Hey!

Look!

Listen!

(A/N): HELL YEA IT'S MIDNIGHT, I'M TOTALLY POSTING THIS!

Well hello there... Welcome back. Well, I took a break because this story was published at a weird time, so... here I am on a Sunday after! My profile has been updated with an official schedule, so check that out.

Aye', I'd like to warn ye' readers now... Really stretching the T rating here. Let me know if I should upgrade. Gruesome stuffz ahead. You've been warned. Then again... I am very squeamish, so take your own judgement here.

Either way, I would like to thank Rex88 and FadingSunlight for their epic encouragement, and especially NoSignalBlueScreen for helping me out with this story. Reviews really are the most encouraging things. Either way, let's get rollin'!

-Hey! Listen!-

Rusl placed his hand on his forehead, pushing his hair back slightly. Not fifteen minutes ago, their most famous villager had... No. A feral beast had been circling Rusl, who had in turn tried to stun the monster. Apparently, the brute hadn't been as unintelligent as Rusl had first imagined. It had shifted in a great movement to avoid the sword before it turned tail and ran into the forest.

Almost immediately a meeting was called to discuss what just happened, exactly. The women and children had stayed inside their own homes, minus Colin, who refused to leave Rusl's side since the monster left. Even as clear stripes of pink and violet streaked the sky as twilight approached, the rest of the villagers gathered to discuss their next plan of action. Though the meeting was supposed to be outside, a cooling wind flushed the residents into the mayor's hut. Everyone inside gathered in the small back room around the sumo ring. It was a little cramped, but everyone still fit easily. It was a small village after all.

Rusl glanced around the small area nervously. Though the small congregation of people knew they were safe, there was something to set it off. Typically Link would attend meeting like this. Now, there was a small gap where the hero should have been stationed. Colin had taken up some free space, but there was still that gap. It seemed to yawn ominously and radiate cold air. It wasn't normal. It was unnatural.

The other men seemed unsettled too. Jaggle shuffled their feet nervously occasionally and shifted their weight constantly. Poor Hanch was more jumpy than ever, and jumped at the slightest creak of the floorboards. Fado only stared at his feet, and Bo glanced around at the other men, a grim look plastered to his face. It was silent, the small whimpers from Colin clinging to Rusl being the only noise until Bo let out a sigh and began talking.

"Well..." He said weakly, placing his right hand to his forehead. "It looks like we have quite the situation on our hands..."

Fado glanced up, his eyes broadcasting his dismay to everyone. He couldn't even try to hide it if he wanted. He had grown attached to the young hero quickly. Heck, he saw him every day when he helped to herd the goats every morning. He tried to smile, but only managed in a fake looking half-cracked smile. "If you call what I just saw a small "situation" you may be on to something." Nobody moved a muscle, disregarding his comment. Fado caught on quickly and went back to inspecting his shoes, smile dropping quickly.

Bo dropped his hand beside him. He'd admit, it had scared him something fierce when Link collapsed. But now was not the time to reflect. Now was the time for action, and it was time to keep the peace. Panic would literally tear the village apart. If even one villager was out, it would cost them all plenty. Bo put his hand down onto the sumo ring currently acting as a table. "Well… We need to find him, first of all."

Rusl perked up. This was his sort of thing. He had learned plenty about organizing search parties, and hunting parties for animals. He looked to Bo, a small pleading in his eyes. Bo met his gaze, his full of panic and fear. He kept his mask of calm so that things wouldn't all turn to worse, but he silently allowed Rusl to organize the parties, praying that he had made the right decision. Rusl could get a bit… passionate... about things when it came to friends or family.

Rusl placed his palms face down on the table. He seemed to grow five feet and take on a controlling aura as he took on leadership of the meeting. All the men shifted their gazes quickly to look at the man. He stared down Jaggle and Hanch dangerously, already preparing to assign jobs to each citizen. Hanch fidgeted more under his gaze, but Jaggle remained unaffected.

