"The Destiny Stone"

Disclaimer: (I'm gonna leave this one up for a bit) I don't own Zelda or any characters, places, or events thereof, so there! Of the original characters, I came up with Timbre, Kat, Aka, Benz, Vulcan and some various bit characters here and there. Sond owns most of the rest. Thanks Sond! Rej is © FogFrontier, now go read The Kindred, King of Pawns, and Grifter and Snatch!

*****

Author's Note: Blarg! Need sleep. Can't sleep, must workheh, really I'm okay, I'm just tired. Woo. Eh, sorry bout last chapter not containing a lot of humorguess it was just kind of the serious' chapter, what with the evil bad guys and the cliffhangers and such. There will be humor in this one, I promise! Oh, and battle. Kind of sort of graphic, though I don't usually go through the trouble of describing the exact hue of the light reflecting from the wet, glistening coils of the small intestine-okay, I'm stopping right there. Blech.

*****

"The Destiny Stone" — Chapter 15: Early Frost

It had been an interesting few days for the Goriya, to say the least.

There were four compass directions in Termina that spread out from Clock Town, as if the town itself were a massive compass rose, starlike points striking out radically from the center. Of those compass directions, Boss Blind was currently searching the fourth, with the aid' of his minions. He almost regretted having requested backup for his mission: Goriya were notoriously fickle, and complained and argued constantly.

All previous three compass directions had ended in misadventure: not only were there no signs of hideouts, and worse yet, all the searches had ended in unmitigated disaster. Like Snowhead, for example. They'd arrived at the settlement of Gorons, who were simple enough to let them in. But while they searched, several Goriya were unlucky enough to be in the wrong place when the Gorons started practicing their rolls. They'd apologized profusely afterwards, but that had only made Boss Blind more irritated.

The Southern Swamp, too, had ended in catastrophe. Several of the heavier Goriya were actually physically sucked down into the swamp's mire, having the unfortunate disadvantage of being too short to swim and too heavy to skip along the lily pads. The Deku Kingdom, too, had promptly banned him from searching their premises, pontificating this statement with a barrage of Deku Nuts. Meanwhile the nearby tribe of monkeys hooted and hollered with laughter. Boss Blind still had the bruises. It had been unnecessary, anyhow, as there had been no sign of a hideout.

Great Bay had been completely deserted. The Zoras, having left long ago for warmer southern lands, had left a great underwater network of cave systems that Boss Blind was certain would be the new hideout for the renegades. But he found himself foiled once again: the caves were completely empty, abandoned tunnels had been stripped of everything that might have supported any type of settlement.

Now the blue Goriya and his slightly smaller band found themselves in the one place he had dreaded the most to visit: Ikana Canyon. The horrible stories of the dead who walked as if alive had not escaped the monster's ear in his years of experience. He'd considered giving up his search until he remembered Ganondorf's orders. Should Boss Blind be unfortunate enough to fail at his mission, he would most likely be killed.

However, this would not come to pass. Boss Blind allowed himself a little grunt of satisfaction as he gazed at the Music Box House. Whipping the goggles off of his face, he quickly replaced them with his normal eyewear, and smirked. The goggles had shown him the Music Box House — and what was hidden beneath it. It was hard to believe that such an inconspicuous little place, nestled in the most decrepit region of Termina could hold such an interesting set of tunnels beneath it.

Then again, that was what a secret hideout was for.

One of the Goriya tapped him gingerly on the shoulder, squeak-growling in the native Goriya dialect. When speaking amongst each other, it was a lot easier to do this than clamber clumsily over the Hylian tongue's groans and throaty sounds.

"Boss! What'cha see?"

Boss Blind just smirked. "We've got ourselves a hideout."

The Goriya bared its teeth in a grin. "Yah! Should we go alert Master Ganondorf? Or do y'want that honor?"

Boss Blind thought for a moment, chewing his moustache. "I suppose" Then again, say Ganondorf was in a bad mood. The blue Goriya swallowed heavily. Better someone else's neck then his own, after all"I shall hold the base until he arrives," the Goriya said importantly, as if this had been his plan all along. "Go, take two others with you to Clock Town and tell Master Ganondorf that we have discovered the rebel's base."

"Yes sah!" The obedient monster saluted dutifully and scampered off.

"Huh." Boss Blind looked over at his remaining minions, about thirty or so. "Search the vicinity for secret bolt-holes and exits, and secure this area. I don't want anything entering or leaving." he ordered.

"B-but s-sir!" another Goriya whined. "Wh-what if the zombies-"

"Idiot!" Boss Blind spat. "It's daytime out. Ghosts and undead can't stand the light! Stop being lazy and search the area."

"Y-yes sir!"

Boss Blind nodded. "Good." He turned back towards the Music Box House, sandy gravel crunching like cold frost under his boots. "We've got them."

*****

"Sssoo."

Koume turned a puzzled eye on her other half. "What?"

The grass far below the two witches trembled like it would before a great hurricane, and a slight blast of cold wind buffeted the Fire Witch. Slightly annoyed, she found herself slightly off balance, and was forced to lean forward slightly on her broom to steady herself.

"Hey, watch that ice power of yours!" Koume snapped. "You'll blow us both away!"

"That wasn't me," Kotake said matter of factly. "You know fully well our ssson likesss to make an impressssive entrance, no matter the audience." A crooked clawed finger pointed towards Clock Town, where a slight movement caught all four of their eyes.

A huge burly man rode an equally imposing horse out into Termina Field at full gallop. However, instead of bolting across the Field, as one would expect, the man suddenly spurred the stallion into a scream, and it reared as if biting flies. With a sudden jolt, the horse arched its back, and a pair of crimson, batlike wings suddenly burst from the creature's back. The black stallion flapped its wings several times, then threw itself effortlessly to the winds, carrying both its own weight and that of its masters' high into the air.

"Pssh. Showoff." Koume rolled her eyes dramatically as Ganondorf, atop his now-winged steed, approached with the speed of a hawk and the silence of an owl. As the winged equine drew close to the two witches, Ganondorf pulled heavily on the reins, and the stallion pulled itself sharply, flapping its wings occasionally to stay airborne. The three hung in the air, so far up that they would resemble little more than flickering specks in the glaring bright of the late morning.

