The Wolf Girl

Chapter 4

    "We only just finished it, milady." Eboshi picks up one of the rifles and weighs it.

    "It's still too heavy."

    "Perhaps if you didn't hold it so delicately?"

    "Milady, if we make them any lighter, they'll fall apart."

    "I trust you to figure it out. They're not for me. They're for the other women here. That'll be something to see." She turns to us showing off the weapon. "This is the latest rifle that I've asked these people to design. The ones we brought here have turned out to be too heavy. These will; kill forest monsters and pierce the thickest samurai armor." The closest bandaged turned half way around.

    "You better watch out there, you two. Lady Eboshi wants to rule the world."

    "I'm sorry to have to push you all so hard. I'll have wine sent down later."

    "Oh, that'll be nice."

    "First you steal the boar's forest from him, and then transform him into a demon. Now you're making even deadlier weapons! How much hatred and pain do you think we need?"

    "Yes, I'm the one who shot the boar, and I'm sorry that you suffer. I truly am. That brainless pig. I'm the one he should have put a curse on, not you." I glare at the women with all the hate I could muster. All of a sudden Ashitaka reaches for his sword and seems like he is struggling with his cursed arm to either kill Eboshi or not to. I quickly grip onto Ashitaka's arm making sure I had a hold of it.

    "Get a hold of yourself Ashitaka! Please!" I whisper to him.

    "Does that right hand of yours wish to kill me now, Ashitaka?" I slowly loosen my grip as Ashitaka grips onto his arm.

    "If it would lift the curse, I'd let it tear you apart, but even that wouldn't end the killing now, would it?" she smirks at him,

    "No, it wouldn't. It would have to kill all of us to be at peace."

    "Milady, Osa has something to say." I look towards the figure wrapped in a hay blanket.

    "Forgive me, milady. You must not make light of the boy's and girl's strength. Young man, like you, I know what rage feels like, grief and helplessness. But you must not take your revenge on Lady Eboshi. She is the only one who saw us as human beings. We are lepers. The world hates and fears us, but she took us in and washed our rotting flesh and bandaged us." the man next to Osa gets in closer in worry.  

    "Osa?"

    "Life is suffering. It is hard. The world is cursed, but still, you find reasons to keep living. I'm sorry. I'm making no sense." In respect to the old man I leave the building followed by Eboshi and Ashitaka. I look into where the forest used to and suddenly Eboshi shoots a flare into where the ape gods where trying to plant trees.

    "Oh, they just keep coming back. Every night they're out there planting trees trying to turn the mountain into a forest again. Stay here. Help me kill the forest Spirit, Ashitaka and Luka." I look over at Ashitaka trying to see what his reaction would be.

    "You would do that? Kill the very heart of the forest?"

    "Without that ancient god the animals here would be nothing but dumb beasts once more. When the forests has been cleared and the wolves wiped out, this desolate place will be the richest land in the world and Princess Mononoke will become human along with her missing Sister Princess Luka."

    "That will never happen." I whisper to myself.

    "Princess Mononoke? Princess Luka?" Ashitaka asks her taking a quick side glace at me.