Teba paced back and forth, trying to keep his immediate response in check. "What do you mean the Domain has fallen?"

"Apparently, it was attacked from two different directions by a horde of monsters," Kass replied quietly. Somehow, despite the news he had brought to Teba, he maintained a deathly calm aura about him. The low but steadfast tone instilled some calm and clarity in Teba, helping him to keep from giving into stress and frustration.

"Did they make it out?"

"Yes. Apparently they were able to retreat to Goponga."

"Goponga? Isn't there a lower half of the city beneath the lake?"

"I can't be sure. She didn't say much, other than that the Domain had fallen and that most were taking refuge in Goponga."

Teba muttered a curse. Even though Goponga had made great strides in becoming a proper settlement over the last couple years, they still relied on the Domain and Kakariko for protection and supplies they couldn't easily acquire. If the Zora were forced to retreat there, then Kakariko would have to bear the brunt of that as well. There was no way they could support Rito refugees as well.

Unless…

"Any word from Tyll?"

"No." Kass tilted his head thoughtfully. "Though, I'm not sure that he would reach out to me in this kind of situation. I don't even know if he would reach out to us in general."

Teba crossed his wings and shook his head slowly. "He would have. When it comes to survival, he puts personal grievances aside." As unpleasant as the mercenary could be at times, Tyll could compartmentalize when it counted. Combined with his general disinterest in personal histories, he could be a reliable ally, even to those with a checkered past.

Although, he could apparently be relentless if he deemed someone to be a threat.

"I suppose that's true. Perhaps even moreso where his wife and daughter are concerned."

Teba blinked. "He has a family?"

Kass grimaced and rubbed the back of his head. "I shouldn't have said anything."

It was a surprise to hear that someone so prickly would have a family. Then again, he had started a family of his own. And, that would explain why he had settled in the Domain, rather than in some cave in the wild. But, none of that was important at the moment.

"Well, he still would have reached out unless he already knew about what's happening here. Which I have no idea how he would know."

"He did quite a bit of work for Impa a while back. He may have called in a few favors or knows how to access her network."

"Hmm." Teba grimaced.

"There is some good news," Kass offered. "Link is on his way. And he has a wagon full of supplies."

Teba paused. "You found him?"

Kass nodded with a relieved smile.

"Thank Hylia," Teba muttered, some of his stress abating. He wasn't naive enough to believe that Link would solve their problem in an instant, but he had helped last time the village had been endangered. Teba couldn't remember exactly what the circumstances were, which was odd as he was certain he had been present for at least part of the conflict. Regardless, he was sure that the Hylian would find his way to the heart of the issue.

With a frown, Teba walked to the railing and looked up at the clouds forming a massive cocoon in the sky a few miles away from the village. He was certain that that was the heart of the problem plaguing his people. "Now, I just need to figure out how to get us up there…"

"Revali's Gale?"

Teba grunted as he grit his beak in frustration. "Too dangerous. I can create the updraft, but maintaining control is something else." His expression fell, feeling a bit of sadness for his old master. "Not even Revali was able to master it."

"You may not have a choice," Kass said quietly.

"..."

Kass stepped toward him, setting a massive wing on Teba's shoulder. "If you're right, then you and Link can't do anything if you can't reach that mass of clouds."

"I know."

"And I know that if anyone can master the Gale, it's you. Revali chose to train you for a reason."

Teba draped his wing over his beak, trying to hold back his immediate response. "And if he was wrong?" He asked tightly.

It had taken him years to come to terms with what had happened between him and his former master. Revali had begun to distance himself from Teba in the last months of his life, which had led to massive insecurities in his adolescent years. And even though Kaneli had helped him to work through the majority of the hurt and confusion, it still haunted him in some respects. He had come to understand after long conversations with Kaneli, as well as finding Revali's diary, that the Rito Champion had sought to keep him far away from anything to do with the impending Calamity.

Still, it would have helped to hear that from Revali himself.

"I think there were probably a lot of things that he was wrong about, but I don't think you were one of those things."

Teba sighed, dropping his wing. "Thanks." His gaze wandered toward the cliffs in which the Flight Range was nestled. "... How long will it take Link to get here?"

"A couple days at most."

