Just when I got rid of my cold, we had a whole school photo and I was standing in 10C tempretures for 2 hours without a coat/scarf or any warm item. The hell?! Anyways, my beta is back! Praise Farore! So no more mistakes and better plot lines, aren't you guys lucky. Anyways, sorry for not replying to Heart reviews, when I get the chance I will. Thanks for favouriting and following guys, you people are awesome beyond awesomeness. By the way, word of warning, I used a lot of discarded character designs by the LoZ team for the new guys in here. And yeah, I'll shut up and write.
Chapter 3
In which we catch up with a certain princess
Zelda fired an arrow. Golden light streamed from the shaft and there was a cry as a small red creature fell from the branches. She leaned to the side as an arrow zipped past her ear. Zoran ran between the tall trunks of Faron Woods. Another arrow thudded into a tree behind them. Zelda took aim, light gathering in her arrow, she fired in the direction of where the arrow had come from. The light illuminated a group of small red creature slinging to the trees like monkeys. With a guttural cry, another fell to the ground.
"Faron's Spring, now!" Zelda snapped, firing with such precision it split an incoming arrow in two and took out its owner.
The white stallion, too exhausted to answer swerved around a tree and ran for the spring.
They had been travelling from spring to spring. Since the council of animals, they had been travelling through the forest. Zelda had sensed the presence of another light spirit deep in the forest. But when they had headed inside, they had been ambushed. In the confusion she had lost track of Dal. The brown wolf was probably wondering round the forest wondering why everyone had abandoned him. For days they'd been trapped inside, every attempt to leave thwarted by a hail of arrows by their mysterious attackers. Now they were hopelessly lost. Tall oaks and elms watched passively from above.
The princess looked worse for wear. Her brown hair was plastered to her scalp with sweat and her pale purple clothes were torn were arrows had zipped past. Shadowy bags hung under her eyes and small patches of blood were the arrows had nicked her stained her purple tunic. Zelda was very quickly beginning to appreciate Link's perseverance. All the princess wanted to do was have a hot bath and a nice cup of tea. She'd only been travelling for a few days, how Link had dealt with it for two years was beyond her.
Zelda fired again, taking out another monster. She could sense Zoran's exhaustion. His sides and neck were flecked with foam, his bit slathered. The forest seemed abandoned. All the wildlife hidden.
An arrow flew from the dark recesses of the canopy. Zoran leapt sideways, the arrow hitting the ground. Another arrow came from behind and Zelda had to turn round and fire, slicing the shaft in half. The princess heard the whistle of a third arrow. She leant sideways, but too late. The arrow grazed her arm, cutting through the fabric of her sleeve and scoring a red line in her shoulder. The princess cried out in pain. Many cuts zigzagged her arm. Though so far, she had been lucky enough to avoid being shot.
Then in the darkness of the thick forest, Zelda saw a light. On her hand, the triforce glowed faintly.
A gold wolf sat by a tree, watching her with red eyes. Zelda knocked an arrow but did not fire. It turned and ran. Zelda shot another creature, dodging another arrow. She looked back and the wolf had reappeared.
"Zoran, follow that wolf."
The stallion complied, too exhausted to speak. He gave chase, following the wolf through the winding maze of towering trunks. Zelda continued firing her arrows, trying in vain to protect herself and Zoran. An arrow grazed the stallion's flank, nearly sending him bolting in the other direction.
"Calm Zoran…" she whispered, patting his neck.
Blood tricked down the stallions back leg.
Then, like a blessing from the goddesses, a light appeared ahead of them. The trees began to thin somewhat, the walls of the valley looming from the darkness.
Zelda redoubled her guard. Firing arrows left, right and centre. When she had the chance, she charged her arrows, thereby making it possible to take out more than one monster. Yellow eyes glowed in the monsters head. Like evil fireflies dancing to and fro as the monsters jumped from tree to tree.
An arrow thudded into Zelda's leg and she screamed. Hot blood ran down her leg and searing pain branded her skin. By some miracle, Zelda managed to not drop her bow and clutch her leg. Clenching her teeth against the pain she fired, taking out the monster who had shot her.
An arrow hit the ground in front of them, there was an ear splitting crack and sharp bamboo stems sprung up in front of them, barring their way.
"No…" Zelda whimpered despairingly.
The triforce flashed brightly.
Zelda…use your bow…
The princess looked at her hand, recognising the triforce of wisdom's power. Drawing her bow, Zelda tried to concentrate through the fog of pain. Vaguely she noticed the gold wolf running alongside them, guiding Zoran. She called on the triforce's power, charging her arrow with sacred light. An arrow grazed her arm, barely missing the skin. It took long…too long…her arms began to shake with the strain. Releasing her arrow, it hit the bamboo thicket and blasted a path through. Zelda slumped against Zoran's neck, the spell having taken almost all her strength. The stallion seized his chance and galloped through the thicket where they burst into Faron's Spring. Her bow dropped from her hands and suddenly strong hands pulled her off Zoran…then there was darkness.
When Zelda awoke, the first thing she noticed was the sound of water. Her head felt as if Link had decided to use it as a chew toy. Her thigh throbbed, but not unbearably so, her numerous cuts and grazes smarted sharply. Slowly she opened her eyes, the room wasn't bright but dim. The walls were made of the reeds and grasses that grew in the forest. She was lying on what seemed to be a straw mat. A blanket of leaves and soft grass woven into a thick almost woollen material acted as her blanket. Getting her elbows underneath, the princess propped herself up.
"Zoran?" she called softly into the half-light.
