This is for all those people out there who want to see some actual human interaction… cause yea, Link hasn't really talked to anyone yet without yelling at or insulting them. But that's what you get when you don't have parents telling you what to do right? Ok ok here we go.

Chapter 3: Cries in the Lost Woods

"Where have you been?" her voice was soft and fragile, yet he heard her clearly enough.

"You know I was out looking for Navi, that fairy may be a pain but he really grew on me you know." A golden sheet of hair obscured her eyes as she looked down into her hands.

"No, I mean the real reason." He furrowed his brow as his heart leapt. It was his turn to look down into the infinite blades of grass that surrounded him. None held the answer he looked for.

"I…" He couldn't say it. The setting afternoon sun warmed his skin, but did nothing for the coldness that rose from the pit of his stomach.

"Was I not good enough," she whispered, her voice wavering now. He looked up in shock. She turned her face to look into his, tears filling those piercing blue eyes. "Why don't you love me?"

………………………………………

Link jolted awake and nearly slid off Epona, forcing him to grasp wildly to her mane. She neighed in protest and shook her head. Righting himself, Link patted her neck, "Sorry about that girl, must have dozed off."

He looked around at the passing trees; they were close now. He rubbed his now swollen left arm. He'd put some healing herbs on it and bandaged it, but if he didn't give it proper attention soon and get that arrowhead out it would become infected.

I'm not looking forward to taking that arrowhead out.

After a few more minutes of riding, he got his first sight of it. At first it was only a dark hole against the silver moonlight, but as he drew nearer he saw the outline of the voluminous tree trunk that he knew to be the entrance to the lost woods.

Reigning in Epona Link whispered in her ear, "Good job girl, I'll take it from here. You just leave the real work to me." Epona gave a derisive snort, and stomped her feet, nearly throwing Link from his perch. "Hey, hey, I was only joking," he sniggered. As he hopped down, Link remembered his sprained ankle with a painful gasp.

This could complicate things. After tightening his bootlaces so as to immobilize his ankle, he hobbled in front of Epona. "Alright, no horsing around while I'm gone, and don't go wandering off, I might need you."

She gave an impatient snort and nudged him forcefully with her nose, nearly knocking him over.

"Fine, I'm going, I can tell when I'm not wanted," Link growled playfully. As he walked, the pain in his ankle slowly receded and he was able to break into a light jog as he entered the lost woods.

Navigating the woods was no easy task, especially at night. Minutes later, Link stood at a juncture between paths, trying to remember if that grey boulder was supposed to be on the left or the right.

Now I remember why I actually liked that spazzy faerie. Despite how uptight she was, she really did live up to her name back then. I think I remembered that those tree branches were supposed to be on my right side at this point. He spun to the left and realized he was staring back into the tunnel he had just come from. Great, I leave these woods for a few years and the go and change on me.

Just then a scream echoed through the woods from behind him. That's a Kokiri voice!

Spinning around, Link darted off in the direction of the cry without regard for where he was going.

Bursting through the next tree tunnel, Link found himself standing at the entrance to the maze of the forest temple. A young blonde Kokiri girl sat against the a wall as three wolfos closed in on her.

Link sent and arrow hurtling into each wolfos back almost simultaneously. The two on either side spun around and blocked, however the middle one was struck and fell to the ground dead.

"Why don't you pick on someone… less smaller than you!" Link grimaced at his lack of grammar and wit, but had little time to dwell on it as the two beasts let out blood curdling howls as the charged him. Drawing his sword and shield, Link blocked the first attack and spun behind the first wolfos causing the other to strike its companion.

With his back still to his enemy, Link plunged his sword behind him and into the wolfos' sinewy abdomen. He had just kicked his fallen prey from his sword when the final wolfos flipped over Link and landed behind him. He only just had time to spin around and block with his shield, his injured arm exploding with pain as his torn muscle stretch against the embedded arrow head.

Link clenched his teeth in pain. He lost all feeling in his arm and was forced to drop his shield. Stepping back to avoid a vicious slash, Link tripped over the other wolfos and felt his ankle give out in another shock of agony. He collapsed to the ground and looked up to see the slavering, red eyed beast towering over him, the full moon silhouetting its muscular form.

A piercing howl tore through the air as it raised its claws to deliver the final blow. Link bared his teeth in a snarl and raised his sword in defense, only to be met by the cool autumn air. The wolfos collapsed to the ground as the blonde haired girl came into view over its slumped form. She held her small slingshot at her side as she walked forward toward Link.

"Some rescue! The great Link hero of time has his great homecoming and I have to save his butt?" the girl shouted as she put her hands on her hips.

Link smiled when he heard her voice, "Fado, it's been so long!"

"Apparently not long enough, considering the way you fight. You might as well still be ten years old, Hylian." His grin only grew broader at her reprimand.

"Oh I see now, sitting against the wall with your hands over your face is just the first part of your newest attack then. I wish I had held back just a second longer so I could've seen you unleash your true fury on those wolfos." He said cocking his head to the side and raising and eyebrow.

"You bet, it's just too bad you came when you did. You always were an attention hog." Fado walked up closer to Link and knelt down to look at him more closely, her big green eyes widening even more than Link thought possible as she saw the blood seeping through the bandage on his arm.

"Wow, your really did a number on yourself before you even got here kid." Expecting a rise in sympathy, Link sat up closer to her waiting to be helped up. However, the only thing he received was a smack on the back of his head.

"What were you thinking, coming back here in this condition. What have you been doing to hurt yourself like this, you're so careless you know that?" Link groaned in reply. The lost woods may have changed, but Fado certainly hadn't.

He slowly raised himself up, using the small Kokiri for support and gingerly tested his ankle, finding that he could put pressure on it.

"So what were you doing out here anyway?" Link asked as he surveyed the maze entranceway. He smirked, "Out for a little midnight rendezvous with a boy?"

Fado glared up at the Hylian, "Ew no! Boys are gross, and anyway," she added with a light toss of her short silvery hair, "None of those Kokiri boys in the village would be able to handle a delicate beauty such as myself."

Link raised and eyebrow as he recalled that Fado used to be able to beat any of the Kokiri boys at any sport. "Delicate… right."

She gave a small grumble but quickly changed subjects, "Anyway, the reason I'm here is because none of the boys in the village are brave enough to try to navigate the lost woods." Fado's bright green eyes suddenly filled with anguish as she continued. "Saria lost her forest medallion, and no one's been able to find it! I've been looking all over the lost woods for days now and I can't find it anywhere. The kids back in the village are getting so scared, so I spent the entire day out here, I guess I lost track of time a little."

"A little, it's almost morning. Wait, so that mean's Saria is alright?"

"Of course she is, why wouldn't she be?" Relief flooded through Link as was reassured.

"No reason, and you can stop searching now because I've got a little something that Saria might like back."

"You mean you found the…!"

"Yup, that's why I'm here."

……………………………………..

Alright, there's chapter 3. Man I can't wait to get to the really good stuff. Just hold on, we'll be their soon.