The First Kokiri: Tome I

Chapter III: The Keaton

Saria and Link set out at dawn the next day into the Lost Woods. After about an hour or walking they came to a small clearing with a small patch of flowers in the center around a pool of crystal clear water. They decided to take a break and sat at the water's edge as Link refilled their eater skins. Saria was wandering around the glade when she stepped on something and a loud crack was heard when she looked down she saw she had stepped on an old bone and she let out a shriek. Link was immediately at her side looking at the bone.

"Don't worry it's just an animal bone" Link said comfortingly. Saria was almost in tears.

"I-I thought it was a Stalfos bone *sniff* I thought it would come back to life *sniff* I was scared!" She started to bawl into Links shirt who just held her as she cried.

After she calmed they decided to make camp. Link set up the tents while Saria busied herself by making a small fire to keep the wolfos away and keep warm. She soon had a small blaze just as Link finished pitching their tents and sat down by the fire. After what seemed like an eternity Link spoke.

"Hey Saria?" He looked to her.

"Yeah Link?" She looked to him curiously wondering what was on him mind.

Link gave her a grin. "I was just wondering if you'd like to do a duet with me." He took out the old ocarina she had given him when he left the forest so many years ago. Saria smiled thankful for the chance to do something so peaceful when she felt anything but and took out her own ocarina and put it to her lips. She began to play a melody very familiar and close to her heart it was the same one she had taught Link to play when he first started his quest to save Hyrule. Link joined in the melody his eyes never leaving Saria's and as they both played they didn't notice a lone figure slowly approaching the camp.

The figure leaned on a tree by the clearing waiting for his presence to become known but he soon realised that they had no idea he was there so he decided to make himself known.

"Heh heh heh nice song you're playing eh?" The figure chuckled vanishing as Link whipped around to look and reappeared next to Saria. "Oh did I interrupt something?" He vanished again into the darkness of the trees when Link made a stab at him. "He he oh what fun you are" Link was getting VERY annoyed by this guy.

"Ok that's it who the hell are you?" Link looked to where the mystery man was but he couldn't make out his features as the darkness of the tree like obscured his vision for telling him anything more than that the man was clearly not Hylian. As the man tilted his head to the side two shaped on the top of his head almost resembling the ears of a fox flicked as did three tail-like shadows. Link raised his blade should he try to strike them. The fox-man just chuckled and said.

"Oh you're a fierce one aren't ya?" He chuckled again and teleported to the treeline behind them. "But you're a little slow heh heh" Link turned around to the voice but the man was no longer there. Then Link felt a tap on his shoulder and he whipped around aiming to cut the man's head off but the caught nothing but air.

"Oh ho ho a little hostile eh? I just thought that you may have been lost might need directions." The man's voice came from above him and when Link looked the man was on a branch. Link was finally frustrated at his fruitless attempts to hit the man he said.

"Ok ok you win now what do you want?" He looked at the man as he dropped from the branch and landed in front of him he saw what he truly looked like. He looked like a regular Hylian but he had three Keaton tails, and Keaton ears. He was dressed in a plain cloak and brown tunic but the strangest thing about him was he seemed to have a constant grin showing a mouth of fangs. He gave a large overexaderated bow before speaking. "Oh I want nothing more than to see what you are doing this deep in the woods hehe". Saria had taken a spot behind Link slightly fearful of the new Keaton-man. The man noticed this and made an almost theatrical expression of hurt. "Don't worry little Forest Sage I have no want to harm you" Saria glared at him.

"How do you know I'm the forest Sage?" She looked at him questioningly to witch he just chuckled and explained almost as if she should have known this already. "We Keaton know many things that are thought to be hidden hehe" Link decided to jump in there. "Listen you I don't care if you're a damn Darknut but if you hinder our journey to the Korok Woods I won't hesitate to kill you….got it?"

The man gave Link a funny look then chuckled as he said. "Hehe if it's the Korok Woods you're looking for I'm afraid you're heading in the wrong direction" Saria shook her head "That's impossible I've been there before and I know this forest like the back of my hands!"

"That may be so but about a week ago it seems the Korok Woods began to shift from its former position and went deeper into the Lost Woods…but what may have caused this even us Keaton do not know" He began walking around the clearing. As he paced his cloak flowed back his tails waving as he talked. "But if you wish it I can show you where the Korok Woods current location is"

Link looked at him uncertainly. "But if you do…..what will you want in return fox?" The man chuckled and gave a grin as he said. "Oh I want nothing hehe I just find you amusing is all, and I like to watch those that amuse me" Link scowled at him and was about to say something but he was cut off by Saria as she spoke. "Then I see no reason why we shouldn't accept your help….but I would like to ask one other thing from you….." The man raised an eye brow comically. "Oh?" Saria continued. "I'd simply like to know your name"

The man nodded but he looked slightly on edge by that question. "Oh….my name…..names can be a powerful thing you know should someone know how to use them…so you can just call me Keaton." He gave her a while grin. Saria giggled at his antics and nodded saying. "Hehe ok Keaton. I hope you don't mind if we make the journey tomorrow?"

Keaton shook his head. "Oh no that's fine with me little one you two look like you need the rest" Saria smiled and thanked him as she want to her tent but link stayed there eyeing Keaton. Keaton looked to Link and grinned. "Like what you see Hero?" Link scowled and approached him standing less then a fot away. "Listen you I don't care how much Saria trusts you but if you make even one move against us I'll make good on my promise to kill you….gout that?"

The Keaton just grinned and said. "Whatever you say hero hehe but remember the last time you tried to kill me? I can be quite….elusive hehe" Link grunted and turned around stomping to his tent leaving Keaton alone. Keaton looked to the sky with a grin on his face and thought to himself. 'Oh what fun this will be…..reminds me of when I met Cotton-candy hair….' He then walked up to a tree and jumped up to a branch and got comfortable ad like the other two he slept. But none of then saw the pair of eyes that had been watching them the whole time.

End of Chapter III

Keaton is property of Maannga.