As Midna dropped them on the ground, laughing hard, Link was sprawled out on his back having the wind knocked out of him by Sheik, who landed right on top of him. "I have you pinned, Hero." Sheik said as he flattened out on him, holding his wrists down. He was especially enjoying it it since Link was a little embarrassed that Midna was watching. He wouldn't mind that normally, but Link knew he would never hear the end of it from her, all the incessant jokes that would ensue. None of this really mattered, because after two seconds the two warriors were once again transformed into their animal forms. This time it was not a painful transformation or physical mutation. It was more a shifting scatter of particles and reassembling, like the portal and Shadow Creatures did. They wondered about this, adding it to the list of things to ask Midna.
"Damn!" Said Link, "I was hoping you would get to experience the barrier like I did," to which he gave Sheik a most devious smile. "but I guess you did go through that already, only I was to worried at the time to enjoy it." The eagle gave him a piercing glare, and with those sharp eyes, you could certainly tell. Link just continued to smile, until he heard Midna still laughing hard, practically rolling on the ground, but in the air. Link rolled his eyes and looked back down and noticed how ridiculous they looked, the bird sitting on the wolf's belly with his wings spread out over Link's front legs. "Oh, hardy har har, Midna. Such a pleasure to see you again." He made sure his tone showed the evident mockery that was intended, then looked down at the bird who was content to just sit there despite the threatening glare.
"Yes, it is always pleasure with you, my silly wolf friend. You never cease to make me laugh." Midna was still amused at her own little prank. "So, what are we up to now?" She looked back and forth between the two animals, then stopped on the bird, who was climbing down off the wolf. "So, you are Sheik? Nice to meet you. I would shake your hand but... Oh, don't get up on my account," she laughed to herself again. "Well I hope you are all that Link says you are. He spoke very highly of you and I went through a lot of trouble to bring him to you." Link thought she didn't really help at all, other than point the way and smack some baddies around. Sheik, on the other hand, looked at Link with adoration, knowing full well the extent of Midna's supposed help.
"He certainly is." Link pointed between Sheik and Midna. "Midna, this is Sheik. Sheik, Midna, the Twilight Princess in all her glory." He gave the imp a satisfied smirk, to which she actually seemed to enjoy. "We have some questions to ask of you. If you have some answers, then we will be able to help you more than you thought. "Midna looked a little suspicious, never liking to be the one not in control. Her eyes darted around a little, seeming to check out the area, pretending to be concerned for their sake.
"I would answer your questions, Hero, but we have hung around here too long. I wish to get out of range of the barrier, in case someone sensed the intrusion." She looked questioningly at Link, who was surprised she was actually waiting for some type of permission, and that she genuinely looked more worried than normal. "Come along now, you wouldn't want to get caught, laying on the ground like that." Link stood up and shook the dirt from his coat. Sheik climbed happily onto his perch, grabbing Link's collar while puffing up his chest and staring her down, proud to show her who was boss here.
"We will make our way to Kakariko Gorge." Link tried to say with authority and, knowing what the bird was doing, attempted to earn back some of his stolen confidence. "I know of a shelter there where we can stay the night, although night came faster than expected." Link looked up in to the sky. "But I guess it will actually never be night now. Either way, we would like to rest for the night when we get there, since it will have been a full day of travelling for us. We can talk then in the cover of the cave, if that is okay with you?" Midna nodded her answer, then with no delay, she disappeared. Sheik showed a most disturbed look, and was about to rant about this seemingly rude Princess they were volunteering to help. Before he opened his mouth though, so to say, Link stopped him with a wide eyed glare of disapproval, then looked up indicating she was still there, but not seen.
It had taken about an hour to climb the pass over the dividing hills, which seemed to be the border of the Faron Province, judging by how the barrier had been displaced. It would take another two hours to get down the pass as it meandered its way through the rolling hills and then another few to get to the cave. Although Link could probably run a little faster while expending less energy in his wolf form, he didn't feel the need to rush since time wasn't really going anywhere. The bird was happy to have some time to spend together. Besides, he really enjoyed riding Link's back, like he was his own personal conveyance.
