Twilight swore that he would have Wild on a leash one of these days. His jaws hurt from dragging the dragon by the collar of his tunic, but he intended not to let go. Otherwise, his feral protégé would just take that as an opportunity to run away, and it would be another chase that would finally break the limits of his patience. He could never get a read of the Champion's line of thoughts sometimes, but he could never mistake that glint of mischief in those reptilian eyes. If the werewolf wanted to avoid a full-blown civil war among the heroes, it would be better for him to step in and stop Wild from committing a heinous crime.

The Rancher had not even taken a few steps back to camp when the dragon started wriggling for freedom. "Come on, Twi! It isn't as bad as you think it is. Time wouldn't even be mad at it!"

Twilight wanted to tell him that emptying someone's bag and filling it with bottles of Fresh Milk as a joke was theft, and he doubted his ancestor would appreciate someone rifling through his things without permission. He knew it was a harmless prank, but still…he had rather not see that face of utter disapproval again for the rest of his life. That expression said a lot, even without Time speaking anything at all.

Wild must have sensed his annoyance and discomfort and dropped his half-hearted attempts to escape. He could have freed himself if he wanted to - he was not the survivalist of the team for nothing - but he decided just to play along. The Champion let the other hero carry him back to camp but was confused when he was led to a river. Before he could ask, the Rancher swung and threw him into the water like the thoughtful and kind mentor he was. He breached the surface with more dramatics than necessary and scowled at the Hero of Twilight.

"Hey! What was that for?"

Twilight shifted back to human and removed his gauntlets and armor. He rolled up the hems of his sleeves and trousers and waded into the water. "Lean on that boulder over there. I'll help you clean your scales."

"Well, whose fault they got dirty in the first place?" If Wild had hackles, it would have already flared up. His tail lashed out, splashing water all over the place. "If you didn't drag me like a puppy, my scales would still be clean!"

"Cub," Twilight crossed his arms and cast him a stern look. "Your scales were already dirty before I brought you here. Now, come on. The others will start looking for us if we stay out any longer."

The Champion huffed but relented. He unhooked his Sheikah Slate and passed it to the Rancher. He stripped down to his undergarments and settled down as directed while the werewolf summoned his bathing items. He allowed the latter to touch him, from his nape to his tail. Twilight's hands were deft and firm as they pressed and picked on the edges of individual scales to remove the stuck dirt and grime. His thumbs massaged the tight knots in the hero's muscles, making sure to use enough force for it to be felt beneath the protective layers. By the time the Rancher was working on the tail, the dragon was nearly draped over the boulder; his chest rumbled contentedly at the calming ministrations.

Wild rarely purrs, and Twilight found it a great honor to know that the tense and volatile hero felt safe and relaxed in his company. Moments like these reminded him of the peaceful times he was still guiding and preparing the Hero of the Wild for his inevitable battle against Calamity Ganon. They would spend those days wandering, searching for Korok Seeds, and doing whatever their changing whims told them to.

Twilight admitted he missed those simpler times, but those were in the past. The present had found them in another quest with seven other heroes across the ages. Moments like these were few and far between, especially when they involved things they could only work up the courage to share. All he could do was not waste and cherish these times whenever they happened.

Wild let out a sigh as the Rancher combed through the honey-blond fur lining the length of his tail. The end of it swished lazily, involuntarily giving away his mood. Not that he minded. He stretched out his arms and flexed his fingers before glancing behind him at the werewolf. "Hey, Twi. Can I ask you a question?"

Twilight did not even look up as he gently tugged at a stubborn clump of dirt on his fur. "You already are, Cub."

"Ugh! You're the worst, you know."

A teasing smile quirked on Twilight's lips. "Doubt it." He said. "Now, come on. Ask your question. We don't have all day."

Wild shot him an unamused look. He knew that was bullshit - they had been traveling for a couple of months now. A year and more in the younger werewolf's case. He doubted Hylia would tear them away without completing the era-hopping quest they were thrown into. Considering the little progress the group had made, it might take longer than any quest they had so far.

Still, the itching curiosity of his question was more powerful than his desire to get back at his mentor for dunking him into the water and being a little shit. The dragon would probably go easy on him if it were the latter, simply because the grooming and massages were nice. He would never admit it openly, lest he would have dealt with a preening Twilight. Now, that would be a nightmare.

Wild brushed a damp strand of hair off his face before speaking up. "I just want to ask how you transform."

That got Twilight's full attention. "Why do you ask?"

"Remember the other dragons in my era? You know, the servants of springs?" When the Rancher hummed his confirmation, the Champion continued. "I spoke with Naydra before, and she told me I can turn into a full form. You know, like her. Well, I haven't seen her in a human form, but you get my gist. Flora, Impa, and the Sheikah directors mentioned it a few times, but I can't remember how. So, yeah. That's why I'm asking."

Twilight's fingers slowed down, much to the Champion's disappointment. His eyebrows were pinched together as he deliberated how and what to answer. While he was a werewolf like Time, his inherent magic had long been altered by the Twili. He had no recollection of what it felt like - he had not known he was a werewolf until the Triforce of Courage forced his awakening to protect its holder.

