Sorry for the long wait. Writer's block is a very evil thing. Some of
this was written after watching FLCL so...it got kinda funny strange. I
finally typed this up and I hope you enjoy it.
Sunlight dappled the ground through the thick canopy of leaves, random light spots on dark. Gentle breezes shook the leaves, but the thick tree trunks kept the floor of the Lost Woods from feeling it. Birds flitted through the trees and the soft notes of a Skullkid's flute floated in the air. A peaceful forest was all it was.
Link lay on his stomach by the pond that led to the Zora's River. He was dressed in his classic green tunic, white shirt and pants, and brown boots. The sleeves of his shirt hung loose on his wrists since he had left his gauntlets back with Saria, along with his weapons; why would he need them here? His green hat laid limply next to him, allowing his golden blonde hair to fall around his shoulders and neck. He propped himself up with his right arm and aimlessly flipped small pebbles into the still, crystal waters with his left; watching them swirl crazily down to the bottom. Link yawned and adjusted his right arm so his head was resting in his hand; softly thumping the ground with the toe of his boot.
He was bored, completely bored. After the tedious, but amusing, removal of his stitches, Saria had told him to go do something outside for awhile. So here he was, lying next to a pond tossing rocks into it in sheer boredom. There wasn't much to do, or more less go, in the Lost Woods and no one lived there except for the Skullkids who avoided all contact with any beings other than themselves. None of the Kokiris seemed to want to talk to him when he had wandered through earlier that morning. He at least thought that they might be curious or maybe say "Welcome back!" or "Hi.", but none had.
"That's a blow to the self-esteem," Link muttered tossing another rock into the water with a soft kerplunk.
He rolled onto his back and put his hands behind his head. He wondered what had gotten into them. His arrival home wasn't what he had planned and that could've been what surprised them, or maybe they were scared of him (after all, they only came up to his waist). It could be only number of things. It was possible that they already knew what had happened, but Link doubted that. The Kokiris knew nothing of the outside world and probably wouldn't understand what he told them anyway. He stared up at the sky through the trees, it was always cloudy in the forest when it was clear everywhere else and he wasn't too sure on how that worked, but it didn't matter. Link's ears twitched and he sat up. Someone was moving around near him and he knew exactly who.
"Come on out, Mido," He said, slight laughter hiding under his breath. "It's no use hiding now."
He heard the all too familiar groan and Mido pushed his way through the bushes and folded his arms across his chest.
"How do you do that?" He asked.
"My hearing is just more acute than yours," Link answered. "Now why are you talking to me?"
"I want to know what happened," Mido replied. "I only heard what Saria knew last night when you were knocking on Death's door. And Saria told the others not to ask questions because she didn't want you to get swarmed or overwhelmed."
"That explains a lot then," Link muttered.
"So what happened?"
"I was ambushed by a large group of Lizalfos at night," Link said. "That's what happened."
"It must've been worse than just an ambush," Mido said, sitting himself down across from Link. "Saria said that when she saw you, you were covered in blood and partially dead. I've heard your stories before and from what you've told me, Lizalfos aren't stupid. They had that all planned for you. According to Saria, you were slashed up the most, and deepest, around the most vital areas of your body that keep you alive. They were trying to kill you, but you held them of long enough to remain alive. If what I think happened is correct, you shouldn't have even been able to come here at all. If I'm right, you should've died two days ago during that attack. There's just no way!" Mido stopped for a moment. "How did you get out of there alive?"
Link blinked, startled by Mido's short, but correct, lecture. He didn't know Mido Knew that much. He didn't even know listened to anything he said at all!
"To be honest," He sighed. "I don't know. Near the end of the fight I knew I was finished, I knew I was going to die and so I closed my eyes and waited for them to finish me off. Then I blacked out and awakened later to see them all dead. What happened during the time I blacked out? I don't know."
"That's a bummer," Mido sighed, folding his arms behind his head.
"I think there was one who saw what happened," Link mumbled. "Which reminds me, where the heck did Navi disappear to?"
Link sat still thinking for a few moments and then picked up his hat and reached inside, pulling out the small fairy. With his other hand, he gently poked her until she woke up.
"You sleep too much, Navi," Link said as the fairy shook her head to clear the drowsiness.
"I didn't sleep a wink last night," Navi replied rubbing her eyes. "since I was so worried about you."
"You saw what happened when I blacked out, right?"
"Right."
