Chapter 13

Grumbling in his sleep, he tucked his face in the warm scales to escape the bright morning light falling on him. No no, he didn't want to get up. He was feeling the best he had in millennials. Although his wounds were still hurting, they were healing at a faster rate in this new form than it did in his original metal one. Such an intelligent Master his Skychild was. Her idea was working. He could move without being rooted in the spot by the pain now.

He growled when the brightness of the sun still hunted him even while hiding his face. With reluctance he opened his eyes and glared at the half closed window drapes. Grumbling he stretches his new body, back arching and paws kneading the blankets. A huge open mouth yawn displaying long needle white fangs. His whiskers twitching as he blink the sleep from his eyes.

He was still where he had gone to sleep last night. He didn't know where the wolf had found this amount of blankets and pillows to make a big nest in the middle of the tree house, but he did. And this is where he had slept, right in the middle of scaled coils. Protected from harm as he slept vulnerable in this new form.

Carefully, he stood up on unfamiliar limbs. Testing to see if he could actually do more than move slightly with the pain. With caution, he softly walked around the little hole that was making his Skychild's coiled body around him. He was pleased to note that although his wounds were throbbing fiercely, he could move as he wished. Though, he won't be doing any grand acrobatic anytime soon.

Sitting down, he brought one of his front paws to his face. Observing it curiously, he wiggle his *fingers* taking in how they moved and felt before flexing them to unsheathed the claws. It actually felt as if he was spraying his hand open fully. Curling his digits had the claws follow the move. It was fascinating how they worked actually. The fur on the paw was a little disheveled though, frowning at the state of the fur, he didn't even realise he was grooming it in place with his barbed tongue than just after he was done with it.

He froze, tongue poking out still as he processed what he had just done. He then made a disgruntled mreow. Glaring at nothing, he did the same with the other paw. At least if he had to tongue himself he will do it well and have a well groomed fur. It wouldn't do to look disheveled even as a cat now would it?

Following instincts he never had before, he started to groom. First it was to do his face, he licked his paw then ran the slightly wet appendage over his eye downward. He licked it again and repeated, passing behind and over his ear this time.

He did this many times, even switching to the other paw to do the other side while tilting his head just so to free that side from the curtain of hair blocking the way. Hmmmm I will need to find a way to brush it somehow… right now it looks fine though. He thought absently as he finished grooming his head and regrooming his paws.

He spent at least the next 30 minutes of the peaceful dawn grooming his body's fur and being careful of where the wounds were when he finally finished with the floof of his tail tip. Now all the fur he could reach was looking pristine and groomed in their rightful places.

Now what to do hmmm?

He looked around for his Skychild's head amidst the coiled bowl he was in. The point of a branch like horn poking over the top of the thick coils had him preow in satisfaction. There it is, now how to reach it? I can't teleport right now. Ah, let's try this then. He decided as he carefully started to climb over the coiled wall that was her side. Making a careful but strong jump to reach her back.

Balancing there he followed along her spine with a somewhat grace all the way till he came to reach the middle of her two horns and decide to lay there to survey the surrounding of their little nest.

The castle guard was sleeping on the bed, while the wolf had taken the foot of it. He didn't know where the little shadow imp was, though. Maybe in one of the shadows? Did this creature sleep like them in that form? Well she did eat in that solid shadow state so maybe she did sleep too.

Without realising it he had been purring all along. The gentle rumbling vibrations soothing him and coasting the dragon under him awake slowly.

oOo

Something was vibrating on her head. The vibrations had woke her up in a confused state. Then she took notice of the small weight in addition to the vibrations and something curling lazily to the side of her neck at regular intervals, tickling her slightly.

She made a confused enquiring sound… and a preow answered her the second after. The location coming from her head and not curled at her side in the protection of her dragon's coils.

"How are you this morning, Precious?" she asked gently, opening her eyes trying to see him and lifting her head, and saw only the tip of his tail curling to the right side of her head from the corner of her eye. He didn't answer with words though, he just made another thrilling preow and she felt his front paws start kneading her mane there.

She frowned slightly, wondering why he didn't speak with words but only with a cat's wordless sound? This Demon Lord was very chatty and dramatic usually, no? Or was this another difference from the games?

What she didn't know was the cat form wasn't a solid projection like his demon or crystalline forms. This was his Sword body forcely changed into a cat. He wasn't able to speak like she could as a sword. His emotion was communicated by the different sounding chimes he could make in that form. Those chimes were forcely changed like his body to reflect the same meaning but with the sounds of a cat in their place. And right now he was a very content cat, cue the purring.

Determining that she wouldn't get any more response from the Demon Cat, she decided it was time to get up.

Letting out a loud open mouth draconic yawn full of sharp fangs, her body uncoiling to stretch the sleep out of her muscles and her tail hitting one of the walls. If she had stretched her neck also, her nose would have been just shy of 3 feet from the opposite wall.

Anyhow, her belly was the only thing left in the nest of blankets and pillows.

The sound of her tail hitting the wood stirred the other residents of the room. A sleepy groan came from the bed along with a canine yawn as Pip and Link awoke.

It took a good 15 minutes before everyone was awake and eating the meager breakfast Pip had been able to whip out with the garden content amidst his worry complaints of raiding someone's garden and using their house while the owner wasn't home.

Once they were done eating and took care of any natural business, they set off toward the spring and thus the bridge leading to the zone cover in twilight.

Pip was seeing them off.

