san used what strength she still had to pull herself up the rocks, holding onto lord okkoto's tusk. scratches on her knees burned from the stinging feeling of her movement. her wolf lead the three, fur soaked red with boar blood. okkoto's blood splattered onto the stone below, his wounds leaking. "we're almost at the pool of the forest spirit. just a little farther, keep going,"
san's eyes flicked around the forest, her forehead wrinkled with concern. why wasn't [name] behind her? she tried her best to calm her worries, maybe her little sister had just gone the other way. she sighed, fighting her tiredness. the wolf pup halted, head snapping to the side. san followed, glancing around and grabbing her spear tighter.
okkoto's hoof slipped, san yelping and using both hands to try shove his weight back up. the god's head crashed against the rocks, blood spraying onto tree trunks and san was sent flying backwards.
she rolled, her back smacking into a boulder. she tensed in pain, biting her lip before looking up. "what was that?" san ran low to the forest floor, hopping back over to the injured deity. "lord okkoto, something's wrong. we have to keep moving," she placed her palm against his cheek, the wolf making its way to her side.
"something's out there,"
"what? with so much blood in the air, i can't smell it," the two stared forward, san squinting her eyes to see the darker parts of the forest. she gasped as sticks fell from the trees above, collapsing onto the three. "i should've known it was you!"
"you did this!" the apes sat in the trees, glaring down at them. "because of you, the forest will die,"
"you're wrong! we've all been fighting to save it, this is the thanks you give us?!" she swiped her hand to smack a twig away from her face.
"you bring bad things!"
"bad things coming, neither human nor animal,"
"what do you mean 'neither human nor animal'?!" mice began to jump out of holes in the ground, scurrying across the forest floor with small squeaks.
"they're coming! it's the end for us!" the apes swiftly clambered over the trees, climbing further away in a panic. san gasped, looking down at the rodents that raced over her feet. the wolf beside her growled, the princess following it's eyes.
lifeless looking boars rose, humans in their skin. san tensed, leaning forward.
"they're warriors," okkoto's snout flexed at her words, staggering up.
"they've come back. my warriors! they've come back to me from the land of the dead," he called out to them, a deafening screech sounding from him.
"wait okkoto listen-!"
"forward my warriors! forward to the pool of the forest spirit!" fooled by the humans' tricks, he began to limp away. the boar skins slid across the floor, getting closer to san and the wolf. she chased after the god.
"no lord okkoto! you're warriors haven't come back to you!" she clutched onto his tusk. "those are humans wearing the skins of your warriors to hide their scent!" the god carried on charging through the forest, knocking down trees. "don't you understand?! it's just a human trick to get us to lead them to the forest spirit!"
he didn't listen, stubbornness and will clouding his logic. he stormed ahead, smashing through rocks, the humans following.
"come out, forest spirit! if you are truly master here, give my warriors the power to slay the humans and be victorious!"
"stop lord okkoto, please! you've gotta listen!"
"san, they're all around us. okkoto's done for, leave him!" the wolf began to drift away, urging the girl to give up.
"no! i won't let him turn into a demon like nago did! tell mother that the humans are setting a trap for the forest spirit , she'll know what to do!" san became even more distressed , screaming as a branch nearly collapsed onto her. "you'll have to hurry or it could mean the end of all of us! go on now and look out for [name]!"
listening to her request, the wolf hopped over the disguised humans as san was led down into a dip. okkoto fell to the ground, san grabbing her spear and pointing it towards the humans who gathered around her. "stay back or you die! and then this whole forest will see just what you are!"
san's breath hitched at the howl that filled her ears, instantly recognising it. hope burned in her stomach, wishing that it meant [name] and the other wolf were safe. staring up at the mountain above the forest, she saw a blurry shade of blue. "ashitaka?"
the fake boars shuffled over to okkoto, who huffed and let out another scream. blood rushed from his mouth, pouring onto the floor. "get back!"
san swiped her spear through the air, threatening the humans who shifted away quickly.
"i burn! there are flames growing inside of me!" his voice wavered, black holes appearing on his snout and infected blood swayed in the air. san shrieked, pushing the blood away frantically.
"you must fight it! don't let yourself become a demon!" she cried out to the deity, a rock flung from a human knocking san out. her body fell onto the god's snout, blood covering okkoto and her.
