Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or characters of these games including Link, the Kokiri, keatons, wolfos, Hyrule, Termina, et cetera. This story has been written for the fun of it, not for the sake of money.
Identities and personas of the characters such as Trey, Shadow, White Foot, Twiggy, Blaze, et cetera are all figments of my imagination.

Author's Notes: Mm. The only thing I have to say for myself is that I realize Link had to travel back in time briefly in order to do a portion of the Spirit Temple, but it proved a bit too complicated to incorporate, so…I guess, just pretend it never happened.
Also, I lowered the rating a point again, as I feel that I have not used swears as frequently as I originally thought I would.

-oOoOo-

Wolfos in Sheep's Clothing
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Chapter Twelve: Truth Buried in the Sands, Part 1

-oOoOo-

The sky was thick with heavy grey clouds by midday, and a cool, sharp wind was busy blowing across the barren land of Hyrule Field. Trey quickly shook himself as he felt a chill pass through his thick golden pelt, but continued on his journey despite the poor weather conditions. Tilting his head back slightly, he frowned at the sight of the clouds, and grumbled low in his throat in annoyance; it definitely looked as if it would rain soon.

"I think Link and I have both seen enough water to last us quite a while," Trey sourly thought, as he jogged along at a steady pace.

At the thought of Link, the keaton turned his gaze towards his friend, who was mounted upon that great beast—a "horse". He was trotting rather lethargically, almost carelessly, ahead of Trey. Over the past few weeks, while the keaton had accompanied Link on his quest, his weight had increased enough so that the sling could hardly keep him steady while riding. It was almost odd how Link could be riding so freely, what with the pressure of defeating Ganondorf looming over his head. "He must be tired," Trey thought, "What with all those 'temples' he's been visiting."

The duo had just travelled from Lake Hylia, where Link had entered and defeated the Water Temple. Trey on the other hand, like the rest of the temples he had visited, waited patiently outside for his friend to return. The sudden burst of water that filled the lake after Link had finished startled the keaton, as he had been pacing around the barren crater and was so overcome with the new abundance of water that he found himself submerged for a short while before surfacing and treading water. Without thinking, Trey shook his fur again, memories of swimming through the lake coming back to him. This gloomy weather didn't help much to clear those thoughts.

Link slowed down his pace briefly as the sight of Kakariko Village, not far away now, broke over the crest of the hill he was trekking. Trey jogged up ahead and paused next to Link and craned his neck backwards to see the Hylian's expression. At first, a small content smile had graced his lips, but as he scanned the horizon and looked towards Kakariko, his smile dissolved into a worried frown. His eyebrows were furrowed in thought, and his azure eyes were hard and serious.

Suddenly, Link snapped out of his concentrated state and turned his attention to Trey, gripping the reins of his horse tightly. "There's trouble in Kakariko!" He shouted concisely, before kicking the horse's sides and cantering off in the direction of the village. Startled, the keaton raced after him, feet flying over the dusty land.

Wind whipped through his pelt sharply as he pursued Link. Squinting his eyes in annoyance, Trey disregarded the sting of cool wind in his face. All that mattered now was heading towards that village, as Link seemed to be in a panic. Wondering what the matter could be, Trey hastily darted his eyes from the figure of Link and his horse to that of Kakariko Village. With every step, the sight of an orange-red glow, that lit the sky around the town, was more visible. Several thin trails of smoke were rising from the village compound in addition to this, and Trey realized in shock what was happening.

"Where there's smoke, there's fire." He thought as he picked up speed. As his paws drummed over the stone bridge leading to the village, Link had already began to run up the long and winding stairs, sword unsheathed and glimmering in the faint orange glow. Trey stopped briefly at the foot of the stairs to catch his breath before scaling the stairs to Kakariko.

Upon entering the normally peaceful town of Kakariko, Trey stopped in his tracks to both catch his breath and survey the situation before him. Tall, glowing flames leapt from the tops of buildings, licking and devouring everything in its path. They danced menacingly, eating away at the town and creating an inferno of Kakariko. Screams and wails from the townsfolk mixed in with the roar of the fire, producing a medley of agony and destruction. Trey pressed his long ears backwards, gritting his teeth in pain; he could never become accustomed to this noise, and pained him endlessly.

