A Princess Mononoke fanfiction. After seeing the movie, I decided to do one with a Boar God OC and my OC, Lily. The first few chapters will be set before the movie before Nago turned into a demon and went to Ashitaka's village. So this will be the first time making something from a Studio Ghibli film in awhile (I mostly did Cat Returns)

Sadly, I do not own any characters from Princess Mononoke, Only My OC's.

The Boar and the Girl

Ch.1 The Beast meets the Girl

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 remain are guarded by gigantic beasts, who owe their allegiance to the Great Forest Spirit...

...for those are the days of Gods...and of Demons.

The forest was at peace at the far east of the region, where more of the forests remain more than it did than the other regions of the land. The rain poured down gently, the wildlife around them being heard, until a small steps from a young child running by a bush, followed by multiple ones that were heavier. A small girl kept running through the forests, trying to lose the samurais that were on her tail.

She had black hair that was black as the midnight sky, but the eyes were mismatched; the right was red as fire itself and the left was a gentle blue that reminded of a lake that was in peace, nothing disturbing it. Her arms and legs were covered in wounds from the warriors that were chasing her. She was about to give up as she rest against something, being corner by the warriors as they smirked.

"It's over girl, there's nowhere for you to hide. Either come with us, or kill you like how we were paid to." One growled.

She stilled and covered her eyes, waiting for them to end it, but the boulder she was resting against...

...was moving.

The warriors stilled when they saw the boulder moving up and when the girl turned, she stilled when she realized what she was leaning against. The giant boar god awoken from it's slumber and roared out before glancing at the warriors. The pale blue eyes look at the girl, seeing her wounds, then at the warriors. It snorted before stomping it's hoof against the ground, scraping against it before charging at the warriors.

"RUN! IT'S ZEPHRON!" Most of the warriors were trampled to death by the beast before chasing the last one. The warrior kept trying to run the fastest he can, but his breath hitched when the large tusk from the boar impaled him through his chest from behind. The boar roars and flicks the warrior off and snorts. It then looks over at the girl.

She was sitting on the ground, whimpering as she was hugging her knees close, completely shaking. "P-P-Please d-d-d-d-don't eat me..." She whimpered, her voice sounding she was crying. The boar merely tilted it's head before slowly walking over to her. She can hear it's gentle breath from it's snout and that seemed to scare her even more.

"...why are you afraid of me, young one?" The boar asked, blinking slowly. The girl sniffed, still not looking at the beast god in the eye since she was too frighten. "The-The-The leader of my v-v-village said that...b-b-bad people will be killed by the gods..."

"...not all gods are like that, little one...some of us do not at all have hatred against the humans...I am one of them..." His voice was gentle and she looks up at him so very slowly, her eyes shone with tears.

The boar was very huge, his fur black that matched her hair and the mane he had was a pearly grey. The Boar God seemed so young, but you can see so many scars it had earned through it's years. "...what is your name?" He asked, his blue eyes staring at her mismatched eyes. She sniffed and rubbed her eyes to rid of the tears with her sleeves.

"L-Lily..." She sniffed. The boar looks at her before gently nudging her so gently with his snout. "...I am Zephron...the Boar God that guards this forest...you are very brave, or very careless...of wondering this far into the forest." He said and she winced at that. "P-Please, Mr. Zephron...I-I have no where else to go..." She whimpered, "My-My brother is dead and-and my parents want me dead-"

That seemed to anger the boar god. "Pray if I may ask, why do they want you dead?" He growled, his snout flaring with anger. She winced when she heard his voice thoomed out, actually scaring some of the animal life around them. "They-They said it's my fault my brother's dead and...and I ran out here...they-they hired those men to-to..." She couldn't finish and starts to sob.

This angered Zephron. How dare the human parents blame a small child in a situation that couldn't be controlled! He wonders what has gotten into humanity these days from the countless wars between the animals and humans that need the forests to expand their land and kill the nature around it. The boar god looks over at the opposite direction, hearing something else coming and looks down at Lily. The boar gently knelt down beside her. This made her look at him, rather curious.

"...I know of someone that can tend to your wounds...are you willing to come with me, Lilian?" Zephron asked. Lily looks at the direction she came to, then looks at Zephron. It seemed she didn't have a choice right now. If she went back to her village...she would be dead within a few weeks. So she nods and sniffed, wiping her eyes to rid of the tears.

