I know I'm slow but I want this to be made with love. So bear with me.

I want to thank the two who reviewed henslight and nickyfullmetal for giving this story a chance. I'm very happy that you liked the first chapter. So here's the next one.

Chapter 2 – A fearful Glimpse

The shadows were rushing after her, huge and dark with dangerous long bloody teeth and claws. And she was running, as fast as her small legs would carry her away, deeper and deeper into the nothingness. In hope to escape the gurgling screams. But to no avail, she could run and turn and try to hide but they were everywhere.

Only as finally a light appeared and expelled all darkness around her, did her heartbeat slow down and her eyelids opened and closed a few times. The dreamtime was over, the nightmare stopped before it could have gotten a lot worse and her mind felt relieved that her body wasn't so heavy and bathed in cold sweat like many other times before. With a slow motion the little girl sat up, rubbing her eyes a bit clumsily to get rid of the sleep.

The sun was shining and smiled down at her in a loving way - taking the coldness of the night and throwing it so far away that Saria even forgot her dream and its scary story. Her dark blue eyes watched the green grass and her ears listened to the rustling of the leaves. Every morning seemed so wonderful to her. Giving her the feeling that the forest was singing her melody even if she didn't play along with her little wooden instrument. The morning…was the only time when she felt at ease.

Her ears peaked up. She had forgotten the stranger for a moment. The weird young man who could be Link's twin. Slowly, she turned around and stared at the entrance of the temple. The Kokiri knew he was still there, she could literally feel it. But was he awake already? Had his wound gotten any worse?

Maybe he was hungry?

Saria stood up and combed with her hand through her green locks. She should get food. He had to be hungry, she thought. And she wanted to have something in her hands when she got back to him. It would make it easier to talk with him, she guessed. The girl nodded to herself and started to climb down the vines, slowly and carefully at first until she jumped down as the gap between her and the ground was safe enough for her. She couldn't remember how long it had been since she had to smile like she did right now.

The thought was exciting and her limps were tingling. She would now go and get fruits, vegetables, nuts and herbs. But not only for her, but for someone else, too. Her voice hummed her melody happily as she reached the last few steps of the stairs. The time went by fast as she grabbed a few apples, carrots and nuts. She put the herbs into her small pocket, thinking of the tea she would make him to feel better. Hopefully he felt better than yesterday.

But still…the sight of the smoke which obviously came from him, made her thoughtful. This wasn't normal, whether for a Hylian or other living being in Hyrule, she thought. Even so, she was just too overwhelmed to even worry about that last night. He could be some kind of magician…or he had a curse, she reasoned, trying to understand the situation of the stranger. Or…she could just ask him, if there was the right moment. Maybe he would have the answer for all her questions.

With everything in her arms and pockets she walked back to the temple. Her feet moved slowly in a casual way at first, but in the end the little girl was nearly running through the maze and up the long stairs. She wanted to see his face again. She wanted to see his body. The sudden thought hit her like a stone, that maybe he was just a piece of her imagination. That her loneliness drove her crazy and made her see things which weren't real. But it felt like reality. It really did. How she carried him and his feather like body. How she bandaged his wounds. And how she watched his pale face which resembled Link's in every little detail…he wasn't just some piece of her imagination. He was real.

To climb up the vines was a difficult task with all the food in her arms. But after a few minutes of carefulness and patience she was finally there. Walking back into her familiar temple, which nearly cried in relief that its owner was back. The ears of the Kokiri peaked up; she listened closely in hope to hear something of her visitor. But it was quiet. She heard nothing.

The fear bit into her mind and her feet hurried back into the main room. But as she reached the place where he should rest, he wasn't there. Her breathing stopped abruptly and her eyes searched for any sign of where he could be. But the empty bowl next to the steps was the only thing which gave a hint that he really had been here. Awake. But how could he leave? How could he leave her just like that? She wanted to talk to him. She wanted to talk to someone so badly.

Her eyes watered slowly. And she hiccupped quietly. She wasn't a child anymore. She shouldn't cry anymore. But she felt how her heart gave a hurtful squeeze. He wasn't there anymore. He…

"Why are you crying, little girl?"

Saria jumped and her eyes widened. A cold breath tickled her left ear, the voice so deep, so playful as if it was making an amusing joke. And still something lingered in it which sent shivers done her spine, the small Kokiri gasped and let go of all her precious food. They rolled away mostly, the vegetables stayed close to her brown boots. The sage could hear the man behind her chuckle and just like that the presence behind her vanished.

