The hero, the broken, the saviour
Now that I've saturated myself with Zelda fanart over at deviantart (and looked at H7's beautiful gallery again), I'll get on with this chapter. Woot for the inspiration of the shmexy Karadur!
In the last chapter, I went over the history of the Koroks, made Rufus doubt the merits of the Hylian race, and made Shadow realise that the Sheikah ways are there for a very important reason. Rufus went off to see the gardens with one of the Koroks, and possibly gather some food… However, the time for another adventure fast approaches. How will our dynamic duo (I've wanted to use that phrase for so long now!) cope with the ever-changing situation?
Stuff in : single colons AND italics : are thoughts for Rufus and Shadow (this is because otherwise they just seemed to blend in with the rest of the text…) Visions or dreams in italics. Mostly self-explanatory really… OH, and things in / slashes and italics / and Dragmire's thoughts (diabolical ad not to mention amusing evil genius that he is!)
Together: Of Winds and Wolfos
When Hollo and I returned from the tour of the orchards, it was to find that Shadow had finished her meal, and was sitting quietly by herself next to one of the many streams that ran through the glade. Her right hand (the one with the cuts on it) she dangled in the water, and even from a distance, I could see that her eyes were glazed over. I had the feeling that she was in deep thought, and walked as quietly as I could so that I wouldn't disturb her.
Other than the trickling of the waterfalls, and the quiet hum of bees buzzing from flower to flower, the clearing was silent, and I couldn't help the grin that crossed my face. :I guess I should really make the most of this – it won't be quiet for long.: I didn't know quite how I knew that, but then again, I suppose it's always inevitable that silence will be broken.
Hollo loitered around next to me, looking unsure of what to do next. Taking the initiative, I sank down onto my knees on the soft grass, and patted the ground next to me. "Sit?" The little Korok dropped to the ground as well, the small bundle of fruits we had gathered together being placed on the floor next to him. A couple of them rolled out of the small square of cloth, and I quickly caught them before they could tumble into the water.
"Here, I'll wrap these up properly," Hollo offered, proffering his small hands to take the fruit from me. He too seemed to have realised the need for quiet, as he was whispering. I handed him the juicy red apple and firm orange that I'd rescued, and then looked over my shoulder at the girl in indigo. She hadn't moved since the last time I looked, so I chose to leave her be for the moment. :She's probably thinking about something important I suppose. And I wouldn't want to interrupt her…:
However, it looked as though I wouldn't have to be the one to worry about that. The Great Deku Tree stirred slightly, those large black eyes widening, and his branches shaking slightly as he shook himself awake. "Hmm, hoom. Oh! Rufus, and Hollo, my dear one, you're back. I trust you found a few things to take with you?"
"Yes, thank you sir," I answered respectfully, turning around so that I fully faced him. The girl still hadn't moved an inch. :What's she doing I wonder...: "Urm – the orchards you have here are lovely," I added, attempting to make conversation, but not really sure what to say.
"Why, thank you," he said graciously. His face quickly turned sombre, which could only mean one thing. "I fear that these pleasantries must be shed however. It is time that the both of you left for the Forbidden Forest – there's not much time left. The wind is right for your journey now."
"How do we get in?" I craned around to look at Shadow, only to find that she had moved from her seat, and was now standing about ten metres to the left of where I'd last seen her. :Wow…that's fast: She was holding the piece of Tri-Force I'd found in Marie's coat in both hands, staring at it blankly. The Great Deku Tree didn't seem to notice this, instead addressing my question.
"I believe my Koroks will be able to help you with that – they have some slight magic that could help you. I shall call them, but after that, I must speak with the King of Red Lions once more. Do you think you will be all right from here?"
"Urm… I don't know… Shadow?" She blinked once, and then slowly lifted her eyes to mine.
"Yes?" she asked softly, putting away the Tri-Force piece.
"Are you – we I mean – are we ready to go, d'you think?" I scratched the back of my neck unsurely as I waited for her answer. There was barely a second's silence before she nodded,
"I believe we are, yes." She patted the pocket she'd put the small golden triangle into, as if assuring that it were indeed there. All around us, the small Koroks were beginning to congregate, crowding around Hollo, who seemed to be acting as some sort of leader to the rest of them. The Great Deku Tree fell silent and became as inanimate as any other tree in the forest. Shadow swung her arms slightly, before stretching and walking over to me.
As soon as she was standing next to me, Hollo stuck one of his short arms into the air, and the rabble of Koroks fell silent. "The Great Deku Tree wants us to escort these two people to the Forbidden Forest," there was a slight gasp from all the small creatures. "I know it's not a place we'd choose to go, but these two have offered their help, so it's only fair that we help them in return." Murmurs of assent rippled between the tiny Koroks, and I managed a small smile at Shadow, who returned my smile with a slight nod of the head. "Now, we need to ferry them across to the cliff, and then we can use the up-draughts to get to the Forbidden Forest; we'll need some vines, and Linder-"
"Yes?" a tall, thin Korok with a wreath of white blossoms acting as a sort of hair on its head, stepped forwards after being called.
"Could you go to the workshop and get some potions for me?"
"Any specific ones, or just any old rubbish?" Linder asked coyly. Hollo just frowned,
"This isn't time for jokes – you know which potions I mean. Now, go on!" The tall Korok hurried off; I could hear it mutter something that was probably very rude under it's breath. "Right. As for the vines, Elma, can you and a few others get those?"
"Of course."
