Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or characters of these games including Link, the Kokiri, keatons, wolfos, Hyrule, Termina, et cetera. This story has been written for the fun of it, not for the sake of money.
I do, however, own all the identities and personas of the characters such as Trey, Shadow, White Foot, Twiggy, Blaze, et cetera.

Author's Notes: Wow, super-happy-fun-long-chapter, yay. Enjoy, my readers. I had so much fun writing this chapter, I couldn't stop! I wanted to get all the information I needed before proceeding on to the next chapter, which will be another breakage point in the story. However, if you feel this chapter is TOO long, maybe you should tell me and I can break it up into two separate chapters.

The snake-scene at the beginning is significant to the story, so don't just blow it off, people! You have to pay attention to what I write. One word: foreshadowing. Ooooh, scary. If you want to make guesses on who someone is, please, please, please don't post it in your review! Keep it to yourself so you don't spoil the story.

And for those of you who don't know, TBC stands for To Be Continued.

-oOoOo-

Wolfos in Sheep's Clothing
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Chapter Nine: Disgrace

-oOoOo-

"Ready or not, here I come!" Link called out in the midst of the quiet clearing. The two inseparable friends had been reunited again, each of them as excited as the other. They needed to do a lot of catching up since the scene in the Kokiri Village, and playing together light-heartedly like little children was, for them, one of the best ways to do so.

The keaton pressed himself closer to the ground, a smug grin spreading on his face. This game of hide-and-seek never got old, rather, it was always different the second time round. Link also had a great deal of fun trying to spot out the crafty keaton in the forest foliage, and usually the animal's spot was so good, that the Kokiri had to give up and call for him to come out. Even with the disadvantage against Trey's strong-powered senses, Link still enjoyed this game, mostly because it was pure, mutual fun between them. He knew somewhere deep in his heart, that Trey would never abandon or bully him. They were the true definition of friends.

"Ha ha! I got'cha!" The blonde laughed, parting the bushes away to reveal Trey's crouched yellow body.

The keaton barked, tails flapping, as he went up to Link and licked his hand a couple of times. The Kokiri laughed even more, partly because of the amount of fun he was having, partly because the keaton's rough tongue tickled his hand. "Alright, alright," He breathed out, gently pulling his now slobbered-on hand away from the animal. "It's your turn to find me! But remember, count to twenty, okay? Otherwise it won't be fair!" Just as the boy was about to run away to his hiding spot, he stopped and called over his shoulder, "Oh! And no peeking!" The keaton chuckled to himself at this as he closed his eyes, counting the numbers in his head.

One…Two…Three…Four…Five…

The blonde boy ducked away behind some tall ferns and a rock, his forest green tunic blending in well with his surroundings, like a chameleon.

Six…Seven…Eight…Nine…Ten…

Link dared not move in the bushes; even the slightest crunch of leaves underneath him could trigger off his hiding place. He breathed in and out slowly, trying his best not to make the familiar noise of shortened breaths, for that too might give him away.

Eleven…Twelve…Thirteen…Fourteen…Fifteen…

However, Link was so caught up in his game that he failed to notice the tall grasses behind him parting away slightly, silently. He peered over the rock he was hiding against, and grinned at the sight of his friend, who was still counting silently by the tree, or in this case, "base". From out of the tall, never-ending rows of drying grass, emerged a long, thin body, which crept along the dirt silently, as if it were air. His body was as well camouflaged in with the surroundings, and so Link still failed to see it coming directly at him.

Sixteen…Seventeen…Eighteen…

The scaly, writhing body on the ground advanced closer and closer to the distracted boy. It slithered closer and closer, nearer and nearer, to the boy's unprotected leg, tasting the air with its long, forked tongue spitefully. He could taste the vulnerability in the boy, and writhed closer to his prey. This would take not but a moment or two before the deed had been done.

Nineteen…Twenty.

Ready or not, here I come.

Link screamed bloody murder, making the keaton jump out of his fur, as well as scaring the crows from their perches in the trees. Trey instantly picked up his friend's frightened scent, and bounded over to the child's hiding spot as fast as his legs could carry him. Something was amiss in the usually peaceful woods, and he could sense it. In one graceful bound, Trey leapt on top of the rock Link was against, like a gazelle, and peered down to what was ailing the Kokiri.

The colour was completely drained from Link's face as he sat, back against the rock, whimpering and shaking violently. The problem was instantly spotted out by the loyal keaton friend from his perch. A long, nimble serpent was making his way up Link's leg, and towards his upper unprotected skin, like his neck and arms. Markings like a death adder spun around the snake's body like stripes on a candy cane, although, the colouring of this particular serpent was different from a normal death adder in the woods. Instead of blacks and greys, this snake's body was a brown-copper, with deep brown stripes all along his writhing body. The dangerous, blood-red eyes glistened in the sun like two tiny rubies as the serpent opened his mouth to issue a blood-chilling "hissssss".

Venom from his front two, long fangs dripped down as he did so, and it was quite clear for one to see. His elongated, ebony tongue licked along Link's leg as he climbed steadily upwards, tasting the boy's fears with sadistic delight. Once bitten, this child would not survive for more than a mere half an hour; with no cure, not even the strongest faerie in all of Hyrule and Termina combined couldn't aid the boy, for this poison the serpent had produced enchanted with a intoxication of evils.

As the adder-like snake was about to issue his death-kiss on the terrified Kokiri, Trey leapt down from the rock, determination flashing in his hazel eyes. He swatted the snake away with his claws, snarling and spitting ferociously as he did so. The snake recovered from the blow, and hoisted himself upwards on a coiled tail, hissing violently at his attacker. No one dared stand in his way and live.

