Hey, all. Man, waiting two weeks was agitating, but my patience has paid off and I have a good idea of how things are standing.

Disappointed by the low number of reviews (thank you to tetraforce theory and my beta-reader Scarlet Curls, by the way), but I expected as much since it was the very first chapter and I have yet to truly show this story's potential. A special thank you as well to those wonderful few who are following so far. Any feedback you have on this story is greatly appreciated as it can influence the quality of the pending chapters.

Recently I started reading an article series from ZeldaInformer about some flaws identified in the original game's plot. I loved the game to bits but I couldn't help agreeing with some of the points made out. I suppose it is a good thing I'm doing this and is probably the key reason so many of us fans are writing stories. While I already had a good idea on what I wanted to do throughout this story, the articles have given me some additional ideas to improve various elements, so I also thank ZeldaInformer for their critical insight.

I should also mention that I've rated this story M for a reason and have updated the summary to advise readers on the content. If you are under sixteen, please consult your parents before reading this story; or don't if you are a disobedient rebel, I can't stop you.

Chapter 2: Just an Everyday Goatherd?

Dark clouds consumed the sky, permitting only veins of soft golden light to pass through. The thick cloak of foreboding twilight hung over the blackened land with an unrelenting grasp, locking the world in an eerie stillness. There was no life to be seen in any direction. No animals. No vegetation. Not even grass. Everything was so barren. It was cold as well, so unsettlingly cold. A sense of dread crawled its way down Link's spine. His breath became short and panicked but he wasn't sure why.

An ill feeling made him turn, where he laid eyes on a shadowy figure towering behind him. At first glance it looked like a demon, but something told Link that the man-shaped entity was something far worse. Armour black as the darkest void encased powerful muscle like an impenetrable hide of scales. The being was taller than him by half of his height, forcing Link to crane his neck to see its head. Cruel, golden eyes bore down at him with a malevolence that made the boy's heart stop. There was no escape from the power they exuded. It was as though they demanded absolute dominance with no hope for compromise.

The fiend lifted one gauntleted hand, wielding a luminous long-sword with incredible ease. The blade rose above its master's head, its unforgiving edge trained straight at Link. Fear froze him in place, preventing him from even contemplating fleeing. The sword and shield he held became heavy. He couldn't move. He couldn't even scream as the sword of light descended upon him. Before the weapon made contact, a voice sliced through the terrible silence.

"LINK!"

Link's eyes flew open as fast as lightning, accompanied by a short scream escaping his lips. His breathing was rapid and his heart pounding madly inside his chest. It took him a few seconds to realise he was lying in his bed, drenched in cold sweat. He sat up and looked around his circular house, lit up by the morning sun raining gently through the skylight. Nothing was out of place. Link ran a trembling hand through his hair as he tried to calm himself.

It was just a nightmare, he told himself. He was home. He was safe. There was nothing here or anywhere trying to end his life. Slowly but surely, the beating against his ribs receded to a normal pace and he was able to think reasonably again. It was just a nightmare.

But was it really, though? Link knew he had been dreaming, yet the scene that had played before him was so vivid. He could still remember the unnatural silence all too clearly. The golden eyes he had seen continued to glare at him inside in his mind in great detail. And the cold... He was pretty sure you couldn't feel temperature inside a dream. It felt more like a memory than anything else; there was no other way to describe it.

Though what was it he had just seen? Something terrible had been leering down at him, trying to cleave him in two as if he was just a simple block of firewood. Link wrapped his arms around his chest, hands gripping his arms tightly. Something deep inside of him believed the dream was warning him of danger, but what was it and what did any of it mean?

"LIIIIIIIINK!"

The shout jolted Link out of his thoughts. He looked towards the window where the bright morning sun spilled in. Throwing off the dampened sheets, Link stood and walked over to it, recognising the voice before he saw its owner. Outside he saw Fado staring upwards. As soon as the other villager spotted him, he waved.

"Hey Link, ye mind helpin' me out with the goats?" Fado cried. "They're real skittish and haven't been listenin' to me lately."

"Sure thing," he shouted back. "I'll be down in a second."

