Chapter 1: Fisherman's Tale

When Chihiro was ten, she grew up a little, and as the years went by, that trend continued.
However, leaving girlhood behind didn't necessitate the casting off of youthful fancies. Her parents
had to acknowledge that their daughter was just a little... well, odd.

"Who are you talking to, dear?" her mother inquired.

"Did you know the chimney's full of soot?"

"I've been meaning to have that cleaned."

"Oh, no!" Chihiro protested. "Leave it, please? It's friendlier this way."

When she graduated, they weren't surprised that she showed no interest in university. Girls who
whispered secrets to soot balls were hardly suited to the rigors of normalcy. Instead, they
searched for someplace she could be useful and found an auntie needing live-in help.

"She's getting on in years, so you'll be doing most everything," her father warned.

"I'm not afraid of work."

"She lives in a fishing village; you'll take the train right to the sea."

"Wouldn't it be nice if it kept going?" Chihiro asked dreamily.

"Down the coast?"

"Across the water."

Which is how she came to live with Obachan in the tiny apartment over her market. Every morning,
Chihiro picked over bushels of fresh produce while the owner sat behind the register, chatting with
regulars like Gen-jiji. The eccentric old fisherman spied omens at every turn, and when he brought
the catch of the day to trade for new potatoes, he also carried dire tales of sea monsters who
swallowed rain clouds. "Which explains this drought!" he declared, authoritatively thumping the
counter. Chihiro only listened with half an ear until she heard, "...during storms, twisting through
the sky like a white ribbon."

Later, she asked, "What ribbon was Gen-jiji talking about?"

Obachan tutted pityingly. "You wouldn't know, now, would you? Our cove is home to a dragon."

Chapter 2: Sentinel

In a village where everyone's stock and trade came from the sea, Obachan cornered the produce
market. Work began early, with the rattle of a farm-truck pulling up to their back door, but by
mid-afternoon, the shopkeeper shut her doors, setting Chihiro free until dinnertime. That's when
the young woman made her daily pilgrimage to the lookout point on the bluffs above the cove. A
solitary pine stood beside the dusty track of a road; according to Obachan, it was known as the
Lonely Pine because it was set apart from the nearby woods. Chihiro didn't think the name fit.
"You're not excluded from the forest; you're standing guard over its entrance."

Tucked against the base of the ancient tree was a small shrine, and Chihiro placed a peach on its
weathered base before settling in the shade. Salt-tanged breezes buffeted hot, sticky skin, and she
opened her water bottle; sipping slowly, she gazed seaward and let her thoughts drift backwards.
Lin, Kamajii, Yubaba, Zeniba—whenever she'd faced a particularly difficult challenge, their voices
echoed in her mind, urging her to look smart and finish what she started. Zeniba's gift was her
treasure, for the purple hair tie proved that everything had been real. She touched the woven
band catching back her hair; it still looked new, even after ten years of constant use.

Dearest to her heart were memories of Haku. His kindness had been her salvation, just as she had
become his. "They say this cove is home to a dragon," she informed a tiny tuft of a tree taking
root beside its mother. As usual, Chihiro poured the last of her water around the seedling. "I
wonder if it's true."

"Oh, it is," replied a woman's voice from somewhere above her. "Would you like to hear his story?"

Chapter 3: Forest Spirit

The woman had a young face and old eyes, and she looked quite comfortable on the broad limb,
though she was hardly dressed for tree-climbing. An elegant green kimono fell in rich folds, and a
wreath of pine cones crowned tangled curls. "Since you've shown kindness to my child, I'll tell you
about your dragon," she coyly offered.

Chihiro glanced at the seedling she'd faithfully watered. "You're a tree spirit?"

"And you are a woman who was once a child. I remember you, Sen."

"The bathhouse?" she asked breathlessly.

The tree spirit tilted her head and playfully swung one foot. "I've been to Yubaba's."

"I'm Chihiro... ma'am?"

"A name is precious and not to be offered lightly," the tree spirit chided. However, she tapped her
chin and answered, "You may call me Kodama."

"And there's really a dragon?"

"He's a displaced river spirit... but you knew that, didn't you?"

"Haku," she whispered.

"Mm-hmm," confirmed Kodama. "Haku-sama was set free, and he left Yubaba's."

"He remembered his name," Chihiro supplied with a smile.

"But things didn't go well."

Her eyes widened in dismay. "He said he would be fine!"

"There's little use in a name if there's no longer a place for it; Haku-sama is free, but he's a
guardian with nothing to protect." Pointing towards the cove, she continued, "That's where the
Kohaku River once flowed into the sea. A trickle remained, but because of the drought, the
riverbed he clings to is dry. He's sleeping."

"People have seen him, though," Chihiro pointed out. "They tell stories about him."

"During heavy storms, when the river stones are covered by the run-off, the dragon awakens and
rises into the sky."

"Can I see him?"

Kodama's eyes sparkled, and she replied, "Perhaps... if you follow the path which the river left
behind."

Chapter 4: Familiar Footsteps

"Come with me?"

Kodama slipped to her side. "My place is here, but... there are ways." She dropped a small pine
cone into Chihiro's hand. "Keep this close, and I will be as well."

"Where will I find him?"

"Take this road into my wood... straight on until I tell you to turn."

With a nod, Chihiro hurried towards the forest; at the verge, she turned to wave, but the tree
spirit had disappeared. In spite of the heat, her skin prickled with gooseflesh. Will he recognize me?
Excitement drove her forward until she was running down the dusty track.

"Here! This is a good place!"

Chihiro stumbled to a halt. "Kodama?"

"Who else?" her guide replied with a touch of sarcasm. "Down into that gully, then seaward."

She plucked the pine cone from her pocket and inspected it more closely. "Can you see me?"

"Well enough to know you're dawdling," snapped Kodama.

"Oh! Right!" Wasting no more time, Chihiro waded through a tangle of ferns and scrabbled down a
steep slope, to stand on the wide, rock-strewn bed of what was once a proud river. Haku, I'm
coming!