"Thank you." A small contingency of the leaf-like people broke off from the main crowd and moved towards the trees that surrounded the clearing. :I wonder what the vines are for: I thought. "Now, Hylian and Sheikah, will you follow us? We can take you halfway across right now, using the bridge between here and the cliff that stands between the two islands. Then, I'm afraid that you'll have to wait a while before we can take you any further…"
"That's all right," I assured him, picking up the fruit I'd collected and stuffing it into my bag as we walked along. The girl in indigo overtook me and walked next to Hollo at the front of the line of Koroks looking after us – her pack looked quite empty compared to mine, and I wondered what she carried with her. :It's nosy of me, I know, but…there's no harm in just wondering.: Deciding that I wasn't likely to find out any time soon, my mind fell onto less pleasant wonderings. :I wonder why this 'Forbidden Forest' is so dangerous? I mean, it must be if Shadow knows about it and she doesn't even come from here…well, maybe she does. I should ask her stuff like that…I don't know anything about her! Red trusts her, and I trust him, so…: My thoughts trailed off as we stopped in front a vine-covered, sheer cliff.
"We need to go up there to reach the opening out into the bay on this side," Hollo instructed, pointing to a just-visible hole in the rock above. Light spilled through it, looking odd against the dappled, subdued light of the rest of the magical clearing. I let out a sigh, which came out louder than I'd meant it to, and drew the attention of the girl.
"I'm beginning to wish we had some Rito around to help," she quipped dryly, nodding to the wall and then looking up the opening. "Want me to go first?" she asked, sidling over to me through the throng of Koroks. I shrugged, honestly not caring either way.
"That's up to you – all I can say is I'm a pretty slow climber…and not a good one either," I admitted, lowering my tone to confide this information in her. I had the feeling that she wasn't fazed by this information.
"Well, I've got some rope in here somewhere," she murmured, swinging the half-empty pack from her shoulder and into her hands so that she could rummage through the contents. :Well, now I know one of the things she keeps in there: I smiled slightly, somehow calmed by her sense of forethought to bring some rope with her. "Ah, here we are," she took out a long coil of thin cord, and put it over the shoulder not bearing the pack. "I'll go up, find something to tie this onto, and chuck it down to you – that is, if that'll help?" she raised an eyebrow questioningly.
"Uh – well – yeah, that'd be great," I blustered gratefully. "But only if you promise me one thing."
"Yes?"
"If I fall, will you make sure to catch me on the rope?" I grinned sheepishly. She just nodded silently, the crinkles at the corners of her eyes making me think she must be smiling underneath the mask she wore.
"Right. I'll be as quick as I can," she said, before turning away from me again and making her way back to the wall. The Koroks moved back slightly, and I watched in amazement as the leaves on top of their heads grew. No plant could ever have grown so fast, but these leaves were soon even bigger than the Koroks themselves! An unspoken signal of sorts passed between them, because they all launched into the air as one, hovering above like so many giant moths or birds.
Whilst this had been taking place, the Sheikah girl had managed to scale over half of the towering cliff face – looking up, my mind boggled as she climbed about as fast as I could run, if not faster. :Wow.: Pretty soon, she'd reached the summit, and disappeared from view. Not two seconds later, the coil of rope tumbled through the air and landed with a thump on the ground. "There you are Rufus; go carefully and take as long as you need," she called, leaning over the edge of the outcrop to speak to me. It was the loudest I'd heard her raise her voice so far.
Heeding her advice, I grabbed onto the rope, and looped it around my middle a couple of times to act as a sort of safety harness. Looking up, I could see her patiently waiting for me to start my climb, ready to wind in the slack rope as soon as I did. :I hope she's strong enough to hold me if I fall…: I had my doubts about that – she was rather slender after all. :And I'm not exactly light as a feather here: I though wryly, suddenly wishing that I'd abstained a little more often from the second helpings Grandma always insists I have! "Rufus, are you all right down there?" Shadow's voice jolted me back into action, and I looked up at her.
"Yeah, I'm coming up!" I hollered back, lifting my arms up and searching for a good handhold or two. When I managed to get a good grip on the criss-crossing vines, I lifted one foot off the ground and repeated the process. Then, transferring most of my weight onto my hands, I took my other foot from the ground, leaving its safety altogether. :No sweat – it's just like climbing the ladder to the lookout. You'll be at the top before you know it: My little internal pep talk didn't assure me much…but the girl above holding onto my safety rope did.
Though it was difficult to find handholds to latch onto, it wasn't impossible – with a little help from the rope, I finally managed to reach the top without slipping so much as once. The Sheikah knelt down and grabbed onto the back of my belt to pull me up, and I fell onto the grass next to her, breathing heavily. "How…gasp…did you manage…wheeze…that – so – fast?" I asked, hyperventilating from the exertion. She just shrugged, and stood up, before helping me onto my feet as well. I untied the rope from around my waist and handed the end to her.
As soon as we were both standing, the Koroks landed next to us, and hurried out of the jagged opening and into the sunlight. Shielding my eyes, I followed after them, near blinded until my sight managed to adjust. "Gods," I gasped, taking in the island ahead of us. "Is that it?" I pointed towards the towering mass of crowded trees, having the feeling that hundreds of eyes were watching me from within their dark shadows. Around the summit of the steep island I could see many kargoroks making huge circles, their calls drifting towards us on the wind.
"That's it," the girl confirmed, tucking a stray strand of hair back behind her ear as the wind stubbornly tried to whip it into her face. I nodded, and let out a slow breath. :It's fine. I have help. And I sort of know what to expect, so…yeah…this'll be fine.: To try and convince myself of my newfound courage, I looked around for Hollo. When I managed to spot him, I asked,
"So, what do we do now?"
