lupus pilum mutat, non mentem (the wolf changes his coat, not his disposition)
- Latin proverb
The new friends haphazardly jogged through moonlit groves.
Luna nearly felt her arm ripped off by the overeager prince a few times. "Hey!"
"Whaaat?" Sheik chuckled as he looked back, moonlit teeth and eyes glimmering.
Luna did not know why but every time he just smiled at her, she was thrilled. "Nothing."
As Sheik and Luna passed trees and bushes, they attracted the attention of a few guards.
"I know those two, they know I go out a lot!" Sheik assured. He waved, the guards saluted.
"How's the night, Your Majesty?"
"Pretty good!"
The other guard chuckled when she noticed Luna. "I see you have your girlfriend with you tonight!"
"Hey!" Sheik's cheeks flushed. He let go of Luna's hand and scratched his head, though Luna was unfazed.
"Don't let us keep you! See ya, my prince!" the other guard said.
Sheik nervously chuckled, snatched Luna's hand again, and they scurried off.
"Looks like he didn't have an imaginary friend after all!" the guard commented.
The other guard chuckled, but then she sighed. "They're so cute... Makes me want to have kids. I heard that, when Zelda was a kid, she also met some random kid from somewhere that sparked a great friendship. Guess it's her son's turn to do the same! Absolutely adorable."
"Ha! Let's just hope Her Majesty doesn't find out we let her kids run around without telling her."
"If she finds out, it's your head on the line."
"Sure."
Their casual patrol commenced.
Luna and Sheik reached a short cliff. He climbed first. Luna overheard running water up ahead and climbed after her friend. Sheik offered a hand to help Luna up but she glared at him. He playfully gestured.
Luna went up. The cliff continued high at the left, woodland up there, hilly terrain afterwards all around the castle. A drop-off nearby led to the moat which flowed into a barred-off underway channel by the cliffs. A fence lined the front of a paved road alongside the moat. The raised drawbridge was guarded by a pair of spearmen.
The castle was essentially a large, bright stronghold. It had four steeple-tipped towers at each corner, a large bastion in the center that also possessed towers at each corner, and finally a towering keep pierced the center. Another large structure sat at the north-east corner of the castle.
"Are you going to the castle, Sheik?" Luna asked.
Sheik laughed. "Why yes, Ms. Perspective, we are going into the castle."
Luna silently stared at the grand castle.
"Something wrong?"
"Hm?"
Sheik chuckled. "You're like my sister, never paying attention! She also sneaks out of the castle, maybe we'll find her sleeping somewhere? I bet you two would make great friends!" Sheik stepped forth but noticed Luna's inactivity. "What's wrong, Luna?"
A short distance to the left was a Gossip Stone. Luna cocked her head and pushed her fingers through her hair. "Heh, I've seen those before. There's one at my village, beside the entrance to the Lost Woods."
"Interesting little guys, hunh? They do crazy things and even talk to you sometimes. I used to play around on that one when I was a kid. You can find Gossip Stones basically everywhere. My mum told me her best friend could read them, somehow."
"Oh? I wonder how... I wonder who made them." Luna pondered.
Sheik shrugged. "Mleh, I guess they are things left behind by the Sheikah. Maybe they used it for marking certain areas?" He front flipped from the drop-off and landed like a cat.
Sheik turned around and raised his hands. "I can catch—"
Luna landed silently. Sheik's eyebrows raised. He was quite the cat of a boy but Luna was quite the ghost of a girl!
"Shall we, Luna?"
Luna smiled. "We shall, Sheik."
The two jogged alongside the moat and past the drawbridge. Neither guard noticed the snickering kids!
The path went around the corner of the castle, a rather large tree there, the path fenced-off from the grounds beyond. The moat continued around the corner as well, flowing through a barred-off waterway in the wall. There was also a tower at the end of the path, connected to the castle. The side of the castle, above the moat, had a little opening, with a Triforce-engraved wooden frame, opened just enough to allow waterflow.
