Midna yawned and sat up. Memories flooded back to her mind...she and Link had warped using the Harp, which proved it's magical properties. But she was alone.

She stretched and floated out of the eerie temple. Where was Link? The late afternoon sun beat down on her skin. Since they had warped in the morning, she must have slept for at least several hours. Why did warping like that take so much out of her?

"Hey, you're finally up!" She spun around. Link was smiling brightly at her as he closed the door to the Temple of Time.

"Yeah...what were you doing in there, anyway?"

"Looking for some Chus that I hadn't killed off last time I was in here. For my shoulder."

"Ugh, do you really trust those things? They look like parasites to me..." Midna shuddered. Link chuckled, remembering her hate towards all things slimy and squishy.

"Well, they seem to work pretty well for me, and I have no other option right now." He rolled a shoulder out of his tunic and applied a red jelly-like substance on it. He felt immediate relief, though he knew it would only be temporary.

"Hey, did you feel kinda...weak, after we warped?" Midna asked, feeling strangely self conscious.

"A bit, yeah." Link said, and frowned. "It was different from shadow warping. Almost like the energy is sucked out of you. I woke up only about an hour before you did. I didn't have the heart to wake you up. You looked so peaceful." He grinned.

"Oh..." Midna muttered, not knowing what to really say.

"Well, anyway, I haven't had a chance to look through my weapons yet. Bag please?"

"Sure." Midna handed him the other burlap bag from her shadow storage.

Link sat down by a chunk of broken rock and opened the bag. A note was lying on top. He unfolded it, and his eyes flew across it. Smiling softly, he put it down by his side. The bag was stuffed to the brim with his Fishing Rod from Colin, Double Clawshots, Horse Call, full bomb bag, boomerang, and Spinner. Curious, Midna floated over, picked up the piece of paper, and read it silently.

Link,

I didn't really know about most of the weapons, I hope what I picked out is okay.

I guess, as the Hero, it's your job to figure out what is going on in Hyrule. I said it once, and I'll say it again: Just come home safely. I'll miss you, and I'm sorry for leaving you at the village. I'll take care of things back here in Ordon, don't worry about us, but please visit when you can, ok?

Ilia.

She put down the letter. Something about it ticked her off.

"So...things going well between you and the girl?" She asked, making sure to keep her voice in a nonchalant tone.

Link looked over at her and put down one of the clawshots.

"Ilia? Yeah, I guess. She's one of my best friends. The other one is sitting right beside me." He put a hand on her shoulder and grinned.

It took Midna a minute to realize he was talking about her.

"Well, good. Let's get going then." She replied and gave him a wide smile, filled with a warmth and happiness she didn't really understand. She popped the bag of weapons back into the shadows and floated towards the entrance to the woods.

Link paused and looked towards the Master Sword in the clearing. It was much more powerful then his rugged Ordon Sword...but the Master Sword was only to be used in a when evil threatened all of Hyrule.

I'd...definitely call a mysterious black flame engulfing Castle Town and cursing all who came near it evil...

He approached the pedestal and placed a hand on the hilt, and drew the sword with purpose. Light emanated from the silvery-white blade, slightly blowing back the surroundings. The familiar feeling of the grip made Link feel confident and strong, something that he had doubted ever since the run-in with the black fire. Sheathing the sword, he walked out of the clearing.

The Lost Woods were filled with a dead, eerie silence. There was no wind, no movement in the trees. Nothing. Link and Midna both felt it as soon as they passed through the narrow opening in the cliff.

"I guess the Skull Kid won't be bothering us today, huh?" Midna half-joked.

"He's not here...nothing is here. This is so weird..." Link's voice trailed off. "How am I going to find my way through this place now?"

"I'll lead you, I remember which path I took last time...At least, I hope I do..." Midna hesitated, then floated through the left hollow. Link followed.

The sun was shining through the trees, creating a beautifully detailed pattern on the soft, damp earth and reflecting off the small pond. The scenery was beyond stunning, but something in the air felt ominous.

After an hour of wandering through the woods, Link and Midna finally made their way out. Although twilight had just passed, some of the orangey glow still remained in the otherwise dark sky. Link felt the cool whip of the breeze against his face. Midna floated up next to him, the black and ochre colored transformation crystal floating in her hand.

"Are you ready?" Link nodded. Midna brushed his arm with the stone. It sank into his skin and he took on his wolf form. Shaking his head to get rid of the slight dizziness that always came with transformation, he approached the Howling stone that was perched on the edge of the cliff. He took a few moments and listened to the faint whistle, then howled and waited. Midna watched as he seemed to disintegrate before her eyes. She had watched this many times before, but it still perplexed her. Sitting cross legged upon the Howling Stone, she rested her chin on her hand. She'd just have to be patient and wait.

--

I know, I know, terrible ending, terrible chapter, but at least I got an update in. I underestimated my workload now that school has started, and I've been INCREDIBLY busy. Updates will probably be around 4-6 days apart now. Sorry for the long waits, please bear with me here!

I hope that, somehow, you managed to enjoy this horrible, rather bland, pointless chapter. I cannot describe my undying hate for this chapter, yet I don't know how to fix it to make it better. Help, anyone?

-Peaches732