It was the nth time Twilight had heard Time sigh today, and for a single reason only - the Hero of the Wild, their newest addition to the team, had gone missing again. For the past two weeks, since they have met the wandering hero, there has not been a time when Wild would not separate from the group and go off by himself to Hylia-knows-where. They had attempted to raise the issue with their fellow hero a few times now, but it seemed to just go in from one ear and out to the other.
It does not help that the Champion seemed unable to speak nor share the same Hylian alphabet and sign language with anyone. At the very least, he understands spoken language, but it is still challenging to have a one-sided conversation. Wild's responses mostly comprised shakes, nods, and a series of gestures that always lead to a frustrating game of charades. However, they cannot fault him, especially since none of them has any idea of the Champion's placement in the timelines. History is already a complex web of innumerable eras. They had long surrendered trying to trace everyone's existence at this point.
"Guys! I found him!"
It felt like a thorn plucked off when Hyrule's voice called as he stepped into camp with Wild at tow. The Champion blinked at their haggard faces, his confusion plastered on why they were kicking a fuss again at his supposed disappearance. His Sheikah Slate was nestled in his hands - he was probably tinkering with the strange tool when Hyrule found him. Expectant eyes turned to their de facto leader - Someone please talk to him about this - and Time pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Pup," Like a tired father he is to his children, Time turned to Twilight. "You handle this."
Huh? Twilight turned to his ancestor as if he had lost it. He deliberately pointed to himself. Him? Has Time forgotten that the kid was avoiding him like a plague?
The Rancher could still remember vividly how Wild's eyes widened in apprehension when he introduced himself as the Hero of Twilight. They shared an awkward handshake, and since then, the Champion would only keep his distance from him. He would duck behind the others' back whenever Twilight would try to approach or pull up his hood if the latter stared a split second longer than necessary. It has always been one step forward, twenty steps back between them, and the fact that Wild acts like that only to him added to his frustration. Even his wolf form did not escape the same treatment.
Time gave him a look that the Ordonian knew well, and the latter swallowed any protests. He is the only one that had yet to attempt to get the Champion to listen to their concerns. It is clear as a day that Twilight is not looking forward to this. He glanced at the said hero, who was still engrossed with his Sheikah Slate and had not noticed the Rancher's attention on him. A pleased smile was on his face as he swiped and tapped his finger on the screen. Whatever he found had put him in quite a good mood.
What to do? Twilight could not confront Wild like this. The latter would only hide behind the nearest person should he approach. Hyrule must have read his dilemma on his face and turned to the Champion. He whispered something to the scarred hero and gestured at a log for them to sit on. Wild happily followed the Traveler and settled beside him as the duo fell into the usual one-sided conversation. The Rancher immediately understood what their resident healer was doing and decided to go along. The others had decided just to return to their routine, though Twilight swore he could feel their eyes anticipating his next moves.
It was when the sky had turned into a familiar shade of orange, and the campfire was lit that Twilight got his chance. He stood up and dusted the dirt off his trousers before making his way across the camp. Wild and Hyrule were huddled together under a single blanket that the former pulled out from his tool. The Rancher managed to secure the last few meters before the Champion noticed him. The younger hero jumped and would have fallen from his seat if the Traveler did not grab him by the arm.
"Wild," Twilight started. "We need to talk."
Wild flinched at that and visibly shrank under his gaze. Twilight suddenly felt bad - he tried to keep his voice light, but it seemed to have scared the poor hero more. The latter attempted to veer behind Hyrule, but the Traveler moved along with him to avoid his attempts to use him as a hiding spot. While the Hero of Hyrule is also a wanderer, he is still responsible enough to let everyone know where he is headed. Most of the time.
"Come on, Wild." Hyrule nudged the hero gently. "Twilight just has something to say. He doesn't bite, you know."
The Rancher would usually just chuckle internally at that - only Time and Four know his secret - but Wild's eyebrows shot up at that. The Champion looked at him in a way that sent a chill up his spine. His eyes seemed to gleam in the growing darkness, boring into him that Twilight felt bare under his gaze. It lasted for a few seconds before Wild turned away.
What was that?
Twilight opened his mouth, then closed it. He pinched the bridge of his nose. Focus. This is not the time to get distracted. "Wild, I know we've gone through this many times, but everyone's worried about you." He said. "You go off on your own without telling anybody. Sometimes, you'll be gone for hours. What if you get ambushed? What if you get captured? We'll have no way of knowing!"
Easy now. The Rancher reminded himself when he saw Wild deflated at his words. Do not come out as an asshole here. "Look, we're not going to stop you from wandering, but please. Just inform us if you're going away. Even just one of us would be enough. I know it hadn't been long since you joined us, and you might not be used to traveling with a group, but we're a team now, Wild. We look after each other."
"Could you do that, Wild?" The Ordoninan pleaded. "Tell one of us whenever you're going? That's all we're asking of you. Please?"