For a moment, their son did not speak. Then his eyes narrowed. "Why are you here?"

"Lord Ganondorf, our beloved ssson," Kotake drawled, bowing low.

"We come to offer our services," Koume finished, equally obeisant.

The Gerudo quirked an eyebrow fiercely. "I did not require your services," he said shortly, puzzlement in his deep meta-bass voice.

"Yesss, but we believe that we can asssisst your effortsss to dessstroy thossse who ssstill foolissshly oppossse you in thissss land," Kotake hissed sibilantly, drawing each word out emphatically, as if such a performance would appease her son. "Both hidden and at large."

"How do you know of my plans?" Ganondorf demanded. "Have you been spying on me again?"

Koume quickly tried to salvage the situation. "Spy? We would never spy on you, son. We are diviners, seers of the future, you know. We were called here by some other force that pleaded our assistance."

Ganondorf looked uncertain. "But why? I have the situation under control. If you think you can manipulate me-"

"Not at all, not at all," Kotake soothed. "Perhapsss your visssit to Termina hass been too long, isss not His Majesty grown weary of thisss?"

"It is true that I tire of the foolish games the ones who would defy me play," Ganondorf mused to himself. "They bore me. Perhaps I should level their Town entirely."

"I have a better plan," Kotake offered.

The Gerudo King grunted. "Hmm?"

"I propossse to bury the entire land in frost and sssnow. A great blizzard, which will freeze them until they grow weary of their inssssolence."

"Hmm. Intriguing." Ganondorf rubbed his chin. "The fools seem reluctant to offer me any kind of information, even when I allowed the Goriya to take the Town. Perhaps smothering them in their own homes would loosen their tongues"

"And cripple the defenses of the rebels," Koume offered. "If they cannot move, they will have to remain in their hideout-"

"Hmm. I have sent Blind out to find their base. If he has found it, this would prove a benefit. If he has not, no bother. I'll take care of it."

"Better yet," Koume added, "We could take care of the insurgents for you."

"Why?" Ganondorf had a definite skeptical look in his eyes now.

"You sssaid yourssself that you grow bored with petty mutineersss," the Ice Witch said simperingly. "Why ssshould a King of your magnificence sssstoop to sssuch indignitiesss? Perhapsss the reassson they insssurect isss becaussse it drawsss a direct reaction from you. Perhapsss in your abssence your disssdain will dampen their ssspiritsss. You need not bother yourssself with sssuch trivial mattersss, ssson, when we are all too willing to take the matter ourssselves."

Ganondorf said nothing for a long time, pondering deeply as his mount rose and fell with every swooping wingbeat. The twin witches regarded their son, the wind from the stallion's wings rustling through their ornamented robes like an undulating serpent.

Slowly, the knit-browed head of the Gerudo King rose to stare the witches in the eye. "Very well," he said slowly. "Perhaps you speak the truth. My presence here could make them think their pathetic forces are of some worth."

"Go on back to Hyrule, where you belong," Koume suggested smoothly. "Leave the scum to those loyal to the King."

For a brief moment, Kotake was sure that Ganondorf was going to be irritated by these words. But much to her relief, the King nodded. "Very well. I weary of this land anyhow. I shall return to Hyrule."

Both witches bowed reverently, dipping their long noses in tribute. "It shall be done as you wish, my lord."

If Ganondorf suspected anything, he did a fine job of hiding his emotions. Gathering up the reigns, he swung his winged steed around. The seemingly tireless stallion whinnied and wheeled, circling the two witches as its master guided it to new heights. Above the sound of flapping wings, the witch sisters heard the roar of Ganondorf's voice.

"I expect this land to be buried in snow by nightfall!"

"It sssshall be done!" Kotake answered as the stallion circled one last time high above their heads, before setting its wings in a powerful glide towards the twinkling ocean. Ganondorf did not look over his shoulder or make any kind of farewell gesture, but it was clear that he was departing. As the two witches stared after the quickly diminishing form of the Gerudo, they murmured quietly to each other.

"Well, done, sister."

"Thank you, sssissster."

"So, shall we begin?"

"I do believe I ssshall. It isss my honor, after all, asss I control the chill wind." Kotake remarked.

"Huh. Spoilsport." Koume grumbled behind her sister's back.

A rheumy eye snapped open. "What did you call me?"

"I didn't say anything."

"I could have sssworn you did."

"I didn't say anything!" snapped the Fire Witch.

"Yesss you did."

"No, I didn't!"

"Yesss you did!"

"Look, are you going to bury this forsaken land in snow or not? If so, you'd better get going!"

Kotake made an aggravated noise, stared up at the heavens, and opened her palms wide. This was going to take some effort. One didn't control the weather without some consequence, after all. "You take too long." Koume grumbled, chin in wrinkled hand.

"Patience!" hissed Kotake, as she closed her eyes in concentration, palms face upward as if pleading for money. "Fire may burn the sssssoul, but ice can freeze so numbingly that its very touch feels like a thoussssand tongues of the hottest inferno! That is the power of the cold, as it ssssseeps the warmth of life, to replace it unerringly with the black, still, nothingnesssss of absolute zero. That issss death at itssss peak, when the body liessss, sssstill, cold, and frozen. Ah yesss, sssisster. Thisss will be a blizzard to remember!"

*****

Far away, in the depths of the tranquil Lost Woods, Sond woke up with a start. She turned her head as her eyes snapped open, disoriented until she saw the familiar wood grains of her treehouse, and took in the faintly sylvan odors therein. She groaned and sat up slowly, trying hard to remember the dream she'd been having. With a jolt that cracked like a whip, she suddenly admonished herself. What was she doing asleep at a time like this? She was supposed to be protecting the forest, not sleeping!

With practiced ease, she leapt outside, arming herself with her bow and arrows as she did so. She half-expected to see the village in chaos. She was shocked to find it was already close to noon, judging by the path of the sun. The mid-morning sunlight filtered like golden honey through the treetops, illuminating the verdant soil and the small faces of the Kokiri children as they scattered about at their daily business, looking none the worse for wear.

