1Saya sneezed as she woke up. Why were all these feathers all over...! She sat bolt upright. A dead cuccoo, its throat torn out, was right by her face. "Kaala...No..." she whispered upon seeing her Wolfos's fangs stained red with blood, a few feathers stuck between her teeth. She woke Navi.
"Navi, quick! We have to go. Now! Kaala just killed someone's cuccoo. We need to get out of here...Fast!"
"Make tracks?" murmured Navi sleepily.
"I'd rather not!" Saya retorted, pulling on her shield. The rain had stopped; Kaala would be fine without it for now. Saya swore she could hear angry voices from the distance.
Kaala bounded happily beside the green Wolfos. What was this new, 'running,' game going to teach her? To stay away from the rainbow Wolfoses? That killing stupid birds and running was great fun, a sport to be practiced as often as possible? Whatever it was, Kaala liked it!
Saya ran. She had a good idea of where to go, and a few shades of a plan, too. She could hide on the mountain. There, she would teach Kaala how to behave. She was so involved in her thoughts that she failed to notice the bump on the mountain trail. Saya tripped over it, landing face-down in the dirt. She could definitely hear voices now. She sat up, swearing to Nayru, Din, and Farore.
"That's not a good thing to say," chided a deep, rumbling voice. Had her mind been working properly, Saya would have easily recognized the significance of its pitch. Instead, she was half-wild with fear and pain, preventing clear thought.
"Hide! Hide! My Kaala!" she gasped. She watched the Wolfos cub climb up after her. Stupid! Saya thought to herself, I should've carried her!
"I see," said the mini-mountain, "Hide up here. I'll be back." Then, it curled up and rolled down the mountainside.
Kaala had reached the green Wolfos. That game had been fun. Hunger. Maybe it had been to teach her to stay away from the rainbow Wolfoses. Tired. Hunger. They seemed so mean. Why didn't they like the green Wolfos?
Navi inspected Saya's ankle. "Twisted," she said grimly, "Saya, why did you even take Kaala in the first place? She's just plain trouble!"
Saya saw Kaala sniff the bottles of milk at her belt. Most were empty. She grabbed the second- last, full bottle and fed Kaala. She decided to come clean with the fairy. Besides, telling Navi what had been bothering her would help. It usually did.
"Navi...I know I didn't tell you before, but...the Wolfos at Lon-Lon...it could only have been Kaala's mother." Navi felt the need to interject just how Saya knew this to be true, but she resisted. Saya continued, "I...I saw her dripping milk when she swung at me...I killed Kaala's mother. So, I have to take care of her now."
Navi froze. She watched Saya feed Kaala. There was sorrow in the girl's eyes, and...guilt, too? Was that why Saya defended the cub so seriously? She felt as though she had orphaned it? Navi admitted, it all made sense. Wolfos, fairy, and child all jumped as a roar was set up from the midpoint of the trail. Kaala choked on her milk, and Saya patted her back as she listened.
"BASE-DWELLERS! You violate our sacred agreement! The mountain is ours! It is by our grace that you may inhabit its slopes! I, Link of the Gorons, have spoken! Begone!"
There was the mad scrambling of feet as the gathered crowd fled, probably fearing for their lives. Kaala had begun to breathe normally. Saya changed her patting to soft, smooth rubbing. She stared at Navi, who was glowing slightly with excitement.
"What was that?"
"You'll see," was all Navi said.
Saya had a feeling the fairy knew a lot more than she was letting on, but she said nothing. Navi seemed intent on leaving Saya in the dark about this whole matter. The girl's thoughts were interrupted by the crashing sounds of the mini-mountain rolling back up the path. When he reached them, he uncurled to reveal his true self. Navi hovered before Saya's face.
"Saya, meet Link of the Gorons. Link, this is Saya of Hyrule, and your namesake's only child."
Ooh, good job, Navi, Saya thought sarcastically, Way to make it all casual.
Goron Link was huge. Really Huge. Saya only came up to his waist. Kaala was hardly bigger than his foot. The cub sniffed it. Rocks, dirt, blah, no interesting smells. His round head was somewhat pointed at the top. His back bore rock-like spines. Through all his immense, warrior-like features, however, peace shone.
"I will carry you to our home, Daughter of Link. Bring your fairy and the precious one. We go now to Goron City!"