Chapter 2: The Ambush
Link left Kokiri Forest as quick as he could without running. He couldn't bear knowing that Saria's sad eyes followed him all the way across the bridge and out into Hyrule field.
He didn't look back as he stepped out from beneath the trees and stared out across the enormity of the landscape ahead of him. It was dusk, and the stars were already beginning to show in the dark, like tiny glowflies hovering, stationary, in the blackness.
"Wow..." He whispered, staring across to the horizon where a great mountain reared into the sky, eventually merging so that he could not make out the height of it.
"It is amazing, isn't it," Ryelle said with a little laugh as she glanced at her awestruck companion.
"Have you...Did you know all this was out here?" Link asked her, turning his attention to his faerie.
"Well, I've heard that it was big," Ryelle said as she landed gently on Link's outstretched hand. "But I must admit I wasn't expecting this."
"I guess I'd better try find the King," Link mused, glancing at Ryelle, hoping for help.
"Well, I'd say that we should head towards Hyrule Castle." Ryelle suggested, and flew ahead. "Come on, I'll lead you. I think this is the right way."
Link set off after her, still staring about him in wonder at this world that he had never seen before.
It was dark when Ryelle flew back, trembling, to Link.
"Link," she hissed, fear evident in her voice, "there's creatures out there - three of them...Oh, Link, they're coming this way and they look fierce! Quick, follow me, we have to run!"
But the two had barely gone a few metres across the grassy field when Link tripped and fell with a cry, rolling down an unseen slope before he managed to halt himself. Ryelle flew down at once but she could hear the panting and slavering of the three creatures that she had caught a glimpse of a few minutes ago, and they were getting nearer.
"Link, are you all right?" She questioned urgently, but Link gave a little groan when he struggled to stand, and collapsed again, clutching his ankle. Ryelle gave a little whimper - the sounds were closer now.
"I can't..."Link whispered a little tearfully, swinging his head round, searching desperately for the things that were making those ominous sounds. "What can I do, Ryelle?"
But the faerie had no time to respond, for even as Link struggled to get up again, a huge, dark shape hurled itself at the boy and bore him heavily to the ground. Link shrieked in fright and kicked out frantically at the thing that he couldn't see. It leapt away from him with a low snarl, but he didn't know if it had gone, and when more snarls and growls sounded in the night, he knew that the thing was not alone.
Ryelle was fluttering wildly overhead, calling out her friend's name and ducking and diving in the air in her distress, a brightly darting violet light that stood out, luminescent against the darkness of the night.
Link meanwhile, was desperately trying to see his attackers, whilst everything in him screamed for him to run, to get away, but he knew that it would do no good, for his ankle would injured and even if he could run, he was unlikely to outdistance the unknown beasts.
He could hear them breathing heavily, he knew they could see him, or smell him, because the first one that had attacked him had had no trouble finding him in the dark, but he couldn't see a thing.
"Ryelle!" He called helplessly, "Ryelle, I can't see them!"
Something brushed past his leg and he yelped, pitching forward and then suddenly he heard Ryelle's voice high-pitched and anxious, above the panic he was feeling.
"The sword, Link! The sword!"
Feverishly, Link tried to prise the sword from its sheath, but before he could he heard Ryelle shriek, "Link, watch out!"
Before the young Kokiri could react, the heavy body of another creature was on top of him, and he was flat on his back, twisting and scrambling to get free, but the weight of the beast held him down, completely open to the creature's attacks. He heard its teeth snap a few inches away from his face and shoved his hands up into the thing's thick fur, trying to keep its teeth away from him.
"Help, somebody, please help me!" Link cried out in desperation, but he knew there would be no one to help him.
Ryelle could do nothing. She watched helplessly from above, calling Link's name brokenly and knowing she was helpless against her friend's attackers. The terrible feeling of uselessness came over her and she wept openly darting from one side to the other, frantically searching for a sign that Link was still alive under the hideous creature that had pinned him down.
The creature's claws raked furiously at his chest, teeth still snapping wildly, easily ripping through fabric and flesh. Link whimpered in panic but he remembered the Kokiri's sword and with one hand still flailing wildly, striking the creature's muzzle and neck, he grasped the handle of the sword with his right hand, pulling it free and with a huge effort, stabbed the thing in its furry side. It howled in pain and fury and snapped at him again, almost catching his left hand in its jaws. But as Link struggled to free himself again, he met no resistance; the creature was dead. He pushed the heavy body away from him and staggered upright. Ryelle flew down, sobbing, questioning him frantically whether he was all right. Before he could answer, Ryelle yelled, "Behind you!"