Fado nodded in acknowledgement as Link hummed to himself. In the last few days, he and the other villagers had noticed a disturbing change in the farm animals. They became nervous, never staying in one spot for longer than three seconds. Some had refused to eat and at least two of the goats had started acting unusually aggressive. Even the forest animals were behaving oddly. It seemed that many of them have disappeared, making hunting more difficult. The biggest concern was the monkeys native to the Faron Woods, who recently started coming into the village to cause mischief. Everyone believed it had to do with the weather or something, though no one had ever heard of such a thing occurring before. Link hadn't put too much thought into it himself. He had been too busy trying to keep the animals in check and stop them from running off.

Link turned away from the window to get dressed. The pants he was wearing would do for now, creased as they were. He opened a chest at the foot of his bed and picked out a new shirt, sleeveless and pure white. The next garment was a blue rough-spun kilt that was part of the traditional clothing in Ordon. The purpose of the tough man-skirts was to protect the farmers' clothes from the thorny brambles that were common around their forest home.

Link tied this around his waist tightly then picked out a sleeve of green fabric that went onto his upper arm, marking him as an apprentice swordsman. When he completed his training, he would receive another one for the other arm, like his father wore. Link then kicked his feet into a pair of sandals and he was ready to go.

Brushing his bedhead down as best as he could, he walked down the stairs to the first landing, where the living room shared space with the kitchen. Since the goats were acting up and Fado was waiting at his door, Link opted to forego breakfast against his belly's protests. He exited the house and descended the ladder to meet his friend at ground level.

Fado stood a great deal taller than Link and was broader in most places, including his exceptionally wide nose. The man's bare arms were ripped with large muscles, strong enough to heave a full barrel onto his shoulder with little effort. A similar sleeveless white shirt to Link's stretched across the other man's torso, while a multi-layered kilt covered his legs. In contrast to his intimidating size, the goatherd's face and speech were both soft and friendly.

"Thanks, bud," he said, scratching at his close-cropped brown hair. "Sorry about wakin' y'all this early, but I'm kinda desperate here."

"Don't worry about it. I just woke up anyway" Link replied with a forced smile.

Fado grinned appreciatively then turned his gaze away and frowned. "Hey, where's Epona?"

Blinking, Link spun around to find the stable empty and his red mare nowhere to be seen. Even though Link never locked her in, Epona was exceptionally well-trained so it was atypical of her to wonder off on her own. The lad sighed and shook his head. "Ilia's probably taken her again. I'll go find her and meet you at the ranch."

Fado nodded. "Sure thin'. I'll see y'all there."

It didn't faze Link much that his horse had been taken. Ilia had held a deep fondness for Epona ever since she was little, and had developed a tendency to 'borrow' her whenever Link wasn't looking. Usually when this happened, she took Epona to the Spring of Ordona to wash her. Link didn't mind this too much as he wasn't as good at remembering to groom Epona himself regularly, which annoyed Ilia. It wasn't that he didn't care about his horse, he did so very much. However, with all the tasks Link had to complete each day, including his work at the ranch, tending to the crops and training with his father, it was easy for simple things like keeping Epona clean to slip his mind. Letting Ilia's antics go on merely saved him a bit of hassle.

A short walk from his house later and the village spring was exactly where he found the illusive mare. Epona stood perfectly still in the ankle-deep water as Ilia rubbed a wet towel against her flank. Beside her feet, a bucket rested on its side and rolled slightly in the gentle flow. The girl was completely absorbed in her work, gazing at the horse with a soft smile and dreamy eyes. The corners of Link's mouth turned upwards from watching her. Epona was the first to acknowledge him, greeting her master with a low whinny. The sound roused Ilia from her trance and made her turn towards Link as he walked up to her, meeting him with a wider smile.

"Morning, Link. Sorry about taking Epona. I was going to give her back before you had to start work."

He noticed that her clothes were soaked, allowing him to see the faint outline of her underclothes. Link quickly averted his gaze and tried to focus on the altar standing at the back of the pool. Positioned on the tall stone plinth was a goat's head carved from horn staring at the adolescents with blank eyes. The statuette was dedicated to the spirit believed to dwell in the spring, and gave Link the feeling that they weren't without an audience. It seemed a bit superstitious, but it was enough to deter the young hylian from certain temptations.

