DRAGONCLAW
By Miss Moony
Chapter Four
Enter Malon
Link had given up in despair when the sky had grown so dark that he couldn't see his own hand in front of his face. Thick clouds blanketed the sky, hiding the moon and the stars. The only thing that could make him feel better was that he'd managed to find a lovely oak tree to rest under, and even that was little consolation. The horse, who he'd fondly called Lara (After a girl he'd fancied in Kokiri village when he'd been eight years old), was tied up to the oak on a tether, grazing on the grass a few feet away. He'd been unable to sleep, so that left him staring at the dying embers of the small fire he'd made, deep in thought. He thought about Saria and the Great Deku Tree, and how he already missed them so much that he felt his heart would burst if he couldn't see or talk to one of them. His mind was also on the princess, and how he worried that he wouldn't be able to save her in time. And finally, after a long day, guilt was affecting him. The money he had left couldn't nearly be enough for such a fine creature.
He yawned. He was tired and hungry and he had a long day ahead of him tomorrow. Sleep was starting to sneak up on him when he heard hoof steps. Jerking into awareness, he stood, squinting to see in the dark. He noticed a figure on horseback, but it was only when the horse was 10 feet away from his camp fire when he recognized the white stallion as Lara's companion at the ranch. . . and the lovely young ride s Malon, the girl who lived there. He grinned nervously when he saw her dismount her steed, wielding a pitchfork with a murderous look in her eye. She walked up to him, pointing the prongs at his chest. Stepping back, he raised his hands in defense.
"Now, now, Miss. . ." he said, chuckling. He could tell his effort at casual expression was failing, his voice had sounded high-pitched.
"Don't 'now, now' me! Where's my horse?" she demanded. Link stretched one arm out to the side, pointing at the grazing horse.
"Lara's over there." His voice was quiet, but surprisingly steady. Malon looked over, then almost did a double-take and looked back at Link, her eyes stabbing him like cold daggers.
"Lara?" She sounded like a snake, her voice dripping with loathing. "Her name is Epona."
Link blinked. "Epona? What kind of name is that?" He had trouble holding a smile when she stood up, cocking her head at him and giving him the kind of look one would give a child who'd just said an extremely idiotic comment.
"Well, what kind of name is 'Lara'?!"
His hands returned to his sides and he frowned at her. "It's certainly a lot better than 'Epona'." He silently cursed himself for being such a fool when her eyes slit and she jerked the pitchfork at his throat. He'd gone too far.
"Buddy," she hissed, "When you're in a situation like this, it's best not to argue about what I decided to name my horse! Now give her back."
He held her gaze. He was amazed at how she could've been so polite earlier on, yet now she looked ready to rip him apart. Must be why she isn't married, yet. he mused. Supposedly, the poorer country girls married young in Hyrule, and she was probably his age. Yes, he decided, that had to be the reason, because she was really very attractive. . .
Malon must've noticed his wandering eyes because he felt the tip of one of the prongs poking his trachea. He drew in a sharp breath through his nose, realizing that she wasn't just any country girl; she would USE that thing.
"All right." He regretted it, it would now take him much longer to get to Hylia, but it was her horse. The money he'd left would've been enough to rent it for one day, he supposed. She blinked at him, obviously not expecting it to be so easy.
"That's it?" her voice was suspicious, causing a small grin to appear on Link's lips.
"Yeah."
She stared at him for a few seconds, shrugged, and crept over to where Epona was tied up, walking backwards with the pitchfork held out in front of her so that Link couldn't attack her from behind. Carefully, her eyes never leaving his, she reached out with one hand, fumbling around for the horses reigns. She hastily untied the knot, clumsily mounted her white stallion with Epona's reigns in one hand, and rode off in the direction of her house, turning to give Link one last glare.
After Malon had gone, he'd found it much easier to find sleep.
~~
Link awoke to a serious case of déjà vu the next morning when he found a sharp object pointed at his throat. He blinked, trying to clear the sleep from his eyes, and clumsily tried to stand up. The blade's tip poked his chest warningly, and his eyes traveled upwards to see the owner being none other than Derek, one of the soldiers from the night before.
"Don't get up, boy." He sneered, showing his charcoal teeth. "It's not good for your health." Link bit back the annoyance at being called 'boy' by someone who couldn't have been more than 6 years his senior, and looked over to see the other two guards, one holding a very ticked-off looking Malon. His eyes widened in comprehension. Epona and the white Clydesdale were tied up nearby, and Malon's face was covered in fading tear stains. Derek turned his head slightly to follow Link's gaze.
