Okay, I've had a real urge to write another fanfiction. This one is going to be pretty long, as far as I can tell. I really hope you guys enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Princess Mononoke or it's characters. That is copyright none other than Hayao Miyazaki.

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The great forest was teeming with life. Trees of colossal size stretched high into the sky, their branches entangling with neighboring trees. Creatures scurried about the forest floor; cicadas and other insects hummed their melodious tune of life. Almost a whole year had passed since the great forest's near destruction at the hands of man, but it had grown back at a miraculous speed, becoming much as it had been before that fateful day, thanks to the powers of the Forest Spirit, Shishigami.

San glanced up as a golden leaf brushed past her face, landing in her lap. The leaves were beginning to change, and autumn was fast approaching. She loved that time of year, when the forest's beauty was at its greatest, alive with colors. Winter would come and the forest would go into hibernation, but would be reborn again in the spring. The cycle of life as she knew it.

She picked up the leaf, twirling it from its front to its back, watching as it blurred into one shape. Another leaf fell beside her, and then another on her head. She frowned. So many leaves so suddenly was not natural. The boughs above her shook with the weight of a living creature. She grinned wickedly and stood, walking towards the cool, crisp waters of the lake.

She could feel his eyes on her, the intensity of his gaze. She pretended not to notice, kneeling down to drink from her cupped hands. She inhaled the coolness of it, wondering if perhaps it was already too cold to take a swim in.

There was the sound of a solid object landing lightly at the base of the tree. It had been an almost silent fall; had she not inhuman hearing, she might have missed it all together. But she was San, the wolf girl! Her hearing was beyond that of any human's, rivaled only by her wolf brothers.

She could feel him drawing closer; his scent was so familiar it sent waves of comfort through her. But she kept still, her charade as important to him as it was to her. Her ears strained for the right moment. There! Just as Ashitaka pounced, she ducked and he flew right over her head, landing face first in the water.

He came up sputtering, taking in a gulpful of fresh air. "You did that on purpose," he accused.

She couldn't hold back her grin of amusement. He was right, she had done it on purpose. "Yes, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were going to be so extreme in your attack."

He stood up in the water. It came to about his waist, but the rest of him was drenched from the fall. "You're not sorry; I can see it in your eyes."

"Maybe not," she agreed. "In any case, it was amusing to watch."

He climbed out of the water, shaking himself. Water sprayed in all directions, sprinkling on San. She closed her eyes against it and watched him closely. He hadn't changed much in a year, except perhaps his face looked more mature and his arms were larger and his shoulders and chest broader. But that was to be expected; he was a growing human, after all.

"I'm going to probably catch a cold now," he said, pretending to shiver.

"You aren't that cold," she accused him.

"Maybe not," he said, smiling that he had been able to use the same words on her. His face suddenly became serious. "How did I do, though? Any better?"

San's eyes narrowed slightly, as if she were thinking the question over. In truth, she wanted to give him constructive criticism. "If you were sneaking up on a human, you would have succeeded, or perhaps a distracted animal. Otherwise, you should stick to using your bow and arrow."

He frowned. "I was sneaking up on a human. This human just happens to

have exceptional hearing and reflexes."

She sighed. There was little use in arguing the point at the moment. She would never consider herself a human, no matter if he did not or it. "You get better and better each time."

That brought a smile to his lips, a smile she had learned to enjoy. There were times when she would say something or do something, just to make that smile come out. It made butterflies float in her stomach; she hushed them mentally.

"I'm glad to hear it," he said. There was a moment of silence, and he looked off across the lake; an idea was forming in his mind, she could see it. Without warning, he lunged at her, tackling her to the ground. She gasped in surprise, automatically fighting back, struggling beneath his superior size and weight. Despite the lifting of his demon curse, Ashitaka still maintained much of his inhuman strength.

"Got you," he whispered.

"What was that for?" she growled, letting her tense body loosen.

"I didn't think I could get you into the water any other way," he said.

"I'm not in the water," she pointed out.

"Not yet." He grinned, and his hands took hold of her arms. She started to kick and squirm, but by the time she managed to get free of his grasp, she was being tossed bodily into the water.

He had definitely been teasing. The water wasn't too cold, it felt wonderful. It enveloped her whole body with its gentle touch, soothing any protests instantly. She rose to the surface, shielding her face as Ashitaka dived into the water right beside her.

"That wasn't very nice," she complained, but not too much. The water did feel great, after all.

Ashitaka was fighting back a smile. She could see it tugging at the corners of his mouth. He knew she didn't like being laughed at, and managed to keep it under control. "I never claimed to be nice."

San growled playfully, pouncing forward as well as the water would allow her, landing practically on top of Ashitaka. He inhaled a large gulp of air before letting her push him beneath the surface. They tumbled and rolled beneath the water, locked in each other's arms for their mock battle. They soon resurfaced, both laughing and breathless.

He was watching her then, with those kind, caring eyes, watching her like she were the only other living creature in the entire world. His dark brown hair was plastered to his forehead and sticking out in random directions from his head. "What?" she demanded. Had she done something wrong?

"I love it when you laugh," he managed to say, still breathless from their play fight. "I think, when you're like this, it's the real you poking through for me. I get to see a special part of you that no one else does."

She couldn't stop the blush from spreading across her cheeks. She looked away, mumbling, "I don't know what you're talking about."

This time he laughed, but she didn't feel particularly angry or annoyed at him. "Of course not," he said, nodding. He didn't want to embarrass her more than she already was, but he had to admit to himself that it made her look even more beautiful.

A howl sounded in the distance. San instantly tense and both heads turned in the call's direction. Ashitaka strained his ears, wishing he could interpret the sound.

"What? What is it? Something wrong?"

"Intruders, in the forest," she replied. San headed towards the shore, Ashitaka close behind. She shook herself off like a dog. Ashitaka imitated, though he wasn't quite as successful.

"Intruders?" he asked, concerned that rash actions could be taken. "What if they're just travelers?"

"Shiro knows the different between an intruder and a traveler," she assured, taking off at a fast trot towards the call.

"Wait, I'm coming with you," he called after her, stopping beside the base of a tree to grab his gear before following after her. Concern welled in the pit of his stomach. He hoped that 'intruder' was just a term the wolf wanted to use for 'human.'

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Please review! I will get up a second chapter after I get a few reviews. Thanks for reviewing!