The keaton had his fair share of encounters with wild snakes before, but never anything like this. This serpent, besides his unusual colourings and venom-production, seemed…stronger. More powerful and hardy, and maybe even more determined than other snakes Trey had come across before. What really baffled the keaton was the fact that a snake came out of hiding in autumn. Reptiles needed warmer weather, and since the days were growing colder, fewer snakes had drifted out of the grasses. Once a snake was clawed by the keaton, most of the time they would slither away in the tall grasses, too lazy to put up a fair fight, but not this snake. It struck repeatedly, always missing the keaton by a mere hair, never giving up on his wicked spirit for the taste of death on his tongue. Finally, the keaton struck again at the snake, his aim true and direct.

His claws cut deep into the snake's body, like many kitchen knives slicing a fish. This new discovery was also shocking to the keaton. A snake's body was typically more impervious to his claws, but this one seemed to have not such a good defence system, unlike his powerful offence system. It was almost like sinking his nails into soft berries off the branches, and Trey smirked at the fact that this serpent would come for more than he bargained for. Again the oddly coloured snake attempted striking the nose of the keaton with his dragon-like fangs, but Trey dodged out of the way, the snake's head closer than ever before. Wasting no more time, Trey pounced on his foe, wounding him relentlessly, strike after strike at this buttery skin of frailness.

With a final hiss, the abnormal reptile slithered away from the fight scene, trailing drops of blood behind him as he went through the tall grasses from which he emerged from. Trey looked down at his forepaws and grimaced at the sight of them. Instead of the natural, berry-coloured blood that tainted his paws after a fight, there was a glistening blue-black goo smeared all along his paws. Appauled just by looking at the gunk, he sneered at the awful sight as he wiped his paws hurriedly on the grass, before turning around to face his traumatized friend.

The colour was slowly beginning to return to Link's boyish face, but he still trembled against the rock, his eyes wide and frightened. Trey looked at his friend with sympathetic eyes; he did not know that the ten-year-old had such a phobia of snakes. And so, like all good friends, the keaton went forth to the terrified boy, pressing his head against Link's shoulders gently. Almost instinctively, Link hugged the furry neck of his animal-friend, comforted nearly instantly by just the mere aura the keaton emitted. They stayed like that for a moment, Link regaining his composure slowly. He never told anyone but Saria, the closest person to him, about his deep, dark secret—the fear of snakes. He was awfully petrified at the sheer sight of the wriggling reptiles, not to mention how the snake had nearly bitten him to death. The boy murmured a sincere "thank you" into Trey's fur, finally letting go of the keaton.

He closed his eyes, breathing in and out deeply, gathering his strength and confidence, and ridding himself of the horrid memories of the vicious serpent, and the gruesome battle between it and Hazel. Trey licked Link's face briefly, still trying his best to calm the boy. That little gesture iced the cake, and finally, the Kokiri started to settle down into his normal state.

He rose from his spot on the ground, and Trey watched him with concerned eyes. Link saw this and reassured the keaton that he was doing better than before by faintly smiling at his friend; he did not want to worry the caring keaton. He did, however, not want to be in this spot to play games. Tall grasses where snakes like the reptile who had just tried to kill the innocent young boy were all around them in the clearing, and just thinking about the venomous beings coming out of hiding silently gave Link chills down his spine. "Um, Hazel," His voice quivered a little, trying to push the thought of more snake-attacks out of his mind, "Can we go play somewhere else, please?"

The keaton knew what his friend meant by that and he nodded his head in understanding. He smirked consciously, thinking of a way to go to another location while playing at the same time. He ran away from Link for a short distance, then made a U-turn and bumped right into the Kokiri purposely. He barked and bounded up and down, tails flapping from side to side eagerly.

Link stayed quiet for a moment, thinking of this strange action. Finally getting it, he grinned wildly and shouted, "Oh! Tag!" He laughed, chasing after the keaton, who was happy Link had discovered what he was trying to communicate. Smirking, the green-clothed boy chased after his friend through the thickly settled woods, laughing with ecstatic content. Even the horrible memories like the snake-attack could be instantly melted away for a while by playing with friends and having a good time. The keaton knew he was faster than the Kokiri when running, so he slowed his pace considerably so Link could catch up with him, but still did not get himself tagged.

The inseparable duo tore through ferns and bushes, stamping over wild flowers and grasses, and expertly dodged overhanging tree branches as the continued their merry game. Finally, when Trey slowed his pace to avoid a small patch of thorns, Link caught up to the nimble keaton, tagging him with a laugh and the exclamation, "Tag! You're it!"

Before Trey could even think twice, his friend was already sprinting away through the foliage of the forest, his laughs descending in volume as he ran further and further away. With a smirk, the keaton sprinted after Link, his steps light and nearly silent as he seemingly glided over the ground. He stopped running though when he heard no more sounds of crunching leaves, a sign of Link's dash. He stood stock still, heart-pounding and tongue lolling out of his mouth in a pant as he listened with acute hearing skills for any signs of his two-legged friend. Only when he heard a tiny sneeze, he knew that Link must not be gone, but merely hiding. The keaton rushed over to where he heard the noise and sure enough, discovered his sneaky friend hiding behind a colossal tree trunk, barely breathing in order to stay quiet. Link cried out in surprise when the keaton jumped in front of him, and he barely dodged the swipe Trey made at him. He rolled out of the way as another swipe came at him, and hurriedly picked himself up from the ground and raced through another patch of bush.

With an overpowering determination to tag the blonde boy, Trey sprang after the child, adrenaline pumping in his veins. Trey rammed himself in Link's backside, pushing him down on the ground, face-first. Of course, he wasn't hurt in this action, rather, he laughed at the game and the fact that he was now "it" again. However, Trey was too busy playing and having a fun time with his Kokiri friend to notice the location where the two had ended up in. The two friends sat in the grass of the small clearing, catching their breath and laughing in between gasps and pants. Trey rolled over on his back, heart pounding in his chest from the severe running he and Link had just accomplished.

