The sky beyond Zora's Domain is grey and stagnant. Clouds obscure the sun and give little suggestion as to what time of day it might be. Small flakes of snow twist through the air. When the wind is still the sound of precipitation collecting upon the grass can be heard. A thin sheet of ice has begun to form along the edges of the waterfall. The wind bites at Ruto's skin, freezing any water that remained on her.
Stopping just outside of the waterfall Ruto drops her bag and reaches in for another layer of clothing. The clothes get thrown on in moments, and a sigh of relief immediately escapes her mouth.
Down below the waterfall large chunks of ice collect and then float down stream. The dark water moves heavily and looks perilous to the touch. Swimming would be incredibly difficult, if not impossible. Both the sub-zero temperatures and dangerous shards of ice pose dangers even to a skilled Zora.
Ruto gathers her bag once again and throws it over her shoulder.
Each step down Zora's River is placed carefully. The ground feels solid but dirt, snow, and grass are seen frequently falling into the freezing abyss below. Occasionally a foot is placed in a spot not sturdy enough for walking, but is immediately caught and repositioned.
She reaches the bottom with little incident. Along the way she donned another layer of clothing and began to wish for warmth.
From beneath the overhang connecting the river to Hyrule field Ruto emerges. Snow falls softer and lighter here; the grass beneath is still visible. In the distance Lon Lon Ranch sits quietly and beyond that is Kakariko.
Without thought Ruto begins to immediately head towards the ranch. The thought of protection, whether that is with others or by herself seems incredible to Ruto, and Lon Lon Ranch provides just that. A warm home to stay in until the next day is an incredible prospect.
Multiple Hylians greet Ruto as she enters. Her eyes shift between each person she is met with and she smiles nervously. A woman approaches her from beyond a door.
"Hey there, darlin'," she says, taking Ruto by the hand. The Zora flinches but still warily accepts the gesture. The woman begins to lead her towards the door she appeared from.
"I'm Darla. I run things here at our little refugee camp," the woman says as she leads Ruto inside. Her wild mane of brown hair bounces behind her with each step.
"Whatcha' call yourself?" She asks, turning past several repurposed stables.
"Ruto," the Zora responds, jumping over various trinkets pressed lining the corner.
The room is full of vivid colors and smells. The walls are covered by hanging swaths of fabric each a variety of colors and patterns. When the wall isn't covered by fabric tents containing beds and clothes populate the inner perimeter. Against the farthest wall taking up the space of two used-to-be stables are several pots with fires lit beneath and boxes containing what must be spices and cooking supplies.
"How long have you guys been here?" Ruto asks, still being carried along by the woman. Her feet can hardly keep up with how hard she pulls.
"We've been here for, well... I'd say a few months; since me and my crew found it all run down. I guess it had been attacked a long time ago and we found it a while after," Darla says, stopping at a larger tent. She crouches down and takes a seat on a cushion slightly too small for her. She looks to Ruto and pats a similar cushion across from her.
"I'm guessin' you're here because you've been attacked?" Darla asks, adjusting to sit criss-cross.
"No, I'm actually on my way to check how much damage has been done to Kakariko," Ruto says.
"Oh, I see. What made you stop here?" The woman grabs a mug from beside her and takes a sip. She frowns and places it back down.
"I wanted a place to stay the night. I'd rather not be out in the field too long with all of this going on. I honestly didn't expect anyone to be here," Ruto says, her eyes drifting around the tiny pseudo-room; they land on a sword mounted to the stable wall.
"I guess that makes sense. Not many people know we're here, tryna' keep it a secret, you know? You can certainly stay here, though. I'm interested to hear about what your kind is like," Darla says.
"I really appreciate it," Ruto says, "I hope me staying a night won't be too much of a burden." The two chuckle.
In that moment two men approach from the way Ruto and Darla entered. Smiles adorn both of their faces, sweat drips from one man's face. He's out of breath, obviously from running, or maybe lifting heavy objects.
"We've finished dinner, Darla," the sweaty one says, wiping several drops from his forehead. He lets out a huge sigh and continues to smile.
"Why are you sweaty?" Darla asks, laughing.
"I was liftin' some of the dishes we made," the three laugh and begin heading towards the stables which the pots were seen in earlier, Ruto trailing close behind. As they walk the three begin sharing small talk, leaving Ruto's eyes to drift.
Residents begin to enter the building, each carrying their own plate and mug. Their hair is rugged, many are covered in dirt but all share a similar look of content and safety. Several children also scamper in and begin to chase each other throughout the building.
"Ruto dear," Darla says, "you can eat first. Guests always get first pick."
Before them is a plethora of foods; meat cooked in spices, casseroles covered in glazes and greens, vegetables crispy and fresh. Several large pies and various small desserts are scattered among the table. Jugs of various alcoholic drinks, some smelling of wine and others of ale, and a few simply filled with water sit in the center of the smorgasbord. On the edges only a few individual seats are cleared, presumably for the chefs and Darla.
