CHAPTER 2
Link followed the scent as quickly as he could. For many hours he went, never resting, never stopping, and never slowing. His mind was concentrated on one thing; finding her. The scent was harder to follow now, but every time he lost it, he soon found it again.
Off in the distance, Link heard a yell. It sounded frightened, but not like Ashei. He paused for a minute to think of his choices, but as he did so, he lost her scent. Completely lost and alone, his only chance of finding anything remotely Hylian was to find the source of the yell.
As Link padded to the source of the yell, he heard more noises. Barks and growls. He crested a small ridge. Two large, almost feral-looking dogs were defending a man, unconscious in the crimson snow, from a large white bear. Without thinking he swiftly ran down the small hill into the fray.
Leaping high into the air, he jumped on the beast's back and bit hard into its neck. The bear reeled, more out of surprise than pain, and swatted Link off his back with a hard hit from his claw.
Winded and lying helpless in the snow, Link saw the bear approach him. It raised a paw, with huge black claws, dripping with blood, and roared. Link winced as the bear began to swipe at him, but instead, one of the dogs, large and pure white, jumped at the bear's head.
Caught off balance, the bear fell on his side. The white dog immediately bit at the beast's jugular. Hot blood squirted into the cold air. In a final act of retribution, the bear clubbed the dog's head, sending him into the air and into the ground with a cold thud.
The other dog ran over the limp body of her companion, and sat next to it. She sat down in the snow, remaining silent. She showed little emotion.
Link got up and walked to the dog. She was grey and smaller than the white one. "I'm sorry." Link said to her "I… I'm sorry."
She looked at him and gasped. She looked away and bowed to him. "My liege. Long have they said of your coming. It is an honour to greet you into our world."
Link was taken aback. "You must be confused. I…" he stopped himself. He did not know how to explain who he was, or if she would believe him if he did.
"My elders have told me of the exploits of the Shadow Wanderer. And it has been said that in our hour of darkness, he would come from the Shadow Land and deliver us, cleanse our lands." Link stared at her confused. "We must leave now. Kiviuq will need attention if he is to aid you."
She walked over to the person, Kiviuq, and dragged him to the sled. Link looked at the lifeless body in the snow. "What about him?" he asked.
"Inouq is with the spirits now. He will be happy." She said. "Hurry, we must get back to the village." She pulled the man onto the sled and got into a harness, and looked at Link expectantly.
Link managed to get into the harness. "Where is your village?" he asked.
"The village is about a 2 day trek from here, my liege." She started to walk forwards, and Link followed suit. She looked at him and said, almost playfully, "And my name, sir, is Senda."
The pair ran off into the distance, surrounded by all sides by nothing. Desolate, they ran on, together. Ignoring the pain and the cold, with only one thing in either of their minds, they pressed on.
