Author's Notes:

While I stick very closely to the HTTYD movie/TV show lore, I take liberties with the LoZ elements. Please read with an open mind, as if this were a new game.

New chapters on Wednesdays. The whole thing, 30 chapters plus Prologue, is written and will be posted!

There were fewer trees than the woods by the bluff, but they were older. Much older. They reminded Hiccup of a certain woman from Berk who must have had silver hair when the wheel was invented. Mist clung to the skeletal trunks, obscuring leafless boughs that reached down to ensnare foolish wanderers. It was too quiet. The only sounds were the gentle rustling of the tall grass that grew in bedraggled patches and the snapping of branches under their feet that looked like scattered finger bones. Hiccup didn't carry weapons, not usually at least, but at this moment, he wished he had one.

SNAP!

Hiccup whirled around, waving his hands in a quasi-defensive manner. "Did you hear that?" he whispered.

Link continued walking. "Relax, Hiccup. We're nearly there." His nonchalant attitude did nothing for Hiccup's nerves which were as tight as a loaded crossbow. The Hylian continued unperturbed. "Only those raised in the Lost Woods can find their way through."

Hiccup willed his feet forward but kept his hands up ready for danger. His eyes darted around. How long had they been walking through this creepy wood? Was it five minutes? Twenty minutes? An hour? Was that movement in the grass or was it just the mist? He took a few more uncertain steps, and there! Yes, something darted behind that tree. He peered ahead. Whatever it was, it was quick, green, and— Leaves rustled behind him, and out of the corner of his eye he noticed a tiny whirlwind the size of a man.

Before he could turn around, something knocked him face down into the tall, itchy grass. He popped up a moment later and, in horror, saw Link being grappled from behind. Whoever was restraining him was small, too small to see behind Link. The attacker had caught his left hand, which had nearly unsheathed his sword, and twisted it, locking it in place with a wince from Link. With the other hand, they held a thin, pointed object to his throat. I thought these woods were safe! Hiccup thought.

The attacker spoke softly with a hint of impatience. "You're incredibly brave or incredibly dumb to think you can make it through here."

The muscles on Link's neck tensed as he glanced down at the weapon at his throat. The silver rod, almost as long as his forearm, tapered to a delicate point with two flourishes like sea waves at the handle. His surprise melted into a smirk.

"Well, it takes one to know one. Ah!"

Hiccup grimaced with Link as the attacker tightened their grip. He was certain his punctured shoulder must be screaming.

Hiccup's mind was spinning. What should he do? Jump out and distract the assailant? Circle around from behind? Before he could decide on a plan, Link antagonized the assailant again.

"This is a creative use for the Wind Waker, I'll give you that, Saps," he squeaked out.

To Hiccup's surprise, the attacker released him immediately, and Link smiled as he turned around and pulled back his hood. When he saw who it was, though, he abruptly froze. Hiccup rose to a crouch, trying to get a better view. The attacker was small—only reaching up to Link's shoulders—and female, but that was all he could make out in the gloom. Finally, after a few heart-pounding moments, Link's shoulders relaxed. "It's good to see you."

The girl dropped the silver wand and threw her arms around him. Hiccup padded forward, trying to make out the soft conversation despite the crunch of twigs and dry brush as he walked.

"We didn't know what happened to you," she said. "After the Castle fell, we thought..." Her voice, which had been barely more than a whisper, broke completely. Link pulled her in, resting his head on hers. His voice was gentle and reassuring as he stroked her hair.

"It's okay, Saria. I'm here now." He held her there a few more moments before she pulled back.

"And the Princess?" He merely dropped his gaze and pulled her in again.

Hiccup stepped forward. "That's why we're here." The girl—a budding young lady would be a more accurate description—peeked out from the embrace. Her piecemealed outfit reflected the muted colors of the woods. He was getting used to the pointed ears—it seemed everyone here had them—but he was thoroughly unprepared for her hair; the shoulder-length bob was as brilliant and green as the Terrible Terror he had saved yesterday. She seemed equally shocked because she stared at him as if he had sprouted a horn out of his forehead.

Hiccup stumbled through the rest of his words, adding emphasis with awkward arm flourishes. "I mean, that's actually what Impa's doing at the moment, technically. But in the grand scope of things, we are also looking for her too, yep." He clasped his hands behind his back and rocked on his heels. The girl continued to stare. Why was she still staring? "Oh, I'm Hiccup, by the way," he offered.

The girl walked up to him, her eyes bright and curious.

"You're not from Hyrule," she said as she reached to touch his ear.

"Uh, uhh, yeah. You could say that," Hiccup replied, dodging her touch.

Link gently wrapped his arm around her. "A lot has happened. I'll tell you on the way."

\\\

The rest of the walk through the forest was almost pleasant with Saria to guide them. Before long, the three stood at the edge of a clearing. Instead of the damp mist and husks of trees, there was a warm glow provided by lazy fireflies. A stream meandered through the short soft grass, wandering from one side of the clearing to the other with the straightforwardness of a child who had just had their turn at Pin-the-Wings-on-the-Gronckle. In the center of the clearing grew a massive oak tree a hundred times bigger than any Hiccup had ever seen. He could only guess how many dragons could roost in its enormous branches.

Link smiled and sighed. "Just like I remember it."

