Chapter 1

Talking to cats

"Do... I hear cats?"

Link froze with confusion, rolling onto his side to lift himself off the ground, Midna floated back up next to him, keeping to his side. He lifted his sprained ankle and gently placed it on the ground, slightly flinching but put a bit of pressure. His eyes narrowed as he grumbled quietly to himself.

"You hear that too.. Right?" He turned to Midna, tilting his head slightly and pointed back with his thumb. Midna looked at him with a short nod, that was confusing though. Why would a feline hide from him. Did he look scary? Intimidating?

"Shh, the twoleg will hear you!"

"Well, it does look strange, why is it's pelt like that? So.. green."

"Squirrelflight! Shut it!"

He listened to the conversation, then looked at Midna. "I thought I could only understand them in my wolf form?" He whispered to Midna, then looked back at the bushes. She just shrugged. Thanks for the help. He sighed then looked around for a long stick, limping around until he found a branch on the ground. It was fairly heavy, but was good enough to support his weight on one side. He then looked back at the cats that were talking then focused on the stick to lean on. It was strange, how did he understand them in this form?

Midna looked back at the bushes as she saw a cat appear from the bush. A cat with a fiery orange-ginger like pelt, long fur, white paw and chest, and dazzling green eyes. The cat looked cautious and Link followed her gaze at the cat. He bent down, trying to look less threatening and made soft sounds.

"Hey there, look, I promise not to hurt ya. I'm a little lost, can you come here?" He whispered loudly to the cat. The orange pelted cat looked at him with alarm and ran back into the bush. Link sighed and lifted himself back up, leaning on the branch. He sighed and looked at the trees. "I'll have to see if there's any herbs that I can use. I don't have any potions so this is gonna be quite the ride. I wonder if there's a town nearby." He whipped his head around then started to walk. Midna looked around then slipped into his shadow as he walked into the forest.

Big trees, very large ones in fact. He looked closely at them then at the ground, "y'know. It's quite nice to be in a forest again, even if I can't recognize anything." He murmured then crouched to the ground and looked around for anything. It was almost dawn as he was searching for things to help his leg. Though, he ended up just giving up to sit next to a tree. It was large and tall, he thought about climbing, then remembered about his leg. He sat back and looked at the sky, it was getting light and he was getting exhausted, especially from just coming from the desert to the forest. He thought about walking back to the lake to clean himself, but he was unsure if there was any people living here and he didn't want to become embarrassed by a passerby. Soon enough, being left to his thoughts, he slowly fell asleep in the darkness of trees, curled up with his knees to his chest and his head in his knees to avoid the cold.

Morning had came and passed into noon, the sun shone through the leaves and onto his face. Link woke up with a groan, slowly awaking from sleep as he rubbed his eyes. He looked up at the canopy and sighed, "well, its already morning. Or, rather afternoon." He said as he grabbed some of the bark to pull himself up, dusting himself off until he realized there was something nearby. He could sense something there, he turned around in a panic until he saw a cat, frozen and scared. He looked at them then backed up slowly. "S-Sorry there, was this your tree?" He said, lifting his hands up in surrender. The cat just stood there. It was the same one that he saw last night, fiery orange pelt and green eyes, except, there wasn't any white and it was more tabby than before. He looked at it with a confused face. "Are you lost? Because I know I am." He crouched then immediately regretted it. He fell onto his bum once more and winced, grabbing his leg. "Ugh.. That hurts.."

Soon enough, the feline ran off, then Link could hear some other thumps run off as well. "Ugh, I guess I am that scary... W-Wait!" He turned around to feel a rush of wind breeze past his hair and he rolled to the side after he saw a monster. Skin of blue and eyes of green. It was a bokoblin, how did a bokoblin get here?! Link swiftly got up, ignoring the pain of his ankle and unsheathed his sword to slice at the monster. It was dazed after missing and its club throwing itself off balance and giving him a chance to direct a blow. He slashed at the monster, making it spew out dark blood. It fell to the ground and he leaped and stabbed into its heart. It disintegrated into purple dust, and Link flicked his sword to rid of some of the blood. Link slowly sat back down and breathed, wincing as he felt the pain of the ankle sprain come back. He heard some bushes rustling again, he turned his head. He didn't have time to deal with more monsters, he could stand. Lucky enough to have adrenaline, though it was dying down.