It had been decided that the castle's guard would be posting himself as sentry until they return, to protect the village he had said. He had assigned himself the role, doing something worth something to the kingdom since he couldn't go with them because of the twilight zone affecting the area.

And the village had no defender, not anymore. One was severely injured and needed to rest and the other one was missing. None knew where he was, he had disappeared during the first attack. And the villagers were sure he had been taken like the first children that were kidnapped.

They were passing the spring when suddenly they stopped at the echoey whispers.

"...Wait….come...to my spring…." they turned to the spring warry and Litaa with curiosity.

So this is still happening then.

Cautiously walking in, they stepped to the water. Pip holding the village's sword ready to defend even with his healing leg.

The rustling sounds of the water carrying more words to them.

"... Chosens…. You have been forced...to take form… of your bestial spirit guardians….by the power….of shadow..."

Uh? The script is not exactly the same. Lets see where it goes. Thought Litaa, her curiosity took over as she stepped closer. On her head Ghirahim made an enquiring proon before suddenly tensing and letting out a dangerous hissing sound that made Litaa remember the other thing that happened in the game.

Ah shit!

Letting a snarling growl or her own she jumped back just as the shadow beast fell from the sudden portal floating over the sky. Her tail slashing at it like a wip at the same time Link jumped at its throat with a howl.

The whispered warning came a little late though as the beast was already defeated by the time it was delivered.

"...O brave ones… much aware you where then… let me… greet you properly…"

The spring then seemed to actually light up. The water turning golden and rippling toward the middle at the same time the multiple carved monoliths around the second level waterfall also start to glow a bright blue.

In the middle of the spring, a water drop plops upward before falling back down. Soon after a glowing golden ball of light appeared there floating up before something started to form around it. Curling jagged horn of gold circling the orb. Then a head, followed by a four legged body and ending by a strange vertically fat angelfish looking tail standing proudly up. Must have been the marking on it that gave Litaa that impression.

The full creature looking like a bright white demented divine goat beast with pulsing gold tribal markings.

"Greetings chosens and compagnions. I am one of the four spirits of light that protect and watch over Hyrule at the behest of the goddesses. I am Ordona." the spirits introduced themself.

Litaa wasn't anymore sure if it was male or female as she had been in the game. The echoey voice could have been both. But one thing was sure strange with this encounter. The usual melancholic background music was missing. In her mind she couldn't prevent herself from humming it. She had a feeling she would be doing similar for many places and encounters that will come. Things were just not the same without them playing in the background.

"The black beast you defeated, it was a being of warped shadow. Something that should not be. It had come to steal my power of light. My fellow spirits have already had their light stolen. Because of it, the lands they watch have been wrapped in eternal twilight. It is killing the land slowly for it is not made to hold it like this. To save it all from the usurper twilight king, the lost lights must return where it belongs. Will you help them chosens? You are the only ones that can walk the affected land. A blessing from the goddesses, to take the form of your bestial spirit guardian. It acts as a shield to the curse that befell all others inside the twilight."

Link turns to Litaa and Pip. The dragon nods firmly, there was no hesitation. She would do everything she can. The guard was still standing there in shock though. Link made a woof to get his attention, snapping him out of it.

"Wait! What do you mean by chosens and bestial spirit guardian?" ask Pip suddenly.

The Light Spirit turned its head towards him, giving him their attention.

"The forms you see are not their true ones, the goddesses blessing has turned them so to protect them from the same fate you fell in." they explained before turning its head back to the two but this time its gaze focusing on the cat. "For your pain and suffering, spirit blade, the goddesses gave you one also. They deemed that your actions of long ago have been punished long enough. This new form is a boon. To help with your redemption." the cat made a startled chirp, his fur puffing scornishly as he glared at the Spirit. The members of the groups all confused beside Litaa.

Now addressing them again Ordona continued.

"The next Spirit of Light on your path may be able to help you return to your other state of being if you restore their power. The final choice is your own, but remember, you are the only ones that can walk the twilight unstopped."

And with these last words, they faded away leaving the spring as it was before.

Pip watched befuddled at where the spirit had stood.

"Wait, you didn't actually answer my question!" he protested.

"Tee hee! Well that was interesting! Now let's get going. We are supposed to be doing something. The twilight is that way, by the way." Midna suddenly popped out of the Guard's shadow, making him jump, her voice both mocking and snobbish. Pip glared at her, but followed them as they set back toward the bridge.

Clearing the bridge they stopped at a safe distance from the black rippling wall blocking the way.

"Here we are, the twilight starts right here!" The imp declared turning to them and floating before the black wall.

"Well I'm not going back inside, that thing looks like it's made of tar and is going to suck you in." Stated Pip as he watched the wall with distrust. Waiting for it to do just that at any moment.

"Dont worry tin can, you yourself can't get in unless someone from the twilight drags you in, someone like me!" She declared mockingly. "Thus are you ready to go? You may not be able to get back here for a while." She asked, turning to the two that were to crossover. They nodded.

"Better have a good grip on your tiny stray Dragon." She stated before floating through the black wall, the yellow symboles suddenly visible.

Litaa lowered her head for Ghirahim to get down and pick him up with her mouth, jaws locking securely around his middle and shoulders.

Just in time too as a giant orange hand suddenly came out of the wall, dragging Link inside. Pip let out a startled scream, before the hand came back to wrap around her chest and drag her inside for her turn.

From where the Demon Lord was hanging, a displeased growl was heard as they passed the black wall. The feeling, like passing under a waterfall of black slime.

It was not a feeling Litaa was going to get used to anytime soon.

To be continued…