"Tell him," The Hylian said, pointing at the small Kokiri. "He wants to know."
"Yeah, tell me," Mido said, looking excited.
"Alright," Navi began. "I didn't see it all, mind you, because the moonlight kept getting covered by clouds and it was pitch black for a second or two."
"You're not gonna lie," Link began.
"Don't worry," The fairy replied. "I won't."
"I know you too well," Link snorted.
"I'm not gonna lie!" Navi snapped back, but remembered what she was originally saying. "Sorry about that," She told Mido, only to have Link give a sharp laugh behind her. "He's back to normal, but anyway. You see, Link did stop fighting and it was easy to see that he couldn't continue even if he wanted to, so he dropped his guard and waited, but then he straightened himself up again and stood ready to fight. Then he rushed forward and moved so fast that nobody could follow him. Then it grew dark and I couldn't see anything and when the clouds cleared, he collapsed on the ground."
"That's it?" Mido asked.
"Yep."
"Really?" Mido persisted.
"Yep."
"And where were you during all of this?" Link asked, narrowing his eyes at the blue fairy.
Navi put her hands behind her back, looked sheepishly at the ground, and aimlessly kicked the air as if it were a small stone.
"I was staying out of the way," She mumbled eventually.
"You mean you left me there to die by myself!?" Link demanded, sending Navi careening back in surprise.
"No," She replied, recollecting herself. "If I was down there when you became that berserker, you'd probably have killed me. You killed everything in sight."
"You really think I'd kill you?" Link asked, looking sarcastically sad.
"At times, yes," Navi answered with a laugh. "But I knew that wasn't really you. For one, the attack stance was a bit different and the attack style was more of a "hack-and-slash-them-to-pieces-in-one-blow" kinda thing. Then plus the crazy speed and strength! Your sword cut cleanly through their armor! With ease! It was insane!" She ranted.
"Okay, okay, Navi," Link said, motioning for her to calm down.
"If it wasn't Link that killed the lizards, who was it then?" Mido asked, causing Link and Navi to look at him.
"That's the problem," Navi answered. "We don't know. Whoever it was, I'm convinced that they're psychotic and I never want to meet them again." She gave a shudder.
Link picked up his hat, tucked his hair in it, and pulled it on; adjusting it a bit.
"I really do hate this hat at times, but it's okay I guess," He muttered standing and brushing the grass off his pants. "I guess we should start to head back. I've already been out here for a few hours."
Mido rose from his spot, Navi flew next to Link's shoulder, and they began walking back to the Kokiri Village. Along the way, Mido claimed he knew the way back to his home and said he was going to lead them back. Link only laughed and Mido yelled back that he was still the boss of him. Navi heard Link mutter something about how immature children were, especially Mido. At some point, Link practically left Mido behind when the small Kokiri boy turned the wrong way and the older Hylian yelled that he would see Mido again when he became a Skullkid; Mido came running back as fast as his little legs could carry him. They didn't get more than halfway back when a sudden high-pitched scream sounded and was abruptly cut off, leaving the forest in an unpleasant silence. Mido jumped at the scream and Navi hid in Link's hat.
"What in the name of Din was that!?" Mido demanded in a harsh whisper.
"I don't know," Link answered, looking around cautiously. "At least it wasn't from the village, but what was it then?"
Navi peeked out from a few strands of Link's blonde hair.
"If not the village, what's left?" She asked.
Mido's eyes widened. "The Skullkids!" He exclaimed.
"Who, in their right mind, would want to kill a Skullkid?" Navi asked, with an expression of confused disgust.
"I'm not sure, but I want find out," Link answered, disappearing into the brush in the direction the scream came from.
"Don't leave without me!" Mido yelled, running after him.
Navi had moved from out of Link's hat and was riding on the top of his head, when Mido finally caught up.
"It's just like you to do something like this," The fairy muttered as her ride trudged along. "Running off somewhere to practically die."
"I'm not gonna fight whatever the thing was," Link replied coolly. "I just want to see what happened."
"And the monster will see you and charge you, leave you with the only option of fighting. Do you know how many times I've seen that happen to you?"
"Quite a few I guess."
"Where are we going?" A small voice squeaked.
"Shut up, Mido!" The seventeen year old shot back quietly.