Nothing was festive about his first transformation, unlike how his race usually celebrated that joyous moment. His memory of that time was only darkness and searing pain - both still clung tightly to him every time he shifted. The Rancher had grown accustomed to it - too used to it that it looked like he was making a mockery of it at this point. Perhaps he was, and maybe he stopped caring long ago. After all, what was the point?

Twilight must have been silent for longer than a few seconds when he felt something squeeze his hand. His eyes flicked upwards, and he saw the Champion had turned to face him. Worry lines crinkled around the latter's bright blue eyes. "Twi? Are you okay? Did I say something wrong?"

Leave it to Twilight to make his own protégé fret about him. He reached up and ruffled the dragon's damp hair. Wild might have swatted his hand away if it was not just the two of them. "I'm fine, Cub," He tried for a reassuring smile, but the other hero saw that it did not reach his eyes. "Just…Just remembering something."

The Hero of the Wild crossed his arms and huffed. The sunlight reflecting off his scales formed a halo around him, making him look like a sacred being, just as his race was known for. Twilight was called the Divine Beast in his era, but he did not look or feel like divinity. It was ironic to call someone stained with magic from an exiled tribe race anything related to the heavenly deities that banished them. If there were anyone more deserving of that title, that would be the hero before him.

Before Twilight could notice it coming, Wild reached out and smacked his palms against his cheeks. A yelp escaped the Rancher's throat as he stared at the dragon with wide eyes. He had forgotten that the Champion has an uncanny ability to sense the souls and intentions of animals, and that skill was not limited to them only. Red handprints stung painfully on his skin, but the other hero showed not a smidge of guilt at what he had done. If anything, the latter seemed prepared to do it again just to get his message across.

"HEY!" Wild called out. "That's enough, okay? You deserve that title! You deserve every bit of praise the people in your era throw your way. You saved them, and honestly, that's the least they could do to show gratitude. If I were you, I would have told them to build me a fancy castle filled with statues of big-ass evil pigs, only to burn it to the ground while screaming, 'Fuck Ganon!'. Maybe throw a feast after that, and get myself wasted -"

"You're only seventeen, Cub." Twilight pointed out. "You can't drink yet."

"Excuse me?" Wild gasped in mock offense. "I'm a grown-ass adult of one hundred and seventeen! I'm your senior, Twi! You don't disrespect me like that."

"Age-wise, yes. Timeline-wise? I think you need to study Hyrulean history again."

The Champion recoiled and hissed at him like an overdramatic angry cat would. "Get those fancy books away from me! I don't want my brain to melt from all that knowledge!"

A genuine smile finally cracked on the Rancher's face, and Wild lightened up at his success to cheer his mentor up. The latter was surprised to find himself engulfed in a tight embrace a second later. However, he did not pull away and simply rested his head on the werewolf's shoulder.

"Thanks, Cub."

"Don't mention it." The Champion patted him on the back. "I just don't want you to be sad. It's hard to concentrate if your mentor looks like a kicked puppy."

Twilight pulled away and cast him an offended look. "Excuse me?"

A fanged smirk curled on the dragon's lips. "Woof."

The Rancher narrowed his eyes at him. However, there was no malice in them but rare mischief. "Oh, you're asking for it now."

Wild yelled when the werewolf pounced and dunked him into the water. He wriggled out of the Rancher's grasp and slapped his tail to douse the taller hero for revenge. Twilight was drenched from head to toe, but he did not care. Laughter filled the air as they wrestled playfully like old times. For a moment, they are just two people who happened to share the same name - not heroes who were robbed of a normal life because of some vengeful god.

After they had their fill of fun and finished bathing, Twilight transformed and carried the exhausted dragon back to camp. He expected the others to scold and drill them about their whereabouts, but not this. The heroes were staring at their de facto leader with varying expressions of disgust, disbelief, amusement, and awe. Time, the shittiest among the little shits, was lounging on a log and sipping a bottle of Fresh Milk as if it were wine. His bag was by his feet, overflowing with full bottles like a dairy cornucopia.

Time finally noticed them, and the bastard had the audacity to smile at him like chugging milk bottles was an everyday occurrence. The younger werewolf heard Wild chuckle sleepily on his back. "Never said that I," He yawned. "I don't have an accomplice…."

If someone pointed out him having gray hairs, Twilight knew who to blame.

Goddesses help him.

AU Lore #4:

Werewolves are one of the few races that can convert humans to another. Contrary to written and oral stories, the process is more complicated than just a bite. It must meet specific conditions to initiate the transformation. However, this does not guarantee that a human can become a full-fledged werewolf. There have been undisclosed records where many died mid-process.

The requirements are a closely protected secret within the werewolf kind to avoid abusing this ability and instigating a war. This is to preserve the balance among the races in Hyrule, as battles have been recorded in history where one race tried to dominate the lands. The most well-known of these are the many conflicts between vampires and werewolves, which finally ended with a peace treaty recognized and blessed by the Goddess Hylia during the Era of Prosperity.