"Please do not cry, Lilian. I know it is hard, but in future times, things will turn out better." He said and he lowered his head and back even more and assist her up onto his back. She held onto the mane as he stood up. She held on tightly since he moved slightly. Once he stood up to his full height, he sniffed the air and his ears flickered before moving away, heading towards the way Lily was running to.

"A-Aren't you worried that they'll tear your forest down?" Lily asked and the Boar merely chuckled. "Do not worry of my situation, little one. What happens, happens. Between you and me, this war between the animals and humans are getting out of hand...they'll bring something much more worse if they keep this up." He simply said, stepping over the stones and logs, the pathway being nothing to him.

"...wh-what do you mean something more worse?" She asked and he turned his head to glance up at her. "...how much do you know about the animal gods?" He asked and she thinks for a moment. "All-All I know is that giant animals g-guard the forest, th-that are teamed up with the-the Great Forest Spirit." She said and he nods. "...do you know that if a God is driven to madness from rage or severely injured and lost all hope, they transform into a demonic monster, killing everything around it, plant and animal life." This made Lily tense.

"They-They never told us that!" She whimpered. The Boar looks at her. "I'm sorry, little one...but it is how it is...the ancient ones decide the fates for others. I am unsure what a Demon looks like; I never witnessed one myself..." It was the end of the conversation as they traveled for miles through the thick forest. The animal life around them doesn't seem to mind them at all, including some of the wild wolves that look at them when they pass.

The forest was becoming less thick until they got to an open field. Zephon came to a halt and sniffed the air, trying to sense any possible danger that would cross their path or worst, hurt Lily and she was too injured enough as it is. When he found none, he snorts and got himself ready. "Hold on, Lilian..." He said and she did as she was told, having a firm grip on his mane. He lets out a mighty roar before going into a gallop.

Lily gasped as she held on, her eyes clenched shut of how fast he was going. But after many moments, she was brave enough to crack one eye open to see and she was amazed of what she saw as she slowly sat up, still holding onto Zephron as he gallops through the field. She could see the mountains and the forests around them in the open field. The sun shined high in the sky and the wind blowing through her hair.

"This is amazing!" She called out to Zephron and if she was imagining it, she could've sworn she saw Zephron smiled at her comment. As he came up to the top of the hill, he came to a halt as his ears went erect to hear anything around them. Lily sat up even more to look around, admiring the scenery before them. Zephron silently glanced back at Lily and snorts a bit, but was happy that she was starting to be happy again.

Even when they just met, he seemed to grow fond of the little girl. He never seen smaller humans up close, all he ever saw were much taller humans and to see a smaller human child this close, let alone riding on his back...

...it made his old heart full of joy to see a rather curious and yet adventurous child.

"We are close to our destination. Try to hang in there, young one." He said and went back to a gallop again. Even when her wounds start to sting a bit more, she was still having fun. She knows for a fact that no one has ever ridden a animal god before and she thinks she's the first child that has ever done it. It seemed like hours as she held onto Zephron, the sun beginning to set down, until he came to a trot, then to a slow walk as they were in a deeper part of a different forest.

He walked carefully and slowly until he came to a large lake that was in the middle of the forest, a small island in the middle with a large tree. "...alright, Lilian...this place is very special and very important. Do not tell any other humans that I showed you this place, do you understand?" Zephron asked as he lowered down so that Lily can get off more easily and gently. She was confused of what he meant, but she did nod.

He grunts in response and took a small tree from the ground and slowly went into the water, but then turned to Lily as he gestured her to follow. She seemed scared of going into the water, but did as she was told and follows him. The wounds stung even more when she went into the water. When she got to the water, she seemed to struggle to swim to Zephron and he was afraid of that.

He goes up to her. "Here...hold onto my tusk..." He said and she nods. She swims over to him and held onto one of his tusks and he starts to swim slowly. She was wondering why they were here. He stops as he was near the shores of the island and placed the small tree plant down firmly on the ground by the shore. "...lay in front of the plant, Lilian..." He said and she seemed worried as she was did as she told.

