A/N: Once again, this is based off of Jojo's amazing Linked Universe comics on Tumblr! It takes place at some point after Legend's rabbit fiasco.
Also based on my first experience of the Lynel in the North Akkala Valley. I noped it right out of there and took the long way to Skull Lake.
Legend was going to stop volunteering to go on patrol.
The plains he and Wild were patrolling had been fairly quiet, with the croaks of cranes, barking foxes, and a few distant wolf howls. When Legend and Wild had come across a peaceful copse of trees in a valley, Wild had started gathering truffles for dinner.
The two heroes were in the middle of the trees when a loud clomp alerted them to something else in the woods. Legend's head jerked up as a huge, striped monster walked from behind some trees. Legend wasn't able to get a good look before Wild threw them both behind a boulder.
"What is that thing?!" Legend hissed at Wild.
"Lynel," Wild said, peeking over the boulder.
Legend edged sideways to sneak a glance out. The giant lion-horse thing had black-and-white stripes and a white mane framing a fierce face and glowing red eyes. It held a double-sided sword that must have been as big as Legend in its Hylian-like hands, and Legend could see an equally oversized bow and quiver of arrows at its side.
The Lynel sniffed the air suspiciously. Legend scooted out of sight and listened to it stomp away.
Wild sat beside Legend. "It'll lose interest in a minute. Then we can make our move."
Legend whipped a glare around to Wild. "Don't you dare try to fight that thing."
Wild had the gall to look offended, as though he had a lick of sense about avoiding impossible fights.
"Normally, we could take it," Wild insisted. "Lynels are tough, but the two of us could manage. I could be a decoy for its electrical arrows while you snuck up on it."
Legend hardened his glare.
"However," Wild went on, rubbing the back of his neck, "If this Lynel is infected, then we'd never be able to win without the others."
"Which means we go," Legend said, starting to rise.
Wild caught his arm. "Wait. Lynels are stubborn and fast, and their arrows have a long range. We're going to have to move fast."
"Fine with me," Legend said.
Wild bit his lip, then peered over the rock. He shook his head. "It's between us and the valley entrance. We'll have to go straight up the valley side, but once we're in the open, it'll see us."
"So what's your plan?" Legend asked. "Wait here until the others notice we're missing?"
"No, we'll just have to move faster than an arrow."
Legend stared at Wild. "Nobody can move that fast."
"Not normally." Wild dug into his satchel. "But these will help."
Legend eyed the bottles of blue liquid Wild pulled out. "What's that?"
"Hasty potion. With these, we can outrun even the Lynel if it comes after us."
Getting far away from the Lynel as quickly as possible seemed like a great plan to Legend. He took the bottle Wild offered and took a gulp. He nearly gagged at the gritty liquid going down his throat. He jerked the bottle away from his mouth.
"What's in this?" Legend asked.
Wild pulled the cork off his bottle and grinned. "You don't wanna know."
Wild downed his potion in one gulp. Legend shuddered, then finished his.
"I don't feel any different," Legend said as Wild packed away the empty bottles.
"That's probably a good thing, considering how fast we'll be moving," Wild said.
Legend looked at Wild's grin, and again regretted taking the patrol.
Wild leaped to his feet and ran toward the slope. Swallowing a protest, Legend scrambled to follow him. When he darted a glance over his shoulder, the Lynel was staring right at him!
"It's seen us!" Legend yelled at Wild. They weren't even close to freedom!
"It's fine!" Wild called back.
The pair burst out of the trees and for the slope where stone arches would hide them from sight. Wild didn't bother to dodge; he just ran straight. Legend hunched his shoulders, expecting to feel an arrow or sword connect any second.
But no arrow struck and Legend didn't hear the Lynel pursuing. Confused, he looked back.
The Lynel was still behind the treeline. It was leaning forward, seemingly in pursuit, and was drawing back its bow, but… moving incredibly slow. For each of the Lynel's steps, Legend took three.
"How?" Legend asked, looking at Wild.
Wild was staring back with a grin. "The potion makes us move three times faster! The Lynel will never catch up!"
Legend gaped at Wild. Forgetting to watch his feet, he stumbled over a rock. Wild's arm darted to the side, catching him. Legend quickly got his feet back under him and kept running.
At the top of the slope, Wild stopped. Legend slowed uncertainly, then shouted in annoyance when Wild turned back.
"What are you doing?!"
"Look!"
Legend turned and saw a crackling arrow arching through the air toward them. It moved laughably slow, and Legend couldn't help but grin when Wild casually stepped to the side to avoid it.
Wild pulled the arrow out of the ground. He inspected it, then put it in his satchel and waved at the distant Lynel.
"Thanks!"
"You've lost your mind," Legend muttered before grabbing Wild's arm and dragging him from the valley.
The return to the campsite didn't take long. Legend didn't feel like he was moving faster than normal, but he did notice that he could run longer without tiring and his reflexes were faster. The world moved in slow motion around him.
Curious, he picked up the pace and everything seemed to slow further. He raised an eyebrow at Wild, who just shrugged and laughed. Wild sped up, and Legend pushed himself faster.
In seconds, they were racing. With their faster reflexes, it was easy to dodge branches and roots when they reached more trees. Legend leaped and ducked, grinning at the ease at which he ran.
It didn't occur to him what the others would think when the pair burst into camp until he saw the others jump and -in slow motion- grab for weapons.
"Oops, it's fine!" Wild said, skidding to a halt and raising his hands.
"We were just racing," Legend said, feeling a bit sheepish.
The other Links stared at them for a few seconds, then Warriors' face scrunched and he clutched his stomach. He made an odd noise. It took a few seconds for Legend to recognize he was laughing.
"What's so funny?" Legend asked.
Now Wind, Four, and Hyrule were laughing. Wind fell slowly to the ground, laughing all the way.
"No, really, what's going on?" Legend asked.
Wild tilted his head. "I never thought about this, but… we're moving three times faster than normal. Maybe our voices are doing the same.
"What are you-" Legend clamped his mouth shut. He must sound absurd. He said through grit teeth, "Make it stop."
Time covered his mouth, hiding a growing grin. Sky and Twilight didn't even bother hiding their smiles.
Wild chuckled, but held out a green potion. "Take this. It will cancel out the speed."
Legend stared skeptically at a pale lump floating in the bottle, but didn't dare ask. Even if it wasn't likely to be something disgusting, the others were amused enough. He quickly swallowed the potion, then gagged.
"Was that a frog foot?!" Legend exclaimed.
Laughter followed the question. Legend glared, glad that at least everyone was moving at normal speed again. He felt oddly energized, and was severely tempted to use the burst of energy to climb a tree and pretend the patrol never happened.
Wild wiped his mouth. In answer to Legend's question, he said, "Probably."
Legend grunted in disgust. He moodily sat on the ground, grumbling at Wind rolling on the ground.
"I get it. Hilarious." Legend mock-laughed. "It's not that funny."
"You sounded ridiculous," Warriors snickered.
"I doubt it was that funny," Legend huffed, glaring at Wind.
Twilight, chuckling lightly, offered, "You sounded like a rabbit."
Sky burst out laughing at the comparison. Legend switched his glare to Twilight, silently daring him to go on.
"Where'd that come from?" Four laughed.
"Wolf boy thinks he's funny," Legend bit out.
"Squeaky," Sky managed between laughter.
Legend groaned and rolled his eyes toward the sky as the laughter went on. Yeah, he was never going on patrol again.
