Disclaimers: These fabulous characters do not belong to me. They belong to Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli, and Miramax films. Anyone I left out, sorry! The only characters that belong to me, are any created characters that may pop up in the story, but there won't be many of them.

And now for a few notes. I know the story takes place in midieval Japan, but I'm not the best with names and things like that. So any liberties I take with locations, beliefs and names, they are not meant to reflect on that aspect, because I know very little about medieval Japan.

Also, I have given Moro's pups names, because I could not find any. If anyone knows their actual names please email me them, and I'll. . . I'll make you some free fanart. BUT ONLY IF THEY'RE REAL NAMES OF THE WOLVES!

Any lines in between those / things are the words of the animals, most commonly, the wolves.

With that out of the way, I hope you enjoy my story.

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Densetsu no Mori: Chapter 5

by Ritsuko AKA Sakura Megami





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Annoyance wracked San's entire being. Though she sat in the shade of the trees, the heat was almost unbearable, a thin sheen of sweat covering her face. Bara beside her was panting heavily, still not satisfied even though most of his winter coat had been shed. San stretched out and dug her does into the cool earth, willing the lower temperature to flow through her. Sighing as she tossed her wolf fur cloak back and bared her shoulders, she stared back down at the human excavation camp.

She grimaced at all the noise coming from the camp; the pick axes ringing upon stone, the hoarse shouts of the humans, and the muted cries of the earth itself. The only consolation that she could find in any of it was that those humans looked much more hot than her, and incredibly tired to boot.

/He is late./ Came Bara's voice beside her, as his tail flicked at a fly on his flank.

San could only sigh as she looked at her brother. "Well, it serves me right for believing that he'd actually have time for me, with all the stupid things he has to supervise. Why is it out of all these humans, only one of them is wise enough to show the others the way to do things?" She grumbled. "Besides, it's not like I don't have anything to do. . . and I'm hungry. . ."

/He will appreciate your waiting. You know it makes him feel better just to get a glimpse of your pelt./ Bara panted, rolling onto his back, trying to itch off some more of his hair. San could only think of how hilarious it would be if Bara became bald, especially with the mergings of the wolf clans.

"Keep rubbing like that, and your pelt won't attract any mates!" she teased, and he cast a reproving eye at her.

/Well, if you keep yours on, neither will you./ He leered at her, and her face went red.

"Why you!" She yelled, and leapt at him. Quickly he rolled to his feet, and dodged her attack. Tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth, he laughed as she chased him under the trees. Finally, he slowed enough to let her catch him and sofly pummel him with her small fists.

/I only speak the truth./ He smiled at her, and again she sighed.

"Bara. . ." she started, but didn't know how to go on. Wolves felt completely different about courtship and mating, and she didn't think that his animal mind could quite understand a long term relation with another wolf. Especially with the way he had flirted with and leered at all the young she-wolves at the last gathering of the clans. Who knew how many pups that he and his brother Tsaku actually had out in the world already?

She looked back down at the camp, for an escape from where the conversation was turning. Bara watched her, wondering exactly what was going on in her head. San had always been a quiet girl, but when it involved her human lineage, it sometimes brought up alot of self doubt. Even now, he could see it in her eyes.

"That's it." She growled. Quickly, she grabbed a tuft of the large wolf's hair, and swung up onto his back. "We're going down." Bara turned his head to look skeptically at her for a moment, when she flashed a toothy smile at him. "Besides, he asked to spend some time with me, and now, those humans are taking him away. Shouldn't I at least protect what's mine?"

Bara stretched his head back, and bayed loudly. /Now that's the most reasonable thing that I've heard you say in a long while./ And with that, he sped down the hill, towards the camp, a snowy blur amidst green.

Even with the wind whistling in her ears, San could hear the screams and shouts of the workers who could see her coming. She hadn't been spotted around the humans for months, agreeing grudgingly with Ashitaka that the sight of her might cause panic. Now, what workers weren't running were crouched on the ground, praying to Buddha as if their lives depended on it. Scornfully, she acknowledged none with her gaze, as she looked over the confusion to find who would be, the most presumably, unfazed by her arrival.

But Ashitaka was nowhere to be seen. Angrily, she whirled and looked at all the dirty, rugged faces. "Which among you is in command?" She shouted, gripping nervously to Bara, having noticed a none too friendly look coming from many of the workers eyes.

Someone was shoved forward, face as white as a ghost. Dismounting Bara, she boldly walked up to him. He was merely a boy, years younger than her. Normally she wouldn't question Ashitaka's decisions on who was in charge in his absence, but the young thing looked as if he would wet himself if she blinked.

"Where is Ashitaka?" She demanded. "What have you done with him?"

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If there was anywhere the sun seemed to shine hotter in the forest, it was the pool of the Forest God. Yet the wind blew softly through, as if to comfort any hot being within, bearing a scent of mixed cedar and lilacs. But there was no other sound. It was as if all of the animals of the forest had conveniently chosen any place to be at this moment, but here.

For under the water, the reflection of the sun glittered over the entire span of the water. More unusual, was when it started to seep into itself, becoming smaller, until, after moments, the sparkles took shape.

In the middle of the clearing, lying on top of the water, a baby cried.

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Bara's ears perked up, and he stared at the forest in disbelief. While San was sitting and interrogating the hopeless boy, he thought that he had heard the sound of. . . crying. . . but no earthly crying could have come from where he thought the noise came from. . .

"Poisoned?!" San seethed,"Who would poison that cripple? Well, of course, it's not like she's got many friends. . . Lord knows the emperor doesn't like her. . . ugh, it was probably that fat little priest. . ." On the inside, San couldn't help a smile. With Eboshi out of the way, it would be so easy to take back over. . . unless Ashitaka himself spurred the humans on against her. And while she told herself he would never do such a thing, deep down, she knew that he would fight for the humans.

With all of this explanation, she didn't notice all of the angry grunts of the workers, who couldn't stand to have anyone badmouth their lady. She didn't notice them grabbing at their shovels and pick axes either. Neither did Bara, but that didn't seem to matter. The wolf pressed his nose against her back, and looked at her with gleaming eyes.

/We have learned enough. Besides, I believe there is a surprise awaiting us in the forest./ Bara said, and San stared down at him, trying to figure out his cryptic message. A surprise?

Staring coldly back at the boy, she spoke, "You give Ashitaka a message for me. Since he was not here for me to speak to, if he wants to parley with the Wolf clan, he must come find me tonight." And with that, she swung back onto Bara's back, and the wolf sped off. Grips eased on makeshift weapons.

"Damn wolf girl. . ."

Halfway through the forest, a second snowy blur caught up to them, and stared over at them. /You heard it too?/ Tsaku inquired of his brother. San was starting to feel a little left out, for whatever they were talking about seemed to be very important for the forest. She had thought that Moro had taught her how to hear everything that the forest would tell. But maybe this was something that it wouldn't tell even a human.

They reached the pool of the Forest God in no time, and she literally froze in shock at the sight that greeted her. Hundreds of forest creatures were gathered and bowing to something just at the edge of the water. Bara and Tsaku kneeled too and quickly San slid off, and crouched to the ground as well. When she dared a look up again. Her eyes filled with tears.

It was ugly, definitely. And nowhere near the grandeur that maturity would bring it. It wobbled clumsily on cloven hooves, and the instant they touched ground, flowers sprang up. A sob escaped her throat, and the creature looked at her. It's human face stared at her comprehendingly, then contorted in to a very human smile. San couldn't help but smile back. This was what they had all been waiting for. Again, she bowed her head, silently thanking the heavens.

The Forest God had been reborn.



>>>>>>>To be continued!



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