There was movement outside. Zelda tensed wildly searching for her bow and quiver, both of which were missing as were as her rapier. A brown head peered inside. She nearly fainted with relief as Dal padded inside, his eyes bright.
"Princess! You had us worried!" He sat in front of her, tail wagging.
"Dal? Where? What happened? And more importantly, where in Naryu's name are we?"
"You are in our home." A voice said.
Into the room stepped a tall creature. Her head was that of a puma's, her skin covered in close lying sandy fur. She wore a skirt of plaited grass and a half top of similar make. Russet leaves adorned her head and white markings striped her body. Her feet were paws and a tail twitched behind her. Her hands were also very much like paws only with opposable thumbs and slightly longer to allow for movement.
"I am Kalisha, herbalist and enchanter of this pride."
Zelda knew it was rude to stare but she couldn't help it. Forcing herself to blink, she shut her mouth.
"I am Princess Zelda of Hyrule. Thank you for treating me with such hospitality."
"We care not for the politics of this land Zelda, your kind have all but forgotten ours."
Zelda felt the colour rush to her cheeks, it was true. She had never heard of a tribe of cat people.
"Where am I?"
"In our village behind Faron's veil."
When Zelda looked confused, Dal spoke.
"We're behind Faron's spring."
"But enough talk." Kalisha said. "You must rest."
"Is my friend safe?"
"You mean the horse? He is tired but well."
Then she left.
Dal went and lay on Zelda's feet, keeping them warm.
"You should rest, you took quite a beating."
Zelda didn't protest, she was exhausted.
When she awoke, she felt much better. Dal had left, but a pile of clothes lay in a folded pile on the hard worn ground. Getting to her feet, Zelda winced as hot pain blossomed in her thigh. Zelda held up a simple sand coloured dress made of pressed grass fibres that resembled linen. Checking to make sure no-one was going to walk on, Zelda quickly changed. When she was done, she noticed her thigh had been bound with more grass-linen bandages as had her deepest of cuts. Zelda ran her fingers through her hair, pulling out the knots. As she went to leave, she noticed her lack of shoes. They didn't seem to be in the room. The ground however, was pleasantly warm the soft sand-like texture of the dirt was soft on her feet.
Pulling aside the cloth, she could only gawp at the sight that beheld her. Small huts like the one she had stayed in were arranged in a circle around a tall tree, around which brown grasses grew. More of the puma women were in the clearing. Some were weaving, others were washing in wooden tubs of water. Some held bow and arrows while others staffs. Some of the women were watching cubs play in the dirt or scrubbed them in tubs of water. Now, they all stopped to look at the newcomer. Dozens of pairs of varying shades of yellow and amber eyes trained on her.
Dal looked up from where he was playing with a cub. He bounded over to Zelda.
"Oh you're awake. How do you feel?"
"Like one of Link's chew toys."
"He actually has them?" Dal asked, genuinely amazed.
"You didn't hear it from me." Zelda replied with a mischievous smile.
Dal chuckled, growling and whining as all wolves do.
"Where's Zoran?"
"Still sleeping, the poor dude's been through a lot so we let him sleep."
Zelda nodded. Guilt tugged at her for pushing him so hard.
"Anyways, you should probably go and see the chief. He'll chew me up for taking you to him as soon as you up and about."
Zelda followed the wolf through the village towards the largest hut, conscious of the gazes boring into her from behind. As they walked Zelda noticed the lack of males aside from the cubs.
"Why are there are females here?" Zelda asked quietly.
"What oh- the females make up the bulk of the pride. Their chief is a male who governs which females can mate and which must hunt. He never leaves the hut. Not since Link changed the monsters back. When they first appeared he was outside and disappeared, he hasn't dared leave since."
"So they are like the gerudos?"
"Kind of, but the chief is always male and the females hold no sway over him whatsoever status-wise and unlike the gerudos who mate with anyone, only one female can mate at a time and he takes a new mate every ten years or so. The strongest son is chosen to take his place when he dies and the others often leave to try and start their own pride."
"What is the chief like?"
"A good leader, but not as good as you."
Zelda smiled and scratched the wolf's ear.
"How sweet of you." Then after a while she asked. "What are they called? The race?"
"They're known amongst themselves as Laviren."
They arrived at the hut.
Dal motioned for Zelda to pull the wooden bell suspended above the entrance.
"Enter!" Boomed a voice.
Zelda and Dal entered the hut. The centre of the hut was a small birch tree whose branches supported the roof. The woven walls were painted with runes and pictures showing the females hunting.
On a raised dais at the back of the hut was a woven mat on which sat a male Laviren. He was strong and muscular, his golden brown fur shimmering in the light streaming through the canopy of leaves above. White stripes tapered off near his chest and joined behind his back. Much like tiger stripes only not as dense in number. Many scars covered his body and his left arm was horribly mutilated, rendered completely useless. A chain of coiled twine hung in loops around his neck off which hung leaves and teeth. A headdress of leaves sat on his thick mane and he wore a similar skirt to the women only less feminine with a belt of woven bark strips. His burning orange eyes regarded Zelda with faint sadness. Zelda knew him. She knew him from watching through Midna's eyes after she had cured the Twili of Zant's curse. She remembered him as a monster, constantly attacking Link and Silver.
"King Bulblin." She said simply.
Dun dun duuuuuun! I told you he'd be back! I told you! Anyways, the Laviren were a discarded design from Skyward sword and the red monsters from wind waker. I loved their designs so much I figured they deserved a place in the game. Anyways, dp review and whatnot. I love them! If you have ideas you're dying to have put in here feel free. And now I have mocks to revise for, the joys of life. So adios!
