Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters Nintendo does. The only ones that belong to me are those that I make up.
Authors Note: Hey its me Mr. X and I've got another chapter to get off my mind and onto paper. If you read the prologue this will make more sense.
Chapter 1
Sun shafts slanted through the leaves of the trees casting amber hued lights onto the loamy ground. Moss, ferns, and all manner of vegetation densely packed the forest. Towering red woods grew in profusion all around. The silence was suddenly broken by a burst of laughter followed by crashing in undergrowth. A young boy of ten burst through the vegetation into a small clearing. He was oddly garbed in a green tunic and hat. On his feet he wore a pair of worn out boots. On his leather belt was a small pouch. Crouching low among the ferns he crawled forward to a large fallen tree. "Now where is that fuzz brained Will?" he said to himself. Climbing through the network of roots on the upturned tree the boy crawled across the trunk. He slowly scanned the surrounding foliage. A rustling sound in the shrubbery caused him to snap his head to the source of the sound. A boy dressed much like him came bounding from his hiding place behind a rock and ran towards him holding a long thin stick. "Yaaaaahooooooo!" the boy yelled he charged. Jumping up onto the tree he stabbed at the other boy who jumped and snapped an overhanging branch from the tree. Holding it like a sword they fenced across the length of the tree trunk. Finally the first boy disarmed the second with a neat flick of his wrist. The second boy looked at his empty hand for a second before tackling his opponent. Both boys feel to the ground. Rolling over they disentangled themselves from each other laughing. "Heehee gotcha that time Link!" "Are you kidding! I got you Will!" "Ah but I attacked first didn't I?" "So what's you're point Link asked." "Oh nothing I was just stalling for time so Whyle could get here." With that remark Whyle jumped from under the fallen tree and wrestled Link to the ground, both boys pinned their captive to a tree. "Ok I give I give you guys win." "That's right and don't you forget it." The twins said mockingly. They let him go and as soon as they did he raced off yelling over his shoulder. "Come on guys we came out here for a reason lets just get the fruit and go!" The twins looked at each other with a knowing smile and then raced after their friend. Link ran at breakneck speed dodging past trees and jumping rocks. A great tunnel of wood loomed before the boy. He raced through it his steps making a hollow thumping sound which echoed around him. He reached the end of the tunnel and was blinded momentarily by the sudden light that hit him. Stopping he rubbed his eyes hard. The twins caught up with Link and nearly knocked him flat as they came rushing forward. "Careful guys!" Link said as they stopped an inch from him. "Sorry." They mumbled. Link cautiously moved towards the gates of a hedge maze which marked the beginning of Sacred Forest meadow. Peering round an ivy covered corner he saw only a long hall of green. Inching around the corner he swiftly ran for an alcove on the opposite wall about fifty meters down the corridor. Then he heard the telltale rustling sound. Yelling for the brothers to stay back he put on an extra burst of speed and dove into the niche just as a shower of earth erupted from the ground about five meters away from the entrance. Leaves came bursting forth from the ground and the head of a Deku Scrub popped out of the soil. It's stubby body swirled 360 degrees around. Its red pointed eyes ever searching. Link stayed perfectly still in the patch of grass he landed in not even daring to breath. When the Scrub had thoroughly searched for intruders it popped back under the dirt as fast as it had appeared. Link slowly stood shaking his head and dusting off his cap. The twins came creeping towards him wary of other monsters that could be lurking among the collection of leaves. Link gave them the ok sign and they continued. The incident repeated itself several times sometimes the Kokiri came very close to being seen. It wasn't till the last curve in the maze that something went wrong. It was Whyle's turn to check the corner he slowly moved forward making no noise and using cover as only a forest dwelling Kokiri can. He was almost to the stairs that denoted the end of the maze when a rustling sound caused him to search frantically from side to side for a hiding spot. The only thing was a wooden ladder that allowed safe passage back to the beginning of the maze by jumping the wall tops. He ran forward and scrambled up. Ducking low he flattened himself against the wall top. A Deku burst from it's burrow and searched around for trespassers. It was about to leave when it sighted Will's hat peeking around the corner. It fired a Deku Nut. The Nut smashed into the hedge wall but Will jumped back and yelled. Whyle thought his brother had been hit and without stopping to think hurled himself from the ledge. He landed on top of the Deku Nut. Gripping it's crown of leaves he yanked mercilessly. The Deku squealed in pain and jerked forward sending Whyle off balance