A/N: I'd like to take this time to thankKayrana for reviewing me. When I put this story on , I didn't think that anyone would review me. So THANK YOU VERY MUCH for reviewing!!! About the whole San and Aleena similarities... I had actually thought of this story when I was 10 and I hadn't watched Princess Mononoke until I was 11. So you can imagine how creeped out I felt when I watched it. Sure Aleena doesn't look at all like San, but the personalities are so alike it's scary. I am sorry if she acts a lot like San; it's not my fault... I think... er... (Perky voice) Enjoy this next Chapter!!!

Chapter Six: Getting to Know You

A/N: Kenshin is sleeping in his futon. He feels the sunlight hit his face through the window and slowly opens his eyes and sees…that Aleena is lying less than an inch away from him! Kenshin stiffens. Aleena snuggles up against him in her sleep.

Kenshin: W-w-w-what the hell happened?!!

A/N: Kenshin falls of the futon and Aleena falls on top of him. Kenshin's mouth was open and so was Aleena's, so when they fell they sort of…kissed. Aleena wakes up.

Aleena: (mouth still on his, but raises an eyebrow)

Kenshin: (blushing furiously)

A/N: The shoji slides open and Takiko comes in. I love comical misunderstandings (laughs maniacally) (people start to leave) No wait!! Come back!! I'll stop!!!

Takiko: So are you awake already Ke- (stares)

Kenshin: …

Aleena: …?

Takiko: Young man, when I told you to get to know her better…I DID NOT MEAN THIS!!!

A/N: The shoji opens again and Futa comes in.

Takiko: -AND UNDER MY OWN ROOF YET!

Futa: Honey, what's with all the screaming? Hm? (stares)

Takiko: See? I was just telling them that-

Futa: Wow Kenshin! So that's why you wanted to keep her around! You dog you!

Takiko: (anime fall)

A/N: Aleena sits up on Kenshin. (yes, in a wrong looking way)

Aleena: So, your name is Kenshin?

Futa: Oh wow! She hasn't even learned your name yet and already you've slept together? What a guy!

Kenshin:(blushing) Can you get him out of here please?!

Futa: Mt. Fujiyama has erupted!

Aleena: What's he talking about?

Kenshin: I'm not so sure…

Takiko: You're not helping dear! pushes him out the door I'm just going to make breakfast. Come down later. (leaves)

Kenshin: (whispers) Aleena, please get off me…

Aleena: (didn't hear him) What was that all about?

Kenshin: Get off me please…

Aleena: Huh? Did you say somethi- ow!

Kenshin: W-what's wrong?

Aleena: You're getting stiff and it starting to hurt!

Kenshin: (blushing in the deepest shade of red imaginable) GET OFF ME NOW!!!!

Aleena: (gets off)

Kenshin: (sits up) Why were you sleeping with me?!

Aleena: I had a bad dream…

Kenshin: Oh I see; you had a nightmare.

Aleena: What's a nightmare?

Kenshin: It's another name for a bad dream.

Aleena: So things can have two names?

Kenshin: Yes, sometimes.

Aleena: So I can have two names?

Kenshin: Well there's your first and last name so, I guess…

Aleena: First and last names?

Kenshin: For example, my first name is Kenshin and my last name is Himura.

Aleena: So my first name is Aleena?

Kenshin: Yes.

Aleena: Why are you also called Himura?

Kenshin: It's a name people get from their fathers.

Aleena: So…I'm Aleena Akira?

Kenshin: No! Your father's last name!

Aleena: Ummmm…I don't think he has one.

Kenshin: I guess you don't need one. I doubt wolves have last names anyway.

Aleena: (whispers softly) Wolves…wolf…Aleena Wolf…

Kenshin: Aleena?

Aleena: (laughs) My name is Aleena Wolf!

Kenshin: (smiles and walks toward the shoji) I'm going to go eat breakfast; care to join me, Miss Wolf?

Aleena: (smiles and nods)

A/N: The dinning table was filled with food and warm, cheerful people. At the ends of the table were Heike and Futa. On Heike's right was his son, Kenjii, and on his left was his wife, Kina. Kina is Takiko's younger sister. Kina is quite pretty, beautiful actually. Her long, black hair tied in a braid with a white ribbon in it. To Futa's right was Takiko, and to his left sat Lynn. The family would chat about things they planned to do that day or the next, or anything that happened the day before that they forgot to talk about during dinner. But even with all the ruckus and sounds of eating, they fell into a dead, eerie silence as soon as Kenshin and Aleena entered the little room.

Kenshin: (sits between Lynn and Kenjii) Aleena aren't you going to sit down to eat?

Aleena: (stands at the entrance to the small room) I…uhh…looks at the floor

A/N: Kina, who even in her childhood was always someone who wanted others to feel welcomed, stood up and walked over to Aleena. She smiled tenderly, took Aleena's hand in her own, and led her to the table. As they were heading over to it, Aleena stared at Kina's hand. It was the first time she saw anyone with the same shaped 'paw', as she called it, as herself. They both sat down, yet Aleena was still clinging on to Kina as an infant grasps its mother's arms.

Kina: Aleena, you can let go of me now.

Aleena: squeezes her hand

Takiko: (laughs) You obviously don't know what it's like to have a daughter, Kina! They're much more affectionate than any son.

Kina: You think I could be her mother-

Kenjii: (stands up) No way! I'm so sick of this! Only two days ago, we wouldn't dare mention her name, and now she's living under our own roof! She's not wolf and she's definitely not human! She's a law against nature! And now you expect me to call her 'sister'?!