As she backed down her ladder with a sigh of relief, she suddenly felt a pang of wanderlust, half-recalling the dream she'd had. Sond's eyes unfocused slightly, recalling the dream. Something about her friends. She'd dearly regretted not having gone with her friends to find the Master Sword. The wooden stairs creaked under her weight as she wondered if they had found it yet. But then again

It took maybe a day at most to make it to Castle Town, even less than that if one was in a hurry. And it had been a week! Surely they'd have been able to find the Sword by now? Sond chewed her lip. Well, unless something had stopped them-

She shook her head, her worry arising anew like hunger pangs. What was she doing here? She took a deep breath, dropped to the ground, and reminded herself that she could only protect the Kokiri. Without her here, and with Ganondorf loose, who knew what kinds of horrible things would happen to this place?

But even then, Sond was having her doubts and pangs of underconfidence. What could she do, if Ganondorf's minions attacked en force? She was only one person, and-

"Sond!" Hooted a voice from across the clearing. "Sond!"

The woman rolled her eyes at the sound of Mido's ululations. "What?" she yelled back. "Come over here and tell me instead of hollering, huh?"

The small boy jogged over, and looked up at her. For once his face actually carried a look other than arrogance. He actually looked worried. "Where've you been?"

Sond shrugged. "Sleeping. I must've been really tired, I don't even remember going back to the treehouse."

Saria randomly popped up, a slightly aggravating trait that many Kokiri possessed. "I saw you last night," Saria said, flicking back a lock of green hair. "It was like you were sleepwalking. I thought you were on sentry duty last night."

Sond shook her head. "So did I" Looking over at the male Kokiri she added. "Now, what did you want?"

Mido chewed his lip, looking important. "The Deku Sprouthe's asked for your audience."

Sond's eyes widened. The Deku Sprout, the late Deku Tree's successor, was barely even half her age, but was already living up to his father's' name. Although wise, it was difficult to speak with the little tree for he often retreated into solitude, a solid barrier of will erecting itself over the meadow where he and the dead Deku Tree made their home. Sond herself had only seen the Sprout once or twice; and the last time had been six years ago.

"really?" she blurted, having found nothing else to say.

Mido just raised an eyebrow. "What, you think I'm lying? Ask your fairy, he was with me when the Sprout requested you."

Cyrus bobbed up, blue glow and all. "The twerp's right, for once," the fairy panted, as if tired. "The Sprout wants to talk to you. Now."

No sense arguing when a fairy was making demands of you. "Alright," Sond said resolutely, turning on her heel, heading towards the tranquil path that led to the tree's meadow. Cyrus fluttered and settled comfortably on her shoulder.

"So, what's the shrubbery want me for?" Sond asked as she walked.

"Number one, he's not a shrubbery, and number two, I have no clue," Cyrus replied. "He just up and demanded to see you all of a sudden. Y'know, he's been rather quiet lately. Maybe he wants to throw you out or something cause you grew up."

Sond swallowed. "But why would he suddenly decide to throw me out? Besides, I can't leave."

"Sure you can. You do know that whole business about Kokiri die when they leave the forest' was just to stop them from leaving and getting into trouble, right?"

"Well, I knew that, but if I leave, then who protects the forest, huh?"

"Guess you'll have to ask the Sprout that when you get there-on your left!"

Sond whirled neatly, moments before a rather large Deku Baba took a snap at her midriff. The eyeless vegetative maw chattered in disappointment. Sond almost felt sorry for it, as few people ever used this path. It probably only had a chance to bite every few years or so, and it had just blown its chance.

Cyrus, however, had no feelings for carnivorous plants. He'd been nearly eaten by them on several occasions. "Pbbbt!" The incorrigible little fairy blew a raspberry at the Deku Baba and pulled a face.

"Hey, don't mock things that can eat you, Cyrus."

"Awwbut it's fun"

"Shh" Sond turned the last leg of the path, and the Deku Tree's Meadow opened up before her with a shower of forest sunlight. Like some huge gray skeleton stood what once had been the mightiest tree in the forest, now leafless and gaunt, a mere rotting shell that stood empty and hollow within. In the shadow of its solemn presence, Sond suddenly felt very small and sad.

"Well, it took you long enough, come in, come in!"

Sond crossed the mossy green ground, butterflies and fairies scattering in her path. At the base of the dead Tree, between the still mighty roots, grew a tree that, while small, was unlike any other.

For one thing, it had a face.

"Greetings," the Deku Sprout intoned formally, closing its eyes in its version of a nod. Sond kneeled down in the grass that cushioned almost like a comfortable armchair.

"You called for me?" Sond prompted, her heart racing with impatience.

"Yes. Yes I did." The Sprout regarded her a moment. "I have been thinking of recently"

Sond waited patiently for the tree to finish its thought.

"that it might be time for you to consider your place in this world."

The woman's heart sank into her stomach. Was the Deku Sprout about to dismiss her? She blinked. Dismissal would of course mean she would be free to search for her friends. But if she did leave, the village still remained vulnerable in her absence. Even though she missed her friends a lot, Sond did not want to risk the lives of innocent Kokiri. So she just sighed.

"I have heard recently of news that seems troubling. As you know, the man from the desert who destroyed my ancestor-" here the Sprout looked upwards. "He has taken over the outside world of Hyrule. You, however, have met people from the outside. Friends of yours, yes?"

Sond nodded.

"Yet your friendship seems to run deeper than just having known them for several days. How can this be, as you have never known life outside the forest?"

Cyrus nodded. "Yeah, I thought that was pretty weird. At first she didn't seem to know who those two were, then suddenly out of the blue she's treating them like old friends."

Sond shook her head. Whatever had blocked her memories was still in effect for all those around her. Though she remembered now what had really come to pass in Hyrule, nobody else would, not even the Deku Sprout. "It's hard to explain."

"So it seems. The story runs deeper than we really know."

"Something like that," Sond agreed.

"You wished to follow them to the outside, but you held back." the Sprout observed.

"Yes I didbut if I don't protect the forest, who will?"

"I do believe that is my job," the Sprout replied primly.

"Well, you haven't been doing much of a good job!" Sond said hotly. "You know how many monsters have arrived in Kokiri Village?"