His long, pointy, black-tipped ears pricked up though when he heard familiar sounds approach the area where he and Link sat. He sat up, suddenly alert with a serious, worried aura to him. Those voices…They sounded so recognizable, but he couldn't place his paw on it. He rose to his feet, ears erect and listening with fixed attention as the voices grew steadily louder. Link seemed to notice this sudden, strange behaviour in his friend, and with a concerned curiosity, he asked, "Hazel? What's wrong?" The keaton paid no heed to his two-legged friend's words as he tried to pinpoint the memory attached to the sounds, but it seemed lost in the depths of his mind. Suddenly, a rustling of bushes was heard, and out of the lush foliage emerged two figures, their presence squeezing the life out of Trey:

Sandy and Autumn.

The colour drained immediately from Trey's face as he saw these two girls from his pack enter the clearing. He wanted to sprint away with Link from their gazes, but it seemed as though his feet were glued to the ground and held by massive weights that prevented him from going anywhere. The two girls instantly ceased their conversation as they stared at Trey, wide-eyed and open-mouthed. Link, who had his back turned to the two she-wolfos, noticed Trey's odd stance, and turned around to look at what the keaton was staring at. When he too saw the wolfos standing before him, he gulped, knowing that wolfos could be very vicious, even if not aggravated. He scooted closer to Trey, knowing that this three-tailed friend of his would never let harm come to him.

Sandy's expression subsided from blatantly shocked to a sad, disappointed frown. The mere sight of this silent communication contorted the keaton's intestines in a maze of perplexing knots and squeezed his heart like a lemon ready to be made into lemonade. Autumn on the other hand had a very different reaction than her friend. Instead of the incredulous expression that she too once had, her face twisted into a sly, smug grin of sadistic bliss. She would not let her much-hated keaton-enemy's mistake go by unnoticed. She turned tail, and with one last grin of wicked dark-heartedness, she sprang back from where she came, and towards the Hideaway, which was dangerously close to the clearing. Trey gasped as he realized what Autumn was about to do, and grabbed the collar of Link's tunic, attempting to drag the boy in the direction of the Village. Luckily for Trey, Link knew what the keaton was trying to tell him, and rose from the ground, jogging away into the woods with a last good-bye look over his shoulder.

When Trey turned his head towards the direction in which Sandy and her catty friend had come from, he discovered that Sandy too had left, but only just recently as the bushes were still rustling. He grinded his teeth together in anguish as he bolted through the bushes, sweating with fear at what could come out of this if Autumn arrived in the Hideaway before he did. He swore colourfully under his breath, pushing his body to its very limit, willpower like no other bursting in his muscles. He whooshed past Sandy, but paid no attention to her or any other side distractions; all that mattered was the factor of Blaze's snobby daughter.

He persisted onwards, faster and faster he ran, and faster and faster his heart-pounded in his chest, blood rushing in his ears. The hammering heartbeats like a mighty drum echoed in his mind, and seemed to be one of the only things he heard in his desperate state to catch up with Autumn. Finally, he crashed through the last of the bushes before speeding through the vine-covered entrance, just in time to see his target sprinting ahead of him. He was not very far now. Again forcing his body to give its all, Trey pushed forward, locking his eyes directly on Autumn.

With one, almost-supernatural leap, he landed in front of reddish-brown wolfos, his chest moving outwards and inwards in an impulsive attempt to regain oxygen. Autumn skidded to a halt when she saw it was her much hated enemy who had stopped her dead in her tracks. She recovered her composure before snarling and glaring at the offending keaton ahead of her. "Get out of my way!" She snapped aggressively, raking the dirt with her claws. It was at this point that Sandy finally caught up to the two, but did not intervene in the heavily-tensed scene, rather, stayed back on the sidelines, unsure of what to do.

"Before you start making hasty accusations," Panted out Trey, his gaze never leaving the ember-like eyes of Autumn, "Let me explain."

The she-wolfos spat on the ground with a dangerous hiss. "Why should I? There's nothing to explain. What you did was disgustingly wrong, and you must pay for your dire actions!"

"I have a legitimate reason! Hear me out!"

"No! As daughter of the alpha male, it is my responsibility to uphold the laws my father has set!" She growled at the keaton, fur standing up on end. "If I were to pardon you or hear your worthless pleas, what sort of wolfos would I be?" Autumn's fangs gleamed in her ferocious snarl, growls emitting deep from her throat.

"Autumn, let Trey speak." Sandy interjected, raising her voice a little.

"You! Shut up!" Blaze's daughter barked harshly, snapping her head to the side where her friend stood, now also giving the polite wolfos one of her famous glares. "This business of ours is none of your concern!" The timid wolfos immediately withdrew at this cold-snap her friend made at her, and she backed away, tail limping on the ground apologetically.

Outraged at this treatment to Autumn's so thought "friend", Trey batted her head his paw, careful not to scratch her with his claws; scratching and clawing would only be used as a last resort, especially with the disaster with Fish behind him, it was better to try and keep things clean so that he could at least have a little trust from the others. "Oi, that's no way to treat your friend!"

The reddish-brown wolfos snorted. "Be quiet! I don't need you to tell me how I can or cannot treat someone! Now get out of my way before I have to hurt you!"

Trey didn't reply, only growled and stood his ground, defying the egotistical she-wolfos' protests.

She tried stepping around him, but Trey did not allow her to, only moved in front of her path again. Autumn kept trying at this same tactic, and each time Trey would do the same action, preventing her from passing him. With an aggravated and infuriated yowl, the fiery wolfos charged at Trey, lashing out her claws in front of her. Completely unprepared for such a move, Trey had no time to dodge the attack and was knocked over onto the ground forcefully.

He pushed the she-wolfos off him with his back paws, using the time he gained from this move to rise from the ground. He snarled at Autumn, whose muscles were tensed and ready for a fight. A smirk played deviously along her lips, a plan formulating into her mind. She again sprang at her adversary, bowling the juvenile keaton over on the grass. She pounced off him, though, and pretended to continue to run to her daddy. Panicked and irrational, Trey sprung on the she-wolfos, this time it was he who was bowling over his enemy. Autumn spun around, giggling consciously with delight as Trey slowly fell into her trap. She swiped at him with her claws, watching with joy as she left scratches on one of his long ears.

