Roshan left the fortress late the next day, armed with all the information the Gerudo could give him on Hyrule. He wandered out onto Hyrule field, looking for a place to start. In the distance he saw a low, curved wall with a gate set into it, Lon Lon Ranch. He jogged towards the ranch, getting halfway to its gates before night fall. A wolf howled somewhere in the distance.
Roshan's eyes adjusted so he could see perfectly in the dark. He was a shade, after all. Two skeletal forms erupted out of the ground, right in his path. He drew his black-bladed sword and crimson-bladed dirk, picking off a swiping attack from each side as he skidded to a stop. A wide sweep of his sword removed one of the stalchildren's heads. Roshan rolled aside and shattered the second with the flat of his blade. Then he rolled over the headless stalchild, reducing it to a small pile of rubble. Roshan sheathed his weapons, cast a shielding spell to discourage other stalchildren from attacking him, and slept.
Roshan awoke at dawn and looked around. His camp was surrounded by small piles of bones. He made a mental note to himself that the stalchildren weren't gifted with all that much intelligence. He set an easy jogging pace all the way to the ranch. He walked through the gates, finding a grumbling stable hand carrying a bucket and a pitchfork.
"Excuse me," Roshan said. The man dropped his bucket and whirled, leveling his pitchfork at Roshan. Then he quickly dropped his stance, apologizing for his reaction. Roshan filed away in his head that this man was an experienced fighter. "Are you the owner of this ranch?" he asked politely.
"I wish," the man scoffed, "I am Ingo, the one who should own this ranch. But, if you wish to speak to Talon, I will wake him. Just wait here a moment."
"Thank you." Ingo disappeared into the house, emerging a few minutes later followed by a large man with a cheery face.
"Hello friend," he said in a booming voice, "I'm Talon, owner of Lon Lon Ranch. And you are?"
"My name isn't of any consequence. If you must have a name, just call me 'Ranger'." Talon hesitated, thrown by the warrior standing before him, but quickly regained his cheerful composure.
"Okay then, Ranger, what's you're business here?"
"I would like to purchase one of your fine horses."
"Oh…You must understand, my daughter loves these horses very dearly. I wouldn't sell any of them to you without Malon's consent."
"He can have one of the horses, daddy," a small, redheaded girl Roshan had noticed earlier said, "so long as he doesn't take Epona." Talon jumped and spun, facing his daughter.
"Are you sure?" he said. Malon smiled.
"Yes, but Epona stays with us." Talon turned to Roshan.
"So, yes, you may purchase one of the horses, but you'll need to consider cost…"
"Money is no object." Roshan said abruptly, stopping the bumbling man from rambling on.
"Well, then…" Talon replied, once again thrown by this mysterious stranger, "Follow me and we'll let you have a look at some of the horses." Talon led him to the corral, rambling about something Roshan tuned out. He took a good look at the horses, eventually deciding on one sturdy chestnut draft horse. He paid Talon out of the magical pouch on his belt which supplied him with whatever currency the realm he was in used. It was one of several very useful items he had picked up on his travels as a Ranger of the Realms. He quickly saddled the horse and rode away from the ranch, finding a small, hidden area to work in.
Roshan led the horse so it was standing before him. He took a gem, another one of his useful trinkets, out of a belt pouch and placed it on the horse's forehead. He then focused his magic, placing his thumb on the gem. The horse changed. Its coat darkened and took on a more reddish hue. Its eyes turned a deep crimson color. The horse became tied to him. It was a shade, just as he was. He mounted and rode out of his secluded nook towards his destination, the only forest he could see.
Just before he entered the forest, he dismounted and sent his horse, who he had named Gareth, away. The horse galloped off and faded into the air, until it was nothing. Roshan stepped into the forest.
Fairy lights danced around him. He smiled at them. Then he remembered the nature of the inhabitants of this forest. He quickly muttered a spell. His form melted away, an invisible, phantom-like entity. He walked through the small village, right past the child blocking entrance to a certain glade. He floated by the Deku baba and came upon a massive tree.
"Who approaches?" the tree asked in a deep and commanding, yet gentle voice.
"I am Roshan, a Ranger of the Realms," Roshan replied, dipping a bow, "and I am here to help."
"I am the Great Deku Tree," the tree responded, "How are you to help?"
"I was sent by my masters to help a certain Hero of Time on his quest. Now, where is this Link character?"