Link walked slowly through the forest, knowing these may be the last few moments he spends in his home. One of the Know-It-All Brothers was still trying to pick the weeds in front of Mido's house. Medi sat on the awning above the shop, saying hi to anyone who passed by. Link could, on the edge of his hearing, sense Navi crying as she floated behind him. He understood; he wanted to leave about as much as he wanted to jump off the highest cliff in Hyrule. This had been his only home, a constant, an unvarying fact of his existence. Leaving here felt like leaving without his heart. But he'd have to put such things behind him if he wanted to complete the task the Great Deku Tree appointed to Link as his dying wish.

"You're leaving… aren't you, Link?" It was Lyle. Link had hardly noticed he had reached the exit to Kokiri Forest. He nodded. Lyle's face fell, but he stood aside, letting Link pass.

"I don't know what it is the Great Deku Tree told you to do," Lyle said, putting a hand on Link's shoulder, "but good luck."

Link walked past silently. Here it was, the moment of truth; he must cross the bridge bordering Kokiri Forest and the rest of the world. He stood there, plucking up the courage to take the last few steps into the brave new world.

"Link!" a voice called from the forest. Footsteps, growing louder, then-

Saria emerged from the portal on the Forest's side of the bridge. She looked so sad. Link's heart constricted; he couldn't breathe. He just stood silently.

"You're leaving… aren't you?" Saria asked. Link swallowed his emotion long enough to nod. Saria looked even sadder. "I knew you would one day. You're not like us, the Kokiri." She waited for Link to say something, but when he didn't she continued: "Well… this is goodbye…" a single tear fell from her eye. Link stepped a little closer, mind reeling with words to comfort his friend. The truth was, he was on the edge of crying himself. Saria continued.

"But… we'll always be friends, right? No matter what happens, no matter how far away we are!" she smiled weakly, then wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "Here, I have something for you…" Saria said, searching for something in her pocket. "Here it is!"

It was a tan-colored Ocarina. Link took it, then finding no words, nodded his head.

Saria's smile got wider. "My mother gave me that one," she said. "I've got this song I wrote, a long time ago…" she fumbled in her pocket again and produced a faded piece of paper. "Could you play it for me?"

Link squinted at the notes written on the paper. It was just three simple notes, repeated once. He put the Ocarina to his lips and began to play. He wasn't very good; he had never handled one of these instruments before. But Saria just smiled and smiled, and Link started to feel better. Started to feel like the world wouldn't end, that the plains wouldn't be set ablaze and he wouldn't die if he stepped outside of Kokiri forest.

"There's something special about that song," Saria said. "Whenever someone plays it, I can hear their voices. We can talk to each other while you're out doing what you have to do!" Link smiled. "Go on now!" Saria said. "Go make us proud!" Link nodded happily, and ran out of the forest. Saria turned away, preparing to head back into the forest. She stopped just outside and bent her head.

"Link… be safe…"