Firstly I AM SO SORRY I'VE NOT UPDATED THIS FOR AGES!! I've been very busy/lazy and have been distracted by Final Fantasy, Persona, Dragon Quest, The World Ends With You, Soul Calibur, Odin Sphere and...well you get the picture. Stupid games all coming at once and taking over my life. To add to the list of excuses I have also have some Home Improvements done and have changed job. Couple that with a general lack of inspiration to do any writing, and you have my reason for not working on this. To make up for it, I will be posting a couple of one-shots shortly, so check 'em out if you have the time.

I do hope you all haven't lost interest in this story! and please accept my humble apologies.

Secondly

Thank you ADD Kyuubi Naruto, Super Goat Grl, QuinKilo1055, Fallen Dragonfly, Yuleen75, Link's Ocarina Babe, Ruto Lover (and a special apology for you for being so mean to Ruto!!), SSBMgirl, la generala, stateofmind7337 and Booklover13 for reviewing. If I missed anybody, I am sorry. Ditto if I didn't reply to your review (although I think I have done that now). I hope you enjoy this installment!

oooOOOooo

Chapter Twenty Seven - Soft. Fluffy. Stupid

Given the happenings of the previous day, it was a little surprising for Zelda to find herself waking up with her arms wrapped around Link's broad chest. Her surprise was not because she was unaware of her friend's affection for her, but more that she had not yet decided how she was going to react to his declaration. For a moment she wondered if her mischievous friend had somehow manipulated the situation during the night but quickly dismissed the idea. He had gone out of his way the day before to make her as comfortable as possible when it became apparent that his confession to Ruto had embarrassed her. Clearly then, she had been the one to embrace him and therefore it as imperative that she moved as quickly and as quietly as she possibly could without waking him up.

She should have known that not waking Link was pretty much impossible. As soon as she moved he chuckled and turned over. "Aw, don't move, Princess, I was all comfortable." He complained. He grinned at her and added, "although for a second I did think you were might have been Ruto, you were hugging me so desperately."

"I forgot how much colder the world is when you're me!" Replied Zelda, attempting to divert the conversation from its dangerous ground. "I needed to borrow your warmth again."

"That's fine. Borrow me any time you like, I will be your personal blanket." Link gave her a one-armed hug and sat up. "So where shall we go today?"

"Don't you want a day off?"

"What and give Impa, Ganondorf and Nabooru a chance to catch up with us. Not on your life! Besides...no I won't say it."

"Go on."

"Fine, you asked for it! I was gonna say you wouldn't make my day off interesting anyway."

"LINK!"

"You asked for it! Didn't living in my body teach you never to ask me to finish what I was going to say?" Link grinned as Zelda started to giggle, only prompting her to laugh harder.

"I don't think living in your body taught me anything I didn't already know." Answered Zelda, "Apart from how to be an idiot."

"Oh, that's mean." Link stood up and wiped invisible tears from his blue eyes. "My time being you taught me nothing I didn't already know either – I mean, I already knew how much I liked looking at you your body. Living in it just showed me which bits I like ogling the best!"

"Link!"

A little way off Amber sighed and rested her head on her paws. Evidently they were don't going to do much after all that day. The wolf-I mean dog-closed her eyes. She much preferred sleeping to dealing with immature puppies anyway, and besides, she knew if they got out of line, she'd just have to bite them.

oooOOOooo

"ENOTS LATSYRC FO GNIDOAL, ESAELP WOHS EM ZELDA." Commanded King Ganondorf. From the deep frown line marring his face, the sneer on his lips and the wild, unbrushed state of his orange hair it was clear that he had not had a very good night's sleep. At his side Nabooru was calmly brushing her hair, looking perfect as always. She was one of those very fortunate (and therefore slightly smug) people who could sleep just about anywhere and would invariably wake up looking as though she had just stepped out of an expensive boudoir. She smiled at her King's anger and watched with interest as the Seeing Stone focused in on a view of Zelda as she and Link and wandered across a wild flower meadow whilst their pet gavotted about them enjoying the late summer sunshine. Link was being electrocuted.