Trey winced at the small jolt of pain from the cut, but still argued defiantly, trying not to get wrapped up in a fight, especially with the alpha male's daughter. "Autumn, calm down and listen to me! Just hear what I have to say before going to tell on me!"

"Coward! Fight back like a real wolfos! Stop trying to make peace, it won't work!" The she-wolfos snarled, ignoring Trey's objections. She wouldn't stop standing still for a moment, always stalking around the opposing keaton, trying to get past him to her father. Still, Trey persisted on, determined to make the unruly ginger wolfos listen.

The juvenile keaton was growing annoyed with the spastic movements of Autumn, and with a lost-willed grunt, he growled out, "For the love of Farore, stop moving and listen!" And in his aggravation, he swung one of his forepaws out towards Autumn, not intending his claws to hit the she-wolfos.

However, as much as he didn't intend for it to happen, it did.

His claws came in contact with Autumn's muzzle, and before Trey had time to think, he had already left scratch marks on the alpha male's daughter's face. The ginger wolfos grinned rascally at her foe's bad mistake, as she cried out in a feigned, desperate tone, "Help, help! Daddy! Somebody! Help me! Trey's attacking me!"

As she screamed these words, Blaze came jogging through the Hideaway, Sandy leading the way. Apparently, when the two arguing juveniles were too busy fighting each other, the quiet Sandy had slipped away to find her leader. The muscular grey wolfos stopped at the scene, teeth barred aggressively. Trey took one look at the alpha and gulped hard, feeling suddenly very tiny. His eyes shot back to Autumn, who was now hiding behind her father, playing the part of misunderstood-victim perfectly. A hint of a self-satisfied smile was on her face, and she gleamed with determination at the awaiting fate for the keaton. A group had started to assemble around Blaze, Autumn, and Trey, and was steadily growing by the minute, all of them wondering what the excitement was about.

When the juvenile keaton took one glance at that serpent-like smug expression on Autumn's face, his mind clicked with understanding of what had just happened. His ears lowered straight down on his head, and he gritted his teeth together, glaring at the prissy wolfos like no tomorrow. "Bitch!" He screeched, frightening the surrounding wolfos for a moment. "Why do you get so much joy out of my pain? You wicked, cold-hearted…!" He attempted to lash out again at the she-wolfos, but nearby wolfos who had foreseen something like this happening, quickly stepped in front of the keaton, holding him back with all their strength. Some of the spectators in the crowd began to whisper and gasp with horror to what was happening, but the real show had not yet begun.

With one fluid motion, the hefty alpha male swiped his dagger-like claws at the keaton's forehead, his aim direct and true. Immediately it silenced Trey's irrational outbreaks. From the deep claw marks left from Blaze's action, a small trickle of sticky crimson blood had begun to seep down the keaton's forehead in between his glowering hazel eyes. "How dare you attack my daughter," Spat the alpha male, his face darkening. He tried not to play favourites in the pack, but when it came to his own offspring, he had no choice but to get angrier than usual. "What is the meaning of this? Rash, despicable actions! Pah! How dishonourable to your pack!"

Trey tried to suppress a soft growl from his throat.

"Why, dare I ask, have you caused such harm to my daughter?"

Trey opened his mouth to speak, but Autumn beat him to it. "I was on my way to report news to you daddy, but Trey wouldn't let me! He jumped in front of my path and began to harass me!"

Murmurs spread through the throngs of surrounding wolfos, but were hushed down when they saw that their leader wanted to speak again. "What sort of news?" He questioned, his curiosity growing steadily stronger. He didn't bother to inquire Trey on how credible his daughter's words were; he believed that whatever the ginger wolfos was saying was one-hundred percent accurate.

One could almost hear the plummeting of Trey's heart as he realized what the alpha male's words meant. An unpleasant bile rose in his throat, his colour again draining. There was no avoiding the subject now.

Autumn's smirk grew in a wickedly gleeful manner. "Our dear keaton friend has been associating himself with Hylian cubs; I saw him playing with one with my own two eyes."

There was a terribly awkward pregnant pause that followed this, but once registered this statement in the wolfos' minds, their expressions drastically changed, especially the alpha male's. Grimaces and sneers grew rapidly, along with deep growls emitting from the throats of the pack, their sounds harmonizing together in a melody of anger and hate. Trey gulped, silently shifting his eyes around to the throng of surrounding wolfos' ears flattening in a rhythmic pattern with the rising of their neck hair.

The flickering ember eyes of Blaze ignited into a roaring forest-fire of an undying inferno. "Once a keaton, always a keaton!" He bellowed, hefty muscles tensing and rippling under his grey fur. "Now I see where your true loyalty lies, keaton. On that faithful day when White Foot brought you into this pack, she spoke of how you smelt of the Hylians! You must have been associating yourself with them like you did this cub! That is why your pack wanted you out!" He snarled, jumping to hasty conclusions, but still gaining the trust of his followers. Blaze circled Trey, who stood firm on his paws, determined not to show the ferocious alpha his anxiety.

A part of the ring of wolfos was hastily pushed aside in a desperate attempt, as if someone was trying to manoeuvre through the heavily packed crowd. Trey and Blaze stopped and turned their heads, anxious to see who was feverishly trying their might to pass through. Soon, a light grey she-wolfos pressed forward into the circle where keaton and alpha male stood. "What is all this I hear about Trey and Hylian cubs now?" She demanded, her gaze flickering from Blaze to Trey. "Are the accusations true? Has Trey been socializing with Hylians?"

Blaze charged up to the keaton's adopted mother, sizing up with her, ears flattened tightly against his skull. "Yes, it is true! What did I tell you White Foot, on the day that you brought this half-dead thing into the pack? 'If he turns traitorous, it'll be on your tail'! Remember? Trey has shown his true colours, and promises are promises, so now you'll pay for it!"