"It's okay," Link replied, blushing. "But I kind of need Epona right now. Fado's having trouble with the goats again and needs me to give him a hand."

The girl nodded. As he collected Epona's saddle from the bank and strapped it to the animal's back, Ilia's mouth opened then snapped shut. Now wasn't a good time. Link tugged at the leather reins and turned Epona towards the track. If the young hylian had looked back, he would have seen the dejected green eyes trained on him, wishing that he would stay.

When Link arrived at the ranch with Epona, things were a greater mess than he had expected. Normally Fado would let the goats out of the barn in the morning and lead them to the field to graze. Today, however, the animals seemed to have other ideas. Twenty beasts wandered around aimlessly, each with shaggy, grey hair and two long horns that curled inward to conjoin in an oval shape above the head. Whenever Fado came near one to try and catch it, the goat would dart away. The fourth goat didn't take kindly to being chased and turned on the farmer with a wild fury.

Link gave Epona's reins a flick and rode in to drive off the maddened buck. While it would charge at a man standing on his own two feet, it cowered away from the approaching horse just as easily as the others. Link didn't fully understand it, but there was something about Epona that demanded respect from the smaller creatures. Whether it was her imposing bulk or her hooves as large as a man's head or something else entirely, it did not matter. With her around, controlling the goats was much simpler.

Riding fast on Epona's back; feeling the wind ripping through his hair; it made Link feel alive. He leaned forward and snapped the reins over and over eagerly, urging her to accelerate. Epona was more than happy to comply, galloping as fast as her powerful legs could move. Adrenaline coursed through Link's veins and heightened his senses. The excitement built itself inside his core until he could no longer hold in the pressure. Link took a deep breath and whooped at the goats as loud as he pleased.

The noise drove the beasts harder, now moving together like a flowing river through the shallow mountains of Ordona. A few moaned in alarm. Others tried to break away from the herd. Link altered his course to cut the runners off and push them back in line with curt shout. This was what Link did most every day, but he enjoyed it then just as much as he had when he first started working with Fado. To able to go as fast as he wanted; to do whatever he felt like; to be able to live entirely in the moment; that was the very definition of freedom for Link. There were few other things he would rather being doing right now. He wouldn't give any of this up for the world.

It was too soon when the goats began filing into the grazing field. As soon as the last one was through, Fado raced up and shut the gate behind it as quickly as he could. The short chase had given the goats an appetite and many had begun to nibble at the grass where they stood. Link reached forward and rewarded his faithful steed with a pat on the neck. Epona nickered in contentment before lowering her head to feast as well. Link hopped down from the saddle and walked over to meet Fado stroking the back of one of the smaller does.

"Thanks for the help today, bud," the big man grinned. "Sorry about draggin' y'all out of bed so early."

Link shrugged and gave a reassuring smile. "No problem. I think the only one who loves chasing goats more than me is Epona."

Fado chuckled in response then turned to watch the herd solemnly. "Jus' wish we could work out what's botherin' the critters. Feels like they know somethin' we don't, ye know?"

His partner nodded. "Sort of. Epona's been acting a little odd too. She's always looking around as if she's expecting something bad to happen. She also follows me when we're out in the woods without me telling her to. It's like she's trying to protect me or something."

"Well, she sure is loyal," Fado smiled half-heartedly. His hand dipped into his pocket and re-emerged with four red crystals. He passed them over to Link.

"You don't usually pay me until the end of the week," the youth said.

"After this I figured ye deserved it a bit early," Fado answered.

Each of the multifaceted jewels was hexagonal in shape and weighed about the same as a cucco egg. They were called rupees, and were the currency used in many kingdoms including Hyrule. They also came in different colours. Green ones had the lowest value. Blue rupees were worth five greens, and yellow ones were worth ten. The red crystals were worth twenty rupees, and purples were fifty. There were also orange, silver and gold rupees that were worth far more, but those were hard to come by and only the very rich in Castle Town had and used them.

"Hey, how about y'all take the rest of the day off. Now that the goats have calmed down some, I can take it from here."

