Disclaimer: I do not own Legend of Zelda or any of its characters. I'm merely using them to entertain myself and others.

Arctic Wolf

Chapter 1

In Which a Hero Moves so he can Retire

He could honestly admit that he wasn't quite sure what he had been thinking when he had made this decision, but even now as he looked at the cold white snowy mountains before him, he couldn't really call it a bad idea. Perhaps an incredible cold and unusual idea but not bad. There were really a lot worse of places to decide to reside in, like Oocca or the Sacred Woods, the Snowpeak Mountains was merely the harshest of Hyrulian environments.

As a cold gust a wind swept through the area before him causing some snow on a lesser cliff to crumple onto the area below it like a white all encompassing blanket of freezing death, Link mildly wondered if that old lady Impaz wouldn't mind if he decided to live there instead. He shook his head. No. Way too many cats and the urge to chase them was definitely still there. Perhaps only stronger now that Midna had returned home and his quest was over.

He glanced down at the new accessory he wore around his neck, still surprised at how Zelda- er, Princess Zelda- had been able to help him out with his dark stone. Truth was, he had journeyed about the lands of Hyrule mostly as a wolf instead of galloping on the back of Epona. It had been slower and more than exhausting at times, but he couldn't deny the way he felt- free. He didn't mind being a human, but he really didn't want to give up being a wolf either. With Midna gone, there was no one to help regulate the change between man and wolf, making Link worry for a while that he would be forever stuck as a man.

Midna had realized this, clever little imp that she was, and, before she had left through the mirror, she had apparently gone to Zelda about the issue. The two of them prepared him a gift imbued with both of their magic so that he could change between the two forms whenever he wished. He would almost sing Midna's praises and bless the Twili royalty had it not been for the fact that his gift was rather… Midna like.

Okay, his new gift that helped him transform whenever he so deemed was a damn dog collar! One that he would probably never, ever take off, so now he looked like he was someone's bitch- Midna's to be exact! Damn imp (he still called her such despite the curse being broken as old habits didn't break as easily as curses) probably planned it that way! It was no wonder she looked so upset when she broke the Twilight Mirror! She wouldn't get to see his face when Princess Zelda offered him his gift (which had even prim and proper Zelda snickering at his expression as she held it out to him)!

Link growled a bit as he shook the memory free. He digressed. It was nice to have this gift instead of relying upon the dark crystal (the one imbued with the last remains of Ganondorf's dark magic) and his holy sword to make the change. He had already tested out the power of this new collar and grudgingly admitted the transformation felt lighter, more cleansing than before. Hurt less too, though the pain had become something he had learned to ignore over the span of the year or so he had been galavanting about Hyrule trying to save it.

The power would definitely be useful in this frozen land, which is why, out of all the placed he could have chosen to relocate to, he chose this one. He and the Yetis had easily hit it off last time he had visited to make sure that Yeta was doing better and neither of them ever shied away with frightened screams when he approached as a wolf (though they didn't know it was him at the time and had debated eating him). Yes, the Snowpeak Mountains were definitely the right choice, he decided as he continued his careful trek further into the land. His plan was simple, but effective. He would catch up with the Yetis, explain his move and see if they would give him temporary haven in their collapsing mansion as he built a home for himself close by and after explaining to them the whole 'wolf' thing (and don't eat the rare colored wolf if you do go wolf hunting because that one is him), he wouldn't have to worry about them trying to make a meal of him.

The Yetis were a lot of things, but they were kind and welcoming to Link. They, themselves, were not human and thus they wouldn't judge him for things like other humans would, which was why he was moving up here.

Link frown as he shook free his darker and more unpleasant thoughts. The young ex-hero knew it was petty to be angry, but he had always thought that Ilia would chose him, not someone like Shad (though to be fair Shad was smart and, though a little awkward, kind and loyal. Good traits for a husband). So, since that door was closed, any of his reasons to really stay in Ordona Providence went right out the window. He couldn't go back to the same old life after everything that had happened and he was smart enough to know it.