Link was almost knocked to the ground again as the second creature leapt at him from behind, claws catching at his shoulders, clinging to him and snapping its jaws at his neck, trying to get that fatal hold on the boy's throat. Link threw himself on his back, pinning the creature beneath him, hearing its whimper and it let go. Hastily, before it could escape into the dark again, Link slashed wildly at the dark, on his knees now, and heard the creature's wail as it died.
"Link, the other one is leaving!" Ryelle called to him as she flew back down. "Are you all right?"
Link shook his head weakly, but Ryelle, brisk suddenly, urged him up.
"You've gotta keep moving Link, in case there are more out there somewhere," she cautioned. "Come on, we must be nearly there now!"
Slowly, agonizingly, Link limped after his faerie again, trying to push away the fatigue and pain that threatened to overcome him.
He did not know how far they had gone when he felt a wave of dizziness sweep over him and he staggered forwards and stopped, swaying. With a little moan, he collapsed, feeling the impact as he hit the ground moments before blackness took him...
Oooh, I know I'm mean leaving it here...but never fear, there will be more. (grins) and Zelda'll make an appearance soon! (Just a little preview)
Oh and for all Zelda fanatics out there, I'd like to take the opportunity to recommend a coupl'a sites to y'all...
Adele Sessler is an amazing artist and author too! Check out her stuff here:
http://teamsavezelda.com/adele/index.shtml - Click here for her first novel, 'Zelda'
http://balder.prohosting.com/justyn/requiem/requiem.html - And here for the sequel, 'Requiem'
http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/loth/a/d/adele/adele.html - If you wanna check out Adele's art click here.
http://jove.prohosting.com/~sessler/ And here's the ultimate Zelda fansite! Tons of pictures and stuff by Adele and Min Rho, both of whom are excellent artists, may I say.
http://hyrulianbeauty.homestead.com/FanArt.html - more Legend of Zelda art by a whole selection of artists.
See for yourselves!
OK, I'll go now. :)
Peace, love and light to everyone
CaraJade
Link left Kokiri Forest as quick as he could without running. He couldn't bear knowing that Saria's sad eyes followed him all the way across the bridge and out into Hyrule field.
He didn't look back as he stepped out from beneath the trees and stared out across the enormity of the landscape ahead of him. It was dusk, and the stars were already beginning to show in the dark, like tiny glowflies hovering, stationary, in the blackness.
"Wow..." He whispered, staring across to the horizon where a great mountain reared into the sky, eventually merging so that he could not make out the height of it.
"It is amazing, isn't it," Ryelle said with a little laugh as she glanced at her awestruck companion.
"Have you...Did you know all this was out here?" Link asked her, turning his attention to his faerie.
"Well, I've heard that it was big," Ryelle said as she landed gently on Link's outstretched hand. "But I must admit I wasn't expecting this."
"I guess I'd better try find the King," Link mused, glancing at Ryelle, hoping for help.
"Well, I'd say that we should head towards Hyrule Castle." Ryelle suggested, and flew ahead. "Come on, I'll lead you. I think this is the right way."
Link set off after her, still staring about him in wonder at this world that he had never seen before.
It was dark when Ryelle flew back, trembling, to Link.
"Link," she hissed, fear evident in her voice, "there's creatures out there - three of them...Oh, Link, they're coming this way and they look fierce! Quick, follow me, we have to run!"
But the two had barely gone a few metres across the grassy field when Link tripped and fell with a cry, rolling down an unseen slope before he managed to halt himself. Ryelle flew down at once but she could hear the panting and slavering of the three creatures that she had caught a glimpse of a few minutes ago, and they were getting nearer.
"Link, are you all right?" She questioned urgently, but Link gave a little groan when he struggled to stand, and collapsed again, clutching his ankle. Ryelle gave a little whimper - the sounds were closer now.
"I can't..."Link whispered a little tearfully, swinging his head round, searching desperately for the things that were making those ominous sounds. "What can I do, Ryelle?"
But the faerie had no time to respond, for even as Link struggled to get up again, a huge, dark shape hurled itself at the boy and bore him heavily to the ground. Link shrieked in fright and kicked out frantically at the thing that he couldn't see. It leapt away from him with a low snarl, but he didn't know if it had gone, and when more snarls and growls sounded in the night, he knew that the thing was not alone.
