Twilight was feeling restless. He had been stuck as a wolf for nearly two days without anything to do but rest. Hyrule had been watching him like a hawk, probably because he felt responsible for his injury. Time had managed to keep everyone's noses out of his whereabouts, but both heroes could tell the others were starting to worry. Wild was barely present, having isolated himself out of guilt. The Traveler had tried to coax their fellow hero back to camp a few times but failed. The Champion refused any form of bribery, including invitations to explore. It was worrying - his scent was getting farther by the hour for the Rancher to track.
The Ordonian decided enough was enough and sneaked out of camp the second everyone was distracted to pay attention to him. He moved as silently as possible until he was out of earshot before transforming back to Hylian. He hissed at the ache in his muscles and bones, leaning against a tree for support. His ribs were nearly healed, but the bruises on his torso would take longer to fade. It took him a few steadying breaths before the pain became tolerable enough for him to move again. He had not walked far when he heard a high-pitched laugh somewhere above him.
An Oof! escaped his mouth when something landed on his shoulders. Twilight's eyes widened at the red-orange fur pressed against his cheek. A pointed snout grinned cheekily at him as the fox balanced on him, loosely curling its furry tail around his neck.
"YOU-!"
The spirit cackled and jumped off him like a springboard before landing gracefully on the grass. Its blue markings glowed brightly even under the harsh sunlight. It sat on his haunches, its ears twitching in faux attentiveness at the hero. It was good timing the Racher had transformed back to Hylian. Otherwise, he might be unable to control himself from pouncing at the fox.
The Ordonian inhaled deeply. "What do you want?" He asked as calmly as possible. Do not anger it. He did not know how powerful this entity was. He has to be careful not to be upset any further. "My brothers and I hadn't done anything wrong, and we didn't mean to trespass in your forest. If we have offended you in any way, then I apologize. We'll try to leave as soon as possible, so don't hurt us."
Twilight waited for any reaction - violent or not. The spirit only blinked at him, tilting its head, before rising on all fours. It sauntered towards the bushes and glanced at the hero expectantly.
The Hero of Twilight frowned. Does it want him to follow it? The fox yipped at him before pushing past the bushes. The hero was torn - the others would surely look for him once they noticed he had disappeared. He glanced in the direction of the camp and back to where the spirit went.
The Rancher sighed, already regretting his decision. He raised his palms in surrender - you know what, fuck this! - and pulled a Hyrule and Wild. He allowed his curiosity to win him over and marched after the fox. However, he kept his distance, still wary of the not-so-friendly entity that probably was leading him to his imminent death.
The fox spirit turned out to be surprisingly considerate and patient, waiting for him to catch up on the trail. Was it aware of his injury? Perhaps. Still, the Ordonian remained cautious, keeping his eye on the being's movements as much as possible. They had been walking for nearly twenty minutes now, and Twilight still had no idea where their destination was. All he could see were trees, bushes, grass, and a small puddle of water that the fox was splashing merrily on as it waited for him.
The spirit's ears perked up at the hero's approaching footsteps and shook its wet fur. It barked before bouncing on its paws and dashing toward the line of trees. The Rancher failed to suppress a groan - not this again! - before reluctantly running after the fox. If they were close to their destination, it would make sense for the entity to run for it. It was no longer a matter of where but how long before he realized he had fallen into a trap.
The answer came to him the moment he burst out to a clearing. The place was one they had yet to pass through, but it was more than they had seen in this forest. Colorful wildflowers dotted the green and surrounded a large lake in the middle. The blue waters sparkled underneath the sunlight - so clear that you could see fish swimming within its depths. There was nothing out-of-place about it except for a figure wading near the lakeshore.
Twilight had to do a double-take. Wild, their wayward member, was half-naked and waist-deep in the water. He was holding a glowing blue orb - what in Hylia is that? - over his head, as he seemingly studied the fish. The Ordonian did not know what he was up to, but the Champion would have remained oblivious to him were it not for a cosmic joke from the goddesses.
A loud CRACK! came from underneath Twilight's boot, and Wild's head whipped in his direction so fast that the former thought it would snap. The two heroes stared at each other with wide eyes as if they were both caught in a criminal act. It would not be the first, considering the heroes' penchant for breaking property, but still….
The adrenaline in the Rancher's veins drained away from the absurdity of the situation. The scene was anti-climatic and ridiculous that he had forgotten what he was doing earlier. "W-What…" Twilight rasped. The earlier chase had stolen the air from his lungs. "What are you doing?"
Wild blinked at him, still holding the glowing sphere above his head. He looked thoughtful before promptly turning away and chucking the orb into the water. The Ordonian was even more confused until the Hero of the Wild unhooked his Sheikah Slate and tapped a finger on the screen. He had no time to hide when the lake exploded with a deafening BOOM!
What…?
Twilight stood there, drenched from head to toe, as lakewater rained down on everything within the immediate area. He was unharmed, but the situation is still so wrong on many levels.
WHAT THE FUCK?
Did Wild just…?