He was too feral for the sleepy town and instead of getting himself in loads of trouble trying to hide it, he left to go live in a place where he didn't have to. On top of that, if he was to be honest with himself, he was also slightly afraid that Zelda might do something odd, like give him command of something, which was a big 'no' in his book. So, despite how irresponsible it sounded, the tired hero was also coming up here to be away from the rest of the world. He had taken precautions, seeing as he wasn't stupid (just not as book smart as Shad), incase the kingdom went to shit and the people needed their recently retired hero to return. Lucky for him, Telma had a sweet spot for him and wouldn't peek at his instructions he had left with her if ever he was truly needed- and not for some pomp and circumstance shit.

He eventually came to a point where it would be safer to proceed for the next part of the trek as a wolf. He wasn't raised on a mountain and so his bearings as a human were much more limited than his bearings as a wolf. He allowed the change to happen by activating his collar's ability, in a way only known to him and him alone, and soon he was on all four and only his pack, which was not a fitted article of clothing upon his person, remained. Link, however, had been expecting that and he snaked himself between the straps of his custom made pack and soon it was on his back once more as his front legs were between the two straps that now fit him even as a wolf.

Feeling mighty proud of himself, he continued on his way, having memorized the way up the mountain to where the two Yetis lived. With any luck, they would accept him into their home for the time being while he built his own and wouldn't mind having a neighbor such as him.

A/N: Okay, I can honestly say I was having a hell of a time trying to upload anything and then, because I was getting desperate, I was checking around the internet for a solution and, can you believe it, a sneaky son of a gun wrote a Twilight FANFICTION as a round about way of getting the information to the people! Thank you Addie W. I may not like Twilight (of the Vampire variety, seeing as I am a huge Twilight Princess fan) anymore, but you have restored my faith in the fans... some of them- okay, you are awesome! Also, that's the only Twilight fan fiction I'll ever read.

Now, for anyone following my other stories- I am sorry. I am stuck in both of them and I realized half my problem is I write way too long of chapters- thus sucking me dry. So I am going to make these Zelda chapters a lot smaller and hope that it works better for me.

For those of you just reading some of my work, welcome to my brain, you are free to leave- if you can find the door. If you do, please leave detailed instructions for me on how to get out myself. I've been trying for years, but I am still trapped here.

Also, I have been reading some of the Zelda stories here for a while, and, while drama can be fun, I sometimes like a story a little bit slower and just sort of the 'after the shit went down' sort of stories. I have read ones that looked cute and adorable, but then turn dark and disheartening. Post-game stuff can be whatever you want, I guess, but I do realize people are taking Link's actions a little too seriously and even forget what sort of era he comes from. Link is a farmer. A goatherd. He lives in a village and that requires him to know a lot more than a townsperson in means of survival and even killing. I mean, we, as modern day folks, go to the store and buy our meat- they had to slaughter the cow or kill the chicken for that food. Death isn't foreign to him and I bet he had to kill a few monsters to protect the village, living where he has. So I'm not going too much into the idea of him suffering from PTSD and instead focus on more of the 'he's done with this shit but different, stupid shit follows him like they are his ducklings' sort of tale.

Lastly, there are so many characters going to be in this story if I get my way (so there are more than what four I'm allowed to post), so if there are any pairings, I haven't committed to them yet, but please forgive me, I will maybe do a Link and Ilia one later, but I also think her and Shad are cute and I wanted her out of the picture for this one.

Okay, that's my long rant. If you have questions, comments, please leave a review. I will get back to you accordingly. Also, if you want this story to continue, may I suggest reviewing? I write for me, but, at the same time, reviews are a writer's muse. Give me actual feedback and I'll give you chapters much faster.

See you in the next chapter.

~Lore

Rose Colored Philosophies