"Jaggle, Hanch, you'll be staying here." Hanch seemed to loose 1,000 pounds of tension from his shoulders, while Jaggle just crossed his arms. "Hanch," Rusl looked to the smaller man. "I want you to do research and find out anything you can about what happened." The man nodded, taking on his new job with pride. At least it was something he could do! Rusl continued on, ignoring the stares from all the others. "I think what happened would have to be some sort of possession. Ilia has a rather odd arrow from Link, talk to her about that."

"And you, Jaggle." The short man jumped a little when he was addressed. He looked at Rusl, determination in his eyes. There was no telling what sort of super important job he would get. "You'll be on lookout." The man slumped down a little, disappointed. Rusl kept talking, attempting to disregard his reaction. "I want you to check up on everyone..." Jaggle started to tune out. What was so exciting about that job? "And..." Jaggle perked up once more. Maybe there was a better side to this. "I want you to check out Link's house." Justice was served! The short man tried not to smile. This job just got a whole lot better...

"Finally, Bo, Fado, and I will split up and look for the wolf." Rusl's eyes darkened suddenly. "We are to capture it, no more, no less." Fado and Bo nodded, not needing any more instruction. Bo would probably go out weaponless and attempt to tackle the poor creature, and Fado would take too many weapons. Rusl, however, could cope with a sword, shield, and a bow. With a slight nod, Rusl dismissed the men to their jobs. The congregation dispersed quickly, except for one member.

"Dad..." Colin began, his voice shaky and weak. "What happened to Link?" The boy's father repressed a sigh. He knew this question would come sooner or later. The man dropped down to the child's eye level. "He's just a little mad today, that's all. We're gonna go find him and fix him up real fast." The young boy shuffled his feet, swinging his arms gently. "Can I help find him?" Rusl let out a small laugh, and raised to his full height. He ruffled the boy's hair gently while replying gently. "You're a tad young still, but come, you can help me pack."

-Hey! Listen!-

The cold air of twilight burned with a tang of sharpness as Link inhaled it sharply. The large wolf stretched his limbs farther than he thought possible, muscles bounding as he moved swiftly through the trees. Link narrowed his eyes as he skid past Faron Spring in a matter of seconds. That place used to be a safe haven for him. He might have stopped, even in the situation he was in, had he not a dire destination in mind. If he could get to Hyrule Field, he just had to backtrack and head back to the village, get the light arrow and explain everything without getting caught.

Link had no doubts that the village would set out after him as soon as possible. He remembered passing poor Epona on his way out of the village. She had simply watched him race by without a single explanation. The large wolf skid slightly on fallen leaves as he shifted slightly to stay on the path to Hyrule Field. He vividly remembered everything in these woods. The oil shop, the random caves, the poison gas... Even the Forest Temple was a point of nostalgia for him.

Link shook his head. If he was going to stay alive, he would have to keep his wits. Midna wasn't here, though it did feel a little better being the blue-eyed-beast at twilight. If he goofed up, there would be no one to heal him after he fell into lava, or fell off a cliff, or if he fell and drowned... Y'know, now that he thought about it, Link did a lot of falling.

No! Link yelled at himself. Stupid thinking like that would get him killed in no time. Link kept running, eyes squinting against the sharp and cold air. Hyrule field was just ahead. There were perks to being a wolf, and he was almost as fast as Epona when he sprinted with all his might. All Link knew was that the crystal was thrilled to be free. The young hero liked to think of it as a person. When he was human, the crystal was all scrunched up and uncomfortable, but when the hero transformed, the crystal got a chance to stretch out and use it's true power.

Link skid to a sudden halt at Hyrule Field. He hadn't even noticed that he crossed the bridge to get there... But he was stunned by what he saw.