"Yeah," he nodded towards the red-headed girl, "When we were a little more. . . alert, we realized we might've said some things we shouldn't have, and that some nosy little scrubs might've heard. So we went back and," he cocked his head, a sadistic grin spreading across his face, "set the inn on fire."
Link's eyes narrowed. So that's why she had been crying. Thank Nayru that she'd been chasing after him, or she'd be dead. He didn't know why that would've bothered him so much, probably because it would've been his fault.
"Unfortunately," The false expression of disappointment on Derek's face was betrayed by the joyful tone of his voice. "You weren't there, but Miss Cow Dung happened to be riding back. She'd been kind enough to tell us where you were."
Malon's mouth was covered by the larger, plump soldier's hand, but her eyes were begging for forgiveness. She tried to wiggle free, but the guard held her tight, a perverse grin splitting the freckles on his cheeks. He turned his attention back to Derek's dark face when the trio's leader sighed dramatically.
"So, now I'll have to kill you myself." He shook his head as if it were an inconvenience, but his face looked to be in a state of utter euphoria when he raised the sword above his head. Link winced in anticipation, and his mind pictured the instant when the glaive would slice through him, puncturing his belly. The pain would be great. . . but it never came. A loud, angry cry echoed in his ears, and he opened his eyes to see that Malon had bitten her captor's hand, and was now running towards one of her horses. Link took the moment to jump up and follow suit, hastily mounting Epona and ignoring the cries of the soldiers as he kicked the horse up into a trot, following Malon on her Clydesdale. He tried to call out to her as she zoomed ahead.
"Malon! I'm not. . ." he heard the neighs of horses and he turned back to see that the soldiers were already following them, and catching up. He panicked, trying to make his steed go faster, but to no avail. Suddenly, he felt a rush of air by his left ear, and Derek's horse bucked, throwing him off, and running awake. The other soldiers' rides did the same, and Link looked ahead to see Malon holding a bow. She had fired arrows at the horses' feet (thought he was lost as to where she'd gotten them), and that had spooked them. She quickly approached him, grabbing Epona's reigns, and shouted at him to hold on tight as both horses rushed forward.
~~
A while later, when they were sure that they'd lost their hunters, Malon and Link rode at a slow pace, an uncomfortable silence hanging between them. Link took to surveying the landscape and enjoying the scenery until Malon cleared her throat. When she spoke, her voice was rough.
"I. . .I didn't mean to betray you." She said, silently. He had no idea what to say. He'd expected her to reprimand him or demand pay-back, but not an apology. She continued.
"The first time, they had my father. I told them a lie, but they. . ." her voice cracked, but when she next spoke, she was much stronger. "They killed him anyway. They took me with them to make sure I wasn't lying, and I figured you'd be gone by the time we got to your camp. I lead them right to you." She lowered her head. "I'm sorry." she whispered.
Link was amazed by her sincerity. Even if she said it, she shouldn't believe it. . .it was his fault her home was burned down! And. . . her father. . . he felt guilt and anger overwhelm him. How could he have done such a thing? He shook his head.
"Don't be. It's my fault. Your father would still be alive if it wasn't for me."
After that, there was another silence, but this one was slightly more bearable. Link decided it would be best to show his gratitude.
"Thank you. . . if there's anything I can do to repay you, in any way, let me know. I'll escort you to Hylia where you can find a place to stay--"
"Take me with you."
Link started. "W-what?!" he stuttered, staring at her. She turned in her saddle to meet his gaze, her eyes steady and determined.
"I've only read about revenge in books, and it's never really been my thing, but now I know the motivation behind it. So take me with you."
He was aghast. He couldn't possible accept her offer, it was too dangerous and she might get hurt, or worse, killed! He'd already caused her so much pain, there's no way he would allow her to risk her life. He opened his mouth to reply, but Malon cut him off with a wave of her hand.
"And before you say 'No', think about it: I saved your neck back there." She jutted her thumb over her shoulder, emphasizing the statement. "I don't have any training, but I'm good with a bow, and I probably know more about Hyrule than you, Forest Boy." She said, glancing at Link from the corner of her eye. He managed to keep his face placid, but the surprise showed in his eyes. She grinned smugly.