Frozen to the ground, Trey hastily turned his head side-to-side, searching over the panic-stricken townspeople, who were hurrying back and forth from house to house, wondering where Link could've run off to. However, this task was like finding a needle in a haystack, as Link had blended in with the noise and confusion. The keaton finally took off towards the overpowering heat. Blindly, he raced past townspeople, swerving and manoeuvring nimbly around the spontaneity of the village, keeping a sharp eye out for the unmistakable figure of his Hylian friend.

He reached the top of a small hill in no time, coughing and breathing heavily, as he scanned the burning village before him. Finally, he spotted the green-clothed figure of Link, who was standing in the centre of Kakariko, surrounded on nearly all sides by flame-engulfed buildings. Trey bounded down the hill again, never leaving his gaze off of his friends. He came to a sudden halt however as he observed Link more carefully; he seemed tense, for some or other reason. Trey watched as Link advanced towards an ordinary-looking well, gripping the hilt of the Master Sword firmly in his gloved hand. Unexpectedly, a deep violet coloured gaseous being sprouted from that ordinary-looking well. Trey stepped back in shock, watching in horror as it made its way towards Link.

Wasting no time, Trey sprinted back towards the centre of Kakariko, despite the effects of the smoke-filled air on his lungs. He arrived where Link had stood, just in time to see the massive evil being ramming straight into Link. The Hylian stood steady and courageous in the face of this threat, and brandished his sword heroically, swinging it with all his might directly at the foul creature. As the metal came in contact with the glowing, mauve being, the world seemed to pause for a split second. Link's attack had no affect on this thing, as it merely repelled the attack with a powerful wave of dark energy. It knocked back Link with a mighty force, unlike anything Trey had ever seen, and sent him colliding into a rock wall. A wave of energy remaining from the attack rippled off and hit Trey as well, although not nearly as powerful. The keaton could feel his skin prickle uneasily, having being swept in this dark, evil attack.

Trey did not even stop to see where the monstrosity that had sent Link flying slithered off to, as he impulsively sprinted towards the limp body of his friend. A heavy rain finally began to fall from the ominous clouds above, quenching some of the fire in the town. Trey's golden fur clung to his sides as he nudged Link's face with his nose. Fearing death for him, Trey struggled to find a vital sign when he heard a mysterious, deep voice from his right:

"Do not fear, keaton; he is merely unconscious." Trey snapped his head towards the voice, looking towards the speaker with large hazel eyes. The voice belonged to none other than that Hylian that had always seemed to follow Link on his journeys: A blue-clothed figure, Sheik. Over the past few weeks, Link and Trey had both met Sheik, as he proved to provide vital information for Link's quest. It seemed however that Sheik was never very fond of the keaton, as he had always been wary of Trey's very presence.

Kneeling down to inspect Link's limp body closer, Sheik muttered from beneath his face-cloth, "He will wake eventually. The creature from the well was far too powerful, even for the Chosen Hero to fight in such a circumstance. He will need more training and the completion of the Shadow Temple in order to defeat that dark being." His ruby eyes shifted towards the sopping, panting figure of Trey, piercing down any ill-intentions of the keaton's with a simple gaze. "Go. Do not worry for his health—he will be perfectly fine shortly." He seemed to hesitate for a moment before adding, "Take care of the villagers. I need to stay with the Hero of Time."

Trey, slightly winded from the mad sprint, stood still and uneasy as he gazed deep into Sheik's hard eyes. Finally, he nodded slowly and jogged away, into the charred ruins of Kakariko. The fire was quenched thanks to the sudden downpour, and all that remained were blacked, smoking buildings and grieving townspeople. Soot mixed in with rainwater and mud, and as Trey walked through the town, his paws soon became blacked and grimy.

He trusted Sheik with Link, but was still concerned for the well-being of his friend. Sheik was a vague, mysterious Hylian, and the keaton had a hard time reading him. Nonetheless, his actions did not seem harmful; neither did his demeanour, no matter how baffling. Trey padded towards some Kakariko Village children, who were weeping softly, scared and confused. He came to comfort them, knowing that he had to adhere to Sheik's request, but also to his emotions and compassion for this town. Until Link woke from his unconscious state, he would have to help out these people in what little way he could.

