2nd Draft

"This way right?" Impa asked Link.

Link nodded, very familiar with the surrounding woods. They were only moments away from Kokiri Village.

"You should lead, better we not frighten them," Sheik recommended. Link agreed and took lead of the trio. At the moment they were all travelling on foot, leading their horses by the bridles.

After Impa had confirmed with her mysterious source that Hyrule Field was clear of scouts Link, Impa, and Sheik had made a mad sprint for Lon Lon Ranch. The only horse they had with them was Impa's own white charger, Shimmer, the second biggest horse Link had ever seen (Ganondorf's black warhorse being the largest). To ensure the greatest speed Impa had put Link and Zelda on Shimmer, who trotted while Impa ran alongside. If Link thought he was an accomplished runner before, he no longer carried such delusions. The warrior had kept the same intense speed for hours. The only moment she'd even shown signs of tiring was just as they reached the gates of Lon Lon Ranch. Link had been relieved Talon and Malon were still okay. Impa kept Link from revealing the nature of their trip, and generally everything that had transpired over the past week. All the same Link asked Malon to come with them to Kokiri Village. She had of course declined but promised if she got into any trouble she and Epona, who was now being ridden by the young ranch hand, would rush to Link. They did not stay long at all, to Link's chagrin. Impa purchased two plain quarter horses from Talon then the three of them rode for the forest.

Being in the saddle alone had proved to be far from comfortable. On the ride to the ranch Zelda had controlled the reins and Link had just mimicked her body's movements as the horse trotted. In the saddle alone Link found himself completely subject to his steed's will. Thankfully the gelding he rode, named Bart, had seemed content to follow Shimmer. All that was left for Link to deal with was the constant jostling as his feet could barely reach stirrups.

The amateur rider was grateful to be on his own two feet. And yet with each step he could not help but feel more and more nervous. They had seen no abnormal creatures so far. A glade deer watched them with curiosity as the three trudged by. They were already deeper than most hunters bothered to go. The trees were so thick and tall that in many places sunlight did not make it to the ground. Anyone not familiar with the forest would be very lost. But Link knew this forest, had spent his whole life here, short as it was. He knew that they were west of his village due to the moss on the trees, and the types of trees.

Hylian Oak grew everywhere in Hyrule, but Deku Oak grew only in this forest and became thicker and denser the closer you got to the village.

Saria had taught him that couple years ago. Link wondered what she would think when she saw him now. He hoped she had forgiven him for leaving, and not visiting even when he'd had a chance to. But most of all he hoped she was still safe. Link didn't trust all this talk of sages, and it appeared Impa was not as concerned for the "common" person as Link was.

"Halt!" came a young voice up ahead. Link looked up to see a Kokiri boy standing beside a tree. He had a long stick in his hands, holding it like a spear towards the entourage.

"Are you monsters?" he asked trying to sound brave and serious. Even though none of them had weapons drawn Link could see the boy shaking.

"Pete!" Link called lifting a hand in a friendly greeting. "It's me, Link. These are my friends."

"Link?" recognition gleamed in the boy's eyes. Then something else. "Mido said you were dead! He said you felt guilty for killing the Great Deku Tree and ran off to get eaten by monsters in the woods."

Link winced, he had expected something like this. His guilt of not saving The Great Deku Tree was still great. He considered it his first true failure despite the reassuring Navi and the Great Deku Tree had tried to give him.

"I didn't kill the Great Deku Tree."

The boy nodded and lowered his stick. He still looked at the group suspiciously.

"That's what Saria said. Who is the big person?"

"She is a friend, both of them are. This is Sheik and Impa. Impa, Sheik, this is my friend Pete." Turning back to Pete, "We need to find Saria, we want to help Kokiri village."

Pete spotted the giant sword strapped to Shimmer's saddle. Excitedly he asked, "Are you going to protect us?"

Link turned to Impa. He wished she would smile or laugh, or say something comforting but instead she just gave a slight nod. "We shall see."

The boy slowly deflated, clearly disappointed by the answer but he turned around all the same. "Well come on, the Know-It-Alls will want to see the big person. Link, I hope you find Saria before Mido finds you."

Link said thanks and sped up a little to walk beside Pete. The brave little Kokiri did his best not to act nervous around the massive four legged creature that Link was leading. The rest of the way to the village Link asked about his treehouse, Saria, Mido, and the rest of the villagers.