"I'm right, aren't I?" she sighed, "Yeah, I read a lot, and I've seen pictures of forest people. Of course, I always heard that they didn't grow much older than 10, but old books can't be too reliable. Now, what I want to know is why a forest kid wants to save the Hylian princess." She thought aloud to herself. Link thanked Farore for making her so talkative. That kept him from having to say anything. Unfortunately, Nayru had also made Malon smart, and his peace did not last long.
"So, if we're going to be partners," she stopped and peered at him, "And we ARE going to be partners, there's no getting out of it," she smiled sweetly at him, and he managed to return the gesture, though his heart felt heavy.
"Then you have to tell me the details."
He didn't reply. She didn't leave much room for argument, but he really didn't want her getting involved. She groaned dramatically.
"Oh, brother. I'm not gonna follow you around just because you're cute, you know. You're not THAT cute. You kind of have to tell me what's going on."
Link's brow furrowed. "No." he said, firmly. Malon shot him a shocked look.
"All right, I didn't mean it." She said, rolling her eyes, "You ARE that cute, are you hap--" she stopped when Link raised his head to look her in the eyes.
"No, you're not coming with me. I'm not going to endanger anyone other than myself. This is my destiny, no one else's."
"Your destiny?" she blinked. "Well, how do you know it's only your destiny?" That got him confused.
"What?"
"What if you were destined to meet me, and we had to do this together? What if fate was why the ranch was burned down, so that I'd go with you?"
That was it. She'd snuffed him. He no longer had any reason to keep her from going with him. Unfortunately, Link had too much pride to admit that. He shook his head stubbornly.
"I'll escort you to Hylia, but then we go our separate ways." He blurt out, then shot Malon a glare that told her not to argue.
~~
They still had not reached Hylia by the second night. Ganon's Dragoon drop- outs had chased them in the wrong direction, and they'd had to loop around to keep from being caught. Malon had been angry with Link for not allowing her to come along, and she had given him the cold shoulder for the rest of the evening. That was fine for him. He would most likely never see her again, and it didn't affect his mission. However, he had to curse his conscience and soft heart. It was healthier and easier to be indifferent, but he wasn't. If he'd kept his mouth shut back at the ranch, Malon and her father would've never been hurt. He bit his lip, his gaze fixated on the dancing flames of their campfire. She'd saved his life, when all he'd done was destroy hers. He owed her something. . .
A doubt slowly crept over his resolve. If he was destined to save the princess, then Malon must've been destined to save him, right? And that would mean that it was fate that made them meet, and that she was supposed to come with him. Or maybe, if she'd saved him and he was supposed to make her stay in Hylia where she'd be safe. So many decisions. . . he slapped the ground in frustration. How was he supposed to know what the goddesses wanted to happen?! Gain, he wished for a chance to talk to the Great Deku Tree. It would know the answer, it had never been wrong. Except, he realized with a start, for when it had called him wise. He wasn't wise at all! He had no idea what to do. He leaned forward, grasping his forehead in his hands, and cried out in frustration.
"What is it, now?" Link jerked his head up, noticing a pair of blue eyes peering at him from the other side of the fire. He blinked. Her blazing red hair. . . it made her look like she was part of the flames herself. He smiled softly. She was talking to him again.
"I hope the noise you just made was expressing your guilt." She muttered bitterly. Link's smiled disappeared. So that was it. She did hate him for what he'd done. His eyes flicked downward, a melancholy expression on his face. Malon's eyes widened in comprehension and she quickly stood up to come over to him. She sat down next to him.
"I meant," she whispered, her voice full of comfort, "Feeling guilty for not letting me come with you."
Link let out a breath. He couldn't understand it. She was angry about something he didn't feel any remorse for.
"At least, I hope, you thought about what I said." She nudged his side. He nodded slowly.
"But how am I supposed to know what's meant to happen?" his voice was barely audible, muffled by his head buried against his arm. She didn't answer right away. Instead, she stood and threw a few more dried branches into the fire. Dusting of her hands and turning to him, she squatted down so that she could look him in the eyes.
"Follow your heart."
He blinked, "That's it?"
"Of course that's it!" she reached up and swatted him on the head, then poked her finger against his chest. "It may sound corny, but it's the best advice you could ever get." She stood and stretched, then turned and winked at him.
"I don't know what yours tells you, but MINE wants me to go with out, and whether you give me permission or not, that's exactly what I'm going to do."
Malon fell asleep after that, leaving Link to contemplate as he stared at the fire again. He began to think that it was becoming a ritual habit. When he finally fell asleep, he was confident that he'd made a decision.
He just hoped it was the right one.