The Sprout looked at her glumly. "Give me a break, I'm still little, you know"

Sond's temper cooled slightly. "My apologies. But what does this have to do with me?"

The Deku Sprout looked proud of himself. "I've been thinking. I believe that I will very soon become able to fully protect the village from this threat."

"And" Sond prompted.

"Therefore, it would mean that your duties as a guardian could be released."

Sond looked shocked. "But"

"Think of it as an honorable discharge," the Sprout said as an afterthought.

"You mean"

The Sprout nodded his branches as best he could. "You can now go search out your friends with a free conscience."

Sond grinned, jumped up and whirled around, plucking Cyrus off her shoulder. "Did you hear that, Cyrus? We get to go find them!"

"We?" Cyrus grunted in confusion and disorientation as he suddenly found himself spinning.

"Of course," the Sprout said. "Did not the Great Deku Tree entrust her to your protection?"

"B-but," Cyrus squeaked, still being whirled around much to his displeasure.

"No buts," the Sprout ordered. "You watch over her, remember?"

Sond stopped in mid-whirl. "Waithow're you going to protect the forest?"

"The same way my ancestor did. My barrier has been growing very strong as of late. When I was little, I could maybe protect just this clearing from harm. But slowly, maybe because I have grown, I have discovered my diameter of protection is ever increasing. It is now sufficient enough to cover the perimeter of Kokiri Forest and its inhabitants. In the wake of the unsettling news of Hyrule, I thought it studious to start enforcing this block."

"And I'll be free to go?"

"Mmm. Yes."

"Wahoo!!" Sond whooped again, feeling ten years old again.

"Oh dear," Cyrus said, still dizzy. "This is gonna be one heck of a fiasco, isn't it?"

*****

Meanwhile, half a world away, a wolf trotted dutifully across Termina Field, the chain holding the Destiny Stone bouncing jauntily against his chest. Timbre, true to his word, had exited Clock Town the same way he'd came. He was on extra caution, however, as the demon equine that had once stood outside the Observatory had become strangely absent. It could only mean that Ganondorf was out en force.

A Chu-Chu wobbled by, and paused, its ponderously jelly-like form pulsating as its front end oriented on the lupine.

Timbre just lowered his head meaningfully. "Grr."

The Chu-Chu promptly turned away and went about its prior business.

"That's how to show em whose boss," Tael said encouragingly from his perch on the wolf's left ear. At first the fairy had been rather pensive about his temporary charge, but he was slowly beginning to warm up to Timbre, who despite being not that much of a talker, proved to be a mostly amiable companion.

Less than an hour had passed, and they were already nearly halfway back to Ikana. Timbre seemed almost tireless as he continued on his way. Tael was already becoming very accustomed to the wolf's trotting gait, which was less jaunty than a horse's, but much less jostling as well.

Tael leaned back and tried to enjoy the day. It was becoming slightly overcast, but it had also become pleasantly cool outside, with an ever-cooling summer breeze that gave the slowly failing field some notion of life still. Tael stretched minisculely, the gossamer wings attached to his back slowly folding and unfolding like a butterfly at rest. As soon as they got back to the Music Box House, he was hoping, they could have lunch or something. Tael was feeling slightly hungry after all this business in Clock Town, after all-

Timbre abruptly screeched to a halt, and the inertia nearly threw Tael forwards. The purple fairy managed to save himself by clinging to the wolf's ear, where he now hung precariously,

"Hey! What'cha do that for?!"

But the wolf wasn't listening. He had his nose held up in the air. He sniffed, blinked, and then sniffed again.

"What're you doing?"

Timbre sat down with an air of concern. It was probably fortunate that the wind was moving towards him, that was, from the east. Sometimes he tuned out' most smells, though it could be a difficult thing when there was something particularly pungent around. This was one of those times. It smelled of grubby, unwashed, greasy fur. If he'd been back on Nick's ship, he would have suspected rats. But this smell too had covered Clock Town by virtue of the monsters running about.

The chill wind stank of Goriya, coming from Ikana. Agitated, he changed to human form, shuffled so he was sitting cross-legged, shivered, and murmured, "That's no good"

Tael, who was now having trouble hanging to Timbre's now rounded ear, dropped and landed deftly on the youth's knee. "What's no good?"

"Well, the wind's coming from Ikana, and it positively reeks of Goriya. You know that can only mean one thing."

"That there's Goriya in Ikana." Tael replied promptly.

"Basically," Timbre said with a sigh. "SoI guess I'd better be carefulI'm hoping nothing went wrong while I was gone."

"How strong was the smell?"

"More than enough to represent a rather large group. Any reason so many would be out in force?"

"Well, usually the bulk of em hang around Clock Town. From time to time Ganondorf'll tell Boss Blind to send a bunch out just to check things out. Maybe it's just one of those times."

"But why search Ikana? I mean, is there anything else there?"

"Besides the zombies and suchno, not really. Just rocks."

"Argh. Then he must have found out somehow. I gotta get back now!"

"Wait," Tael said, suddenly feeling slightly cold. "If they have found out Kafei and the others, what can you do about it?"

"Well, I'm not just gonna sit around, that's for sure," Timbre said impulsively. "Right?"

In response, the Destiny Stone began to rotate.

"Yikes!" Tael yelled, nearly topping off his feet in fright. "What's it doing?"

"It's okay," Timbre said vaguely, watching as the mysterious words began to play themselves across the spinning jewel:

Danger west and danger east,

One prevails though once deceased,

Danger's there, so take your heed,

To carry on he must succeed.

"Whatdoes that mean?" Tael looked confused, shivering again.

Timbre wasn't completely sure himself, but there really wasn't time to think it all out. One thing was perfectly clear; he had to get back to Ikana. Now.

Tael nodded resolutely. It was time to get back to the Music Box House, where it might be a little bit warmer-

Hold onwarmer? Tael suddenly realized how much he was shivering. The overcast sky hung above them, and Tael shivered again. "Hey, is it me, or did it suddenly get colder out here?"

Timbre blinked. "Now that you mention it, it did get kind of chilly all of a sudden" Timbre didn't usually mind cold weather, though right now his distraction in the form of concern had completely blocked the notion. "Weird."