"Well…nothing…at least…not until the wind blows the right way…" Immediately, I shrugged off my bag, feeling glad that my brain was working (for once). "What are you-? Is that-? But, it can't be… I did not realise that – no wonder the Great Deku Tree saw you as-" the Korok trailed off, unable to string a coherent sentence together. I just flushed, and waited for him to calm down slightly before asking,
"So, which way does the wind need to go?"
"Northwest," the small plant-like creature answered, still sounding slightly awestruck. Feeling embarrassed, I just repeated the conduction of wind that Zephos had told me back on Dragon Roost Island. :Right, three-beat time…anticlockwise circle. Two downbeats, one up, clockwise circle, and – there: Time suddenly stood still, the wind dying away to nothing, and the girl (who was coiling up her rope around her hand and elbow) was as still as the wind. I took the opportunity to study her once more, finally close enough to see how different she was to anyone else I'd ever met.
For one thing, even though she was taller than me, I knew that she'd be short for her age if she were a Hylian. And she was definitely a lot slimmer (and surprisingly strong despite this) than any girl I'd ever met. Her ears were shorter and closer to her head than mine were, though came to a sharper point…in fact, her whole face was quite angular, offset by large, soft eyes the colour of blood. But, the most striking thing was probably the way she was holding herself…every part of her was tense, ready to jump or run, ready to move into action at the slightest possible notice. She stood on the balls of her feet, and though she had her eyes glued to the working of the rope, her ears were pricked.
I tried to decide what it was she reminded me of, frowning as I fought to find the name of the creature I was thinking of. :She's like…like…a…oh, what're they called? Four legs, tail, furry. I'm sure there was one on Outset Isle once…a sort of orange furry thing. A…cat! That's it! She's like this big cat, ready to pounce.: Recalling recent events, I found I didn't much like this comparison. And, well, I didn't want to push my luck by holding time back for too long, so I just said, "Northwest."
And everything started up again.
"Well – I – wow," Hollo ended, as the wind suddenly blew in the right direction once more. Then, he shook himself, and turned to the other Koroks. "Right – we'll need to tie all these vines together to make a net to carry them across in," he nodded his leaf-adorned head towards us. "This won't take more than a few minutes," he said to me. :So…they're going to fly us across…: I was again doubtful – they weren't as big as the Rito were – what if they couldn't lift us?
"So, you're going to drop us off on the island?" I queried, nodding over the scary-looking landmass across the channel of water.
"'Drop' being the operative word I'm afraid – we daren't land there," the Korok informed me, shuddering slightly just looking at our destination. "It's a dark place… Not that I mean to scare you mind – rather…just make sure that you watch your backs."
"Yeah, we will," I nodded reassuringly, once again glancing over at the Forbidden Forest. A great feeling of foreboding washed over me, and I wonder what we'd encounter when we got there…
"Hollo!" the tall, thin Korok :Linder, I think: alighted on the cliff-top, and scurried out from the green light cast by the sun through the canopy over head. In his arms he clutched a basket full of small glass bottles. My eyes widened when I saw the contents of the bottles – blue liquid… Blue potions! The tall Korok deposited the basket at Hollo's feet, the small round Korok muttering his thanks. Then, Linder backed away and went to help the other Koroks with the vine net.
I peeked at Shadow, and saw that she was still working with the length of rope, folding it over on itself so that it would fit back into her pack. Deciding that she was occupied, I went over to the Hollo, interested in what the potions were for. When he saw me coming over, he looked up and smiled at me, a potion in each hand. "Ah, Rufus. I thought you and your Sheikah companion might find these useful," he held up the small bottles, obviously wanting me to take them. I did so, and studied the liquid in the containers. "It's blue potion."
"Yeah – I know. I bought some on Windfall you see," I added at his look of surprise. He just nodded, and jostled about a few more bottles, helping me to pack four of them into my bag. Then, on seeing that he had four more, I looked over my shoulder at Shadow. She was now staring fixedly at the island that glazed look on her face again. :I hope that Dragmire isn't trying to control her again: I thought, trepidation about travelling with her filling me once more. :She helped me back on Dragon Roost, true…but…today, she just…: I didn't fully trust her – not quite yet.
"Hollo, you may as well give me those as well; I'll give them to Shadow later on – she looks a bit preoccupied at the moment."
"All right, let's put them in your bag then."
"Good idea."
I looked up at the vine-covered surface with little worry. It was too high to jump, but the plants growing across and over the rock provided a perfect latticework of hand and footholds. I heard the Hylian boy sigh heavily, and looked over at him. Trying to both cheer him up, and reassure him that I was no longer some crazed madwoman, I joked, "I'm beginning to wish we had some Rito around to help." I indicated the wall, and he smiled slightly as I carefully weaved my way through the mass of Koroks to stand next to him. I could tell that he wasn't relishing the idea of the climb, and asked, "Want me to go first?"
He shrugged at the offer, and then whispered back. "That's up to you – all I can say is I'm a pretty slow climber." He paused, and frowned a little before continuing, "And not a good one either." I wasn't particularly surprised by this information. :After all, Hylians aren't in the habit of training their children in much at all, as I've already seen in that haphazard fighting style of his…:
/It is a rather terrible form he fights with, isn't it/ Dragmire remarked dryly. I frowned (deep down I was glad that I was wearing a mask so that Rufus couldn't see the expression), annoyed that Dragmire had managed to worm his way back into my thoughts so soon. /Well, if you will insist in intriguing one so… Plus, well… It's quite obvious you don't particularly want to be rid of me just yet, or else you'd have followed the Ancient fool's advice./
:Shut up.: I cleared my head of everything other than what was at hand, doing my best to keep my emotions at bay. I managed to continue to project a vaguely friendly persona to the lad, but it was all just politeness. "Well, I've got some rope in here somewhere," I said, more to myself than to him. I saw the corners of the Hylian's mouth turn upwards a little, and wondered what had amused him… When I found the rope, I fumbled around with it slightly, proclaiming, "Ah, here we are," as I hooked it over my other shoulder. Then, after about a second's thought, I voiced a proposition that I thought would suit the lad. "I'll go up, find something to tie this onto and chuck it down to you…that is, if that'll help?" I quirked an eyebrow as I waited for him to mull it over.
