Sorry for the delay. I can't believe I've already run out of steam for this story. Hopefully it'll pick up again soon.

9- Branching Paths

The thing about Link never really having had a proper group of friends before was that he'd never gone through having a group of friends fall apart before, either.

It started slowly, so slowly he never saw it coming, really. Dana and Simin began quietly distancing themselves from the others, spending more time alone together, talking quietly and seriously, frowns on their faces, their hands tightly intertwined. The rest of them put it down to changes in their relationship; they were courting, it was natural they'd want to spend time alone, wasn't it?

But then came the day they, collectively, decided it was time to go back to the city. They'd left it abandoned for too long; people they had so often helped would be struggling, and couldn't be left to go it alone for any longer. Impa would no doubt still be on the lookout for them, so they would have to take things slowly and carefully, but it was time to return. The Captain's wrath was a risk they were willing to take.

Well, not all of them, as it turned out.

'We're not going back,' Simin said quietly, as they were packing up their things in preparation for the next morning, when they would finally be leaving the safety of Hyrule's fields and forests.

Everyone immediately stopped, and there was a long, heavy silence. Link felt like there was a pit opening up in his stomach, gaping wide and hollow. It didn't hurt, per se, but it didn't feel great either. He knew the feeling well; he was all too familiar with situations like these. His first response was denial, telling himself he'd heard wrong, that this couldn't be headed the way he thought it was.

He already knew, deep down, that it was.

The gaping hole gaped wider.

'What do you mean, "not going back"?' Kian eventually asked, setting his bag down with a soft thump. Link wondered if he was just asking for asking's sake, because the long pause said they all knew what Simin had really meant. 'If you're worried about Impa then-'

'No.' Simin shook her head. 'You guys are going, but we're not.'

'You're leaving.' Nabooru wasn't asking. The statement, quiet but firm, silenced them all for another long moment. Eventually Dana nodded slightly, and Simin reached out to take her hand. Ice seemed to flood through Link's veins as he processed the little gesture, even if he'd known already. He dropped his gaze onto the floor, frozen where he stood.

He hadn't expected this, not at all. He'd thought, maybe childishly, that they'd all stay together forever. From the looks on the others' faces, though, he wasn't the only one. None of them knew what to say, they were all just stood in silence.

They were leaving. They were leaving.

'Well, that's that then. You'd better get going.' Maram's voice was cool when she finally spoke, and all eyes fell on her in surprise. Hurt appeared on Dana's face, resignation on Simin's. Link didn't like where this was heading; he could feel the tension rising in the air, taut and suffocating. Worse than the emptiness in his stomach.

'Maram, what-?' Ganondorf seemed at a loss, then he stretched out a hand towards Dana and Simin in a stay kind of gesture. 'No, no. You can't just leave, that's-'

'They want to leave, Gan, so just let them.' Folding her arms Maram threw a glare towards the couple. 'Good riddance, I say.'

Immediately, protests rose up from all sides.

'Maram-!'

'What's got into you?'

'Why are you getting mad?'

Link didn't know what to say. It was like all his words had fled, leaving him mute. He didn't know what to say, he didn't know what to think, he didn't know what to feel. He'd lost so many people, so the situation wasn't exactly unfamiliar, but this was the first time he wasn't the only one losing someone. Or two someones. He could see all the emotions he'd felt himself over the lifetimes playing out in the faces around him and it was bewildering, disorientating.

It was worse, somehow, because he wasn't the only one in pain. He could handle just himself hurting, but to see his friends like this? On the brink of falling apart, heading towards a full blown argument?

It was so much worse.

'No!' Maram suddenly threw up her hands, shaking her head as she raised her voice over the others'. 'If they want to bail then let them. We don't need friends who turn tail as soon as things get tough!'

'That's not it at all!' Dana had tears in her eyes, a painfully earnest look on her face.

'Of course it is!' Maram jabbed a finger at her. 'You're scared. You're scared so you're running. We're supposed to look after each other, not abandon each other. What's there to be scared of? We have each other's backs, we keep each other safe!'

'If you'll recall, that didn't work out so well last time.' Simin's tone, by comparison to Maram's angry one, was level and measured, albeit a little tight. 'We all got caught. If Gan hadn't exploded like he had we'd all be in jail, maybe even hanged by now.'