Thankfully according to Pete nobody had been killed (death being a concept Kokiri weren't very familiar with and Link did not want them to have to learn) although a few of the villagers had run into abnormally aggressive Deku Sprouts and a dangerous number of Deku Babas. The Babas were easy enough to avoid but the sprouts had chased the villagers spitting their combusting seeds. One villager had been knocked unconscious before Mido appeared and chased them away.

Since the Great Deku Tree died, Pete explained, the villagers had appointed Mido, Saria, and the Know-It-All brothers as leaders. Besides Mido, Link agreed they were probably the most suited for the task.

As the dense forest disappeared into a clearing Link was walking in his home village, for the first time in what had felt like forever. Immediately villagers spotted them and were staring. Some of the more timid ones even backed up into their doorways or behind their tree homes. Pete waved them off assuring them everything was okay.

Link took a huge breath, filling his lungs with what he now knew to be the cleanest air in Hyrule.

"This is your village?" Sheik asked turning her head back and forth as if on a swivel. Link looked back at her and smiled.

"Sure is! What do you think Sheik?" It felt good to suddenly take so much pride in his home.

Sheik smiled, her eyes devouring the scenery. "Link, it's beautiful! Its green, natural, beautiful, and. . . " She took a big breath, "fresh and clean. Their buildings are cut from trees?"

"Not cut," Pete said over his shoulder also pleased the girl approved of their village. "Our homes are grown into the trees! That one is mine," he said pointing at a tall skinny home. It looked like a tall tree without any branches except on top. The outside bark looked perfectly smooth and an arch doorway appeared naturally in the front. "Three separate floors!" he said boastfully.

Sheik marveled. "How do you grow a home into a tree?"

Pete opened his mouth to answer but then stopped with stumped look on his face. He turned to Link for help. Link shrugged at Sheik.

"It's mostly happens on its own when a Kokiri needs a home. The Great Deku Tree would grant you a seed, you planted it where you want to live, and then you just tend the plant as it shoots up in a matter of hours. Somehow everyone's home comes out different."

Pete laughed. "Link's home grew a door twenty feet off the ground, with no stairs!" Pete laughed and laughed as he continued walking. The whole village had thought it was the funniest thing in the world when it happened. Link remembered crying, he was young. He couldn't remember how young he'd been but he knew it was young. Too young to be able to think of a solution on his own. It had been Saria who came to his rescue, helping him fashion a ladder then months later an entire porch.

"Where do Kokiri children come from?" Sheik asked. She knew she was just a child but she got the basic gist of how childbearing worked and what was necessary to bring a baby into the world.

Pete stopped laughing and again looked stumped. "You sure don't know a whole lot," he said rather than answering. Sheik looked to Link for help.

"I uh. . . I don't really know. I guess only the Know-It-All brothers know. Kokiri babies just sort of appear at the Great Deku Tree. He assigns someone to watch over the infant until it can walk and talk and grow its own home. Then a fairy comes to it when it turns five and stays with it for forever."

"And where do the fairies come from? Is there a Great Fairy near here?"

Navi flew out from under Link's hat to answer. "We come from the Great Deku Tree. He is. . . was our father. We are different from other fairies."

"Oh there you are Navi!" Sheik said. She hadn't actually known where Navi appeared from and disappeared to. "Different how?"

"Well, we cannot offer the same healing power as regular fairies but we also can't run out of energy. We are immune to most magic and as far as I know live with our Kokiri forever." She flew a circle around Link's head as if creating a visualization of their bond.

Link jerked his head, swatting her with his hat playfully. Sheik giggled.

"You don't have a fairy?" Pete asked Sheik.

Sheik shook her head no.

Pete was about to ask something when he spotted four Kokiri children walking over to them.

"I found Link, Sheik and a big person!" Pete announced proudly. He'd straightened up and adopted a childish military stance.

"These are the Know-It-All brothers," Link whispered to Sheik.

Three of the brothers were staring at Impa suspiciously while the one in front nodded at Pete then looked to Link. It was Josa.

"Welcome back Link."

"Thank you Josa, it's good to be back."

Josa nodded then looked at Sheik.