It didn't take him long, and he stammered his thanks almost immediately. I could practically feel his relief wash over me, and mentally prepared myself for a super-fast climb. Even through Dragmire's constant invasions, and the Hylian's wayward emotions, it was easy to feel the weight of impending disaster pressing on my shoulders. :The sooner we return those Koroks to where they belong, the better.: I blinked when Rufus said something rather unexpected…
"But only if you promise me one thing."
:A little bit presumptuous…: I thought, though I was unable to drum up any annoyance. "Yes?" His answer made me want to laugh, but I settled for a smile instead, nodding to show that I agreed to his terms. His sheepish smile reminded me once again of Firen back home…
"Firen!" I barked, surveying the interior of our shared storage cupboard with utmost disgust. He had, yet again neglected to clip his crossbow into place, and his still-dirty boots had been carelessly tossed in, managing to knock over a while crate of deku-nuts, which had cracked open and scorched the floorboards. :I'm going to kill him: I thought, seeing that my own effects had also been affected by his messy house-keeping – the only dress I owned (and the one that I would need for the ceremonial end of year ceremony) was so scorched around the bottom that it was un-wearable!
My raven-haired friend sauntered casually into the bunkhouse, and started when he saw where I was standing. By the widening of his eyes, I knew he was turning over in his mind whether he'd be able to run away fast enough to escape me. When he had calculated that he wouldn't be able to (it only took him the barest fraction of a second), he pulled down his facemask and offered me what he obviously hoped was a winning smile. "Yes Shadow?" he questioned, knowing full well what the problem was.
"Come here," I commanded forcefully. Cringing, he stepped forwards, now able to see into our shared cupboard. "See what you've done by being messy – again – you'd better start being very nice to me, or I might have to hurt you." He looked sidelong at me, that awkward grin and the fear in his eyes nearly melting my hard stance. We both knew I could do some real damage to him, and he to me. I sighed heavily, and stepped into the storage room, dragging him with me. "Come on, help me clear this up, and then you're coming shopping for another dress with me."
He nodded in agreement, having gauged that it would be best to keep his mouth shut. Shaking my head, I bent down, picked up his crossbow, and handed it to him. "See those clips?" I indicated the wall next to him. "That is where that goes. Use them." He nodded again, and after putting the weapon away, helped me to tidy up.
"If I fall, will you make sure to catch me on the rope?"
"Right." I nodded, shrugging so that the rope was more secure on my shoulder. "I'll be as quick as I can." With that, I swivelled on the balls of my feet to face the cliff-face, and marched purposefully towards it, driven by the need to save those Koroks as soon as possible.
/Your noble nature's very becoming – such a shame you choose to serve the wrong side. With me, you could be…the best…wisest…strongest Sheikah. Greater than the great Impa herself perhaps. And yet, you resist… What have you got to lose? Other than that Hylian brat…/ I sped up, believing that I could somehow run away from his honeyed words if I could just go fast enough. /Wear yourself out – you cannot keep me at bay for forever…your people have forgotten how not to feel./
:Well, then, I shall have to endeavour to remember how to forget my feelings then: I contested, not caring that I wasn't making a great deal of sense. I sped up again, focusing on where to put my hand, ensuring that my feet were placed correctly, on the climbing and nothing else. The vines flashed by as I sped upwards, leaving the ground behind – leaving his voice behind. When I could feel him about to say something else, I bit down hard on my tongue, and focused on the pain this caused. By turning myself inwards, I was able to silence him. :But I can't keep biting my tongue forever…: Tears were in my eyes, and I had to return my attention to the blurry world around me in order to prevent an accident.
When I reached the summit, I hurriedly ran over to conveniently placed boulder, and looped by rope around it. After tugging on the cord to ensure myself that it would hold, I wrapped it around my hands a few times so that I could really get a purchase on it. That done, I went back over to the edge of the precipice and threw the rest of the rope down. Rufus watched it tumble through the air – when he didn't immediately move, I prompted him into action with a few encouraging words. "There you are Rufus – go carefully and take as long as you need!"
This provoked the reaction I had hoped for, as he passed the rope around his waist a couple of times and tied it off as a harness. I waited patiently, bracing myself to both reel in the slack rope and take his weight. :I suppose at least he won't be as heavy as either Firen or Delia…: I thought, now turning to inane and unimportant thoughts, just in case the Gerudo was lurking… When the Hylian seemed to hesitate at the bottom of the near-vertical climb, I called, "Rufus, are you all right down there?" His reaction was immediate, which was good.
"Yeah, I'm coming up!" with that, he began his climb. I watched him intently, ready to fulfil my promise and catch him if he should slip. He ascended slowly, taking his time to search around for suitable hand holds, testing and retesting before he'd rest his full weight on them. I greatly appreciated his due care and attention to such things. Not even all Sheikah would have taken so much care – there were a few in my classes who would probably have tried to copy my speed – but not many would have made it to the top without at least a few slips or falls. I smiled contently at this thought, glad and strangely proud of Rufus' actions.