In a cave by the sea, a dragon roused slightly. Has the rain finally come? A faraway patter called
to him, stirring his hopes for respite and release, but the air was hot and dry, as parched as his
soul. No, there will be no storm this day. He listened distantly, trying to place the stuttering
rhythm that echoed from somewhere upstream. Is someone skipping stones? Ah... how foolish...
for that you need water.

Resignedly, he drifted, but at the last moment, he realized that he knew the sound. Footsteps...
coming closer. His final, fleeting thought was one of desperate anticipation. Perhaps at long last,
his heart was returning to him.

Chapter 5: Sea Cave

Chihiro climbed over a sandy berm and found herself on a curving beach.

"Up-coast," Kodama's voice prompted. "It's well-marked."

Shading her eyes with one hand, she squinting up the rocky coastline. Spying a shadowy overhang
in the bluff, she hurried towards the cave entrance. "A shrine?"

"This place is both revered and feared," the tree spirit confirmed.

Gathering her courage, Chihiro ducked under the heavy, braided cord from which white paper
streamers fluttered. As she stole deeper into the shadows, she thought there was something
familiar about the way the wind toyed with her hair and lifted her skirt as it whispered past. "This
reminds me of the passage to the Spirit World," she murmured.

"Naturally," was Kodama's bored response.

Chihiro cradled the pine cone to her chest and pressed onward, finally stopping when she couldn't
see her next step. "Is it much further?"

"Hmm... you walked right past him."

"Wha–?" Chihiro whirled and peered through the indistinct light filtering from the entrance.

"People usually only see a pile of stones," Kodama remarked.

"That's all I see."

"Try using your other senses," urged the tree spirit.

Tentatively reaching out for the nearest jumble of rocks, Chihiro's fingertips met smooth scales,
and she gasped. Closing her eyes, she pressed her hand more firmly against cool skin and worked
her way up until her fingers became tangled in a luxuriant mane. "H-haku?" she called, soft and
urgent. Getting no response from the recumbent dragon, she found his face and pressed her
forehead to his. Tears falling, she murmured, "Haku, it's me... Chihiro. Why won't you wake up?"

"I'm afraid he cannot hear you any more than you can see him."

"But why! What can I do?" she begged brokenly.

After a helpless pause, Kodama sighed and suggested, "Wait for rain?"

Chapter 6: Kernels of Truth

"I feel terrible," Chihiro mumbled around her thermometer.

"Foolish child!" snipped Kodama. "What do you expect, staying out all night?"

After failing to rouse Haku, she'd refused to leave the shore; old Gen-jiji found her huddled on the
beach at sunrise, chilled to the bone and dew-damp.

Obachan stumped into the room with a tray and tsk-ed at the thermometer's reading. "A fever,
and no wonder! Eat!" she bossed. While Chihiro poked disconsolately at thick porridge, the auntie
fussed around the room. Eying the as-yet-uneaten breakfast, she shook a finger. "Take a bite, girl!
It won't eat itself!"

When Obachan left, Kodama chimed in, "She is right."

"I'm not hungry," Chihiro sighed.

"If you waste away before the next rain, you will miss seeing your dragon."

Obachan returned, placing two books and a glass of juice on the bedside table. She scrutinized
Chihiro's face and announced, "You've obviously cried yourself out; now you'll sleep yourself out."

"But... the store!"

"You're not leaving this bed until I say so," the shopkeeper declared firmly. "I've managed for
years; don't think I can't hold my own."
Chihiro yielded with a soft, "Yes, ma'am."

Left to herself again, she idly reached for one of the books, which proved to be a collection of folk
tales. Kodama cleared her throat and was brought back out into the open; seeing the thick tome,
the tree spirit inquired. "How much do you know about dragons, child?"

"Not much... and these are just stories." She flipped through pages, finding an etching of a
dragon-like sea monster looming over a group of cowering men and the girl who must have been a
sacrifice to appease its stormy wrath.

"There is a kernel of truth in the wildest of tales."

Chihiro nibbled at her breakfast as she began to read.

Chapter 7: Mark My Words

Back downstairs in the shop, Gen-jiji looked up from the mug of tea that was warming his hands,
easing the aches in old joints. "Which one of our young men's put her in such a state?" he asked,
as eager for gossip as he was concerned for Chihiro.

Obachan clucked her tongue and puttered with a heap of green onions, sorting the yield into
bunches. "No one's been coming 'round."

The fisherman frowned thoughtfully. "A letter maybe?"

"She's had no mail," the shopkeeper said with authority. "I'm sure her mother would've mentioned
a beau."

"Someone broke her heart," Gen-jiji grumbled. "You shoulda seen her down there—shivering and
sniffling and looking at me with those great mournful eyes."

"Aye, she's all the symptoms—no appetite, staring into space, sighing."

"All the sudden?" he inquired.

"Out of the blue!" Obachan confirmed, moving to pick over a bushel of beans.

The old man slapped his knee and exclaimed, "Love at first sight!"

Obachan snorted and asked, "With who? I've always known you're a crazy fool, but I never took
you for a romantic fool."

Ignoring the jibe, the fisherman rambled on. "Maybe the gods will comfort her. She spent a night
giving tears to the sea; her offering will be returned, measure for measure."

The old woman harrumphed and asked, "Where'd you ever get such a notion?"

"I hear stuff... know stuff," Gen-jiji sagely insisted. "That girl's a good omen. Mark my words!
Before the week's out, there'll be rain."

Chapter 8: Squall

"Chihiro... outside!"

"Wait a minute," she whispered to the pine cone in her pocket. "I need to finish these peaches."

"But..."
Just then, a gust of wind slammed into the building, rattling the sliding door in its track. Chihiro
exchanged a startled glance with Obachan, who shuffled to the window to peer out towards the
sea. Moment later, Gen-jiji hustled into the shop, eyes sparkling with excitement. "Didn't I say it?"
he gloated. "It's blowing up a storm!"

Chihiro slipped out the door to see the smudged horizon for herself. "Rain," she breathed.