The path was just as steep coming down, which always seems harder than going up. Walking slanted was not as comfortable when you had four legs on the ground instead of two, all the weight being on his front, including the bird. Sheik asked some questions about Midna, wanting a little more information so he could be better prepared for when they met again, to grill her. Link told him how the Twilight here wasn't really the Twilight from that realm, as he previously stated. It was actually Zant's dark magic creating the shadow. Midna had told him it transformed her people into weird amorphous globs, standing in a stupor. Although looking different than the Hylians, it had the same effect. Midna's imp form was her transformed representation, which Sheik could clearly see why. Without the Fused Shadow, Midna's power was not as strong, so the Interloper was able to overthrow her once it had the Triforce of Power. It cast her into the Light world, and with no way to make a portal back, she was stuck here. That was about all Link had gathered, and it wasn't much more than Sheik had already heard.
Link could tell Sheik was a little flustered. The bird was shifting around on his back, yanking a little at his collar. He told Sheik to scope out the area ahead, giving him something meaningful to do, hopefully cooling off in the process. Link was also getting a little uncomfortable with him on his back while going down the hill, so it seemed a good idea for both. Sheik flapped away and soared out through the updrafts rising over the hills. He tipped sideways and circled Link once before screeching and disappearing from sight, after which they both let out of sigh of relief. Sheik felt the air rushing over his wings, wishing he could do this all the time. As the field came into view, he could see a few goblin hordes here and there, but nothing too threatening. It would probably be an easy journey like the last part. He tried to find the cave but didn't know where it was. After a while, he decided to head back before Link started to worry.
Link had walked for the first little while then, feeling a little freer, he started running. He wanted to feel the full power of his form. He jumped between the rocks on the side, leaping through the air. He thought this would be a good chance to get use to his abilities and test what he was capable of. The wolf was very agile, maybe more so than Sheik. This made him smirk a little, giving him confidence to try some more complicated things.
As Sheik came in silently from above, and being able to see the wolf from a farther distance, Link was not aware of his approach. Sheik could see Link bounding around the rocks below. He would change directions in a split second, appearing to not even touch down. He was truly amazed at what he was seeing, because this was so unlike Link. The Hero could be so uncoordinated sometimes, mostly winning through strength or magic, or sheer luck. Sheik made an arc far out to the side, picking up a stone on the way. He wanted to sneak up on the wolf from behind, to show him who was still the stealthier one.
Sheik glided swiftly and silently down the trail towards Link, he was laughing a little in his head at the clueless prey below him. He was just about to drop the stone, when the wolf suddenly glanced off the rock in front of him. Sheik flapped his wings hard in retreat to pull up as the wolf was bearing straight at him, the stone falling from his grasp. Link caught the stone in his mouth, then flipped his tail at the bird. The gale disrupted the air around the bird and it flapped recklessly trying not to fall out of the sky. Sheik finally got control and swooped down to land on the wolf's back. Link stopped as he approached, grinning like an idiot who thought he was so clever. Sheik landed on his back, grappling onto the collar, still having enough momentum to pull Link forward a little to do a face-plant into the wall. The bird started to laugh in its high pitch scream as Link turned around, appearing a little dazed. Then the bird got a rock in his face as well as Link spit the stone out from his mouth, laughing like a hyena. Sheik was not amused, but then gave in and they both had a good laugh together.
"I was very impressed by your moves there, hot shot." Sheik said sarcastically, although he meant it. "We will have to have a match sometime when I am Hylian again and you are still a wolf." That sounded like a good idea to Link, wanting to kick Sheik's butt for once, if and when the opportunity would present itself, although seeming unlikely. After taking some deep breaths to regain some composure, they headed back down the hill, like a rider and his trusty steed. It wasn't very long before they came out onto the field. This one seemed more gloomy and desolate compared to the other, even though the other was also empty. They kept to the left side of the rock walls, wanting to avoid as much attention as possible.
