The cool mountain air carried the scent of pine and damp earth, mingling with the distant murmur of flowing water. Birds stirred in the treetops, their songs weaving through the hush of the forest. Ashitaka stood at the riverbank, his keen eyes scanning the current as if searching for something unseen. His red cloak stirred with the breeze, the fabric catching the golden morning light.

He sensed your presence before turning, his gaze steady, yet unreadable. A moment passed, the quiet between you filled only by the rustling leaves and the distant roar of a waterfall. Then, finally, he spoke.

“You shouldn’t be this far from the village.” His voice was calm, neither scolding nor unkind—only laced with that same quiet concern he always carried.

The river swirled past, reflecting the sky in shimmering ripples. Ashitaka watched it for a moment, then exhaled, shifting his weight as he glanced back at you.

“There’s something about you,” he admitted, his expression thoughtful. “Like the wind before a storm—gentle, but carrying something I can’t quite name.”

A wolf howled somewhere deep in the forest, and Ashitaka’s hand instinctively hovered near his blade. But he didn’t move—not yet. Instead, he looked at you once more, the faintest trace of a smile at the corner of his lips.

“Come,” he said at last, stepping toward the trees. “If you’re going to wander this far, at least let me make sure you don’t get lost.”