The fisherman joined her. "Yup. Another hour and it'll be upon us... answering your call."

She nodded dumbly, and then Obachan announced, "We'll close up early. Gather everything in,
Chihiro!"

By the time her auntie was satisfied, the first heavy drops were spattering the dusty road, hissing
on hot pavement. A heartbeat later, Chihiro was out the door, tearing towards the cove. She
passed a few fisherman near the docks, but the beach was otherwise abandoned. Rain fell in
heavy curtains now, drenching her as she pelted towards the sea cave. She ducked inside, and
wind rushed around her, wailing hollowly in its urgency to join the tempest. However, in the cave's
depths, her questing hands came up empty. "I can't find him! Where is he, Kodama?"

"The riverbed is already drenched; Haku-sama has taken to the skies." Back outside, Chihiro
blinked rain from her eyes. Restless waves pounced the shore, exploding into spray at her feet as
she searched for some sign of her friend. "There!" Kodama exclaimed.

And she saw him—a white twist against the darkness, rising in a looping dance. "Haku!" she
screamed, but her voice felt so small. Chihiro yielded to emotion, sinking to her knees in the sand,
laughter mingling with tears.

Chapter 9: Rising Dragon

The squall was over as quickly as it had begun. Chihiro's drenched sundress clung to her skin, and
glittering droplets traveled along the tangled strands of her hair, catching the sun like amber
beads before they yielded to gravity, falling to the sand. Above, the dragon corkscrewed through a
daring climb, then twisted around on himself to drop towards the sea. When he sliced into the
deep, silver fishes leapt from the water, scattering in every direction, fleeing before the predator.

Don't leave. I want to see you! she plead silently. With a glance over her shoulder, Chihiro made
certain she stood between him and his cave. I've been waiting so long! Seconds piled up while she
anxiously searched for some sign of her dragon friend. As her hopes were chased by uncertainties,
she edged forward until the brine swirled around her knees. "Haku, where are you?" she begged
the empty expanse.

Then, something broke the surface; she clasped her hands together, squinting as the angling sun
glinted across the water. Her breath caught as a human figure rose from amidst the bucking
waves and walked steadily towards her. His white clothes fit her memories, as did his jaw-length,
jet-black hair, but Haku had also grown up. The young man who stopped directly in front of her
had sharp cheekbones and slanted eyes that hinted at his true nature. Slim, graceful, and
strikingly handsome—he was studying her just as closely. Chihiro was startled to realize that he
wasn't wet, and she self-consciously pushed her bedraggled hair away from her face, suddenly
feeling ten years old and tongue-tied.

With a faint smile that fairly danced in his deep green eyes, Haku broke the awkward silence.
"Chihiro," he greeted softly, holding out his hand in invitation. "I hoped it would be you."

Chapter 10: A Thousand Apologies

Chihiro shyly placed her hand into his and asked, "You heard me? I tried to wake you!"

Haku shook his head a little sadly. "I'm sorry, I didn't... but I had a feeling the time had come."
"For what... the rain?"

The dragon hesitated, then murmured, "It no longer matters, Chihiro. My river is no more, and the
consequences you have seen for yourself."

"Couldn't you find another one?"

"Rivers have guardians," he gently replied. "That is the way of things."

Dread pooled in her stomach, weighing down her soaring hopes. "What happens next?"

"I will sleep," he answered honestly. "Until the next storm, and the next."

Her lip trembled, and she murmured a willful, "No!"

With a sweetly nostalgic smile, the dragon drew her into his arms. "If I could forge a new place for
myself, I would."

He was warm, and the still-damp young woman leaned into his embrace, numb through-and-
through. Surely there's something I can do!

"I wish matters were different, but I cannot offer you your rightful place because I have none."

She shook her head. "Haku, I don't understand."

"That is probably for the best," he sighed. "I'm so sorry, Chihiro."

"Pardon me," interrupted Kodama sharply. Haku's gaze sharpened as Chihiro lifted Kodama's pine
cone. The tree spirit announced, "Sun is upon stone; time is short!"

"What?" Chihiro gasped in dismay.

Her friend gazed inland. "She's right; I am sorry."

"But... I only just found you again!"

"You'll be fine, Chihiro," he soothed. "You've always been brave."

How many times have I looked at him through tears? she wondered as emotions welled up and
spilled over. Haku took her outburst in stride, petting her hair while she sniffled against his
shoulder. And all the while, he whispered apologies that sounded like regrets.

Chapter 11: Courageous Heart

Chihiro might have spent the night on the shore again, but Gen-jiji found her and brought her
home. He didn't scold; in fact, he thanked her. "You're a favorable wind. Didn't I say you'd bring
back the rains?"

"Why would you think that?" she inquired dubiously.

"A maiden's tears are a noble sacrifice," the old fisherman replied, clumsily patting her hand.
"Don't you worry; the sea will honor them."

The next day, Chihiro raced along the bluff road. Kodama's pine cone was all well and good, but
some things needed to be said face to face. Reaching the small shrine at the base of the lone pine,
she took the time to kneel and place a bun from breakfast before it. It's not much, but I was in a
hurry. Something nicer next time, she silently promised.

"What pretty manners you have," Kodama smiled, stepping out from behind her tree's thick trunk.
"For most, familiarity breeds contempt."

Chihiro floundered for something to say, but came up empty. Standing quickly, she bowed to the
forest guardian in the elegant green kimono and asked, "What am I going to do?"

Kodama's lips quirked mischievously. "What makes you think you can do anything?"

Her chin lifted and a willful light gleamed in her eyes. "There must be something! I won't give up
on Haku!"

"No?"

"No!"

"Hmm... well-spoken," Kodama declared archly. "Haku-sama said you were brave. Have you
outgrown the courage he remembers?"

Chihiro adamantly shook her head. "I'll do anything!"

"Go anywhere?"

"Of course!"

The tree spirit gazed at her thoughtfully. "The dragon was correct; he cannot forge a new place for
himself. However, it's possible—only possible, mind you—that you could do it for him."