One of the chefs hands Ruto a plate and mug, "feel free to take as much as you want. There's plenty for everyone to have more than seconds." He himself grabs a plate and begins to fill it with mostly meat. Ruto takes only a few things, mostly vegetables and a dessert. She pours herself water, leaving the alcohol for the others.
"Why don't one of you fellas leave a seat for this girl here, I want to talk more with her about what's been happening recently," Darla says, filling her plate and sitting at the head of the table. She motions to a cushion near hers and nods at Ruto. She takes a seat and places her plate in front of her.
"So what's been happening over at Zora's Domain?" Darla asks, following the question up with a chunk of cooked meat. Residents begin to pass by with plates covered in food and the children settle long enough to make their way through the lines.
"Not much, actually. Most citizens are just trying to live their lives as normal as posisble. I have a few training to fight just in case an attack occurs," Ruto says.
"I see. So you said you're goin' to check on Kakariko; to see how much damage has been done. I admire how much you care for those people. Aren't you afraid of gettin' caught up in an attack yourself though?"
"I'm always afraid of an attack, even back home. Someone needs to at least check out the place, just in case there's somebody left," Ruto says, taking a bite of food.
"I've heard that things are pretty bad there right now. We just had a family come from Kakariko," Darla says as she turns to greet several people that pass her.
"Yeah, I'm worried that without a leader there to organize search and rescue missions, people will become lost and sick. This snow is very cold and could quickly take some of the injured or elderly."
"Well Ruto, I'm sure you'll be able to help at least one person there. I gotta warn you though, I've heard a couple things about who might be running this whole attacking business and I don't know if you want to be headin' over there if you knew who it was," Darla says, lowering her voice. She places her fork down and moves closer to Ruto.
"Who do you think could be doing this?" Ruto asks. Her heart begins to beat faster.
"I've just heard it's some guy over on that side of the country; that's why attacks started over there. There's rumor that he's real powerful, more powerful than you or I could ever be. I've heard he has an army of thousands," Darla warns. Ruto nods understandingly and Darla returns to her original position.
The meal is quickly continued with only a few moments taken to discuss unimportant matters and make small talk. Most residents have moved through the line and are sitting either outside to eat or beneath their tents with their families. Many of the previously filled platters are empty save for a few scraps and crumbs. Only a few jugs have anything left, mostly water.
The chef that remained at the table stands and looks to Darla, "Do you mind if I start clean-up? There's a lot of stuff here that I could go ahead and put away."
"Go for it," she says with a smile, "I think that brings our meal to an end, Ruto my dear. There's plenty of clean bedding that I can show you to once you've finished what's left on your plate."
The rest of the night was uneventful. Ruto took her temporary place in a back corner with a clean blanket and straw for a pillow. Soon after the sun went down the residents all returned to their tents and began to settle in for the night. Sounds of snoring and quiet whispers were heard throughout.
Ruto's eyes opened to several children standing by her feet. A couple of them giggled and one cowered away at her movement.
"Hello," Ruto says, rubbing her eyes and letting out a yawn.
"Hi," one squeaks. He steps closer to the Zora.
"Why are you blue? Are you too cold?"
Ruto chuckles and shakes her head, "no, I'm a Zora. I come from Zora's Domain. I'm blue because it helps me blend in with the water that I normally live in."
"Oh I see," one says. The other children begin to try and poke her skin.
"I saw you eating with Darla yesterday," the oldest of them says, "I wanted to give you a present because I think you're cool."
From the hands of the child comes a small rock tied with string. Ruto take it in her hands and begins to turn it, she holds it up by the string.
"This is wonderful, thank you," she says, tying it around her neck.
"My parents said that they heard you say you're gonna go check on Kakariko Village," the oldest says. The other two nod in agreement.
"Yes I am. I want to make sure they're all living well and eating lots of food," Ruto says, forcing a smile.
The kids smile and two of them scamper away. The oldest stays behind and gives Ruto a quick hug. He waves excitedly as he runs off with the others.
Ruto stands and gathers her things. She folds the sheets and pushes the straw back into the corner. Her eyes linger for a moment on where she stayed the night. The sounds of families waking and breakfast cooking begins to grow and fill her ears.
"Mornin', Ruto." The Zora jumps and turns to find Darla standing there, arms full of smaller foods, "I brought this for ya'. I know you'll want some nice home cookin' on your journey."
Ruto waits a moment for her heartbeat to return to normal before responding. "Thank you so much, Darla. I really appreciate being able to stay here, and the food of course."
Darla hands over the food and Ruto packs it away. Darla takes Ruto in a strong hug. The two stay embraced for a moment before Darla gives her a powerful slap on the back and steps away.
"You're welcome back here any time you need a warm place to stay," she says, smiling warmly. Ruto nods and the two head for the door.
Opening it, Darla gives one more pat on the back, allowing the Zora to leave.
Outside the clouds are gone but snow still sits on the grass. Footsteps near each of the doors have flattened the ground into ice and slush has collected near walls and corners. Wind blows lightly, creating a sharp chill in the air. The sun has almost finished rising, and the sky is a faint purple.
Ruto steps out from Lon Lon Ranch and back into Hyrule Field.