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-Whispers of the Forest-

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Author: Kintora

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My eyes snapped open wide as I sprang to my feet. It was still dark, though the cold awareness that something was amiss ran strong in my body. I felt weary to the bone from my light sleep, but adrenaline coursed within my flesh like a cold fire. There were yells that echoed in the night outside my hut in the Emishi village.

I lived alone ever since my older brother left. My parents both died of grief. I’m a hopeless girl…. I tried to save them, help them recover. But their will to live, died selfishly for the loss of their only son. They had no heart for their daughter I suppose.

I was up and dressing as fast I could. It was an attire much like the one I wore when Ashitaka was still around though I was now an eighteen-year-old girl. It was easy to move in and easy to slip on. From the noise outside, they’d need as many able-bodied people to fight as possible.

My teeth ground together as I tied my sash around my waist and searched for my wakizashi in the semi-darkness. My deft fingers took the leather string from where I held it between my teeth and wrapped my hair into a quick half-ponytail. I grabbed my bow and arrows and brushed the straw-matted doorway to the side.

The village was in havoc. Our peaceful lives were ruined now. Fire engulfed a few homes a little ways away from my own and I dashed out to meet the cause along with the other villagers that were scrambling to protect our village.

I sensed something headed my way and I grabbed my weapon from my sash and chopped it short before it made contact with my face. It was an enemy arrow. Through the blazing heat and light, I could tell its unfamiliarity from the way the feathers shone red and black on the ground from where the borken pieces lay.

I ducked as another came my way and dodged again and again. I was quick in the skills of fighting and survival though I was girl. But one skimmed by and cut my cheek slightly. I gritted my teeth and hid behind a hut as the attacks ceased to follow me in particular. I observed the battle with quick eyes from where I stood with tense anticipation. The enemies were but shadows of humanoid figures against the fiery blazes, but everything about them screamed inhuman. In the dark, I could see the silhouettes of their flattened pointy ears on the sides of their heads.

These beastly attackers were of the tiger clan under Lord Torayama. I flinched as I heard a heart wrenching cry of a woman nearby and bawling of a child for its mother and father. I was about to spring back into the havoc to give whatever help I could when I felt the warm touch of a human hand on my shoulder.

I spun around to look into the old eyes of the village wise woman. Why had she not fled? What was she doing here?

“Kaya, leave while you can. These beasts will not let down upon our people and you will not be spared.”

Her words chilled me, but I remained where I stood, “You know I can’t. I must defend our people. I cannot leave while this rages on!”

The elderly wise woman peered into my soul without change on her facial features. Her wrinkled lips moved softly as she spoke to me, “There’s no choice, child. Leave, and if to your heart’s desire, seek help for our village. But for now, you must contemplate on how to escape a fate not befitted for your destiny.”

“My destiny?” My fears left me briefly as my face changed into that of a gapping fool’s, “You know what will happened to me?”

She nodded calmly and the blazing of the fire in our ruined village gleamed on her old face, “Head for the West, my princess. There, you may find what you wish to find.”

“What I wish to find?”

I bit back a shriek as the ground below me shook violently and an earsplitting bang resounded within the area as flocks of birds within the forest screeched and took flight. I covered my face and fell to my feet from the explosion nearby as the wind whipped my face and snagged at my clothes.

As soon as I could I looked for the wise woman. I found her on the ground beside me. I dragged her frail old body against myself to support her. There was a nasty gash on her head from where she fell and blood poured from her wounds. Her breath was quick and labored and her eyes mere slits as they looked up at me.

“Kaya, take this pouch. Inside are my divination stones and your brother’s hair. Those items shall lead you on your way. Trust in the forest to protect you, and have faith in yourself. Don’t lose your… way, … dear princess… of the Emishi tribe…”

The wise woman’s breath ceased and her sightless eyes stared blankly up at the dawning of the sky. Right before she died, her hand clasped over mine and in her hand was the deerskin pouch as promised.

I held the tiny bag and her hand for a brief moment saying a silent prayer to the gods. The dwindling warmth in her hand began to dissipate as I let it go to close her eyes against the sad sight of our once peaceful little village.

The battle cries and fighting brought me back to the present. I stuffed the pouch into my haori to put it away quickly. I drew my wakizashi from its sheath once more as I fled to the animal house some ways away to find my elk friend, Kiba.

Somehow, many of the animals were still there and Kiba waited for me patiently as I cut his tether from the post. I put away my weapon and urged Kiba to come out of his stall. I could tell he was uneasy, but I also knew he trusted me. He was Yakkul’s younger brother and so I’ve known him for a long time. He knew I was in an urgent predicament at the moment and obeyed my hushed commands.

I mounted him quickly and silently as he started out of the stables and onto the grassy path towards the woods. We made it out well enough, but when we were almost in the forest, an arrow whizzed by followed by another and another and more. The wind blew against us, but Kiba was faster and we were out of their range in no time. I didn't even get to look back.

I shoved away the sounds and cries of my village and the people that I’ve known all my life. I focused on remaining my thoughts upon the task ahead. I will find help. And right now I wished to find help from my long lost brother. I had a gut feeling that he was alive.

I was off to find Ashitaka. Finally, after the seven years he had left with my crystal dagger.

With all my spirit, I hope he had not forgotten the village.

I hope he had not forgotten me, his little sister.

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A/N: Hope you all like my first Mononoke Hime fic. : ) I know I get sidetracked a lot on the stories I write, but it all happens on the course of my inspiration. But when I say that I promise to finish a story, I keep to that promise no matter how long.

Please be patient with me at times!

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