1Along the way, Saya told Link her story. About the night this had all started, the Lon-Lon Wolfos, and mostly about her father's overshadowing legacy. Link listened intently until she had finished. He nodded.
"You see, small warrior," he said, "We are on the same rock, you and I. Both are forced to follow in our fathers' ways. You want to outdo your father, make them compare the brave and the strong to you, not him. To make him live almost in your shadow. I, however, am content with might being associated with Darunia, my father. I wish to spend my days in his shadow. This is where we differ." Saya nodded. Who said the Gorons were a simple people?
"It's not your fault, Kaala," she whispered to the napping Wolfos cub, "You were just hungry, that's all. No one can really blame you, can they?"
Navi sighed. Saya truly believed that Kaala was just an innocent cub. She, nevertheless, wasn't so sure Kaala was that dumb. The Wolfos, now sleeping with her eyes shut tightly and breathing softly, did seem quite harmless. It was only by daylight that you really had to keep your eyes on her.
Later that evening, Saya was talking with her father.
"So, you managed to find the Gorons?" he asked, "Anything...interesting happen on the way up?"
Saya glanced at Kaala, asleep by her feet, then looked at Navi. She had made the fairy promise not to reveal the cub's existence. Kaala's mouth was open; Saya had scrubbed the cuccoo blood from her fangs. "No," she lied calmly, "Not really."
"All right. You're with the Gorons, you have food, and nothing interesting happened at all?" It sounded to Saya that Link didn't believe her, judging by the tone of his voice, but he didn't seem to want to press for the truth. Saya decided to give him part of it, at least. Maybe Nayru would forgive her lie for that.
"Well, I tripped over the one they named after you. He's really nice."
Kaala chose that moment to let out a loud snore.
"What was that?"
"Oh, uh...Navi. She's asleep." Hopefully, Nayru would forgive that one, too. "By the way, dad, do you speak any Goron?"
"Not...that I can...remember. Why?"
"I can't get what the work 'kaala' means. I mean, the way I interpret it, it sounds wrong. Mothers say it to their kids all the time here, if that helps."
"A little. 'Kaala,' hmm? I'd be inclined to say 'misunderstood,' but that's Hylian, and you're right. It doesn't make sense that way...Oh, that's right! I remember now. It means 'precious one.' Funny, really."
"'Funny,' sir?"
Saya heard a sigh of laughter. Calling her father 'sir,' was amusing to him. "Yes, Saya. Funny. All the Hylian races, spoken or written, Zorian, Goronic, Hylian, Runic Kokiri...They all share their words, just not the meanings. I'd say to ask some of the other races you come across what 'kaala' means to them."
"Can do, dad." Saya flashed Kaala a quick glace before saying, "It's a little late. I should probably get to sleep."
"Kaala," she whispered, watching the Ocarina slowly stop glowing, "The Misunderstood. My precious One." With that, she curled up beside the Wolfos and fell asleep. Kaala snuggled closer in her sleep. What a strange dream!
She had been bigger in her dream. Bigger than the green Wolfos. There had been a big green Wolfos, too, along with the smaller one. Kaala's green Wolfos. They were walking at the stupid bird place. Kaala sniffed. The big green Wolfos smelled uncertain and afraid. Her green Wolfos smelled happy. Suddenly, there was a new smell.
Kaala ran to sniff it out and came face-to-face with a blue Wolfos. It said something to Kaala, and turned into Kaala herself. Then, the blue-white Wolfos ran towards the green Wolfos. Kaala woke up. Hunger. She grabbed a white-stuff bottle and smashed it open. Hunger. She licked it all up and settled back down beside the green Wolfos. Tired. No hunger. She fell back into her dreams.