They thought they were in the clear, but a small goblin horde came up from the side. Link was actually going to enjoy this since he was the only fighter and the bird just had to sit and watch. Link was certainly feeling more confident in this form now. The goblins approached in a semi-circle all at once, not really giving a specific target to go after first. Sheik jumped off and flew to a near branch, wanting to see how the wolf would handle himself. Link was okay with this and gave a wink to the bird as it settled in on its perch.
Link spun around, letting loose a fierce gale that knocked all the unsuspecting goblins on their backs. He jumped on the fatter one first, going straight for the throat. With the bigger one taken care, the only tough part now was deciding which one to take out next. As they got back up, he went for the closest one while flicking another gust at the rest. They didn't fall this time, but were stunned long enough for him to claw at the current one. It didn't die, but it certainly wasn't getting up either. There was now only two left, one with a dirk and the other with a crude spear. The spear bearer took the first attack at him by swinging it out in a low wide arc, hoping to knock the wolf off its feet. Link bit down on the spear, snapping it in half as he jumped over it.
Link paused to laugh for a brief moment as the goblin held up the short stick in surprise. Quietly his dirk wielding cohort snuck up behind him for a stab. He heard the bird screech in warning, snapping him out of his untimely amusement. Link had just enough time to loose his tail again, but the goblin was too close. As he felt a tinge of panic, he wished he had his sword at that moment. He didn't hear a slap on metal as he expected, but when he looked back, the goblin just stood there frozen in shock. He was holding his stomach in as the bottom half of his armor fell on the ground, having been sheered completely off. It looked like it was cut clean through with a blade. The goblin fell forward making a wet slapping sound as it hit the ground. The other goblin wasn't as stupid as its kin. It just dropped its stick and fled. Although Link could have surely taken it over, he was too puzzled about what had happened to worry about it.
Sheik flew down from the branch, flying straight for the downed goblin wanting to inspect the damage. Link rolled it over as the bird was merely nudging at its side. The slash was very evident by the fact it stomach was hanging out, it was definitely cut from a blade. Link looked as his tail, a little blood on its edge and dripping from its point. The only explanation they had was that perhaps the gale wasn't the only ability expressed through the wolf in an augmented form. Link confirmed this by slashing the tree Sheik had been perched on. Although regretting his choice as his tail reverberated from the solidness of its trunk, he had certainly cut into it. Sheik looked at him with jealously, yet another thing he couldn't do in his seemingly more useless form.
They continued on their way, Link performing some more trials... on less solid things. It wasn't long before Link found the cave, or should he say, the giant boulder blocking the cave. Sheik had a good laugh at this, as the wolf had a bewildered expression. It certainly wasn't like that the last time Link was here. His face lit up as an idea came to him. He willed himself to throw one of his bombs at it, like he had used his other abilities. He whipped his tail toward the boulder and a moment later it exploded into pieces, bits of rock flying everywhere. He and Sheik stood there dumbfounded, but soon the snicker told them what really happened. The giant orange fist waved the dust out the air while Midna started to laugh hysterically.
"You really expected to throw a bomb from your tail?" She said, still shaking with uncontrolled laughter. "That is just the funniest thing I have ever seen." Link frowned and sat down, waiting for the Princess to get a hold of herself. After a few moments, she picked herself up off the ground where she had been squirming, wiping a few tears from her yellow eye. "I saw what you did with the goblins and I'd have to say I was pretty impressed. I was not aware you could do those things while stuck in this form, as apparently you didn't either." She giggled a little more, then looked up at him more seriously. "I wonder what else you can do, although I imagine it would have to be something plausible. You can't physically lob something you don't have. At least the other things make sense because you're whipping the air like the boomerang, or striking with your sword, which themselves are both magical items to start with. A bomb is just a bomb." She looked at them both, then gestured for them to head in to the cave. "Shall we? I know someone has a lot on their mind, clearly not you, Link. I shall answer Sheik's questions as best I can." With that, they headed toward the dark cave.