Link assumed the felines ran off, noting that there wasn't anymore shaking of the shrubs. He looked around to see some leaves on the ground, he picked one up and looked closely to identify it. He knows he saw this type of plant before, trying to remember, he finally remembered what it was. "Chamomile. And it's growing well here.." He said, as he scooted closely to it. "I guess, I can try to make a drink with this. At least it'll help in a way. I also have a headache." He murmured and carefully plucked some off. "Hey, Midna. Want some tea?" He said, watching the imp appear from the shadow, "we can start a campfire near the lake, just in case. And we can use the cup I have." He said as he grabbed the large branch he had yesterday and lifted himself up, dusting himself off and leaned on the branch. He head the leaves in his hand and started to limp his way to the lake.

He gathered some rocks and dry wood, he walked to the shore of the lake and sat down, starting a fire with two rocks, he laid the leaves onto the cement and lit the fire. He stood back up with the help of the branch and walked to the water, dipping a bottle into it after crouching down. Dipping two bottles and making his way back to the fire. He sat down and sat the cups next to the fire on the warm stones, dropping chamomile leaves into the water of it. He started his tea.

The cats were back in their camp. Confused and shocked, one of them jumped up a big rock, a high up ledge. He yowled, calling to his other felines in the camp. "Clan Meeting!"

Cats emerged from under bushes and caverns. The tom, fiery orange pelt sat on the rock. All of the cats around him looked confused.

"We came back from the patrol to see out what was the night patrol was talking about. They were correct indeed, there is a twoleg in our territory close to the lake. And while I went closer to investigate, another one of those horrible creatures that had hurt Brackenfur and Birchfall were back, and it took down the creature and showed no harm to me when I came towards it before. But we will have to be very wary of that area, just in case it decides to change its peaceful ways." The tom informed his Clan. Hearing gasps of shock and worry on their faces.

A brown tabby spoke up beside the fiery pelted tom. "Don't worry, it couldn't follow us. It's leg seemed to be injured so it couldn't follow us." The tabby informed the rest as some relief washed over many of the cats. The fiery tom dismissed the meeting and throughout the rest of the day, they gossiped about the meeting.

Walking out of a small cavern, a light brown tabby was walking towards a ginger colored she-cat, nudging her softly. "Want to go help me with some herbs, Squirrelflight?" She asked, Squirrelflight looked at her and nodded.

"I'll make sure that twoleg doesn't cause us harm, Leafpool. Let's go get what you need." She meowed back to her sister. They walked out the thorn tunnel and into the forest. Leafpool sniffed around once they gotten closer to the lake and close to Ancient Oak. Squirrelflight looked at her with a confused face, "Why are you getting so close to that twoleg? Firestar instructed to stay away, even if it was injured. And I saw it too! Tall and strangely green." Leafpool stopped and looked back at her sister with a swift whip of her head.

"What did you just say?" Leafpool demanded curiously.

"What? That you're getting too close and Firestar said to stay away?"

"No, no! The last part?" Leafpool shook her head slightly to her confused sister.

"That it was tall and green? Well, to be honest it wasn't that tall. Just from here it looks like that. Why?" Squirrelflight tilted her head.

"Green... Green! That must be it!" She meowed looking around and started her way to the lake. Squirrelflight jumped in front of her.

"Why do you want to go near that thing? There's a reason if your interested." Squirrelflight narrowed her eyes and examined her sister closely.

Leafpool sighed softly, "last night, I had a dream. And was given a prophecy. One with Twilight, falls with gold, speak to beast. Do not face the dark alone. Until the heart of the warrior chases the dark and burn it by the sun, may his light bring peace to your home." Leafpool meowed, then sat down. "And the ones that spoke this wasn't from StarClan, they were visitors that StarClan encountered in their world. Saying, 'We are sending a man to help, though he will not be recognized easily. Clad with green and eyes of sapphires.' Did the twoleg perhaps have sapphire eyes?" Leafpool asked, since her sister was the first one to spot the twoleg yesterday, she must've gotten a good look of it.

