A/N: Not much was changed in this one, again, so it's pretty much the same save for a few details.

Revised as of 14/04/14

Chapter 33: Heal

I didn't pay attention to the citizens of castle town as they screamed and ran away. Link and I had one objective, and knew where we were headed. Some of the town pets suggested we go to Telma's, and I remembered there was a secret entrance to the castle in the back room. That was where we were headed now, as the rain began matting our fur to our bodies. As hard as it was, I managed to keep myself on task, both physically and mentally. There was so much stuff! Smells, sounds, things in my peripheral vision, all of them trying to draw my attention and distract me.

It seemed only seconds after that we had arrived at Telma's bar. The door was open slightly, and Link wasted no time in darting in. I followed behind him, a little more reserved. I heard Elena let out a fearful scream as she set eyes on us from the corner where people were gathered, and that drew the attention of the others; The resistance, Impa, Telma, and my family.

And, as it would appear, the goron that escorted Telma and Roran back to Castle Town wasn't happy to see us.

"Beasts!" it roared. "Get out!" With a single swipe of it's massive foot, the goron sent both Link and I out of the door, slamming it shut behind us. I whimpered, and heard Link yelp in pain upon impact. He didn't get up for a long few seconds, and I nudged him on the side of the face with my nose.

'Come on, we've got to find a way into the castle.' I whispered. Link nodded his head, and got to his feet. We were stopped just as we reached the stairs, by a voice.

"Wait! You there!"

It didn't sound like a human's voice, but that didn't make sense; what other voice could we be hearing? Wait... There was the sound of squeaking hinges above us, and I turned to the stack of crates, and the open window above them. Louise, Telma's cat, was there. She hopped onto the crates, and from the crates to the cobblestones.

"You two, you're Link and Rose, correct?" she asked, approaching us. She sniffed the air a few times, and nodded her head as our scent confirmed us. "Mm...yes, I thought so. I could just tell, you know. I'm Louise. Do you remember meeting me in this shop before? I don't believe we were properly introduced... Though, I'm a bit puzzled as to why the two of you look like that. Really, dears, you can't blame the humans for tossing you two out, the way you look."

I sighed. She was right, but we didn't quite have the time for this.

'Louise, we need your help. Our friend,' I pointed with my snout to Midna. 'She's hurt. Please..' I said urgently.

"Oh… Another patient?" she asked, eying the barely conscious Midna, "You certainly are a curious sort… I've never seen anything quite like this before..."

Midna struggled to speak, let alone breathe. "…Plea… Please… Princess… Z-Zelda…" she whimpered. Louise seemed to contemplate it for a moment or two, before walking back to the crates with a call of 'This way'. I pushed the one lone crate over to the others, letting Link climb up first to follow Louise into the window.

We were above the bar now, and there were a series of ropes that went across them, leading to the secret tunnel. I found the system of ropes ridiculously convenient, but I wasn't about to complain. The resistance members were gathered at the tables with my family, discussing us.

"-Animals don't usually wander into the town. It makes me wonder what two wolves were even doing here." Roran said. He was right to wonder, and Link and I were no ordinary wolves.

"Perhaps they were lost?" Shad suggested. I tried to tune out the voices as I walked across the first rope. Though it was hard to keep my footing, I managed, and Link was already across the second one waiting for me.

"Even lost animals don't just wander into the town like that." Ashei disagreed.

"Did you see the white one, though? I've never seen a wolf with markings like that before. I'd suggest it was one of those ice wolves, but those never venture from Snowpeak." Elena added.

"You're right, they don't. Anyways, what was it you were saying before, Auru?" Ashei diverted the conversation.

"Apparently, a friend of Telma's defeated the beast that had been attacking tourists on the bridge while escorting Telma and her young ward to Kakariko Village. Link, she said his name was."

Ashei seemed shocked, "And here I was, thinking Hyrule was empty of men of valor…" Nah, they just weren't soldiers. Like Rusl and Link! And, at some point in his later years, I bet Colin would be too.

"Oh, no," Shad shook his head "I don't believe he's from Hyrule proper at all. No, my understanding is that he's from the small neighboring province of Ordona."

I almost huffed. So what if Link wasn't from 'Hyrule Proper'? It was still a part of Hyrule, even if that had nothing to do with anything relevant. I started edging across the rope, being sure to keep my balance and keep quiet.

"This may sound horribly elitist… but people who do not know the city simply do not know fear," Shad finished. That made me frown.