There was a tense silence when the Champion pulled up his hood to hide his face. Only the crackling of the campfire could be heard over the forest sounds in the evening. It was eerily silent, but Twilight was panicking inside. Did he say something wrong? Did he fuck up? It was difficult to tell the other hero's reaction - he hoped he had not made things worse. Then again, the two of them are not on good terms at all.
Finally, the Hero of the Wild shifted - his head slowly bobbing in response. Relief flooded Twilight - Thank Ordona! - he was ready to apologize as much as he could if he had offended the other hero in any way. He was about to thank him when his keen ears picked up words spoken by none of the seven heroes.
"...O…Okay," The voice was quiet and raspy - rough and painful for being unused for months or even years. The Rancher felt his throat hurting just hearing it. "I-I'll try…."
The Hero of Twilight was stiff as a statue. Did he just…? Did Wild just…? There was a metallic CLANK! as someone dropped their weapon. He could almost sense the gaping expressions of others - if they were a tad noisier earlier, it would have only him and Hyrule who had heard the Champion.
The attention was too much for the Hero of the Wild, and he stood up abruptly. His trembling hands weaved through the air in a sign language that the Ordonian knows too well. Sorry. Be back later. Before Twilight could stop him, the older blue-clad hero had fled into the thick trees and foliage, away from their interrogating eyes.
The Rancher could only stand there, his head running miles with questions. Wild could speak? All this time? That was his sign language, too! How did he learn that? From whom? He would not have moved an inch if it were not for Time placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Leave him be for now," Time told him, but Twilight knows his mentor well enough to recognize that look in his eyes. He, too, has questions to ask the Champion. "It would do no good if we pushed him further anytime soon. Let's give him some more time. He'll open up more eventually."
Time gave him a firm squeeze and smiled. "Good job, Pup."
Twilight nodded, though he could not find satisfaction in Time's praise. His ancestor ushered him to sit while the others reluctantly decided to get a move on and cook their dinner. The atmosphere for the rest of the night is subdued - movements were careful, and conversations were hushed. Wild's name would come up occasionally, and the specific discussion will ground to a halt. They know they cannot risk talking behind the Champion's back - there is a possibility that he may be within earshot.
The Rancher, in his part, could not help glancing back in the direction the hero ran to. He wanted to go after him and get his answers, but he knew he could not be impatient. Time is right. That and Twilight is the first person Wild had ever spoken to, despite the latter avoiding him at all costs. Suddenly revealing that he can actually use his voice and knows the other hero's sign language - What brought that about? What changed? Does it have anything to do with why he was giving him a wide berth? It was an unexpected turning point, but perhaps, it was an opportunity.
Hours flew by, and it was time to tuck for the night. Wild had not returned yet, so Twilight volunteered to take first watch. He hoped to catch him before the next watch - saying 'later' does not exactly give him a clear idea when the other will come back. Sky, as always, had drifted first - his sailcloth draped over him and Four. Wind curled inside Warriors' chest, with the latter's scarf tangled with his limbs. Legend was lying back-to-back against the Captain; one arm slung over his successor protectively. Time was sleeping a bit further away from the others, closer to the campfire, as the night chill quickly gets into his bones.
It was peaceful - no signs or sounds of monsters nearby. The Ordonian debated whether to leave his post for a while and search for the Hero of the Wild. None of the other heroes will be pleased if they learn he left by himself. And hypocritical. They would not let him hear the end of it.
Twilight reached for his Shadow Crystal when a rustle caught his attention. He reached and drew his sword from its sheath and turned in the direction of the sound. From the bushes, an animal padded towards the edge of the camp. Its thick hide was as red-orange as the sunset, with its underside and the tip of the tail white. Black painted its paws and ears. The left side of its body was marked with luminescent blue, which reminded him of the Lord of the Mountain they stumbled upon before meeting Wild.
A fox? Twilight had never seen such coloration from an ordinary fox before. He knows no animal that has that kind of fur. A spirit, perhaps? Even the Hero's Shade has only a two-toned hide, and the glow was due to him being a ghost. The one before him looked more like an ethereal being than a mortal's soul that had taken the form of a quadrupedal animal.
Twilight waited in a bated breath as the fox spirit surveyed the camp with bright blue eyes and sat down on its haunches. It stayed a reasonable distance from the sleeping heroes, not daring to step any closer. Hylian and fox spirit stared at each other, patiently waiting for the other's move.
The Ordonian knitted his eyebrows as he deliberated on what to do. The fox spirit did not seem to harbor any ill intention toward them, so why? Why is it here? Is it the guardian of this forest? Was it here to check on those that intruded its home?
Should he transform and try communicating? Twilight reached for his pendant again when the fox spirit stood up on all fours. Its hackles rose, and its snout pulled into a growling snarl as it eyed the Shadow Crystal warily. Twilight fell into a battle stance, but the fox spirit did not advance. Instead, it backed up and fled back to where it came from - the glow of its fur swallowed by the darkness of the night.
Twilight stood there dumbfounded, his heart hammering a hundred beats at a time in his chest. He could only stare at the disarray of the bushes where the fox spirit disappeared, silently hoping he did not anger an entity that might be protecting this place. The others would definitely not be happy to know that.
Well, shit.