He was just about to change form again when three bushy heads popped over the hill in the exact direction they had been taking. Six sets of pointed ears suddenly flipped backwards as the three Goriya's sharp eyes spied them, rather obvious among the green grass.

"Oh boy." Tael murmured. "They don't look too happy, do they?"

Timbre nodded slowly as the three creatures suddenly charged. "No they don't. Think you could spot for me? Just yell whenever one of em chucks a boomerang in my direction."

"Yeah, okaybut how're you going to take three on at once?"

"Easy." Next moment Tael was shaken off of the giant wolf that stood, ready and eager to take the three charging enemies. Instead of charging, like Tael had expected Timbre to do, he stood perfectly still, as if he'd been suddenly petrified.

The three Goriyas did falter slightly as their quarry suddenly transformed, but their shock was only temporary. Apparently the little monsters had taken on a Wolfos or two in the past, as they clearly turned heads and murmured to each other. The least craven of the three, who seemed to have become a temporary leader of sorts, beckoned its other companions, and pointed for them to try and surround.

Timbre still made no move, much to Tael's chargrin. The fairy had retreated into the air, where hopefully he'd be able to spot any boomerangs before they hit their intended target. If anything, it was chillier up in the air than it had been on the ground. The fairy's teeth chattered. Something was definitely wrong with the weather.

The first Goriya withdrew a boomerang and cast it towards Timbre, who easily sidestepped the weapon. The boomerang swung wide, returning to its owner. The wolf growled deeply, as if daring the monsters to attack him again.

They did, but this time all three cast their boomerangs at once. Unfortunately, it seemed that this was a move they were well practiced at, as none of the weapons clashed in mid-air. All three boomerangs craftily assailed the wolf from different directions, descending like mad hornets.

"On your left! On your right! On the-ouch, that looked like it hurt" Tael trailed off miserably. Timbre had managed to duck two of the weapons, but the third had cracked him hard against his haunches. Although it was hard to read the expression, Tael was sure Timbre was wincing as he regained his balance. The leader' Goriya laughed, and signaled to his teammates with a hand across his own eyes as he withdrew another boomerang.

"Go for the eyes," Tael read the hand gesture and yelled down at Timbre. "Tim! They're gonna aim for your face!"

The wolf nodded slowly, though Tael noticed he was now standing rather stiffly. That back-hit had hurt him quite a bit, it seemed. A chill wind blew across the field as Timbre stood, waiting for the next assault.

The next boomerang was indeed aimed at Timbre's eyes. The wolf dodged again, though it was a much more calculated move than before. No sooner had the boomerang whooshed over his head when the two subordinate Goriyas attempted to flank him on both sides. Whirling, Timbre snapped at the one on his right, who danced back with a new wet gash now decorating both arms. At the same instant, Timbre felt dirty claws dig into his left shoulder. The second Goriya was trying to heave itself onto his back, probably so it could club him in the base of the skull.

"Roll!" Tael suggested, at the same time marveling at a snowflake as it fell past him.

Good idea. Although his still-aching back complained quite a bit, Timbre threw himself backwards onto the ground, as if he were trying to roll in the dirt. The only difference in this situation was the fact there was a small monster forcefully sandwiched between his hide and the ground. Fortunately for the Goriya, the grassy soil of Termina Field provided some cushioning and the little monster wasn't completely crushed to death. As it was, the Goriya was completely flattened on the ground, stunned as all the air left its lungs with a whoosh.

Timbre immediately rolled back to his paws. The second and injured Goriya, which had charged forward the moment it saw an opening, was now brandishing a small knife. With a screech, it launched itself knife first at Timbre. The creature jabbed madly at the wolf's eyes.

Swish! Timbre was sure that the sharp cold edge had managed to clip some guard hairs. "I rather like my eyes, the way they are, thank you very much," he growled as he lunged past the Goriya's arm. The next thing he knew, he had the red-furred creature by the throat.

It's a rat, Timbre told himself firmly. A big, huge, nasty rat. And what do you do with rats?

Tael's eyes widened as he watched the wolf shake the captured Goriya like a rag doll, letting go with a flick of capable jaws. The limp monster flew through the air, which was now thickening with falling snow. The body skimmed heavily into the frosted grass a few yards away. Tael didn't need to look any closer to see that its neck was clearly broken. No normal, healthy neck would ever allow the head it supported to be in such a horribly contorted position. Tael shivered again, and this time he was sure it wasn't the cold, or the snow.

WHAM. The last standing Goriya threw his boomerang again, and the weapon had a rather unfriendly confrontation with Timbre's nose. Although only a passing blow, Timbre couldn't stop his eyes from crossing. Ouch. He reeled slightly from the sudden pain that ran in rivulets up and down his muzzle. It even made his jaws ache a little.

"Look out!"

Galled into action by the fairy's shrieks, the wolf's head snapped up just in time to see the boomerang going straight for his face again. To dodge the missile, he was forced to throw himself into a slightly undignified lie-down, and in the process managed to grind his already smarting nose right into the ground, which had begun to harden nicely due to the sudden cold snap.

Timbre had had enough. This last painful insult had driven his temper far past a certain point, and for the first time in his life, his mental processes reached a state where his only thought was bite anything that moves.' The last-standing Goriya, fearful of what Timbre had done to its comrades at close quarters, was taking the coward's way of long-distance assault. This is hardly fair if your opponent can't return fire. Had he been in a saner and less bloodthirsty state of mind, this is what Timbre would have thought to himself.

However, his mental processes at the moment were more along the lines of: Bite NOW! This called for more or less the complete destruction of the moving weapon and the one that threw it. Instead of calmly allowing the boomerang to return to the hand of its owner, Timbre leapt after it.

"Grr!"

The Goriya quailed, as the boomerang flew relentlessly through the snow filled air, heading directly towards it.

It brought in its wake a very, very infuriated wolf.

*****

"So, now what?" Link said, looking around at the others.

Kafei breathed a long sigh, hand running over his chin in deep thought. "II don't know. There's at least a dozen out there, maybe more." His eyes strayed outside over the window once more, where the small monsters milled about. Kafei noted something else that he had found strange. "It's started snowing, too."