"Good afternoon," he said smiling after noticing how pretty the stranger was. Even disguised Zelda was beautiful, and her Sheikah disguise made her look even more exotic. "I am Josa Know-It-All, these are my brothers John, Job, and Joe."

Sheik curtsied, an unusual action to the Kokiri but the sentiment delighted them all the same.

"I am Sheik Prava, and this is my Aunt Impa."

Josa nodded to Impa quickly, "Hello Aunt."

Link could swear he saw a grin tug on the side of Impa's face. Aunt and uncle were not words known to the Kokiri children.

Impa nodded all the same and greeted the four brothers. All four turned to Link then. As he had when he first met them, Link marveled at how all four of them could look so similar. He could hardly tell them apart. Josa was slightly taller than the rest, John's hair was a lighter blond, Job's eyes were a darker color, and Joe's cheek were rounder than his brothers'. But none of those features stood out well enough to tell anyone apart without a level of scrutiny. It was Job who spoke to Link.

"Saria said you would come back, she wants you to go meet her right away. Mido wants to see you too but. . ." He had a sly grin, "I would go see Saria first. Are the Sheikah staying for some time?"

"Yes, for some time," Impa answered. Link was surprised the brothers had been able to identify Impa's race. Then again there were the "Know-It-Alls".

The brothers shared a look between them.

"We do not have any lodgings big enough for you Aunt but we can make a temporary place for you beneath Link's home."

Impa offered a shallow bow. "I appreciate your generosity."

Much like the curtsy, the irregular gesture pleased the brothers and each puffed out his chest a little more. They told Link, Saria was likely in her home so Link took the lead. Pete bid Sheik farewell and jogged off to resume his post.

"My house is on the way to Saria's, we can leave the horses there."

"I can't wait to see it," Sheik said still marveling at the foreign village.

Link's home was one of the more secluded ones in the village. That had not been intentional at first but as he became more and more of an outsider he had appreciated it. Already Link could see his porch and the top of his tree over the hill. Everything appeared exactly as he'd left it.

It suddenly dawned on him that he hadn't been here since that first morning Navi appeared. He'd taken off without grabbing a single possession. Not that he had much. Compared to Hylians, Kokiri lived a very simple lifestyle with few possessions. Link more so than most. The only things he'd had on him when he set out for this adventure were his slingshot, and purse. The sword and shield he carried now had been provided by the Great Deku Tree.

"This is your home?" Sheik asked.

Link smiled nodding. At the base of the tree they tied the horses up to the ladder. They would have to find something more stable later but for now it sufficed. Sheik wanted to take a peek inside Link's home but Impa insisted they meet with Saria first, which was fine with Link. He missed his friend.

Saria's home was the closest house to Link, and yet still over and around one of the many hills in the village.

They arrived at the door where Link hesitated for just a moment before knocking.

"Link?" Saria asked after opening the door. Her eyes looked filled with joy.

"I heard you were expecting me," Link managed to say. With a squeal of joy Saria leapt forward and embraced Link, almost knocking him backwards.

"Oh my!" she said pulling back. "You've gotten so much stronger!"

Link blushed, then stepped aside to change the subject.

"These are my friends Im. . "

"Impa and Princess Zelda," Saria finished, suddenly adopting an incredibly serious tone.

Link furrowed his brow. "How did you..."

"Perhaps we should continue this conversation inside," Impa recommended.

Saria nodded and ushered them inside giving a stern look to the nosy Kokiri across the yard.

"After you left," Saria was saying. Everyone was gathered around her table while she explained how and what she knew to Link and the others. With no small amount of amusement Link saw that Impa basically had to squat to avoid hitting her head on the ceiling. If she was uncomfortable though, she did not show it.

"I was put into a deep deep sleep. While I slept I was dreaming except it didn't feel like a dream. I felt like I was conscious, and I was aware. I was standing in front of The Great Deku Tree. And then he spoke to me. He told me about your destiny Link, about your role in Hyrule. He told me about the sages and the protection they offer Hyrule. He told me about the triforce and even why Hyrule was so special, why Ganondorf wanted to control it so bad. In the greatest detail he told me about my role in all this. But. . ." she paused and looked at Sheik then Impa. Link sensed the three of them knew something he didn't

"Over a week ago. . . there were visions. Images of things that were not there before."

When she didn't continue Link prodded, "Visions of what? What wasn't there before?"

