Through Wolf's Eyes (Princess Mononoke - San's POV)

Chapter Eleven- It's Over

The sound of gunfire roaring in San's ears awoke her from unconsciousness. She awoke with her head against Ashitaka's shoulder and being carried in his arms. When she turned her head toward the sound of the gunfire, her eyes beheld a fear beyond anything she had nightmares about. 'The Damn Gunwoman's shot off the head of the Forest Spirit! NO! I'll kill her!' she thought and began to struggle against Ashitaka, attempting to go after Lady Eboshi.

What happened next though made her hold still as Ashitaka's strong arms wrapped around her held her in place against him. The Forest Spirit did not die, but rather a large black and purple blob emerged from the elk like body and exploded. Everywhere the blobs touched death, destruction, and decay commenced. It was searching for its head.

San gasped as the demonic essence shot out toward her and Ashitaka dove both of them down into the lake. Underwater was the only safe place the demonic blob-like essence couldn't penetrate. Ashitaka let San go and they swim back to the surface of the water. San gasped as her head come out and sucked in precious oxygen, having not been prepared to go underwater so quickly.

"Here it is! One head as promised!" She heard the gunwoman shout, 'Damn her! I'll kill her myself!' San thought and began to swim toward Eboshi.

"No, San! Get to the island!" Ashitaka instructed as her two wolf brothers Ichi and Ni, approached them padding through the water.

San glared but did as he asked and swam with her brothers to the Isle of the Forest Spirit. When the three wolf siblings reached the island and got out, Ichi and Ni sat side by side, their heads hung low. They knew their mother, Moro, was dead. Having been consumed by the demonic essence. San stood and watched as Ashitaka swam toward them, with the damn gunwoman in his arms. She reached up and pulled off the dagger necklace and ran to meet them when they reached the island.

"Give her to me! I'll cut her throat!" she cursed stamping her foot on the ground. 'It's all her fault. She killed the forest spirit! She shot my mother and put the poison bullet in her chest. She's the reason the forest is dying!' San thought as the call for blood fueled her rage.

"Your claim has been avenged. Your mother saw to that." Ashitaka told her and removed his shirt. Gonza approached, "Here!" Ashitaka replied to him and the man couldn't help but look shocked at the state of Lady Eboshi. "Lady Eboshi!" Moro had managed to bite of the gunwoman's arm with the last of her strength. "Help me!" Ashitaka snapped to him and Gonza supported Lady Eboshi's torso, while Ashitaka wrapped his shirt around her, making a temporary tourniquet to stop the open wound where her arm once was.

San's watched this sight, her body growing tense and face scrunching up in udder rage. 'DAMN YOU ASHITAKA! HE'S ON THEIR SIDE! WHY ELSE WOULD HE SAVE HER? I HATE HER. I HATE HIM. I HATE ALL HUMANS!'

"Don't waste your sympathy. Ow!" Lady Eboshi remarked. She figured she was going to die, either bleed out to death or the demonic essence was going to kill her since she was in no condition to flee. "I promised Toki that I'd bring you back to Iron Town." Ashitaka explained and finished tying the last knot to secure the makeshift bandage.

The demonic purple and black blob body of the forest spirit was now in a bipedal form. The limbs knocking over trees as it searched for its head.

"He's searching for his head. We can't stay here."Ashitaka said and looked at San. "San, you have got to help us."

"No! You're on their side! You always were!" She snapped and took a step back away from him, glancing for a moment at his arms that were held open. "Take that damn woman and just go away!" she yelled at him, the grip on the small three inch dagger tightening.

"San." Ashitaka replied, his voice quiet and soft his eyes pleading for her help.

"Never! I hate all of you humans!" San snapped hatred and pain filled her eyes.

"Yes, I'm human, San, and so are you." Ashitaka told her as he took another step closer to her.

"Stop it! I'm a wolf, you hear?" She demanded, as she raised her right arm up in a offensive position, readying to strike him.

"San?" Ashitaka said his voice quiet and tone that carried the echo of a broken heart as he stepped closer to her.

"Stay back!" She warned and closed her eyes as she brought the dagger downward toward him, landing a strike into his chest over his heart.

San opened her eyes and saw what she had done. 'I hurt Ashitaka. If I had my normal fang I would have killed him.' She gasped and looked at him, her eyes moist with tears that threatened to spill and the expression of sorry all over her face.

Ashitaka said nothing and his face totally neutral as he stepped forward and encompassed her into a hug. "I'm sorry. I tried to stop it." He apologized.

"It's over. Everything's over. The forest is dead." San spoke, her voice shaky with emotion as she closed her eyes and buried her head into his chest. She found comfort in the feel of his arms around her and in the strength of them hugging her even tighter. The sound of the dying trees crashed all around them as they tumbled into the lake.

Ashitaka let go and pulled her away enough so he could see her face to face once more. "Nothing is over. The two of us are still alive. Now, will you help me, San?" he asked his voice still unwavering in determination.

San took in a deep breath and gave an affirmative nod and pulled out the crystal dagger from his chest and tied it around her neck once more.