"Then I have some training to do." He turned away from the railing and gave Kass a nod. "I need to talk to Kaneli and Saki. Then let Harth know plans are changing."

Kass nodded his understanding. "I need to get back to Amali and the kids. I think they were worried that I was going to leave again." The bard gave him one last concerned look. "Please be careful, old friend. I know better than most how dangerous Revali's Gale can be."

Teba raised a brow. "Have I ever promised to be careful?"

Kass's head fell in almost playful resignation.

They both chuckled before giving each other one final nod. As the two Rito went their separate ways, neither one of them noticed the small figure that darted out of hiding and took to the skies, angling toward the Flight Range.

"So, what's the plan?"

"Find Medli."

"... Good start," Impa said dryly. "Then?"

"Find Teba."

Impa sighed. Link had been growing steadily more focused the closer they got to Rito Village. This normally might be a good thing, but he was growing equally reserved with every step. Now, she couldn't decide if he didn't have a plan or he was simply being tight-lipped. If ever there was a time to have a clear and concise discussion of what they were going to do, it was as they were approaching the bridge leading to Rito Village.

"And then?" Maybe it was the rapidly falling temperature that she had thankfully prepared for, or it was the lack of a proper meal. Whatever it was, Impa wasn't in the mood to try and extract information from him.

Link glanced at her before turning his attention back to the road. "... Make dinner."

Impa eyed him with pursed lips. "... What are you making?"

"Don't know yet."

She cleared her throat as she turned her attention back to the road. "... Keep me updated."

She caught him nod out of the corner of her eye.

They continued on in silence as the air grew colder and colder and snow began to fall. At one point, Link had been forced to hand her the reins so he could dig in his pack and pull out thicker gloves and a cloak. And then he was back at the helm as the rhythmic clop of hooves was replaced by the crunch of snow beneath Epona's hooves.

Suddenly, Link pointed to something off in the distance. Following his finger, Impa immediately spotted what had drawn his attention. "What a strange cloud formation."

"Yep."

"Is it just me, or does that give off 'big monster that's causing all the problems' energy?"

Link gave her a mildly befuddled look. "Sure?"

"Okay, let's assume I'm right. What is the plan to deal with that?"

"Teba," Link replied as he let Epona follow the roads on her own.

"Teba has a plan or Teba is the plan?"

"Yes."

"... I'm beginning to wonder why I missed working with you."

Link smirked as he turned his eyes back to the road.

"Jokes aside, do you have a plan?"

"First, find Medli and give her the books. Then, see what Teba knows. Then we can make a plan."

"I wish we still had the Divine Beasts," Impa muttered. "Medoh could get us up there in no time."

Link winced as though he were in pain. He shook his head before agreeing with a quiet "yeah." He looked conflicted and ill all at the same time until, without warning, his face lit up and he stood up in his seat and began to wave both arms above his head.

Impa turned to find a green-feathered Rito woman standing with five young children around her, all waving excitedly and hopping around. One of them, a child with bright-yellow feathers, was waving a telescope above her head.

Despite the severity of the conversation they'd just been having, Impa could only smile. It was heartwarming to see the joy of children, and it was even better that her friend was the source of that excitement.

Link hopped back into his seat and was about to prompt Epona to pick up the pace; however, the horse must have sensed his intent. Even as he took the reins again, she was already picking up the pace. Midna had also perked up and was watching the group intently. Though the wolf sat still, Impa could sense the barely contained energy in the canine.

As they came within a couple hundred feet of the Rito, the children rushed toward them.

Link guided Epona off to the side of the road and he and Midna hopped out of the wagon. Within seconds of their feet touching the ground, Link was nearly bowled over by the mass of multi-colored feathers that slammed into him. He laughed as a couple of them clung to his legs while a few others jumped, spreading their wings to wrap around his neck, shoulders, or arms. Link fought to maintain balance as he did his best to greet them, but he was drowned out by the excited chirps and trills from them.

After a few seconds, they all hopped off, nearly stumbling over each other as they made a beeline for Midna. Unlike with Link, they didn't jump on the wolf. Rather they ran around with her, trying to match her movements as much as they could. Stopping, starting, crouching, and jumping around in a chaotic, jumbled mess. And Midna appeared to be enjoying it just as much as they were.