Sheik excitedly ran to the door of the tower—locked. He withdrew two large needles, one needle bent at a right angle. "See, up this tower, there's an arrowslit, and next to it trees grow along the walls. Thick vines also hang down the walls and branches." He effortlessly lockpicked the door. "So, we can climb the branches or the vines. There's also a rope hanging from my bedroom window, I left it up there. Ha ha! It's so fun to go in and out of the castle like that!" He paused. "Oh, I hope you're not afraid of heights or climbing?"
Luna dismissively chuckled, flicking her hair. "Me afraid of heights and climbing? Ha! I basically live in a giant bird nest! I live in treetops! I bet I can climb faster than you..."
Sheik's imagination went skyward, totally amazed by his friend's words. He snapped back to reality and opened the door. "Ladies first." Sheik gestured. Luna half-smiled and entered. The inside consisted of a stairwell that went up the tower. Moonlight shone through the arrowslits, offered some extra light here.
"Just up here," Sheik remarked, Luna following. They passed a few floors that stored panoplies and supplies...
They reached the top of the tower. A door led to the parapet that connected this tower to the keep. The white-haired boy leaned out a window, overlooking a series of large trees with branches touching the walls.
He grunted. "Aw! The rope I left at my bedroom window is gone! Someone must have walked into my room and pulled it back in, probably my dumb mother!" His shoulders and head dropped "Plan's ruined."
"Mother?" Luna asked. She heard that word spoken before by Guomundur... What does that mean?
"Yeah, my mom, she's such a tantrum!" He noticed Luna's confusion. "Oh, right, fairy folk are not like us... For Hylians, we are born from a mother. Wait, speaking of which..." Sheik looked at Luna and thought hard. "Where do you forest folk come from? Forest children don't have mothers, so...how did you come into being?"
Luna just stared blankly, also without an answer.
"Hm... What are your earliest memories?" Sheik asked.
Luna frowned but thought hard. "Uhh... Flowers, buds, petals, seeds, wind, shiny things, small wooden people..." As a human cannot remember one's birth, so Luna could not remember her arrival into the world.
"Hm, maybe you forest folk, are so called, because you are literally born from trees?" Sheik purposed. Luna shrugged.
After a few seconds, the prince thought he saw something from the corner of his eye. He peered out the arrowslit. "Keeses?" A distant but short scream echoed. Sheik and Luna through the arrowslit...
Off in the distance, a girl perched on a branch of a tall tree. She wore a silken cream-colored dress, a purple-and-white sleeveless tabard over that, a purple-and-white mitre, and a necklace with a ruby, sapphire and emerald in its center. She had brown eyes and black hair, an uncommon combination in Hyrule. Her hair was quite long, passing her waist of which a sword-belt was around for a little sheathed sword.
The girl was harassed by perhaps twenty Keeses. She sat up and swatted at the pesky flappy things, she and the things squeaking in frustration at each other.
"Ha-ha! Hey, sis! What are you doing up there, pretending to be a squirrel?"
"UGHHH! Shut up, Sheik!" The girl balanced on the branch so that she could fight back better. There was no end of the rabid creatures.
Amidst flailing arms, the girl lost balance, her hat fell off, and both disappeared. Sheik covered his mouth and held his breath.
A few moments later was rustling and a thud. "Owww..."
Sheik was motionless.
Luna put her hand on his back. "Um, Sheik?"
"My sister w-was up in a tree and w-w-was attacked by Keeses—and she just fell off!" the young prince exclaimed.
"So...you're just gonna stand there whimpering?"
"Ahh!" Fists clenched, Sheik shook his head and haphazardly jumped through the broken arrowslit. He caught handfuls of vines and slid down.
Luna leaned out. She saw the groves beyond the castle but was distracted by the beautiful moon. "Oh! Coming, Sheik!" Within a few moments, Luna slid down the vines, softly landed, and ran after her friend. She stopped, looked around, then rubbed her nose with her long sleeve. "Sheik? Sheik! Ughh! I thought I heard where he went! Oh well, I'll just go this way, then..."
Steadily, dark clouds blotted the night sky's heavenly ornaments, fog slowly drifting. "Uh, what? Was that you, Sheik? Sheik! Oh, well, whatever, I'll just go back the way I came, then."