"Stop it, Blaze!" Trey roared, gaining attention of both adults. "It is not White Foot's fault…It's mine." He gulped, standing tall. "I will admit my actions, sir, and I realize what I have done is wrong, but I have a reason. You see, there was this boy—"

He was cut short by Blaze's infuriated growl, like the roar of a mountain lion. "I wish to hear none of it! Since you have admitted your actions openly, I will generously allow your 'mother' to remain unpunished, but as for you, serious consequences will arise."

Immediately Trey thought of seclusion, starvation, or something of the sort, but never did he expect Blizzard and Blaze to agree on the same punishment so hastily, nor so extreme:

"Leave this pack at once, and never return."

Murmurs and yowls of approval sprung up from some of the surrounding pack, while some, like Twiggy and Sandy, remained silent and shaky. Even Skunk looked slightly incredulous to the decision, but his expression hastily changed from surprised to smug. White Foot's clear, ice eyes were large and sorrowful, a powerful sense of dread and distress washing over her as she gazed upon her adopted son, who stood, wobbling slightly on his paws.

"Blaze sir, what of the Deku Scrubs? You said yourself not for a being to go alone in the woods while they roam." Sandy quietly piped up, gulping down a small sense of sadness, on Trey's part, herself.

"It will be Trey's problem." The alpha snapped back, eyes furious and unforgiving. "If he seeks help, he can surely call on his cub-friend, am I right?" Smirks and jeers followed the statement, but the keaton stood defiant, to make sure the others did not see his anxiety.

He knew there was no denying it. He could not argue against these ominous, foreboding words his former leader hissed, and so he nodded his head slowly, gulping down unpleasant bile in his throat. "So be it." He finally snapped back, eyes glowering at Blaze. He sadly, slowly, padded over to his adopted mother, and exchanged fond mother-and-son licks on their ears before Trey turned to the crowd, who was now parting for him.

The last walk out to the entrance felt like walking underwater, slow, steady, and tough. Yet, he had a relatively quick pace with him, and before the keaton knew it, he had reached the vines. Taking one last look upon the creatures he had grown up with, he sighed, turned tail, and disappeared through the hole.

Forever.

-oOoOo-

A light drizzle of late-summer rain was beginning to trickle down from the grey, ominous clouds above in the depressing-coloured sky the evening that Trey was banned from the pack. Shadow was out with Rocky when the trial had taken place in the Hideaway, so he was not informed of the gloomy news until he found his beloved mate huddled up in their den, sniffling in sorrow.

Even though they were not the same species, Trey and White Foot still shared the bond that mother and child both have. She had raised the keaton since he was a tiny, worriless pup, and watched as her adopted son progressed through stages of his life, experiencing new and different sites and smells, and trying out new incidents. She remembered the hunting expedition she and Trey had gone on, and the fateful encounter with the she-keaton.

Shadow understood this bond, for he too had something similar. He comforted his mate for a while before settling down and sleeping for a short period of time. He wanted to get a little bit of sleep before he would sneak out of camp.

Kaepora Gaebora had agreed to meet with him that evening to discuss matters concerning the Deku Scrubs. Their numbers had multiplied rapidly, at an alarmingly fast rate, and Shadow wanted to do some investigating. He couldn't stand back and watch as his pack shivered in anxiety and constantly looked over their shoulders in fear. Even Blaze was hesitant to go on the subject; he was troubled enough as it was. What the deep grey wolfos was doing was wrong, he knew, but he had to break the laws…Just this once for the safety of his pack. However, now aware of Trey's departure, Shadow also decided mentally that he was going to talk to his old friend about his troubles with his adopted son.

Late in the evening, around four-in-the-morning, Shadow forced himself to wake up from his deep sleep. He carefully stepped around his mate, who was snoozing peacefully next to him, her brow furrowed as if in a deep-thoughted dream. Into the cold night-time air he rushed on silent paws, aware of any obstacles he might come across; leaves, sticks, rocks, and whatnot. He needed to be as silent as a raven, as agile as a hare, and as crafty as a fox to achieve his goal without getting caught.

His dark pelt blended in perfectly with the darkness that surrounded him; his emerald eyes were the only things piercing the blackened surrounding. Swiftly and silently, Shadow made his way through thick foliage of the Lost Woods, arriving at his destination, which was not anything more than a small cliff. However, this ledge he sat upon did not look across a vast, empting landscape, but a simple wooden bridge connecting two logs together. Kaepora Gaebora once told him the Children of the Forest used that bridge, but not anymore, so it was safe to come to this area.

The deep grey wolfos stepped on a dried out leaf, a sharp crackling sound piercing the silence of the night around him. He gasped, suddenly tensing his muscles and readying himself for anything, although Shadow knew that it was he who stepped on the leaf, not a stalker from the pack. The fluttering of feathers against each other followed the sound that Shadow had ungracefully pulled off, and the wolfos knew instantly who it was.

"Kaepora…?" He asked hesitantly, not knowing if he should break the serene hush of the woods.

"Shadow? Is that you?" A familiar voice queried back, the fluttering of feathers again heard. When Shadow replied back, affirming the old owl's suspicions, he responded to his wolfos friend, "I'm glad that you have made it safely, old friend. I was worried for your wellbeing, considering the attacks the Lost Woods has been receiving lately."

Shadow bowed his head briefly, a smile spreading on his face from the consideration the sage had. "Thank you for your consideration, Kaepora Gaebora. I'm sorry we had to meet in such conditions, but because of the strict rules Blaze has set, I am no longer as free as I used to be. Besides, I needed to speak to you in private."

Kaepora Gaebora nodded. "Of course, I understand completely, toohoo."

"Have you seen any more activity among Deku Scrubs?" Shadow asked, getting to the point concisely.

The owl turned his head upside down, thinking. "Hmm…Only a little. They have spread out into some hidden regions in the Lost Woods, burying themselves in deep piles of leaves. The Sacred Meadow is entirely taken over, I'm afraid. The Scrubs have positioned themselves at every corner of the maze, and there is no way to avoid it."

Shadow cast his glowing emerald eyes down to the floor, gulping at the news. He released a slow, heavy sigh. "That is not good, not good at all. What if the Sage of Forest is driven back by the Deku Scrubs? How will she play her tunes that keep the forest alive and bountiful?"

