A.N.: The last one is finally rewritten, I'm sorry for taking so long! The next thing I'll do is to update a new chapter, and so we will get to the normal once-in-two-weeks update rate. Though, I still have to fix some things in the seventh chapter, but no more completely rewritten ones for you.

Italics are thinking or animal's/spirit's talking, as you may already know.
Again, I own only my Ocs and ideas, everything else belongs to Nintendo.

Chapter 6

Colin and Epona had reached the lantern shop, the boy hunching on the mare's saddle, trying to look as small as he could. Colin had stopped Epona for a while to look for Coro to open the gate to Hyrule Fields, but found no one. Maybe he's inside, he thought and dismounted with a thud, walking to the door. A small knock; no answer. He knocked louder, still no answer.
Well that was weird. Where could the man be? Maybe his sudden disappearing was caused by that strange state the whole woods seemed to be in.
Colin went back to Epona and patted her forehead.

"I think we are not getting out of here as fast as we need to..." he spoke quietly, looking directly into the mare's hazel eyes. She snorted, throwing her head and backing a bit.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Colin asked, trying to find something in Epona's eyes. The mare looked away from the boy, staring the gate ahead with widened eyes. Colin slowly turned his head to find anything that would have taken the mare's attention. For a while he didn't see anything out of ordinary, but then it hit him.
Eyes. Two almost black eyes observing their every move behind the gate. They were darker than their surroundings, barely glistening due to the lack of light. The boy gasped, took a step back. Since it was dark Colin didn't see the figure unlike Epona. She snorted loudly and shrunk, half rearing.

"What is it, Epona?" Colin whispered, glancing her quickly. He was barely breathing, obviously thinking the littlest sound could release an attack. The creature breathed heavily, each breath was dull as if it had travelled across the whole world as fast as possible. Colin stand still like a statue, Epona beside him without blinking. Her tail was raised up as a flag as she stared at the creature. The mare snorted, and the creature neighed loudly, reared and smashed its front legs at the gate, breaking the lock hanging on it. Epona screamed and reared in terror as the shadowy black creature stormed in the area.

Meanwhile, Link had made her way up the staircase and out of the window. She padded along rooftops Midna on her back, when the imp suddenly pulled both of her ears back to stop her. She growled but stopped and Midna grinned to herself.

"Aren't the black clouds of twilight beautiful today?" she asked and viewed the dirty yellow sky. Link answered with a grimace. So this is called Twilight? What a brilliant name, oh my...

"By the way, I want to introduce you to somebody very important, but this person is in the other tower. Shall we go doggy-girl?"
Link glanced the imp over her shoulder while a long line of questions flowed through her brains. A bit hesitantly, she nodded and the imp didn't hide her satisfaction.

"Oh that's a good girl, let's get goin'!" The imp kicked Link's sides and with a growl she trotted forwards. She had no idea where to go, but then again there was only one way to go to, and it was forwards. Well, if you didn't want to go back to the sewers, and only thinking about it got Link's spine filled with chills.

After a few minutes running along slippery rooftops in the rain Link almost bumped into a soldier's spirit.
"Oooh... Our poor castle... What have you been through..." it spoke, the voice being barely a whisper, and viewed across large gaps between rooftops and towers. Link tilted her head, a castle? Could this be Hyrule Castle?

"Eeeheehee! Well, you got a hint didn't you! Do you already know where we are? Eeehee!" Midna laughed and kicked Link's sides once again. The wolf was still a bit shocked. Hyrule Castle!? What has happened here?
She continued and pushed a nearby crate against a stone wall, climbing up to the higher ledge. After that she ran along the stone path until a dull scream-like voice got her close her other eye as it pierced her ears. Link stopped to a halt and automatically dropped to the fighting stance. In a second behind the rooftops rose a big black pterodactyl-like bird, heavily flapping its big wings. It headed straight towards Link, and as it came closer, she noticed it hadn't face at all, just a trumpet-like head where the dull sounds came from. Link grimaced, why couldn't all the enemies just be nice little strawberries so she could eat them all...

"Hey doggy, watch out for the kargaroks! I bet you don't want to end up being a pile of dust down there! Eeehee!" the imp reminded and pointed down the gap next to them. The said kargarok dove at Link who had to crouch down to avoid being thrown away. Right after she lifted her muzzle up and caught the bird by its stomach. She slammed it down against the stone, put her front paws on its wings and tore its windpipe out. In disgust she threw the corpse down the gap. She had already stopped trying to get the horrible taste of black blood and guts out of her mouth, but now as it got stronger after a few more killed kargaroks she really started thinking to rip her tongue out.

After one big gap and three more kargaroks she finally reached the tower. Using kind of steps she climbed in, and dropped to a narrow staircase. Running them up she entered the room, immediately seeing a figure worn in a black cloak, a hood hiding its head. Link growled, though a bit confused as Midna let out a quiet giggle on her back.

The shadow-black stallion leapt towards Epona, eyes wide open, teeth ready to taste its own species blood. Epona screamed and side-jumped to the right, pulling the reins from Colin's hand. The boy dodged to the opposite direction, and the stallion flew between them. Only now Colin saw a man on the horse, cloaked in black. He pulled the reins to turn the stallion around. The horse reared and turned, screaming like it was in agony, then leaping at Colin, but Epona was faster as she smashed herself into the stallion's right side with all her weight. The sudden hit in the side overbalanced the stallion and both the man and the horse fell down, sliding on the ground for a short time. The man climbed on his feet and rolled away from the way of Epona's hooves that hit the ground right next to him. Colin had backed away, afraid of the both man and horse. The stallion stood up to attack Epona, but end up screaming with the mare's teeth bitten in its neck vein. Her teeth slowly cut through the skin and Epona's mouth filled with blood.
There was a flash of light and moments later a scream of agony filled the air, dully echoing around before fading away. For what seemed like hours it was silent, as the stallion fell onto the ground mouth and eyes still wide open. Its chest was rising rapidly as it lay all limbs straight and rigid.

Much to the man's surprise, Epona's knees betrayed her and she collapsed to the ground, each heavy breath blowing out a cloud of steam. A devilish grin playing on his lips, the man strode towards the innocent animal, other of the rusty cages swinging in his hand. Epona's ear flickered as he opened it with a click, her eyes wearily meeting the man's. Just like the slight movement of her ears a moment earlier, the sudden look in her hazel eyes was over in less than a second, but the message was clearer than the spring's crystal waters. The mixed emotions in that glance had shaken the man's mind momentarily, and he knew she was strong, that she knew.
Or how else she could've been so calm, and so still?