The sun shines beyond the forest trees and induces the earth to make its music. Only a certain few can hear these tunes simply radiating from the grounds. The lands of Hyrule have been in a peaceful generation for almost three hundred years, free of war and suffering and not a single hand has been laid on the lands. Princess Zelda rules the kingdom that her father left behind with a firm but gentle hand. But deep in the forests, most are unknowing to the outside world. A small child of the Kokiri race giggled as she raced through the trees, listening to the sounds of the earth making music. She was different than the original Kokiri tribe, as were most new ones, shaped like animals in a child's body. She was of jaguar shape completely covered in spotted fur with green cat-like eyes. On her shoulder rode a small green male fairy she carried with here everywhere. Today she was visiting the tribe next to theirs calling themselves Orphans of the Hylian Race. She swerved past the stumps and listened for the roar of the majestic waterfalls. There at the cliff where the waterfalls flowed into the river that made Lake Hylia, stood her master the swift Midna. She was the great-granddaughter of the previous Twilight Princess and also had Hylian blood within her veins. Her hair was jet ink black and she had small orange highlights dotting it. Her skin was unusually pale with blue splotches ever here and there, with blood red eyes and a sharp-toothed smile. Her long ears flickered as she stabbed and swung at her current opponent the so-claimed leader of the Orphans, Mido. He had long brown hair that was slightly spiked towards the tips with green eyes and long ears as well. Mido wore a sleeveless tattered green T-shirt with dark baggy pants while Midna wore a sleeveless black T-shirt and slim blue pants. The two were training against one another, Mido with his brown staff made from bronze and Midna with her blackened sword swiping and scowling at one another as if they were really in a duel. The two had been good friends but also worst enemies.

Midna, backing away by doing a back flip put her finger to her lips and listened to the background. All he could hear was the twittering of birds and the sounds of the rushing water behind. But she pointed to the dense brush giving a great infamous smirk, "I know you are watching us Andria. Come on out."

The Kokiri girl smiled as she rose up from her camouflaged area, smiling as she climbed the trunk of a thick tree. "Hi there Mido. How's it going?"

"Hey squirt." He told while rubbing his forehead free of sweat, "Why are you here today?"

"No reason. I just wanted to go to the Temple with you guys. I was wondering how everyone at the orphanage works."

Midna smiled and gripped her student's waist, picking her up with splinters getting caught in her enormous claws. She cradled her and then with one swift movement, placed her onto her back. "Well curiosity can be a good thing. But I thought you already knew all this stuff."

"Well the Kokiri were wondering again. They think I'm crazy for going into the Temple but I know that the only things that are in there are cobwebs and you guys. Maybe a couple sheep…" It went silent and Andria's ears perked up as she looked around, "speaking of which, where is blondie anyway?"

Midna smiled, "Well he is…" Mido interrupted with a scoff, "Overslept. Again. Midna, you've got to get that boy into better habits otherwise there will be an unbalance in the chore list."

"Give it time, you were like that no more than two years ago Mido."

It was true that the teenagers had to all do something to keep up the primary goals of their temple. Midna's job was to oversee that everyone was doing okay and to help guide people through the Lost Forest because she was the only one who knew how to get through. Mido was the leader and handed out the chores daily. Link, the blondie that Andria was referring to was supposed to herd the sheep daily from the pastures in the Lost Woods and hand them to Saria. Saria the green-haired maiden who was like the rest an orphan, usually milked, fed and sheered the sheep. From their wool she made the fabrics they wore and from their milk created most of their food. The twins were the washers and cleaners of the temple, consistently trying to keep things in order. Along the way they had picked up great battle strategies that if ever there were a time to defend one's self, they would seek their knowledge.

Andria enjoyed seeing he sheep all bleating to the entrance of the ground-level four story temple made by the ancient people out of stone and mortar. It was rumored that instead of water they used the blood of the fallen comrades in battle. Andria chased the sheep around, hugging each of them in her arms and snuggling her face within their curly fur. Midna chuckled, tilting her head to let her know they were going inside. She followed closely and marveled at the entrance hall. Banners with golden Hylian letters stretching down their red color hung on either side of the large semi-circular hall. Two doors led to the main chamber where feasts were held every night and sometimes music was played. The dainty sounds of an ocarina flew past as they proceeded into the doorway to the far left colored silver. Once it hinged open the area of a small pond held within the temple was exposed as well with the outer walls. A garden was fenced in the back corner with many vegetables and cuckoos pecking at seeds dug into the ground. Another teenage boy kneeled along the water's edge just before the small bridge that crossed to the patch of land in the center. His hair was cut at his shoulders but hung straight and long in a mess of blonde. He had a slightly muscular build and his pointy green hat sat next to him as he washed his face. The two crossed their arms, Mido giving him a swift kick to his side. He sat there holding the area with dirt on his face dripping off, "Ouch…what was that for?"

"When the rooster crows, all of us are supposed to rise. You were the only one who didn't Link."

"I had a nightmare last night. I'm sorry Mido."

