The mud squelched beneath Farrow's boots as she shifted her weight. She knelt in the grass, the tips of the blades swishing against her ears. Farrow shifted again, trying to keep an eye on Link, but stay out of sight of the horses.

About fifty feet away, Link snuck toward one of the horses. He stayed low in the grass, just like Farrow was, and inched his way closer to his target.

The horse he'd chosen was entirely black, except for its white mane, tail, and a sliver of fur on its forehead. The horse raised its head from the grass, ears up, and Link froze.

"Patience," Farrow whispered. The horse snorted, glanced back, then lowered its head to continue grazing. Link continued to crept forward until he was only a feet away.

Farrow held her breath. Link had the right angle, behind the horse but just to the side. There was a chance the horse could still kick him, but it lowered the chances of the blow hitting Link.

Link was close enough to touch the horse now and Farrow tensed. Then, just at the second she was sure he'd make the leap, his head poked out of the grass enough for her to see his nervous expression, looking directly at her.

She popped up from the grass enough to make her face visible, nodding so fast her neck hurt and holding two thumbs up. He needed to jump—now!

Link's brow lowered in determination and he faced the horse. He tensed and darted forward. In one fluid motion, Link danced around to the horse's side, gripped its mane, and hauled himself onto its back.

The horse shrieked in surprise and bolted. Link clung to its mane, his knuckles white.

Farrow stood and cupped her hands around her mouth. "Good! Hang on!" Farrow knew Link would have to wait out the horse's initial panic. Once he did, he could present the apple he had stowed in his pocket and start building some trust. But right now, he had to hang on.

The horse bucked and twisted as it ran across the field, it's herd having scattered the moment Link grabbed on. Huffing the horse slowed, turned, and bolted toward Farrow.

Farrow tensed, waited until the last moment, and dove out of the way. The horse thundered past, its hooves kicking up cakes of mud and grass. It slowed once it past her, panting and shaking its head.

"Keep holding on!" Farrow yelled. "Don't let go yet!" Link might have nodded, but it was hard to tell with his entire body tensed and his faced pressed into the base of the horse's neck.

The horse trotted in circles, every so often it would shake its head and whinny. It bucked once and snorted, but soon its sides were heaving and it slowed to a stop.

"Apple." Farrow said, hoping her voice was loud enough to carry, but not wanting to spook the animal again.

Link released one hand from its death grip in the horse's mane and reached in his pocket. He shifted to lean forward. The horse, sensing the motion, whinnied and darted forward. Link scrambled to secure his hold, but the animal only trotted a few steps before swinging back around and slowing.

Shifting again, Link leaned forward and held out the apple. The horse's nostrils flared and its head turned to find the fruit. A crunch, and the apple was gone. Link took the moment of peace to pat the horse's neck. He waited a few minutes, as Farrow had instructed, and then offered another apple.

In minutes the horse was much calmer. Link sat up straight and flashed her a nervous smile. Farrow smiled back and slowly approached. The horse eyed her with its ears pinned back, but let her loop a rope around its neck.

"That went better than I expected," Farrow said.

Link's smile faded to narrow eyed suspicion. Farrow waved her hands. "I just thought you'd get knocked off a few times. Don't worry about it. Now hang on; we're going back to the stable."

Farrow gave the rope a cautious tug. The horse snorted at her, unmoving as stone. She withdrew an apple from her pocket and the horse's ears shot up. It moved closer to her and she began leading it to the stable.

"Have you thought of a name yet?" Farrow asked, giving the horse the apple and pulling out a new one.

Link frowned at the horse and shook his head.

"Well, let me know when you do."

The ride back to the stable went well. Link's new horse tugged back a few times, but apples and gentle pats from Link calmed her quickly enough.

Once they had purchased the riding gear, Farrow showed Link how to buckle and synch the saddle and reigns. The horse seemed surprisingly docile during the process. When they were done, Farrow stepped back.

Link beamed as he patted the neck of the horse. She snuffled at his hair and blew out an approving huff, ruffling his blond hair. Link's smile grew even brighter.

Farrow found herself smiling as well before a yawn forced its way past her lips. The horizon glowed orange, but the sun had already set.

"We should turn in for the night," Farrow said.

Link looked from her to the horizon and back to his horse with a slight pout.

"You'll get plenty of time to ride tomorrow," Farrow said, her smile returning. "You'll be sick of it by the time we get to Hateno."

Link snorted but followed her back to the stable. They handed off Link's horse to one of the stable hands for some rest and entered the building.

Once inside the warm, smoky room, Farrow felt her exhaustion pull at her limbs like weights. Looking at the slump of Link's shoulders, she guessed he felt likewise.