"It hurts..." She whimpered, some of the wounds opening up again and he gently nuzzled her. "I know...but I assure you that you will be better soon...right now, just rest...you need it..." He said. Lily wanted to protest, but a yawn escapes from her throat. She slowly closed her eyes and was soon asleep. Zephron steps back into the water and just waits.

The little Kadoma started to appear around them and Zephron didn't seem to mind them. He can tell once they show up...

...then the Forest Spirit will show up soon as well. His only prayer, is that the little girl can live on. She is far too young to lose her life now.

"...Great Forest Spirit...I do not know if my plea will come through to you...I only know that life and death are yours and yours alone...but please...let this child live. And if it comes to it, I will guide her and show her how to survive under my eyes. I will watch over her and be her protector..."

It seemed like hours as Lily was in a deep sleep, breathing softly, Zephron still waiting within the waters, knowing that he is not allowed to step foot on the island of the Great Forest Spirit. Suddenly, a burst of wind went through the forest and he stood his ground of where he was. He knew the signs when the wind blows with great force.

Soft steps can be heard and Zephron can only bow his head...

...as the Forest Spirit comes forward, each step it took created plant life and then withers after he steps forward. The Forest Spirit had a body of an deer, but had many antlers and had a face of a man. It looks the small tree plant and lets out a gentle breath, making the tree plant wither and die. The spirit then looks down at the tiny girl as she was asleep.

The Forest Spirit slowly bend its head down towards Lily and blew another gentle breath and Zephron seemed to tense of what will happen.

Lily lets out a deeper breath as the wounds closed magically and the Forest Spirit walked away, levitating on the water when it touched it. Zephron slowly raised his head up when he saw the Forest Spirit disappeared and he slowly walked over to Lily, sniffing her gently. Wave of relief went through him when he felt the small girl breathing. The Forest Spirit gave her another chance to live her life.

But he was keeping her promise and would watch over the girl as if she was his own child.

Lily felt like she was in a dream.

She groans as she starts to come to and fluttered her eyes open and she looks around. She was no longer on the island of the Great Forest Spirit. She tries to sit up, but she ends up laying back down, feeling so sore from what happened. When she lifted her arm slowly, she gasped when she saw that there were no longer wounds on herself. How did that happen?

Was it all a dream?

Gentle thooms can be heard and she saw Zephron coming towards her and she smiled. "Zephron!" He saw her awake and sniffed her.

"...this is the realm of the Great Forest Spirit...he is allowing you to have another chance to live, Lilian..." He said and that made Lily smile a bit. She looks at her arms and they look so new, as if no blade ever cut her. "...of course, I pleaded for something if he did allow you to live..."

Lily glanced up at him and slowly sat up, being careful and glanced at him. "...Zephron?"

"...when I asked the Forest Spirit to let you live...I vowed to watch over you and guide you...as if you were my own child..." Lily was surprised at this and Zephron just chuckled at her reaction. "I may be a Boar God of the forest, Lilian...but it does not mean I am capable of raising young ones to be warriors..." He said. He looks at her when she managed to stand up on her own, a little shaky, but she was standing up

He seemed to stiff when she suddenly hugged him around his snout the best she could. He didn't know what to do...but...

...this felt nice for some reason.

He purred and leaned into the touch, his eyes closed. His ears flickered when he heard something coming and he looks over. He can see the wolf tribe walking at a far distance. The wolf god, Morro, looks over at them and when Zephron narrowed his eyes, he also saw a small child hiding behind one of the wolf pups.

"...let us leave, Lilian...we do not want to anger the Wolf tribe." Zephron said and Lily nods, following Zephron closely as they left the realm of the Forest Spirit. As Lily follows Zephron, she looks around and then saw the Forest Spirit. She gasped silently and Zephron looks at her, then looks at where she was looking at. The Forest Spirit was taking a sip from the lake before spotting them. It glanced at them before trotting away.

"...let's go..." He said, slowly lowering his back for Lily and she nods, managing to slip onto his back and he stood before walking away from the lake.

Yay, my first chapter after so many months of brain dead! So I have some feelings for this story and I'm still trying to figure out what else should happen. I do say this that Lily will interact with San when she's older and Ashitaka. Including the other gods, such as Morro, Okotto and Nago. So stay tune for the next chapter.

This is only the beginning for Zephron and Lily. So let's see what destiny lies beyond for them both!

Until then,

BlackDragon157