-oOoOo-

The raging inferno that washed Kakariko in a panic had subsided, and all that was left was the quiet, pained aftermath. The rains had stopped some time ago, and all that was left were the blackened remains of the Village. A cool wind swept over the town, quite a relief from the overwhelming heat of fire. People huddled and talked, discussing the rebuilding of Kakariko. These mumbled, tired voices were the first thing Link heard when he came to his senses.

Eyes fluttering slowly open, he grasped at his head in pain, straining to remember where he was last. After a second of adjusting to the light and regaining his thoughts, he tried to snap upright from where he was lying in the floor, suddenly in a panic. A firm hand, however, pushed down on his chest, followed by a familiar voice:

"Don't."

Instantly Link turned to look at the speaker. "Sheik!" He exclaimed, "Where did it go? Where is the creature from the well? I need to stop it!"

Sheik shook his head slowly. "You'll be doing no such thing at this time. That being was more powerful than you could ever withstand now. You'll have to complete the Shadow Temple first."

Despite Sheik's protest, Link sat upright slowly from his spot on the ground. Passively, he noted that he had been moved from the rock wall to a spot underneath a cloth canopy, to where the rains had not gotten him. "Shadow Temple? Does this mean you'll give me directions and teach me a new song?"

Sheik nodded. "Yes, hero. Of course, there is something more you need before entering the temple."

From a distance away, Trey lay on the ground, ears drooped tiredly. He had done a fantastic job of keeping the young children spirited and occupied for some time, in order to calm them while their parents discussed matters privately. His ears perked up at the sound of familiar voices, however. Suddenly recognizing those sounds, he gathered himself up and headed towards them. Sheik was discussing something with someone. Joyously, Trey noticed that it was none other than Link, as he happily jogged over to meet his friend.

Link turned his head to the side and smiled at the reunion with Trey. Sheik on the other hand seemed nonchalant and unfazed at this. However, he did note Trey's presence with a, "I've always been cautious of his keaton friend of your's, Link. Some animals in this time have a reputation of being spies for Lord Ganondorf. I wasn't too thrilled about how he accompanied you all across Hyrule. However," He turned his gaze to Trey, "I suppose I was mistaken. He seems to be trustworthy and definitely truly loyal to you. Nevertheless, I have my speculations."

Link grinned and ruffled the fur on top of the keaton's head before Sheik continued.

"Are you aware of what you have to do, Hero of Time?" Having an affirmative nod from Link made Sheik finish, "Good. Now, get out your ocarina; I will teach you the Nocturne of Shadows."

-oOoOo-

A wave of serenity, and a tinge of boredom, washed over Trey as he sat placidly, tails wrapped across his forepaws. He took in a deep breath of cool, misty air and exhaled it slowly. Link was once again adventuring through a complex temple, determined to defeat the gaseous being that reeled him backwards in Kakariko. The keaton couldn't blame him. He had been in there awhile, and Trey was beginning to wonder how puzzling this particular temple really was.

Yawning widely, the keaton stretched his muscles out and shook his fur involuntarily. He stepped outwards, looking over the view of the Kakariko Graveyard. Although slightly eerie and melancholy, this view of the silent headstones was actually quite tranquil, especially with the surrounding clouds of mist to muffle out any sound. As the keaton poked his head out over the edge of the alcove in the rock, he couldn't help associating the tombstones with his own anxious thoughts of his old pack: Where were they now? Were they alive? Ill? Dead?

Trey sighed softly. Throughout his adventures with Link, he had not helped but recall memories of his old wolfos pack. Somewhere, deep inside of him, he longed to see all the old, familiar faces he had grown up with: White Foot, Shadow, Twiggy, Sandy, and even Blaze and Blizzard. He had to keep reminding himself that he was exiled, and could no longer return to the forest, no matter how much he missed his family, friends, and home. Kakariko's fire had rung a bell in Trey's mind, reminding him of an old haunting dream of the Lost Woods burning, with his whole pack suffering the consequences. This only added to his worry, as he had no way of knowing what had happened, if this had actually occurred or not.

