The Little Wolf [A Princess Mononoke Fanfic]

Chapter 3

"Why did you stay behind?"

Y/N and San were both back at the cave, Y/N working on a new carving of the boy that they had seen down by the river. It was still hard to tell what it was, as Y/N had only just started, but San knew immediately that Y/N was carving the boy.

Y/N lowered her knife and ran her thumb over the wood, admiring the smooth touch.

"I was curious," she said in a soft voice.

Though San had heard her speak before, she was still somewhat shocked whenever she heard it. For the last fifteen years, Y/N had hardly spoken, and to no one other than her family. When interacting with the boars and the apes, she always left the speaking to her sister and brothers, uncomfortable with the way that she sounded. She much preferred the feeling of her finger trailing through mud and dirt to the feeling of her tongue moving strangely in her mouth and the vibrating of her vocal cords.

"He's dangerous," San advised, sitting down on the ledge next to her sister. "You should have returned with the rest of us." She held out a piece of the ox that they had brought with them.

Y/N shook her head and picked up the knife again, pressing it into the wood and chipping away a small piece. It flew up into the wind, was caught by a breeze, and carried over the ledge, down into the forest below.

"He's kind," she said softly. "He respects the forest. I could feel it in his heart."

"You are too easily persuaded." It was not San who had spoken and Y/N flinched at the husky tone, turning instead to their mother who was resting over the mouth of the cave like she often did. She was staring at Y/N with concern. She jumped down from the flat rock and padded over to Y/N, sitting down behind her and wrapping her tails around the younger twin. "Humans are manipulative and deceiving, Y/N. I urge you not to trust them." She gently licked Y/N's cheek. "Remember that your human parents were ready to sacrifice both you and San in favour of their own lives."

Y/N nodded and dropped her head, the necklace adorning her neck making small clinking sounds as she did so. Her grip on the carving slackened and she leaned against the warm fur of her mother, shutting her eyes and listening to the breathing and heartbeat of the wolf behind her. She hated hearing how her human parents were willing to feed her and her twin to wolves. It was the one story that made Y/N distrust humans more than anything else.

"Are you okay, Mother," San asked, voicing Y/N's silent concerns.

"Yes. I will be okay." Moro looked down at Y/N's tired form and nudged her with the tip of her nose. "Will you be all right to go with San tonight to the Irontown?"

Y/N straightened up and nodded. She got to her feet and walked into the cave, pausing at the door to look down at the carving. She debated for a moment and dropped it, allowing the half-finished human figure to clatter to the floor.

"Be careful with your sister," Moro advised San as they watched the younger twin leave. "I fear that the human has affected her mind more than she lets on."

San nodded and headed into the cave after her sister to prepare for the attack.

. . .

That night, the two hopped onto their wolf siblings and darted off in the direction of Irontown. It was a clear night tonight, with both the stars and the moon lighting their way. It was silent as the group walked through the forest, save for the small mice that skittered out of the way as the wolves' paws hit the ground, scattering their tiny group.

As they walked, San turned to her sister. "Are you sure that you're okay for the attack after seeing that human?"

Y/N nodded.