"I see what you are talking about, Shadow. However your words aren't entirely true. Yes, the Deku Scrubs' intentions are to do just that, but the Sage of Forest is crafty and skilful, and will find a way to play her song, toohoo."

Shadow faintly smiled. "That is good to know. Do you think we will rid the forest of these evil creatures, Kaepora Gaebora?"

The owl stirred a little. "…Depends," He finally said, "You might, you might not. It all depends on the faith your pack has; if it is humble enough to join up with other creatures who also wish for peace, you might just defeat these creatures. If the pack, however, does band together with another side—evil—terrible things might happen for creatures of the Woods." The wolfos Kaepora Gaebora was speaking to was silent, soaking up all information with intent hearing and serious mindset. The wise owl hesitated for a moment, but continued speaking,

"…Speaking of evil beings, Shadow," He started, gaining the focus of Shadow's brilliant emerald green eyes on him, "I have sensed a powerful force in the Woods." His expression darkened gravely, the owl's chocolate eyes hardening with solemnity. "This evil…being…I have picked up is not your average Deku Scrub or Deku Baba, mind you. It is horribly powerful, and carries lots of undying malevolent intentions with him. It has been an age since I felt such a power emitting from a sole creature. You must be wary, Shadow. This creature could be the downfall of the whole forest."

Shadow swallowed uncomfortable bile in his throat, getting pleasantly rewarded with a dry mouth afterwards. He found the courage to speak, but his knees shook a little, just by hearing this dark news. "This-this being you speak of, he is in the forest? At this moment?"

Kaepora nodded soberly. "Yes. He has been prowling the woods since yesterday, feasting off of creatures' fears. I do not know much more about him, but what I can tell you is that he is a creature not to be tampered with or trusted. He is a deceiver, and will brainwash anyone who is weak of mind and spirit."

"I…I need to tell Blaze this, immediately!" Shadow sprang to his paws, knees still quivering. "But, I am not sure of how he will believe me…I cannot say that I have gone to see you, for he will know that I had disobeyed him."

"Tell him that you saw a vision in a dream. Lying is not the way to go, I realize this, but your safety is far too important at this moment to think about such things. You must try and convince him as much as possible, dear friend. If Evil reaches his heart before you do…I'm afraid I cannot do much more to help you."

The dark grey wolfos shook himself, ridding the small amount of water that had collected on his soft fur. "I will try with all my heart, Kaepora Gaebora. That I promise to you." He turned tail, ready to sprint away, but stopped suddenly as a thought burst into his mind. "Wait! Kaepora, my son…Trey, remember?" The owl nodded slowly, unsure of where this was going. "Blaze exiled him from the pack. If the Evil prowls through the Lost Woods, and my son is out there in the wild, I fear for his safety. Please, would you try and keep an eye on him?"

The owl blinked twice, astonished. "Uh, yes. Yes of course! I will scan every acre in search for your son, rest assured."

Shadow's eyes gleamed thankfully. "Thank you greatly, old friend, thank you. I hate to be impolite, but I must make haste before the sun reaches the tops of the trees, lest that I be discovered missing."

The sage flew from his perch. "Do not apologize to me for such things; you are an old friend, and I sympathize with your plights. Good-bye, Shadow!" And with that, the owl took off into the air, feathers tailing down behind him as he rose higher and higher into the sky. Shadow had bounded off before the feathers could reach the semi-moist ground.

He did not realize he had been out so long, consequently, he sped up his pace faster and faster, determined to reach the Hideaway before Blaze awoke. As he ran, trees and bushes, among other foliage of the forest, whizzed by Shadow in blurs of greens, their importance not significant to him at this time. He burst through a clump of bushes, emerging in the clearing where the vine-covered entrance was located. Panting lightly, he looked upwards at the skies, sighing consciously with relief when he saw the sun only starting to peek out behind the tops of the gargantuan trees. He was about to start off again, this time towards the entrance, but stopped suddenly when he heard the crunching of leaves in front of him, at the other end of the clearing.

Muscles taught and ready, Shadow watched with narrowed emerald eyes as a figure emerged from the bushes. He relaxed again when he saw that this creature was no other than his adopted son, Trey. His brain clicked into recognition when he finally registered this, and immediately Shadow rushed forward, muddled emotions bubbling in his mind.

"Trey!" He hissed lightly, reaching the keaton. Instantly, like any worried father, he barraged his son with countless questions. "How are you? What are you doing here? Are you okay? What happened? Something wrong? Do you need to tell me something? Why did you come back? Did you see anything strange in the Woods? Are you frightened? Sick? Hungry?"

Trey blinked a couple of times, registering these badgering questions for a moment, slowly processing them into his mind. Finally, he replied with knowing, "Oh! Dad, I needed to come back to the Hideaway; there's something I need to tell Blaze!"

"What is it, champ?"

"There's a…wolfos…in the woods! He was coming right this way!" Trey looked over his shoulder briefly, paranoid that something was watching him with a locked, watchful gaze. He shivered a little. "Dad, I've never seen a wolfos that huge! He was colossal, larger than Blaze, I swear! I was lying down when I heard the ground rumble a little. I looked up, and sure enough, there was this monstrous wolfos approaching me! I quickly ducked behind some ferns, and luckily he didn't see me, but he was headed straight for the Hideaway! There was some-something about him, dad, something that was…off. The look in his eyes…Determined, angry, fiery. What do you think he wants?"

Shadow's face had paled as his son told his tale, the talk from Kaepora Gaebora lingering in his mind threateningly. "Come on, follow me. We're going inside the Hideaway. I don't want you out while that…thing lurks, understood?"

"But…I'm not supposed to be here! What if I get caught? I came back to see if I could tell you, and pass the news along. If I go inside, surely I'll be seen!"

Trey's father hesitated. "Go hide in nearby bushes. Don't you dare make a sound and everything will be alright." Without even waiting for a response from Trey, Shadow briskly spun around, nervousness pounding through his heart, although he remained calm as possible, trying his best to stand up in the face of danger.

