A/N: Here we go on a new one, that I've had sitting in my drafts for a while! Inspired long ago by fanart done by Blanania on Tumblr (blanania .tumblr post/131713598810/prince-mononoke-it-is-%E3%81%A3-%DA%A1-%CF%82), I am excited to embark on this new tale ;]

"In ancient times, the land lay covered in forests. Where, from ages long past, dwelt the spirits of the gods. Back then, man and beast lived in harmony. But as time went by, most of the great forests were destroyed. Those that remained were guarded by gigantic beasts, who owed their allegiance to the great Forest Spirit. For those were the days of gods…and of demons."

Delicate fingertips traced the paths of the words along the parchment, drawing the gaze of honey-colored eyes. Sunlight, dappling through the canopy, provided her with all the light she needed from her perch in in the trees. The golden hour radiated on cerulean locks, drawn back into a long ponytail that she had pulled around and rested on her chest, with her back leaned against the trunk of the tree.

A fresh breeze brought the music of the leaves, drawing the attention from her little tome. Respectfully, as though baring farewell for the time being, she drew her palm along the paper, and closed the cover to turn her gaze to the view to her left. The rolling green hills rippled as though alive, the blades of grass singing their thanks to the sunlight. The woman breathed deep, smelling earth, the wood of the trees, and searching for the glow of dancing dragonflies in the fiery daylight.

Only then was she made aware the lack of such dancers. Brows knit together curiously on her soft face, sweeping her eyes along the field before looking back into the forest. It was silent save for the breeze. The birds, who should have been serenading the nearing end of day, were missing.

The blunette sat forward, face crinkled with concern, as a huff and the sound of stomping brought her gaze downwards. Yakul, the red elk who had previously been munching quite contentedly on grass, now looked up at her with eyes of unease, ears pinned back against his head. The beast struck the earth with a hoof, bouncing weight back and forth and shaking a large set of ridged horns as though urging the small female from her perch.

She knew far better than to ignore the intuition of her companion. Levy tucked her book into the small pouch at her hip, and shifted on the branch into a crouch. The blunette took a firm hold of the wood and lowered herself down to hang, before dropping the few feet into the elk's saddle. As soon as she landed, a large boom, akin to a toppling tree, echoed through the forest.

Her elk tensed and backed up a few steps, and with a new sense of urgency she took the animal's reigns and dug her heels into his sides. "Let's go, Yakul!" The beast, with no further command needed, lurched forward into a full gallop, headed straight for one of the many paths that snaked through their fields.

Blue strands flowed like a banner behind her, while a bow, quiver, and sheathed blade rhythmically thudded against her body with each stride of the elk. Her eyes continuously scanned the empty, still treelines. She could see nothing, but the feeling of cold dread in her chest would not leave her.

Yakul bounded with confident direction, knowing the way his rider intended to go. Oval ears moved on a constant swivel to maintain awareness of their surroundings, and heavy huffs blasted from his flared nostrils. There was a scent, a scent the rider could not detect, but one that brought a deep terror to the animal.

Still, he kept onwards until a girl found her way into his path. With a skid and several dancing steps, pulled reigns brought him to an impatient halt into front of the other, much younger, blunette. "Levy! The birds have gone!" She shouted, breathlessly. Levy's eyes scanned over her, and judging by the dirt on her clothing, and the heave of her breaths, she must have been running to find her. "I just came from the watchtower, the whole forest is still."

Levy's eyes narrowed with the confirmation provided by her younger sister. "Wendy, our Lady is likely calling everyone back to the village. Something is not right in the forest, go home and I'll meet you there after stopping at the tower." Her tone was firm, absolute. She was the elder sister and had the authority.

The smaller girl, of navy blue hair that was drawn back similarly to Levy's, nodded resolutely and took off at a run down the path. "Be careful!" Wendy called back.

Levy swung her gaze down a different road, barely able to see the wooden structure of the tower peeking up above the trees. "Come on, my friend!" She bounced in the saddle, and Yakul set off in the new course.

She barely waited for the elk to slow before nimbly springing from the saddle to the ladder. The blunette had spent most of her childhood in the trees, learning to climb and maneuver in the forests in ways only people of her tribe could. Any girl of her age would be expected to be proficient in not only climbing but use of the bow and her machete should the need arise. As Levy deftly scaled the twisted, spiked watchtower, it seemed then that the need had arisen.

A loud snort from her mount below, and a chill down her spine stopped her. With intent brown eyes she stared at an opening in the treeline, swearing that she saw something move in the dark. Levy narrowed her eyes, and rose the rest of the way, where one of their elders sat in solemn observance of the afternoon's events.