Farrow nudged him towards his bed. "See you in the morning."

He nodded, his eyes fixed on his bed as he meandered toward it. He fell into the bed face first and kicked off his shoes without moving.

Farrow sat on her bed and by the time she'd removed her boots Links was snoring. She smiled and laid back against her pillow.

|||((0))|||

"You know," Farrow said, eyes narrowing as she took in Link's posture, "you picked that up very quickly." He sat upright on the back of the horse, his hold on the reigns relaxed.

They rode their horses side by side down the road. Link had hopped on his horse that morning without hesitation and had followed her easily. She wasn't sure if she should say it, but she thought he'd probably been a practiced horse rider before he lost his memory.

Link smiled and patted his horse's neck. His nervousness around the animals had vanished overnight. Now, he took every opportunity to pet his new friend.

Farrow scanned the road ahead of them. Rain had turned the usually dusty path to mud. Water pooled in the footprints of humans and animals that had walked the road, along with deeper puddles the horses had to splash through. From what Farrow could see, the fields around them were silent and free of monsters.

Movement in the corner of Farrow's vision caused her to turn to see Link waving a hand to get her attention. Once he saw he'd gained her notice, he pointed to the horizon and signed, 'What?'

Farrow looked to where he pointed. Ahead of them and a few hundred feet out in the field, a grey dome protruded from the grass.

"That's a guardian," Farrow said. "There was a big battle at Fort Hateno, just after the calamity. We're going to see a lot more of them as we get closer."

As they passed the guardian, Link watched in with a focused gaze. Farrow couldn't tell if he was curious or nervous. "They're very dead," Farrow said, trying to reassure him. "They haven't moved in years." Even as she said it, a little part of her recalled that the shrines had been dead for hundreds of years, but now some were active. She found herself watching the guardian too.

Minutes later, they turned a corner in the path and the battle field of Fort Hateno came into view. The corpses of guardians littered the field as the grass rippled in the wind. Some had remained entirely above ground with their limbs frozen and outstretched. Others had been swallowed by the earth, with only their heads or a stray limb visible. They grew in concentration closer to the crumbling stone wall of Fort Hateno, some frozen in time in clusters as they'd clambered over each other, trying to break the wall.

Farrow had been here many times, so the sight was more mundane for her, but there was always a strange silence to this field that left her feeling a bit somber. "Hard to believe they won this fight, huh?" She asked, her gaze drifting to Link.

Link stared at the field, his eyes darting over the guardians and the fort with a furrow in his brow. He made no move to indicate he'd heard her.

"Are you okay?"

When Link didn't move, Farrow shifted in her saddle to lean over a grab his shoulder. He jerked to face her, blinking in surprise. She sat back. "You good?"

Link blew out a breath and nodded.

"Do the guardians make you nervous? I wouldn't blame you."

Link shrugged, his gaze locked on his hands. He took out his notebook a moment later and wrote, 'just a strange feeling.'

"It is ominous," Farrow said as another gust of wind rolled across the field, "I'll give you that."

They passed under the arch way of Fort Hateno moments later. Nature was slowly tearing at the walls of the fort as vines snaked up the stonework. Sections of the wall had already collapsed and been absorbed by the landscape. Farrow found strange satisfaction in the fact that the calamity had failed to break these walls, but nature inevitably would.

The scratch of charcoal on paper brought her attention back to Link. He held out the book to her. 'What happened here?'

Farrow glanced back at the wall. It was already half obscured by the trees. "Hard to say for sure. Purah would probably be the most reliable source of information, but she hasn't talked about it much. Locals say this was the last battle of Hyrule, and also where the princess found her power and the hero fell."

Link raised an eyebrow.

Farrow shrugged. "I don't know many details, and it may not be true. But supposedly the hero died fighting and the princess was so angry she killed every guardian in the field with a wave of her hand. But before that a lot of soldiers died holding that wall. They're the only reason any Hylians survived the calamity."

Link had twisted in his saddle to try and keep the fort in view, but gave up and faced forward. His expression was solemn, but so was Farrow's. It was hard to wrap your mind around that sort of sacrifice, and one made so long ago. She was grateful to them, though.

"We should reach Hateno soon," Farrow said, trying to clear the air, "maybe an hour or so."

Link nodded, his gaze roaming over the forest ahead. The river ran alongside the road, the water sparkling in the sun as birds flited between the trees. This forest rarely had monsters in it and Farrow kept in mind that they still might be here, but this area was a nice pocket of calm after the melancholy air of the fort.