'Guys, come on…' Kian had his hands stretched out in a placating way, his voice a gentle plead. He was ignored.

'That won't happen again,' Nabooru chipped in suddenly, a definite undercurrent of threat in her words. 'Never again.'

Ganondorf seemed to cringe a little, turning his bewildered, hurt expression onto Nabooru. 'The magic? Or getting caught?'

'What?' Obviously caught off guard Nabooru just blinked for a moment. 'Both. And that's not what I meant, Gan. That's not even the problem here.'

Ganondorf's eyes narrowed slightly, and then suddenly he and Nabooru were arguing too, albeit more quietly than Maram and Simin.

'Am I a liability now? Just another danger we'll need to calculate around?' Ganondorf demanded, eyebrows pulling together when Nabooru sighed. 'Why are you sighing?'

'Because you're being ridiculous, Gan. No one said anything like that, and like I said your insecurities aren't the problem right now! This is so far from the time to be talking about that.'

The air was steadily getting heavier and heavier. It weighed down on Link, who felt like he was being silently choked. He couldn't speak, even if he felt like he needed to. Someone had to be a voice of reason, and he'd been through this enough times that he'd probably be able to calm them all down.

But he couldn't speak. Words failed him, his voice failed him. All he could do was stand, silent, as his friends fell apart.

'Why are you getting so angry, Maram?' Kian looked a little how Link felt, his hands still outstretched and ignored.

'Because they're abandoning us! Why aren't you angry?'

'Well why do you want us all to sacrifice ourselves so badly?' Now Simin was getting worked up, clearly reaching the end of her tether. Link had only seen her angry once before, but it hadn't been like this. Now she just seemed tired, and hurt, and honestly Link couldn't blame her. He wondered if he ought to be angry, like Maram, because Simin and Dana had to have known this would happen.

But at the same time he understood. The desire to be safe, wanting to avoid be bound to a certain fate. If they left now, it was likely Impa would forget about them, in time. It was likely the city would forget them. They'd be free, and safe. Link and the others would make sure of it.

'We're not obligated to get ourselves hanged, you do realise that right?' Simin continued as Dana nodded at her side. 'We're allowed to not do everything and anything you want us to. Just because we're friends doesn't mean we owe you our lives!'

'You just don't understand, Maram!' The words seemed to burst from Dana, whose eyes were brimming with tears. 'We just want to feel safe! There are things we want to do but- but we need a home to come back to and if things carry on the way they are there won't be anything left and something we can't take back will happen and- and so-!'

As his friends voices rose up all around him Link was tempted to cover his ears, or more preferably yell at them to just stop, but as it was he still couldn't get his voice box to work. He was so frustrated with himself.

In the end, though, he didn't need to worry, because Ganondorf apparently had the same idea.

'Okay, enough! Enough.' He raised his voice and it reverberated with power, not as intensely as it had the night with the fire all those months ago, but enough to get everyone's attention. They fell silent, all eyes turning to Ganondorf, who swept his gaze over them all in return.

'This is ridiculous,' he continued when he was sure he had everyone's attention. 'This is- well, it isn't us. Maram, I know you're upset, I think we all are, but getting angry won't help anything.'

Maram folded her arms tightly across her chest, as if they could somehow act as a barrier, and looked at the floor.

'Dana, Simin…' Ganondorf's voice tailed off as he looked at them, pressing his lips together firmly as his brow crumpled with grief. 'You're sure this is what you want to do?'

They glanced at each other once, then nodded in unison. Everyone was silent for a moment, having almost forgotten that simple truth in the heat of the moment. They were really planning on leaving. It wasn't up for debate, they wouldn't be talked out of it.

Still, Kian clearly had to try, because he stepped forward with a pleading expression. 'No- no you can't just leave. We're a team, in this together. Even if you don't want to go out and steal stuff anymore we- we need you. You're our friends you can't-' his voice cracked and he fell silent. Link's heart went out to him; he was sure they were all feeling the same, even if they wouldn't admit it.