"Young love." Snorted Ganondorf. "It makes me feel sick."

"Yes Sire. It is vile." Agreed Nabooru, curling her lip at the sweet picture presented in the Seeing Stone. "I wonder where they are going?"

"Don't know. Don't care." Snapped her King. He was never at his best in the morning, especially when he'd not had enough sleep the night before. Nabooru repressed a smile and pulled on her shoes. "Are we going to follow them again, sir?"

"Uh, all these questions! Just leave me alone!" Snapped Ganondorf. He yawned again and attempted to go back to sleep. Unfortunately the rocks they had chosen as their night's camp were cold, hard and not exactly designed to be beds. Especially those bits that seemed to be deliberately spikey. He closed his eyes resolutely and turned his back on Nabooru.

"I'll just watch what's going on then, My Lord." Said Nabooru, taking a seat next to the seeing stone. She grinned at her King's back again and skilfully resisted the sudden urge she had to ruffle his hair. Such behaviour would not be befitting in a Gerudo officer. 'Then again', she thought amusedly, 'neither was acting like a spoiled child befitting behaviour for the King of Hyrule'.

For about five minutes Ganondorf feigned sleep, trying to ignore his body's demands to be awake. The bright sunshine almost prodded at his eyelids willing them to open and the light breeze tickled the hairs on his arm, chiding him softly for trying to sleep on such a glorious day. He decided he hated the world. "That's it!" He shouted, giving up on his attempts to rest his poor body, "I'll get up or whatever, but be warned Sunlight! You are now my enemy. Mwahahahahahahaha..."

"Ganny, are you all right?"

Nabooru's concerned voice dragged him back into reality and away from his schemes to cover the world in darkness. He glanced in her direction and saw she was trying not to laugh. He scowled at her and muttered something about the hideous perversity of the sun, and the freakishly unjust manner it chose when decided to share its light with the world just when he was trying to sleep. Why was it, he wondered loudly as he scowled up at its lovely shininess, that the nasty whitey-yellow sparkly star only shone this brightly on days when he was trapped outdoors and needed more sleep? Clearly the sun was the most evil thing the goddesses had ever thought of and it was purposely designed to irritate him. Well, he would get his own back! From now on the sun, and all who actually tolerated its stupid, wicked glowiness, were his enemies. It was war. Ganondorf versus anything that could be deemed in any way shape or form, cheery. Apart from his rubber duckies. They were exempt. For one thing, they were Officially Evil, and were therefore going to take his side on his war against light. And Secondly, well, they were his babies. His precious, beautiful babies and the thought of ever being mean to them was just...it was just...more horrible than that nasty, shiney light in the sky. And anyway, he could always paint them black if their yellowy happiness got on his nerves too much. Anyway, he told Nabooru, he officially hated birds, bees, flowers, summer and most of all the sun.

If his companion thought that such a plan was a little extreme, she did not say. She just smiled and nodded as she watched her King's mind succumb to darkness. Anything so long as he was happy, she thought.

oooOOOooo

"So we are heading...where?"

"I don't really know." Link smiled in a manner he hoped would reassure his companion. From the look on her face, his plan wasn't working. He took the frown, coupled with the hands set firmly on her hips and feet set slightly apart to mean that she was awaiting a more detailed explanation of his current plans. "I'm following Amber."

"Well that makes sense." Zelda gazed at the golden-coated wolf ambling some paces ahead of them, "She is much smarter than you'll ever be."

"Haha, very funny."

