Chapter Two

It was not long before Saria and Link were in the Lost Woods looking for berry nuts with the other Kokiris. When they had arrived everyone greeted Link, though he was unsure whether it was of their own free will or because Saria was with him. Either way Link smiled back. Everyone said their hellos and then went back to picking berry nuts. Link and Saria grabbed a basket and made their way along the bushes. Most of the bushes had been picked clean by the Kokiri or the animals that lived in the woods. Berry nuts were a type of fruit that was a cross between a berry and a nut. It had a hard outer shell like a nut but had a soft inside like a berry. The Kokiri used them for some foods and even for a healing cream.

The rest of the day went uneventful but only because Saria kept a very close eye on Link. Once the Kokiri picked all they could, they left the rest for the forest animals. All the berry nuts that they had collected went into a storage hut they had that sat next to the Great Deku Tree's meadow entrance. Normal they would be shelling some of the fruit at this time, but because of the Link/Mido fiasco, they finished later. Once the berry nuts were put away every Kokiri went off to their own thing.

Saria and Link climbed the side of Saria's hut for their nightly star watching. Some thing they both enjoyed, just the two friends. Not the figurative "Mother" of the forest and the outcast, just two friends watching the stars coming out to play. Sometimes they would talk about the forest, the other Kokiri, what happened that day, or even make their own shapes in the stars and anything they could think of. Other times they would lay there and not say a word, they never really needed words. They were close enough of friends they know what the other was thinking. And this happened to be one of these times.

Reaching towards the sky with his left hand, Link started to trance a shape in the stars. When he finished he had trance the same shape that was on the back of this left had. He ad no idea what the shape meant but he hated it and liked it at the same time. He hated because it made him different, he liked it because he was the only one that had it which made it special. With an exaggerated shy he allowed his arm to flop across his stomach. A few minutes later Link felt a reassuring pat on his shoulder. Glancing over at Saria, he received a smile. A smile that told him every thing was going to be okay, and that she would be there when he needed her; after a few more minutes of star watching Saria finally spoke.

"I think it is about time for us to head in to the night." Saria turned towards Link, who nodded in agreement and sat up. Saria had started to the path down when she noticed that she was not being followed. Looking back Saria noticed that Link was once again looking back up at the stars. Even though they were probably the closest of friends she did not know why Link looked at the stars. He had a look in his eyes that was asking a question hoping that they would answer. It was not long before Link joined Saria at the edge of the roof. At the bottom they said their good nights and parted. Saria walked into her hut, Link wandered over to his hut. Which was right next to Saria's hut, with one last look at the stars, Link simply asked them why. With a twinkling that said they knew the answer and like the Deku Tree they were not telling.

During some time in the night Link had started to thrash around in his bed. It looked as if he was fighting off some unseen monster. After a few minutes of the thrashing, Link woke up covered in sweat. Placing his head in his hands, Link bent over taking a few deep breaths; trying to reassure him self that it was nothing more then a bad dream. Few more minutes passed and Link had clamed himself enough to look around his room. As he did, Link noted that everything was in its place and what he had just seen was nothing more than a dream. The only things that were out of place where his blankets, which were pile at the side of his bed on the floor. Moving slowly Link picked up his blankets. Covering him self again, Link opted to looking out his bedroom window rather than sleeping. The sky out the window had a slit orange pink hue; a good indication to Link that the sun would be in the sky in only a few hours, so there was no point to go back to sleep. So he laid there watching the stars fade from the sky, with greenish-blue eyes that had seen more pain than any child should ever have to bear.

The village was once again alive and moving. Every Kokiri was awake and had started on finishing the berry nut harvesting. The boys were cracking the berry nuts, while the girls took the berry parts out and filled deku nuts for better storage. Saria though realized that they were missing one Kokiri.

"I'll be right back," Saria said a she washed her hands off.

"Where are you going?" Jessin asked. Jessin's hair was short and red, and she wore the standard green outfit with brown boots.

"Don't worry I am just going to wake somebody up," Saria replied as she head for one of the huts. The girls all know who she was talking about and did not worry.

"Hey, where is Saria goin'," a voice asked. The person had just walked up with a basket of cracked berry nuts and did not hear the short conversation.