Chapter 12: Drastic Measures

"Tell me what to do, and I'll do it!" Chihiro boldly promised.

"I would if I could, child," Kodama sighed. "Haku-sama's river flowed through my forest, and I will
honor him still for the place he once held in its midst. However, a tree is a tree and a guardian is a
guardian. What you need is a god."

"I don't know any gods."

"Yes, you do," Kodama patiently corrected. "And he is the one you must ask for advice."

Chihiro slowly shook her head. "I don't know who you're talking about."

"How could you forget him?" the tree spirit asked in scandalized tones. "You did him a great
service when he came to the bathhouse; he even left you a token of his gratitude."

"The river god!" Chihiro gasped, suddenly remembering him... and his stench. It made a strange
sort of sense, going to a river god to find help for a river guardian. "How can I find him?"

"You are not completely cut off from the Spirit Word," said Kodama, eyeing the purple tie in the
young woman's hair. "You can still see many things that others cannot. Indeed, you are special."

"Because I was spirited away?"

"That, too," agreed the tree spirit with a secret little smile. "To gain an audience with a god, you'll
need to do something drastic."
Chihiro clasped her hands before her heart and listened with all her might. "Please just tell me,
Kodama... not-knowing is making me nervous!"

"Only those who are not where they belong can stumble onto the path that takes them where they
should not be."

"So, to get back into the Spirit World...?"

"You'll need to run away."

Chapter 13: The Truth About Dragons

Chihiro didn't want to worry Obachan, so she waited until the weekend to run away, telling the old
woman that she was taking the train home for a short visit. Stashing a few token necessities into a
pack, she slipped down to the shore.

Inside the sea cave, she pushed past playful air currents until she found Haku's resting place, then
buried her face in his thick mane. "I'm going to rescue you, Haku," she promised. "I have a plan...
sort of." She memorized the long lines of his face with her fingertips, awed by the silkiness of the
fine hair covering the dragon's muzzle. Finally, she placed a soft kiss on his forehead and
whispered, "I'll try not to make you wait much longer."

Returning to the cave's mouth, Chihiro gazed up and down the empty shore. "Which way,
Kodama?"

"Follow the empty riverbed into my wood," ordered the tree spirit.

Putting the sea at her back, she trudged inland and was soon swallowed by the forest. "How far?"

"A ways," Kodama replied vaguely. At length, she interrupted the silence. "Haku-sama told you to
forge a place for yourself."

"I know."

"Would you like that place to be at his side?"

Chihiro laughed. "Is that even possible?"

"It is your rightful place," Kodama announced.

The young woman stopped walking. "What do you mean?"

"You are his heart."

"And... what does that mean?"

"Think for a moment, woman!" scolded the tree spirit. "Why do you suppose a dragon might need
to take human form?"

With a sigh, she ventured, "It's a whole lot easier to talk?"

Kodama's laughter rippled from the pine cone. "I'll grant you that," she eventually managed,
sounding thoroughly amused. "However, there is another consideration."

Chihiro resumed her solitary trek. "What?"

"Dragonlings do not drop from branches."

Chapter 14: Clarification

Chihiro sat heavily on a log and murmured, "Say that again, please?"

"You are Haku-sama's heart," Kodama patiently repeated.

"Are you trying to say that he loves me?"

The tree spirit tsk-ed and said, "Changing the words around won't change what has been set into
motion. Dragons are rare creatures in part because they do not often take mates. Usually, they
will catch sight of a human woman of uncommon beauty and lose their heart," Kodama explained.
"Obviously, this was not the case with you."

Chihiro squirmed uncomfortably. "I'm nothing special."

"Hmm... there's no accounting for tastes. In any event," Kodama crisply continued. "The village
whose maiden became a dragon's heart would be called upon to surrender her to the sea, and a
wedding procession would be made to the shore. There, the dragon would claim his bride and
carry her off to the home he prepared. In token of the people's sacrifice, his favor would rest upon
them. The land would know great bounty, and the dragon's daughters would become brides for
their most worthy young men."

"And what about a dragon's sons?" Chihiro asked, intrigued.

"They would take to the skies like their sire, of course," Kodama explained. "Often, the firstborn
son becomes the guardian spirit of his mother's home village, guaranteeing its future prosperity
for her sake... and for his sisters'."

"It sounds like a fairy tale."

The tree spirit dryly said, "Oh, it is real enough, child... especially for you. If you can free Haku-
sama, he will undoubtedly ask you to take your rightful place at his side. You will become the
dragon's bride, and these lands shall know his joy."

Chapter 15: The Source of All Rivers

Kodama directed Chihiro deep into the wood, and just as the sun was setting, the tree spirit urged
her to pass through a tunnel formed by bramble thickets. As she eased past catching thorns,
playful winds whipped at her skirt and tossed her hair against her flushed face. "Feels familiar,"
she murmured.

"It should. This is a passage into the Spirit World," Kodama revealed. "Now, follow the sound of
running water." Chihiro did so and soon stumbled upon a broad stream. In the half-light, the water
glowed, creating a luminous path between ancient-looking trees of enormous girth.

Before long, they entered a clearing; at its center, a spring burbled up between mossy stones,
flowing away in several directions. Beside it, an old man took his ease, sipping from a shallow cup
as he gazed towards the stars. "E-excuse me?" ventured Chihiro softly.

He turned to blink at her, then smiled toothily. "I rarely receive visitors, but you are welcome.
Come and sit," he offered graciously.

Chihiro tentatively knelt before him and answered in token. "Thank you."

"What brings the two of you here?" the river god asked, including the pine cone in his inquiry.

"My friend Haku," Chihiro replied earnestly. "He's guardian of the Kohaku River."
"Ah," the old man sighed, nodding sadly.

"I want to help him!"

"Oh?"

"Do you know what to do?" she asked urgently.

"Hmm."

Kodama cleared her throat and announced, "This woman is Haku-sama's heart. Her success would
bring a dragon's blessings to the land once more."

"True, true," he mused aloud, dark eyes fixed upon Chihiro's face. "A kind-hearted child, now a
brave-hearted woman. It would be a shame to leave things as they are."