A faint sound pierced the still, hanging silence of the graveyard. Instantly Trey perked up, his ears rising attentively. After moments of straining to pinpoint the sound and to identify just what it was exactly, he came to realization that it must be the flapping of wings. Craning his head backwards, he gaped towards the grey skies. Sure enough, the silhouette of a mammoth bird against the clouds was clear as day. Trey inspected hastily, and when deciding he could trust it, he barked excitedly. The body of the bird had reminded him of Kaepora Gaebora, the wise, old owl from the forest. But surely, this couldn't be him.

The bird heard his barks and began to swoop downwards to meet him. A gust of wind met Trey's face as he perched down onto an old branch protruding from a crack in the wall. As he opened his bright chocolate eyes, Trey gasped in shock as he beheld the large bird in front of him.

Indeed, it was an owl like he had initially thought, but what had Trey floored by disbelief and joy, was that he had once known this owl. "Kaepora Gaebora?!" He shouted, incredulous. Here he was just thinking of the forest, and look who arrived! "Is that really you?"

The burly old owl hooted, amused, and seemed to smile. "Good heavens, I could say the same for you. Trey, is it?" The keaton nodded, enthusiasm building by the second. "Even through the mist and thin clouds, I could not mistake the sight of golden fur; your coat shines like sunlight after a storm."

Trey grinned. "It is so refreshing to see you again, Kaepora! It's been too long since I've seen anything that belongs to my old life."

Kaepora Gaebora turned his head upside-down. "Yes, and it's been too long since I've seen a keaton in Hyrule. Where have you been this entire time?"

"After I was exiled, I lived off of the Hylians' carelessness, at a ranch." Then, thinking of Kaepora's previous statement, added, "Wait, what do you mean 'it's been too long since you've seen a keaton in Hyrule'? What's happened since my absence?"

The excitement that had surrounded this jubilant reunion quickly dissipated into a very serious, solemn mood as the old owl's features hardened. "Much has happened since you left, Trey. The Deku Scrubs that your pack was so intent on stopping proved to be an even stronger force that than what was originally thought. Even with the addition of Boar, they multiplied and took over the entire Lost Woods." He paused briefly. "Soon afterwards, Ganondorf seized power in Hyrule, and sent his minions everywhere—the Lost Woods became a wreck, and many of the creatures living there were forced to flee. Keatons were one of many, and the majority of all keatons fled to Termina to join the other packs."

Trey, stunned, nearly struggled to find his tongue. "And what of my old pack? White Foot? Shadow?"

Kaepora Gaebora flipped his head right-side-up and looked uneasy. "…Your father has not seen me until that time before you left the woods. As for the fate of your pack, that I know not; I was forced to attend some pressing business in Termina. When I returned to Hyrule some few years ago, I found the Lost Woods a total wasteland and your pack…gone."

The world seemed to spin for a moment, and Trey had to find his footing briefly before pushing away pressing thoughts in his mind in order to communicate clearly to the owl. He swallowed an uncomfortable bile in his throat before speaking, "Do you think…Do you think they're alive?"

The great owl thought for a moment. "It is possible. I know Blaze and Blizzard to be smart, and would never worthlessly sacrifice the pack to some doom. They could've migrated to a new home in Termina, or Hyrule even. But as for where, that I do not know."

Nodding, Trey tried to conjure up positive thoughts on the whereabouts of his pack. "Yes, yes, I think you're right. They wouldn't knowingly walk into danger, especially when it was right up in front of them."

Kaepora Gaebora took this opportunity to change the subject slightly, "And what of yourself? How in the world…How did you ever end up here?"

Trey opened his mouth to speak, when a deep voice from behind shook him out of his concentrated state. "Hazel? Kaepora Gaebora?"

The keaton spun around, nougat eyes wide and alert. It was Link speaking. He sheathed his sword behind him as he stepped towards the two creatures. His tunic torn slightly, and his skin bruised and scratched, he appeared to have just completed the Shadow Temple. Trey barked a greeting to Link, who friendlily scratched the keaton behind the ears to return the greeting.

Kaepora Gaebora shot an astonished gaze at Trey, who sheepishly smiled and shrugged briefly.