"She went to wake up Link," one of the girls said. Unfortunately, it was Kristen who answered and she has a bad habit of talking before she thought. And she did not bother to look to see who had asked the question, which happened to be Mido. Who happened to have the worst temper of all the Kokiri. This time was no exception, with a short fuse light. Mido threw the basket he was holding and stocked off. The contents of the basket flew everywhere, when it made contact with the ground. Which rightfully earned a few screams from the girls; of course Mido never gave it a second thought. He simply climbed a nearby tree and sat.

Unaware of the events that just happened, Saria reached Link's hut, and she started to call his name. After a few minutes of no responses, Saria started to climb the ladder to Link's front door. Walking tough the opening that acted as the door way, Saria looked around. She noted that every thing was in its place, except a lump on the bed that was not supposed to be there. As quietly as Saria could she tiptoed over to the lump on the bed. Like a wolfos on its prey, she was posed and ready.

"Gotcha'," was the only warning she gave before she tackled the sleeping lump. But the sleeping lump was faster then what Saria thought a sleeping lump should be. Just as she landed on the bed, the blanket came over top her and covered her. Not long after, Saria heard a boyish laugh come from some where in the room, as she tried to get untangled. By the time she managed to get untangled Link's laugh had gone from sinkers to full on laugher. A laugher, Saria had not heard in a long time. Finally untangling herself, Saria sat and glared at Link as she smoothed out her hair. When she finished with her hair she asked Link a question, "How did you know I was coming, because I know for a fact that the skull kids could be having one of their parties in here and you never stir?" All Link could do was smile.

"The ladder," was all he said.

Saria frowned; she knew that was all she was going to get out of him. Picking up Link's hat, which sat on the bed post, and she throw it at him. Link easily caught it and understood what she meant. Link gave her a head start down the ladder; he still had to put his boots on. Saria only made it down to the third rung from the bottom when a green flash jumped over head. The flash land and rolled a few feet from the bottom of the ladder. Determined not to be out down, Saria jumped down the three last rungs and ran after Link. Link stopped grinning and turned to run. Saria chased Link all the way to the pond that sat in front of the Great Deku Tree's meadow. She was only able to tackle him because if he had not stopped he would have run into the others. With a playful punch, Saria walked over to the girls and Link joined the boys.

All the while the show of friendship did not go unnoticed. Grumbling to himself, Mido jumped down and headed to the Lost Woods. He was determined to find a way to get Saria's attention one way or another.

The rest of the day went smoothly. Link usually got along with most of the Kokiri boys, except for Mido and his gang, when Mido was not around the gang stayed away from Link, which confused Link to no end much like today. It was around midday when all the berry nuts had been cracked and their insides placed into deku nuts. The group had placed the now full deku nuts in side the storage hut and went about their own business. Saria and Link head over to the Great deku Tree's meadow. Usually at least once a day they came here to listen to one of the Deku Tree's stories.

The two of them were part of the way though one of the deku Tree's stories when a little monkey came flying out of the trees with a fairy right be hind it. The little fairy flew right up to the Deku Tree in a panic.

"Great Deku Tree, Mido needs help!!!!!" The fairy yelled.

"Zeal, what happened?" the Deku Tree asked claming, the fairy, Zeal clamed a little before he started to explain.

"Mido and I went in to the Lost Woods and we got lost then we got separated," Zeal breathed, "WE NEED TO FIND HIM!!!!"

"Saria, will you please go and find Mido. Zeal go with her and show her the path you and Mido took," the Great Deku Tree said, "you to little one." He directed to the little monkey who nodded and took off to the Lost Woods with Saria and Zeal right behind him.

Link stayed behind only because he knew he would be of no hope. Saria was the only Kokiri that could find her way though the Lost Woods with no problem. But he could not help the feeling that told him that something was wrong with Zeal. Trusting that the Great Deku Tree would not send Saria any where were it was dangerous, Link sat against the giant tree and fell in to an uneasy sleep.

The first thing Link noticed was that the sun was setting and second was that there was shouting coming from the village. Scrambling to his feet Link raced to the other side of the village to the Lost Woods entrance. As he reached the group, he noticed Mido but no Saria. Pushing his way forward he drove towards to Mido.

"Where's Saria?" Link nearly yelled in Mido's face. Mido blinked a few times before he answered.

"I haven't Saria since this morning," Mido retorted shoving Link back.

"That's a lie, Saria went to find you earlier. She even had Zeal with her!!" Mido looked at Link like he had just said the sky was purple.

"Zeal never left my side all day," Mido stated, "and he never would." The fairy nodded in agreement.