The wind tugged against Link's clothes like a stubborn child as he reached for another ledge. His hand grabbed it and pulled his entire body up, his boots searching frantically for a foothold. At last he found it, and he inched up the cliff a little further. He was a long way from the surface; the waves crashed against the rocks far below him. His fingers were sore from the bitter cold and his muscles ached from the difficult climb. Still, he gritted his teeth and continued climbing.

Based on the information he gleaned from the villagers, the dragon made its den somewhere atop these cliffs. The hero felt a little guilty for slipping away from the others. If this dragon was as dangerous as he had heard, it was better he fought it alone. He didn't want the rest of his friends to be put in danger. At least, that's how he rationalized it in his mind.

Deeper though, he knew his true motives were more selfish. He longed for a chance to unleash his true battle instincts, to cut loose against a monster that would test his courage and strength. Better yet, he wanted no one there to watch him; no one there to question his brutality or his ferocity. He was a hunter and a predator. He could not change it, nor did he want to. Atrayu was sadly the only one who understood that part of him. The thought disturbed him slightly, but his hunger for battle soon pushed it away.

ROOOAAARRR!

The dragon's deafening roar pulled Links attention to the sky. The beast glided through the air, its wings lowering it in a shallow descent towards the cliff Link was climbing. The hero's heart pounded against his chest. Had it seen him?

His hand reached quickly for a nearby ledge but slipped. He nearly lost his grip but quickly recovered by steadying himself with his other hand and digging his boots into the rock. The beast's roar thundered right above him, and the beating of its wings sounded like a waterfall. It flew overhead, its shadow blocking out the sun. Link could see the smoke stemming from the creature's nostrils as it breathed, the coarse texture of its scales, the incredible span of its red wings. Its sharp claws shined like polished silver, making him cringe as he thought of how easily they could pierce his body.

Link held his breath.

And just like that, the monster passed right by him without a second glance. It landed with a large thud on a plateau overhead, loosening small rocks that splashed into the waves below. Link released the tension inside him and rested his head against the cliff. That had been a close call. He looked back up and was encouraged to see he was near the top. Taking another deep breath, he hoisted himself up to another foothold and continued the climb.

Not long after, Link reached a plateau. Relieved to finally be on flat ground, he hunched over to catch his breath. A quick glance up revealed an ominous cave awaiting him like the mouth of a large whale. Probably the dragon's home. Larger mountains towered around, serving as a natural barrier from intruders. The wind was sharper and less forgiving up here, pulling on Link's tunic and blowing the sweat off his face.

Link checked the strap on his scabbard and adjusted his shield. He felt for the Gale Boomerang in his satchel, touched the points of the arrows in his quiver, and tested the tautness of his bow. Lastly, he checked for the bombs he had bought from Zora Hall. Everything was ready; all that remained was to enter the dragon's den. Curling and uncurling his fist, he stepped into the darkness and towards the unknown.

As Link walked through the caverns, he felt like he was in the belly of a foul beast. For a tunnel, the ceiling was surprisingly high and the walls far apart. Water dripped from stalactites like stomach acid. A low, eerie howl echoed through the tunnel as the wind swept through it. The air was chilly and moist, but seemed to warm as he approached a light far ahead. Eventually, Link began to hear singing as well. As he approached, it grew louder and the light grew brighter, beckoning him to discover what lay at the corridor's end.

Eventually, the passageway opened into an even larger cavern with lit torches hanging on all the walls. Link was startled by how different it looked. Someone lived here! The pleasant aroma of cooked meat filled his nostrils. The soft singing he had earlier belonged to a woman sitting in a furnished corner of the cavern sitting by an open fire. A bundle of straw served as a makeshift bed while a small wooden table with a single chair sat next to it. Small metal utensils were scattered over the wooden surface.

Link cautiously entered the cavern, his footfalls competing with the woman's gentle singing. Her voice was soft as silk and soothing as a siren. The hero almost found himself entranced, but quickly shook himself of it. He glanced around the cave as he approached, but the dragon was nowhere to be found. There were no large tunnels for it to hide, no boulders to cover it. It was just him and the woman.

"Well, if I had known I was cooking for two, I would've put an extra rabbit on the fire," the woman said, the cavern eerily silent without her gentle song. She looked up at Link, her hands handling the meat with deft talent.

Her directness startled the hero. He ventured a little closer but said nothing.

"What's the matter? Can't you talk?" she asked with a smirk, turning over the meat with a sizzle. "And here I thought you'd make good company."

"Sorry," he finally answered, coming close enough that he could feel the heat of the fire. "I was just not expecting to find…this."

She let the meat sizzle and stood to face him. "What? You've never seen a woman living in a cave by herself?"

Link could now see the woman's full appearance. Wild, black hair with a few gray streaks flowed down her neck like vines. Feral blue eyes, a similar color to his own, stared back at him with a strange mixture of ferocity and gentleness. Her voice was full of life and her movements energetic. Only her face showed signs of her age, with small wrinkles around her cheekbones and a sagging jaw. She wore a coat of animal skin around her shoulders, although the crude design suggested she had made it herself. Her trousers were made from a similar material, and she walked around the cavern barefoot. A small dragon scale hung around her neck.

"I can't say that I have," Link replied, tapping his boots against the stone surface.