"Hello, Kaepora Gaebora," Link greeted, turning to the massive owl perched just a little ways away from him. "Is there something I need to know about the next temple?"

Shaking his astonishment off, Kaepora appeared to nod. "Why, yes, actually. I came to congratulate you on defeating Ganondorf's minions, and also to tell you where the last temple is located: you will find it buried deep in the swirling sands of Gerudo Valley. As for how to get there, you'll have to inquire with the Gerudo women. Now, they are a distrusting people, ever since Ganondorf's rein over Hyrule, so you'll have to gain their respect somehow before acquiring any information you need." Link nodded in understanding at this.

A short pause followed this before Kaepora Gaebora finished up, "Well, that's all there is to be said. Again, well done, Link; you have done Hyrule proud. Soon you will be ready to face Ganondorf once and for all. Good luck, Hero of Time." With that, Kaepora Gaebora took flight again, but not before giving Trey another look; the two creatures would not know if they would ever see each other again.

-oOoOo-

'…You will find it buried deep in the swirling sands of Gerudo Valley.' Trey recalled, taking another heavy paw-step onward. Why, why in the world did this blasted temple have to be in the desert? He thought bitterly, flattening his ears back in annoyance. Some time had passed between temples, and after Link had gotten the information about the last temple from the Gerudo, they had set off again, this time through the thick sands of the desert.

The blazing, suffocating heat of the desert was so powerful, that with every step further, Trey wished he had enjoyed the misty, cool air in the graveyard much more than he did. Especially with the burden of a thick pelt, the desert was the last place where a keaton would have liked to be. Despite this, he continued on, following Link to the ends of the world if he had to. How Boar and his pack ever survived in this place is beyond me. Trey grumbled silently, They must be hardy wolfos to have put up with this climate day in and day out.

Trey shook the grains of sand out of his thick golden fur. That's it! Perhaps Boar's pack knows where my old pack is now. Maybe even Boar is available to talk; even though he did try to abuse power in Blaze's pack…I would love to get some answers.

He was nearly about to keel over in exhaustion when Link exclaimed, "Would you look at that, Hazel!"

These words seemed optimistic and excited, so without delay, Trey lifted his head towards the direction that Link was pointed towards. Grinning, the keaton's tails wagged back and forth with relief and a new sense of euphoria, for up ahead, loomed a great stone structure: The Spirit Temple. Feeling rejuvenated and have spirits uplifted, the duo trudged through the thick, swirling tan sands. The intricately-decorated building grew closer and closer with each step. Finally, panting and sweating, the friends arrived at the entrance to the temple, pausing to catch their breath before heading inside.

The first thing both Trey and Link noted when they entered the ornate temple was how much cooler it was inside than outside. This sudden rush of cool air was a relief, as the two adventurers relished in the comfort it brought them. Link exhaled almost breathlessly as he took a swig of water from his canteen. He poured some for Trey before adjusting his pack and heading up the grand flight of stairs before him. He turned and smiled to the keaton. "I'm going to go, Hazel. I'll see you soon." Trey nodded and watched as Link opened a massive gold door.

When he had left, Trey stood and wandered around the grand entrance way, marvelling at the detailed golden snake idols, or shimmering tiled floors. The Gerudo must take this temple very seriously to have taken such good care of it. Trey thought passively, studying the patterns in the tapestries on the wall with fascination. As he explored his surroundings however, he soon came across a great discovery: There was a finished tunnel-like path in the wall, opposite of the place where Link had entered. Feeling adventurous and not in the mood to sit around and wait fruitlessly, Trey scurried in the tunnel, grinning slightly at the prospect of his own mini-adventure.

It was dim inside the pathway at first. After travelling a little ways, however, a bright light could be seen up ahead. The keaton exited the tunnel-like path and came out into the brighter part of the temple. He arrived in a place similar to the entrance hall, except smaller and less extravagant. Various other pathways like the one he had just come from surrounded the area. It was silent; the only sounds audible were the clicking of Trey's claws against the floor tiles. He turned his head side-to-side, looking at the paths with an inquisitive smile.

He was about to choose a random path to follow when he heard a hasty, scuffling sound coming from his right. It sounded like fast paw-steps, and they grew louder and closer by the second. Unexpectedly, the scuffling stopped, and out of one of the tunnels, popped a curious creature. Trey turned to see what it was, and when he caught just the mere glance at this new being, he froze in his spot, jaw dropping.

