Aria: I know that chapter sixteen was short, so I'm putting up chapter
seventeen along with it. Chapter seventeen is even shorter, but I don't
want all of you asking for more before I'm ready to post the next chapter.
Navi: The goddesses are still snails, but I don't care. They can't say
anything or complain or fight with each other or make Aria mad or.
Aria: We get the picture, Navi!
Navi: *flinches* I'll do the disclaimers now. Aria Zephyr, the authoress
of this story, does not own the Legend of Zelda games, their characters,
etc. But, she does own this story.
Aria: This chapter has a lighthearted tone, unlike some other ones. Please
enjoy chapter seventeen!

Chapter 17: It's About Time They Got to the Forgotten Forest! Sheesh!

It took them four days just to come within the vicinity of the area that
the Deku Tree had marked. During that time, everyone was rather busy
either doing their jobs or chatting with someone.

Tetra stood at the rear of the ship, checking their coordinates on Link's
sea chart. "Finally! We're nearly there!" she said, folding up the chart
and sticking it in her belt. She looked around at the rest of the ship and
saw that Link was mopping the main deck. She jumped down from her place
and walked over to him.

"Since when do you do swabbie work?" she asked teasingly, putting her hands
on her hips. "Since Niko refused to come upstairs and somebody had to
clean up the mess that he made when he was cleaning the fish last night,"
he replied, putting the mop into the bucket beside him and taking it out
with a plop. "It did stink last night, didn't it?" she said, wrinkling her
nose. "Not really; when you've grown up in a fishing village, the smell
doesn't get to you as much," he said cynically

She laughed and said, "You're in a humorous mood today!" "I'd better be as
humorous as I can now that we're nearly at the forest," he said, leaning
casually on the mop. "How'd you know that?" she asked. "I didn't tell you
and no one but me has seen your chart all day but me." "I knew because I
figured that it would take us about this long to reach it," he said
straightforwardly. She shook her head and said, "I don't think I should
doubt your logic this time." "That would be foolish, now wouldn't it?"
Link said jokingly.

Suddenly, Zuko's voice called out from the crow's nest. "There's an island
up ahead!" He yelled. At hearing this, everyone rushed to the railings and
saw that a tiny sliver of land laid ahead of them; a dark line against the
receding horizon.

"That must be it! What else could be ahead of us?" Link said excitedly.
"Alright, everybody! Set sail for that island! We'll drop anchor there
and then Link and I will explore it," Tetra shouted. "Yes ma'am!" The
pirates all said obediently as they rushed into their places.

Link walked back to where he had dropped the mop and bucket. He poured the
water overboard and said, "Well, if it still smells like fish later, I
can't say I didn't try to make it go away."
They sailed straight to the island that they had seen and just as the sun
was setting, they had reached it. A giant forest of ancient trees loomed
up before them. Each one bore markings upon their bark that showed many
years of strain against sea storms. Yet, the most shocking thing was the
complete silence that enveloped it and how eerie it felt, even from a
distance.

"That's weird; you'd think with a forest this big, there'd be at least some
birds in it," Link said, scratching his head beneath his cap. "I don't
like it; it has a really odd feeling to it," Tetra said, frowning. "What
do you mean?" Link asked. "I'm not sure.It just feels like something
ominous is in there, waiting for something," She said, staring at the
darkened woods. "Then, we'd better stay here for the night," Link said.
Tetra nodded in agreement and told the pirates that no one would be leaving
that night.

The pirates were thrilled that they had finally found the Forgotten Forest,
but only because it had taken them so long just to get there. Link and
Tetra had to reiterate why it was dangerous for anyone to go to the forest
itself at the time many, many times. Some of the braver of the pirates
wanted to accompany them, but when Link and Tetra told them about what the
fairy had said, they reluctantly agreed. Because they were going into the
forest, Link and Tetra were sent to bed early and everyone else took guard
duty.

Navi: This chapter wasn't so bad.
Aria: Just you wait, fairy. I'm warning you all right now, enjoy it while
it lasts. Things are gonna get scary soon. Very soon.
Navi: Like how scary?
Aria: Like vicious storms, terrifying monsters, cryptic places. You know;
the works.
Navi: I don't get it.
Aria: That's because you're silly. I hope everyone liked this chapter.
Please read and review! Chapter eighteen and nineteen are next!
Navi: Then, you'd better start writing again, or you won't have any
material to work with!
Aria: Navi, I've said it before and I'll say it again: shut up!
Navi: Yes, ma'am!
Aria: Sheesh; hired workers.