Although Luna was accustomed to the Lost Woods, a foreign forest was quite different, especially at night. "How did I lose track of him? This forest is not old, I can even see through the canopy! Dang it, Luna, one day out out of home and you're already lost..."
After a few lonely minutes, Luna overheard her name being called. She sighed and followed the calling. "That you, Sheik? Can't you yell my name louder? I can barely hear you! Sheik? Sheik!" Luna tripped and fell, landing before Sheik, who shrieked and clutched someone nearby.
Sheik slowly opened his eyes, two girls with their heads turned to him. His sister rolled her eyes, shaking her shoulder to get her annoying brother off. He pretended nothing happened.
Sheik's sister tidied up her hair and clothes as best she could, clasped her hands, and pleasantly faced Luna. "You're from the forest, hm? So you are Luna, correct?" Like her brother, the princess had quite a crystalline voice.
Luna had never heard such a pretty voice before. "Yeah, I'm Luna," the Kokiri replied.
"I am Zelda, Princess of Hyrule. A pleasure to meet you, Luna." Zelda made sure her mitre was prim and proper upon her head.
"How did you know my name?" Luna asked.
Zelda chuckled. "I followed you two for a while."
Sheik's eyes bulged though Luna was unblinking.
"Oh? I didn't notice," admitted the albino.
Zelda chuckled. "Not even a Kokiri can hide from me!"
"Ha ha! And how often does a forest child meet two royals in one night?" Sheik asked to change the subject, though Luna seemed indifferent.
Zelda smiled at her silly brother then looked at the albino. "But Luna...where's your fairy?"
Luna's thoughts had drifted elsewhere.
"Luna?"
"Hm? What?"
Zelda's head tilted. "Where's your guardian fairy? I thought all Kokiri had them?"
Luna looked away. "Oh, I, umm... Left him behind at the forest. He needed a break from me."
"Oh? That's...strange..."
"I think Mother once said something about fairies sometimes leaving their companions," Sheik remarked, Zelda nodded.
Luna reverted to her unblinking, motionless state.
"Something wrong, Luna?" Zelda asked. Nothing. "Um, Luna?"
"Hm?"
"You don't smile and your eyes are all...blank. Did something bad happen? May I help you in anything? Are you alright?"
Luna needed a few seconds. "Oh, I'm alright."
"Are you sure?"
A woman's voice echoed for Sheik and Zelda.
The royals gasped and froze. "Oh no!"
"If Mom finds out I'm not in bed, she'll kill me!" Zelda squeaked. She and her brother looked at Luna.
"You know the forest very well, right?" Sheik asked.
"You should take us to your forest, so that we don't get in trouble!" Zelda encouraged.
Several guards had joined in the search and called out for the two young nobles.
"No, wait! That's a bad idea! We should just sneak back inside the castle," Sheik suggested.
Luna wondered what was the matter.
"Oh, seriously Sheik, you think Mom's that dumb?"
"Well, yeah..."
The children shouted when something leapt through them, causing them to fall.
When they regained themselves, Zelda stroked her head and realized her mitre was gone. Sheik and Luna sat up and spat grass out their mouths. Nearby sat a panting gray Wolfos pup, Zelda's mitre in his mouth, tail wagging.
"Hey!" Zelda whined as the Wolfos pup spat out the mitre, rolling and playing with it.
Zelda reached for her headdress but the Wolfos bit it and darted off. Zelda froze with disappointment then she ran after the boy.
"Zelda! Wolfoses! They're dangerous!" Sheik warned as he ran after Zelda.
"Wait, I know that Wolfos!" Luna yelled then ran after Sheik—they disappeared.
A few guards appeared where the children used to be and looked around. "That way!" Off they went.
Luna ran but Sheik and Zelda flew like the wind! Luna raced after the noise and swerved amidst trees and logs. "I can't believe I ran away from home just to run after other kids running away from home..."
Up ahead, Sheik tripped over a log's branches. He got up and ran after his sister while Luna chased.