But thus, he did forgive the youngest of the group, only a year than the rest but still picked on for it. The twins rushed in, huffing and hiding their eyes under thick red bangs while carrying the laundry. The two brothers handed one another soap and began to scrub the dirt and grime out of the clothing, not even saying one word to the group. Saria called in for lunch and they all stopped their work and hopped up going back into the main entrance hall and into the main doors. The Great Hall was stretched over a mile long either way only filled with tables at the beginning where stone floors had been laid. All the rest was a flowery courtyard where sparrows and other small animals frolicked as the orphans sat down for a nice meal. Saria came in, her green hair glittering in the bright sunshine with large blue eyes blinking as she carried a huge caldron full of the daily meal. Today's lunch was chicken broth soup with a slice of goat cheese and yogurt. Not too much but it was enough to fill them up. Saria graciously put large amounts into each wooden bowl; even Andria's and offered them slices of bread and cheese. Their words were lost in the entirety of the courtyard, the twins discussing with Mido about monster sightings. He claimed this to be normal in the Lost woods, for artifacts good and evil lied in that area. Midna, Link and Saria talked and joked about the forests, laughing about the gentle Skull Kid's festival they would attend next week. Midna knew each Skull Kid and taught them like they were her brothers and sisters. She had also been the primary fencing master for Link, who was still slightly clumsy with a blade. "Link…" She beckoned, patting his flat head. He blushed, adjusting his hat to where he could see. "Yes Midna?"

"I'd like to see you in my training area before the Great Deku Tree. We need to go over your skills as a becoming warrior."

"Okay. Are we going to talk with the Father Tree today?"

"If it's necessary we might. What do you wish to know?"

"Some stuff about our pasts and what happened that so many parents just lost their kids. All at the same age, all with the same problem. Was it destiny that brought us here like this?"

Midna smiled, taking a huge gulp of her soup, "Do not worry so much about it. In time, we will all learn why we are assembled here."

Andria pawed at the vegetables floating in her soup. Link looked into Midna's eyes and saw a flash run across her pupil. In a whisper only audible to her ears he asked, "you know don't you?"

Suddenly his bowl floated and the fluids were shoved down his throat. Midna giggled, this was one of her special powers the ability to psychically control objects with her mind. She could also shape objects out of mundane things like a statue from wood or her hair into a large hand. She stood up and placed her bowl on the separate table where it would be whisked away by the twins later and cleaned. Saria gave a worried sigh and started to walk with Midna to the training grounds. She told as they scooted through the tall weeds and ivy vines hanging done, "Midna, wasn't that a little harsh?"

"The boy needs to grow some fat on him. He's way too small for his age. Sixteen years old and still sleeps in when the rooster crows. I don't blame him. It would be a luxury to sleep in."

Saria sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder, "I fear that something's going to happen that can't be undone. Even he said that he had a nightmare. That's something very rare for us. While we are training today, ask him of what he dreamt. Listen to him with your heart Midna."

"What do you think I do when my ears hear the words coming from the mouths of my friends? Wisdom is not acquired through ignorance Saria. Do good to learn this."

Link traveled far into the Lost Woods, avoiding strange Deku monsters that came out of the nuts on the ground. He fought off as many as he could before finally retreating to the training area. It was an expansive place where the Great Deku tree sat in a crater-like fissure with his roots spreading and creating the very forest itself. He was aged and had marks and burns to show it, looking wise in slumber. Midna and Saria were sprawling with one another, she armed with a small dagger fighting Midna's darkened blade. Link drew his silver sword and launched himself into battle. Midna threw her arm in his way and flicked his forehead just as he was beginning to swing at her. With tiredness in her voice she shouted, "Do not launch your whole body like a cannon but rather use your sword as an extension of your arm. Fight with a good strategy and you will prevail."

Using a blocking move, she disrupted Saria's attack and knocked her against the ground. "That is enough from you Saria. Work on protecting your lower left side. Link, you are up next."

Link stepped up and the two crossed blades. They both jumped back a few feet from each other, a look of determination in each other's eyes. Both were great warriors looking for victory. Midna glared at him, trying to scan and see if he had any visible weaknesses today. She noticed a slight twitch in his muscle when he moved to the right and remembered that he fell on that side when he was young. "Link…what was your nightmare about?"

He hummed, dodging a blade nearly hitting his flesh on the right. He swirled around and clashed his blade to hers, trying to make her ears ring so she couldn't balance. The two both had dirty methods of felling their enemies.

"There was darkness enveloping everything. You were in a black dress and I was…" He gasped and dropped his blade, letting Midna openly pretend to stab him in the stomach.

"I win…"

He was shaking violently while his ears started to lower and pupils became small. "M-Midna…look behind you! That's him…"

She looked over her shoulders and nearly dropped her sword as well but held a tight grip on the handle. Saria helped Link from the ground and stared with them. There on the top of the Deku Tree's tip was a dark shadow-like person with completely black skin and black hair. The only thing that wasn't dark were his eyes that instead were a bright bloody red simply glowing from his face. He gave a pure white grin, showing sharp canines while crossing his arms. Midna stared at him and realized it, "Link…it's you."

"Very good Twili woman." The Shadow Link mused, his voice sounding like he was taunting the three. "I've been watching you three ever since you were young. And let me tell you, this peace makes me sick. I think it's time that the master and I changed this place around a little."

"You won't do anything like that!" Midna shouted, leaping into the air. She spun in a wild circle, knocking the shadow off the tree. She grabbed his tunic and pinned him after flying forty feet in the air. She stood in the tiny crater his body created, and placed the blade to his throat. In response he gave a smile and whispered, "And what a perfect queen you will be to my new kingdom."