, almost like she was guilty. "Whatever you used to dress the wound has worn off."

He nodded in understanding without looking as concerned as he felt, and stood up. "Well, I'm grateful it lasted as long as it did."

"Are you going to leave?" she asked quickly, just barely managing to not sound alarmed.

He opened his mouth, ready to form the words that he knew would pain them both, but just in that moment they both could hear a howl ringing in the distance. He saw the recognition in San's eyes as she listened. When the howl dissipated into silence he asked, "Your brothers are coming back?"

She nodded with very little enthusiasm. "They'll be here soon." She took one last swig from the waterskin and handed it back to Ashitaka. "Go. I'll still be here when you get back."

When he reached to take back the waterskin, it was his turn to linger. He saw a pain in San's eyes that could not have wholly been from the bullet wound. He was sure she could see a similar pain in himself.

He was remiss to leave her. Even knowing she was not in danger. The pleasure of her company was impossible to deny. An urge existed in him to demonstrate to her that he could take care of her. Provide for her. But he would put aside such egotistical desires in order to genuinely attend to her needs.

He found Yakul at the base of the rocky incline, and set off toward town. When he was just far enough from the den that it was out of sight, he saw San's brothers.

Neither the wolves nor Ashitaka stopped when they saw each other. San's brothers merely looked in his direction as they passed. One of them lightly dipped his head in a sign of acknowledgement. The other was too busy licking blood off his mouth to notice him.

It was the most friendly they had ever been to him.

He returned the gesture out of politeness. Satisfied that San was now in their care, he returned his eyes to the trail before him, and rode on.

The steep decline of the mountain began to flatten out after some time. By now he knew the way back very well. So did Yakul. He needn't lead the elk to town; he knew habit had taught Yakul to head that way without needing be directed, and simply encouraged him to move briskly.

It gave Ashitaka more energy to focus his thoughts on other things. For better or worse.

His experience with wounds like Sans was extremely intimate, and yet, he knew next to nothing about their treatment. There were three he knew of who had survived initially being shot: Moro, who had died; Nago, who had suffered a terrible fate and then died; and finally, himself.

The first had chosen death. He did not believe that san would follow suit.

The second had become a demon. The cruelest of all the fates. Ashitaka knew not what could really be done to prevent it. He wanted to believe that San was beyond that possibility now, having been treated and cared for without showing any of the signs. But truthfully, he did not know if it was safe to be done worrying yet.

And as for the last… well, San had been the one who tended to him then. She would know better than he would how such a recovery would proceed.

Suddenly, Yakul stopped. A fallen tree was blocking his path, and the elk was waiting for direction from his master to continue. Ashitaka broke out of his thoughts and finally recognized his surroundings.

The axes and saws were still left discarded on the grass. This was the scene of the battle from yesterday.

What was more, Ashitaka could see kodama gathered at the stumps of the felled trees. He imagined they might be mourning the spirits that belonged to those trees, but their faces expressed no emotion.

A dead animal, even left uneaten, could serve to sustain scavengers. Likewise, old, mossy trees that had fallen naturally could be repurposed as homes or food for insects and rodents. But these logs were still fresh. Their bark clung to the still hard inner wood. It would be a long time before it would be soft enough for other plants to grow in its place, or be gnawed by animals into nests.

Even if they might one day be reclaimed by the life of the forest, they would remain a painful symbol of the human's hostility to the wolves for as long as they lay sore and assuming on the floor of the forest.

It seemed to him terribly sad to leave the felled trees here. And yet, he knew he could not take them back for the townsfolk to put to use. It would only justify their transgression.

The wood, like any carcass, ought to be laid to rest with dignity if it could not be used. He might cut the wood into chips, or hollow out the insides, to allow the wood to rot more quickly.

But he wouldn't use his time so carelessly. Not while San was in pain. He put the deliberation to the back of his mind to contemplate later, and urged Yakul onward around the tree.

Her brothers were returned not but a few minutes after Ashitaka had taken his leave. She was happy for them to be back. Not that she was in any danger while in the absence of help. Only lonely. She hardly had the chance to speak to them since the night of her injury; they'd left her in Ashitaka's care so suddenly.