Ahead of them, the earth rose into a hill and the river cut along the cliffside next to it. The road led up the hill, but at the foot of it stood a figure. Farrow squinted, but couldn't make out who it was. It wasn't Beetle, their pack wasn't big enough, and they didn't have a horse or mule with them so it wasn't a trader. They were probably just a traveler. She wasn't sure why they'd be stopped on the road though.

'Who?' Link signed, having also caught sight of the person.

Farrow shrugged. "Don't know."

Moments later, they approached the figure. The young woman gazed down at the map in her hands with an anxious expression. As they approached she looked up.

"Excuse me," she said, giving them a hesitant wave, "Would you help me? I think I'm lost."

Farrow raised an eyebrow as she pulled Kazim to a stop. She wasn't sure how the woman had gotten lost between Hateno village and the fort, but she supposed some people were awful with directions. Or she was trying to mug them. Farrow wasn't sure about stopping, but she also didn't want to leave an innocent woman lost in the woods. Before she could decide, Link had dismounted.

Farrow suppressed a wince and dismounted as well. Link had already joined the woman in looking over her map. The woman watched him with a hopeful expression while Link frowned at the paper. He looked up to Farrow expectantly as she approached.

"Thank you," the woman said, relief tinging her tone. "I'm sorry to trouble you. I'm just rubbish with maps."

"No worries," Farrow said, making sure to smile. It wasn't that she disliked the woman, she just wasn't sure about the situation. They were literally standing on the side of a well-traveled road, with two well know landmarks within an hour's walk and this woman was claiming to be lost. She didn't like it.

Farrow eyed the trees around them before glancing at the map. "We're here." She pointed to their location on the map, immediately returning her gaze to the woman. "Hateno village is east along this road, and the fort is to the west."

"Oh," the woman exclaimed, "I see it now. Thank you." The woman didn't look at the map as she spoke, instead she kept glancing from Farrow to Link. Her eyes seemed to linger on Link's hair and Farrow felt dread settle in her stomach.

Farrow grabbed Link's elbow and tugged him away from the woman as subtly as she could. "Glad we could help. We need to keep moving though. Good luck." Link flashed Farrow a confused look, glancing back at the woman.

The woman's gaze settled on the Sheikah Slate on Link's hip and something glinted in her gaze.

Farrow reached for her knife, angling her body to hide it from view.

"Link?" the woman asked in a sweet voice.

Link look to the woman, his expression alert.

The woman's sweet smile turned vicious. Farrow drew her knife and pulled Link back just as the woman lunged.

A blur of silver appeared in the woman's hand as she struck at Link. Between Farrow's tug and Link's own startled reaction, the woman's sickle missed by inches, tearing the cloth of Link's shirt.

Farrow sidestepped Link and swung her own knife at the woman.

The woman knocked her knife aside with a laugh and vanished in a puff of smoke.

"She's Yiga clan," Farrow barked. She'd never seen a member of the Yiga clan. That she knew of, anyway. But she'd heard of their ability to teleport, and their infinite bloodlust for anyone who might oppose their cult. Farrow knew the woman wasn't gone.

Farrow spun and scanned the forest for any sign of movement. She caught sight of Link, his sword in his hand and staring at her with wide eyes.

"Be on guard," Farrow said. The instant she said it she heard the hiss of something burning behind her.

Farrow spun, and as she did an arrow whizzed past her face, cutting her cheek. The second arrow flew over her shoulder. She stumbled back in surprise and caught sight of the Yiga warrior just as she disappeared again. She wore sleek red armor now, wielded a strange bow, and her face was hidden behind a white mask painted with a staring red eye.

Farrow glanced over her shoulder to make sure Link hadn't been hit. He had his back to her now, his head whipping back and forth as he searched for their attacker. From what she could see, he hadn't been hit.

Farrow faced forward. She didn't know what to do. The warrior could appear anywhere, and would have been trained to kill for years. They couldn't run or they'd get shot in the back, and she couldn't fight her with just a knife.

A hiss and clang of metal sounded behind her. Farrow turned to see Link locking blades with the Yiga woman. His arms trembled with the effort.

"You've grown weak, hero," the woman hissed. Her voice was muffled by the mask, but the loathing in her voice could be heard clearly.

Link growled, unable to reply but glaring fiercely enough to make up for it. Farrow lunged, swiping at the woman while Link distracted her.

Farrow's knife grazed the woman and she vanished. The sudden lack of resistance caused Link to stumble forward, while Farrow had to recoil to avoid cutting him.

Farrow caught the smell of smoke the instant before something struck her in the back.