Ryelle was fluttering wildly overhead, calling out her friend's name and ducking and diving in the air in her distress, a brightly darting violet light that stood out, luminescent against the darkness of the night.
Link meanwhile, was desperately trying to see his attackers, whilst everything in him screamed for him to run, to get away, but he knew that it would do no good, for his ankle would injured and even if he could run, he was unlikely to outdistance the unknown beasts.
He could hear them breathing heavily, he knew they could see him, or smell him, because the first one that had attacked him had had no trouble finding him in the dark, but he couldn't see a thing.
"Ryelle!" He called helplessly, "Ryelle, I can't see them!"
Something brushed past his leg and he yelped, pitching forward and then suddenly he heard Ryelle's voice high-pitched and anxious, above the panic he was feeling.
"The sword, Link! The sword!"
Feverishly, Link tried to prise the sword from its sheath, but before he could he heard Ryelle shriek, "Link, watch out!"
Before the young Kokiri could react, the heavy body of another creature was on top of him, and he was flat on his back, twisting and scrambling to get free, but the weight of the beast held him down, completely open to the creature's attacks. He heard its teeth snap a few inches away from his face and shoved his hands up into the thing's thick fur, trying to keep its teeth away from him.
"Help, somebody, please help me!" Link cried out in desperation, but he knew there would be no one to help him.
Ryelle could do nothing. She watched helplessly from above, calling Link's name brokenly and knowing she was helpless against her friend's attackers. The terrible feeling of uselessness came over her and she wept openly darting from one side to the other, frantically searching for a sign that Link was still alive under the hideous creature that had pinned him down.
The creature's claws raked furiously at his chest, teeth still snapping wildly, easily ripping through fabric and flesh. Link whimpered in panic but he remembered the Kokiri's sword and with one hand still flailing wildly, striking the creature's muzzle and neck, he grasped the handle of the sword with his right hand, pulling it free and with a huge effort, stabbed the thing in its furry side. It howled in pain and fury and snapped at him again, almost catching his left hand in its jaws. But as Link struggled to free himself again, he met no resistance; the creature was dead. He pushed the heavy body away from him and staggered upright. Ryelle flew down, sobbing, questioning him frantically whether he was all right. Before he could answer, Ryelle yelled, "Behind you!"
Link was almost knocked to the ground again as the second creature leapt at him from behind, claws catching at his shoulders, clinging to him and snapping its jaws at his neck, trying to get that fatal hold on the boy's throat. Link threw himself on his back, pinning the creature beneath him, hearing its whimper and it let go. Hastily, before it could escape into the dark again, Link slashed wildly at the dark, on his knees now, and heard the creature's wail as it died.
"Link, the other one is leaving!" Ryelle called to him as she flew back down. "Are you all right?"
Link shook his head weakly, but Ryelle, brisk suddenly, urged him up.
"You've gotta keep moving Link, in case there are more out there somewhere," she cautioned. "Come on, we must be nearly there now!"
Slowly, agonizingly, Link limped after his faerie again, trying to push away the fatigue and pain that threatened to overcome him.
He did not know how far they had gone when he felt a wave of dizziness sweep over him and he staggered forwards and stopped, swaying. With a little moan, he collapsed, feeling the impact as he hit the ground moments before blackness took him...
Oooh, I know I'm mean leaving it here...but never fear, there will be more. (grins) and Zelda'll make an appearance soon! (Just a little preview)
Oh and for all Zelda fanatics out there, I'd like to take the opportunity to recommend a coupl'a sites to y'all...
Adele Sessler is an amazing artist and author too! Check out her stuff here:
http://teamsavezelda.com/adele/index.shtml - Click here for her first novel, 'Zelda'
http://balder.prohosting.com/justyn/requiem/requiem.html - And here for the sequel, 'Requiem'
http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/loth/a/d/adele/adele.html - If you wanna check out Adele's art click here.
http://jove.prohosting.com/~sessler/ And here's the ultimate Zelda fansite! Tons of pictures and stuff by Adele and Min Rho, both of whom are excellent artists, may I say.
http://hyrulianbeauty.homestead.com/FanArt.html - more Legend of Zelda art by a whole selection of artists.
See for yourselves!
OK, I'll go now. :)
Peace, love and light to everyone
CaraJade