Link beamed at that. "Seriously? Wow, thanks Fado." It wasn't common for Link to get to slack off that much, and this would give him a chance to prepare for his trip, which reminded him. "Oh hey, my dad asked me to go to Castle Town with him last night. Don't know yet when we're leaving, but I won't be here to help out for a couple of days. Is that okay with you?"

The goatherd made a gesture with his hand. "Aye, no worries. I can try to get the mayor to help out if I get any more trouble. If not, I'll jus' have to hurry up and fix that gate," he said, referring to the main gate that separated the ranch from the village. A few days ago a couple of the goats rammed at it in a desperate attempt to escape and broke it before he and Link could drive them off.

"Hey Link, how about I set up the fences for a bit of jumpin' before ye go?"

At the word 'jumping', Epona raised her head to the two men. Link chuckled as her ears twitched in anticipation. "Sure, that'd be great."

Within ten minutes, both ranchers had a series of short wooden fences erected all over the place. One of Link's other favourite pastimes was guiding Epona through the short obstacle course a few times, occasionally aiming to beat a personal record. This time, however, they went at a leisurely pace, particularly since Ilia recently gave him an earful for nearly hurting the horse with a badly angled jump. Epona hadn't been affected by the near miss in any negative way, though Link had this odd sense that she was miffed at herself for the minor failure. Once he had his fill, Link waved Fado goodbye and rode off for home, eager to sate the hungry growls of his stomach.

Link was feeling much better after a hot omelette breakfast and a mug of fresh milk to wash it down. As soon as he had washed the dirty dishes and cleared them away, he began combing the house for things he would need for his journey. Obviously he should have some spare clothes with him, and some foodstuff for the road wouldn't hurt either. There was also the chance that they might have to camp overnight if they didn't reach the capital before nightfall, so Link grabbed a blanket just in case. A flint would also be essential if a warm fire was ever needed. All of these went into a knapsack on his bed, except for the blanket. Link would have to remember to tie that onto Epona's saddle when they left.

He had almost managed to get the bloated bag to close when a piercing shout startled him. "Hey, Link!" The hide flap sprang open again and Link groaned at the wasted effort. He walked over to the window to see who was calling him.

Four young children stood in the clearing. At the centre was Talo wearing a red bandana over his messy brunette hair, eyes round with youthful confidence. Beside him, his younger brother Malo reached as tall as his shoulder, aided in the last few inches by the blue ribbon atop his chubby head. Beth, holding her hands on her hips, was a year younger than Talo and stood at his opposite side. Colin hung at the back of the group with his hands held together shyly at his front. The youngsters all stared up at the house, waiting for an answer.

Seeing Link's face, Talo cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted again. "Hey, Link! Come on, there's something we want to tell you!"

Talo was clearly excited about whatever news he had, though that was the only real clue he had. Malo's apathetic face bore so little emotion most of the time that it was disturbing for someone his age. Beth's heavy-lidded eyes and small, superior smirk only hinted at her amusement towards Talo's bursting energy. From Colin, Link could get nothing. His brother kept his gaze low as usual.

Link waved back a response and abandoned his packing to meet the kids outside, wondering what the matter was. "Hey, guys. What's up?" he asked them once his foot touched the grass.

"Link, guess what?" Talo chimed, his voice breaking slightly as he reached the early stages of puberty. "Beth's mom is selling a slingshot at her shop. A slingshot!" Link grinned as the boy waved his arms about animatedly. He remembered Fado once having a slingshot in their younger days and could understand the boy's excitement.

"What's so special about a stupid slingshot?" Colin mumbled. He was so quiet it was a surprise that anyone heard him. Talo shot back a look through the corner of his eye but otherwise ignored him. He then looked back to Link again.

"We saw it earlier and it was so cool! I wish I had one."

Beth crossed her arms with a short huff. "Talo, if you want it so badly then why don't you just buy it?" The boy turned to her.

"I can't afford something like that," he whined irritably. "Our allowances suck. I'd never get that kind of cash in a million years.

"It's true..." Malo grumbled softly. "We'd make more money cutting grass than with what our parents give us..."