Meanwhile, Amali finally reached them. She approached Link first, giving the Hylian a hug. "It's wonderful to see you again. Thank you for coming."

Link returned the hug with a quiet "my pleasure."

Then the Rito woman turned to Impa and gave her a deep bow of her head. "Thank you as well."

"Of course."

Impa climbed out of the wagon and began leading Epona the last tiny stretch to the cliff. She motioned for Amali to walk with her as a few of the woman's daughters broke away to start talking to Link excitedly. "Is the bridge still out?"

"Yes. But, Kass let Teba know you were coming. He's already put a team together to carry the supplies into the village."

"Good." Impa eyed Amali as they finally reached the cliff where the bridge had once been. "How is everyone holding up?"

Amali looked away for a moment. "We're keeping it together."

Impa nodded in understanding. The statement, while vague, told her just how low morale really was.

"Hearing that Link was coming with a friend and supplies did help."

"I'm sure. He has quite the reputation, from what I hear."

"I'm sure you've heard more than we have, Lady Impa." Amali chuckled as Impa looked at her in surprise.

"Kass told you?"

"He did. Don't worry," she said, her amusement disappearing quickly, "that's not something he would make common knowledge."

"I wouldn't have told him if I didn't trust him." Impa looked up as she noticed a large amount of movement in her periphery. A group of Rito were flying toward them, all carrying empty packs of varying sizes. "Looks like it's time to get to work."

Link knocked on one of the wooden supports. Inside he could hear shuffling, but there was no indication that he'd been heard. He knocked again, this time louder. There was a surprised chirp, followed by the thud of something hitting the ground. There was more shuffling followed by a head poking out from behind the curtain.

Medli looked around with unfocused eyes for a second before her eyes settled at him. He hid his amusement as he could see the gears in her mind struggling to turn. Suddenly, her eyes refocused with a new clarity. "Link?!" She rushed out and flung her wings around him. "It'ssogoodtoseeyouagain!IknewKasswouldfindyouIknewit!"

Link returned the hug, not even attempting to make sense of what she was trying to say.

Without warning, Medli sprang back. "There'ssomuchIneedtotellyou!Ithinkthatsome-"

The Hylian stared at her nonplussed as she continued speaking far too fast for anyone to understand. That, combined with her wild gesticulations left him feeling incredibly confused. However, she seemed far too concerned with trying to tell him whatever was on her mind to notice that he wasn't keeping up.

So, he slowly held up the pack of books he brought.

"- andreportsofMedohfromjustacouple what is that?"

"Books. From Purah."

Link had learned to set aside expectations when it came to Medli. In a weird way, he could understand some of her odd behaviors. He was certain that they came from the same place that his did. A single-minded commitment to whatever his current goal was.

However, even with no expectations, she still managed to surprise him sometimes. Like when she opened the pack and shoved her head in.

Link stood and watched for a moment as she twisted her head around within the pack, muttering things to herself as she continued angling her head for a better look.

After a moment, he lowered the bag, trying to coax her out. Medli tried to follow for a moment before she was forced to remove her head from the pack. She shook her head, trying to straighten her feathers. "Oh! Right!"

Link handed her the pack and followed her into her home, which was more difficult than he had anticipated. Her floor was littered with books, dishes, clothes, and a variety of other objects he struggled to identify. Rather than trying to navigate through the few clear spaces on the floor, he stood at the entrance as Medli settled in a relatively clean spot and began digging through the pack. She cracked open a couple of books, scanning a few pages from each with an unusual intensity. "Do you have any of their translation work?"

"No. They didn't have much."

"Hmm." Medli looked through a few more books. "I recognize some of this. I think I can translate it."

"Can you find anything about gates?"

"Gates?" she asked, cocking her head to the side. "What kind of gates?"

"Don't know."

Medli looked back at the spread of books around her. "Well, I can try, but if I don't know what kind of gates I'm looking for…" Despite her words, she looked less troubled than he was expecting. It certainly helped to set him at ease to see her so focused and thoughtful.

Then something occurred to him. "Maybe gates connected to time?"