Mido bit his lip to keep from making any more noise. Eventually they approached a small clearing and Link pressed himself up against the trunk of a massive tree, hoping that would help hide his presence if whatever the thing was, was still in the clearing. A pang of fear shot through his body when he saw Mido began to walk right out into the open, so he grabbed the back of Mido's shirt collar and hauled the small Kokiri behind the tree roughly.
"What was that for!?" Mido demanded in a harsh whisper.
Link raised his hand, but held back the urge to slap Mido across the face and lowered it. He was just appalled at how stupid Mido's previous action was. That could've gotten him killed and then Link right after. Link simply let his anger escape in a quiet sigh. He simply shook his head at Mido, partly telling him no and partly surprised at the young boy's stupidity. Link poked his head around the edge of the tree a bit and his breath lodged itself in his throat and refused to move when he saw what was on the other side.
Dark blood splattered the ground and trees, suggesting that the victim had been violently shook and thrown around. Bits of shredded cloth and flesh laid about, confirming that whatever was killed was shaken to death.
"It wasn't a Kokiri," Link whispered eventually. "The blood would've been red if it was one, but it's black." He looked back at Mido.
"Then it was a Skullkid," Mido whispered back. "Their blood is black, as far as I know anyway."
Link opened his mouth to sat something, but quickly shut it and spun around when the loud, sickening crunch of bones breaking. All three peeked out farther from the tree and just let their jaws drop at the sight.
A Wolfos stood over the maimed carcass of a Skullkid, but the wolf did not look normal. A normal Wolfos stood about three feet at the shoulder, but this one was easily six feet or more at its shoulder. Its entire pelt was a deep black, blacker than a moonless night, and its monstrous claws were easily as long as Mido's arms and dripped with its victim's black blood. Its tail swished slightly with the pleasure of its meal and it proceeded to swallow the rest of the Skullkid with a crunch as its remaining bones were crushed in the giant wolf's jaws; its throat expanding slightly as the food slid down. It then licked its jaws and claws with a fire-red, forked tongue.
Link's adams's-apple bobbed in his throat. He was used to seeing blood and carnage, but this was just sickening to him and he wasn't too sure why. The aftermath of the Lizalfos battle was much worse than this, but this was just different somehow.
The trio were about to duck behind the tree and make a break for it, but froze when the large Wolfos' red eyes locked unto them. Link's arm instinctively went back for his sword, but remembered it was back with Saria and brought his hand back down, softly cursing himself for being that stupid. The black Wolfos slowly approached them, the ground sinking a bit from under its massive paws with every step. Its pelt was so dark that it absorbed any light around it; its body never illuminated by the sun. It stopped only a few feet from the three who were rooted to the ground in terror and could feel the wolf's hot, blood-scented breath blowing against their faces. They stared into the hell-flaming red eyes that made their very skin seem as if it was burning. The black Wolfos raised a giant paw so it could splatter their helpless bodies against the tree, but stopped in mid-swing. It looked off to the side, as if some nonexistent being had spoken to it, and lowered its paw. It then turned from its prey and disappeared within the shadows of the ancient trees.
Link brought his arms down from the defensive position he had them in and straightened himself. Navi was a fear-stiffened statue and slid off Link's head into his waiting palm, not even moving when she hit his skin. Mido stood in the same place shaking violently, not looking too pleased with himself as well as terrified. Link was the first to break the silence.
"What's a Wolfos, that huge, doing feasting on Skullkids?" He asked possibly no one. "I mean, they are barely are a mouthful-"
"WHO CARES WHY IT WAS!?!?" Navi screamed in Link's face, his eyes crossed since she was so close. "And can we please not discuss why Skullkids don't make very good mouthfuls, since they're so tiny!?" She floated away from his face. "Although Hylians are bigger..."
"Shut up!" Link yelled. "This isn't the time to be cracking jokes! Wolfos don't grow that big! They never have! They're not black either, or have forked tongues, or red eyes!"
"Your point?"
"That wasn't a Wolfos!"
"Looked like one to me."
"Can we go now?"
Link and Navi stopped talking and turned to Mido, who had just spoken.
"I guess," Link said shrugging. He looked Mido up and down. "Uh...did you-"
"Yes," The Kokiri answered flatly.
"You've got extra shorts, right?" Navi asked, trying not to laugh and earning herself a glare from Mido.
"C'mon you two," Link said, motioning for them to move. "Let's go before that thing comes back."
