Chapter Four

"Now look what you've done!"

"What I've done?!"

"Damn it, this is completely your fault!"

"My fault?!"

Link groped around in the dark searching for the tinder and flint that he had used earlier to light the fire. The beast, or whatever it'd been, had dashed through the fire and kicked it apart sending them into complete darkness.

Pelius stared blindly outwards, listening for any sounds of coming attack. It seemed that the creature had fled once it had realized how strong its foe was.

"You had to make it run through the fire."

Pelius was glad that Link couldn't see the annoyance in his eyes, because he was certain that if he did, Link would surely finish their earlier quarrel. He still couldn't believe that this was the man who'd beaten him. That thought brought on an unexpected jolt of pain. His wounded sword arm, blast it, it had opened, oozing out more blood than it had initially.

"Damn it, get the fire lit."

"I will as soon as I can find the flint and steel!"

Pelius shuffled over to where he'd last seen his pack and cursed the moon for not showing its face on this dark night. The stars were far from being enough light to filter through the canopy of trees overhead. Exploring his pack by touch, he located his tinder box and shuffled back to where Link was still searching for his.

Shoving the bits of twig and cooling embers back into place, he grabbed a handful of dry grass and made a nest for the sparks from his flint and steel. Only a few strikes was what it took to have the flames glowing brightly once more. Sitting back on his heals, Pelius looked over to where Link as sitting sullenly.

"Look, I apologize for that argument earlier, if we hadn't been fighting we would have been better prepared for that Belua." He shifted his frame into a more comfortable position and settled down.

"Belua," Link repeated softly, "You knew what it was."

Pelius's reply was even softer, so soft that Link barely caught the words as they drifted past his ear. "Yes."

Link kept his anger in check, well aware that it would lead to another argument. Instead, he bit out caustically, "And why didn't you tell me?"

"There was no reason to. It came, we fought it, what else is there to it? Do you think I'm going to ask about every creature that comes across our path. This is a strange land to me, I won't know anything here. So something I know about shouldn't matter so much."

Grabbing a stick, Link gripped it between his hands. "That is not the point." The branch snapped - any way to vent anger. "The point is that you knew what that thing was. A thing that does not come from here, and I should know. I've been all over these lands. This is something that you've obviously seen before, one that undoubtedly comes from where you've been."

Fierce eyes glared at Pelius and he had a feeling that he was staring at someone he knew – those eyes were familiar somehow. Link continued, his teeth clenched in anger, "I've rid this land of terror and fear. I will not have it besieged again by a foreign force!"

Startled at the coldness of Link's voice, Pelius shifted his position to better see his companion. Although, Link appeared only to be in his early twenties, he suddenly appeared much older than that. His face hardened and showed that he'd seen things that no one had ever seen. "It is the king's job to keep this land safe. You are not the King's champion, else you'd be living in that fine palace, so why do you feel that it is your responsibility to protect?"

The notion seemed to shock Link, his body relaxed and his grip on his sword loosened and his face returned to what Pelius was accustomed to. Even the glint in his eyes faded till they were unfocused and staring off in the distance. Pelius waited for it to sink in further before he ended the conversation by rolling over and murmuring a quiet 'good night'.

Link stayed awake for much longer than Pelius realized, for hours he went over the idea that it was not his job to protect these people. But why did he feel so obliged to do so? Obviously, he was different, he was able to focus his strengths to overcome wrongs and evil. The Goddesses obviously favoured him. Despite what people told him, he knew he was much different than these people of Hyrule.

Was that why he had taken the task of protector of the land? A land that was not even his. Or was it? With the coming of that thought, came a tide of questions and speculations. Why did he fight? Why was he the only one to fight? He'd bled for these people, he'd fought for these people, and he'd killed for these people to protect Hyrule. He was none of them, yet he was part of all of them. For this peaceful land he had fought, but this was not his land, was it? He had lived on these lands since the day he was born so why was he questioning whether this land was his or not? He had lived with all the races of Hyrule, seen through their eyes and spoken their tongues. People accepted him, but he had never fit in.

And that's why he fought, so that he could earn the respect from these peoples who lived so harmoniously in this beautiful land. He wanted to fit in and to do so he became an idol that was sure to be granted admiration. He just wanted to belong.

A lone tear fell from his eye and plummeted to the ground with all the importance of a king's death. Link never cried.

Pelius didn't have to ask about what was occupying Link or even if he'd gotten much sleep the next morning, it was obvious in the way he rode Epona; slouched over and unwary of his surroundings. Clearing his throat numerous times, Pelius attempted to jar Link out of his reverie.

They were heading deeper into the Kokiri forest and despite his skill with weapons and self-defense, Pelius had the feeling that it would not aid him against things that lurked behind the shadows of this wood.

The trail was overgrown and completely disappeared in some sections. It seemed that it was Epona who was leading the way rather than Link, which was entirely possible. Pelius thought it odd that in such times of peace in Hyrule that the trail would be so obscure. Surely traders would want to come and sell their wares to these peoples of the woods.

The tall trees seemed to loom over the travelers as they approached and watched their progress through the forest. Little light made it through the dense canopy and what sunshine that did lit only minimal areas.