A/N: The room was filled with an overwhelming silence. Long and loud.

Lynn: K-Kenjii, don't you think that was a bit harsh?

Kenjii: Harsh?! Do you wanna know harsh Lynn?!

A/N: Kenjii suddenly brought his anger out on Lynn.

Kenjii: How can you not remember that winter when we were both four?! She came to our village, and commanded her wolves to kill all of our oxen! Because of that, we only ate one miniscule meal a day! (tears in eyes) My baby sister didn't make it past her first birthday!

Heike: Kenjii! That is enough! If you say one more word about the matter then I'll make work you like a dog today!

Kenshin: T-Takiko, if your sister, Kina, lost a daughter, then how could you have joked about it like that?!

Takiko: She says that joking about it helps to ease the pain…

Aleena: (stands up and lightly squeezes) Kina's shoulder I'm sorry…

Kina: A-Aleena…

Aleena: (walks over to Kenjii)

Kenjii: S-stay back!

Aleena: (hugs him close) This is what humans to one another; they call it a hug, right?

A/N: Kenjii was too stunned to speak. He actually felt comfort in the embrace, and that was what made him hug her in return.

Aleena: I am sorry that your sister will never be able to hug you in this way…

A/N: Kenjii couldn't stop the tears from falling. Her buried his face in Aleena's chest out of embarrassment. Even so, his words were heard, clear as crystal.

Kenjii: I want to be a strong warrior some day. I want to be strong, so that I can protect people from harm! I want to be a Samurai!

A/N: Aleena pulled away from the embrace, and Kenjii could feel his confidence diminishing. Aleena punched him in the face, knocking him backwards.

Everyone at the table: Aleena?!

Kenjii: (sits up) W-what was that for?! (rubs the red mark from the punch)

Aleena: I don't like the way you were yelling at your cousin!

Kenjii: That's not a good enough reason to hit me!

Aleena: You have no idea how privileged you are, being the only young male in your pack! You don't know what it's like to defend your title!

Kenjii: What made you start thinking about that?!

Aleena: Of course you think you can be a warrior! I have no idea what a Samurai is, but you probably think you can accomplish that easily as well!

Kenjii: I can become a Samurai!! I'm brave enough to face any challenge!

Aleena: You're confusing bravery with foolishness.

A/N: Kenjii punches Aleena in the face with more force than he knew he had. Aleena nearly fell backwards, but was able to regain her balance. Kenjii saw her lips begin to spill out a sliver of crimson blood, he took this as an encouragement to see how much this wolf-girl could bleed. He punched her again, Aleena doing nothing in her defense. Kenjii punches her relentlessly, Aleena is still showing no sign of resistance.

Kenjii: Continues punching wildly I don't care if you said you were sorry! You still killed my baby sister!!!!

Aleena: (holds Kenjii back by placing her hand against his forehead)

Kenjii: (still swinging arms wildly)

A/N: Aleena takes her hand off Kenjii's forehead, and lets the boy charge for her. She jumps up and out of his way at the last possible second, and drop-kicks him in the back. Kenjii is sent to the floor, head first. Aleena sits on his back to make sure he doesn't get up.

Aleena: I'm tired of you humans blaming things on me! I was only nine winters old when all this happened; everyone just assumes that the human is the leader! I was no longer a pup back then, therefore I was the weakest adult; forced to eat last during a winter with barely any food to begin with! I went for weeks without a crumb! At least you ate each day! My first kill in a hunt was when I killed one of your oxen, if I hadn't, I would've most certainly died! That ox was the only thing that kept my body alive through all of that bloody winter, because I couldn't bring my self to eat the wolves that died along the trail for food like the rest of our pack!!! If you think that winter was harsh for you, then you truly are a fool.

Kenjii: I-I'm sorry…

Aleena: Gets off Kenjii and helps him get up

A/N: Everyone continues to eat breakfast.

Heike: Kenjii, you're still working three times as much as you normally do in the rice fields.

Kenjii: Yes sir...

A/N: Everyone finishes breakfast, and Heike and Futa go outside to work. Kenjii is about to follow, but is stopped by Aleena.

Kenjii: What is it now?!

Aleena: I'm going to help you with the 'rice fields'.

Kenjii: But you're a girl; it's a man's jo- ouch!

A/N: Lynn had elbowed Kenjii in the side.

Kenjii: What was that for, Lynn?!

Lynn: If someone is offering you help than it means that you have less work to do. If you had any sense at all, then you would accept regardless of her gender.

Kenjii: Hey, you're right! Aleena come on, you can help me plow!

Aleena: 'Plow'?

Kenjii: (sighs) I guess someone who's clueless is better than nothing...

A/N: Meanwhile...

Takiko: So, Kenshin, do you know how to cook?

Kenshin: Uh, no, I don't, actually.

Kina: Really? It's a good thing you're not married yet!

Kenshin: Well, you see...

Takiko: You're married?!

Kina: And you don't know how to cook?!!

Kenshin: What's the big deal?

Kina: What if that wife of yours gets sick, then how would you live?

Kenshin: That hasn't ever crossed my mind...

A/N: The women whisper to each other for a few seconds. Then they turn to Kenshin again.

Takiko: We've decided...

Kina: To teach you how to cook!

Kenshin: Oro? Why do you need to learn how to do women's work? Isn't it simple?

Takiko/Kina: (Angry glare)

Kenshin: Never mind! (nervous laugh) I'll learn how to cook now!