Squirrelflight looked down for a second then lifted her head up, "yeah, they did." She nodded with a short nod, then looked back at the lake. "And I could also understand it, but I was more afraid and ran off with the patrol to report. And it didn't seem too harmful, just looked panicked when we made a noise in the bush."

"And that is why we are going to the lake to find it." She meowed to her sister before getting up and trotted off with Squirrelflight looking unsure but followed behind anyways.

Link sat at the lake, warming himself up as the cool breeze shook through the leaves. "Burr, its like almost winter. From a desert to almost winter." He shivered, rubbing his arms. Midna sat next to him, drinking her tea and to her surprise, she actually liked it. "Liking the tea?" He turned his attention to his friend as she snorted and looked away.

"Its, okay I guess..." She mumbled as he gave a soft chuckle. He grabbed his bottle that sat next to the burning out fire, drinking it a little. "We should get some food."

Link nodded to her before placing his bottle down and walked towards the water with his branch at his side, helping him support pressure on his sprained ankle. Midna watched him as he walked to the shore and crouching down, kneeling and took a serious look. He grabbed out his fishing rod and still had a thought on how everything had squeezed inside the satchel he had. He lifted up the rod and cast it out into the lake. He sat on his bum and awaited for a bite. Midna finished her tea and wandered her way to him.

"Any bites yet?" She asked, tilting her head. He shook his head. "How about now?"

"No bites." He murmured.

"How about... now?" Midna snickered at her companion.

"Midna, this takes ti- Whoa!" He started then was cut off to a bite pulling at his lure. He reeled it in and to find that a bass had caught on the poll. He reeled it in to shore and used his sword to stab it. He didn't want it to suffocate like that and thanked the goddesses for the meal in his head. Midna gave him a pat on the back.

"Nice work, hero. Now you need another one." Midna said, watching him place the fish to the side.

"You hungry for two or something? That fish is pretty big."

"Just catch another!" She snapped as he sighed, cast his line out and started again.

Getting towards the evening, they cooked food at the fire he lit back up. He warmed his fingers and toes to the fire as Midna sat close to him, sleeping. He smiled to her, glad she ate before going to bed. He was awaiting his to finish cooking until he heard a meow behind him in the woods.

"Do you think it noticed us?" Meowed one.

"Not yet, but let's get closer." Meowed another.

He didn't hear any other cats with just two of them, but he decided to ignore it and grab his fish to turn it. "Maybe I should've went to hunt a deer or something. Then again.. sprained ankle." His ankle was almost done healing since he was mostly resting it. He heard paws hit the soft sand and he turned his head, seeing two cats wander closely to him. He felt his heart skip a beat as he stood still. He watched the felines freeze in their spot. Then, he recognized one of them. "Hey, I saw you yesterday. I hope I didn't scare you too badly. Didn't know pointed eared humans looked scary." He shrugged as he spoke to them.

The cats exchanged glances with each other. The ginger one started to back up as the light brown tabby stayed in place. Link started to get up, deciding to leave the branch and move up to get on his own. Midna felt him move and fell onto the sand when he stood up. She grumbled at him, sitting up and shaking her head to rid of sand. Link looked at the cats, but not daring to walk towards them. They looked like they were about to run off, which made him sigh and he turned his attention to walk towards the lake after taking his cooked fish. He ate it on the way to the water and when he finished he put the stick he used to hold it in the sand. He took his shirt off and placed it on the dry land.

"What are you doing? You'll freeze!" Midna snapped, getting up and floating over to him. When she reached his side she yelped and turned around, unaware of his shirt being off. She looked away in embarrassment then Link chuckled.

"It's about time I clean myself off. I'm disgusting." He said as took off his pants to reveal shorts underneath then he walked into the water. The cats watched him closely and took this chance to get closer, well the tabby did, the ginger one tried to stop her from doing so. "Feel free to sniff my stuff if you want. Just don't steal it, okay?" He called to the cats which made them freeze in their steps. He looked at the water and swayed his way in, the freezing water burned at his skin but he pushed past the water to sink in deeper until he was swimming. "Okay, you can look now Midna. Its up to my shoulders." He smiled as she turned around with a huff then sat on the shore. The cats sat at his small camp and watched, the fire was burnt out, was just smoking a little. They exchanged glances then started to sniff where he sat, his bag and clothes sitting their on the sand but his clothes were folded neatly to avoid sand getting in them.