When he finally reached the summit, I could see that he was exhausted. I bent down, and managed to catch onto his strong leather belt at the back – this I used to haul him the rest of the way up. He lay on the lush grass, panting. Even though he was still so short of breath, he managed to force out a question, pausing every couple of words to draw in another huge breath. "How…did you manage…that – so – fast?" I just shrugged, and then helped him back onto his feet. He unhooked the lengths of rope from around his middle, and handed it back to me.
I began coiling it up once more, using my left hand and elbow to make sure it didn't tangle. The Koroks appeared from the air, and lead us out onto a high plateau in the blazing sunshine. My sight adjusted almost immediately, and my eyes fell upon the ominous isle straight ahead of us. Rufus obviously spotted it a few seconds later, as I heard him gasp," Gods, is that it?" From the corner of my eye, I saw him point to the island across the inlet.
"That's it," I confirmed for him, watching through narrowed eyes as one of the circling kargoroks suddenly dove into the thick forest we were about to enter. The wind plucked a few strands of hair away from my head, and blew them across my face – irritated, I tucked them behind my ear. As Rufus turned to talk to Hollo, the smallest of the Koroks with us, I continued to study our destination. :The place looks huge – how are we going to find all of these Koroks? It'll be like looking for a-:
/Leaf on a tree/ Dragmire supplied, the sarcasm dripping from the variation of an old expression. Noticing my internally fired withering look, I felt him shrug. /What? Were you hoping for some marvellous revelation? Do remember that at the moment we are on different sides… Though…as you know, I would be willing to change all that./ The roaring southerly wind lulled slightly, caressing the bare parts of my face, and wrapping cool tendrils around me – almost like an embrace.
I shook myself a little, realising what the Gerudo had been trying to do. Though he no longer had the power to control me, he could influence my perceptions. :Leave me alone: I exclaimed, though it was an ineffectual plea.
/And miss out on all the fun/ I felt pressure on my left shoulder, as though there were someone's hand there. Shuddering, I looked down, dreading what I would see – but there was nothing. /Miss out on you, pet? I think not…I enjoy you too much./ It was impossible to ignore the overtones that this statement held, and I flushed deeply, embarrassed…and angry at myself because, deep down, I liked the attention.
Rufus was holding the Windwaker when I next looked at him. The wind had changed direction, so I guessed that he must have just used the instrument. He looked over at me, and I looked away, carefully rewinding the last few feet of rope, and stuffing the whole lot back into my bag, undoing my careful work in my haste.
I found myself unable to look at the boy, unsure of what I might say if I opened my mouth. My thoughts were in utter turmoil and I did my utmost to keep my exterior calm. :Don't want to panic the lad after all.: He had more than enough to worry about after all… He didn't need to know that his travelling companion was slowly going mad in the confines of her own head. For, all I could hear were the ringing, wise, booming voices of two living deities, giving me conflicted advice that only served to confuse me further. :I have to let go and feel…but if I do, I endanger myself, the Hylian…and the Great Sea itself:
/It's a pretty little dilemma, isn't it my dear/ I trembled momentarily as Dragmire cut into my thoughts, before calmly pushing him out of them again.
:Pretty as the dilemma is, I won't let it bother me anymore. Find someone else to annoy.: He made a petulant little 'hmph' noise, before exiting, with a painful stab of pain at the base of my skull as he went.
"Looks like we're going to have another go at flying," Rufus observed, as the Koroks continued to rig up a sort of vine-net in which to carry us across the sea to our destination. "Are they sure that will hold us?" he asked with a slightly amused kilter in his voice; I just grinned a little and shook my head at his attempt at conversation. "I suppose they will, or the Great Deku Tree would be in trouble – can't have us falling in the sea."
"Exactly," I agreed, feeling awkward as I finally entered the conversation. He looked up at me, perhaps waiting for me to say something more. I rove my eyes over the scenery to try and find something to talk about – when they fell on the bridge, an idea came into my head. "Why don't we go over the bridge to get a closer look?" He looked at the rope-bridge, which swayed slightly in the breeze, and then at the island we would soon be travelling to.
"Sounds like a good idea – I'd like to prepare myself for whatever we end up finding there." I nodded, and signalled that he could take the lead. However, he hesitated slightly, hands curling into loose fists and then relaxing once more.
"Shall I go first?" I asked – he met my eyes, and his unspoken lingering fear of me was evident. :Oh Gods…see what you've done Dragmire:
/Me/ the Gerudo sounded scandalised. /I believe it was you holding the torch and trying to set the Great Deku Tree alight, was it not/ I growled at him. Seeing Rufus take a step back, I realised that I'd growled aloud, and cursed myself for doing so.
"All right, I'll go first," I decided, forging ahead towards the bridge – the Hylian fell into stride behind me, and I could feel those azure eyes warily following my every move. The uneasy silence fell between us once more, replaced by the whistling of the wind through distant trees, and the occasional creak of the bridge as we traversed its old wooden boards. It took less than a minute to reach the other side, which ended at the tiny outcrop of rock in the centre of the two islands. Sparse vegetation covered the weathered rock, and I watched a few beetles scurry over the toe of my right boot when I nudged a stone to the side.
The lad came to a dead stop behind me, eyes now fixed on the other island once more. :The Forbidden Forest. A place of childhood nightmares, where no sensible person dares to tread.:
/And yet you still have the silly notion to try and rescue these plant-creatures from it? What foolishness/
:Or it could be construed as bravery, considering the Hylian and I both know what we're getting ourselves into.: I argued back, glad in an undeniably twisted manner that I had someone to talk to.