"What?" Link leaned against the windowsill and peered. Sure enough, there were the telltale white flakes floating gently to earth. The Goriyas were shivering, although this gave him little solace. "Butit's summer time! It shouldn't be snowing!"

"Not only is it snowing," the Keaton observed as it leapt like a cat onto the windowsill, "but if you would notice, the snowflakes do not simply melt when they hit the ground. The snow will accumulate greatly before much longer. I sense magic in this odd weather."

"Magic? Do Goriyas know ice magic?" Link looked confused.

Kafei snorted. "Only thing those little monsters know how to do is break things, throw boomerangs, and eat. There's probably not enough magic power between the lot of them to make a single snowball."

"And that's another question," Link said. "They clearly are orienting on us in the house. They know we're in here. Why haven't they attacked yet?"

"Simple," Kafei answered. "If you've noticed, they're circling the house, cutting off escape routes. Boss Blind is standing off to the side there, see?"

Link peered through the window, and nodded. He could even see the magical boomerang from here. If only-

"It is clear that they are acting on orders," the Keaton finished. "They're only the hounds, sent to keep the quarry at bay. They're simply waiting for the hunter to arrive."

Link swallowed. "Ganondorf."

Kafei nodded grimly.

"So, what're we going to do?" Link asked.

Kafei actually smiled, though it played grimly across his heavily marked face. "I'm not standing here until that scum comes to pick us off like ants, that's for sure."

"Kafei?" A small voice intoned, and everybody turned to look at Daray. The blind child swallowed heavily. "I don't want it to happen again," he murmured quietly. "Last time, you died, didn't you?"

The violet-haired Hylian bowed his head, but couldn't answer right away. Finally, he spoke aloud. "Keaton, I know that you can take the route of the spirits, and escape from here undetected."

The ghost fox balked. "Well, yes, but that won't help you to escapeI can't take all of you with me."

Kafei smiled. For all its wisdom, sometimes the Keaton could blatantly overlook the obvious. "It will be alright. All I ask is that you carry a message to Pamela, Jim, and the Bombers in the quarry. Tell them the Goriyas are nosing about the base, but tell them to stay put, alright?"

The Keaton bowed its head. "Are you sure?"

"Just do it, please."

The ghost fox couldn't argue. It nodded curtly once.

Kafei sighed. "DarayGo with the Keaton. He can carry you with him. Stay with Pamela, she'll protect you."

Daray's small brows knitted. "I can't just hide like last time, uncle. I want to prove my courage!"

"Daray" Kafei looked concerned, and it reflected so in his voice. "Courage is sometimes knowing when to back down."

"But-"

"Please"

Daray sniffled a little, and a small pool of tears collected beneath each blind eye. "Okay," he said quietly, and the Keaton gently nudged up beside him.

The fox looked up as Kafei issued some final requests. "Take him to Pamela and the others. The caves are huge and ancient, but they are stable. They should be safe there."

"Be careful," was all the Keaton said in response, then with Daray laying a hand on its head, the fox turned and walked towards the wall. Link just stared as both forms wavered and distorted, as if he were seeing them through a damaged telescope lens. Then, they vanished, with only a few remaining wisps of curling smoke to ever betray a presence there.

The Hylian blinked several times, before shaking the cobwebs out of his brain. He turned and noticed Kafei, who was buckling his knife to his side. "Well, I don't want to keep them waiting" Kafei put a hand on the doorknob.

"Wait a second," Link said, stopping Kafei by putting a hand on the purple-haired Hylian's shoulder. For a moment, Link wasn't sure whether his hand would find purchase or not. "You're not just going to fight them by yourself?"

Kafei stared at him intently, a kind of fire tingling in his crimsoned eyes. "I am not afraid of them," he said with a furrowed brow. "You are free to do whatever you wish, however."

Then the doorknob turned, and both were greeted with a huge blast of wind, snow, and light as the door cracked open. Link's hand instantly began to lose purchase on Kafei's shoulder, and he stared in shock as the place where Kafei stood suddenly started to fill with empty space. Link watched the flickering image of Kafei as he stared fearfully at his translucent hands. The voice of the Hylian, however, remained as strong as ever. "Nonot now...even now it is too bright."

"Then you can escape too, just like the Keaton. They won't be able to see you."

"I don't want to escape them," Kafei said, grinding his teeth with frustration. "I want to fight! Why do I have to fear the light?"

"Wait." Link said, looking very serious. He stepped back and walked over to where his sword and shield lay. Arming himself with both, he walked over to the Hylian. "I'll fight."

The vague form turned away, with an expression of disgust. "If I cannot fight myself," he said. "I can't ask someone else to battle for me."

"I'm not asking to fight for you," Link said. "I'm asking to fight alongside you." The Hylian smiled. "There's nothing to be afraid of. Besides, doesn't each snowflake cast a small shadow? And the sky is darkened with clouds, which themselves cast shadows. Just have a little courage." He lifted Timbre's sword, which he'd retrieved with his own gear, smiled a little, and handed it hilt-first to Kafei.

Kafei looked confused.

"You might need this," Link clarified, thinking that Timbre wouldn't mind too much, given the circumstances.

The shadow Hylian's eyes locked upon the hilt, and slowly his somewhat translucent hand rose to accept it. Instead of passing through the hilt as he might have expected, Kafei's hand solidly grasped the hilt. He looked amazed as he accepted the weapon solidly in both hands.

Link smiled. "We're outnumbered about fifteen to one."

Kafei shook himself out of his astonishment. Then he laughed. "Sounds like pretty good odds to me."

*****

When the door to the Music Box House had initially cracked open, Boss Blind had been forced to squint. The small flurries of snow, which had started soon after their arrival, had quickly and dangerously turned into a deluge of icy snowflakes. It had started to cake against his body, and he'd wrapped his cape about him, trying to avoid wet, soaking fur. His inferiors, unfortunate enough to not own such luxuries, shivered fitfully.

"Where is Ganondorf?" Boss Blind hissed to himself, as he spotted the opening door. "Hai!"

Immediately all Goriyas within earshot snapped their bowed heads up. Eyes stung by freezing snow, they looked to their leader.

"Be ready, they might try an attack," he instructed in the odd Goriya language. The shivering minions nodded, and many gripped boomerangs in their clawed fists.