'It's not like it'll be forever. We never wanted it to be forever,' Simin said after a moment. 'It's just… there's so much more out there and we- we want to see it while we still can. Before we get hanged or shot or- or something. Things were never meant to get so serious. Or so dangerous. I'd like to help people some other way, and I want Dana to be safe.'

They glanced at each other, then Dana turned back to the rest of them with a sad smile. 'We're still friends, though, right? We'll always be friends.'

'Obviously. You're stuck with us forever.' Kian managed a grin and a wink as he spoke, which earned him a few soft, sad chuckles.

'We- well, I- won't hold this against you,' Ganondorf added. 'I can't blame you for wanting out of this craziness we're getting ourselves into. And… it'll be good to know you two, at least, are safe and away from all this.'

'I wish I could say the same,' Simin replied, sharing another glance with Dana. 'You'll be careful, won't you? All of you?'

Nabooru scoffed. 'Like we aren't already anyway.'

'I'll-' Maram paused, then sighed heavily. 'I'll keep them in line.'

Dana gave her a small, tentative smile. 'We'll be counting on you.'

Maram just huffed in reply, looking away, her mouth pulling down at the corners.

For a moment nobody moved, but then Link sprang forward to hug them both. He so rarely got to give people a proper goodbye; usually they just left, leaving him alone in the silence they left behind. Dana and Simin, though, both laughed a little and hugged him back, encircling him with their arms and pulling him close. He squeezed his eyes shut, feeling the tell-tale sting of tears in his nose and willing himself to stay together.

He clung to them for as long as he could then stepped back, giving a hearty sniff as they both smiled down at him. Their warmth lingered for a moment, though it stole away the further he got from them. He had to keep moving back, though, because now the others were crowding in, having been spurred into movement.

There was a good five minutes of hugs and goodbyes and soft promises to be careful and look after each other, but eventually they all ran out of words. They were left standing a little way apart, Dana and Simin side by side opposite the rest of them, tears in everyone's eyes and trembles in everyone's voices.

Simin took a deep breath. 'This isn't forever,' she said, her voice holding steady somehow. 'We'll see you soon. Be careful.'

They chorused they would, and then all at once Simin and Dana were glancing at each other, lifting their hands in slight waves, turning away. They faced the setting sun and started walking, shadows stretching out behind them, throwing all their friends into cool shade. They didn't look back.

In the end they left silence in their wake, after all. Link figured he was already a few steps ahead of the others in regards to processing what had just happened, working through his emotions, and it seemed to be true when he was the first to move. Everything suddenly felt colder and a little grey, so he was going to get the fire started. He needed something to do, something to distract himself with.

He was sad, he was a little angry too, he was relieved those two, at least, would be okay. He'd process all of that later, when the knot in his chest loosened a little.

It was different, in a way, to parting with a travelling companion. It was a different kind of relationship, he supposed. Somehow it hurt more and less at the same time.

At least he still had the others.

Unless any more of them decided to leave.

He wouldn't dwell on that right now. That was something he could avoid addressing until it actually happened. If it actually happened.

Goddesses, he hoped it didn't.

And it wasn't like anyone had died. There was every chance he'd see Simin and Dana again. Maybe it would be years, but it wouldn't be forever. They hadn't died, they hadn't sealed themselves away to protect the world from evil.

So much for the fire distracting him.

Still, by the time he got it lit the others had all roused themselves from their stupors, crowding around the flames in silence. Link wished someone would talk, but guessed that they, like him, couldn't find any words.

They packed up their things and left early the next morning, and Link could see the others all stealing glances at the horizon, just like he was, as if they were all looking for two silhouettes they knew weren't coming back.

He had never been so grateful for the bustle of the city when they arrived later that day. They had all agreed they would meet up at one of the safe houses that evening, and until then they were to split up. Link, Kian, Ganondorf, and Maram all headed off on their own, while Nabooru and Aveil stayed together. It felt a little wrong, but honestly Link was a little relieved. The pensive silence had been getting to him.

So the hustle and bustle of the city was refreshing. There were so many voices, there was so much to look at and do. He supposed he was still just distracting himself, in the end, but he figured it was better than dwelling.

With nothing better to do he lost himself in the city's liveliness, hoping his words would come a little easier once night fell.