I'd like to thank Foxpilot for the idea for this chapter. Because as soon as I got the idea for them going to the lake, the only thing that delayed me was the fact that the rest of my family needed on the computer. Anyways, here's chapter 7


-Chapter 7-

Sheik had mulled over what Zelda said concerning further training with Link for a while. Yeah sure, Kakariko was fine and all, but what could he teach Link there that he couldn't at the training grounds?

He was heading back to Kakariko when it hit him. If the farthest Link had ever gone out of Kakariko was Castle Town, what did he know about any useful traveling skills? Did he know how to ride a horse, how to swim, the list went on.

Sheik smiled to himself for thinking of the idea. They could head down to the lake today.

There was one problem to this plan though. It took nearly a day's travel by foot to get to the lake, and it was nearly noon. There was also no way Sheik could find a horse, and teach Link how to ride in only a few hours.

Sheik yawned. If there was anything Sheik needed to do right now it was get some sleep. He headed off to do so.


"Link!!" his mother called

Link groaned and rolled over

"Sheik's here!!" his mother said

Okay, Link thought, it's either really late, and I've slept in more than I needed to, or Sheik's just here really early.

He opened one eye to look out the window. The sun had barely risen. Yep, Sheik's just here early.

"Do you want me to send him in there to wake you up?" his mother called, now sounding slightly irritated.

No, he thought, but was too tired to say it. He sat up slowly, yawning, and said loud enough for them to hear "I'm coming, I'm coming." He threw on his clothes and headed out to the dining room/kitchen area.

Sheik was sitting at the table, eating. Link sighed and sat down. He took the bowl of cereal his mother offered him and started eating.

"Why are you here so early?" he asked Sheik.

"We're heading to the Lake today" he said "it's about a day's travel by foot."

"It seriously takes that long to get there?!" Link asked, shocked enough that he dropped his spoon "no wonder why I've never gone. Any faster way to get there?"

"No, unless you have a horse" Sheik said.

Link sighed, that was one thing he didn't have.

"Come on," Sheik said, standing up "we should be off"

Link gave Sheik an odd look, and stood up as well. There was something, different about Sheik today.

"What?" Sheik asked.

"I don't know…" Link said "you just seem different…"

"Different how?" Sheik asked, scowling slightly.

"I don't know! You seem, like happier than usual" Link said, wishing he hadn't said anything in the first place.

Sheik shrugged and headed out the door. Link grabbed his sword and followed.

"Have you been to the Lake before?" Link asked, swinging his sword onto his back.

Sheik nodded "when I was younger, haven been there in a while."

"How big is it?"

"Big" Sheik said, stopping at some house "hang on a second" he said, going inside. He came back out carrying a shield. "You're going to need this" he said, tossing the shield to Link.

Link admired it for a minute. It was metal. He started to ask Sheik why he would need it, before deciding against the thought and putting the shield on his back with his sword. Sheik slung a pack over his shoulder and they headed off again.


It did take them a while to get to the Lake, considering it was late afternoon by the time they had arrived. But nevertheless, Link was awed at first sight of the Lake.

It was huge, it was blue, and it was clean. These were the main things that stuck out in Link's mind. Every source of water he had seen in or around Kakariko was either a hot spring, or it was a puddle in a ditch left over from the rain.

Sheik smiled at Link's amazement "you want to go swimming?" he asked.

Link shook his head "I'm fine."

"You sure?" Sheik asked, heading into the water. Link nodded.

"Do you even know how?" Sheik asked, he was standing about waist high in the water.

Link bit his lip in embarrassment, for he didn't. The water in Kakariko barely reached knee height, so there was no need to swim.

Sheik sighed "I actually had a feeling you probably didn't. Come on in the water and I can teach you."

Link stayed put.

"What?" Sheik asked "is it to awkward or something?"

"No!" Link said, even though he did think it was slightly awkward.

"Then come on in the water!!"

Link sighed. He pulled off his boots, set his sword and shield down against a rock, and headed into the water. It was cold at first, but his body quickly got used to it.