Visibility was very low now. Boss Blind had only experienced one other whiteout in his life, but never in Termina. In the four years of the land's languishment, not once had it snowed in the warmer season. Boss Blind didn't speak, but he suspected some sort of magical affect. However, this was not his concern at the moment.

The door was, as it had suddenly burst open.

A figure- no, two figures, emerged from the black portal, most of their finer features obscured by the snows, but their general shapes and colors remained. Boss Blind recognized a flash of green and snorted.

"Not him"

The second shape to emerge made the Goriya squint, then chuckle.

"Illusions from beyond the grave, eh Blind?" came the impudent voice.

Boss Blind just laughed as he answered back in the Hylian tongue. "Yaar, I don't fear specters. A mere illusion of Ikana's spirit world."

Crunch. Crunch. Boots sunk ankle deep into the drifts as Kafei stepped closer. "Oh, I assure you, Blind, I am very much a reality."

Boss Blind scowled. "Who are you?"

Kafei ignored that. "I do believe you have something that doesn't belong to you," he said evenly, leveling his sword in a point, gesturing at the goggles that hung loosely about the Goriya's neck.

Several Goriya made as if to throw their boomerangs, but desisted at a wave of their leader's clawed hand. "Stand down." The Goriya's eyes flickered over to the face of the violet-haired Hylian before him, and an impudent smirk disdainfully passed about his features. "I remember you now. You're the brat I dropped four years ago. One hit, cracked your skull completely."

"Yet here I am," Kafei said, as the green clad figure stepped up behind him. This one made no move to speak, however.

"Indeed," said Boss Blind. "I suppose I should have made sure you would not rise again" Boss Blind's hand slowly hovered towards his boomerang. "This time you won't be so lucky."

"Perhaps," Kafei said darkly, "it is your luck that has run out."

"Impressive words, ghost," Boss Blind said, fist clutching spasmodically at the metal boomerang as he silently calculated distance. "But the words of a dead man have no meaning for me!" With that he twisted and threw his boomerang directly for the red-eyed Hylian.

CLANG.

Boss Blind's jaw hung slack as the metal boomerang shot off at a crazy angle, swallowed up almost immediately by the deluge. Kafei held the sword in a steady block, the blade still singing from its impact with the magical boomerang. "My turn," said Kafei, and then he charged.

"Kill them!" shrieked Boss Blind, and the Goriyas responded with a multitude of shrieks and howls, closing in on the two warriors with savage ferocity.

Kafei struggled as he suddenly found himself surrounded by clawing and biting monsters. Several had forgone boomerangs all together and were instead tearing ferociously at the warriors with tooth, nail, or any other small arms they may have possessed. The rest threw boomerangs into the increasing melee.

Link flinched, but didn't cry out as a boomerang hit him solidly in his right shoulder blade. Instead, he whirled and took out the nearest two Goriya with wild swings of his deadly weapon. Shaking the limp impaled forms off of his sword, he whirled, slightly disoriented by the whirling snow which quickly numbed any pain he was feeling, caking over newly opened cuts and bites. He felt several sets of claws rend into his knees, and kicked out as he started to lose his balance.

Boss Blind stood outside, still screeching orders. "Kill them! Kill them!"

Kafei started to go down under the sheer weight of a dozen Goriyas, though he fought against every buffet and kick he received. Link too, was starting to become completely overwhelmed by the monsters that were striking out at him on every side.

"I can't"

Boss Blind smiled and approached, noticing the slightly red color of the snowdrifts, be it from friend or foe. "Fools," he murmured to himself smugly.

"Aaaah!" And then, Kafei broke loose of the restraining monsters, and charged for the blue Goriya.

Ping.

Link was struggling and disoriented, but even he saw the small ornamented glasses of Boss Blind fly into the air, severed in half. Meanwhile, the leader Goriya clutched at his face in agony, where an angry bloody streak ran clean across his brow. The blood ran into Boss Blind's eyes until everything became a dark haze. He struggled upright, and groped about, unable to see.

"So, you've finally lived up to your namesake, eh?" Kafei smiled.

The red Goriya leapt up to re-take the purple-haired Hylian when several light swishing noises sang through the air, in contrast to the deep howls of the wind. Three of the Goriya froze, then suddenly crumpled to the ground with vacant expressions. Two had darts lodged in their necks, the third bled thinly from a stone that had struck him between the eyes.

Link suddenly found the overwhelming Goriya's grip start to break, and he began to punch and kick out at random, his efforts rewarded with various curses, shrieks, and howls. "What's going on?" he yelled.

The swishing sound flew through the air once more, and two more Goriyas were silenced. Link stared in the direction of fire. "Up on the hill! To the right!"

Kafei tuned out Boss Blind's inglorious cursing and glanced that way, and could make out two figures amongst the swirling flakes.

"Hey there!" Pamela yelled cheerily, reloading her blowgun. "Bad form, having a brawl and not inviting us!"

"Yeah," Jim said, twirling his slingshot. "You can't have all the fun!"

"I told the Keaton to tell you to stay put!" Kafei yelled angrily, wiping his brow.

"Yeah, he told us all right, but that doesn't mean we have to listen to him, now does it?" Pamela retorted. "Goriya, back off, or I'll make your mangy hides look like pincushions!"

The Goriya instantly started backing away, and Link struggled to his feet, covered in scratches and wincing. Kafei was similarly injured, though he just sighed and shook his head, turning back towards Boss Blind. The Goriya's eyes were clearing, though he still held his head in his hands as if suffering from a massive headache.

"Light" he grunted. "Too bright"

"So that's why he wore the glasses" Link said, rubbing his aching back. "He's afraid of the light." Then the green-clad Hylian's left knees buckled, and he fell back into the snow.

"You okay?" Jim yelled down.

"I think sojust exhausted." The blonde wheezed as the sudden dearth of adrenaline slowly robbed him of his remaining energy. "Who'd have thought he'd be so afraid of light?"

"He shouldn't fear the light," Kafei said, readying his blade. "He should be more concerned about the shadows!" At the sound of his voice, Boss Blind whirled madly, and leapt out at Kafei with bare claws. The Goriya's accuracy was very keen despite his robbed sight, probably from years of experience with distance gauging. Kafei suddenly found himself thrown backwards from impact as the substantially heavier weight of the blue Goriya crushed him back-first into the snow.