That was all it took to keep Mido running and quiet. As they traveled back to the main path, Link was musing over the Wolfos. If it wasn't a Wolfos, then what was it? Link couldn't find an answer to that question; he kept drawing up blanks. He was thinking about the creature's forked tongue when his boots scuffed onto the dirt path; his legs instinctively taking him home, though his mind was oblivious. Navi eventually floated unto his shoulder, but he didn't feel her; Mido followed quietly behind.
"Still thinking about the 'thing'?" She asked, causing Link to look at her.
"I can't figure out what it is," He answered with a sigh. "I think it'll be a good idea if we don't tell anyone about this."
"Right."
The three traveled the rest of the way in silence, being that there wasn't really much to say and were still pretty well shaken by the previous event. Link stopped upon exiting the tunnel and looked at the village. A few Kokiris wandered about, but that was all. Maybe they were else where or they had heard the scream and were staying inside. Once again, Link was unsure about the Kokiris, but he put that thought to rest and turned to Mido.
"Mido," He said. "don't spill a word of this to anyone, okay?"
"Or we'll tell everyone about how you wet your pants," Navi shot in, but got slapped by Link.
Mido nodded and ran off, probably still too scared to utter a word. Link couldn't blame him. That was probably the scariest thing Mido had ever seen since the death of the Deku Tree. That's what they got for being a sheltered race. Link scratched at a wrapping of bandages he had under his sleeve. He still had to wear some bandages since the only major healing had gone to the slashes in his chest.
"Hey! Link! Over here!" A voice yelled, causing Link to jump a little and look around. "I'm the rock, stupid!"
Link spun around and glared at the Gossip Stone that stood next to the Lost Woods entrance.
"Don't call me stupid!" Link snapped at the stone.
"How else was I supposed to get your attention?" It asked. "I can't exactly move you know."
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Link muttered. "So what do you want?"
"Well," The stone began. "I overheard that something horrible has happened at the castle."
"What do I care!?" Link demanded. "Something's always going wrong there and the last time I helped, I was practically killed!"
"Well, sorry!" The stone snapped back. "I didn't think you'd be a big pill about it, but it's different that you think."
"How so?"
"Three guards were killed last night, without a sound," It answered.
"They can just replace them," Link muttered.
"That's not the point. What's different it," The Gossip Stone's single eye looked from side to side and then whispered, "the person that they believe did the killing is the Princess Zelda."
Review!!! NOW!!
Sunlight dappled the ground through the thick canopy of leaves, random light spots on dark. Gentle breezes shook the leaves, but the thick tree trunks kept the floor of the Lost Woods from feeling it. Birds flitted through the trees and the soft notes of a Skullkid's flute floated in the air. A peaceful forest was all it was.
Link lay on his stomach by the pond that led to the Zora's River. He was dressed in his classic green tunic, white shirt and pants, and brown boots. The sleeves of his shirt hung loose on his wrists since he had left his gauntlets back with Saria, along with his weapons; why would he need them here? His green hat laid limply next to him, allowing his golden blonde hair to fall around his shoulders and neck. He propped himself up with his right arm and aimlessly flipped small pebbles into the still, crystal waters with his left; watching them swirl crazily down to the bottom. Link yawned and adjusted his right arm so his head was resting in his hand; softly thumping the ground with the toe of his boot.
He was bored, completely bored. After the tedious, but amusing, removal of his stitches, Saria had told him to go do something outside for awhile. So here he was, lying next to a pond tossing rocks into it in sheer boredom. There wasn't much to do, or more less go, in the Lost Woods and no one lived there except for the Skullkids who avoided all contact with any beings other than themselves. None of the Kokiris seemed to want to talk to him when he had wandered through earlier that morning. He at least thought that they might be curious or maybe say "Welcome back!" or "Hi.", but none had.
"That's a blow to the self-esteem," Link muttered tossing another rock into the water with a soft kerplunk.
He rolled onto his back and put his hands behind his head. He wondered what had gotten into them. His arrival home wasn't what he had planned and that could've been what surprised them, or maybe they were scared of him (after all, they only came up to his waist). It could be only number of things. It was possible that they already knew what had happened, but Link doubted that. The Kokiris knew nothing of the outside world and probably wouldn't understand what he told them anyway. He stared up at the sky through the trees, it was always cloudy in the forest when it was clear everywhere else and he wasn't too sure on how that worked, but it didn't matter. Link's ears twitched and he sat up. Someone was moving around near him and he knew exactly who.