"He left quickly" Ichi said when he came up to the den.

"He wouldn't have, if I hadn't insisted." The pain in her leg was greater than the pain of him being temporarily gone.

Ni wordlessly prowled up the cliffside into the den, approaching his sister more out of habit than of intent. San reached to run her hands over Ni's snout in greeting, but he was uncharacteristically aloof, and turned his head away before she could pet him. She did not take it as a slight against her, but did then notice the abnormal accumulation of moisture at his lips. He'd spent much time at licking something off his mouth. She couldn't quite smell what it was. Blood of some kind, she assumed.

"I'd assumed you would bring back some leftovers from your hunt" she said.

"Its just as well we didn't" Ni huffed. "By the smell of it, you've eaten already."

It was Ichi who made an attempt to truly answer her. "We made chase, but ate nothing."

This answer confused her. Perhaps it hadn't been blood on his mouth. Even if the best prey were difficult to find, but it was uncommon for her brothers not to make any kill at all. She did not press further, assuming it would humiliate them. Judging by his mood, Ni was already perturbed.

Perhaps giving the humans any allowance to hunt at all had had greater repercussions than she'd initially thought, if prey was now even more scarce.

To think that the humans were encroaching upon her still, and taking more than their allowance of game on top of it, was infuriating. And with her condition being what it was it was also threatening. She'd been rendered helpless. Even temporarily, she had no doubt someone from town would try to take advantage. Be their actions endorsed by the gun woman or not.

Although the woman had agreed to keep peace between them, she had lost her tight control over her people. Eboshi no longer had the power to hold up her end of the treaty, even if her intentions could be trusted.

"At least the humans may finally leave when the mountain cannot provide food" San said with a resignation that overpowered any wit.

"When the humans eat the last of our food, then we can always eat the humans" Ni mused with a slight grin, mimicking his sister's dry humor.

San turned her head to him quickly, and spoke in a tone that emphasized her dire seriousness. "You shouldn't joke like that."

"I know, I know" he growled dismissively. San was very stiff as she examined her brother's seriousness. He seemed truthful, even if he did not acknowledge the gravity of her concern. "All I mean is that if we were to lose our chance for peace with humans, we will always have the option of slaughtering them."

"That will never be an option" San denied resolutely. "Our mutually assured destruction is not a solution."

It was Ichi then who chuckled, catching both of their surprise. "You've been spending too much time around Ashitaka" he mused, smugly crossing one paw atop the other as he sat. "You're starting to talk like him."

"That doesn't make me wrong." Her change in view and attitude could not solely be blamed on Ashitaka's influence. "We are not the only living things on the mountain. Even if we are willing to die, we can't sacrifice what is left of the mountain for the chance to kill again."

"Of course, of course" Ichi agreed. "All further killing must be only in personal spite, and not for the sake of war."

When Ichi laughed, his brother laughed with him. And though in jest it may have been, San couldn't laugh with them. She feared they did not share the convictions that she now did. Their willingness to keep the peace was built on nothing more than their loyalty to her.

She only hoped it would be enough for the time being.

This settlement was miniscule. There were no permanent houses, or even any inns. The merchants who owned the small run-down buildings likely slept on the floors of their businesses. And anyone else would have to make camp or move on once night fell.

And all the businesses there were that remained were only the utmost essential. From what she had seen of it Akane could tell there was little more than shops for food, a small swine farm where the food was made, and an apothecary.

Despite the small size of such a settlement, Akane's companion was hopeful that traveling merchants might have the means of coming and going with speed. And, for a price, be willing to accompany him safely to the capital city. He was more eager than ever to be as far from Iron town as possible.

After the night they spent running from wolves, she could hardly find it in herself to blame him. Even now her blood burned with the fire of fear. Each muscle in her body ached from the strain of running. It was a wonder she could walk now.

Her companion seemed to see something that caught his interest, and gave her a quick rude pat on the shoulder before trotting off toward a small building with a sign hanging from the roof of it that she couldn't read. She didn't follow him until he energetically gestured for her to.