Saria beamed, then called out, "Look who's back!"

Hiccup's eyes shifted from the girl to the clearing and back. "Um, are you talking to someone?" She just smiled and inclined her head helpfully. Link took a few long strides forward, as if savoring each step. Hiccup followed warily, still unsure of who Saria was talking to. From what he could tell, no one was there, and no one was coming.

A few green leaves about the size of his hand fell from the highest boughs of the giant tree, adding to the homey, rustic feel. All things considered, this campsite was just about perfect. There was fresh water, comfortable grass to sleep in, and— Ugh, so many leaves! They were actually falling in droves now, as if the tree decided to drop all its leaves at once. Before he knew it, a powerful breeze blew them all towards them. Hiccup shielded his hands with his face and, with a groan, remembered what Tuffnut had once said: "If it seems perfect, it probably sucks." Hiccup had to admit, Tuff was right about things more often than he got credit for.

Finally, the wind stopped, the howling breeze replaced by a strange bell-like tinkling. Hiccup opened his eyes and laughed, pointing at Link who was plastered head to toe in hundreds of leaves. Saria and Link were also laughing.

"I've missed you, too," Link chuckled. "And look, I brought a friend."

All at once the leaves bent towards Hiccup. Before he could process the strangeness of that action, he had another impossibility to handle: the leaves all had faces. Hundreds of tiny black dots stared back at him with little black lines that looked curiously like little mouths. Hiccup screamed. The leaves screamed back in their shrill voices, and a few fell to the ground in what he could only imagine was a dead faint.

"It's okay," Link reassured. "He's going to help me find the Princess."

All the leaf creatures gasped and looked at Link. He nodded. They looked back at Hiccup, smiled, and like a blustery fall day, flew at him as a pack, eyes wide with childish delight. Hiccup's eyes went wide with terror, and he took off running through the clearing pursued by hundreds of ecstatic leaves. Their babbling sounded like a thousand small bells shaken by a giddy toddler. Link and Saria held their sides, wiping tears from their eyes as Hiccup sprinted all over the clearing. Saria waved the Wind Waker like a wand, and gusts of air whooshed from the silver tip for the leaves to ride like a wave.

Jumping, scrambling, skidding around the clearing, Hiccup's thoughts raced even faster than his feet. Leaves! Leaves with faces?! Can this day get any weirder?!

On the far side of the tree, Hiccup ran into a dead end. He was about to be pummeled by a thousand jubilant leaves when they suddenly stopped. Thankful for the relief, but not ready to be pitied by anthropomorphic nature, he called out between gasps. "You tired already?... I could do this... all day." His burning lungs begged to differ.

Forcing himself to breathe, he looked up to see that they were gathering around Link. The hero stood motionless about sixty feet away, staring up at the massive trunk.

Hiccup threw his head back, rolling his eyes. "Of course, the tree has a face. What were you expecting?" he said to no one in particular. The wide, long nose of bark cast a heavy shadow over the closed mouth. Branches like bushy eyebrows rested above the closed eyes and looked remarkably like a very, very old man. At least the tree appeared to be sleeping. Hiccup thought he would faint if it opened those ancient eyelids.

Saria jogged around the bend, her green eyes bright. "Wait, why'd you—". Her smile vanished the moment she saw Link frozen in front of the tree. Her feet hardly made a sound on the supple grass as she rushed to his side. Link looked like he had aged ten years, all the mirth that was there a few moments ago gone. Quietly, she stopped at his side.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want you to find out like this," she said.

His voice cracked. "When?"

"It started when Ganon took over the Castle. He just grew weaker and weaker." She reached for his hand, but he shifted forward. Taking deliberate, measured steps, he walked toward the sleeping giant. The tiny leaves, their eyes deep wells of tears, tried to follow. With a few gestures from Saria, though, they stopped, their bell-like babble sounding now like tiny icicles shattering on a stone floor.

Link stopped a foot away from the tree. He placed his hand on the trunk, unable to lift his eyes. Its fibers, once full of life, were now dull and dry. Dry and lifeless, like all the fountains in the shrines they had visited. His knees shuddered. His voice was so low only the wind could hear him.

"If Ganon hadn't succeeded... If I hadn't failed..." He faltered. The weight of the Master Sword on his back was crushing him, and he couldn't catch his breath. Faces flashed in his mind. Faces he'd never see again. Navi. Epona. And now you, too? They were gone forever, and it was because of him. He clenched his fist against the rough bark.

Hiccup slowly made his way to Saria. She leaned on one leg, holding her arm.

"Is he okay?" he whispered.

Saria watched the broken-hearted hero climb the ancient roots and disappear inside the dark hollow of the dead tree.

"No, I don't think he is."

The tiny leaves trembled and whimpered. Saria turned and walked away. The leaves followed suit, finding their way back into boughs and bushes, their delicate cries dissipating into the clearing like an early morning fog.

Hiccup was left alone. He took a deep breath. This... is... a lot. He looked up into the face of the giant tree again, wondering how it caused such a reaction. Finally, he wandered away, just missing the moment a tiny leaf climbed in after Link.

More Author's Notes:

Spot the reference game! Did you notice my nods to *Race to the Edge and the *MCU?

Thanks to Ari Lewis ( /), ValiantQueenLu, and Luke for beta reading!