Quickly, she turned around. Searching for the man with the scary sounding voice but there was nothing. As if he had disappeared in thin smoke. Again, she heard his laugh, echoing back from every corner. And how her heart beat in a fast rhythm, making her whole body shake like a leaf in the autumn wind. Suddenly her mature mind realized how stupid she had been, and her immature side rebelled that it was a decision made out of a sudden feeling.

But where was he?

"Did no one tell you, to never open the door for a stranger?"

His voice echoed back from right and left. Playing with her mind. Pushing her fears to the edge. But she had met all those nightmares already a long time ago and wouldn't be fooled so easily. He didn't know how old she really was. How mature her mind had gotten over all this years. She turned around, and slowly started, as relaxed as she could, to pick all the food up again.

"But you were hurt. I was taught to help someone who is in pain." She answered quietly.

Again his laughter could be heard but this time his form appeared no two meters away from her. In the shadows of the light of the fire, as if he was born from it like a phoenix out of ash. Her dark eyes stared at his glowing red ones. Her brain couldn't register how it was possible for him to have such an eye color. His pale skin glowed so white like the moon from last night. And his cold lips formed into a grin you wouldn't like to see.

"But what would you do, if…" His steps filled the room with noise.

It created a tension which was unbearable. His whole body moved in a relaxed way, his hands at his sides closed itself into fists and opened again. She stared at him quietly like a good child. Memorized by his weird ungraceful way of walking, how light he seemed to be. And how his eyes were twinkling, laughing about his own joke he seemed to have in mind. But no one would laugh along with him, because his whole presence was pressing any air out of you.

"…I hurt you?" He finished his sentence with a childish touch.

It really appeared to be that he believed she was a child. Of course, she thought. No one would think of her as something more. She picked a green apple up and held it out to him. A determined look mirrored on her round face. He stared her down with his ruby eyes. No emotion left his frame, he waited obviously for her reaction. A cry, a gasp but she wanted to be strong, she had to be.

"You wouldn't hurt me." Answered her light voice quietly.

He furrowed his brow and continued his watching. His lips stopped in their moving until he spoke again.

"Why wouldn't I?" His question appeared to be silly somehow, but it was in need to be asked.

"Because I helped you."

The pale man started to laugh and took the apple out of her hand roughly. The Kokiri winced at his impolite act and watched how he turned around. His shoulders shook with his laugh and he bit into the green apple before he turned to her, a bright scary grin on his pale lips.

"What makes you so sure that I wouldn't hurt you? Why I shouldn't destroy this little face of yours?"

Saria took a step back. His sudden change from joke to threat did scare her. But he wouldn't, he couldn't…she helped him. She did him no harm.

"What gives you the idea that I play by the rules? I'm a shadow! I have no rules!" He laughed loudly and threw the apple away. The fruit clashed onto the cold ground and splattered into pieces.

The little girl jumped and shuddered. A shadow? Her blue eyes widened. If he looked so much like Link than he had to be his shadow! But how was it possible that he was here. How could he be apart from his owner? Saria hugged herself and took one more step back. She didn't know what to do and her limbs felt suddenly so cold, her blood moved so slowly through her body. Her eyes blinked at the form of the stranger who still lingered not far away from her. He knew what he had done to her and it was easy to see that he liked it.

"You are now scared, little girl?" He took a step forward, amused by how Saria winced because of his movement.

"I'm not scared." Her voice betrayed her clearly and the Kokiri hated it for that.

"Well, well…who is scared of a mere shadow?" He took one step again.

This time the green haired girl reacted fast and walked backwards, trying to create a big gap between them. The stranger only chuckled quietly at her poor attempt. The Zoras were so much more of a challenge for him than she was. In front of him was nothing more than a stupid naïve child. He would have his fun torturing her, pushing her over the edge of sanity and finally letting her fall into the pool of madness and pain. He had time enough.

"What would you like, little girl?" He asked nicely. "Start with your body? Or should I break your mind first?"

The shadow was only able to catch her fearful glimpse. He could see in her dark blue eyes which fear lied beyond them. But then, the girl with the green hair, turned away without making a sound and ran. She ran as fast as she could. He heard how a heavy door fell back into its frame and he only laughed.

Oh what fun it would be.