Chapter Ten

Link had lied. He hadn't gotten the rest Malon said he should get. All night he'd been up, pacing restlessly from his isolation and worrying. His hunger ate away in his gut like a living worm, sapping his strength, making him dizzy and weak. Flesh…he needed it, he craved for it. Many times the temptation of running outside had come to him, but he had stayed put. There was no telling what would happen if he abandoned himself to the wolf. He didn't want anyone else to end up like the chef did. He still remembered the putrid aroma of death and blood wafting in his nostrils…more so the distorted look of fear frozen on the man's face.

It wasn't until daybreak did he finally feel fatigued enough to lie down, yet just as he was about to let his exhaustion carry him into a blissful state of sleep the door to the barn opened. It was Malon again.

"Good morning," she greeted. As usual she had a rosy smile on her face. "Do you feel better?" Link didn't answer, nor did he see the smile disappear from her bright face. A pained look entered her calm blue eyes.

"Link, what's wrong with you?" she wondered, sitting beside him. "Ever since you woke up you've been…well kinda distant. Did something happen to you during our absence?" Link's fingers clutched the blankets, a familiar pain aroused within him. For goddesses sake what was he supposed to tell her? That several months ago he met female werewolf that cursed him, and that he too was a werewolf, that because of his new nature almost everyone hated and loathed him? Even the princess feared him despite her seemingly calm appearance.

Link almost growled at the girl, but he stifled the savage sound. It wasn't Malon's fault for letting him recall the pain. She had no idea what had happened to him. He felt ashamed for feeling angry at her. He longed to tell her of what he'd gone through yet he was frightened of losing her trust too. Could she really accept what he had become? Link turned over, and his breath caught in his throat. Standing in the door way was a dark haired, amber-eyed boy. This boy was also a werewolf. Link wondered how long he had been standing there, but at the moment he wanted the bastard to leave. He felt the overwhelming need to voice a threat. 'No, I can't. Malon's here,' he scolded himself. The dark haired boy lifted his lips and bared his sharp teeth before turning to Malon in a more civilized manner.

"Malon," he called, making her turn around. "Breakfast is ready." Malon looked at him for a second and then turned to look at Link. He looked strangely tense. Malon wanted to laugh. She mistook him as being jealous.

"Link, this is Dante. He's the one who rescued everyone from those cruel men," she explained, then looked over to the other male. "And Dante, this is Link, my long time friend." The aggression between the two slightly diffused, yet they refused to completely relax. Link eyed Dante resentfully. Did this werewolf have darker intentions? Was it his plan to save the three ranch inhabitants just to eat them up himself?

Malon rose up, briefly fixed her clothes and walked towards Dante. Midway she paused and turned to Link.

"Aren't you joining us?" she asked. Link shook his head slowly. "You're going to get sick if you don't eat sooner or later Link..." Malon sighed. "I'm...I'm worried about you Link. I can tell you're hiding something from me. And frankly I don't like it. I would think for how long we've been friends you would stop hiding things from me..." She shook her head before leaving. Dante snarled mockingly at Link.

"I'll see you later," he spat and slammed the door shut. Link was left all alone in the barn now, the door slam resonating in his ears. He breathed out a jagged sound half sob and half groan. He was torn apart. Malon, he could tell he had hurt her. But how could he just come out from the blue and say everything? Perhaps the truth would hurt them more. To think they saved a beast that could someday turn on them despite their kindness. Just like he did Harn, the chef...

Link curled himself into a tight ball and squeezed his eyes shut, ashamed of his weakness.

Dante couldn't stand seeing Malon hurt, and he hated Link for putting her in this mood. But he too felt slightly guilty, for he too hid a secret from the three people. Just as Link had thought, he was a werewolf. To the three Dante was a normal, young and handsome individual. Yet they were ignorant of his true identity, uneducated that every night he would shed his human skin and become a night creature.

"What's the matter dear? You seem suddenly down," Talon muttered. His daughter feigned a smile.

"I'm okay, really..." she insisted. "Just worried." Her father chuckled light-heartedly.

"You're worried about Link aren't you? You needn't worry about that boy. He'll be fine," Talon reassured. "Besides, he's been through much tougher situations during his travels. A little arrow won't bring him down." Malon nodded slowly, yet her eyes remained lowered. Dante growled quietly. 'Rambling idiot, he has no idea what took place in the barn...' he thought bitterly. After a few more bites of food Dante rose up and made his way to the door. Malon lifted her eyes.

"I'm going out," he told everyone before Malon had a chance to ask where he was going. "I won't be too long..."

Dante crossed the rain-soaked ranch. It was still raining, and it didn't look like it would let up any time soon. Though it made work on the ranch arduous he didn't care for the moment. It was Link he was after and angry with. He had heard many things about him, including his travels to defeat the dark lord Ganondorf. But did someone forget to tell him the part where he was a werewolf? Dante could already feel his teeth sharpen within his mouth, feel the delicious crunching of his bones. All he had to do now was open the door...

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Note: Yay I updated...so, how does this chapter sound? IMO it sounds a whole lot better than the previous one, got more descriptive and what not...okay I'll shut up now. What will Dante do? Is he truely an enemy? drum roll