A/N: Yeah, one review! Here's the next chapter.
Link stumbled across the Abin field until he crossed into the forest that guarded the border of Hyrule. The pines, maples, and redwoods towered above the ground, shading the brush below. Perfect for hiding.
Under normal circumstances.
Link had tried to bind his wounds, but the thin fabric of his pants that he'd used did a poor job of holding back the blood. A crimson trail of drops clearly marked his path. Even the laziest Abinian hound could follow his scent.
But the refugee had little choice. He couldn't stop for help; he was too close to Abin to be trusted. All Link could do was keep walking… walking towards relative peace, he hoped.
The sun passed through the sky twice, but the deity kept walking. He needed little sleep, and he knew the Abinians needed to rest when the moon cast its glow over the restless grounds of the nations.
When the sun rose to an eighth of its height, Link saw a small clearing. At its center was a grand oak, so tall that he couldn't even touch its lowest branches with a 30 foot pole. He limped closer.
The clearing was circle, so perfect it couldn't be natural. And the trees stopped right at the edge, like the forest wanted to move in but was held back by… something. The grass was short and soft on Link's weary eyes; he felt like he could plop down and rest there until the hounds got him. But he resisted the urge and moved to the oak. It was thick, big enough to house a dragon inside. When he was close enough, Link placed his free hand on the trunk. It was rough and sturdy.
At least something in this world is stable, the deity thought, amused at the conflicts that everyone seemed to want in on.
Circling the tree, he stopped suddenly. Someone had cut a circle in the bark right at ground level. Link shook his head, then remembered what he'd seen in Abin. Houses shaped like boulders or hills to avoid detection. Yes, that had to be what that tree was. He limped around to the circle and pushed the very center of it inward.
It gave with very little effort. The deity nearly fell on his face; he'd put more force into his push than was necessary.
Inside was a circular room. No candles or torches lit it, but somehow, it was completely light inside. The door had swung to one side before bumping into a cabinet, which seemed to be carved out of the tree itself. Link looked around. Nothing one wouldn't find in a normal peasant's home. Cabinets lined the walls; a petite table stood at the center of the room, a stool by its side; a stove sat quietly by a counter, above which hung various cooking tools. At the back, Link saw a staircase winding up against the wall to what he assumed was another room 10 feet above. He listened intently for footsteps of the tree's inhabitants, but nothing stirred besides the door on its hinges.
Nobody's home, then, the deity thought. Shouldn't mind if I take a rest here. And maybe get some supplies.
Link stepped over the threshold, closing the door behind him after making sure there was a handle. He rummaged through the cabinets, finding some food and many herbs before coming across some rags. Ripping the rags with no apparent sentimental value into strips, he bound his wounds again.
But the deity had lost too much blood in his flight. He found that with each movement, his limbs felt heavier. As he untied the makeshift bindings on his back, Link held the rags he'd intended to rebind it with. But he couldn't reach back. His entire body was so heavy. Link slumped against the wall. His mind told him to stay awake, but the deity couldn't resist the urge to fall into the quiet sleep that only took hold when death was near.
A/N: What a cliffhanger. I'd really like some more input. Thanks for reading. Please review.