and causing him to fall backwards. He released the Deku's head so suddenly that it snapped back the thing's head smashing it hard into the ground. Link and Will came sprinting round the corner. Will brandished a thorny branch he had snapped off the ivy covered hedges and Link held the knife they had been given to cut the fruit. Will tackled the Deku who was still reeling from the sudden assault landing it a blow to the face with his branch. Link charged its flank and ploughed the dagger into it's side. The Deku tried to duck but found Whyle holding it's head with no intention of letting go. Will gave it another hard whack in the eye. The Deku squealed again and this time made an odd hollow sound with it's nose. Link cut it off with a slash to the side but as he did he heard the sound of leaves crunching. Whipping around he was face to face or rather chest to face with a Mad Scrub. Before he could blink he was hit hard in the chest with a Deku nut. He was sent flying into the hedge wall. Whyle found himself in a similar situation as another Mad Scrub caught him a fiercely powerful shot in the back. The ground came alive with Deku's all making that hollow noise. Will joined Link against the wall as he was pelted with a barrage of Deku Nuts. He slumped forward groaning the branch falling from his hand. Link had gotten his second wind and had jumped up slashing left and right laying Deku's low with brutal sideswipes of the dagger. He carved a path to Whyle who was furiously lashing out at Deku's with his fists. Link kicked a Deku in the head sending it flying out of it's hole and into the teeming masses. Link handed Whyle the dagger which he gripped tightly and cut swiftly with. He reached the ladder and began climbing upwards. Link made his way back to Will cutting himself another switch from the hedge. Will grunted and pulled himself up. Link had him lean on his shoulder as he fought for the safety of the stairs. Whyle reached the top ledge and made a leap of faith towards the stone pillar beside the stairs. His hands grabbed stone as he clung grimly on. The Deku's fired upwards at him nearly knocking him into the throng. He hurriedly slide down to the stairs and began whacking out at the Deku's near the stairs. Link was hit in the back several times but did not fall. He pushed through the Deku's until he reached the stairs. Whyle hauled Will away up the stairs while Link provided rearguard. Once they were safely out of range Link ran to join them. All three of the boys slumped to the ground completely exhausted. Whyle was first to recover he stood shakily and leaned against the dirt wall brushing his tunic off. Link moaned. "Aww my back! How did there get to be so many of them?" "I don't know but I'm sure that this is the last time I volunteer to go for fruit! I mean honestly all this just for some Janal fruit!" Whyle replied shaking dirt from his hair. Supporting Will between them Link and Whyle dragged him up the length of the stairs. At the top a large open field opened out before them. At the opposite end a broken staircase with vines draped over one side stood next to a burnt out tree. At the bottom of the staircase a stump was rooted. To the boys left a large deciduous tree was planted. On it's branches hung what the three sought after. The Janal fruit! Link and Whyle rested Will on the stump and then ran over to the tree. Link scrambled up the trunk and sat down on the highest bough he could find. Plunking one of the ripe orange fruits from its place he bit into it letting the juices dribble down his chin. The tree suddenly started shaking violently. Fruit began dropping from the tree like spring rain. Link jumped from his present perch and caught one of the branches that were low to the ground he let it go and dropped to the ground. "Hey I'm only looking for fruit not Kokiri!" Whyle shouted as he continued to shake the trunk. "Well like it or not you've got one ripe Kokiri ready to gather fruit and haul it back." Whyle just laughed and gave the tree a final shake. Taking the sack that he brought Whyle piled as much fruit as possible into the bag. "I thought Saria told us to cut the fruit down with the knife." Link said nonchalantly. "Yeah well my way is quicker." "Can't argue with that!" Link said jokingly. "We should cut a branch from this tree and grow our own fruit right in the village." Said Link thoughtfully. "It's Kokiri like you that take all the fun out of life." Whyle said mockingly. "I mean where's the risk in getting fruit that's right outside your door!" Link didn't answer as he clipped a branch off neatly with his knife. Dropping the fragile stem into his pouch Link helped Whyle heft the sack now bulging with fruit onto his back. Link was about to help Will up but he pushed him away. "Don't worry I'm fine now." Will said testing his legs. "You had better be fine or you won't get to come to the feast tonight now lets get going before Saria gets ticked at us for being late." Whyle said. "I think she'll understand after what happened to us." Will said. "Not if I know Saria!" Link piped in. The three companions set off for Tangela village loaded down with fruit and a new story to tell around the fire.
