Glancing over his shoulder, Ashitaka spotted someone amongst them he had not noticed before. Hunched over a flaming bush stood a young woman, scattering water wherever there were even still-glowing embers. It was only when she stopped suddenly and peered at him over her shoulder did Ashitaka recognize her.
"Rin!" the name escaped his throat as though he had been holding his breath. The fire behind her silhouetted her figure, and as Ashitaka stared, her true form melded into view. Oddly enough, no one else seemed to take notice.
"Mind the forest, boy…" she glared with an inhuman gaze. "Lest Princess Bakemono have none to rule!"
Ashitaka would have delved deeper into her words had a burning branch not threatened to come down on him. He leapt nimbly out of the way, but when he turned to look at Rin, she had disappeared again.
The thunder continued to rumble louder and louder across the skies. San looked up from the pool's edge as the scent of coming rain touched her nose. A dying kodama approached her weakly, clicked its last, and faded away.
"Over here!" commanded Lady Eboshi as Gonza and another man hurried by with more water. They splashed the glowing tree roots thoroughly, the wood hissing and spewing up clouds of smoke.
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Meanwhile, in Iron Town, all was not well. The flames had been extinguished well enough, but something about the forge made the people too uneasy to approach.
"Do you smell that?" one woman covered her nose.
"Yeah, it's like… rotting animal flesh…and oil…" said another.
Suddenly, a streak of blue fire struck the building and materialized into the fox god. The startled people wielded their weaponry, ready for an attack, but the beast was snarling at the ground beneath her.
"Did you think I'd let you live!?" it roared, scraping the ground until part of it gave way. Multiple coughing sounds were heard, and when the dust cleared, there was a broken tunnel beneath the forge full of men. From their clothing, it was obvious that they had been under Jigo's command, hunters and warriors alike.
The fox snarled as it snapped up a victim and crushed him between her jaws. She then threw the corpse to the ground in utter disgust and turned to the onlooking people of Iron Town.
"What are you fools waiting for!?" she growled. "Do you not want vengeance against these who would murder you?" The fear of the fox disappeared as the citizens of Iron Town rushed to take down their would-be killers. The uncovered army leapt from their hiding place and fought back, but they were no match for a town full of angry ironworkers and a fox god combined.
The fox trampled and knocked aside one villain after another, dodging their blows and retaliating. One hunter managed to draw his knife and leave a deep slash in the god's face before she thrashed him about like a rag doll. She wiped the oozing blood from her cheek, then turned to the gathering clouds above.
Back in the forests, the flames were not the only dilemma present. Crumbling remnants of trees were crashing down around them, missing man and beast alike by mere inches. Some of the scurrying animals were not always so fortunate to escape however. At the sound of helpless squealing, Ashitaka rushed over to where a tanuki had been pinned down under a large branch by the tail. Wishing that he still had the demonic strength of Nago's curse, he heaved with all his strength to lift the fallen timber, but it gave little way to his efforts.
Silently calling on every god he knew, Ashitaka heaved again, sweat pouring down his face until the branch suddenly moved aside. He tumbled to the ground as the little animal scurried free, and when he looked up, Ashitaka saw that it had been one of the wolf gods had helped him move it. How could he have forgotten that they were gods too? He nodded his thanks.
A booming clap of thunder echoed across the skies and rain began to pour down almost like a waterfall. San shielded her eyes and peered upwards as best as she could. If she hadn't known any better, she would have sworn that a vulpine face had materialized in the darkened clouds. A bolt of lightening struck across the "face," forcing the wolf girl to shield her eyes. When she looked up again, the image in the clouds was gone.
"Keep that water coming, Gonza!" Lady Eboshi's voice barely pierced the roar of falling rain.
Even with the rain coming as it was, there was still a chance that lightening would hit a tree and cause the inferno to spread. But within minutes, the hissing of embers finally stopped, and a very soaked group of humans and wolf gods were able to rest at last. Ashitaka didn't care where he slumped down; all he knew was the cool rain that trickled along his skin. San sat down beside him, and the wolves following her shook the rain from their fur all over them, but neither human really cared.
"I'd say that… was a rather successful exploit…" Lady Eboshi spoke between efforts to catch her breath. "Wouldn't you… agree, Gonza?"
"Huh?" Gonza blinked, confused. "Uh, yes, milady."
"We did it, San…" Ashitaka said once he had caught his breath. She didn't answer, but Ashitaka knew that she was as relieved as he was. One of the wolves approached her and nuzzled her gently. She returned the gesture by scratching behind his rain-soaked ears.
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This is Chapter 11. Where would you like to go next?