/Glad to be of service/ I felt Dragmire nod, and the smile on his face. He continued /Yet, just as there is a thin line between genius and madness, there is also a thin line between bravery and foolishness./
:I know which side of the line we're on – you, however…: I smirked as he registered my veiled insult. Then, I ignored his annoyed spluttering when Rufus exclaimed,
"Shadow! Did you see that? Look, there!" I followed the line of his finger, and squinted, thinking that I must, simply must be imagining what I saw. :It's – it's not possible: Dragmire, who had been busy trying to think of a comeback to my previous insult, demanded to know what I'd just seen. I didn't see what harm it could do to tell him, but… I didn't want to give him the satisfaction… However, when it moved again, Dragmire saw what it was through my eyes. His shock was palpable, which in turn shocked me even more… :You didn't know, did you? You didn't know they were here:
/You may accuse me of being mad, but I'm not quite so mad as that/ he answered breathlessly, before seeming to regain himself. /I'm sure you'll have plenty of fun with them though…/ Rufus gently tapped me on the shoulder, and I tore my eyes away from the dark trees, forced myself to stop watching for more movement. My shock must have been as evident in my eyes as confusion was in the eyes of the Hylian.
"What was that?" he asked, his voice lowered.
"That," I swallowed, and thought. :They're extinct. I swear to the Gods, the tales have all said that they died in the flood: "That…was a Wolfos," I concluded, head reeling. Now that I had said it aloud, it seemed that much more real. :And if there are Wolfos…just think what else might be lurking… Moblins, gibdos, even darknuts…but how do you fight something that follows no rules, no patterns? I…:
/You have found the flaw in your training./ Dragmire sounded sincere, even – worried? /As I said, you intrigue me Sheikah. I want you to die little more than you would wish death upon yourself./
:Well, lovely as that is, I can't reciprocate the feeling.:
/I didn't expect you would./ He drew back, lurking ready to talk, but still unable to control me as he had before. /Don't worry, I'm content just to watch. For now./ Rufus had stepped around me so that he was standing closer to the Forbidden Forest than I was. "So…"he began tentatively, "what exactly is a Wolfos?"
"Do you really want to know?" I questioned, registering that we were both whispering, though I couldn't tell you why. He nodded, adding a fervent,
"Yes – if you'll tell me." I sighed deeply, remembering back to the lessons I had spent studying these creatures. They were strong, and fast, clever, unpredictable. But most of all, they were mean. Difficult to fight, even more difficult to kill. :And that island is teeming with them, I'd bet anything on that. They must have been breeding there ever since the formation of the Great Sea: "Shadow?" the Hylian prompted.
"Hrm? Oh! Yes. Well – hang on – can we go back over to the others first…it's just…I feel we're too close for the moment."
"Oh, right – yeah, OK." This time, he took the lead; I supposed that in his curiosity, he had forgotten his fear, even if only for a little while. I, on the other hand, had gone to the other extreme. I looked over my shoulder, catching more darting shadows moving beneath the trees. :I'm not looking forward to this.:
/Well then, perhaps my offer would be more tempting/ Once again, the Gerudo pounced on an opportunity. I just ignored him, and began to ponder exactly how I was going to phrase things to Rufus. I wanted him to be aware of the danger these things were, but I didn't want to terrify him out of his wits.
:I'm scared enough as it is, and I'm used to fighting.:
"Why don't we go over the bridge to get a closer look?" the Sheikah girl suggested, gesturing at the rope bridge between our plateau and the small outcrop in the centre of the channel between the two islands.
"Sounds like a good idea – I'd like to prepare myself for whatever we end up finding there," I agreed. The bridge swayed in the stiff breeze, but seemed to be pretty sturdy otherwise – I was briefly reminded of the bridge back home which in turn reminded me of… :Oh, Aryll, I miss you so much: I could see the look on her face as she was whisked away by that giant, black bird. The horror when that same black bird dragged us apart again at the Forsaken Fortress. I frowned, berating myself for not being prepared. When Shadow gestured that I should go first, I hesitated; she got the message.
"Shall I go first?" I met her eyes, and silently communicated my worry. :I know there's probably no reason at all to worry, but – I just… I just can't trust her quite yet.: She growled quite suddenly, which made me all the more cautious. I even took a step back, just in case she decided to lunge at me or something. "All right, I'll go first," she said, rather snappishly, stalking off towards the bridge and hurriedly crossing it. I followed her, watching her every move and preparing myself to run back the way I'd come if I had to.
When we reached the other side, both of us stopped and stared intently at our destination. Shadow gained that glazed over look again, but I didn't bother to try and make her snap out of it. After that growl, I had the feeling that she was best left alone for the moment. So, instead, I watched a few of the kargoroks overhead wheel through the sky. One dove like a stone, plummeting downwards towards the sea, and coming back up with a large fish in its beak.
As I followed its ascent, something scurrying about in amongst the forest trees caught my attention. It flashed in and out of the gloomy shadows cast by the vegetation – I managed to see teeth, claws, and a tail as it blundered back into the undergrowth and out of sight. I held my breath, thinking somehow that this would make the creature come back. It did return, though I doubt it was due to any action on my part. When it was fully lit up by the afternoon sunshine, I exclaimed, "Shadow!" I pointed to where the creature was still standing, "Did you see that? Look, there!"
The red-eyed girl stared, at first with narrowed eyes as she tried to pinpoint what I was looking at. Then, when she found the creature, her eyes fluttered open about as wide as they could go, and she became as still as she had been when I'd been changing the wind. When she didn't move for the next ten seconds, I tapped her lightly on the shoulder. "What was that?" I murmured, not quite knowing why I spoke so quietly. There just seemed to be a need for it…
"That…" she paused. "That was a…Wolfos." The answer hadn't exactly been as enlightening as I'd hoped. I just nodded, pretending to understand. When no further explanation was forthcoming, I tried again,
"So…what exactly is a Wolfos?" I felt stupid once again, wondering how it was that this girl knew so much more than I did about…well…everything really.