Link swam around, the freezing water started to feel nice on his skin. He forgotten that they just got sent here from the desert, they were ready to go back to the chamber and face Zant. So much for that, but since there were monsters here too, he couldn't leave them when these monsters could slay a cat within a heartbeat. But soon enough, he swam back to shore and shook himself from the water, Midna got a face full of splashed water at her face. She snorted and looked away, which made him chuckle. He saw the cats sniffing his stuff so he just stood at the water then looked at the lake. "I wonder what these lands are called, so far I know they are not from Hyrule and seems there are some feral cats out here, they don't seem as comfortable as other cats in Hyrule are."

"They are probably named something stupid, stupid mutt." Midna retorted, "Like killer hill or drowning lake."

"You make everything sound like a buzzkill." He nudged her with his foot. The sprain has went down to almost completely healed. The cold water affected it in the right way as he assumed. Besides, he needed a bath.

"But they are probably true names. Anything this dead is something worthy of having a terrible name," Midna shrugged her shoulders and got up to float beside her companion.

"He smells strange, what even is this stuff?"

"What is that thing floating? I'm more worried about that than him. It isn't normal."

"Twolegs are strange after all."

He turned after hearing the cats murmur behind him, they were watching him closely. They must've assumed the man before them weren't seeming as threatening as the imp was. He looked at Midna to see her grunt at him. Link shrugged and started to walk away from the camp, only to realize something down the shore was running towards him. He squinted his eyes to try and get a better look until he saw the red eyes flash from them. He turned around and ran to his little camp, sliding in the sand which startled the cats. He grabbed his sword as the monsters were already at his camp. The cats screeched in fear and ran into the bushes. That caught the monsters attention and made them turn to them. He growled and ran to slide in front of where the cats went.

"Nu uh, not on my watch. I won't let you hurt those innocent cats." He growled, his teeth gritting and showing, strong and sharp like canines were shown. "Why are you here, stupid bublins." He grumbled as the monsters took out their clubs and arrows. There were three of them, he would have to focus on the archer first to avoid getting hit with a flaming arrow of poison.

They grunted and started to swing their clubs at him and he unsheathed his sword to slice at them. The cats watched from the bushes, though the sister was more keen on leaving. The light brown tabby watched through the bushes, her yellow eyes watching the twoleg closely.

Link slashed his sword at the monsters, with his clothes off, it was a bit weirder and more likely to get hit with a harsher bash. He watched them carefully and jumped back, pointing his sword. Midna grabbed his shield and threw it at him as she called to him. He looked over and grabbed it with a jump and slide into a monster, the sand was making a hard battle ground to stand on. The monster was thrown into the sand from the impact and the other one slammed a club into his back. Causing Link to lurch forward with a gasp. Midna hissed at the monsters and decided to take that monster to the sand, by slamming impact into the monster and burring him into the sand. Link coughed as the second clubbed bublin closed in to him as he had to take a second to get up. He lifted his arm with the shield on it and made the bublin smack wood into metal. He pushed him back and got to his legs, panting. He growled and took sword in hand and sliced down the monster.

The archer was left, shooting an arrow at Link's leg as he looked just when the arrow pierced his skin. He let out a yelp of pain and fell onto his bum. The bublin readied another arrow as Midna swiped her hand of hair at the monster and launched it into the lake. Link trembled with pain and grabbed the arrow and ripped it out of his skin, holding back a shriek of pain. Midna looked back at him with concern crossing her face.

"Of course. I have to be hit with a damn arrow." He grunted, blood spewed out of his leg from where the arrow had landed and embedded an arrow into. Luckily, he pulled the arrowhead with the arrow. He knew before that arrowheads can get stuck inside the flesh. He learned that the hard way. He sheathed his sword, wiping the blood later and placed a hand on his leg. Trying to stop the bleeding.

"He needs help! That looked like it hurt."

"But he's a twoleg! They can help themselves!"

"The twoleg saved us from a monster! He must be what we need!"

Link turned to see the light brown tabby to come out. But turned his attention to the wound, Midna went back to his stuff and grabbed a bottle to fill with water. "This better not have been poisonous, or I swear." He grunted. "Maybe if we clean to it quickly enough it'll be fine."