"Did you see?" Levy asked, her tone low.

The old woman hummed and nodded. "I did, child. It's not human, you can feel the chill in the air."

Levy moved to the edge of the platform and squinted for a moment, before she reached for her bow and nimble fingers snagged an arrow as well. The young woman loaded the arrow, and with muscles rippling across her shoulders, she drew it back and zeroed her focus on the one opening along the trees, and waited.

The silence was unnerving, and the flashes of movement in the shadows began to make her second guess her perception. However, another uneasy huff from Yakul below reminded her of her sanity, that neither she nor the elder were imagining this.

More seemingly endless minutes passed, before more movement caught her eye.

Movement in the form of a dark sludge oozing through the brick wall along the line of trees. Levy's eyes widened, watching the substance, as though alive, writhe and squeeze through the cracks. The trees along the edge of the forest, terrifyingly, started to wither and lose all their color. The groaning wood could be heard from their spot in the tower, followed by a loud snap as branches broke and fell. The sight, to her, was heartbreaking, and immediately she lowered her bow in heavy reverence for the fallen giants.

It drew her attention so wholly, that it took her a second longer to notice the hulking figure begin to rise over the wall. A large, 'foot' pressed down atop the bricks, throwing off the wriggling sludge like worms.

It applied pressure until the wall crumbled beneath its weight, triggering the monster to rush forward into the field, leaving a trail of withered grass. Eyes of ruby blazed within the terrifying mass that barreled out of the shadows towards the light.

The second the demon touched sunlight, the writhing exterior seemed to peel away like an outer layer as, shockingly, a boar bounded recklessly forward. A feral, terrifying roar pierced the air that set her aback, and the pig's hoofs slammed and slid on the earth with little control. The sludge that had been thrown off momentarily, followed quickly and overtook the poor, mindless beast again. It engulfed the boar and smothered out the agonized cries, and set it forward again with more direction than before.

Straight for the base of the watchtower.

Immediately Levy lurched to the edge to look at her frozen companion, paralyzed with fear. "Yakul!" She shrieked, pulling back the arrow again. She left it fly into the soil next to the elk, who without hesitation bolted into the field, just as the beast collided with the base. The tower shook terribly and fell, and with the grace of good reflexes both she and the elder woman grabbed onto one another for security, and threw themselves into the treetops to escape the gnarled mass of wooden debris that would have awaited them otherwise.

The smaller branches and thick leaves broke their fall until the crook of a larger branch stopped them both. Stunned, Levy shook her head and looked to the elder to make sure she was alright. The woman smiled reassuringly to her, before Levy turned her attention out of the trees to where the beast was. "It's a demon." The elder woman gasped, and Levy realized then where it was headed.

"The village!" She cried, and without hesitation she scrambled to drop from the tree to the thick leaf litter below, clutching her bow. "I have to warn them!"

"Careful, Princess Levy! You mustn't let the beast touch you!"

The words were barely received as she raced to pursue the creature, bare feet powerfully pounding the earth. All Levy could think of was her precious home, the home that was in the gravest of dangers. But she would never catch the demon this way.

She raised her fingers to her lips and cut the air with a powerful whistle. A flash of red appeared at her side, without fail, and she reached for his horn to hoist herself up into the saddle mid stride. "To the village, Yakul!" The blunette shouted, and her elk veered suddenly to leap down the ravine to their right. Levy didn't hesitate or react to the sudden drop, she merely leaned in closer to her mount to maintain her balance. Built for this terrain, he easily bounded down and bounced off each boulder, carrying them with breakneck speed down the slope and into the dense vegetation below.

The branches whipped against her skin, but her eyes caught sight of the monster through the trees, matching their pace. Her eyes narrowed, and she glanced forward quickly to gauge how much farther they had until reaching the village. She was running out of time. And she had few options.

Especially since the demon had caught sight of her, and made an erratic change in direction to follow her. Levy's stomach dropped, and she kicked Yakul's sides hard to spur him forward, just enough to avoid the hulking mass that crashed onto the path behind them. The stench of rot overwhelmed her senses, and immediately she brought a hand to her face.

With one hand firmly holding Yakul's reigns, she looked over her shoulder into the blazing red eyes that pursued them. "Great beast, calm your soul! God or demon, please be gone!" It didn't waver. "Please, leave us be!" Nothing.