Clouds had dispersed to make a fluffy layer of pinks and oranges layered onto a sky of light blues mixed with the dark purples and darker blues. The horizon was coated in a beautiful blend of orange and yellow to make the perfect seam to the very distant trees. The nature blocked off the sun's rays in a shadowy figure of blacks and greys. Never before had Link seen twilight look so fabulous before.

It was practically like Midna was trying to screech at Link from her realm to get his butt in gear. The wolf's ear twitched gently. The rest of the field was vacant. Most remaining monsters had fled after the twilight had fully receded, but the large brute had no doubt he wouldn't have trouble finding more monsters if he really looked for them now. He looked to woods quickly. He really did not want to deal with any monster today. Besides, if he lingered, he would probably get shot by an arrow from Rusl or something.

Link circled back around to catch his breath before diving back into the forest. He would have to take a different path to Ordon. If he took the same path, his prints would show his intent too well. Really, it was the only way. Link had the slight desire to go ask the princess for help, but unless she was doing something in public, there was no way the guards would let him get even a glance at her. Well... Not in wolf form, at least. Many of the guards knew who he was, and many of those even respected him, but if he was a wolf, there was no way.

Link jumped back into the woods. Branches dug into his fur, and the trees crowded in much thicker groups. Everything was so rough and sloppy. Leaves coated the ground messily, and the bushes rustled gently, spilling berries over the covered up grass and leaves. Not far to his left was the path. It was clear and trimmed, but still had a rustic and dirty feeling. It reminded him of his home town and how it was like a diamond in the rough.

Really, he hadn't meant to get so mad... It was just... They didn't understand. The twilight had been dangerous enough without the monsters. It turned people into spirits and darkened the land with no end in sight, but the added monsters didn't exactly help. Link could remember multiple times he had practically died when a fairy brought him back to life. All the loves and friendships he had gone through and witnessed had changed him. It had changed him a lot.

There were also the battles. He remembered the blood pouring out of his own wounds, many other monsters gushing what could be their own form of blood. He could remember chunks of flesh sticking to his sword as he pulled it from their limp bodies and wiped it on the grass. He remembered the visions and nightmares of horrible monsters tearing everything to the ground. He remembered the sting of venom and the feeling of numbness as death's hands took their grip. He remembered all the sickness, and a specific moment when he had lost it and Midna had to hold his hair back for him.

That was probably the worst moment of his entire journey. It was the night before he had the battle with Zant. He didn't know at the time the battle would be the next day, but it was. He had been setting up camp by a small river. He had been reflecting on his journey by the small trickle of water when the worst moments came up. Midna was able to hold a non-shadow form because it was about twilight, but she didn't notice the hero drifting off.

Innocent deaths, Ilia forgetting him, and even squeals of pain and agony from mindless enemies got to him. They didn't deserve it... The small and common ones. But those didn't bug him too much, no, it was the commanders behind it. They were the ones that had forced him to kill them. It was them... Not him...

The Diababa had been gruesome, and it was the first thing he had to face. It's eye had been soft like any eye, but it bounced back. Finally, the veins on the eye burst, exposing the insides as the plant's juices rushed forward. The plant reeled back, and the eye slid out of the monster, coated in what appeared to be blood and morphed into what Midna had been looking for.

The Morpheel was fleshy and soft, bouncing back like the eye from the Diababa until it became the large eel covered in rough spikes. Stabbing the eye was torturous. The final blow had released a jet of shadowy liquid into the water, and had been like stabbing your own leg. Link cringed as he pulled his sword free. He couldn't look anyone in the eyes for days. The eye had bled with the shadowy "blood" violently, exposing the innards of the eye, slimy and slick.

Poor Blizzeta had been hypnotized into her deeds. Link remembered her screams of pain and raw agony clearly from every single hit he made. And the damn spider...

That had been the worst. After it curled up into a ball, he thought it was over. Link could vividly remember the torn and flayed skin that lay scattered around the beast, it's vitala gushing out of it's side in a wet and bloody heap. Fats clung to the skin desperately in slimy strings, grabbing fruitlessly onto the layers of crimson muscles. Yellow and sticky slime coated the ground, a disgusting layer of bodily fluids from the monster.