The older woman chuckled to herself. "Well, can't say I'm surprised. I am somewhat unique. The name's Eidel, though no one's called me that in years." She motioned to the meat over the fire. "Would you like something to eat, young man?"

If he was honest, Link was hungry. But he couldn't satisfy his cravings here. He shook his head. "I can't. I'm busy looking for something."

"And what could you possibly be looking for all the way out here?" Eidel said, kneeling down by the fire again.

"I'm looking for a dragon," he said casually.

The woman's shoulders stiffened and her smirk disappeared. "Dragon? Why would you be looking for a thing like that? Do you have a death wish?"

The hero smirked. "Perhaps."

Eidel pierced the meat with a fork and slapped it on an iron plate. "And what do you plan to do when you find this dragon? Not that I've seen it."

Link rocked from side to side. "Kill it, of course. Just like any other beast."

Eidel brought her plate to the table and sat down. She stared at her food and poked at it with her fork without actually eating it. "Well, as you can see, there is no dragon here. But you're welcome to stay and keep me company if you'd like."

The hero looked around. "But I followed it here, right where Zili said it'd be. Something that big can't just disappear unless someone hid it." His gaze stopped on Eidel. "Which can mean only one thing."

"So you know old Zili, eh?" Eidel scoffed, pushing her plate away and meeting his gaze. "I thought you looked Hylian. But I didn't want to jump to conclusions."

"You know him?"

"Of course I know him. He and I go way back, though not in a good way." She slowly rose from her chair.

Link leered at her. "So I'm assuming you also know where the dragon is? Since you're obviously trying to hide it."

The middle-aged woman looked at him sternly. "Are you sure you want to kill this dragon of yours?"

Link unsheathed his sword and shield. "I've never run from a fight in my life."

Eidel cracked her neck and sighed. "Foolish boy."

Before the hero knew it, it was no longer a middle-aged woman in front of him, but the great beast he had been pursuing. Smoke charged from her nostrils, claws scratched restlessly at the ground, and putrid breath destroyed any feelings of comfort this den had once provided. Her tail slapped the table against the wall and cracked it in half. The wind created from its movement doused the cooking fire. She spread her large, red wings and let out a deafening roar.

Link had miscalculated. Eidel wasn't hiding the dragon. She was the dragon!

And she wasted no time in attacking. A fireball formed in her mouth and blazed towards him like a meteor.

"Farore!" Link cursed, barely bracing his shield in front of him. The explosion hit him dead on, blasting him through the air. The heat was intense, but the impact from slamming against the cave wall was worse. His breath was forced from him, nearly knocking him unconscious. The room spun around him as he rose to his feet, everything appearing as a white blur. By the time he regained his senses, another fireball was already heading his way.

He jumped out of the way in time as the meteor scorched right by him. The explosion incinerated the rocks where he had just been, warning him that he would meet the same fate if he didn't keep moving.

Link refused to be beaten so easily. The lust for battle stirred deep inside him, thrusting him forward. This dragon was strong, far stronger than Argarok and perhaps even Atrayu. But he was a hunter, and no prey was out of his reach.

"Let's see how you like this," Link muttered to himself. "Strength like an eagle, peace like a dove. Grant me protection with Nayru's love!"

He grinned smugly as the protective blue crystal encircled him. He braced himself with his shield as a third fireball hurtled towards him. The projectile exploded against him and knocked him back, but thanks to the spell, this time he felt no pain. As the smoke cleared, Eidel was slightly surprised to still see him on his feet.

Link sheathed his sword and quickly took out his bow. His opponent's hesitation had presented the perfect opportunity to strike back. He notched an arrow, pulled back the string, and released, sending an arrow straight for the dragon's face. She shielded herself with her wings, causing the projectile to bounce off her scales like a pebble against a stone wall. Link fired several more arrows, but they were all repelled in the same manner.

This time, the hero slapped a bomb onto one of the arrows and notched it. He took aim for the dragon's face again and let it sail. Again, Eidel shielded herself with her wings, but her defense wasn't as effective. The explosion made her flinch while the smoke blinded her. Link quickly prepared another explosive projectile and let it sail towards her stomach. The impact hit its target, causing the dragon to rear back and collapse against a nearby wall. Rocky spires rained everywhere from the ceiling and filled the ground with debris. One nearly struck Link in the head. Parts of the wall caved in, burying some of the torches in a rocky graveyard. The dust created by the falling debris, combined with the growing darkness, made it difficult for Link to find his opponent as he notched another bomb arrow.

Whoosh! With several powerful flaps of her wings, Eidel created a strong wind current that sent the hero flying against the wall again, his bow dropping to the ground. He grunted and keeled over, but Nayru's Love had protected him from any injuries. His bomb arrow exploded before he could reach his bow, blasting him through the air and suffocating him with a fresh wave of smoke.

Taking advantage of her opponent's weakness, Eidel thundered through the room towards him. Small rocks cracked beneath her weight like eggshells as she closed the distance between them. She could end it quickly and cleanly by crushing his brittle bones. Attacking from a distance proved too risky with his bomb-arrows. She couldn't chance a cave-in crushing the both of them.