The smell of wood smoke reached her senses next, as they bounded into the open fields again, and the proximity to the village became real. With a flash of blue, she caught sight of her sister in the field headed for the village, and her heart went cold. Looking back to the demon, it had evidently followed her line of sight, and stopped abruptly to change direction, and charge headlong for the young girl.

A protective fire rose within her, and with another spur into the elk's sides, they raced to overtake the demon again. "Run, Wendy!" Levy screamed, bringing another arrow into her bow and taking aim. "Leave, demon!" She bellowed one final warning.

Finally, she focused on one of its rubies, and let the arrow fly. The arrowhead hit true to its mark, and a deafening screech nearly made her lose her balance. It stopped dead and threw itself convulsing into the earth. Levy glanced back towards Wendy, who thankfully had been able to continue forward.

The blunette pulled the reigns to stop herself in front of the furious monster, having pulled another arrow prepared to continue battling it. What she wasn't prepared for, was for Yakul to—albeit thankfully—bolt to the side to narrowly avoid the arm of sludge that lashed out at them. Her hand caught a horn to keep herself from tumbling from the saddle.

The demon was relentless, reaching again for them…specifically Yakul. "No!" She shrieked, slashing outwards with her bow, without thinking, to defend her companion. The burning sensation that followed was agonizing, and to her horror she saw the squirming, cursed sludge around her right arm. But she had no time to lament her mistake, as the arms of the demon cut them off and forced them to turn right back towards the exposed again boar.

Levy only had two more arrows in her quiver, and she understood painfully how much she needed to make these count. With the boar directly in their path, she drew, aimed, and released. It hit directly between the eyes, and another screech nearly tore her heart in two. The poor beast had clearly been cursed by a terrible evil, reduced to a mindless animal so far beyond the honorable creature he had been in a past life.

Unable to change directions, they continued to barrel towards the beast, and at the last second Yakul hit the earth especially hard and launched them clear over the agonized creature. The cursed arms tried to reach for them feebly, before dropping uselessly into a puddle around the beast. As the elk came back down, the jolt, coupled with the fire in her arm, sent the blunette flying to the soft earth.

Levy rolled, clutching her arm, and threw her bow and quiver. Settling on her back, the woman arched and hissed pain through her teeth as the sludge burned away at her arm and sizzled like acid. The acrid, foul smell filled her senses, and she could feel her muscles spasming. The dread welled up within her when reason caught up to her terrible mistake, to her misstep. Yakul, gingerly, nudged her to provide some sort of comfort.

Still, at the sound of a loud thud, she rolled over to see the carcass of the boar topple over onto its side, surrounded by death. "Disgusting humans…" The words, hissed and dripping with venom, barely reached her.

A distant call caught her attention, and through the throbbing of blood in her ears, she could hear the voice of her sister.

"Levy, Levy!" She turned her head to see the girl, followed by the other villagers, rushing to her aid. Amidst the throng of people, she could see their Lady, emerging as well.

Oh, this is bad if Lady Grandeeney has come out to meet me. Levy thought weakly, watching the slender woman approach. For her age, like most of the women of their tribe, she was quite able bodied. She had a face of timeless beauty, accented at all times with warm kindness despite her sharp features. Her silver ponytail, braided and woven with ribbon and bone, reached almost to her ankles.

"Wendy, dear child, take this and pour it on the wound immediately. Do not touch it." Grandeeney instructed. The last Levy remembered was the sound or the cork being popped from the gourd, and fire spreading along her wound moments later.

It was already dark by the time she had found the strength to rise from her cot, despite cautions from her sister to stay put. Levy would not have it. She needed to see Grandeeny immediately for answers.

She sat, cross-legged with head bowed, in front of the woman who was not only their leader, but her grandmother as well. Along the side of the wise woman's hut, which smelled strongly of sage and incense, were the other prominent women of their tribe. Including her mother, who made a stark effort to avoid eye contact. A poor sign.

Honey eyes drifted to the Lady's spot, watching her delicate hands arrange the items on the mat in front of her. With a flick of her wrist, she tossed a pebble, and wrinkled her nose at the results. Wordlessly, she repeated the process, picking up a handful of toe bones from a housecat, and tossing them lastly into the arrangement. A small hum came this time, and the furrowed brow persisted.

"This is grave, I am afraid." Levy was not surprised, flicking her gaze to the tight bandage around her right arm. "The boar came from the West."

"West?" Levy echoed with trepidation. Grandeeney hummed to confirm.