The Rancher could only gape at the other hero, who seemed too happy about the explosion. Wild - oh, goddesses! - waded further into the lake, dipped his arms, and pulled out an armful of fish like he was picking apples off the ground. A bright smile lit his face as he brought his catch to dry ground and set up a cooking pot. He looked unconcerned for a guy who just blew up a lake and probably messed up the ecosystem.
"...Why?" Twilight managed to croak out. The Champion looked up from his preparations and stared at him. The guy even had yet to dry up and wear clothes. "You - What? I just - Oh, goddesses…."
What in Ordona is this guy thinking? Was that…fishing? Using a FUCKING bomb?
Wild tilted his head questioningly before scanning his Sheikah Slate. Trails of blue light materialized a towel on his hand, and he walked up to the Hero of Twilight. The latter was surprised when the Champion pushed the fabric into his arms before hurrying back to his work. The Rancher stared at the offering - confusion and gratitude warred in his chest by the touching gesture - and approached the other hero.
It was a risky move, and the Ordonian was a second too late to realize it. The Hero of Wild squeaked in surprise when Twilight draped the cloth over his head and shoulders. He pulled down the fabric and looked up at the other hero. The question was evident in his blue eyes.
"Dry yourself first. We can't have anyone getting sick."
The Rancher's heart hammered in his chest as he pulled the towel over the Champion's head and started running it through his wet hair. A part of him screaming What the fuck was he doing? and Has he gone insane? He expected the other hero to flinch and pull away like he always did, but the latter remained still. He wondered if Wild had frozen out of sheer panic, but his posture was unexpectedly relaxed under his touch.
Twilight did not comment on it - a part of him afraid to ruin the peaceful moment - and instead focused on the task. The younger hero's hair was long and frayed at the ends - he would have to ask the Captain for haircut tips. Once satisfied with his work, he left Wild to attend to himself while he removed his wet clothes and laid them on the grass to dry. The latter had already changed into a different set of clothes once he had finished.
The Rancher noticed how at ease the Hero of the Wild was as he cooked. The latter hummed happily as he worked, and Twilight watched in awe as he seamlessly skinned and deboned the fish and cut the vegetables like an experienced chef. A bottle of fresh milk and a pinch of salt were mixed in measured amounts, and a savory aroma soon wafted in the air as the contents were stirred and simmered to perfection.
The Champion tasted his work on a small saucer and nodded approvingly. He poured a generous amount of soup into a bowl and offered it to the Ordonian. An apology. He signed shyly. For…what happened.
Twilight stared at proffered food even as his stomach growled. He was torn between Wild offering the first meal he had ever cooked since joining them and the fact the other hero used his sign language again. There were so many surprises in one day for him to wrap his head around that he could only accept the bowl with shaky hands.
"...Thank you."
Wild bounced nervously on his feet as he waited for the Rancher to take his first bite. The latter obliged - he did not want to turn down a gesture of goodwill due to excessive caution. He decided to take a small sip first, and his eyes nearly bulged at the burst of flavors on his tongue. It was mild and perfect - the milk had seeped thoroughly into the fish and vegetables, bringing out their natural flavors without being overpowering. The Ordonian could make decent meals, but this? This was something beyond his culinary skills.
Twilight did not realize he had devoured his share until he saw his bowl was wiped clean. It must have been evident on his face that he wanted more when the Hero of the Wild reached for the bowl with a big smile on his face. He sheepishly passed the dish, and the other hero filled it for the second time. They ate in companionable silence as they enjoyed the beautiful view of their surroundings. Afterward, the Ordonian helped clean the dishes and utensils despite the Champion's initial nonverbal refusals.
The sun was already past midpoint when they decided to pack up and trudge back to camp. The others were most likely searching for Twilight, but the hero did not mind the stroll beside Wild. It was the first time he had seen the other man comfortable around him, and the Rancher would be lying if he said it did not make him warm and happy.
"Hey, Wild," Twilight called out softly. "Thanks for the food. It was the best I've ever had."
Wild's face lit up at his words. I am glad you like it.
"You should be our cook. Then, we'll never worry about eating with our lives on the line." The Rancher joked. "No offense to Sky and Hyrule."
The Champion silently laughed. I will think about it. He signed. But if you have any requests, just tell me.
Twilight smiled fondly at him. "Don't give me that much power. You'll get me spoiled at his rate." He ruffled the younger hero's hair. "Also, don't get hung up over what happened two days ago. I'll already forgive you and Hyrule for that. Just don't do it again."
The Hero of the Wild tilted his head thoughtfully. No promises. He grinned. Bears make nice rides, after all.
The Rancher's expression melted into a scowl. This guy! Wild gleefully ducked out of his reach when he tried to grab him and retreated to where they came from. The Ordonian shook his head in dismay yet could not hide the smile on his face. The Champion waved at him as he headed out, no doubt up to another shenanigan that the latter did not want to get involved.
Twilight watched the scarred hero's blue tunic disappear into the greens and browns. He was not worried and knew the other hero would only be gone for a few hours. Yet, for some reason, a strange but familiar loneliness prickled in his chest as he gazed in the empty direction.
Like it does during dusk.