"Come on out, Mido," He said, slight laughter hiding under his breath. "It's no use hiding now."
He heard the all too familiar groan and Mido pushed his way through the bushes and folded his arms across his chest.
"How do you do that?" He asked.
"My hearing is just more acute than yours," Link answered. "Now why are you talking to me?"
"I want to know what happened," Mido replied. "I only heard what Saria knew last night when you were knocking on Death's door. And Saria told the others not to ask questions because she didn't want you to get swarmed or overwhelmed."
"That explains a lot then," Link muttered.
"So what happened?"
"I was ambushed by a large group of Lizalfos at night," Link said. "That's what happened."
"It must've been worse than just an ambush," Mido said, sitting himself down across from Link. "Saria said that when she saw you, you were covered in blood and partially dead. I've heard your stories before and from what you've told me, Lizalfos aren't stupid. They had that all planned for you. According to Saria, you were slashed up the most, and deepest, around the most vital areas of your body that keep you alive. They were trying to kill you, but you held them of long enough to remain alive. If what I think happened is correct, you shouldn't have even been able to come here at all. If I'm right, you should've died two days ago during that attack. There's just no way!" Mido stopped for a moment. "How did you get out of there alive?"
Link blinked, startled by Mido's short, but correct, lecture. He didn't know Mido Knew that much. He didn't even know listened to anything he said at all!
"To be honest," He sighed. "I don't know. Near the end of the fight I knew I was finished, I knew I was going to die and so I closed my eyes and waited for them to finish me off. Then I blacked out and awakened later to see them all dead. What happened during the time I blacked out? I don't know."
"That's a bummer," Mido sighed, folding his arms behind his head.
"I think there was one who saw what happened," Link mumbled. "Which reminds me, where the heck did Navi disappear to?"
Link sat still thinking for a few moments and then picked up his hat and reached inside, pulling out the small fairy. With his other hand, he gently poked her until she woke up.
"You sleep too much, Navi," Link said as the fairy shook her head to clear the drowsiness.
"I didn't sleep a wink last night," Navi replied rubbing her eyes. "since I was so worried about you."
"You saw what happened when I blacked out, right?"
"Right."
"Tell him," The Hylian said, pointing at the small Kokiri. "He wants to know."
"Yeah, tell me," Mido said, looking excited.
"Alright," Navi began. "I didn't see it all, mind you, because the moonlight kept getting covered by clouds and it was pitch black for a second or two."
"You're not gonna lie," Link began.
"Don't worry," The fairy replied. "I won't."
"I know you too well," Link snorted.
"I'm not gonna lie!" Navi snapped back, but remembered what she was originally saying. "Sorry about that," She told Mido, only to have Link give a sharp laugh behind her. "He's back to normal, but anyway. You see, Link did stop fighting and it was easy to see that he couldn't continue even if he wanted to, so he dropped his guard and waited, but then he straightened himself up again and stood ready to fight. Then he rushed forward and moved so fast that nobody could follow him. Then it grew dark and I couldn't see anything and when the clouds cleared, he collapsed on the ground."
"That's it?" Mido asked.
"Yep."
"Really?" Mido persisted.
"Yep."
"And where were you during all of this?" Link asked, narrowing his eyes at the blue fairy.
Navi put her hands behind her back, looked sheepishly at the ground, and aimlessly kicked the air as if it were a small stone.
"I was staying out of the way," She mumbled eventually.
"You mean you left me there to die by myself!?" Link demanded, sending Navi careening back in surprise.
"No," She replied, recollecting herself. "If I was down there when you became that berserker, you'd probably have killed me. You killed everything in sight."
"You really think I'd kill you?" Link asked, looking sarcastically sad.
"At times, yes," Navi answered with a laugh. "But I knew that wasn't really you. For one, the attack stance was a bit different and the attack style was more of a "hack-and-slash-them-to-pieces-in-one-blow" kinda thing. Then plus the crazy speed and strength! Your sword cut cleanly through their armor! With ease! It was insane!" She ranted.
"Okay, okay, Navi," Link said, motioning for her to calm down.
"If it wasn't Link that killed the lizards, who was it then?" Mido asked, causing Link and Navi to look at him.
"That's the problem," Navi answered. "We don't know. Whoever it was, I'm convinced that they're psychotic and I never want to meet them again." She gave a shudder.
Link picked up his hat, tucked his hair in it, and pulled it on; adjusting it a bit.