"He had been driven mad by a curse, fueled by hatred that consumed him, turning him from guardian to beast." Grey eyes lifted finally to meet hers, cool and steady. "A curse you now bear. Please show your arm."

Levy stiffened, glancing to the eyes that now rested on her, and with a heavy swallow she pulled the bandage from her arm. What was revealed was purple, blotched skin. The mere friction of bandage against skin ignited the flames just beneath the surface. The gasp from the onlookers was little comfort.

"What is it?" The voice was her mother's this time, though the eyes still remained on the floor.

Grandeeney sighed, bringing eyes of pity towards Levy. "Dear Princess. Have you steeled yourself for what the artifacts have shown me?"

No. Levy nodded the affirmative, her lack of confidence clear as day on her features. "What is my fate?"

"The curse will kill you." Never one to mince words, Grandeeney was frank. "Over time, it will consume you as it did the boar, and you will become a demon, as did the boar. His fate, and yours, are mirrored."

"Is there nothing we can do? The Princess got that wound protecting us, we cannot stand by!"

The cries of protest were an honor, and Levy was warmed by it. Though her mother sat, stiff and unmoving, she knew the turmoil she felt but was too poised to cry. Levy, still, knew just as much as their Lady, and could have said her next words in unison.

"You cannot alter your fate." The Lady said solemnly. "But you can still achieve good with it. And give yourself purpose, despite it." From her tunic, the woman produced a jagged iron ball, dropping it to the mat in front of her. "This was what changed the boar and drove him to such pain and madness. This item is a testament to the evil in the West. And you now have an opportunity to go, and find answers. There may be a way, in your travels, to lift your curse. But, child, I cannot promise you this outcome and neither can my artifacts. Once you leave, you may never return to us."

"I will do it. If there is something good that I can do, with the time I have left, I will do it." Levy answered, resolutely. She knew their laws, and she now knew her fate. The elder nodded, and rolled the iron ball to her.

The anguish, and the weight of these words was tangible with their audience. "Our tribe already grows weak, now we must allow our Princess to cut her hair and disappear into exile? The Gods laugh at us."

Levy balled her fists. "I trust in my sister, Wendy. That she will prove just as fitting a figure in my bloodline's succession. She will keep the Amishi strong. You know she will. Do not grieve for me, it adds only stones to my heart." No words could be provided in response, and reverently Levy directed her attention to Grandeeney once more. The woman nodded slightly, and Levy reached into her tunic to reveal a small blade.

She caught her reflection in the metal, and thusly caught her uncertainty. Levy furrowed her brows and tensed, mentally forcing herself to be strong. She couldn't allow herself hesitation, and with one swift motion her cerulean ponytail fell in cascades around her as unruly, wavy locks fell into her face. All eyes, in that moment, left her shamefully, and became fixed on the floor. Levy bowed, respectfully to the shrine in the room, and pulled herself to her feet.

"You know we cannot watch you go, Levy. Farewell." With those final words, Levy left into the darkness.

It was a trait of her tribe to be of few possessions. Levy had gathered essentials in a sheepskin pouch, including a favorite book. The blunette cloaked herself, including a cowl over her head and a scarf about her mouth to conceal her from any eye that may wander during her departure. With a heavy, but determined heart, she mounted Yakul and proceeded slowly for the familiar gate that had welcomed her home so many times before. A gate that she would now pass through for the last time.

"Sister!" A hushed cry from the dark startled her, and in the moonlight Levy could see Wendy rushing for her.

"Wendy!" She chided immediately, "You know you can't."

The younger girl shook her head fervently, and Levy had to force herself from smiling at her headstrong sibling. "I don't care. I had to give you this." She thrust her hands up, and Levy reached for it. Her eyes widened, seeing the sparkle of crystal, bound with a strip of soft leather.

"I can't—"

Wendy shook her head again, with the same enthusiasm. Levy knew her well enough to know that she wouldn't let her leave without it, or stand for her refusal. "To remember your little sister. You have to take it." She could not help but think of all the times she had spent with her sister, wondering if it had been enough. If she had helped teach her enough, or showed her that she loved her enough. Levy thought of their days in the trees, when they were much younger and Levy taught her that the elders could easily be taunted and fooled by throwing pebbles at them.

Her gaze softened, and finally, Levy placed the crystal whistle around her neck. "Take care of mother. She needs you." And with that, the elk bounded forward, bolting through the gate, and melting into the forest. She couldn't allow herself to cry, the women of the Amishi tribe were stronger than that.

Heavily, the reality settled upon her that it didn't matter. Because she was no longer a part of that tribe.