I have been at a camp for the past two weeks so I haven't been able to upload this chapter, sorry. I don't really like these first two chapters because to me they're kind of slow, so bear with me, but he real excitement comes in the next chapter, so be prepared!

"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" Link woke up to the sound of somebody yelling for him to get up. He sat up, stretched his arms way out behind his back, and stepped out of his bed. He plodded to the window on the other side of the room and looked outside.

The brilliant rays of the morning sun illuminated his face like a cluster of fireflies. He looked down and saw his good buddy Fado waving his arms around on the ground in front of his house.

"Cock-a-doodle-doo, Link! Time to get ready to herd the goats again!"

"I'll be right down!" Link called from the treehouse. He left the window and climbed down one of the rickety wooden ladders that allowed him to get around his house. From there, he got ready quickly, and in about ten minutes he was ready to go to work.

As he stepped outside and climbed down the ladder that led up to his house, he looked around for his horse, Epona. Link spotted the chestnut mare tethered to a nearby tree, already saddled and groomed. Ilia was always faithful; she knew his schedule, and always got up before he did to take care of Epona. Link had tried to insist that she didn't, but she was always stubborn.

He walked up to Epona and stroked her neck, mumbling a greeting. When he was done, he mounted up and trotted her into the village.

Not many villagers were awake this time of morning. Link enjoyed the cool, fresh morning air and the smell of the dew on the grass as he rode up to Ordon Ranch.

"Hey, Link!" Fado called from the center of the corral. Link smiled back and got to work.

He started by riding up behind a whole group of goats and hollering, then he guided them into the barn. He rounded up a few more goats and was done with the job. There was always that one stubborn goat that took a little more time than the rest; but in general, the whole job only took about five minutes, and it helped out a lot.

"Thanks! That's all I needed you to do today!" called Fado as he shut the barn doors behind the goats. Link nodded and rode back into the village to enjoy the rest of his day. Maybe today he could play with the younger kids, or go fishing again.

When he rode past the mayor's house, Ilia called his name. Link turned around on Epona, dismounted, and walked up onto the porch where his best friend was waiting. He sat down next to her.

"Hey, Link."

"Hi, Ilia."

"How was goat herding?"

"You know, the same old. What did you do this morning?"

"I got up and got Epona ready. Then I decided to wait for you."

"Thanks." Link smiled. There was an awkward silence for a while.

"I miss Colin." Ilia spoke up again.

"I do too. He was like a little brother to me. Do you know how he's doing?"

"Yeah, I got a letter from him yesterday. He said he's having a really great time, and he's learning a lot, but he misses us all. Especially you. He loves you a lot, you know. "

"I know."

"You're like a hero to him, ever since he was little."

"Yeah."

"Well, have a good day. I'm going inside to work on something." Ilia got up, opened the door, and walked inside.

Link decided to walk around the village. He didn't get a chance to too often; maybe it would be nice. He got up and started down the path.

A bright flash of light startled him. Link automatically reached for the Master Sword, but he realized he had left it at home, tucked away in a chest. He chided himself for thinking that he would never need it again, or at least, not in Ordon. He was about to look around him to see what the matter was when everything went black.