"Do you really want to know?" I could see that she was shaking, but I just had to know, so I said,
"Yes. If you'll tell me." She sighed, and withdrew into herself again, eyes going blank. :I have to draw her back before she gets too lost in her thoughts.: "Shadow?"
"Hrm? Oh!" She blinked a few times, looked at the Forbidden Forest, and then looked back the way we had come. "Well, hang on…can we go back over to the others first? It's just… I feel we're too close for the moment."
"Oh, right – yeah, OK." I immediately started back across the bridge, going at a swift pace. :The sooner we reach the other side, the sooner I can find out what these Wolfos things are…and why she seems so worried.: My stomach sank. :If she's worried, and she's that good at fighting…then… Oh dear. This doesn't bode well for me, does it: When I reached the other end of the bridge, I took only a few steps forward onto the cliff, and then spun around to make sure that Shadow didn't try to evade me, or answering my questions. I didn't need to worry though – she seemed resigned to the fact that she had to tell me.
She brushed past me, and went to sit down with her back against the trunk of one of the tall trees that extended from the glade below. I went over and sat down opposite her, back to the sea, facing inland. "Give me a minute to – to clear my head?" she asked, studying the scuffed toes of her boots as she said it.
"OK. Only if you promise to tell me-"
"I will. I just need a minute to – to get it clear," she cut across me. I nodded, and looked around to see how the Koroks were getting on. It looked as though they were nearly done… My eyes fell on the basket that the blue potions had been carried in, and I remembered the ones I'd taken for Shadow. I took off my pack and dumped it on the floor in front of me so that I could rifle through it easily. The girl didn't so much as raise her eyes to see what I was doing.
"Shadow," I began, but was cut off almost immediately.
"Rufus, please!" she snarled, snapping her head up to look at me – when she saw me shrink back slightly, her eyebrows lifted, and she said, "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you… But, please, I need time to think this through. Wolfos are difficult creatures to explain."
"I'm sorry," I muttered, abashed, taking out the four bottles of potion Hollo had given to me to give to her. Darkly, I added, "I was just trying to give these too you." She looked up again, those large eyes of hers softening when she saw the four potions lined up before her. Without a word, she slipped off her own pack, and carefully packed the glass bottles away inside. Then, after a deep breath, she leant back against the tree trunk, and turned her gaze up to the bright blue sky.
"Wolfos… Where to start? They're ancient creatures – much, much older than Hylians or Sheikah, and driven by desires and needs more primal that any of our own." I could hear the slight tremor in her voice as she spoke, and realised with horror just how scared she must be of these 'Wolfos'. However, at the same time, her voice was slipping into the one she had used to tell me about the past of the Koroks – like a storyteller's voice – and I leant forwards to listen.
"They are descended from an even more ancient creature, which you may have heard of – that was called the wolf." I nodded, having at least heard of wolves in my lifetime. "Well then, you will know that wolves were feared much by many of the early peoples – the wolves would take sheep from flocks, cows from the fields – they would sometimes even take people, though this was rare. At least…it was rare until the wolves suddenly began to grow stronger.
"No one knows why it happened exactly – there's been a lot of speculation over the years, but no one knows anything for certain. The most likely theory hinges on dark magic being involved… Someone, somewhere, must have found a spell – a potion – something…a way to make these wolves stronger and more intelligent than any there had ever been before. Gods only know why they wanted to… A side effect of this was that wolves became more successful hunters. They could second-guess their prey, place ambushes, and the early peoples were hard-pushed to outwit them, let alone kill them.
"Not much has changed since then to now. As the wolves became more successful in their hunts, they also became larger, so that they were roughly the same seize as the average Hylian. Luckily, they could not breed very fast, so the numbers didn't grow too rapidly. Someone coined the name of 'Wolfos', and many brave people tried (and failed) to find a way to kill the creatures, until finally a successful method was found."
My head reeled, but I still managed another question. "And this method?"
"The best, and indeed, the safest way to kill a Wolfos, is from a distance. Arrows, throwing daggers, magic. If you get too close, they'll just overpower you, and…" she trailed off. "I think it's easy enough to guess what will happen."
"Yeah…" I felt slightly deflated, having heard this new information, and made to stand up so that I could go check on the Koroks. Shadow's hand on my arm stayed me though. She gulped audibly, then murmured,
"I'm sorry if it seems I snap at you, or if it seems I'm not listening at times… Dragmire isn't fully gone, and…well, all you need know is that you don't need to fear me." Then, she let go of my arm, stood up, and brushed past me to go and stand on the bridge, peering down at the churning sea below. I too stood up, wondering if I should go and stand with her. :I'll leave her on her own for a bit I think. Poor Shadow, with that Ganondorf man constantly trying to hurt her…: I shook my head at the unfairness of it. :I wonder if there's any way to help: I didn't get very far on this train of thought – Hollo hurried over, a smile on his face, and proclaimed,
"The nets are ready! We can take you across now, if you want?"
"Uh…I'm not sure, I'll just go and ask-" when I turned around, Shadow was already standing behind me. :How does she do that: "Hey."
"Hi," she returned my lame greeting. "I'm guessing you were about to come and ask me whether we could go?"
"Yup, that's right."
"Well, in that case, I believe we are…there are still a good few hours before sunset, so we'd best make the most of them." She sounded nervous, which in turn made me uneasy. She appeared to notice this, and touched my shoulder. "Don't worry," she told me in a reassuring voice, "just promise me this; if you see a Wolfos, call for me. Do not put yourself in the path of one of those creatures unless it is wholly unavoidable." I nodded, finding the promise an easy one to make. "OK. Good."