"I'm just trying to figure out where in Hyrule we could possibly be going? I mean, we've irritated every resident in Castletown, got lost in the Lost Woods, put the Gorons to sleep, raided the Graveyard and insulted the Zora! Where could you be planning to spread your own personal brand of joy next?" Zelda smiled at her friend's outraged look and poked him in the ribs. "Don't come all innocent with me, Linkipoo, I know you for what you are now – A Calatian Knight who specialises in the restoration of the Chameleon Stone! Don't tell me you don't know where to find all the Dream Snatchers because I won't believe you!"

"So maybe I do know where the Dream Snatchers should be – I may not actually know if they're still there. That's why I am following Amber?"

"Why, because she can find them?"

"No, because I am lost and I'm hoping Amber will take us back towards Impa."

"Impa? Why..." Zelda had a sudden urge to kick Link, which regrettably she repressed. Instead she sighed and calmed her temper. "Why would we want to find Impa again if we both have run away from her? Doesn't that defeat the object of running away in the first place? Besides, didn't you object to a day off so Impa couldn't catch up with us again?"

"W...e...l...l... I guess but the thing is – I need access to the Chameleon Stone to show me where the remaining Dream Snatchers are hidden- the Chameleon Stone is currently in King Ganondorf's possession, therefore is most likely hidden somewhere in the castle. Thus I need a reason to get into the castle so I can have a good mooch around. Impa will be that reason. She's a judge, she can grant me a day pass, or something."

"And you think she will help you?"

"Sure, who wouldn't help this face?"

Zelda glared up at Link, taking into account his unruly golden looks, innocent look, sweet smile and big blue eyes, and sighed.

"Besides," Continued Link, his blue eyes beginning to twinkle with amusement, a look which made Zelda's heart flutter in the most stupid manner (which really annoyed her), "I need to tell her our good news."

"And that would be...?"

"Aw, don't act all coy, Princess. You know you love me too. Why already I can see the attraction in your eyes, and the way you try not to smile at my jokes, and the looks you give me when you think I'm not looking and the way you cuddle up to me when we sleep and..."

"All right, enough already! So I think you're attractive, a girl can lust after her friend, can't she!"

"Lust, eh? Fine by me." Link grinned and hugged her again, making her blush furiously. "Anyway, I can't wait to tell Impa. The look on her face will be priceless."

"Yeah for the few micro-seconds that you'll get to see it before she strangles you." Mused Zelda. "I'll tell you what, let's not tell Impa what happened in the Zora domain and what you think about me until after we've got a day pass thingy so we can visit the castle, eh? Or in fact, a better plan – let's just not visit Impa at all! Let's sneak into the castle and...oh what was that?"

"An excuse to jump into my arms?" Grinned Link, as he deftly caught her mid-air.

"Don't flatter yourself." Said Zelda, as she firmly disentangled herself from his embrace. "I saw something."

"Really? Where?"

"Over there." Zelda helpfully pointed out an overgrown spot of Hyrule Field. She watched impassively as Link cheerfully strolled forwards. Amber followed him silently, her hackles were slightly raised. There was another flash of colour in the patch and Link stopped. He whispered something to Amber and the wolf crouched low. Link edged forward, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

"Wow." He suddenly exclaimed and scooped something up from the ground. "Zelda, I am terrified." he admitted. He swung around and grinned at her. In his arms was a cute and harmless-looking golden cucco. It clucked softly and snuggled into his arms.

"That is not what I saw." exclaimed Zelda, giving the hapless bird a doubtful look.

"Well it was the only thing over in that particular patch of grass." Link rubbed his face against its soft downy feathers and smiled happily. "It's so cute!"

The cucco stared at Zelda benignly.

"It looks evil to me." She stated. "I think I should fry it."

"Fry it? How dare you!" Cried Link, holding the bird protectively against his bosom. "Why would you want to be mean to such a sweet little thing?"

"Because all Cuccos are inherently evil." Replied Zelda, coldly. She firmly believed that too. Looking at the blank, beaky face currently staring back at her with a peculiarly aimless look about it made her shudder. Link chuckled at this and snuggled the bird to his cheek.