The cat walked to his leg and touched her paw to his hand which spooked him, causing him to flinch in response, scooting a little away.

"I don't want to scare you away... Only if you understood me like I can understand you.." He murmured as the cat lifted her ears.

"Wait, you can understand us?" She meowed, grabbing his attention.

"Yeah, I can. And as it seems you can understand me. Humans and animals can't normally understand each other. Strangely, I can." Link replied as she tilted her head then walked towards him again.

"What exactly hit you in your leg?" She meowed, her curiosity showed as he looked to the side and picked up the arrow.

"This is an arrow, a human archery technique. Humans use it to shoot at other things, in this case. Monsters, or what you saw can use them and make them. Or probably just steal them from us. You can tip the arrowhead, this part, with different kinds of effects. Fire, poison, ice. Anything that can suit it, it's a sharp metal or rock." He explained, listing the different parts of the arrow until his wound throbbed, making him wince and drop the bloodied arrow. "In this case, monsters like those, love to poison them. So I am guessing poison had already entered my body. Like this day couldn't get any worse." He sighed and laid down with a plop. The cat got an idea and ran to the bushes. He sighed as Midna made her way back with a bottle full of water. She poured it on his wound as the blood followed the water and soaked the sand. He winced at the freezing water.

He heard the feline come back with something in her mouth. "Here, this can help. Well, I hope it can help. It helps us." She held marigold and some Snake-root.

"I recognize those. I guess they will help. And since you seem to know what your doing." Link said as Midna floated to his side and watched the feline get to work. The other cat walked out from the bushes.

"Leafpool! We can't waste herbs on a twoleg! They can fix themselves." She growled at the other she-cat. But the one called Leafpool, ignored her. Link groaned in pain and sat up.

"There isn't a doctor around here," Link said blankly, "doctors are the healers of the human, er, twoleg world. They know how to cure almost anything. Just as long as they have the right medicine, and also my name is Link..." He sighed softly as Leafpool looked at him for a moment then continued until she finished.

"I need cobweb to patch this up the rest of the way."

"C-Cobweb?" Link looked startled. "You cats use cobweb?"

"Yes, it works quite well. It holds them in place to wrap wounds up with. Doesn't twolegs use them too?" Leafpool tilted her head.

"No, we use cloth as in what I was wearing over there. We use cloth to keep ourselves warm since we cannot grow fur on our limbs and the fur we do grow on our limbs are too thin and short to keep us warm besides our head. But perhaps some reed or vines can work."

"UGH. Nerd talk." Midna snorted and floated back to the campfire until Link grabbed her hand.

He softly chuckled then looked at the sky.

"Squirrelflight, can you find some big leaves or something that can wrap up this twoleg's leg?" Leafpool turned to ask the ginger she-cat.

"I have a name ya know. It's Link." He replied to them as they blinked then nodded. Squirrelflight wandered back into the trees. "I'm guessing twoleg is the term used for humans?" He said as she nodded.

"Hoo-mans. Did you choose that name for your species?" She asked as he nodded.

"Well, I guess the first humans did. But I'm a race among the humans. My kind is called hylians. We only have pointed ears, that's the only unique thing about my people. Though, I was grown up with the normal kind of humans. There are a few other species that lives in my lands, some that takes to the skies, lives in the desert, on a volcano, and some to the water and snow.." He spoke as he lifted a hand. Leafpool's eyes sparkled with interest.

"What are they exactly? Since your kind, hy lions, has a special name, do they as well?" She meowed turning as her sister emerged with fairly large leaves.

"You mean, hylians? Pronounced, hi lee ons." He said with a soft smile, "I can take those and wrap my leg up. " He said as Squirrelflight flicked her head away in disinterest and gave them to her sister. "Did... I do something wrong to upset her?" He asked as Leafpool shook her head.

"She's just stubborn, but please, allow me. You saved us from serious injury or even death. There's another medicine cat in the den at camp that's tending to two of the warriors that was hurt from a monster attack like that." She meowed sadly, licking the leaves on the human's leg. Then she looked back at him to see him stiff with fear and concern.

"T-They got hurt?" Link gave a very concerned look, "if I had something to help I would or if I was here before. I'm so sorry.. I wish them peaceful healing."