Trey ducked behind a nearby bush and pile of leaves as he and his father entered the clearing, just like Shadow had instructed. Wolfos were just now beginning to wake from their slumber, and slowly emerged from their dens, ready to start a new day. The keaton spotted Twiggy and Sandy among these wolfos, who had now seen each other and were making their way over to speak to each other.

The great and looming figure of Blaze was the next creature to be seen peeking out of his den. He yawned like a lazy lion, stretching his limbs as he drowsily hopped out of his den. Shadow instantly jogged over to him, determination plastered on his features. The lighter grey of the two wolfos, Blaze, looked up with still-awaking eyes as his guard came trotting over to meet him. Surprisingly, the hard-hearted alpha male did not growl or grimace at the sight of Shadow, instead, smiled with pure happiness. Baffled, Shadow sat in front of the alpha male, unsure of what to do. "Good morning, Shadow!" Boomed Blaze heartily, laughter in his tone. "Ah, what a lovely, light autumn rain we received last night, no?"

Shadow found his tongue after a few puzzling moments of registering this into his mind. "Buh, uh…S-sir? Might I ask what you are so…happy about?"

"Oh, I didn't tell you?" The light grey male questioned, eyes widening in shock. "Why, we're having a visitor today! He's travelled all across Hyrule to come and talk with me! Apparently, rumour has it he's one of the toughest wolfos around! Maybe he'll come and fight the Deku Scrubs and help us rid of them of the forest! Wouldn't that be superb?"

"I, uh, suppose, sir."

"Ah, buck up now! Formalities are nonexistent today, my friend! This is supposed to be a happy occasion! Today might be the day of the start of liberation!" He laughed heartily again, making Shadow glance around nervously. This…jubilant Blaze was scarier than the normal Blaze. "So what did you need?"

The time had come for Shadow to make a stand. He focused his attention on his leader, and, inhaling and exhaling a deep breath, said, "Sir, I've been having dreams lately of an Evil creature in the woods. His power is far from what we're seen represented by Deku Babas or Scrubs, but something more mighty and malicious. He wishes not good deeds on the forest, but horrible, wicked ones. We must keep an eye out at all times; we never know when something unexpected will happen."

Blaze was silent for a moment, pondering this. "These are not but dreams, Shadow! They are only figments of your imagination portrayed to seem like real occurrences while you sleep. There is no evil present except for the Deku Scrubs who have made their homes here."

Shadow was about to protest, but Blaze interrupted him. "Ah! Look Shadow, look! Our guest has arrived!" The alpha male sprang to his paws, his tail sweeping side to side like an excited pup on his first hunt. Shadow, gulping, looked over his shoulder to see this guest, and gasped lightly when he saw him.

Huge, bulky muscles were clearly conspicuous and bulged out from underneath his thick, light brown-copper pelt. As Trey looked more closely at the intimidating being, his stomach flipped in realization that his colourings on his pelt looked dangerously similar to the colouring of the serpent he had fought yesterday. This wolfos was indeed a colossal giant, as Trey had described, and stood an immensely tall height as he walked with his large, proud strides. Each time one of his mammoth paws hit the ground, the earth would quake a little under his paw-steps, making wolfos nearby jump a little at the vibrations. A clever smirk was slyly growing on his face, and his auburn eyes gleamed with authority. He grinned at Blaze as the two males met together, one smile that showed two rows of perfect, knife-like fangs in his immense jaw.

There was a brief moment of silence. "Greetings, Blaze," His deep voice boomed, the drumming tenor notes echoing off of the walls of the Hideaway, riveting off in ripples of sound into the trees. He ducked his head briefly, as did Blaze in return. This visitor stood a head taller than the alpha male, and Blaze had to recline his head back slightly to see the piercing auburn eyes of his guest.

"Good morning," The alpha male greeted back, smiling from ear to ear. "I am glad you have made it safely to our humble abode. Tell me, was your trip a good one? No hindrances, I hope?"

"Ah, not at all, not at all. It was a very satisfactory journey, and I have enjoyed the scenery of the forest rather than the dull, bleak landscapes of the West."

They shared a brief laugh. "Wonderful, wonderful! Come, come, let us discuss business matters closer to my den; we do not want others overhearing us, correct?"

"Indeed. But, who is this?" The giant of a wolfos inquired, nodding to Shadow, who had just begun to rise from his spot.

"Oh, him? This is my top guard, Shadow!" Blaze responded, grinning at said Shadow who just merely nodded anxiously in the face of this menacing creature.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Shadow," The copper-brown wolfos greeted chivalrously, ducking his head down momentarily. "You may call me Boar."

Shadow did the same, still a little apprehensive of this somewhat odd behaviour. "Um, hello…Boar."

"Shall we talk of those pesky Deku Scrubs now, Alpha Blaze?" Boar turned his gaze back to his friend.

Blaze nodded as he walked towards his den, Boar at his heels. "Yes, there is much to talk about and so little time."

-oOoOo-

Shadow paced around Blaze's den for the umpteenth time that hour. Boar and Blaze had been talking non-stop, but the guard couldn't hear a word of it. Blizzard guarded the den entrance and made sure no one wolfos overheard the two males' conversation. It was a matter of power and command; a conversation that was no doubt a very private one. Finally Blizzard stepped aside, and out strutted Blaze, Boar at his heels. Boar, Blaze, and Blizzard sat together in a straight line, eyes hardened and faces solemn, except for Blaze who still had that ridiculous smile on his face.

"Attention all wolfos!" Blaze trumpeted, silencing all activity. All members of the pack instantly stopped what they were doing and jogged over to their leader, murmuring about who the 'new guy' was in the middle of the two alphas. "We have an important announcement! Boar here is going to stay in the pack for some time. He comes from a pack in the West where they only live to kill and fight wrongdoers! He's willingly volunteered to help us fight the Deku Scrubs!"