"Come on, Beth. Can't you just let me borrow it for a little while?" Talo pleaded. The girl's face contorted into a frown.

"You know I'd get in trouble for that!" she said crossly. "Save up your rupees if you really want it. You earn enough to buy my dad's honeycomb every week."

Talo fell to his knees in front of her. "Please Beth, I'm begging you. I'll do anything. I'll do your chores. I'll pick you those berries you like. I'll eat a bug!"

"You'd eat a bug anyway," Malo remarked, the faintest of smirks appearing on his lips.

His brother twisted to him bearing a hot glare and even hotter cheeks. "No one asked you."

Meanwhile Link exchanged a look with Colin, neither believing what they were hearing. "Do you know how much it costs?" he asked him in a hushed tone. His little brother nodded.

"It's thirty rupees," he whispered back. "Why?"

"I think the only way Talo's going to lay off is if I buy it for him. Otherwise he might eat a whole ant's nest like last time." They shared a grin. As Link was about to slip away, Colin grabbed at his shirt.

"I finished the fishing rods I was making last night," the boy told him. "I didn't bring them because I didn't want Talo getting at them." Link nodded. Although they were supposed to be friends, Talo sometimes acted like a bully towards Colin. He had a bad habit of taking the younger boy's things without asking and was rarely gentle with them, giving valid reason for the concern.

"Fado gave me the day off today, so we can try them out later if you want." Colin smiled at the proposal, his soft blue eyes sparkling brightly at his big brother. Link ruffled the lad's hair fondly and took off while Talo continued his ineffective grovelling.

Link walked to the village store with his head deep in thought. Thirty rupees was close to half the pay he had earned that morning, even with the extra amount Fado gave him. He was going to have to break his budget a little this week, but it would feel good to do something nice for the kids. Because he was older than them, they all sort of looked up to him, not that he really felt he deserved it. They'd often follow him around like ducklings and that made him feel self-conscious, especially whenever he was practicing his swordplay, something Talo and Beth loved watching the most.

He was about to turn towards the shop when he saw something odd. Over by Fado's house he could see Beth's father, Hanch, throwing rocks high into a tree. Not far away, his mother stood staring up at the leaves with worry on her face. Link followed the last stone's trajectory and saw that the man was aiming at a monkey hanging from one of the upper branches, none of them managing to hit their target. In its hand-like feet was a baby's cradle that it used to taunt the villager. Perplexed, Link made his way over to investigate.

"What's going on?" Hanch stopped his assault and turned his gaunt face to the young man.

"Oh, mornin' Link. Uli lost her cradle earlier and I found that little chimp scamperin' around with it. Been tryin' to get it to drop the thing but I can't hit it." Link looked to his mother questioningly.

"I took my eyes off it for one second," she said. "Next I looked, it was gone. I need that cradle back, Link. I've had it since you were little."

"Almost got it," Hanch growled, heaving the next rock as hard as his scrawny arm could throw. The projectile reached higher than any of the previous yet just barely missed. The monkey blew a raspberry and screeched with laughter.

Uli moved closer to the tree out of the line of Hanch's rocks, ready to catch the basket when it fell. The next shot appeared as though it would land, but instead it struck a nearby bees' nest hard. The nest cracked open on impact, spilling out an angry swarm darting towards their attacker, as well as an unfortunate Link standing beside him. Both men jumped and ran the other way screaming at the top of their voices. Link's fitness helped to keep him ahead of Hanch, who suffered the full wrath of the stinging insects. One after the other, they dived into the lake and swam as far down as possible. Link's lung burned for air with increasing intensity as he waited for the swarm to give up the chase.

When he could no longer stand the agony in his chest, Link surfaced and sucked in all the fresh air his body could hold. Thankfully there was not a single bee left in sight. Next to him, Hanch was floundering around with painful red welts covering his face and arms. The man complained non-stop as they paddled to the shore where Uli waited for them worriedly. When Link hauled himself onto dry land, his mother bent down on one knee to check him over. "Are you okay, Link? Did you get stung anywhere?"

Link gently pushed her hands away. "Mom, I'm fine. Luckily I can run faster than Hanch." He grinned to show her he was truly alright. It pleased him to see that she was unharmed as well.