Her large claw reached to crush him against the wall, but the hero ducked in time. She pulled her limb from the crushed debris and came at him again. This time he sidestepped it. Her other claw came at him from his blind spot, but he back flipped in time. A swipe from above; he rolled ahead. She felt like she was catching a fish with her bare hands; no matter how close she got, he always managed to slip away. She had to surprise him somehow.

The hero didn't see Eidel's tail whip around from behind him. Before he knew it, he was swept off his feet and onto the ground with a thud. Despite his spinning head, he clearly saw the dragon towering over him. Her putrid, hot breath overpowered him, while two large claws trapped him on either side. To worsen matters, the protective power of Nayru's Love left him like a traitorous friend; the duration of its effect had expired. Link was the cornered animal now, with his foe ready to slay him like a victorious hunter.

Of course, even cornered animals can fight back.

Eidel slammed her claws together, hoping to crush Link's flesh in the process. However, when her scaly hands separated, there was nothing there but air. Suspecting he had run beneath her, she turned completely around. There, waiting for her, was not the man she had been attacking, but a blue-eyed wolf. The animal was hunched on its hindquarters; ears tilted and lips peeled back to reveal a menacing snarl. Feral eyes stared at her, blanketed with hostility, and watched her every movement. Eidel stayed exactly where she was, for she instantly understood that this wolf and the man from earlier were one in the same.

Could he be a shifter as well?

Eidel reverted back to her human state, leaning over and breathing heavily. The wolf stayed where it was, growling and snarling but not attacking quite yet. She watched it carefully, but did not sense an approaching attack. Rather, Link was observing her.

She held up her hand. "Enough."

The wolf did not move, did not retreat. He looked at her through wild, blue eyes and kept his teeth bared.

Eidel groaned. "Must I speak your language? Fine then." She transformed into a wolf herself, a majestic animal with soft, white fur. Dark splotches dotted her face. "No more of this fighting," she communicated in the language of animals. "We are both shifters."

"You seemed pretty intent on killing me," Link responded, stopping his snarl but still watching her carefully.

"I can say the same for you," Eidel replied. She began to walk towards him, but a low growl warned her to stop. "But why? I have no quarrel with you."

Link sat down and wrapped his tail around his hind legs. "You attacked Clock Town without reason. What choice did I have?"

Eidel dared her approach once more. "I see. So you seek to avenge them?"

Link nodded.

The older wolf stopped in front of the younger. Through sense of smell, she could discern another's intentions, whether they were gripped by fear, a lust for battle, or something else. Try as they might to hide it behind carefully crafted words and actions, there was no deceiving her nose. Now, she would use those skills to discover this man's true intentions.

Link didn't like how close she was approaching him, but his instincts told him he was in no danger. He had been a wolf long enough to learn their body language. She only sniffed him lightly, displaying a mix of curiosity and hostility, but no aggressive intentions. When she had said she no longer wished to fight, she had meant it. Strangely, he found his own lust for battle dried up. Just who was she?

Eidel tilted her ears back. "You don't smell of malice. No…you smell… somehow familiar. What is your name, little one?"

Link became human once again and looked at her sharply. "That is none of your business." He walked over to recover his bow. He was about to pick up it up when he heard footfalls coming into the cavern and saw a shadow flicker on a nearby wall. Had the others arrived already?

The stranger was none other than Atrayu. She glanced around at the half-lit rubble and crossed her arms. "You guys fought and didn't think to invite me? Now I feel left out."

Eidel quickly became human herself. She looked in the mercenary's direction with shock. "Atrayu? Is that really you? What are you doing here?"

The mercenary walked along the cavern edge, stepping over several recently fallen rocks. She looked at the older shifter. "In the flesh, Eidel." She slid her hand along the rock wall and observed the damage around her. "After all these years, you haven't changed much. Maybe a few more gray hairs, but still as reckless as ever."

Eidel grunted. "And I see you're as disrespectful as I remember."

Link looked back and forth between the two shifters. His bow was now firmly in hand. "You two know each other?"

Eidel folded her arms. "Yes, but it's been years. I knew her when she was a disrespectful little runt. She had talent, to be sure, and I knew her strength would take her far. But she lacked any convictions, any sense of duty. So I taught her a sense of honor the only way she would learn."

Atrayu folded her arms and grunted. "By lecturing me to death before crushing me in combat?"

"It worked, didn't it?"

The mercenary's face turned dark like a storm cloud. "It got me kicked out of Nevkah."

"Me humiliating you in combat?" Eidel said with a smirk.

Atrayu was not amused. "My honor."

Eidel's smile disappeared. "Is that why you're here?"

The mercenary nodded. "Of course! What other shifters have been exiled besides us?"

The older shifter raised her voice. "I wasn't exiled. I chose to leave, whatever Alpha may have told you."

Atrayu shook her head. "I couldn't care less what Alpha says. He deserves to rot in the pits of the underworld."

Eidel rested her hands on her hips. "Let me guess…you tried to fight him yourself but it didn't work out."

The mercenary nodded slowly. To admit defeat hurt her pride. But to be separated from her home and cloaked in disgrace hurt even more. "I'd rather forget it, but yes. When I was exiled, I knew I needed help if I was to overthrow him. Then, I remembered you were still out here somewhere. So, I did whatever I could to find you."

