Song of the Lost Woods

"I told you we should not have gone this way" Midna slapped the sides of her Wolf mount, causing him to growl deeply with annoyance in his beastly throat. They had been walking aimlessly through the identical clearings throughout the Lost Woods for what felt like hours.

Link stopped abruptly in the centre of yet another identical opening in the tree line, sniffing the air in the hope that some lingering scent might help to lead him in the right direction. No such luck. Even with his heightened Wolf senses, all he could smell was the trees and animals of the forest.

"This is what we get when we let a dog lead the way" Link suddenly perked up. Sniffing the air once again he snapped his head round, looking sharply from side to side as if searching for something, something swift and unseen. "What's up with you?" Midna asked cocking an eyebrow. She slapped his sides, as was her habit when she wanted him to shift. Link growled boldly, a lot more vicious than she had ever heard him before.

He bucked forward, Midna being forced to grip clods of fur tightly. "Hey down boy!" He barked loudly, charging forward into one of the tunnels leading out of the area. He moved with such ferocity and speed that Midna had no opportunity to brace for the abrupt movement; she was hurled off his back, only being saved from the painful impact by her levitation.

She watched as her Great Beast sped off into the darkness. "Hey Link!" The call however was in vain, her voice being consumed by the darkness. She stood there, in the centre of the clearing, listening for any sign of Link, a bark, a feral growl. None came.

So instead she opted to take a chance, floating through the darkened passage to her right, the path which Link appeared to have chosen when he ran off. As she ventured into the darkness she felt a certain sense of calm, the darkness encapsulating her reminding her of the sweet twilight she cherished so deeply.

Finally the light returned, she once again emerged into yet another identical clearing, just as she had done when she had passed through them with Link. She felt a certain sense of worry encapsulate her spirit. Her normally composed features slowly breaking under the strain she began to feel grip her.

But just as she felt herself lost, so close to becoming irredeemable she heard it. A sweet tune that seemed to encapsulate the forests very meaning in its notes. It seemed to be stemming from the passageway to her right; she followed it, hoping it was some kind of guide which might lead her to the salvation she so desperately wanted.

But instead it only lead her into yet another matching clearing. But the tune still rang deeply in her ears. Once again she took a leap of faith into the unknown and followed the mysterious music into the abyss. But as she continued her seemingly never ending trek through these unforgiving woods, she felt her energy begin to be sapped away, her very strength being drained from her.

She began to think this place was a never ending maze, a labyrinth with no end and no hope of escape. She began to wonder whether this heavenly tune which lead her was a gift, or a curse. But Midna was a determined Twili, determined to find her Wolf, determined to escape this forest and determined to discover the identity of the mystery musician that insisted on taunting her with their melody.

But just as she stepped into the clearing, the music died. The tune that had lead her through her gauntlet disappeared. She collapsed, her strength drained, will broken. Her last thoughts were of Link's fuzzy nose, the embodiment of her Sacred Beast.

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Midna awoke. The forest around her was silent. She attempted to lift herself with her levitation, but it seemed her powers had not fully returned to her yet. Placing a hand out for support she rose into a sitting position, taking in her surroundings. Around her was a grey stoned building, before her lay the shattered remnants of the steps which would have once lead into the interior of the structure.

It was then she finally glanced down at her hand, but they weren't the stubby digits of an imp she was expecting. Instead they were the long elegant fingers of a Twili. She looked down at herself, her full self. She scanned herself, her long elegant legs, her flowing black robes, it was her real body. But the question was how did she-

The tune started again.

Midna snapped round to face the source of the sound. It was a girl, bathed in a wash of green clothing, matching the green hair that flowed freely down her neck, stopping just above her narrow shoulder blades. She sat on a small stump to the right of the staircase, an ocarina in her small hands, playing the tune as she gently swayed from side to side with the notes, her eyes closed.

"You" Midna spoke. Midna rose to her feet, her dark black robes fluttering as she rose to her feet. "You were the one who lead me here" The green haired girl removed her Ocarina from her lips, opening her eyes to face her companion.

"Yes, I played Saria's song. I lead you here"

Midna was dumbstruck "Why?"

Saria answered "You were lost. Any who remain in the forest too long become lost, those who become lost become Skull Kids" Midna cocked an eyebrow, none of this made any sense to her.

She raised her arms "How am I….."

"In your true form again?" The girl finished her sentence for her. "This is the Sacred Forest Grove, at the very base of the Forest Temple. A great source of power in the light world" The girl raised her hand, her open palm facing Midna "I can feel the magic that binds you, it is a very powerful curse"

The girl gestured the grove around them. "The power in this place is strong enough to keep that evil subdued, while you remain here you may retain your true form" Everything this girl said made Midna's head spin.

"Who are you? How can you know all of this" The green haired girl giggled, as if Midna's ignorance was in some way humorous to her.

"I am Saria, of the Kokiri. And though I may look like a child, I'm actually the Sage of Forest Temple" Midna seemed distracted

"Before I came here, I was with somebody. Link, a wolf" Saria fought to hide her prior knowledge of the name, wondering whether this could be the Link she had missed for the years which had passed since she had awakened as a Sage. "Don't worry, your friend is safe, I can sense it"

She once again raised the ocarina to her bright red lips, ready to play once again. "I'll lead you're friend here the same way I lead you here" Midna smiled, she was finally going to be reunited with her Sacred Beast.