"So soft..." He murmurred.

"So stupid." Retorted Zelda, taking a step back. It wasn't clear whether the remark was cast at Link or his newest pet.

"Why don't you like them?" Asked Link.

Zelda trusted the mischievous light in his eyes even less than she trusted the docile cucco and took a step back, her fingers tingling with magic ready to zap on command. "You're wrong, I do like them." She admitted. Link smiled happily until she added, "Especially when they're covered in spicy batter and fried at Kakariko Fried Cucco. Then I almost love them."

"You are evil. Isn't that right, Clucky?" He stroked the bird's beak as he spoke and it pecked him gently. He continued to address the animal, "You know she doesn't like any cute animals. Skulltulas she especially dislikes and actually tries to zap any she comes across. She is so mean. I don't know why I travel with her..."

"I don't know why you do either." Remarked Zelda. "I only wish the goddesses would preserve me from you."

"Why ask the goddesses? Impa would be more effective!" grinned Link.

"Yeah, she'd preserve me from you and then try to marry me off to that old fuzzle Aganhim. Not really a good trade, is it?"

"Of course not because you are already besotted with me and to even think of another man is torture to you..."

"Actually I was thinking along the lines that Aganhim is a stupid old man who has some serious mental issues, worse than yours, and is ugly to boot. And he keeps trying to get me to drink potions..."

"What kind of potions?"

"I don't know – sleeping draughts, love potions, happy pills..."

"You definitely need the happy pills." Laughed Link, "You are in a grump today, aren't you?" The cucco clucked in agreement.

"Shut up. Both of you." Snapped Zelda, she couldn't help grin back at Link though, even though she was irritated. She hated that about him – when she was getting mad, he always managed to make her laugh and it was guaranteed to diffuse her anger. 'Stupid Link and his stupid cuteness.' She thought. If she wasn't careful she would become as besotted with him as he hoped. Realising that she was thinking along those dangerous lines again, Zelda quickly turned her attention from her very distracting friend. Her eyes rested briefly on the cucco, but she soon abandoned that view – she hated cuccos (apart from when cooked in a deliciously unhealthy manner) and she was starting to wish she could swap places with the lucky bird and have Link cradle her so tenderly. She chose instead to look at Amber.

The wolf was staring at the bird in a rather unfriendly manner. Her hackles were still up, her tail held aloft and her body crouched, ready to spring. Zelda could think of only three reasons why this might be so. The most likely, she thought, was that Amber was jealous of Link's newest pet, that would explain the soft growling. Or, the wolf might have shared Zelda's opinion on how best to deal with Cuccos, that would explain her rapacious, unblinking stare. They had not yet had breakfast. Or, thought Zelda, studying Amber more closely, there could be something more to this than met the eye. Maybe Amber shared her belief that Cuccos were evil by nature.

"Link?"

"Yep?"

"Where was the next Dream Snatcher supposed to be?"

Link thought for a moment, oblivious to the unusual pose his dog had stuck, nor the pale tinge to Zelda's cheek. The cucco clucked softly. "Um, well there's only Ulusta, Gorban and Xeial to find. Um, Gorban was said to have fled to the desert. Xeial disappeared completely and Ulusta..."

"Ulusta what?"

"Um, it is said that Ulusta travelled into Hyrule field and, er, sought refuge in...um...yeah well I forget...um...the rest...sort of..."

"What's up with you now? I've never known you so incoherent before, and I've seen you drunk!"

Link sighed and rubbed his cheek against Clucky's soft feathers again. They were so fluffy and warm and she smelled like open air and happy, cheery things and he loved her so. Zelda was mean for wanting to eat her and he had a feeling if he shared the secret of where Ulusta was reputed to have vanished to, he might not be able to stop her fulfilling her desire to fry the poor creature. But she was glaring at him. Impa had taught her that look well and very few men, even Link, could stand against it for very long. He sighed and murmurred, "Supposedly Ulusta might have hidden in an abandoned farm...NO! Don't hurt Clucky!"

