A/N: See? I'm keeping my promise!! And I'm so sorry, Miss Piratess! You can't even watch someone play Zelda anymore? How horrible! BTW, have you guys (other than Anni) played The Wind Waker?
Aranel flew over Hyrule Field, his black wings beating the air. Ruto was terrified. She was clutching onto Link, who repeatedly tried to push her off of him.
"Wait a minute!" he suddenly cried.
"What's wrong?" Aranel asked.
"I don't remember how to make my way to the Desert Colossus!"
Everyone groaned.
"What are we going to do?" Lute asked, sounding hopeless.
"Well, Nabooru knows," Ruto said off-handedly. "She always bragged about it."
"Where's Nabooru now?" Cassandra asked her.
"I saw her at Lon Lon Ranch when I stopped there to visit earlier," Ruto replied, clutching tighter to Link's arm as he endeavored to kick her off.
Lute rolled his eyes. "Aranel, would you please go back to Lon Lon Ranch?"
Aranel laughed. "Of course!" He wheeled around in the sky and headed back to Malon's ranch. They landed with a thud outside the gate, and all the smaller beings slipped off of his back. Aranel walked over to the wall by the corral area and leaned on it.
"Hey, Malon!" Link called as they entered the corral. "Is Nabooru still here?"
Malon, who had been brushing Epona's mane and talking to the Sage of Spirit, sighed and turned around. "I'd think you could see her," she said sarcastically. Then she saw Lute and Cassandra. "Hey!" she greeted them, hugging Cassandra and clapping Lute on the shoulder. "Congratulations! I heard about your wedding!"
"Thanks," Cassandra laughed.
"I'm happy for you," Malon grinned. Then, she looked at Ruto. "Weren't you here once already?" she asked.
"Yeah, but we're looking for Nabooru because we need to know how to get to the Desert Colossus," the Zora princess replied.
"We're looking for Zelda," Link added. Then, he gave Malon a funny look. "Are you Zelda?" he asked, inspecting her.
"What do you mean?" Malon demanded. "I am most certainly not that idiot!"
"You're sure?" Link asked, staring at her severely.
"Yes!" Malon cried, her face flushed.
There was a long silence as Link looked at her. Then, he asked, "Are you Zelda now?"
"Argh!" Malon yelled.
"That's all right. Take your time."
"Get him away from me before I hurt him," Malon warned in a quiet voice. She looked like she was more likely to kill Link than hurt him, and Lute gladly obliged.
Nabooru greeted them all and Malon introduced her to Lute and Cassandra. After a quick explanation on how to get to the Spirit Temple, the Fellowship of the Triforce hurried back off to Aranel and climbed on.
"Thank you!" Cassandra called down to them. The two redheads waved and bid them goodbye, and Aranel flew off in the direction of the Gerudo Valley.
Quinn gave a sigh of relief as he looked outside. It was nearly nighttime, and then the King's messengers would be there. He couldn't wait to get the princess off their hands. It was probably the worst idea that Falen had ever had.
"I'm tired," Zelda complained. "I want to go home. I'm bored!"
"Please, Princess!" Falen wailed. Quinn grinned. Maybe he was finally realizing what a mistake he'd made. "Please stop complaining!"
Just then, a dark shape landed on the moonlit sands. Quinn looked inside. "Falen, take the Princess into that lovely room over there."
"Why?" Falen asked.
Quinn was his usual laid-back self again. "They're here."
A/N: Now I'm caught up! Until next week, arrivaderci!