"War," Saria said in a somber tone. "Now there are images of war, images of deaths that weren't there before."

"What?" Link practically shouted. "What changed?"

"You," Saria sad sadly. "Until a week ago when I dreamed you were missing until the very end when you saved Hyrule almost single-handedly. But now. . . now you are in the visions through the whole thing."

Link dropped his head into his hands. "How many years went by in your original visions until I reappeared?" He was clenching his eyes shut, trying unsuccessfully to block out the entire world.

"Eight years," Saria and Link said at the same time.

"Fuck," Link said looking up.

Saria was taken back by his sudden language, nobody in Kokiri Village cursed. Link turned to Zelda.

"I don't understand how me being locked away for eight years changes whether or not there is a war."

"With you being sealed in the Sacred Realm," Impa said sparing the two other girls from having to try and answer the difficult question. "We were granted a guarantee that in eight years you would appear with the necessary strength and power to defeat Ganondorf. So according to the original prophecies the people of Hyrule needed only to survive, pacify, hide or stall Ganondorf. But you are not sealed safely in the Sacred Realm and cannot guarantee you will even survive long enough to challenge Ganondorf. The salvation of Hyrule has been taken from your hands, and placed into all of ours. All-out war is our only chance of defeating Ganondorf now."

Link felt as though the walls of Saria's house were descending upon him. As if the very air was beginning to thicken.

"How many people will die?"

"Link you can't," Zelda started.

"How many people will die?" he demanded, his voice cracking.

"Thousands," Saria said so quietly it was almost a whisper.

Link shot to his feet, knocking his stool over. Before anyone could move to stop him he sprinted out of Saria's house, then out of the village.

"It is not your fault," Navi offered when Link finally slowed. He was well outside the village, on the path that led to The Great Deku Tree. Night was falling and with it a breeze that was not as warm as Link remembered.

"Why is ANY of this MY responsibility?" Link growled. He didn't want to be rude to Navi but he was drowning in rage and guilt, with nobody to release his frustration on.

"When first we met, you wished nothing more than to dive into the fray. You practically sprinted towards Ghoma."

"Ha!" Link snorted "Do you remember what happened when I first spotted her, crawling on the ceiling?" Link kept walking not bothering to try and maintain "eye contact" with Navi. A task that had proven to be dizzying unless she remained perfectly still. "I froze," Link said when Navi failed to answer. "Ice ran through my veins and my knees shivered."

"But you still defeated her!" Navi countered. "And nearly a dozen of her children," she continued. "You waded through them, covered in gore, dodging and blocking stingers. You cut a path to the parasitic queen and slew her!" Navi made a ding noise above him emphasizing his triumph.

"You make it sound heroic," Link said gloomily. "I was too late. The Great Deku Tree died."

The boy and his fairy rounded the final growth of trees and entered a small clearing. Nearly the entirety of the clearing was filled by the massive, looming form of the late Great Deku Tree. An eerie chill filled the clearing, as though warmth dare not reside where there was no longer life.

Link looked at the Tree that had been his father and protector for so long. His bark had changed from a rich chocolate brown to a sickly grey. His leaves were sparse, and the ones that did cling to their branches were orange and crisp. There was a smell that lingered too. The scent of decomposition.

"Why did he wait so long to summon me?" Link asked. "Ghoma had been growing inside him for months. Why didn't he call me sooner when he may have had a chance to survive? Was it his intention that I fail?" Link was fighting back tears as he spoke.

"Link. The Great Deku Tree was wise. Wiser than the kings, queens, and guardians of Hyrule combined. It was not random chance that he chose you or when he chose you." Navi's voice was full of respect. Link sometimes forgot that Kokiri fairies revered the Great Deku Tree even more so than the Kokiri children. "He was not killed by Ghoma," Navi said full of conviction. "He sacrificed himself so you could learn something. Something more important than his own life. More important than the safety of Kokiri village."

Link was about to ask what he was supposed to learn when a sound drew his attention.

"I heard it too," Navi said.

Link strained his attention to that distant sound. It only took him a moment to identify the cause. Someone was fighting for their life.

A howl sounded over the wind rushing past Link's ears. He recognized the cry, a wolfo was in the woods.

Link ducked under branches and hurdled roots and bushes rushing forward. If a wolfo had cornered a Kokiri the child would be torn to shreds. This thought in mind Link went even faster, determined not to fail his brother or sister.

