Princess Mononoke

~The Trap is Set~

San rode through the forest on the back of her wolf brother, the sound of the wind and his deep pants in her ear. Finally they reached their mother and he stopped. She hopped off of him and squatted between the wolves. The trio peered through a brush. Irontown's army was scattered about on the large hill in front of them each lighting a small fire that made a strong fume fill the air.

"It stinks" San said to her mother. "And it burns my eyes"
"That's what they want, to kill our senses of smell" Moro replied.
"It's that damn woman again" San sneered.
Lady Eboshi appeared and at her side were both Jigo and Captain Gonza. Lady Eboshi turned her head towards the brush.
"She knows we're out here" San whispered
"It's a trap and a stupid one" Moro scoffed.
"What?"
"They're trying to lure the boars out of the forest" Moro explained to her daughter. "No!"
"Those humans are planning something."
San felt a kind of fear in her chest "Then we have to find Lord Okkoto! We have to stop him... there's still time... they'll be killed!"
"Okkoto is too stubborn. He won't listen. None of them will. They may even know it's a trap but the boars are a proud race. The last one alive will still charge forward blindly."

In the distance San noticed trees beginning to fall.
"Why chop the trees down?" She questioned.
"To make them angry, which makes them stupid"
San pressed her face into her mothers side. "Mother I have to go. Okkoto is blind, I must be his eyes. You understand?"
"Do as you must" Moro said gently. Then she added, "You know that boy wanted to share his life with you"
"I hate him! I hate all humans!" San cried.
Just then her other wolf brother appeared. Ashitaka's crystal dagger hanging from his mouth. San gasped softly, "From Ashitaka... for me?" She grabbed it gently and gazed at it almost entranced. "Pretty.."
Moro looked to her sons, "You two stay with San. I must find the forest spirit"
San quickly tied the dagger around her neck and nodded her head. "Right lets go"

Meanwhile the Boars prepared for battle. They used their large snouts to cover their bodies in muddy war-paint. San rode next to the herd on her brothers back and called out,
"The Moro tribe has come to fight with you! Where is Lord Okkoto?"
One boar let out a high squeal to which San nodded and replied,
"Good luck my friend!"