"Does that mean you can help him?" she exclaimed.

"No... but I can help you, and that should suffice."

Chapter 16: Headwaters

The wizened old deity beamed at Chihiro as he explained, "A river may die, but a river may also be
born. I have a few set aside for special occasions." He gazed into the rippling pool of shining water,
humming to himself. "Yes, this one should do nicely; I will make a present of it."

"That is most generous!" Kodama interjected when Chihiro failed to answer. "Is it not, child?"

"I'm sorry, but... what are you giving me?" she asked in confusion.

"A new source," the river god announced with delight. "There is a sealed spring which can become
the headwaters of a river. I give it—and the honor of naming it—to you, dragon's heart."

"Does that mean Haku can become its guardian?"

"You understand aright!" the old one said approvingly. "The spring waits just beyond the path
Kohaku once followed. Call to the river, and it will rise; give it a name, and it shall become what
your dragon needs. Encourage the waters to pour onto his dry stones, and they will sustain one
another."

"That's all?" Chihiro asked cautiously.

The river god's gap-toothed grin was accompanied by wheezy laughter. "You have already
accomplished what many a mortal would call impossible."

Blinking in surprise, the young woman curled her hand around Kodama's pine cone and smiled. "I
suppose I have... thanks to both of you."

He waved off her gratitude. "When the dragon's joy is complete, we shall be repaid many times
over."

Chapter 17: A Dry and Thirsty Land

Chihiro found a scrap of shadow under a tufty shrub and crawled into it, flopping onto her back
with a weary groan. "It's hot," she complained, pushing aside messy hair with a grimy hand.

"Rest until the sun shines with less force," the tree spirit advised.
Crossing her arms over her eyes, the young woman mumbled, "M'thirsty."

"You will have all the water you could wish for once that seal is broken."

"M'trying," she sighed.

"Yes, you are," Kodama allowed with less asperity. "You should complete the trench before
nightfall, but I believe you should wait until dawn before you birth the river."

A soft snore was Chihiro's only reply.

The following morning, Chihiro dropped to a seat on the dusty riverbank. Never assume that a gift
from a god will be easy to open. For two whole days, she'd used a combination of flat stones and
sharpened branches to plow a narrow trench through dry-packed earth. "Do you think it's
enough?"

"To point the way, yes," Kodama declared with authority. "Let the river carve its own path from
here on."

"Gladly."

Adjusting her grip on a stout branch, Chihiro drove the end between the stones that covered her
spring and leaned. Nothing budged. "Break the seal and bestow a name," she recited grimly. "Not
as easy as it sounds."

"Hmm... very true. Why do you go so far for Haku-sama?" the tree spirit inquired.

"He's a good friend. Haku saved my life."

"Oh? That's not what I heard," Kodama countered. "You saved his, and it was love that loosed his
bonds."

"I was a child, and I loved him the way a child does... wholeheartedly," Chihiro declared matter-of-
factly.

"So it is a pure love?" the tree spirit inquired sweetly.

"Exactly."

Kodama laughed merrily. "Some would call that true love."

Chapter 18: The Power of a Name

With a long, agonized cry like a woman in labor, Chihiro fought to widen the crevice between a
hefty boulder and its setting of smaller stones. For a fleeting eternity, nothing happened, but then
her lever shifted, the wood groaned, and the stillness of the forest was rent by a thunderous crack.
Losing her balance, she pitched backwards in an undignified heap of scrapes, skirts, and sweat.
Ow! Close to tears, she pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes and waited for Kodama's
snide remark.

Instead, coldness lapped against her legs. Scrambling quickly to her feet, Chihiro gawked at the
sluggish track of water welling from the gap she'd created. "Can that really become a river?"
The tree spirit's longsuffering sigh carried through loud and clear. "You would be wise to step back,
child."

Suddenly, the earth rumbled, and Chihiro nearly lost her footing again. The urgent stream pushed
aside more stones, sending them tumbling as it rapidly widened the mouth of the spring.
Underground water eagerly surged into the sunshine, babbling with joy over its newfound freedom.
Gasping, she whirled to see what path it would choose; to her delight, the water slopped into the
trench she'd painstakingly dug. It was definitely channeling the overflow towards the waiting
riverbed. "It's working!" she exulted.

Dropping to her knees in the midst of the flow, Chihiro scooped water to bathe her face and soothe
her throat. Clear. Sweet. Glorious!

Kodama's voice rose urgently over the noisy splashing. "The name, silly girl! Give the river its
name!"

Surrounded by the rising tumult, Chihiro flung her arms wide, her heart and mind firmly fixed on
the one she'd come to save. "Kohaku!" she confidently shouted, gladly fulfilling the last of the river
god's directives. "You are the Kohaku River!"

Chapter 19: Heart's Call

In his lonely cave, the first trickles of spring water crept into the dreams of a sleeping dragon.
Brilliant blue stretched invitingly overhead, but Haku lingered inside his prison. I must wait for rain.
Gulls wheeled overhead, waves shushed upon the sand, and he looked on wistfully. Then, a child
appeared in that shining place where shore, sea, and sky meet—a girl with stubbornness in her
jaw, wonder in her eyes, and courage in her choices. Chihiro.

She approached, changing moment by moment, becoming a woman touched by magic, graced by
curves, and marked by kindness. The dragon's claws scraped against stone, and he restlessly
tossed his mane. Closer! I cannot reach you! He willed her to understand, however, she stopped
just beyond the cave mouth. Her cheeks were wet, and Haku ached to draw her into his arms and
soothe her sadness away... with kisses if she'd let him.

Holding out a hand, Chihiro said, "Come to me."

Obeying the call of his heart, the dragon glided forward, smoothly transforming into a man. He
caught her hand, and she stepped willingly into his embrace.

"Listen," she murmured. "Can you hear it?"

Bemusedly shaking his head, Haku tenderly brushed his thumb over the tear-tracks on her cheek,
then traced the bow of her upper lip. Compulsion sang through his blood, narrowing his focus. Kiss
her. Claim her. Keep her.