Eidel's brows arched in surprise. "You want me to fight him?" She looked away. "Well, I hate to disappoint you, but I'm not the same person as when I left. A few decades can change you."

"But you must! You're the only one who can!" Atrayu insisted.

Link was hit with inspiration. He looked at the mercenary but spoke to no one in particular. "Wait…that shifter you told me about…the one you were looking for…is Eidel?" His words fell on deaf ears.

Eidel folded her arms and tapped her foot impatiently. "I have no desire to return to that place. Why not ask your friend here? He seems strong enough. And he's a shifter."

Atrayu grunted. "Link might be strong enough, but he has no understanding of our culture. I would rather have you, someone who shares my homeland, then someone born in some dingy, backwater Hylian village."

Link crossed his arms. So that's how she felt about him.

Atrayu's remark caught Eidel's interest, and the older shifter turned her attention to him. "So Link's your name?" She stopped, her eyes looking him up and down. There was a strange excitement in her voice now. "Where in Hyrule are you from, Link?"

Link didn't see any harm in answering. His village was so remote that few from Castle Town knew it existed, let alone foreigners. "Ordon Village," he replied.

The excitement on Eidel's face grew with each second. "Tell me, Link, are there two people who still live there? Rusl and Uli are their names."

The hero took a step back. He felt a tingling anxiety creep up his throat as he fidgeted nervously with the string of his bow. "How could you possibly know them?"

Eidel smiled. "Because I've been there before. And they are good friends of mine."

Link began to hyperventilate. How was this possible? He had never mentioned their names since being in Termina. Not aloud anyway. And the only other person that could've spoken about them was Colin.

Yes! That had to be it! Hadn't Eidel attacked Clock Town? And hadn't Colin been there as well? She had to have overheard him say those names. Now she was using them to play mind games with Link.

But he refused to be manipulated. "Isn't that funny? I had no idea Rusl and Uli were so famous," he said as he gripped the bowstring tightly.

Eidel chuckled. "You and I have also met before. A long time ago, when you were still young. Do you remember?"

Link shook his head. "I would've remembered a monster coming to our village."

She didn't say it, but Link could tell his words hurt her deeply. Her smile disappeared and her eyes dropped.

"Eidel!" Atrayu interrupted. "Can we discuss the past later? I need an answer!"

"Leave us for a while, Atrayu," Eidel barked. "I need time to think. And I wish to speak with Link alone."

"But…"

"If you don't leave now, then I promise you that I will not set foot anywhere near Nevkah." Eidel's voice whipped through the air.

The two stared leered at one another in a charged contest of wills. Neither blinked or moved an inch; the fire in their eyes burned hotter than flames. Link felt the heat of their gaze and thought the air might combust at any moment. The cold passivity of their faces reflected dancing shadows cast by the flickering torchlight. In the end, it was Atrayu who closed her eyes and looked away. With a loud grunt, she turned around and stormed out of the cavern, cursing beneath her breath.

When she was sure of Atrayu's departure, Eidel relaxed and let out a sigh of relief. "Impatient as ever. Some people never change," she complained. Turning her attention back to the hero, she took a seat on one of the boulders since her own wooden chair had been destroyed in the carnage. "So Link, has my name struck a bell in that thick head of yours yet?" Her voice contained a lighter tone to it.

The hero ran the name in his mind. It sounded vaguely familiar, lost in the mist of his memories. Yet, when he tried to concentrate on it, nothing came.

"Can't say it has. Maybe your visit didn't leave much of an impression on me," he replied.

Eidel shook her head and scolded him. "I can see you inherited Uziah's forgetfulness."

Uziah? Eidel? One name alone didn't mean much, but as a pair, a memory jumped to the surface of his mind. He remembered Uli and Rusl mentioning the names in passing quite a bit, especially in his younger years. But even when he got older, he remembered hearing about them, especially when he started living in his parent's old house.

And then the meaning of Eidel's subtle hints hit him. Like iron boots kicking him in the chest. Like a ball-and-chain smashing against his skull. Now that he thought about it, the conclusion seemed perfectly obvious and yet hopelessly impossible.

Eidel's face brightened. "Ah. It seems you've figured it out after all. Perhaps you inherited some of my intelligence after all."

The hand holding the bow hung loosely at Link's side now. "So you're trying to tell me you're my mother?" He paused. "My actual…birth mother?" He laughed out loud. "Do you realize how absurd that sounds?"

Eidel rested her hands on her hips and scowled. "And why is that so absurd?"

Link paced around the room, taking large steps as he wandered aimlessly. "I can think of a few reasons. For one, my mother died a long time ago."

The older woman interrupted. "Of course she did." Her eyes dropped. "Killed by bandits, right?"

Link stopped pacing long enough to face her. He opened his mouth, but no words came. Perhaps because she had stolen what he was about to say. He quickly resumed pacing in the opposite direction, not allowing his defense to falter. "Not just that. You're also a monster. I mean…what kind of person goes and attacks an entire city?"

She flinched. For some reason, Link's words seemed to pierce her like daggers. However, she looked up to face him, blue eyes burning with feistiness. "You got my stubborn streak in you too. I should've suspected as much." She paused. "But you have a valid point. So let me explain myself."

The hero shrugged his shoulders. "I don't care. Go ahead. Doesn't mean I'll believe you."