Instantly, cheers and roars of approval shot up from the crowd, excited to hear the news. Their fears were dying down, and just by looking at this wolfos from the West, they could tell it was no lie that he was bred only for killing. "However, he does request that he follow his exact orders, and do as he says," Blaze continued, hushing the crowd. The surrounding wolfos nodded slowly, murmuring on how they understood clearly. "We will also breed an army under his command, so that in future time when despair haunts the woods, we'll be able to defend ourselves. Boar requests that every male in a healthy, fighting age must join his army. The stronger we are, the less time it will take to rid Deku Scrubs. Lastly, we must pay Boar for his services by giving him portions of our dinner everyday. This meat will be transferred to his pack by designated messengers."

Shadow stood on the sidelines, disbelieving the news. Although while the idea of ridding the scrubs from the forest was an excellent idea, some of the commands Boar was already issuing seemed a bit fishy. The wolfos seemed to buy it though, and talk about how great an idea it was. They only cared about the evil creatures being taken care of, nothing more. The deep grey wolfos watched intently as Boar leaned over and whispered something in the ear of his leader, feeding words into his mouth. Shadow furrowed his brow, now determined that something odd was unveiling. Gulping, he decided to stand up for what he believed in.

"I object to these proposals!" He exclaimed, rising onto his paws. The throng of wolfos turned to him, and the alphas narrowed their eyes at Trey's adopted father, wondering what he had to say. "How is that we must obey Boar, some stray wolfos foreign to our pack and our customs, and not Blaze? Is Blaze not the ultimate decision in this pack? So then why must we do as Boar says and not Blaze? What is this idea of sharing our food with his pack, too? Can Boar's pack not hunt for themselves? After all, they were bred to hunt. We are not their scavengers!"

Boar stood up slowly, grinding his teeth together. "It is wolfos like you who spoil the whole pack," His deep growl rumbled like an earthquake in the Hideaway. "My clan has suffered many a draught and has lost prey. We need food, unlike wolfos like you who get plump and lazy!"

"There's barely enough prey in this forest to suffice our hunger! What makes you think they'll be enough for two packs?"

Boar menacingly stormed up to Trey's father, sizing him up. "If you do not like my laws, why don't you leave? They'll be plenty of keatons to take you in." He spat, hair rising on his back. As he said this though, his eyes drifted to the corner bush where Trey still crouched in, silent and stealthy.

"'Your laws'?" Shadow repeated, "Since when was this your pack? Blaze, can you not see this peculiar behaviour Boar is exhibiting? He acts as if he is the alpha male, while you are the ultimate authority, not him!"

"Be quiet, Shadow!" Blaze hissed, his smile disappearing. "It seems as if you do not want the greatest good for your pack! Just like your son." Growls and roars erupted at this, all wolfos remembering the fowl acts Trey had done.

Shadow paled a little. "I-I am not saying I do not care for my pack! I have grown up with everyone here, and this community is ultimately my greatest love. Do not speak like I would not want to bring happiness to my fellow wolfos!"

"He lies!" Boar snapped, sharply turning his head to Blaze. "He only wants Darkness to take over the forest! He cares not for the welfare of your pack!"

Through the trumpeting growls and barks the wolfos pack bellowed, Blaze sat tight, gears in his head churning. "What do you suggest we do with him?"

"In my clan, traitors and the defiant are not overheard! We will either torment them or kill them on the spot! We know of no 'exile' that you perform in this pack." He barked, a smug grin trying its best to twist on Boar's features, but he held it back with some effort. "I say we kill him! Bad eggs like this one will never come out right!"

"You shall do no such thing!" Trey could take no more of this and he leapt out from his hiding spot, ears pressed flat against his skull, eyes gleaming in the morning light. Gasps and shocked whisperings spread in the pack at the sight of the keaton, who was dirty and muddy from all the running and hiding he did in the forest.

Before the keaton could protest though, Blaze snapped right to attention, calling out a, "He has returned! This time, he shall be shown no mercy from me! Skunk, kill him at once!"

The Hunting Party Captain at once leapt at his leader's command. "With pleasure, sir!" He howled, giving Trey some time to bolt away as Fish and two other aggressive males joined in with the hunt.

They sped out of the Hideaway with a breakneck speed, whooshing past all obstacles and objects in the woods. Trey could hear their hammering paw-steps behind him as they raced faster and faster, hearts pounding rapidly in unison, passionate determination flashing like flames of a fire in their eyes. They snapped their jaws at Trey's long, golden tails, but missed by only a hair.

Zigzagging through the mazes of the deepened woods, the hunt continued. The keaton was losing strength and endurance to keep up this god-like speed, but he pushed himself onwards and onwards, pressuring himself that if he did not win the race of life, he would get killed.

Thankfully, a familiar log came into view, and sprinting forward, Trey led his hunters through its dark, abyss-like depths, and into the Kokiri Village. However, the wolfos were so bloodthirsty and one-track-minded at this point to notice this. The keaton raced faster, his feet flying off the ground in an impeccable movement of agility when he saw another log up ahead. He zoomed through it, and over the deserted bridge he had often seen on treks in the woods, the four ravaging wolfos snapping and snapping their powerful jaws at him all the while. As they all entered yet another log, they made it through to the outside world; Hyrule.

The wolfos skidded to a halt, panting ravenously at oxygen, their lungs deprived of it from their immense race through the Lost Woods. Groaning and growling in frustration, they watched with the same tightened expression as their prey descended over the crest of the first hill of Hyrule Field, until he was nothing more than a tiny dot.

Skunk growled like a mountain lion, deep and ferocious, in his throat as his eyes narrowed into nothing more than tiny slits. "Feh. Don't even bother chasing after the poor thing, boys. It'll just die anyway."

And tentative because of their loss, the four males turned tail, sulking from the failure of their much-enjoyed thought of a fresh slaughtering, especially one of a keaton.

The same thoughts churned in their minds though, and they smirked wickedly with delighted satisfaction at it: If the lack of prey won't get him, the Hylians will.

-oO T.B.C Oo-