As he lowered his head, she pushed up onto tiptoe, and her words just grazed his questing mouth.
"Come to me," she whispered.

Haku woke with a start, the rush of his river filling his ears. It was impossible, yet, it was definitely
real. The whys and wherefores had yet to be discovered, but three things were sure. He was free...
Chihiro was somehow responsible... and she wanted to see him.

Chapter 20: Display

The walk back to the sea was more pleasant with a river for company, and Chihiro frequently
stopped to dip her fingers into the rising water. "Will it fill the banks again?"

"It would not surprise me," the tree spirit opined. "The river god was quite taken with you, so he
will be generous."
Suddenly, Chihiro became aware of a rushing, roaring noise coming from somewhere downstream.
As the water at her feet swirled and chattered excitedly, she whispered, "What's going on?"

"Take a wild guess," Kodama replied in a dry voice.

From around the next bend, a dragon exploded into view, seemingly carried on a foaming wave
and scattering rainbow droplets in every direction. Chihiro gasped as Haku veered up and away,
twisting through a backwards somersault in order to avoid a collision. As he whirled through a
dizzying dance overhead, she giggled softly and said, "He looks happy... I'm so glad!"

"Hmm... an impressive display," the tree spirit replied. "Are you prepared to accept his gratitude?"

"He doesn't need to thank me," Chihiro demurred.

"If he is any kind of dragon, he will definitely want to."

Haku swooped to a landing several paces away and proudly arched his neck as if to say, Look at
me! He shook out his vivid mane, sending his two long whiskers rippling on either side of his long
muzzle, and Chihiro was dazed to realize that just as his human form had matured, Haku's dragon
self had grown larger. Only when the faint scratch of talons on the rocky ground betrayed his
impatience did she realize she was unabashedly staring at the magnificent creature.

When he dipped his head, Kodama grumbled, "How much more of an invitation do you need,
child?"

With a glad cry, Chihiro hurried forward, arms outstretched.

Chapter 21: Frolic

Chihiro threw her arms around the dragon's neck. "Haku, your river is back!"

"She appealed directly to the river god," Kodama casually remarked. "And broke the seal on your
new headwaters."

"Oh, hush," Chihiro mumbled, not wanting to boast.

"I will not," the tree spirit countered. "Haku-sama has a right to know what you dared for his
sake."

The dragon curled around her until she was surrounded, and the young woman was soon
confronted by a pair of glittering green eyes. Chihiro gently brushed Haku's fine, snowy fur, and
when he arched into her touch, she stroked with increasing confidence. He insistently bumped her
shoulder, and she faced him fully, impulsively reaching up to hug his long muzzle. "You're really
here!" she mumbled as she rested her forehead against his. "I missed you so much!" A low hum
rumbled from the dragon's throat, which ended in a delighted sigh when she thrust her hands into
his silky green mane.

"Dragons are said to be quite ticklish," Kodama remarked offhandedly.

"Really?" the young woman inquired. Haku made a chuffing noise that might have been a
reprimand or possibly denial, but Chihiro's curiosity was piqued. As her fingertips cautiously
explored the supple scales that lined Haku's underbelly, he squirmed and shuddered, and she
realized dazedly that the tree spirit was absolutely right.

"See?" Kodama interjected smugly.

At the dragon's grunt of protest, Chihiro giggled and whispered, "Sorry." After several moments,
Haku gave her a gentle nudge and crouched encouragingly. "Get on?" she guessed. The dragon
looked pointedly upwards, and she delightedly asked, "Can we?"

Intelligent eyes laughed at her, and Haku dipped his head. Grasping one of his elegant horns,
Chihiro pulled herself up and lay low, clinging tightly as the dragon sprang into the endless blue of
the sky.

Chapter 22: Cradling Coils

He flew far out over the sea where none could follow and, finding some clouds, carried his heart up
and over a whimsical landscape of billowing white. Sun and sky. Laughter and light. On their
return journey, the dragon skimmed low over a sunset-colored sea, then followed his river inland,
not stopping until they reached its beginnings. As twilight deepened, Haku rested beside his new
headwaters, Chihiro tucked close against his side. Although he could have changed into a man, the
dragon hesitated... in part because he suspected that the young woman would no longer cuddle up
to him. He craved her touch almost as much as her smiles.

Night fell, and once she was deeply asleep, Haku gently shifted around her until he was once again
a man. Chihiro leaned into his embrace, her ear still pressed over his heart, and he wondered if
she could tell how much faster it was beating. Under starry skies, he held her close and hoped.

A prim voice brought out of his daze of contentment. "Do not fear, Haku-sama; your heart will
return to you. However, you cannot take without asking."

He'd nearly forgotten the pine cone on its string, still hanging from Chihiro's neck. "I can ask
nothing of one who sleeps," he replied, a reprimand edging his tone.

Kodama hummed doubtfully. "This girl may have run away, but she is not without a home. Do this
in the proper way, and these lands will know your joy."

"Including your woods, tree spirit?"

"I cannot deny it," she smoothly agreed. "But there are other reasons as well."

"Oh?"

"I would like to see her happiness."

"Why?"

"Have you not noticed, dragon? She is actually quite lovely when she smiles." With a smug lilt,
Kodama added, "Her joy may just outshine yours."

Chapter 23: A Gentle Expression

Birdsong heralded the morning, and Haku waited with bated breath as Chihiro stirred, lashes
fluttering. All night, he'd searched for a way to tell the young woman that he wanted her... needed
her... but he wasn't sure how to explain the workings of a dragon's heart. He had no reason to
think she'd reject him, but he had no reason to believe she'd accept him either. There was so
much he didn't know about the young woman in his arms.