"I really do hate this hat at times, but it's okay I guess," He muttered standing and brushing the grass off his pants. "I guess we should start to head back. I've already been out here for a few hours."
Mido rose from his spot, Navi flew next to Link's shoulder, and they began walking back to the Kokiri Village. Along the way, Mido claimed he knew the way back to his home and said he was going to lead them back. Link only laughed and Mido yelled back that he was still the boss of him. Navi heard Link mutter something about how immature children were, especially Mido. At some point, Link practically left Mido behind when the small Kokiri boy turned the wrong way and the older Hylian yelled that he would see Mido again when he became a Skullkid; Mido came running back as fast as his little legs could carry him. They didn't get more than halfway back when a sudden high-pitched scream sounded and was abruptly cut off, leaving the forest in an unpleasant silence. Mido jumped at the scream and Navi hid in Link's hat.
"What in the name of Din was that!?" Mido demanded in a harsh whisper.
"I don't know," Link answered, looking around cautiously. "At least it wasn't from the village, but what was it then?"
Navi peeked out from a few strands of Link's blonde hair.
"If not the village, what's left?" She asked.
Mido's eyes widened. "The Skullkids!" He exclaimed.
"Who, in their right mind, would want to kill a Skullkid?" Navi asked, with an expression of confused disgust.
"I'm not sure, but I want find out," Link answered, disappearing into the brush in the direction the scream came from.
"Don't leave without me!" Mido yelled, running after him.
Navi had moved from out of Link's hat and was riding on the top of his head, when Mido finally caught up.
"It's just like you to do something like this," The fairy muttered as her ride trudged along. "Running off somewhere to practically die."
"I'm not gonna fight whatever the thing was," Link replied coolly. "I just want to see what happened."
"And the monster will see you and charge you, leave you with the only option of fighting. Do you know how many times I've seen that happen to you?"
"Quite a few I guess."
"Where are we going?" A small voice squeaked.
"Shut up, Mido!" The seventeen year old shot back quietly.
Mido bit his lip to keep from making any more noise. Eventually they approached a small clearing and Link pressed himself up against the trunk of a massive tree, hoping that would help hide his presence if whatever the thing was, was still in the clearing. A pang of fear shot through his body when he saw Mido began to walk right out into the open, so he grabbed the back of Mido's shirt collar and hauled the small Kokiri behind the tree roughly.
"What was that for!?" Mido demanded in a harsh whisper.
Link raised his hand, but held back the urge to slap Mido across the face and lowered it. He was just appalled at how stupid Mido's previous action was. That could've gotten him killed and then Link right after. Link simply let his anger escape in a quiet sigh. He simply shook his head at Mido, partly telling him no and partly surprised at the young boy's stupidity. Link poked his head around the edge of the tree a bit and his breath lodged itself in his throat and refused to move when he saw what was on the other side.
Dark blood splattered the ground and trees, suggesting that the victim had been violently shook and thrown around. Bits of shredded cloth and flesh laid about, confirming that whatever was killed was shaken to death.
"It wasn't a Kokiri," Link whispered eventually. "The blood would've been red if it was one, but it's black." He looked back at Mido.
"Then it was a Skullkid," Mido whispered back. "Their blood is black, as far as I know anyway."
Link opened his mouth to sat something, but quickly shut it and spun around when the loud, sickening crunch of bones breaking. All three peeked out farther from the tree and just let their jaws drop at the sight.
A Wolfos stood over the maimed carcass of a Skullkid, but the wolf did not look normal. A normal Wolfos stood about three feet at the shoulder, but this one was easily six feet or more at its shoulder. Its entire pelt was a deep black, blacker than a moonless night, and its monstrous claws were easily as long as Mido's arms and dripped with its victim's black blood. Its tail swished slightly with the pleasure of its meal and it proceeded to swallow the rest of the Skullkid with a crunch as its remaining bones were crushed in the giant wolf's jaws; its throat expanding slightly as the food slid down. It then licked its jaws and claws with a fire-red, forked tongue.
Link's adams's-apple bobbed in his throat. He was used to seeing blood and carnage, but this was just sickening to him and he wasn't too sure why. The aftermath of the Lizalfos battle was much worse than this, but this was just different somehow.