Zelda lowered her hand and raised an eyebrow. "Where was the farm, Link?"

"Er, kind of the middle of Hyrule. Maybe."

"Isn't that kind of where we are now?"

"Is it? I didn't know! What a coincidence, eh?"

"Do you know what he was afraid of?"

"You mean she? Ulusta was female. But no, I can't remember what it was she feared...I have a feeling it was...hay? No. Corn? No. Oh, I think I remember, wasn't it something to do with...oh no." Link gazed down at 'Clucky' and shook his head. "No it couldn't possibly be..."

"Link?"

Clucky clucked and snuggled closer to him, melting his heart in a second. Her golden feathers were so soft and warm and she was the most fluffy, docile creature he had ever met. Surely...no, he was being foolish. Just because Ulusta had been frightened of birds didn't mean that Clucky was actually a monster, did it?

"Link, what is it?"

"Uh, nothing..."

"You do know that when I was you I learnt how you look when you're lying so you might as well tell me what's the matter with little 'Clucky' or should that be Ulusta?"

Clucky clucked indignantly at Zelda and seemed to snuggle against Link. "Of course this isn't Ulusta!" Exclaimed Link, stroking the cucco's head. "I mean, who would be afraid of a cute little bird like this?"

"I don't know about afraid but I certainly know a good few people who dislike cuccos. In fact you're the first person I met that actually wanted to pet the dirty things. Oh well, I've said it before and I'll say it again. You are insane! But that doesn't address the issue. There is something very odd about that bird. Amber thinks so too!" Amber growled in agreement and inched forward.

"Nonsense." Laughed Link, "Nothing this cute could be naughty!"

"You said that about that giant keese that chased us across the field. And that Octorok that spat stones at us. Oh, and that Like-Like that tried to eat me. And didn't you say the happy mask man had a positively friendly smile?" Retorted Zelda. "Just put the bird down and lets get going. I don't trust it!"

"Fine." Link sighed and gave the bird one last hug before gently placing it back on the floor. As soon as its yellow feet touched the floor it's demeanour changed. It crowed loudly and ran at Zelda. She shrieked and hopped out of the way.

"I told you it's evil!" She exclaimed as she jumped behind Amber for protection. Clucky advanced menacingly. Unfortunately, cuccos aren't the most intimidating things in the world of Hyrule and Zelda found the attack more amusing than frightening. She started to giggle. Amber didn't find the attack so entertaining. She didn't like anything that got in the way of her and her precious Link (apart from Zelda whom she viewed as one of her puppies) and she didn't like Cuccos. She snapped at the bird.

The cucco fluttered back and crowed again before attempting to peck at Amber's paw.

Seeing that his pet was getting a little annoyed and was on the verge of giving into her primal urges, Link stepped into the breach. "Enough, Clucky." He commanded and attempted to shoo the bird away from Amber. Clucky crowed for a third time and her body flashed red.

"Oh-oh." Said Link, gazing with amused horror at Clucky as her body seemed to tinge in pink. "I think we might have annoyed Clucky."

"What do you mean?"

The cucco flashed again and crowed loudly. Link took one look at it and whistled Amber, who was showing signs of retaliating. There was an ominious sound of the flapping of a thousand wings. Zelda gazed around her in confusion, looking for the source of the noise. All at once it seemed that the sunlight was blocked by a sea of white. Link followed her gaze and swore loudly, then he dashed over to Zelda and grabbed her hand. "No time to explain JUST RUN!" He yelled and dragged her forward.

oooOOOooo

Hehe, I hope it was sort of worth the wait! I will try to update sooner for chapter twenty eight! I know where to run from here and have already written the ending and possible epilogue, it's just the in beween bits now!!

Please R&R and let me know what ya think!