"Kafei!" Everyone yelled at once.

Meanwhile, Kafei choked, rolled and fought for air as he found the clawed fingers wrapped like needle pointed vices around his throat. Bated, stale breath rattled into the shadow Hylian's face from between the pointed canines of Boss Blind's teeth. "I thought ghosts didn't have to breathe," he grated mockingly as he strangled the remaining life out of his victim.

Kafei didn't waste words, then again the best he would have managed would have been a choking gasp. He felt his grip on the sword loosening, and the sound in his ears roared about him, louder than the blizzard. Somewhere, he could hear someone screaming.

"whatever you do, don't let go of each other's hands"

Winds whiled about him. He was holding hands tightly, he could feel the viselike grip of their fingers-

"don't let go"

Kafei gritted his teeth, and clutched the sword tightly

and brought it's heavy hilt swinging as powerfully as he could across Boss Blind's head.

The loud crack rang through the snowy canyon like a gunshot. The grip on Kafei's neck stiffened with a whimper, and suddenly started to go slack, and Kafei slumped backwards, unable to move again. He stared up through half-lidded eyes as he felt the bulk of the Goriya kicked off of him by something blurry. The blur was green.

"Kafei? You still with us?"

Storm!

His eyes snapped open in panic as he felt the winds of the blizzard about him. He jerked upright, and gagged.

"Kafei! Say something, you okay?"

It took a good amount of swallowing and coughing, but Kafei finally managed to rasp out an answer. "Yeah." He struggled to sit up, and with Link's help, managed to prop himself up, his vision slowly clearing, and with it, the odd sensation that he'd felt in the back of his mind.

"Good. Hey guys, he's okay!"

"Goggles," Kafei grated.

"What?"

Kafei stared over at his vanquished foe. "Oh." Link leaned over and disdainfully disentangled Daray's goggles from their place about the Goriya's neck. Handing them to Kafei, Link looked up to Pamela and Jim, who both heaved sighs of relief. The defeated Goriya lay all about the impromptu battlefield, and those still standing started chattering with cold. Jim and Pamela dutifully kept their posts.

"Problem guys," Pamela called out. "What do we do with the rest of these vermin? We're at a bit of a stalemate."

Link was about to answer when a bone-chilling howl erupted from the western end of the canyon, near the entrance. Although it was echoed and somewhat muffled, it did sound rather close.

"What in the name of Nayru is that? Wolfos?" Pamela suddenly paled.

Link could have laughed aloud. How often had Timbre made noise like that, after all? "No, that's Timbre. He must have caught the smell of these monsters." The Hylian turned to the Goriya and started speaking calmly. "He's not as big as a Wolfos, but ten times as mean. Howls to let you know he's hungry. He likes giving his prey a head start, you see. It's a lot more fun for him if it runs, after all. I'd say he'll be here in about ten seconds"

The Goriya scattered like shrieking wisps of dandelion fluff, some colliding with each other and falling into the snow in their efforts to escape. Seconds later, and the only evidence of the Goriyas were several dropped boomerangs, and a multitude of small footprints.

Link sighed in relief. "That took care of them. Wasn't sure if that bluff was going to work anyway."

"Why, were you afraid?" Pamela put her blowgun away, and began approaching through the blizzard.

"Naah, just didn't want to have to slaughter them all. In cold blood and all oh, and here's Timbe."

"My name is Timbre," came the annoyed voice of his friend, as the spiky haired youth materialized out of the maelstrom, Tael the fairy clinging fitfully to his hair. Link stared, noting that Timbre seemed to be sporting a black eye. It made his friend appear slightly comical, with one eye patched over and the other with a birthmark streaked across it, almost as if he were wearing outlandish makeup. "So," Timbre said in a perfectly normal tone. "Some weather we're having, eh?"

"Yeah," Pamela said. "Aren't you cold?"

Timbre shrugged. "No, I only changed back a few moments ago, I've been fine otherwise. Oh, by the way, I think you were looking for this." Timbre tossed the metal boomerang to Link with a flick of his wrist. "Tael found it not too far from here. Wedged a good way into a boulder."

The boomerang seemed to fling itself at Link like he was magnetized. The moment his fingertips came in contact with the inset shard of the Master Sword, his left hand gave a delighted tingle. And like that, Link felt completely at ease, as if he'd just sunk into a hot bath. "Finally, we got what we came for."

Timbre nodded. "I'm guessing there was an incident," he remarked casually as his eyes roved over the scene, resting disdainfully on Boss Blind's inert form for a moment, then finally closing in on Kafei. "Hey Kafei, how you feeling?"

Kafei just gave the okay' sign as he struggled to his feet, still finding his throat too raspy and uncomfortable to say anything intelligible.

"How about we get out of this snow?" Jim suggested as Kafei threw an arm over his shoulder. The leader of the Bombers let the injured shadow Hylian regain his breath as he looked over at the others. "The caves aren't too far from here, and the Music Box House is kind of out of the question, now"

"One sec, though" Timbre entered the abandoned base, and exited a moment later with his trenchcoat securely about his shoulders. Tael still clung to Timbre's hair, and the youth gently disentangled him, lowering him into the right pocket. "Don't want you to get blown away," he remarked.

Link just shook his head as they all moved off towards their new destination. "Timwhat the heck did you do to yourself?" The Hylian gestured at Timbre's black eye. "You look terrible."

Timbre just laughed. "Heh, you should see the other guy."

*****

And there you have it. Battle oriented chapters are always fun to write. And I just found some rather inspiring things in the process of this chapter. Actually, about a couple of really cool animes. Number one, Naruto,' which just started airing in Japan in October. Ninja stuff, very cool. And then just finishing the chapter, I came across another anime known as Wolf's Rain,' which is about wolves. Kind of scary, the coincidence. The wolves in the anime are very similar to Timbre's race. And rather cool, cause it was done by the Cowboy Bebop people. Funny trivia: while I wrote this chapter, it snowed a whole bunch of times. As of this writing, I'm currently in the middle of a blizzard. Darn you, Kotake! :P Until next time, chaps!