By Miss Moony
Chapter Four
Enter Malon
Link had given up in despair when the sky had grown so dark that he couldn't see his own hand in front of his face. Thick clouds blanketed the sky, hiding the moon and the stars. The only thing that could make him feel better was that he'd managed to find a lovely oak tree to rest under, and even that was little consolation. The horse, who he'd fondly called Lara (After a girl he'd fancied in Kokiri village when he'd been eight years old), was tied up to the oak on a tether, grazing on the grass a few feet away. He'd been unable to sleep, so that left him staring at the dying embers of the small fire he'd made, deep in thought. He thought about Saria and the Great Deku Tree, and how he already missed them so much that he felt his heart would burst if he couldn't see or talk to one of them. His mind was also on the princess, and how he worried that he wouldn't be able to save her in time. And finally, after a long day, guilt was affecting him. The money he had left couldn't nearly be enough for such a fine creature.
He yawned. He was tired and hungry and he had a long day ahead of him tomorrow. Sleep was starting to sneak up on him when he heard hoof steps. Jerking into awareness, he stood, squinting to see in the dark. He noticed a figure on horseback, but it was only when the horse was 10 feet away from his camp fire when he recognized the white stallion as Lara's companion at the ranch. . . and the lovely young ride s Malon, the girl who lived there. He grinned nervously when he saw her dismount her steed, wielding a pitchfork with a murderous look in her eye. She walked up to him, pointing the prongs at his chest. Stepping back, he raised his hands in defense.
"Now, now, Miss. . ." he said, chuckling. He could tell his effort at casual expression was failing, his voice had sounded high-pitched.
"Don't 'now, now' me! Where's my horse?" she demanded. Link stretched one arm out to the side, pointing at the grazing horse.
"Lara's over there." His voice was quiet, but surprisingly steady. Malon looked over, then almost did a double-take and looked back at Link, her eyes stabbing him like cold daggers.
"Lara?" She sounded like a snake, her voice dripping with loathing. "Her name is Epona."
Link blinked. "Epona? What kind of name is that?" He had trouble holding a smile when she stood up, cocking her head at him and giving him the kind of look one would give a child who'd just said an extremely idiotic comment.
"Well, what kind of name is 'Lara'?!"
His hands returned to his sides and he frowned at her. "It's certainly a lot better than 'Epona'." He silently cursed himself for being such a fool when her eyes slit and she jerked the pitchfork at his throat. He'd gone too far.
"Buddy," she hissed, "When you're in a situation like this, it's best not to argue about what I decided to name my horse! Now give her back."
He held her gaze. He was amazed at how she could've been so polite earlier on, yet now she looked ready to rip him apart. Must be why she isn't married, yet. he mused. Supposedly, the poorer country girls married young in Hyrule, and she was probably his age. Yes, he decided, that had to be the reason, because she was really very attractive. . .
Malon must've noticed his wandering eyes because he felt the tip of one of the prongs poking his trachea. He drew in a sharp breath through his nose, realizing that she wasn't just any country girl; she would USE that thing.
"All right." He regretted it, it would now take him much longer to get to Hylia, but it was her horse. The money he'd left would've been enough to rent it for one day, he supposed. She blinked at him, obviously not expecting it to be so easy.
"That's it?" her voice was suspicious, causing a small grin to appear on Link's lips.
"Yeah."
She stared at him for a few seconds, shrugged, and crept over to where Epona was tied up, walking backwards with the pitchfork held out in front of her so that Link couldn't attack her from behind. Carefully, her eyes never leaving his, she reached out with one hand, fumbling around for the horses reigns. She hastily untied the knot, clumsily mounted her white stallion with Epona's reigns in one hand, and rode off in the direction of her house, turning to give Link one last glare.
After Malon had gone, he'd found it much easier to find sleep.
~~
Link awoke to a serious case of déjà vu the next morning when he found a sharp object pointed at his throat. He blinked, trying to clear the sleep from his eyes, and clumsily tried to stand up. The blade's tip poked his chest warningly, and his eyes traveled upwards to see the owner being none other than Derek, one of the soldiers from the night before.
"Don't get up, boy." He sneered, showing his charcoal teeth. "It's not good for your health." Link bit back the annoyance at being called 'boy' by someone who couldn't have been more than 6 years his senior, and looked over to see the other two guards, one holding a very ticked-off looking Malon. His eyes widened in comprehension. Epona and the white Clydesdale were tied up nearby, and Malon's face was covered in fading tear stains. Derek turned his head slightly to follow Link's gaze.
