~Two Years Later~
Trudging through the woods, my heart's pace increased as the sun sank lower into the horizon. The forest was already so dark that I could barely see in front of me, the thick canopy effectively blocking out any of the dusk's last rays of sunlight. Stumbling over yet another fallen log, I gritted my teeth together and caught myself before hitting the ground.
How could I have been such a fool. I started walking a bit faster, adjusting the sack packed tight with swift carrots that was hanging over my shoulder and mentally cursing myself over and over. Getting too excited over a bunch of carrots, like a child. Swift carrots were hard to find in this neck of the woods, and after coming across a whole bunch on my way back from the creek, I couldn't control my self. Before I knew it, I had spent an hour digging up all of them and the sun had already begun to set. Somewhere in the back of my mind, the sound of bones clicking against each other sent a chill down my spine. Swallowing down my fear, I ignored the voice inside of my mind, taunting that just maybe it was dark enough for those hellspawn to crawl their way out of the ground. That maybe just one step in the right place, they'll grab me and drag me down into the worm-infested dirt with them.
A twig snapped somewhere in the distance and all of my muscles clenched as I froze in place. Despite the typical pleasant weather, a sweat started forming on my temple as I scanned the trees surrounding me, waiting for another sound. After a minute of peace and quiet, my face grew hot in embarrassment. What if she's watching, you coward-
Snap.
Dropping the sack of carrots, I sprinted away from the sound, unsure whether or not whatever it was that made the sound was giving chase due to the deafening sound of my own heartbeat in my ears. All I could think about was how close it sounded to me, almost like it was only just a couple of feet away, like it could have just reached out it's bony hand and touched me. By the time I reached my run-down cabin, I was out of breath and drenched in sweat. I slammed the door behind me, the glass pane in the window shaking with the force, and pressed my back against it.
After a couple of deep breaths, I grabbed the wooden plank by the door, deftly sliding it in place so that the only entrance to the cabin was barred. Finally, I could feel my heart begin to return to a normal pace, my adrenaline draining as I plopped down in a chair. My hands were shaking, and I clasped them together as I rationalized that it was most likely a deer or a boar just wandering a bit too close. Yeah, it was only an animal. Only an animal...
Prince Sidon watched the hylian disappear into the treeline, his hand outstretched. He was perplexed, looking down at the abandoned burlap sack and the swift carrots spilling out from the top onto the mossy ground. His forehead pinched together as he stared in the direction that the golden-haired figure had gone.
"Could that have been… Link…?"