At Uli's suggestion, Hanch sauntered off to Jaggle's house at the flourmill. Hopefully Pergie would have some ointment for his stings. That left Link and his mother alone to think about what to do next. Rocks weren't going to do it anymore; that was for certain. Link didn't want to risk hitting the nest again. The monkey continued to tease them, passing the basket nimbly from one paw to the other. An idea suddenly popped itself into Link's head. He turned away from the pesky animal and walked towards the shop. Uli asked what he was doing but he only told her that he would be back in a minute.

As Link stepped through the door he almost tripped over Beth's cat on its way out. The walls of the front room were covered floor to ceiling with timber shelves stocked with various goods. Herbs and cheese wheels, wooden bowls and cutlery sets, bait and rope, the store had virtually everything the villagers could need, as well as any travellers passing by. Sitting behind the counter was Sera, smiling at him warm and welcoming.

"Hello, Link. How are you? You haven't seen my husband around have you? Sent him out to collect the milk from Fado but he hasn't come back yet."

Link chuckled lightly and told her of Hanch's misfortune with the bees. Sera rolled her eyes wearily. "Goddesses, that man is about as bright as a cucco and half as useful... Well, what can I do for you today, dear?"

The youth pointed towards the middle shelf behind her, to the three-pronged wooden object propped up against the wall. "I was hoping I could buy that."

Sera looked at the item in bafflement. "The slingshot? I thought you'd be a bit old for that sort of thing... But it's thirty rupees if you really want it." Link fished out a red crystal and two blues and placed them onto the counter. Sera swiped them up in one motion and replaced the gems with his purchase. "Now take care with that," she warned. "A shot from that can sting something awful. Don't go aiming it at people or breakables." He nodded and thanked her before leaving.

When he returned to where he left his mother, Link saw that their friend Jaggle was trying to retrieve her stolen cradle. The stout, burly farmer called at the monkey as he held out a ripe, red apple in his open hand. The creature wasn't the least bit interested and sat in the tree with the wicker frame held above its head. "Bah!" he said at last. "Sorry, Uli. Thought that'd work."

"It's okay, Jaggle. Thank you for trying," the woman replied sadly. She heard Link approach from behind and eyed the slingshot in his grasp with curiosity.

Link scanned the ground and plucked up a small pebble, just the right size to load onto the leather sling. He raised the toy and lined the shot carefully. His grip tightened on the handle as he stretched the strap back as far as it could go. Muttering a quick apology in advance, he let the strap loose. With a snap and a faint hissing sound, the pebble rocketed into the air and smacked the monkey square in its fuzzy, grey stomach. It shrieked loudly in pain and dropped the cradle to the trio's delight.

Uli quickly picked up the object and checked it over for any damage, pleased to find none. "Oh thank you, Link." She pulled him into a tight embrace. "I thought I was never going to get this back."

"You're welcome," he grinned, watching the monkey scurry away.

"Good thinking with that slingshot," Jaggle praised him, giving Link a hearty clap on the back. "You know, my kid Talo was pestering me all morning for me to get that for him. Nothing but persistent, he is. Malo's just as bad but at least he's more quiet about it."

Link freed himself from his mother's hug and turned to him. "I was just about to take it to him. I bet he's driving Beth insane by now."

Jaggle chuckled. His features became even rougher than usual as he smiled. "Thanks for that, then. I feel bad you're spending your money on my boys, though. If there's anything I can do to pay you back, you just tell me, alright?"

Link nodded. "Sure thing. I'll see you both later." He turned away and made for home again. Hopefully today wouldn't be filled with any more misadventures.

FORESHADOWING! (sorry, couldn't resist)

If you are new to the story and enjoying what you're reading, I'd like to ask a little favour if possible. Originally I posted this story with thoughts expressed without single quotation marks. While posting Chapter 37 I decided to change this for proper styling, and I'm going through old chapters to fix the issue where I see it. If you continue reading and see anyone thinking (this will be writing in italics) but doesn't have quotation marks were it should, could you write down the phrase in a review or private message so that I can find it later? Thanks. Every bit of support is appreciated.