"Yeah," he nodded towards the red-headed girl, "When we were a little more. . . alert, we realized we might've said some things we shouldn't have, and that some nosy little scrubs might've heard. So we went back and," he cocked his head, a sadistic grin spreading across his face, "set the inn on fire."
Link's eyes narrowed. So that's why she had been crying. Thank Nayru that she'd been chasing after him, or she'd be dead. He didn't know why that would've bothered him so much, probably because it would've been his fault.
"Unfortunately," The false expression of disappointment on Derek's face was betrayed by the joyful tone of his voice. "You weren't there, but Miss Cow Dung happened to be riding back. She'd been kind enough to tell us where you were."
Malon's mouth was covered by the larger, plump soldier's hand, but her eyes were begging for forgiveness. She tried to wiggle free, but the guard held her tight, a perverse grin splitting the freckles on his cheeks. He turned his attention back to Derek's dark face when the trio's leader sighed dramatically.
"So, now I'll have to kill you myself." He shook his head as if it were an inconvenience, but his face looked to be in a state of utter euphoria when he raised the sword above his head. Link winced in anticipation, and his mind pictured the instant when the glaive would slice through him, puncturing his belly. The pain would be great. . . but it never came. A loud, angry cry echoed in his ears, and he opened his eyes to see that Malon had bitten her captor's hand, and was now running towards one of her horses. Link took the moment to jump up and follow suit, hastily mounting Epona and ignoring the cries of the soldiers as he kicked the horse up into a trot, following Malon on her Clydesdale. He tried to call out to her as she zoomed ahead.
"Malon! I'm not. . ." he heard the neighs of horses and he turned back to see that the soldiers were already following them, and catching up. He panicked, trying to make his steed go faster, but to no avail. Suddenly, he felt a rush of air by his left ear, and Derek's horse bucked, throwing him off, and running awake. The other soldiers' rides did the same, and Link looked ahead to see Malon holding a bow. She had fired arrows at the horses' feet (thought he was lost as to where she'd gotten them), and that had spooked them. She quickly approached him, grabbing Epona's reigns, and shouted at him to hold on tight as both horses rushed forward.
~~
A while later, when they were sure that they'd lost their hunters, Malon and Link rode at a slow pace, an uncomfortable silence hanging between them. Link took to surveying the landscape and enjoying the scenery until Malon cleared her throat. When she spoke, her voice was rough.
"I. . .I didn't mean to betray you." She said, silently. He had no idea what to say. He'd expected her to reprimand him or demand pay-back, but not an apology. She continued.
"The first time, they had my father. I told them a lie, but they. . ." her voice cracked, but when she next spoke, she was much stronger. "They killed him anyway. They took me with them to make sure I wasn't lying, and I figured you'd be gone by the time we got to your camp. I lead them right to you." She lowered her head. "I'm sorry." she whispered.
Link was amazed by her sincerity. Even if she said it, she shouldn't believe it. . .it was his fault her home was burned down! And. . . her father. . . he felt guilt and anger overwhelm him. How could he have done such a thing? He shook his head.
"Don't be. It's my fault. Your father would still be alive if it wasn't for me."
After that, there was another silence, but this one was slightly more bearable. Link decided it would be best to show his gratitude.
"Thank you. . . if there's anything I can do to repay you, in any way, let me know. I'll escort you to Hylia where you can find a place to stay--"
"Take me with you."
Link started. "W-what?!" he stuttered, staring at her. She turned in her saddle to meet his gaze, her eyes steady and determined.
"I've only read about revenge in books, and it's never really been my thing, but now I know the motivation behind it. So take me with you."
He was aghast. He couldn't possible accept her offer, it was too dangerous and she might get hurt, or worse, killed! He'd already caused her so much pain, there's no way he would allow her to risk her life. He opened his mouth to reply, but Malon cut him off with a wave of her hand.
"And before you say 'No', think about it: I saved your neck back there." She jutted her thumb over her shoulder, emphasizing the statement. "I don't have any training, but I'm good with a bow, and I probably know more about Hyrule than you, Forest Boy." She said, glancing at Link from the corner of her eye. He managed to keep his face placid, but the surprise showed in his eyes. She grinned smugly.