Chihiro made a soft sound and stretched, forcing Haku to tighten his grasp lest he drop her. Brown
eyes flew open, and she blinked dazedly at him for a moment. He held very still and hoped he
didn't look as guilty as he felt. Then, she tilted her head to one side as if trying to place him. Have
I changed so much? He supposed he must have, for she certainly had. "Good morning," he
greeted in a soft voice, offering a tentative smile. Her lips curved upwards in answer, and Haku
impulsively stole a kiss—swift, soft, and sweet.
Upon seeing Chihiro's startled expression, the dragon regretted his haste. With the best of
intentions, he tried to put it back... but only succeeded in stealing another.

Chapter 24: Following His Heart

Haku was at a loss as to how to proceed, but Chihiro simplified matters by shyly returning his kiss.
A measure of balance thus restored, he lingered in a contented daze, watching the changing
emotions reflected in her eyes. Eventually, he recalled that as a man, he could speak... and there
were many things to say. "Chihiro, you are my heart," he announced.

"What does that mean?"

Tightening his embrace, he answered, "It means that this is where you belong."

"Are you proposing?" she asked cautiously.

"Haku-sama, it truly is a poor job if the girl cannot grasp that much," dryly remarked Kodama.

Ignoring the tree spirit's jibe, he explained, "A dragon's heart chooses the one with which it will
dwell, and a dragon must follow his heart." Kodama snorted softly, and Haku spared her pine cone
a haughty glance. With gentle formality, he added, "Yes, Chihiro. Traditionally, the one who holds
a dragon's heart becomes that dragon's bride."

"Traditionally?"

"That is how it should be," he tentatively answered.

"Not every young woman who has captured a dragon's heart wished to wed a monster," Kodama
interjected, giving the last word a sarcastic twist. "In spite of the incentives, history is rife with
tragedy."

"Haku isn't a monster!" she protested indignantly.

"Your attitude bodes well for both Haku-sama and your village," opined the tree spirit smugly.

"I will return you to your people," declared the dragon. "When all is in readiness, I will return for
you. How long do you need to prepare?"

"How long would I be gone?" Chihiro asked.

"You will need to say goodbye," he admitted. For several tense moments, she considered his
proposal, and for Haku, it was an eternity.

"Is a month too much to ask?"

"Not if you are the one asking," he replied warmly.

Chapter 25: Invoking Tradition

When they reached the shore, Chihiro spotted Gen-jiji on the beach. The old fisherman noticed the
pair and stumped towards them, urgently calling, "That you, Chihiro?"

"Yes!"

"Your folks called... asking after you... put your Obachan in a fit state. She sent me looking!" Eying
her companion suspiciously, he gruffly chided, "'Tain't proper to run off like that."
Haku's chin came up, his green eyes flashing. "This maiden has been chosen," he announced in
regal tones. Guiding Chihiro to the elderly fisherman's side, he continued, "I will return for my
bride in a month's time."

"You will, will you?" muttered Gen-jiji.

"In exchange for your sacrifice, these lands shall know this dragon's joy."

A dazed expression overtook his wrinkled face. "D-dragon?" he stammered. Turning to the young
woman he querulously asked, "Chihiro, what's he saying?"

"Haku is this river's guardian."

Cogs turned with increasing speed in the old man's brain. "The river's back... and you're back...
and he's coming back," he muttered. Glancing between the two of them, he said, "I know the old
stories. You're asking us to return her to the sea?"

"Yes."

A gap-toothed grin spread over Gen-jiji's face, and he bowed as low as his creaking bones
permitted. "We are honored... and I'll keep her safe for ya, Dragon-sama." With a nod, Haku
stepped back and transformed; as he took to the sky, the old fisherman gawked and exclaimed,
"That's him! That's our dragon!"

Chihiro giggled and asked, "Could we keep this a secret?"

"Eh? Oh... well, sure." With a rusty chuckle, Gen-jiji added, "No one'd believe me anyhow."

"Thank you," she murmured as he protectively tucked her arm through his.

Giving her hand a pat, he said, "I knew you were something special, Chihiro. Now, let's get you to
Obachan afore she flies to pieces."

Chapter 26: Waiting for Someday

A week later, Chihiro went home for a short visit. Though she needed to say goodbye, she wasn't
sure how to explain her upcoming elopement. Neither of her parents remembered their experience
from a decade ago, and she doubted they would understand if she told them she'd fallen in love
with a dragon she'd met when she was ten. Oh.

"Mama... I'm in love."

"Since when?" her mother asked in surprise.

"I just realized it now," she replied honestly. "I thought you should know."

The woman shook her head in fond exasperation. "Isn't this rather sudden?"

"No," Chihiro mused aloud. "It's been there all along... like the soot balls... keeping me company."

When Chihiro returned to the sea, the first thing she did was climb the bluff to visit Kodama. "I
missed you," she shyly confessed. "The pine cone didn't work while I was away."

The tree spirit gently brushed it with her fingertips. "This little one has served us well. Do me a
favor?"
"Anything!"

"Plant him beside your new home; he will stand guard over it... and give me an excuse to visit."

"You would do that?"

"Perhaps," Kodama coyly replied. "If you invited me, I might even accompany you to Yubaba's. A
dragon's bride would surely grace her bathhouse with prosperity."

"Really? When?" Chihiro eagerly asked.

"Someday soon."

Chihiro's days settled into their old pattern—scrubbing vegetables, sweeping floors, washing
windows. If it weren't for the elegant silk kimono hanging in Obachan's bedroom, the bride-to-be
would have thought she'd dreamed up Haku, his proposal, and his promise to return for her.
"What do you think he's doing?" Chihiro asked wistfully.

"He is preparing a place for you," patiently replied the tree spirit.

"I wonder what it will be like."

Kodama smiled indulgently, but only said, "Wait and see."

Chapter 27: Procession to the Sea

On the appointed day, a strange procession moved through the tiny fishing village—an old
fisherman holding a wide, red parasol, the elderly shopkeeper in her best kimono, and a slim
young woman whose attire rivaled that of a storybook princess. Silk in hues of red and gold caught
the light of the setting sun as Chihiro stepped carefully onto the beach.