The hero had turned away, sheathed his sword and prepared to leave when about twenty more little spiders crawled out of the beast. They were small and slimy, fur matted. With each one he killed, the room became more of a mess. When he was finished, the room smelled metallic and tainted with the distinct and rich scent of blood. It took all of the will Link had not to vomit there and then.

It was too much now. The flayed skin, the death, the gore... The torture others and himself especially had to endure... Link leaned over the small and gushing river, giving up the contents of his lunch. This managed to get Midna's attention, and she darted over as quickly as she could to hold his hair back from his face. Her form wavered slightly as twilight began to fade. "It's okay..." She whispered softly, patting the hero's back gently as he started to recover. "We'll be fine..."

Moral of the story: They didn't get it. The villagers simply didn't understand that every moment of Link's adventure was complete and total agony for him. When he returned, he refused to let go of a sword at all times. He still wore his hero's tunic and carried a sword and shield to this day. For the first time in his life, Link felt as alienated from his own village as he was from any random stranger. He didn't belong there, and he had experiences they didn't. It was just plain weird.

Link padded through the woods, making his way to the village, letting his thoughts drift to his journey. He missed Midna... If she was here, he might be a human again already. But she wasn't, so Link would have to settle for looking into the sunset and praying she could sense him.

A sudden snap broke the hero's train of thought. The wolf's head swung quickly to see what had been the cause of the noise, his ears perched high on his head. There, through just a few branches of coverage was Epona, and on her was Rusl perched on her proudly. He had stopped to look around, and to rest Epona for a moment.

Crap... The young hero's mind raced with two options in his mind. If Link moved, he would be heard immediately... But if he stayed put, he might get spotted. The best thing to do was probably to lay low and hope not to get spotted. It shouldn't be that hard. All he would have to do is lower his crouch and maybe shift his position. Link began to lower his crouch, and moved his feet slightly. A particularly slimy leaf slid dangerously under his foot. Link struggled to keep his balance, but he lost the battle.

With a loud thunk and the sounds of rustling leaves, the wolf tumbled onto his side roughly. Rusl's head snapped to look at him immediately. The man pulled out his bow with practiced efficiency. The young hero took note that the arrows were coated in a blue liquid that smelled odd. The wolf took no time in scrambling to his paws and bolting for Hyrule Field. If anywhere, that would be the best place to loose Rusl, right?

Epona reared up on two legs with a loud whinny. Link didn't need ears to feel her hoof beats on the ground behind him. Knowing there was no other way to get to the field in time, Link slid over to the path and pounded as fast as he could to the plains. Epona's hooves shook the ground gently with a rhythmic pounding behind wolf. Rusl was shouting something, but Link couldn't hear him. All he was focused on was not getting trampled.

Link could hear Epona getting closer and closer. His mind raced with fear as he moved faster than ever before. His wolf instincts kicked in, propelling him even farther. He had to get away! Kill or be killed! The field was just ahead, he could see it... The twilight had since retreated to darkness, but he could still see the horizon clearly illuminated in the dark.

He was almost there. He heard the taught string of a bow being released. He felt the biting sharpness of an arrow digging into his shoulder. The wolf's eyes drooped. His legs fell numb, and he crashed to the ground in a heap. darkness swarmed his vision. The humming of bees intruded his ears. It was so loud...

With that, the hero of all Hyrule gave in to the bliss of unconsciousness.

-Hey! Listen!-

3,200 words. Huh. Not bad at all...

Hahaha, cliffhang!

Before I go, I want to ask you all something important regarding how the story is being written. This chapter was written with larger chunks of text together. Do you prefer this, or the method I used in the previous chapter? I'm just curious what you like to look at more.

Much love, and I'll see you next Sunday.

-Kreignreign