Pelius took little comfort in the fact that Soni was calm and plodding along easily; not skittish at all, unlike her rider. Gripping the reins till his knuckles were white Pelius nudged Soni into a trot to catch up with Link.

"Link?"

That seemed to break his trance somewhat; he straightened then turned in his seat. "Pelius?"

"Who else?"

Grinning, Link looked forward again and answered, "I don't know, maybe my conscious?"

Pelius snorted at the humour, "Or maybe just voices in your head?"

When Link glanced back over his shoulder his grin had faded and the sadness was once again in place. "I had a fairy once, twice actually. Navi and Tael. They were always talking to me and giving me advice." He paused and then added, "Been a few years since I had a fairy now."

Pelius decided then and there that he hated the past that Link had immersed himself into. People who dwelled in the past should be buried with it. "Link, forget the past, this is not the first time you've been going back to reminisce it. As you say, it's forgotten you, so just drop the matter."

Link visibly shifted in his saddle to sit straighter, that action alone made Pelius smile, at least Link was going to show his anger, better that then him living in the past. "Now buck up, we've got company again. That Belua has been following us for the last hour, but our horses don't have the sense to fear it."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"This is sooner, sooner than later that is."

"Right," Link replied sarcastically. Then, "Why don't the horses fear it?"

"Pheromones."

"You mean it makes them like it?" Link grimaced. He'd had a good look of it the night before and wasn't eager to make another meeting with it. "Hope it doesn't work on me." Glancing at Pelius he asked, "It doesn't, does it?"

Pelius let a belly of a laugh out; the look on Link's face was comical to say the least, "Why? Can't imagine getting hooked up with the likes of it?"

Link grinned ruefully, "I couldn't get past all that hair. Shaggy beast."

"That it is."

"Ok, so what's the plan?" Link's eyes sparkled with eagerness in the hunt. "You know the beast, so how do we hunt it?" He leaned over in his saddle and added conspiratorially, "This should be easy for us."

Pelius raised a brow and replied seriously with just the slightest hint of mirth, "Maybe for me, but not for you."

Link sat back and studied Pelius for a moment, hurt by the remark. "Oh, you're joking." Reaching up he tugged his green hat off and looked at it in his hands, "You know, in my life, no one has ever kidded around with me. They've always been truthful and straight to the point. But you..." Then taking his hat he whipped it at Pelius' shoulder, who laughingly ducked the assault.

"Believed that, did you?"

"It was very plausible."

"The Belua, is not difficult to kill. Like any beast, it'll go down with a strike in the right place." He tapped his heart, "This is no good. It has a heavy bone shield that protects it." He point to the jugular in his throat, "Now this, is the best strike. Liver is good. Either way, there isn't any real fast way to kill it, unless you can sever its head from the body. But even then, it has a thick scruff of fur there to pad any attack there."

Link's eyes twinkled as he slid off Epona, giving her a slap on the rump; she trotted further along the trail. He stared out into the dark forest, his head tilted to the side to hear something Pelius couldn't catch. Sliding down to the ground as well, Pelius watched his companion's muscular frame as he leapt through the underbrush and disappeared with the shadows.

"Great, my guide leaves me and not even his horse is here to help me," he muttered to himself. Taking Soni's reins into his hands, he led his horse further along the trail in hopes of find Epona. At least he could wait with the horse, although he mentally grimaced at the picture he'd present. He was a fighter, not a sitter, so how come this young man had beaten him to the hunt that he loved so dearly?

"Soni, perhaps I'm getting too old in the mind for any of this." He patted her fondly on the neck and continued down the pathway, glancing uneasily over his shoulder whenever a sudden noise came from behind.

It was after dusk when Link finally returned, at this point, Pelius was certain that his guide had deserted him and had thought of every curse and hex that he could think of. Very immature of him, but he couldn't think of anything else to do to while away his time.

"Well you took you're time," he said sulkily.

Link looked to where Pelius was swinging from a hammock set between two trees. Shrugging, Link removed his bow and quiver, setting them aside with infinite care, "It was harder to track than I suspected."

Pelius couldn't ignore the bloodstains on his friend's tunic and hose. Nodding towards them, he asked, "You get it then?"

Grinning cockily, Link puffed his chest out a little and answered, "Of course. I would have brought something back, but the fur was useless, all matted and dry. And its meat is sinewy and decidedly tough."

Well, at least the shadows were gone from his eyes, Pelius noted. "Nothing is good from a Belua. You should have taken me to guard your back. Or set a trap, or even shared your plans with me. You're too reckless."

"I killed it, didn't I?"

A long pause ensued and then Pelius finally muttered, "You did well." Waving vaguely to the bright fire burning cheerfully, Pelius added, "There is some stew I've made up, you need to eat something, you look like you're going to fall asleep on your feet."

Link laughed and shook his head slightly, but set into the stew with vigour. "You're such a father figure, and I'm not just talking about your lost kid. You act like one, even with me."

Pelius snickered a little; he didn't know how he'd react to a son like Link, to any child like Link in general. At the same time, Link was thinking mirthfully, what a poor kid this child would be when it found out that Pelius was its father.

Indeed.