'Hmph! He may be braver than any of the babies that serve as soldiers here, but that doesn't mean he doesn't get scared, too.' I thought. I saw both my mother and Impa tense, and I remembered that thought-speaking could be heard by humans... when they paid attention. Crap. I went to pick up my pace before they suspected anything. Unfortunately, the increase in speed caused me to lose my footing and almost fall, holding onto the rope with my front paws; thereby revealing my presence.

"It's that wolf again!" Elena shrieked.

"Get it!" someone else yelled. It may have been Ashei, but I couldn't say for sure. I struggled to climb onto the edge that led to the tunnel before they could get to me, but it was no use. I had been caught.

'Go!' I called to Link, letting myself be pulled down when the added weight of the person trying to pull me down agitated my stitched wound. He, once again, sprinted off without me, though this time it was into the tunnel. This wasn't good. I made no move to attack Auru as he approached me, noticing that it was Roran who had caught me and brought me down. I was just...too tired. I let my head hang, ready to let them do whatever it was they planned to do, either kick me out or just let me stay. My exhaustion wasn't letting me care in the slightest.

"Watch it Auru, it looks like she's injured." Ashei muttered from where she stood protectively beside Elena. Injured was putting it mildly.

"I can certainly see that, Ashei, though I don't think she means to hurt us. She and her companion could have done so whenever they liked, seeing as they made it in here without our detection. For the most part." Auru replied wryly as he knelt down. I lowered myself to the ground tiredly, closing my eyes.

"Well...what should we do with her? She can't stay here." I opened a single eye to look at who had spoken; Shad. I huffed, rolling my eyes at him.

"Well I won't be staying. It's late, and Elena and I should be getting home. My wife needs her sleep." Roran said, he and Elena standing up to go. Ashei and Shad both also left their separate ways soon after, though they clearly weren't comfortable with being in the same room as me. Now it was just Auru, my mom, Impa, and Telma. I simply sat against the wall, shrinking away from the uneasy looks that were being sent my way. I knew at any point I could just reveal myself to be Rose, but something told me that wouldn't be a good idea.

"Lilly, don't-"

"Shh.."

I twitched when I picked up a familiar smell, almost floral in nature, as well as the rustling of soft fabric against the wooden floor. I couldn't place it, and I flinched when I felt a hand placed upon my bruised and bleeding side, shifting away from the unwelcome touch. I sent an unhappy look to the one who'd touched me - Lilliandil.

"Oh don't start. I'm trying to see how badly you're hurt." she scolded. Her scolding confused me; why was she so calm about being anywhere near an injured animal? Did she know that it was me? It was possible, I mean... it could be. I forced myself to hold still as her hand probed and examined, going from my ribs to my head. When her hand brushed against my forehead a bolt of pain jolted through my head, and I whimpered, shying away from the touch. Lilliandil hummed in thought as she saw this.

"Magic..." she muttered. "I don't suppose you look like this normally, am I right?"

Any other person would have looked crazy, talking to a wolf. Though, sanity would be reaffirmed when said wolf nodded her head. Lilliandil's hand affectionately rubbed my ear.

"I'm sorry, poor girl." she said softly. "I wish my magic was powerful enough to break this curse on you..."

I huffed through my nose, nuzzling it into her hand affectionately to tell her I was okay.

As much as I would have been content to stay there, I had to meet up with Link and hopefully Midna. They would be leaving soon, and I had to meet them at Hyrule field. I tried to convey this to my mother, getting to my feet and pointing my nose at the door. I was grateful that she understood my body language and prepared to open the door for me.

"I hope to meet you again, dear girl, and that next time we encounter each other you look as you should." she said, seeming both worried and amused. I let out a wolfy snicker, before bounding out the door. My mom was really nice. And, come to think of it, so were the others for not simply kicking me out again. Unlike everybody out here, who were just screaming and running away from the big bad wolf. I sighed, resisting the urge to roll my eyes again as the people ran.

'They really do need our help..' I thought pityingly.

"Rose! You're alright!"

It was Midna to exclaim this as I exited Castle Town, not far from where they had warped. Link turned to me as well, and his relief was palpable.

'What happened? What's the plan?' I asked when I reached them. Link let out a heavy sigh, before recounting what happened, from the point where he reached Zelda and onward.

A sense of hopelessness started swelling in Link's chest when he entered Zelda's chambers, and could not find her. His panic and determination had driven him this far through injury and exhaustion, digging his paws into soil and stone, propelling him as fast as he could go. But it would be for naught if he was unable to reach Zelda!

He started when the weak Imp on his back slid down onto the floor, her breaths laboured and weakening. He dipped his head closer to her, wishing there was something he could do. A silken-gloved hand appeared above her, and he looked from Midna's dying form to the hooded figure that knelt above her; Princess Zelda.