And learning how to swim was easier than Link had first thought. Sheik showed him what to do, and before long he was doing it. Swimming was a piece of cake.

The two friends were soon having a heck of a time. Link was surprised though when he found Sheik pointing his daggersword thing (it was shorter than a sword, longer than a dagger and wielded incredibly like a dagger would be) at his throat.

"Think fast" Sheik said "what do you do?"

Link backed up out of the way and dove towards his sword. But Sheik got there first and kicked it into the water. Link scowled up at Sheik, but he just smiled. Link ran into the water and dove in, going after his sword. As soon as he found it he quickly unsheathed it and tossed the sheath ashore. Sheik made to attack him, but Link dove under the water and swam around to the other side of Sheik.

The water was shallow, so he was forced to stand. Link swung his sword, but Sheik was swift and brought up his own weapon to block it. Sheik made a jab and Link jumped backwards out of the way. He picked up his shield off the ground.

Sheik swung at him again, but Link blocked it with his shield. He smiled slightly, and swung his sword at Sheik. He blocked it. Link thrust his sword at Sheik, but he backed out of the way.

Getting a sudden idea, Link swung his sword at Sheik but made it overly easy to block. Sheik blocked, and Link smiled. He shoved his shield into Sheik's stomach, causing him to fall to the ground. One of his arms was pinned beneath him.

Link kicked Sheik's dagger out of his hand and pinned that arm to the ground with his foot. He pointed his sword at Sheik's throat.

"Dead" he proclaimed. Sheik smiled.

"Congratulations" Sheik said taking Link's outstretched hand and pulling himself up "you are able to fight waist deep in water."

Link smiled "it's not much different" he said. Sheik's smile grew wider.

"Come on" he said "let's make camp for tonight."

Link cast a glance at the sun in shock, only to realize it was already setting. It had gotten late quick. He shook his head and began helping Sheik with their camp.


It was early in the morning, only slightly after the sun had risen, but Link was already up. He was floating on his back in the water lazily. The summer sun and the cold water were a good combination, and it relaxed him.

But his relaxation was cut short when he heard an odd screeching noise. At first the noise was muted, for his ears were under water, but when he heard it the second time around he stood up. (The water was only waist deep, so he was able to do so.)

"STUPID KARGAROKS!!!" Sheik yelled from the shore. Link looked up at a large black bird thing that had been flying around, and realized it was what had been making the screeching sound. There were actually two of them, one of them was attacking Sheik at the shore, and the other one was heading straight at him.

"Well great" Link muttered. He sprinted towards the shore and grabbed his sword. The bird thing dove straight at him. Link was caught off guard and stumbled to the ground. He landed face first in the sand.

"Eww…" Link groaned as he pushed himself to his hands and knees. "sand tastes terrible" he said, spitting sand out of his mouth.

"LINK!!" Sheik yelled "FOCUS!!"

Link rolled over, ready to strike the bird thing, when it fell dead at his side. He poked it, before pulling his hand away. He looked up at Sheik, who was wiping the blood of his weapon.

"Did you… kill it?" Link asked, standing up.

"I kind of had to, considering you were too busy coughing up sand to fight it"

"Sorry," Link whispered

Sheik started laughing.

"What?" Link asked

"Nothing," Sheik said "it's just kind of funny how much you reminded me of…" he stopped, eyes going wide.

"Of who?" Link asked

"Of me…" Sheik whispered.

"What?"


Sheik rubbed his head and sat down on the rock that happened to be nearby.

"What do you mean?" Link asked "how did I remind you of you?"

"I… I don't know" Sheik lied, but he did know. Link had the same look on his face when he apologized to Sheik as Sheik had when he apologized for doing something wrong back at the Village. Tears started forming in his eyes and he turned away.

"Sheik… you okay?" Link asked.

"I'm fine" Sheik said, wiping his eyes. He was angry. He was angry at himself for getting so emotional over something so stupid.

"Do you think we should start on home?" Link asked. Sheik nodded and stood up.

"If we hurry we might be able to make it home before nightfall" he said.

And before long the two were on the road that lead back to Kakariko.