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[name] writhed in ashitaka's arms, ignoring the pain shooting through her arm. a howl from san's wolf reached the three and the boy let the girl go. she stood on the edge of the cliff.
"what is it?" she pointed in response and her wolf lifted it's head. "is it san?"
"she's in danger,"
"let's go!" [name] was the first to leap off the ledge, ashitaka calling out for her as he followed, the pup behind him. they skidded down the rocks, reaching the forest floor. "[name], be careful!"
"it's lord okkoto!" she sprinted through the forest, ashitaka amazed at the sheer speed and stamina she had for being so young. he raced behind her, leaping the shrubs that got in his way.
"you're too slow! get on!" ashitaka glanced over at the wolf, grabbing onto it's fur and pulling himself up. as they went past, he grabbed [name]. they jumped off the cliff onto another rock before hopping to the forest lower.
the warriors of the irontown craned their necks to the side, the child pulling out her dagger. the trio knocked them out of the way, [name] slicing her blade through the air. explosions were fired their way, none of them landing.
"eboshi!" the girl gazed up at ashitaka who locked eyes with her. "you two keep going!"
"okay! stay safe!" [name] shouted out to him, flicking her head back ahead of her. the two continued through the forest, searching for san in a hurry. the sound of footprints behind them made [name] swing her head around. her eyes widened at the sight of the other wolf who ran beside them. "where's san?!"
"she told me to search for mother! she was with lord okkoto!" it snarled, eyes flicking to the wound on her arm. a loud thud made them all snap their heads to the side. demon blood wriggled on the grass below.
"look!"
"it's okkoto's!" the three jumped a fallen tree, the wolves sprinting faster with a newfound speed. the sight of boar skins came into view and [name] shoved a branch away from her with her good arm. she pulled out her dagger, leaping off the wolf's back into the air.
ashitaka clambered onto the boar god, searching for san with a cry. he yanked the endless blood away, grabbing onto the liquid. the sound of a snarl made him look over, spotting the wolf pups and [name] who waved her blade in the air.
okkoto screeched, red fluids hurling from his mouth. it pooled at [name]'s feet and she stabbed her dagger into one of the humans, using it to fly herself over to the opposite side. she dodged the poisonous darts, gripping onto one of the wolves fur and swinging onto it's back.
the boar swung his head which was now fully red, golden eyes blown wide.
"san!" the child wailed, reaching her hand out and then gasping as ashitaka was flung into the air. he collapsed onto moro before falling into the water, his body weight pulling him down to the water bed. [name]'s eyes widened at the sight of her mother lying on the ground.
"and here i was saving the last of my strength to bite off that damn woman's head but i must save san,"
the humans moved back, beginning to clear as the wolf pups chased them away. [name] ran towards moro, collapsing into her legs before the wolves followed. "don't touch him. he's no longer a god," the child slid away from her mother as okkoto came closer, hiding behind her.
he squealed, blood spraying onto the wolf clan. "you can't even speak can you?" he butted his head into moro, pushing her chin onto his snout. a pup grabbed [name], dragging her over to the side. blood wrapped around moro's mouth and she snarled at him. "give me back my daughter, demon!"
tears rolled down the child's face, looking over to the ripples in the water. the forest spirit treadded across the pool. the now demonic boar's eyes blew wide, the infected blood slowing. "ashitaka, can you save the girl you love?"
said boy's head rose from the pool as he gasped for air.
"the forest spirit," a bullet sliced through the air, hitting the spirit in the head. it flopped, body going limp as the deity began to sink. "eboshi, hold your fire!" the forest spirit's head rose, stepping back onto the surface of the water and towards the wolves. "eboshi! your enemy's not the forest spirit!"
ashitaka swam to the earth, pulling himself up. "san!" he rushed to moro, pulling the eldest daughter from her jaws. [name] stood and leaped to her mother, choking on a sob as she watched the forest spirit press his nose against okkoto's. ashitaka leaped into the pool, washing the blood off of san.
okkoto's eyes fell shut and he collapsed to the ground, dust swirling around him from the impact. [name]'s vision became blocked by tears, gripping onto her mother. she shook her head as moro followed, falling to the floor. the child wailed loudly, muffling her cries in the fur of her now lifeless looking mother, her breathing erratic. the forest spirit closed it's eyes, leaning it's head down towards the girl, antlers brushing against her.
the god looked back up to the crescent in the night sky, neck growing longer. it began to transform, green and blue specs in its now translucent skin. ashitaka swam buck to the surface, head flying to the side at the sound of a cry. he watched [name] shake, sat on her knees with her face buried in moro's fur.