"I'm right, aren't I?" she sighed, "Yeah, I read a lot, and I've seen pictures of forest people. Of course, I always heard that they didn't grow much older than 10, but old books can't be too reliable. Now, what I want to know is why a forest kid wants to save the Hylian princess." She thought aloud to herself. Link thanked Farore for making her so talkative. That kept him from having to say anything. Unfortunately, Nayru had also made Malon smart, and his peace did not last long.
"So, if we're going to be partners," she stopped and peered at him, "And we ARE going to be partners, there's no getting out of it," she smiled sweetly at him, and he managed to return the gesture, though his heart felt heavy.
"Then you have to tell me the details."
He didn't reply. She didn't leave much room for argument, but he really didn't want her getting involved. She groaned dramatically.
"Oh, brother. I'm not gonna follow you around just because you're cute, you know. You're not THAT cute. You kind of have to tell me what's going on."
Link's brow furrowed. "No." he said, firmly. Malon shot him a shocked look.
"All right, I didn't mean it." She said, rolling her eyes, "You ARE that cute, are you hap--" she stopped when Link raised his head to look her in the eyes.
"No, you're not coming with me. I'm not going to endanger anyone other than myself. This is my destiny, no one else's."
"Your destiny?" she blinked. "Well, how do you know it's only your destiny?" That got him confused.
"What?"
"What if you were destined to meet me, and we had to do this together? What if fate was why the ranch was burned down, so that I'd go with you?"
That was it. She'd snuffed him. He no longer had any reason to keep her from going with him. Unfortunately, Link had too much pride to admit that. He shook his head stubbornly.
"I'll escort you to Hylia, but then we go our separate ways." He blurt out, then shot Malon a glare that told her not to argue.
~~
They still had not reached Hylia by the second night. Ganon's Dragoon drop- outs had chased them in the wrong direction, and they'd had to loop around to keep from being caught. Malon had been angry with Link for not allowing her to come along, and she had given him the cold shoulder for the rest of the evening. That was fine for him. He would most likely never see her again, and it didn't affect his mission. However, he had to curse his conscience and soft heart. It was healthier and easier to be indifferent, but he wasn't. If he'd kept his mouth shut back at the ranch, Malon and her father would've never been hurt. He bit his lip, his gaze fixated on the dancing flames of their campfire. She'd saved his life, when all he'd done was destroy hers. He owed her something. . .
A doubt slowly crept over his resolve. If he was destined to save the princess, then Malon must've been destined to save him, right? And that would mean that it was fate that made them meet, and that she was supposed to come with him. Or maybe, if she'd saved him and he was supposed to make her stay in Hylia where she'd be safe. So many decisions. . . he slapped the ground in frustration. How was he supposed to know what the goddesses wanted to happen?! Gain, he wished for a chance to talk to the Great Deku Tree. It would know the answer, it had never been wrong. Except, he realized with a start, for when it had called him wise. He wasn't wise at all! He had no idea what to do. He leaned forward, grasping his forehead in his hands, and cried out in frustration.
"What is it, now?" Link jerked his head up, noticing a pair of blue eyes peering at him from the other side of the fire. He blinked. Her blazing red hair. . . it made her look like she was part of the flames herself. He smiled softly. She was talking to him again.
"I hope the noise you just made was expressing your guilt." She muttered bitterly. Link's smiled disappeared. So that was it. She did hate him for what he'd done. His eyes flicked downward, a melancholy expression on his face. Malon's eyes widened in comprehension and she quickly stood up to come over to him. She sat down next to him.
"I meant," she whispered, her voice full of comfort, "Feeling guilty for not letting me come with you."
Link let out a breath. He couldn't understand it. She was angry about something he didn't feel any remorse for.
"At least, I hope, you thought about what I said." She nudged his side. He nodded slowly.
"But how am I supposed to know what's meant to happen?" his voice was barely audible, muffled by his head buried against his arm. She didn't answer right away. Instead, she stood and threw a few more dried branches into the fire. Dusting of her hands and turning to him, she squatted down so that she could look him in the eyes.
"Follow your heart."
He blinked, "That's it?"
"Of course that's it!" she reached up and swatted him on the head, then poked her finger against his chest. "It may sound corny, but it's the best advice you could ever get." She stood and stretched, then turned and winked at him.
"I don't know what yours tells you, but MINE wants me to go with out, and whether you give me permission or not, that's exactly what I'm going to do."
Malon fell asleep after that, leaving Link to contemplate as he stared at the fire again. He began to think that it was becoming a ritual habit. When he finally fell asleep, he was confident that he'd made a decision.
He just hoped it was the right one.