He was already in the middle of a conversation with a man standing half-way inside when Akane slowly made her approach.

"Tomorrow? That's the soonest you'll leave?"

"We only just arrived ourselves. We need to break even before we-" the salesman was cut off by the man suddenly noticing Akane, and interrupting him.

"Ah, there she is, my lovely wife!" he said, putting his arm around her suddenly, before she could question or protest.

He reached for the pouch of yen at her side, but her hand was faster. She ripped it away from him, clutching it tightly to her breast. "Hands off!" she growled reflexively, without regard for his scheme.

Chuckling so as to play off her aggression as a lover's quarrel, he pulled her closer so he could whisper in her ear. "The money is more than enough to pay for our passage. Don't be selfish. We both need to start a new life."

She wrestled out of his hold, holding the pouch tightly in her fist as she backed away from him. "It's Ryouko's money! Not mine, not yours! It's hers!" she yelled, drawing the uncomfortable attention of every nearby onlooker. "She was murdered! I watched her die!"

"Calm down, you look crazy" the man said. But Akane couldn't hear him. Her ears rang with the flow of hot blood. Her senses overflowed with memories, blocking out the world around her.

"Her spirit still follows me!" she shouted, to who, she wasn't sure anymore. "She never even had a chance!"

She could see her now. Not laid peacefully in the ground the way a body should be, but splayed out and crippled at every joint. It was difficult to see her without seeing the wolf who enveloped her. Caging her broken body under its paws as it ripped the life from her.

"She can't rest, and I wont either. Not until the wolves are dead!"

As if hearing her speak, the wolf turned to look straight at her. It seemed to smirk.

"Akane, listen" he said, breaking the vision by holding her shaking body still. "You need move on. Its... what she would have wanted."

She took a few deep breaths as she returned to the present. Then, pushed him away curtly. "You won't help me, so pay your fare on your own."

He called to her as she walked away, but eventually he cut his losses and left without her or the money.

Akane spent a fraction of her own half of the money on a meal she desperately needed. It wasn't tasty, but it had enough pork in it that it would keep up her energy for the days ahead. She had no real plan, but she was sure she wasn't leaving any time soon.

She needed a gun. But anyone with a gun would be selling it for far more than she had available. She counted Ryouko's yen. If she ate nothing again, she might combine her funds and have enough to buy half a gun. She cursed, and resigned herself to returning to the brothel. But just for travel there, she would need to spend all the rest of her funds.

She was contemplating her next move when a stranger took a seat beside her on the ground.

"You're from Irontown" he said simply. He was a tall man, but not as big as Gonza. She looked him up and down, deciding whether or not she ought to get up and leave. She wasn't in the mood to be made a mockery of, and she couldn't imagine why else he would come to her.

"Nobody's from Irontown" she corrected. "fools just end up there."

He didn't seem to know how to answer that. He scratched the back of his head a bit awkwardly. It wasn't a gesture typical of a man his size. Most tall men were too proud to ever show their discomfort. It was enough to put her at ease.

"Well… Is it true what they say? About the gods?" he asked finally.

"What about 'em?"

"That they're dead."

Akane sighed deeply, setting her empty bowl down and pushing it away with her foot. "Yeah. But it hardly makes a difference now."

"Why's that?"

"We killed them for control over the mountain," she said. "Now that the gods are dead, we still don't have it. The iron sits uselessly under the sand. Unclaimed."

The man smiled. "Truly, miss, I was hoping you'd say somethin' like that." There was a gleam in his eyes that suddenly sparked confidence in him. Akane listened in rapt attention as he relayed to her a much more appealing plan than hers.

AN: Thanks for all the recent reviews, folks. I really appreciate anyone who stuck through all the early chapters and is still here. And for those of you wondering, my family is hanging on in the current crisis. I hope you all are staying safe. I'm sorry it takes so long for me to update this story, but I really am determined to finish this. I want to be done with it so bad.

I don't want to take up too much space here, but if you want to know more about the state of this story or me, feel free to message me here, or on my blog I have listed on my profile.