Eidel scowled. "I can't believe how rude you've become. In any case, I'll explain the attack first. Maybe that'll grab your attention."

Link grunted his acknowledgment and put away his bow. He picked up a handful of pebbles and let them drop one by one with the occasional glance to Eidel.

"I live alone up here, and I prefer it that way. I only leave here in one of my shifted forms so no one will recognize me. Occasionally, I'll take to the skies as a dragon, just to spread fear and scare away anyone stupid enough to come here. Even then, I just breathe a little smoke and let out a few roars. I have no quarrel with the people of Clock Town. I leave them alone so they'll leave me alone. I lost my desire to fight years ago."

"Yet you attacked them anyways," Link accused, picking up another handful of pebbles.

"And you want to tell me you've never attacked any of your friends?" she replied quickly.

Link was silent as he let the pebbles fall from his hand. Colin's face flashed briefly in his mind.

"Anyways," Eidel continued, "I was minding my own business when a tall man in robes approached me. He didn't say who he was, but he had really long hair and had a very soothing voice. He attempted to provoke me, threatened me even, to attack Clock Town. But still I refused. Then, he cast some sort of spell on me. I fought it, I really did. I could feel him creeping in my mind, trying to take over my body. I lashed out at him, gave him a nice scar across the cheek, but his magic was too powerful. From there, I don't remember much except feeling a weird out-of-body sensation, like I was having a dream or something. It wasn't until I recognized Atrayu in Clock Town that I snapped out of it. But by then, the damage had already been done."

Link paused as he chewed on Eidel's words. The robed figure sounded like Mudora. He had learned from Kari that the deity had the ability to take over minds and control bodies like she had described. During her explanation, he had also glanced up occasionally to observe her body language. Nothing hinted at deception. She seemed to believe every word of her own story.

But it didn't make sense. Why would Mudora target her? What would he gain by attacking Clock Town but nowhere else? The clues didn't fit together. Something crucial was missing.

"Did this man tell you why he wanted you to attack Clock Town?"

Eidel shook her head. "No, he didn't. But he was very insistent."

Link nodded and took a seat on top of a large rock just across from her. "Well, I guess I'll give you the benefit of the doubt then." He folded his arms. "But there's something else I still don't get. Why pass yourself off as my mother? What do you hope to gain from it?"

Eidel looked straight at him and smiled. "The lost years with my son."

It was too much for Link. He looked away. "Well, go ahead and explain that if you want. Tell me how you met my 'dad' or something."

The middle-aged shifter let out an ironic chuckle. "Goddesses, that was so long ago. We were both young and stupid." She took a deep breath and continued. "He was a Hylian knight. I was Nevkah's foreign ambassador. We met on one of my trips to Hyrule."

Link looked at her again. "I thought Nevkah didn't get involved with other countries."

"My position wasn't exactly made public. My purpose was to negotiate a secret agreement between my country and the King of Hyrule. Sort of like an alliance. Of course, your father, Uziah, was assigned as my escort, so we spent a lot of time together."

"Did you fancy him right away?"

"Goddesses no! " Eidel said. "Initially, even the idea of being in the same room as him repulsed me. His breath always smelled like garlic. He had a bush growing on his face. And he was more forgetful than a brainless Moblin."

Link leaned forward slightly. "So what made you change your mind?"

Eidel's voice quieted. She began to kick her legs gently against the rock. "He was the only one who treated me like I was human. All the other knights sniffed at me with contempt, calling me a half-breed and threatening me when the King wasn't around. But he stood up for me. And he was one heck of a fighter, definitely one of the better knights." She paused, a warm smile spreading across her lips. "But most importantly, he had a strong heart and boundless courage. If there was anyone who ever needed help, he never hesitated to lend a hand."

In spite of himself, Link found himself enraptured by her tale. His mind argued that she was lying, but his heart disagreed.

Eidel continued. "Eventually, negotiations with Hyrule failed and I was supposed to return home. But I didn't. At that point, he and I were spending far more time together than we were supposed to, and I was too stubborn and stupid to stay away. One thing led to another, and eventually we were secretly married. We knew there'd be trouble if we stayed in Castle Town, so he left the military and we settled down in Ordon Village. We built a house on the outskirts of the village and life was peaceful there; the King didn't bother us and the villagers accepted us without questions. Those following years were some of the best of my life."

A small tear streaked down her eye and she sniffled.

"Life was much different than I was used to. The pace was much slower and I couldn't shift anymore, but I was perfectly content. We became good friends with Rusl and Uli. They were still in the courtship phase at the time, but we knew it wouldn't last long. Uli and I used to make plans for her wedding while Rusl and Uziah were out sparring. In a matter of months, they were married, and the whole village celebrated with a grand feast and plenty of dancing. It was such a joyful time, despite the fact I was pregnant."

"With me?" Link asked.

"You guessed it," she laughed, wiping away a stray tear from her cheek. She looked up at the ceiling as if she could see the sky. "You were a stubborn baby, just like your mother, and you caused me a lot of pain when you were born. But when I held you in my arms for the first time, and nuzzled your forehead against mine, I knew it was worth it. Rusl and Uli became your godparents, and we watched you grow over the next five years. We couldn't have been happier."

A dark cloud came over Link's face. "But the happiness couldn't last forever."