Leafpool looked at him with soft eyes, licking his leg to reassure him. "It is alright, they are almost completely healed. Just a broken bone and some bruises." Squirrelflight noticed the human's concern and it gave her a soft purr to come from her. Link's ear twitched and he looked at her as she huffed and looked away.

"Y'know, purring from felines, it relaxes humans. Sure they keep them as pets, but mostly because of a bond they share. If they don't share a bond then its right for them to leave. This one human I know, her name is Sera and she loves her dear feline friend. So proud that he 'caught' the fish. Even though I did but I didn't want to spoil her happiness or his." He rambled, then realized he was rambling then softly laughed. "Sorry. I get carried away."

"It's quite alright. It sounds like she was a nice one. Was she from where you were from?" Leafpool asked, finishing on wrapping his leg. He nodded with a short nod as sadness washed over him.

"I miss my home. It's the only family I have ever known. They took me in when I was just an orphan." Link murmured, Leafpool looked away then back at him.

"I had to give up my kits to my dear sister," Leafpool meowed, looking at Squirrelflight then remembered the burden she put on her. "I'm still sorry, Squirrelflight."

"Nonsense. It was a delight while it lasted." She walked forward and nudged her sister on the shoulder. Link watched them and reached to pet them, he wanted to comfort them, then recoiled his hand back to his side to stop himself. They looked at him with confusion.

"Sorry.. But I'm sure you have to go home, it is almost dusk." He put in, rubbing the back of his head and started to get up, trembling then fell back down. "Burning hell of Din that hurt. I forgot about my back too.." He sighed and plopped onto the sand. The felines looked back at each other and then at him.

"Are, you alright?" Squirrelflight asked him.

"No. Not in the slightest." He retorted. Lifting him with his arms and rolling onto his back and yelped. "OW! How hard did those damn bublins hit?" He groaned and shuddered. Leafpool walked towards him and curled up to his face, purring. She was trying to comfort him the best she could. "I can't tell if they broke a rib or bruised me badly."

"Wait, let me see your back." She said, getting up as he rolled back over but slowly this time. She got onto his shoulder to have a better look. She could see purple and blue surrounding his upper back. Seemed to be close to the spine as well, she softly ran her paw along his back as he trembled. "Sorry, but it just seems to be a bruise. It'll hurt for quite a while."

"Then don't worry, I've been in near death situations before so this is nothing like that." He said, face against the sand. Leafpool got off of him.

"Well, we can't linger, we probably smell like you now. We can't get this off so easily like a roll in mud. Other cats will suspect something." Squirrelflight pointed out as Link sat up slowly, thinking for a moment then his face shone with an idea.

"Okay, you cannot freak out okay? It'll still be me." He said firstly, then turned to the died out campfire. "Hey, Midna." He called to her, "Transform?" He said as she got up from her sitting position and floated over with a thing in her hand. A gemstone sort of thing. She floated close by Link, the cats watched her with interest, then touched Link with the stone. They were confused at first until he was engulfed in black and changed into something different.

He had four paws, fur all over his body, a snout and tail. He was a wolf! The cats backed up with fear and confusion. Leafpool was just mostly shocked. Link laid down in a curled up ball.

"Stay here for the night, a beast smell would be better than a human smell to your friends, right? As if you had ran from one." He spoke softly.

Leafpool looked at him closely then exclaimed, "They were true! They were very true!" She meowed, looking at her sister then the wolf. "They said, 'Speak to beast' and you are a beast in this form!" She walked up to him and bowed her head. "I would like to ask you of something." She meowed as Link looked at her with a bewildered look.

"Alright," He said, nodding slowly as she lifted her head.

"I received a prophecy from three goddesses that had walked into our skies. Their names were Din, Farore, and Nayru. They told me, 'One with Twilight, falls with gold, speak to beast. Do not face the dark alone. Until the heart of the warrior chases the dark and burn it by the sun, may his light bring peace to your home.' So when you changed into a beast and my sister told me of your appearance, I was putting the pieces together." Leafpool meowed. "And when the puzzle presented it, you came to the sum of it all. Now here, is my own question."

Link watched her closely with shock. Why did they appear in her dream? And summon me here by all means.

"My question is.." Leafpool said.

"Will you help us and save our home?"