When they neared the mouth of the Kohaku River, she caught flickers of movement out of the
corners of her eyes. The spirit world's denizens were gathering along the banks—tiny sprites,
towering shadows, and even a few minor deities. Glancing towards the lone pine tree on the bluff,
Chihiro spied the green-clad figure of a woman and smiled softly. Kodama. She was glad that so
many had come to celebrate, but the one she really wanted to see was Haku. As her dark eyes
searched for some sign of her husband-to-be, she remarked, "The sky looks lonesome without
clouds."

"You say the strangest things," Obachan replied. However, after a thoughtful pause, her auntie
murmured, "Maybe it does."

Gen-jiji's weather eye was trained seaward, so he spotted the dragon first. "There!"

Obachan, who still had her doubts about dragons, gasped in surprise as Haku skimmed towards
them over the glittering surface of the water. When he reached the shore, he drew up with an
impressive twist, and for several moments, he remained in the gently lapping shallows, haloed by
sunlight, head high as his gaze swept the length of the beach. "Am I seein' what I think I'm
seein'?" Obachan muttered in an aside.

"Purty, ain't he?" replied Gen-jiji with almost paternal pride.

Then, the dragon's eyes sought Chihiro's face. In a blinding whirl of transformation, Haku stood
before them as a man. The groom had come for his bride.

Chapter 28: Dearly Beloved

Before Haku could claim his bride, a home had to be readied. On a whim, he appealed to the river
god for suggestions, and he was richly rewarded for his consideration. The ancient deity directed
him to a place of surprising beauty. Sun and shadow dappled the ferns, and the air was sweet with
the scent of lilies. Somehow, he knew Chihiro would love it, so Haku used all the means and magic
at his disposal to create a haven for his bride.

On the last full day before his promised return, Haku penned a short message to Chihiro, then
laced it with magic. The paper bird fluttered out the window, bearing simple instructions—where
and when. Tomorrow's sunset cannot come soon enough.

The day, the hour, the moment finally first, he couldn't see her, only the crowd of spirits that had
gathered along the shore to bear witness. But then, the old fisherman shifted his grip on the
parasol, and it tipped back to reveal Chihiro. As soon as Haku's gaze found hers, he knew. All the
work, all the waiting—they were worth it.

Sunset caressed the curve of her cheek, warming the gold of her skin and adding luster to the
smooth sweep of her hair. Her people had adorned her splendidly, and though he was pleased to
see her in such finery, it was Chihiro's happiness that snared him. A tiny quirk. A soft dimple. The
almost secretive smile reminded him what it was like to touch those lips, and the memory of those
gentle kisses sent a thrill through his body, making pristine white fur stand on end. Wanting
nothing more than to get closer to the woman who held his heart, Haku stepped forward, crossing
the boundary between sea and sand, beast and man.

Chapter 29: Whispered Wish

Obachan's sharp eyes took in the regally-dressed young man who'd been a dragon moments
before. He was extremely handsome, but Gen-jiji had described the dragon-man as stiff and
stern... and that worried her. Our Chihiro deserves more.

"Here she is, just like I promised, Dragon-sama," the old fisherman pronounced.

Amusement flickered in Haku's green eyes, and Obachan was surprised to see such a human
expression on his face. Then, Haku's gaze settled on his bride, and the auntie's fears dissolved.
He's as besotted as she is... and then some.

There was very little ceremony to the exchange on the shore, but when Gen-jiji solemnly guided
her into Haku's waiting embrace, Chihiro's heart leapt. Finally!

Haku leaned close and quietly said, "A demonstration is customary."

"What kind of demonstration?"

His eyes sparkled. "I believe roaring is usually involved, but any display of power will do. Can you
suggest something?" Chihiro went up on tiptoe to whisper a word, and his brows lifted in surprise.
Tugging her closer, he replied, "That can be arranged."

With one arm wrapped possessively around his bride, Haku brought up his opposite hand,
gracefully curved his fingers, then blew across their tips. Magic burst into the air like flower petals,
and Chihiro watched in wonder as they scattered. In the next moment, Gen-jiji and Obachan
gasped, for it began to rain. Gentle as mist, bright as gold, precious as jewels—the sunshower
offered a foretaste of joy to a land that ached for its blessing.
While every eye was lifted towards the rainbows festooning the sky, Haku's lips brushed Chihiro's
cheek, and he whispered into her ear. "Don't look back... only forward." And just like that, the only
souls remaining on the beach were the elderly couple huddled under a red parasol... for Chihiro
had been spirited away.

Chapter 30: Heart and Home

Haku carried Chihiro to a whimsical cottage tucked amidst the ferns. In the gloaming, she spied a
walk paved with river stones, and lantern-light glowed a welcome from each window. "It's
beautiful!"

Gladness suffused his handsome face. "It's for you."

She tilted her head, and the tiny bells in her hair ornament tinkled. "Don't you mean for us?"

"For you," he repeated gravely, setting her on her feet and taking her hands into his own. "It's
traditional."

This wasn't the first time Haku had spoken of tradition; it seemed that dragons lived by lore she'd
never learned. Gathering her courage, she asked, "Why would you leave me alone here?"

Haku solemnly explained, "Though a maiden may agree to take her rightful place as a dragon's
bride, she may not be ready to fully accept her husband. She is afforded a haven, and the dragon
must woo his heart back. My sire spent seven months to court my mother."

Chihiro blinked. "That's extremely considerate... and sweet."

Haku gently released her hands and stepped back. "If there's anything you need..."

Before he could retreat any further, Chihiro caught his trailing sleeve. "Humans have traditions,
too," she announced with a stubborn glint in her eyes.

"What do you wish?" he asked, all consternation.

"A kiss."

Shaking his head in wonderment, Haku murmured, "Always so brave."

One kiss lingered, then multiplied, for Chihiro had no intention of letting her husband leave.
Resting her hand against his chest, she whispered, "I thought you'd know your heart better than
this. Do you really want to leave?"

"Not at all," he admitted huskily.

"Then stay," she sweetly offered.

Haku was only too glad to allow Chihiro to draw him across the threshold to their home, for he was
a dragon, and a dragon always follows his heart.