The smile disappeared off Eidel as well and she sighed. "I'm afraid all good things come to an end. I'll never forget the look of disbelief on Uziah's face when Bo gave him the King's summons letter. Of course, we knew nothing good would come from it, but we couldn't disobey without bringing harm to you or the village. So we left you with Rusl and Uli and departed Ordon for the last time."

Link stood to his feet. "What did the King want?"

Anger burned in the shifter's eyes. She pounded her fist into the rock. "It was a trap. We were ambushed before we even made it to Hyrule Field."

"But why?"

"The King considered us a threat. He must've thought I was a spy and Uziah was supplying me information. Not to mention he had abandoned his duties. Yet, because my husband was still well-loved by the people even in his absence, his execution wouldn't sit well with them. So the King hired lowlife thugs to do his dirty work for him. That way, he could claim the death to be nothing more than a tragic accident."

"Scorpio…" Link muttered to himself, seething with anger. "But they couldn't have been a match for the two of you?"

Eidel was silent. She purposely avoided eye contact as another small tear streaked down her cheek.

"What happened?" Link urged.

She paused before answering. Even then, her voice was shaky. "Most of them were no match for a shifter like me. But one of them was far stronger than I expected. He was a giant of a man, wielding a large axe with a single hand. He…Uziah was no match…I couldn't get there in time." More tears came streaming down her face. "All the power in the world…and I couldn't save the one who mattered most. I didn't even get to say goodbye."

"Eidel…" Link said softly.

"I'm…I'm sorry," she muttered. "It's just…I've never talked about this with anyone. I never thought it would stir up such strong emotions." She buried her head in her hands. "I can still see his face at night. Bloody. Lifeless. If only it had been me."

Link empathized with her and began to choke up. Her words touched his inner core. He understood what it was like to be unable to protect someone. Despite all his strength, he hadn't been able to stop Rusl from dying. The more Eidel talked, the more he became convinced what she said was the truth.

"What happened next?" he asked with some difficulty.

"Everyone was dead except for that bastard of a man. I was so grief-stricken that I let him escape." She looked around the cave, still sniffling as she struggled with the pain the memories brought back. "I gave Uziah a proper burial, but then I didn't know what to do next. My first instinct was to return to you. But then I thought about what might happen if they came looking for me. They might never give up. I couldn't bear losing you too, so I made the most difficult choice of my life." She reached out towards Link, let her hand linger, and then quickly withdrew it. "I wanted you to live a normal life without suffering for what I'd done. So I left you, Link, and Hyrule, for good."

Link's voice was quiet as he sat back down. The light from the torches sent shadows dancing across his face. "I was young, so I don't remember much. But I do remember Rusl taking me aside. I had been playing in the river when he called me to the house. I didn't know what was going on, but Uli was crying behind him. He explained to me that you guys had gone on a long trip, that I would be living with them longer than expected. It wasn't until I was older that I found out what'd happened."

"So Rusl and Uli took care of you?" The tears stopped for the time being, and a smile warmed her face once again. "How are they doing? I wish I could see them again."

Link purposely sidestepped the question. "But how did you end up here?"

Eidel dried her face against her sleeve. "Nothing exciting. As I had feared, the King sent Zili to follow me at every turn. I couldn't return to Nevkah, so I moved from place to place until I made my home here."

The hero combed his fingers through his hair. He didn't know what to say.

Eidel looked at him longingly, mustering a more playful smile while she wiped away one last tear. "So do you believe I'm your mother yet? Or do I need to start talking about embarrassing childhood stories?"

The hero didn't answer right away. He looked down at the ground, reflecting on everything she had said. "I already believe you. But what difference does it make? Neither of us can make up for lost time. I'm an adult now."

The older shifter smirked. "That doesn't mean we can't try." She rose to walk towards him, but stopped when she saw Link flinch. "I'm grateful Uli acted in my stead all those years. But there are some things only your true mother can understand."

Link slowly looked up. "Like what?"

She looked deep into his blue eyes. "Well, for one, I'm curious to see how you've adjusted as a shifter. What was your first transformation like?"

Link paused and shifted uncomfortably. Only Midna knew this story. A lump developed in his throat as he thought about sharing it with someone else. Yet, as he saw the warmth in Eidel's gaze and realized the intensity of this woman's concern for him, he felt his reluctance melt.

"My village was attacked and I was dragged to an alternate dimension. I felt this agonizing pulse on my wrist and my whole body felt on fire. I passed out from the ordeal, but when I awoke, I found myself as a wolf. I was stuck in that form for a while, but became human again with some help. The whole ordeal was disorienting, sometimes being human, and sometimes being a wolf. Eventually, I stumbled on a stone which helped me control it better."

His mother saw the shame in his eyes and couldn't hold herself back anymore. Whether he wanted her to or not, she walked over and sat down beside him, placing a reassuring hand on his leg. He glanced at her but didn't push her away.

"What sort of stone was it?" she asked gently.

"It was a crystal, made with dark magic. Whenever I touched it, I became a wolf. When I released it, I became human again. It was far easier, and I was able to transform at will. Eventually, the stone was taken away from me, but I didn't need it anymore. Somewhere along the line, I had learned to control it of my own accord, although I don't know why."

She took her hand off his leg and placed a finger on her lip. "I think I know why."