Princess Zelda's pursuit was intense. She sprinted nonstop, her hair flowed like a shadowy flag. She breathed heavily, teeth clenched, brow sweaty, though she ran after that Wolfos like a little demon. She was quite a tomboy, not giving up easily! Yet, even so, the damned Wolfos pup outran Zelda effortlessly.
"Get back here before I make you into a rug!"
The Wolfos made a snorty chuckle and sprang over a log. Zelda did likewise, affixed to her determination, Sheik and Luna next.
Sheik panted as he swerved through vegetation, unable to shout for his sister. His lungs stung with icy pain and his skin blazed against the cold air... He ran into Zelda's back and she smacked into the ground—Luna collided into him and they fell atop Zelda.
The panting children untangled themselves and sat up. Luna and Zelda moved their long hair out their eyes while Sheik gasped to regain air.
Twelve adult Wolfoses emerged all around them.
Sheik's eyes widened. "Uh oh..."
The heavy, lupine beasts stood on their hind legs, backs arched, forepaws on the ground. They breathed heavily, their fur stood on end, sharp teeth shown through parted lips.
Sheik froze in fear and Zelda gripped her hilt.
Luna stood, nonchalantly approached a Wolfos, and cupped the beast's muzzle. The Wolfos lowered her nose and allowed Luna to kiss her muzzle. She was the mother of the gray pup, of the same pack Luna encountered so long ago. Luna turned her head.
"I know this Wolfos pack," Luna said. Emotions flowed through Luna. Her shoulders and eyes became heavy, eyes shiny. She realized how much she missed the Wolfoses and wiped her eyes. "Did you...follow me? You still wanted to be my friend?" The Wolfos mother licked Luna's face.
The Wolfos relaxed, sniffing the uncomfortable royals.
"Good boy?" Zelda stroked a Wolfos' head though he seemed unamused.
The pups slithered out in-between the adults, excited to see Luna but paused from the presence of the newcomers. Luna noticed the pups' nervousness so approached her regal friends.
"Um, Luna?" Sheik nervously asked.
Tongue out, eyes big, Luna playfully leapt upon him—the pups dogpiled Zelda and Sheik. Amidst the flurry of paws and noses, Luna felt like she was something else, something free and wild. The pups squirmed and soon, the children laughed and played.
The adult Wolfos spread out, walking around whilst the mother watched the younglings.
Sheik kept a hand between himself and the pups to prevent drool, but they slobbered everywhere anyways. Zelda treated the young Wolfoses as if they were puppies, wanted to pet them and rub their backs but they moved around too much. She even forgot about her mitre and had no idea where it was.
"Aww, they're so cute!" Zelda exclaimed. She did not mind slobber on her but her brother seemed squeamish. "Oh, come on, Sheik, stop being such a baby!"
Luna acted like a dog and sometimes bit the pups' fur. They played rather aggressively, rolling about wildly. Zelda and Sheik laughed at Luna's animal mode. Luna lost control and wrestled with the pups, behaved exactly like a Wolfos instead of a human.
"You're quite the dog lover!" Sheik laughed.
"Come here, you!" Zelda gave a pup a rubdown.
All adult Wolfos erupted into barks and growls. The pups ran away with their tails between their legs, the children shriveling up in fear.
The royals sprang to their feet, clothes and hair ruffled and dirty, though Luna remained on all fours and growled at the darkness, making a complete fool of herself.
"Luna!" Zelda shouted, snapping the albino out of her animalistic state of mind.
Luna rubbed her nose, got up, and reverted to her ghostly demeanor. "What?"
Sheik shrugged but Zelda angrily gestured.
The adult Wolfos continued their growls and barks, sometimes lunging back and forth while snapping their jaws. They intensified, foaming at the mouth, a large silhouette trudging through the trees.
The silhouette was lupine, as if a giant wolf walked bipedally. It looked like a Wolfos but with a longer tail, legs as long as its torso. Although it strode with its back bent, the monster was still perhaps eight feet tall. It stopped, the adult Wolfoses went crazy with their vocalizations.
The huge beast leaned over bushes where a shaft of moonlight illuminated a face both lupine and monstrous, eyes wildly fierce and bloodshot. Blood dripped from a maw that breathed like a broken furnace...
