Footsteps Across the Jomon Sky

[Episode 4] The Secret Forest and the Green Medicine

By the time Asahi turned seven, Hayate had grown into a fine hunting dog with a lithe, muscular frame. The lush green beech and oak forest surrounding the village served as their favorite playground and a sacred classroom for learning the wisdom of survival.

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"Asahi, look closely. You rub this leaf between your fingers like this and press it into the wound. Soon the redness will fade and the pain will go away."

In the plaza before the great No. 2 Pit Dwelling, his mother Nagi knelt, showing Asahi a medicinal leaf.

Nagi's hands were magical to Asahi. They kneaded clay to create pottery decorated with intricate cord markings, ground hard nuts daily on stone slabs, and spun plant fibers into strong thread. Tempered by daily labor, Nagi's hands were knobby, tough, and powerfully resilient—yet the warmth when she stroked Asahi's head was gentler than anything in the world.

"This is mugwort (yomogi). That tree over there with yellow bark is Amur cork tree (kihada). Forest plants aren't just for eating—they are precious 'green medicine' that heals our wounds and protects our lives."

Nagi placed the crushed leaves into Asahi's palm. A refreshing, slightly pungent herbal aroma tickled his nose. Beside him, Hayate sniffed inquisitively with his sharp fox-like face and erect ears, his brown eyes sparkling as if understanding every word.

"Respect the forest's gifts and take only what you need. That is our promise for living in this forest."

"Okay, I understand! Green medicine—mugwort and kihada!"

Asahi answered energetically, and Hayate let out a short bark, nudging Asahi's cheek with a wet nose.

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A few days later, yearning to become a brave hunter like his father Todo, Asahi headed into the forest with Hayate. While the rule was to play near the village within sight of adults, a surge of adventurous spirit led him further that afternoon.

"Hayate, let's go deeper today. A secret adventure just for the two of us."

Asahi whispered softly, and Hayate wagged his tail eagerly, darting through the brush like the wind to lead the way. Sunbeams filtered through the canopy, birds sang, and soft moss cushioned Asahi's footsteps. But near a deep ravine rarely visited even by adults, the forest air froze in an instant.

Rustle! A heavy sound echoed from a dense fern thicket ahead.

Hayate stopped instantly, his neck fur bristling as a low, threatening growl rumbled from his throat. Cold sweat ran down Asahi's back.

Parting the thicket, a wild boar larger than anything Asahi had ever seen emerged. A stiff black mane covered its spine, curved razor-sharp tusks protruded from its snout, and its huffing breath billowed white into the chilly air.

"Ah…"

Fear froze Asahi's feet. Treating Asahi as an intruder, the boar stamped its thick hooves violently, bloodshot red eyes fixed on the boy as it charged.

Run, Asahi! His father's voice seemed to echo in his mind, but his body refused to move. Backing up in panic, Asahi tripped over a tree root, falling awkwardly and scraping his right arm severely on jagged rocks.

The beast's tusks closed in—

In that fraction of a second, Hayate leaped from the side like a brown arrow.

"Grrr-woof!"

Hayate executed an astonishing leap through the narrowest gap in the boar's charge. Though wild boars are swift, Hayate's agility far surpassed it. Soaring through the air, he grazed the boar's thick neck, driving his sharp teeth deep into the boar's forehead with all his strength.

SQUEEEAAAL!

A harrowing roar echoed through the forest. Releasing his bite instantly, Hayate landed gracefully and darted around the boar to keep its attention. Bleeding from its forehead and overwhelmed by Hayate's ferocious attack, the massive boar finally turned and fled deep into the dense brush.

Birds scattered into the sky, and quiet returned to the woods.

"Hayate…!"

Asahi called his partner's name with a trembling voice. Breathing heavily, Hayate rushed to Asahi's side, anxiously licking his face and hands.

"Thank you, Hayate… You saved me!"

Asahi threw his arms around Hayate's neck. Hayate's body still trembled slightly from adrenaline. Looking down, Asahi saw blood oozing from his right arm, throbbing with sharp pain.

Should they return to the village for help? No—if his parents knew he had ventured into the secret forest and been attacked, they would be overcome with worry and sorrow.

Asahi bit his lip, recalling his mother Nagi's strong, capable hands and her lesson about green medicine.

Calm down. Where is mugwort…?

Scanning the sunlit slope, Asahi spotted familiar serrated leaves—mugwort! Enduring the pain, he plucked the leaves, placed them on a flat rock, and crushed them repeatedly with a stone, just as his mother had done.

"Hayate, hold still for a moment. I'll treat it."

Smeared with the cool, green herbal paste, the throbbing pain in Asahi's arm miraculously began to soothe. Asahi checked Hayate carefully, relieved to find no tusk wounds on his dog.

"I'm so glad you're safe, Hayate."

Asahi looked at his green-smeared arm and Hayate's brave face. The deep bite mark Hayate left on the boar's forehead was an indelible mark of battle. Their secret trek and self-reliant recovery became a profound secret shared only between them.

"I will become stronger, Hayate. Like my father, and like you—a strong hunter who can protect what matters most."

Hayate wagged his tail firmly in response. Gentle sunlight returned to the green forest as the duo hurried home before dusk, their footsteps echoing with newfound strength.

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"Thank you so much for reading to the very end!"💗