In the threshold of the path, a huge, mangy brown wolfos stood, also looking quite astonished at the sight of Trey. His fur was matted and dirty, but for what he lacked in hygiene, he made up in sheer size; like Boar, he was an overly massive wolfos, with bulky muscles rippling under the muddy pelt. He had never met this particular wolfos before, but just by his appearance, he definitely looked like a force not to be reckoned with.

The awkward silence that passed between the two creatures was broken by a fierce snarl from the wolfos. He spat at the keaton before turning tail and running down the path he came from. His deep voice echoed through the grand temple as he hollered for all to hear, "Intruder! Intruder!"

Trey flushed anxiously as he broke out in a cold sweat. His hair on the back of his neck prickled, but no matter how much he knew of the amount of danger he was in, he found himself too afraid, or too shocked, to move from his spot. He shook himself out of his trance, and was about to turn back the way he came, when a terrifying growl from behind him stopped him right in his tracks.

"I wouldn't go anywhere if I were you."

Trey turned slowly around, swallowing a large lump in his throat. Before him, a dozen hefty wolfos, like the one he had just seen, horseshoed him in this small room. The speaker, a wild and untamed grey wolfos stepped forward, his copper eyes gleaming angrily.

"Who are you, where did you come from, and what is your business here?" He snapped, glimmering teeth barred in a snarl.

Trey tried to remain calm and impervious in the face of this threat. He held his head square, looking coolly into the mad eyes of the feral wolfos. "I am Trey the Keaton, formerly of Blaze's forest wolfos pack." He paused for a moment, thinking of what to say about the quest Link was on. Finally, he continued, "I have been on a grand adventure all across Hyrule, and my travels have brought me to your home."

The pack of wolfos muttered to themselves, astonished at this statement. The brown wolfos that Trey had seen earlier scoffed and rolled his eyes as he piped up with a, "Please, do you honestly expect us to believe such a story? You, a keaton, in a wolfos pack? What sorts of idiots do you take us for?"

"Silence!" The leader roared at his lesser, growling deep in his throat.

Trey continued, "I know it sounds farfetched, but I do not lie, trust me."

The grey wolfos glared at Trey for a moment before responding, "I have heard stories of a keaton raised by wolfos. This does not necessarily mean you are who you say you are. However, this is beside the point. Tell me, Trey the Keaton, what has brought a forest dweller to walk the lengths you have travelled?"

The keaton's throat clenched for a moment, as he tried to think of something to say. "I-I have been on a quest. My pack was torn away from me in a horrible circumstance many years ago, and ever since then, I have been searching for them." He added on quickly, "If you know Boar the Wolfos, perhaps I could talk to him, or another Alpha. I heard that the West is home to Boar, and I came to see if he knew anything on the whereabouts of my pack."

At the mention of Boar, even the grey wolfos who had seemed impervious and terrifying let his guard for a moment in honest surprise. "You know of Boar? Then perhaps you are telling the truth…" He growled for a moment, his offensive nature returning. He seemed to be in thought for some time before he snapped to his team, "Take him to the main chamber! Do not let him out of your sights." The wolfos surrounding him shot back their affirmative to their captain before carrying out his orders.

The grey wolfos turned to enter a tunnel first. He called over his shoulder as he, Trey, and his entourage made their way through the pathway, "You will be seeing the Alphas. If you are who you say you are, they will know what to do."

Trying to still his beating heart, Trey focused on what was coming to him. He was going to have to explain his situation and try to convince these Alphas that he did not lie about his past life. If they did happen to help him, he could easily find his old pack.

No matter how much he had prepared himself during that seemingly endless passageway, nothing could have ever prepared him for what was to come. As he and the team of mangy wolfos entered the next room—"The main chamber"—he beheld the Alphas and their subordinates behind them. A she-wolfos stepped forth, her held high. The flames of torches upon the walls flickered and lit the room, showing the true features of the wolfos before him.

Trey's eyes went wide as he exclaimed for all to hear, "Autumn?!"

-oO T.B.C Oo-