Link found the two in moments. He was right about the wolfo, but it was not a Kokiri he had expected. Mido was standing a few feet away from the wolfo, holding it at bay with a wooden staff.

"Come get the stick, come on boy, get the stick," Mido taunted. His voice was mocking and his eyes were full of hate not fear.

The wolfo was crouched down, its glowing green eyes focused on its prey. Its wet pink tongue licked its chops.

Link marveled at his bully's courage. Not waiting to see who would move first Link came barreling in sword drawn.

The monster turned to face its new foe, likely deciding the charging boy with a blade was worse than the stick. As Link closed the distance the wolfo took its predictable and preferred fighting stance rearing up on its hind legs. Link brought his shield to bear, preparing to block the long black claws.

WHACK

The wolfo let out whimper then fell forward. Link skidded to a halt as the beast collapsed and began spasming on the ground. Mido did not relent with his assault. With a battle cry the enraged villager brought his stick over his head and slammed it down on the fiend several more times. He did not stop until the creature lay still as stone. Link could only gape at the unexpected ferocity.

Satisfied with his kill Mido leaned against his bloodied stick and allowed himself a breather. As his chest heaved he looked Link up and down, bad blood burning through his eyes.

Link wasn't sure what to say, so he just stood there meeting Mido's gaze.

"So you came back after all," Mido finally said. "Good grief!" he was sure to add at the end.

Link lifted his chin. "Yea, I came back," he said evenly.

"You already talk to Saria?"

"I did."

Mido nodded then pointed at the dead wolfo. "This isn't the first one to come so close to the village. Saria says without the Great Deku Tree more and more beasties will start appearing." He gave Link a poisonous look. Then his eyes drifted to the Kokiri blade. "Without any real weapons all we got are sticks, slings, and deku nuts."

"You more than handled this one," Link said offering a rare compliment.

Mido shrugged it off. "Not everyone in the village can defend themselves. So that leaves protection of the village to me. Me and Saria that is."

"I came back to help," Link said sheathing his sword. "And I brought friends."

Mido offered a fake laugh. "The boy without a fairy and his mighty friends came back to save a village that isn't his." He shook his head and gave the corpse one last kick. Then looking up at the darkening sky, "It's getting late, you should get back to your friends."

"Aren't you coming back? You can't stay out all night."

Mido turned his back to Link and started walking into the woods, opposite the direction of the village. "Some of us don't abandon our home. The monsters don't stop coming just because it's dark."

"He sure has changed," Navi said as Mido walked out of view, into the darkness.

Link nodded chewing on his bottom lip in thought. "I never expected to have so much respect for him." Then thinking just before he turned to go back, "He's still a jerk though."

By the time Link made it back to the village night had fully settled in. The village was quiet and dark. A stranger would mistake the whole village for a bizarre clearing. Kokiri villagers did not use fire to create light, since everyone had a fairy they also had a floating, chatting light source. This helped Kokiri disappear into the forest at night.

Link hurried past Saria's house, not wanting to face her just yet after the scene he caused. He saw when he got to his house that a makeshift cottage had been built beneath his porch. It was held together by stacking logs and binding them in place. The Kokiri had done a fine job with so little notice in Link's opinion. He was sure Impa was already in there sleeping, if she truly did sleep. Link wasn't so sure.

Being as quiet as possible Link climbed up his ladder and entered his home. The place was warm and cozy, just as he'd remembered it. Someone had taken the care to provide fresh fruit and seeds in the bowl on his small table. The whole room was a circle, naturally hollowed out of the tree. The ceiling was tall but maybe not tall enough for Impa's six foot two frame. The small feather mattress sat beneath the only window. A small table to the left and a chest to the right. There was enough empty space in the center for several people to gather round and talk. Not that Link ever had more than one or two people in his house.

Dropping his sword and shield by the table Link went over to drop into his bed. Just as he was about to throw himself down he noticed a large lump under the sheets.

"Oh," he said quietly. Upon further inspection he realized Sheik was already curled up and sleeping peacefully. Link sighed. "Sweet dreams Princess." He grabbed a spare flax blanket out of his chest and laid down on the floor, using his hat as a pillow.

"Goodnight Navi." Link said as he did every night since the two had been united.

"Goodnight Link."