"So, we're ready to go?" Hollo asked. The other Koroks had gathered up their nets and were waiting patiently by the bridge for us.
"Yeah, we're ready to go," I told him, following him and the Sheikah girl across the bridge, flanked by the other Koroks and their nets.
"The best, and indeed the safest way to kill a Wolfos is from a distance. Arrows, throwing daggers, magic. If you get too close…they'll just overpower you and…" I stopped, allowing the lad to supply his own ending to the sentence, and hoping that it was not as terrible as mine own was. "I think it's easy enough to guess what will happen." Dragmire was kind enough to flash me a few images of the ancient days of the Hero of Time, during which Wolfos numbers had soared. I managed to prevent myself from gagging…but only just.
/It's a pity I can't recreate the smell for you, pet. It was a most pungent aroma, and quite unlike anything I'd ever smelt before./ Now that he was over the initial shock, he was quite content to return to his vile self.
:Do you delight in trying to disgust me:
/I'm only trying to keep you informed pet…educating you, if you will… Of course, there are many others thing I would delight in educating you ab-/
:Stop right there or I'm going to let loose a few good old bolts of magic on you:
/And that's supposed to scare me, is it? If I recall rightly, your magic isn't particularly stro- argh! Ouch/ he whimpered slightly, and then returned a bolt of his own that momentarily blinded me with pain. /I underestimated you. It won't be done again. Now…now I have better things to do./
:Well, thank the Gods for that.: And he was gone – my mind was blissfully my own once more. :Though for how long, only the Gods know…: All of this exchange had taken less than three seconds in the real world, and I quickly reached out to stop Rufus from standing up. I knew that he didn't trust me, and I knew that that could end up spelling disaster for him later on. :The only way to gain his trust is to tell him the truth…or…at least…part of it.: I swallowed and chose my words carefully.
"I'm sorry if it seems I snap at you…or if it seems I'm not listening at times. Dragmire isn't…fully gone, and…well…all you need know is that you don't need to fear me." I relinquished my hold, and went over to the bridge, to allow him to mull my words over for a little bit. I leant on the rope handrail, and looked down at the waves crashing against the cliff face below. Even up this high, some of the spray still damped my hair and face, reminding me very much of home.
"The nets are ready! We can take you across now if you want." The little Korok called Hollo told Rufus, his voice carried to me on the new wind. I turned to go back, managing a slight smile when the Hylian voiced his uncertainty.
"Uh…I'm not sure, I'll just go and ask…" He turned around and looked surprised to see me already standing there. He shook it off, and greeted me with a lame, "Hey."
"Hi. I'm guessing you were about to come and ask me whether we could go?"
"Yup, that's right." I didn't even need to think about it.
"Well, in that case, I believe we are – there are still a good few hours before sunset, so we'd best make the most of them." :After all, it's said the Wolfos prefer to hunt at night.: My unease was making Rufus nervous, and I tried to comfort him by telling him, "Don't worry." Then, before I could stop myself, I also said, in a rather more familiar tone than I should have taken, "Just promise me this – if you see a Wolfos, call for me. Do not put yourself in the path of one of those creatures unless it is wholly unavoidable." He didn't hesitate to nod. "OK, good."
"So, we're ready to go?" Hollo asked. Rufus answered for the both of us,
"Yeah, we're ready to go." With that, I about-faced and started back across the bridge, Hylian and Koroks in tow.
When we had all reached the outcrop, we stopped. Rufus and I watched as the Koroks laid out two identical (and incredibly intricate) nets, woven out of the vines they'd bought with them. Ten Koroks stood by each net, and I guessed that they would be working in teams in order to carry the both of us across. :I suppose it makes sense – after all, we're both a lot heavier than any Korok…:
"If you'll just step into the nets, and then either sit or lie down – it's your choice – we can be off," Hollo instructed – he was at the smaller of the two nets, which was the one that the Hylian stepped onto. I took the other, noting that the tall Korok (Linder) was one of the ones standing next to it. "This will feel a bit weird, but don't worry, we won't drop you!" the small Korok assured the both of us. I just sank down into a sitting position, dragging my knees up to my chest, and curling myself up as tightly as I could. The less wind resistance I provided, the more comfortable my ride would be.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see that Rufus was copying my movements, and smiled at his mimicry. He looked rather worried as the Koroks moved out to grab onto trailing vines placed at even intervals around the nets. His face was a picture of tense fear when the leaves on the creatures' heads grew to enormous proportions, and began to catch the wind. Feeling the need to reassure him (and also to reassure myself), I caught his eye. "Good luck," I said. He just nodded and closed his eyes as he was lifted from the ground altogether.
My lift-off followed a few moments later, stomach lurching as the net tightened around me and the ground fell away. Glancing down, the ground disappeared almost immediately, to be replaced by sparkling waves many hundreds of feet down. Then I looked dead ahead, to see Rufus clinging onto his net for dear life, eyes squeezed tight shut. Beyond him was the Forbidden Forest, dark and ominous. :And our only path to saving the Great Sea from disaster.:
Any old excuse for Dragmire/Shadow repartee is good in my book. :Guilty grin: I just love the orange-haired freak an inordinate amount. The more airtime he receives, the more I love him. Must be something about evil guys and unnatural hair colours… Also, the Wolfos thing arrived out of the blue. But it was fun. Yes, it was. Don't you contradict me young reader! Giggles. Whoo boy, I've been away from the computer far too long it seems!
Sorry it's taken me so long. Exams just don't leave much time anything else. I'm also sorry that…well…sod all happened. However, the next chapter is the temple, which is going to be a lot of fun, as far as I'm concerned!
Soda