"[name]," he glanced over at san before flicking his eyes to lady eboshi, her gun raised towards the forest spirit. "no! stop!" he swung his sword at her, the blade stabbing through the wood. she gasped before smirking, again, pointing her pistol at the deity.
the forest spirit looked down upon her with a smile, vines spiralling around her gun. growing frustrated, she brushed the greenery away desperately.
"you will die!"
a bullet fired, piercing the forest sprit's neck. the god's head tumbled to the ground. san and ashitaka gasped, [name] looking up at the sound of the gunfire, her face stained with tears. the body of it began to sink to the ground, a sparkling bubble growing where it was decapitated.
"[name]! get away from there!" san writhed in the boy's grip, arm reaching out towards the child who reluctantly dived into the water as the bubble exploded. the substance spread through the forest which began to die, the greenery going brown.
"quick jigo! bring me that box of yours!" lady eboshi's hand wrapped around the antlers on the forest spirit's head.
"hurry! hurry!" the men carried the box towards her, one side of the men being snatched by the deity's body. they yelled out, [name] coming to the surface.
"be careful not to touch the spirit's body! it'll suck the life out of you!" moro's eyes snapped open, glaring over at the woman. "here it is! one head, as promised," she chucked it over to jigo who caught it.
"watch out!" moro's head sprung into the air, her jaws clamping down on the gunwoman's arm. eboshi screamed as her limb was ripped off, gonza catching her before she fell.
"milday!"
"i told you, a wolf's head can still bite," san grabbed a hold of [name] taking her to the island. the wolf pups followed, swimming behind them. the girl let her head rest on san's chest. san's heart ached when she glanced down at [name]'s dull eyes and tear stained face. she wrapped her hand around the younger girl's head, pushing her closer as they swam. the y clambered up the earth, the wolves' ears flat against their heads.
ashitaka made his way to gonza and lady eboshi, leading them over to the island. instantly, what was left of the moro tribe grew angry, san ripping off her necklace gifted to her by ashitaka and racing over to him.
"give her here! i'll cut her throat!"
"your clan has been avenged, your mother saw to that. here," gonza made his way to the island checking on lady eboshi. [name] stood, stumbling over to san.
"lady eboshi!"
"help me!" ashitaka wrapped the woman in his clothes.
"don't waste your sympathy," she groaned at the pain she felt in her shoulder.
"i promised toki that i'd bring you back to iron town," [name] pulled out her dagger, waving it in the air as ashitaka raised his forearm and blocked her. the forest spirit's body knocked over trees, water splashing into the air. "he's searching for his head, we can't stay here," he turned towards the girls. "san, [name]. you have gotta help us,"
"no!" both screamed at him, loathe building inside them. "you're on their side you always were!" san backed away as ashitaka stood and held his arms out to her. "take that damn woman and just go away!"
"san-"
"never! i hate all of you humans!"
"yes. i'm human san, and so are you. both of you," her eyes widened with rage.
"stop it! i'm a wolf, you hear?!" she growled, shoving her fist into his chest. san gasped, meeting his eyes and finally letting him embrace her.
"i'm sorry. i tried to stop it," [name] scoffed, even if her older sister was going to fall for it, she wasn't.
"it's over. everything's over, the forest is dead," she clung onto ashitaka, tears rolling down her cheeks as the forest fell apart around them.
"nothing is over. the two of us are still alive, now will you help me, san?" she searched his eyes hesitantly, finding he was genuine. she smiled at him, and he returned it. ashitaka spun around on his heel, crouching to [name]'s level.
the child refused to look at him, body shaking with anger. "[name]...i'm really sorry," he reached out for her but she pushed her blade towards him. his eyes widened as she snapped her head towards him. hatred burned in her eyes , glaring at him before she walked over to the wolves.
"well i don't forgive you,"
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