The trio were about to duck behind the tree and make a break for it, but froze when the large Wolfos' red eyes locked unto them. Link's arm instinctively went back for his sword, but remembered it was back with Saria and brought his hand back down, softly cursing himself for being that stupid. The black Wolfos slowly approached them, the ground sinking a bit from under its massive paws with every step. Its pelt was so dark that it absorbed any light around it; its body never illuminated by the sun. It stopped only a few feet from the three who were rooted to the ground in terror and could feel the wolf's hot, blood-scented breath blowing against their faces. They stared into the hell-flaming red eyes that made their very skin seem as if it was burning. The black Wolfos raised a giant paw so it could splatter their helpless bodies against the tree, but stopped in mid-swing. It looked off to the side, as if some nonexistent being had spoken to it, and lowered its paw. It then turned from its prey and disappeared within the shadows of the ancient trees.
Link brought his arms down from the defensive position he had them in and straightened himself. Navi was a fear-stiffened statue and slid off Link's head into his waiting palm, not even moving when she hit his skin. Mido stood in the same place shaking violently, not looking too pleased with himself as well as terrified. Link was the first to break the silence.
"What's a Wolfos, that huge, doing feasting on Skullkids?" He asked possibly no one. "I mean, they are barely are a mouthful-"
"WHO CARES WHY IT WAS!?!?" Navi screamed in Link's face, his eyes crossed since she was so close. "And can we please not discuss why Skullkids don't make very good mouthfuls, since they're so tiny!?" She floated away from his face. "Although Hylians are bigger..."
"Shut up!" Link yelled. "This isn't the time to be cracking jokes! Wolfos don't grow that big! They never have! They're not black either, or have forked tongues, or red eyes!"
"Your point?"
"That wasn't a Wolfos!"
"Looked like one to me."
"Can we go now?"
Link and Navi stopped talking and turned to Mido, who had just spoken.
"I guess," Link said shrugging. He looked Mido up and down. "Uh...did you-"
"Yes," The Kokiri answered flatly.
"You've got extra shorts, right?" Navi asked, trying not to laugh and earning herself a glare from Mido.
"C'mon you two," Link said, motioning for them to move. "Let's go before that thing comes back."
That was all it took to keep Mido running and quiet. As they traveled back to the main path, Link was musing over the Wolfos. If it wasn't a Wolfos, then what was it? Link couldn't find an answer to that question; he kept drawing up blanks. He was thinking about the creature's forked tongue when his boots scuffed onto the dirt path; his legs instinctively taking him home, though his mind was oblivious. Navi eventually floated unto his shoulder, but he didn't feel her; Mido followed quietly behind.
"Still thinking about the 'thing'?" She asked, causing Link to look at her.
"I can't figure out what it is," He answered with a sigh. "I think it'll be a good idea if we don't tell anyone about this."
"Right."
The three traveled the rest of the way in silence, being that there wasn't really much to say and were still pretty well shaken by the previous event. Link stopped upon exiting the tunnel and looked at the village. A few Kokiris wandered about, but that was all. Maybe they were else where or they had heard the scream and were staying inside. Once again, Link was unsure about the Kokiris, but he put that thought to rest and turned to Mido.
"Mido," He said. "don't spill a word of this to anyone, okay?"
"Or we'll tell everyone about how you wet your pants," Navi shot in, but got slapped by Link.
Mido nodded and ran off, probably still too scared to utter a word. Link couldn't blame him. That was probably the scariest thing Mido had ever seen since the death of the Deku Tree. That's what they got for being a sheltered race. Link scratched at a wrapping of bandages he had under his sleeve. He still had to wear some bandages since the only major healing had gone to the slashes in his chest.
"Hey! Link! Over here!" A voice yelled, causing Link to jump a little and look around. "I'm the rock, stupid!"
Link spun around and glared at the Gossip Stone that stood next to the Lost Woods entrance.
"Don't call me stupid!" Link snapped at the stone.
"How else was I supposed to get your attention?" It asked. "I can't exactly move you know."
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Link muttered. "So what do you want?"
"Well," The stone began. "I overheard that something horrible has happened at the castle."
"What do I care!?" Link demanded. "Something's always going wrong there and the last time I helped, I was practically killed!"
"Well, sorry!" The stone snapped back. "I didn't think you'd be a big pill about it, but it's different that you think."
"How so?"
"Three guards were killed last night, without a sound," It answered.
"They can just replace them," Link muttered.
"That's not the point. What's different it," The Gossip Stone's single eye looked from side to side and then whispered, "the person that they believe did the killing is the Princess Zelda."
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