"Then please enlighten me."

She looked to a torch burning on a nearby wall. "It's kind of like a fire burning inside you. Before you transform for the first time, all you have is some dry wood. You're waiting for a fire to happen, but it's not there yet. But then you get a spark, and the first flames begin to form. The fire grows, and you learn to take advantage of it. It becomes an ally and a friend, but only while you control it. Without a safety net, it could overcome and consume you."

Link nodded. "So what you're saying is that I always had this ability lying dormant inside me? But it wasn't until I experienced what I did that it sparked to life?"

Eidel nodded. "Precisely."

"Then I think I understand the rest of the analogy. Well, everything except the safety net."

His mother looked him over. "Every shifter needs something to help prevent their feral instincts from overwhelming them. For most of us, it is the dragon scale we wear around our necks. It has special properties that help dampen its influence over us. But you don't seem to have one. I wonder if that stone served as one until you got rid of it."

"Just my luck," Link moaned.

"Have you told anyone about your inner wolf?"

Link looked down at the ground, his voice barely audible. "Not as many people as I'd like."

"I know how you feel, Link. I had to hide my identity from my friends for a long time." She chuckled. "In fact, they still don't know."

"But how did you do it?" He looked up at the ceiling. "Sometimes, I don't know if I'm more of an animal or human. I feel an overwhelming desire to become a wolf, and it's all I can do to contain it at times."

Eidel placed her finger to her lip and thought for a few seconds. "Unlike other humans, we have to fight a daily battle of dominance between our humanity and our inner beast. I fought it by focusing on what was important to me: you and Uziah. I didn't want to lose the two of you, so I did whatever it took. That includes denying my own inner instincts."

"So I'm not the only one who struggles with this?"

"Of course not, dear. I'm just amazed you've lasted this long. Do you realize how special you are?"

"I've been told that before."

"Well, this is your mother saying it, so you have to listen. You're the only child ever to be born between a shifter and a non-shifter. You're charting whole new territory."

Link rolled his eyes. "I feel real special now."

She pushed his cheek so he was forced to look into her eyes. "I mean it. I'm extremely proud of you. You can't get down on yourself just because you've made a few mistakes. It doesn't take away from the amazing person you've become."

Link smiled. "You know…maybe it's not so bad to have a mother. You're the first person who actually understands what I'm going through and can help me."

She gently rubbed his shoulder. "Well, it's my fault you are the way you are. The least I can do is help."

"So how do I control this beast living inside me?"

Eidel scolded him with her finger. "First, you have to change your perspective. The wolf is not a beast; it's a part of you. As much a part of you as your humanity. Until you accept it, you can never hope to live with it."

Link stood up. "If only I actually knew what that meant and how to do it."

His mother stood up with him. "It takes time. You'll understand someday. And you'll have me. You don't have to struggle with it alone anymore."

"And telling the others?"

She smiled. "We'll figure out something."

Link returned the smile. He felt warmth for this lonely woman that up until only a little while ago had been his enemy. Her sincerity had won him over, and for the first time in a while, he felt like he was beginning to understand himself. Without really thinking about it, he wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace. Eidel was taken off guard by the sudden gesture, but she returned the hug once the shock wore off.

"Thank you," he said softly.

She closed her eyes and squeezed him tightly. She was crying again. The warmth of his body against hers overwhelmed her. For a moment, she felt as if the two of them were back in Ordon. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to hold you in my arms again, Link. Until now, I thought the Goddesses would never give me the opportunity."

Link didn't move. "You've had to bear a terrible burden and suffered because of it. But now you don't have to be alone anymore."

"I couldn't be happier," she replied.

They released each other from the embrace. Link looked bashfully away and shuffled his feet. "I still have to introduce you to Colin."

Several of the torches behind Eidel had been crushed by debris, so Link didn't see the figure moving stealthily in the shadows.

"Who's that?"

Now, the figure loomed behind Eidel, silent and unnoticed. Link was still looking away.

"He's Uli and Rusl's oldest son."

A brief flash of metal.

Eidel grinned from ear to ear. "I'd love to meet him! I wonder how much like his—" she stopped with a grunt, spit flying out of her mouth. Her face grimaced, and her eyes slowly lowered to her stomach. There was a warm and sticky liquid where her hand felt her torso.

"Moth…Eidel? Are you okay?" Link asked. He slowly followed her gaze and froze on a blade protruding from her stomach. His hands shook violently as he watched fresh blood drip from the metal tip. The hero wanted to scream, to yell, but the sudden shock robbed his lungs of all their power. Time seemed to be frozen. He couldn't move, he couldn't breathe; all he could do was stare at his mother's open wound.

"Good job, Link," Zili's voice congratulated him. "I don't know how you distracted her, but it was just what I needed. I was afraid she'd notice me. But now Hyrule will be a safer place with this monster dead." He withdrew the dagger and watched as Eidel's body collapsed to the ground.

The wolf man barely heard the Sheikah's words. His head pounded as his mind raced. He looked frantically between Eidel's body lying in the rubble and Zili's triumphant smile. His heart pounded against his chest like a drum. His breath wouldn't come to him. The wolf clawed from deep within the recesses of his mind. It snarled and growled for blood and vengeance, demanding its appetite be satisfied. Like his days as Lieutenant Ordona, Link no longer saw the Sheikah as a friend of Kari, but as an enemy. A cold and indifferent expression glazed over his face, masking an unquenchable fury and anger.