The impact knocked her forward a step. Farrow turned to look for the woman, but she had already vanished. Confusion registered first in Farrow's mind as she scanned the area. It felt as if the woman had punched her, but why would she if she had a blade and a bow? Then Farrow felt the warm trickle down her back and caught sight of Link's horrified expression.

Farrow shook away her surprise. Adrenaline was masking the pain, and whatever damage had been done, she could only get medical attention if they escaped this woman. "Focus!" she yelled at Link.

Link stared at her, then his gaze flicked to something over her shoulder. Before Farrow could move, Link had grabbed by her tunic and pulled her forward. Farrow stumbled in the mud and fell onto her hands just next to him. She caught sight of her right arm. A dark stain traveled down the red cloth of her sleeve. Link grunted and the clang of metal on metal rang just above her head.

Link stepped around her and out of view.

Farrow pushed against the ground, trying to get up, but her right arm would barely move and her fingers slid limply through the mud. She couldn't feel it. She managed to turn into a sitting position.

Just feet away, Link parried a strike from the woman. The woman moved with the momentum of the parry and swung again, forcing Link to side step. A cut across Link's arm trickled blood and his breaths came in panicked gasps.

Farrow shoved herself to her feet with her good arm and picked up her knife from where she'd dropped it.

The woman knocked Link's sword down and stepped into his guard. She was too close. Link wouldn't have enough time to block or dodge. Farrow watched the sickle near his ribs with rising horror.

And then Link flickered.

It was so fast it shouldn't have been possible, but Link stepped out of the sickle's path in only a fraction of a second. His entire body a blurred with the movement.

The Yiga woman gave a startled gasp. Her swing had cut through the place Link had once stood, and it left her entire right side exposed. In the same movement that he used to dodge, Link stepped forward and drove his sword through the woman's center.

The woman gasped, a surprised chocking sound escaping past her mask, and for a moment they all stood frozen.

Farrow stared as the woman fell back. Link dropped the sword still lodged in her chest as she fell, his fingers curled in the air as he watched her hit the mud. She didn't move.

Farrow stared at the woman's body. She'd seen dead bodies before, but not their deaths right in front of her. The woman's chest lay still.

Farrow's gaze flicked to Link. He stood locked in place, his hands still held out as he stared at the woman. His face had drained of all color.

"Link," Farrow said. "We need to go." The warm spot on her back had reached the base of her spine.

Link's head snapped to face her. He stared at her, unseeing for a moment, before concern washed over his face and he ran to her.

When he reached her, he reached for her shoulder and hesitated. She could tell by his expression, and the way his hands hovered over the wound, it was bad.

"Is it a cut?" Farrow asked. She was doing all she could to not feel the injury, but her adrenaline was fading and the pain began to creep in.

Link shook his head.

"Arrow?" He nodded.

"Leave it then. I need to get to Purah." Link nodded and ran to get their horses. They had trotted away once the fighting had started, but remained just a few yards down the road. Link returned a moment later, leading Kazim to stand at her side.

Farrow reached up to grip his saddle, but her right arm wouldn't reach above her shoulder and it flared with pain. Watching her own hand tremble, but unable to feel the fur it pressed against, threatened to break the fragile calm Farrow had constructed. But she pushed the panic down.

Link knelt next to her and cupped his hands. He jerked his head at her horse and watched her expectantly.

Farrow realized he intended to give her a boost. She set her foot in his grip. As she stepped up, he raised her with ease. Her shoulder burned as she swung her leg over Kazim's back and sat in the saddle. Link waited a moment to make sure she was settled before running to his own horse. He stepped into the stirrup and swung himself onto the saddle with a practiced movement.

Gritting her teeth, Farrow gave Kazim's reigns a flick. As she'd expected, pain sparked from her shoulder with every step Kazim took. "This path leads directly to Hateno," she kept her tone level, but she could hear how tight her voice was. "Purah's tower is at the top of the cliff on the east side of the village." Farrow wasn't sure she'd still be conscious when Link got there. Already the sunlight seemed dim, and the leather of the reigns too soft. If blood lose got to her Link needed to know where to go. She glanced back to see him nod. Some color had returned to his face, and his expression had shifted from shock to determination. She flashed him a thin smile before facing forward. She flicked the reigns with her good hand and stood in her stirrups. Kazim's increased his pace and Farrow did what she could to avoid jostling her shoulder.

Farrow took deep breaths, focusing on the road ahead and doing what she could to ignore the growing pain. She just had to focus on the next few feet, then the next. The thud of Kazim's hooves against the earth helped lull her into a semi-meditative state. They'd be at Hateno soon. Just a few more feet.