"P...Please... Please tell me..." Midna breathed. "How do we break... the curse on this one, and... R-Rose...?" She lifted her hand, trying to point to Link, and Zelda cradled her hand in both of her own in a comforting gesture. "This... is the one... You need him... to save your world!" Midna continued, her voice barely a whisper. "That's why... Princess... please... You must help Link..."

Zelda looked up to the wolf at the mention of the name Link. Always, it was always Link. That was the name of the Chosen Hero, and had been for a long time. The wolf bowed his head, still looking to his dying friend when Zelda raised her right hand. The triforce upon it shimmered and glowed when it hovered over his body, and the glow brightened over his head, where the dark crystal had buried itself. She sighed.

"What binds him is a different magic than what transformed him when he and Rose first passed through the curtain of Twilight. It's an evil power." she said sadly. The sense of hopelessness grew in Link's chest. Would he be stuck now as wolf, forever? As though the princess could hear what he was thinking, she continued. "Our world is one of balance... Just as there is light to drive away darkness, so, too, is there benevolence to banish evil. Go to the sacred grove that lies deep within Faron woods. There, you will find the blade of evil's bane that was crafted by the wisdom of the ancient sages... the Master Sword."

Link had only ever heard the legends of the Master Sword, and believed it to be long lost. His parents had told him and Aryll the stories as children, but it was all the more surreal knowing it was more than just a legend.

"The Master Sword is a sacred blade, one that evil can never touch. Evil cloaks you like a dark veil, and that blade is the only thing that can cleave it. Link, hero sent by the goddesses... Like you and my dear friend Rose, I have been granted special powers by the goddesses." Zelda continued, and revealed the triforce that glowed through her glove.

"Fine... Link... You can... You can get to the woods... on your own, right? You and... Rose?"

Link wanted to say no, that he and Rose needed her still. He wasn't ready to say goodbye yet. He saw Midna was nearly gone, now, and he hated it. He wished there was something he could do, some way he could help her. He felt useless!

"Princess... I have one last request..." Midna spoke again, tilting her head to face the future queen. "Can you tell him... where to find the Mirror of Twilight?"

Link saw understanding light up in the Princess's eyes.

"Midna... I believe I now understand. I understand just who and what you are... Despite your mortal injuries, you act in our stead.." Zelda once again took Midna's hand in her own. "These dark times are the result of our deeds, yet it is you who have reaped the penalty... Accept this now, Midna. I give it to you." At that Zelda began to glow, tendrils of light finding their way to Midna just as her life would have ended. Midna's eyes widened in shock and she gasped as she, too, began to glow.

She lifted into the air as her proper colours returned, signifying her rapid recovery. Then she realized what Zelda was doing; aside from healing her, she was using the energy of her piece of the Triforce to do it, like Rose had done for Link. Only, with Midna's injuries having been so severe...

"No! Link! STOP HER!" she yelled, her voice panicked as this set into her mind; the Triforce piece was in her soul. Zelda was giving her soul to save Midna. She gave the pair a brief, peaceful smile, as Midna wrenched her hand away to halt the process. But it was already too late. The moment their physical connection was severed, the princess simply faded away like a ghost.

Seconds later, Midna floated gently back to the ground, her image as solid as it would have been in the Twilight, and fully healed. The two gazed sadly at the place the princess had just occupied. There was no sign of her having been there in the first place. Midna bowed her head sadly.

"We go back, Link." she whispered, before her voice regained its conviction. "We get Rose, and then... Back to Faron Woods!" With that, she flipped backwards onto Link's back, landing rigidly. Her head hung once again as Link turned to leave, and he heard her whisper, "Zelda...I've taken all that you had to give...though I did not want it..."

I let out a pained whine. Most of my memories of Hyrule were foggy, obscured by my Earthen childhood memories, but I did remember how close of friends Zelda and I had been. Though I knew she still lived, her heart and Midna's as one, and that I would see her again, the news was saddening.

'Right...' I sighed. 'She said Faron Woods? Then that's where we need to go.' Link and Midna nodded in agreement, and we took off on the path that would lead us to Faron's province.

We hadn't been running for five seconds, when a flash of bright light appeared behind us. We turned to look, and I saw a great barrier - not unlike the Twilight - forming around the castle. Whatever it was that had created it, it was clear to me that Zelda had been holding it back as much as she could. But with her out of the way, it had free reign...

I heard Midna gritting her teeth, and when I looked I saw her hand was clenched into a shaking fist. Her anger abated quickly, though, and she prepared to warp us to Faron Woods.

A/N: Again, you kinda have to squint to see the differences.