"You'll pay for that," he growled, his hand reaching for the hilt of the Master Sword. Calculating eyes analyzed the shinobi's stance. He was completely unguarded.

"Is something wrong?" Zili asked.

The Sheikah had no time to react. The swordsman's Mortal Draw came so quickly that it cut across his body without a fight. Zili's weapon fell to the floor with his body. Link jumped on his stomach, his eyes filled with an inhuman rage.

"I'll show you what a shifter is capable of," he growled.

The Sheikah was out cold from the shock long before he hit the ground. The attack had come too quickly for him to respond even if he had anticipated it. The slash cut through his clothing and sliced open his chest. Blood seeped from the open wound, staining his clothing and the rocks around him. Link immersed himself in the sticky liquid, allowing the wolf to consume both his body and mind. With his front paws pressed against the Sheikah's chest, the wolf snapped his teeth onto his prey's neck.

Zili died instantly.

The adrenaline racing through him only drove Link further into madness, tickling his senses with euphoria only a hunter could feel. His thirst for blood consumed his thoughts, drove his actions, and directed his movements. He focused his attention back on the torso and dug his snout into the open wound, only enlarging it. Flesh caught beneath his claws as he tore at the underlying muscles. Crimson stained his majestic, silver fur. His blue eyes held a devilish fury. Zili's blood colored Link's outer lips, circulating through his teeth and over his tongue with a bitter but pleasurable taste. All rational thought had been consumed by the wolf's dominating instincts, who's only focus involved enjoying the fruits of his kill.

"Link?"

The wolf's ears perked up merely by instinct and looked in the direction of the one who had said his name. There were several people gathered by the entrance: a young man with blonde hair, another Sheikah with a silver baton, a Zora, a tall woman with pale skin. His senses were so tickled with euphoria that he didn't recognize them right away. He growled and snarled at them, sending a clear warning sign that this was his trophy and they were to stay away.

"Wha-what's going on?" Kari asked in disbelief. He rushed to Zili's side. The wolf snapped at him, but the Sheikah easily dodged. "Away from him, beast!" He summoned a gust powerful enough to send the animal flying into some debris. The blow was just strong enough to loosen the wolf's hold over Link and reawaken his rationality.

Kari knelt by the other Sheikah's lifeless corpse and dipped his hand in his comrade's blood. He gagged as he beheld the gaping wound and the wolf's further desecration. He glanced over to find Eidel also lying in a pool of her own blood, but that mattered little to him. He lifted his head to the ceiling and let out a scream so agonizing that even the stones would have cried if it lasted much longer. His knuckles turned white, and his eyes narrowed in vengeance.

He was again the sole survivor of his tribe. Justice would be dealt!

Gradually, the wolf emerged from the debris, its head spinning but lucidity starting to wash over it once again. Carelessly, Link became human again. His face was covered with blood, his clothes were soaked crimson, and his hair was an untamed mess.

"You? You did this?" Kari asked in a disbelieving whisper. The shock quickly gave away to an unstoppable anger. He clenched his fist and looked back at Zili's mangled corpse.

The hero realized his mistake far too late and was forced to nod in shame. The blood covering him served as his greatest accuser.

"Look at what you have done! I trusted you!" Kari shouted uncontrollably, tears streaming down his eyes but a hot fury fueling his words.

He grabbed the Wind Waker and prepared to summon the most powerful spell he knew. He didn't care what happened. He didn't care he was aiming at one of his friends. He just had to do it. However, Rishu and Midna were soon upon him, struggling with all their might just to restrain him. They grabbed his arms and pulled him to the ground. He resisted with all his might, but they eventually overpowered him. Neither dared to look at Link or utter a word; they were too busy trying to calm Kari down.

Link felt the weight of his actions begin to press him harder than a boulder. The euphoria that he had felt only seconds ago seemed a distant memory. Now, regret and guilt shackled his mind while shame engulfed his heart.

The wolf man looked to Colin only to see the horror covering his face. His entire body was paralyzed; his sword dropped clumsily to the ground while his hands trembled slightly. The youth's eyes leered at him, unable to reconcile the hero with the blood covering him. Link put one heavy foot in front of the other in an attempt to approach the young man, the same young man that had considered him a brother since childhood.

"Colin?"

Now that young man looked at him without recognition. Colin saw a monster instead of a brother. He felt betrayal instead of camaraderie. He idolized a killer instead of a hero. A flush of conflicting emotions overwhelmed the youth. Anger, shock, fear, and confusion blended together to form a melting pot of chaos in his head. In the end, the Ordonian couldn't face the man approaching him. So he fled from Link without a word.

"Colin!"

Link didn't pursue him. There was no reason to. He had brought this upon himself, and now had to endure the consequences. He hung his head and dropped his gaze.

What had he done?

A/N- This is a chapter that I've been planning for a long time. It marks a turning point in the story and I've been looking forward to writing this for a while. I really wanted to convey some strong emotions in this chapter, and I hope I was able to capture them. Next chapter shouldn't take too long to write. In the meantime, please review and let me know what you thought about this chapter.