"We need to find shelter," the Gerudo said abruptly, interrupting whatever lesson on Rito culture Revali had been giving Zelda and anyone else who happened to be listening.
Urbosa could feel the gathering storm. It would be on them within the hour, winds whipping and tearing through the trees, water pouring down on them in torrents.
More accurately, she could feel the lighting that would accompany it as it was born high above them, pressure in the sky building and growing until it eventually released in a crack of raw power.
That growing energy also fizzed not unpleasantly in her bones, making her aware of their imminent need to find somewhere safe and dry to wait out the storm.
The nearest inn was still half a day's journey away, though if memory served, there should have been some sort of shelter close along the road; Akkala was famous for its sudden downpours, especially at this time of year.
Link and Mipha conferred; if the Hylian spoke it was too quietly for Urbosa to hear. The Zora Champion looked around, then nodded.
"There should be a cave less than half a mile up the road," she said. "Travelers often take refuge there, so it should be safe enough. We may even be able to get a fire going." Her eyes flickered briefly toward Revali, and Urbosa wondered if the two had discussed his current situation. It was equally possible that Mipha had simply observed both the Rito's current extra layers of clothing and his recent tendency to bunk with Urbosa and had guessed the reasoning behind the actions. Deciding that Revali's overall well-being did not seem to be in any particular danger, she may have decided to let the matter alone.
"We may not have time," Urbosa admitted. The storm had come quickly. "We might be in for a bit of a drenching before we reach the cave."
Link shrugged. Daruk did as well.
"It wouldn't be the first time we've gotten rained on," he pointed out. "As long as we're safe from the rest of it, a little water shouldn't do too much damage." His tone suggested he felt otherwise, however.
Urbosa felt a twinge of sympathy. Not much managed to get under the Goron's skin, but Daruk did not enjoy being rained on.
"We would probably get less wet if we could somehow manage to walk and talk at the same time?" Revali grumbled. Molting seemed to put the Rito in a bad mood, but like most of his moods lately, none could even begin to compare to the unpleasantness that had made up those weeks after their run-in with a group of traveling Rito that had been made up of several of Revali's year-mates.
They did, however, start walking. No one wanted to get even wetter than they had to. Even Urbosa, who enjoyed a good storm perhaps more than most people, had little interest in spending the rest of the evening in damp clothes.
Lightning flashed almost directly overhead, temporarily blinding the group. The crash of thunder that followed almost immediately made Zelda, Impa, and Mipha jump. Daruk looked up warily at the sky.
Eyes wide, Revali straightened from a half crouch. Urbosa got the feeling he would have bolted if there had been anywhere to go; the Rito likely knew better than the rest of them that the nearby line of trees was a terrible place to take shelter from lightning.
"Not a fan of storms?" she asked, more to offer a distraction than anything else. Revali stared at her for several seconds before shaking his head.
"You don't have to worry about being struck by lightning," he pointed out.
"It's more likely to hit those trees over there than us, you know."
Revali followed her gaze. "We don't get a lot of thunderstorms," he admitted uneasily. "Plenty of snow, not much rain."
As if summoned, water broke from the sky in a steady downpour. They would be soaked long before they reached the cave.
Revali scowled up at the sky. He flinched as another bolt of lightning flashed, but held his ground, wincing slightly at the crash of thunder that came next.
"Let's go," Urbosa reminded everyone that they were trying to get out of the weather, getting her companions moving again. "You said you could probably build a fire?" she asked, and Link nodded. "Any chance of a hot meal this evening?" Another nod.
"And I'm sure Revali can come up with something we haven't all heard a dozen times," she continued, trying to turn their attention away from the storm overhead. "A ghost story might be appropriate," she suggested impishly.
Mipha startled at the next flash of lighting, and moved closer to Link. "I know the Zora have a few tales," she managed timidly. "It might be interesting to compare."
Revali sniffed. "Ghosts." He sounded far from impressed as he scanned the sky warily.
"That's right," Urbosa teased, "you don't believe in ghosts. Or gods, or faeries, or the Great Deku Tree, guardian spirit of the forest."
The Rito rolled his eyes at her. "I'll believe," he conceded. "Soon as I see one."
"A tree?"
"Or a ghost."
Revali kept up his end of the not-quite argument until they reached the cave, leading Urbosa to wonder if he had realized she was trying to distract the others and gone along with it. A sharp glance first in Zelda's direction, then in Mipha's, only served to reinforce the idea. Reassured that both were fine, if thoroughly wet, the Rito stamped off to check his gear.
Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda and its people do not belong to me.