"Temporal gates? That's a bit more- Oh! Of course!" Medli looked back over the pile of books with renewed excitement. "Thatmakesalotofsense! Witheverythinggoingon-"

Link stood and listened for a minute, however, he could tell that she had already forgotten he was there. She was far too busy flipping through pages, comparing writings between books, and muttering to herself. Figuring that he was useless at best and a distraction at worst, Link opted to leave her be.

The walk back to the inn was mercifully short. Even with the walkways largely cleared of snow, the cold was starting to numb him. But, there was a fire waiting for him, and hopefully he would be able to snag a few ingredients for a nice meal. Considering how many Rito often joined him for whatever meal he cooked, there was at least a possibility.

As he stepped into the inn, he was surprised to see Cecili standing behind the counter, going over her ledger. She looked up, giving him a friendly smile. "It's wonderful to see you again, Master Link."

"Good to be back."

"I'm happy to hear that," she said with a grateful bow of her head. "Miss Impa has already covered your rooms, so please don't worry about that." She gestured toward the fire pit off to the side. "As always, please feel free to use the cooking space as you see fit." Her smile faded to a mix of concern and amusement. She looked around quickly before lowering her voice. "One more thing. Kotts has been helping to run the inn while I've been out helping to scavenge. She's quite helpful, but not the most attentive at times. Please be patient with her."

Link nodded in understanding.

"Thank you. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go gather supplies for your stay. I hope to be back shortly. If you need anything, please let Kotts know."

Link settled next to the fire pit as Cecili left. Taking some of the spare firewood, he got a small fire going despite how painfully numb his fingers were. As the warmth from the flames washed over him, he sighed in satisfaction. In a few minutes, it would be uncomfortable while his extremities itched beneath the skin as feeling returned. Hopefully, it would pass quickly and he could get to cooking.

He was starved and, if he knew anything about Impa, she would find him soon enough to let him know how hungry she was too.

The process of warming up was a lot more unpleasant than he expected, but he managed to keep himself occupied with thoughts of what he was going to cook. He didn't want to assume that he would be afforded any of the nicer ingredients, so he figured it was best to keep his plans simple.

Soon enough, Cecili returned with a basket that was surprisingly full of food.

"I think this is how the village wishes to express gratitude," the innkeeper offered in explanation. "They may also be hoping that you'll share." She laughed quietly, a small twinkle in her eye.

Link nodded absently as he looked over what Cecili had brought him. As he eyed the fish, vegetables, rice, and random assortment of ingredients, he felt someone watching him. Looking up, he caught sight of Genli's head poking around the corner of the door, watching shyly.

He smiled and waved in greeting.

She waved back, seeming a little more at ease.

Looking down at the fire and ingredients sitting around him, he turned back to her. "Want to help?"

Genli's crest rose in surprise. "Yeah!" she said excitedly before rushing in. The green-feathered child settled next to him and, together, they set to work.

Link decided on a medley of fishes and vegetables, figuring that would be the best use of what he had on hand. So, he started by showing Genli how to cut the vegetables, emphasizing the importance of consistent cuts. Maybe it wasn't a big deal to everyone, but inconsistent textures bothered him to no end.

Not to mention that it could make or break a flavor profile.

Eventually he handed her the knife and watched as she took over. As he'd been expecting, she needed some coaching on how to properly hold the tool, as well as how to make sure she didn't cut herself. However, she was attentive, and soon enough, she was working her way through the vegetables passably. Her cuts were still inconsistent and her technique needed some work, but it wasn't anything time and practice couldn't fix.

Once they were finally done with the vegetables, it was onto the portion that worried him most.

Taking a few of the fish, he showed her how to cut and flay them. Then, he showed her how to remove the pin bones. His concern for making sure that the tiny bones were properly removed must have shown, as Genli appeared nervous herself. And when he double checked her work and found she had missed a couple of bones, she was even more nervous and embarrassed. Thankfully, a few quiet words were enough to help put her at ease. She tried again with a few more filets, this time far more successful.

And then it was time to relax as they cut the fish into chunks.

Around this time, Kheel and Cree showed up with Amali not far behind. They settled nearby, watching with interest as Link and Genli finished their prep. It didn't take long for the two girls to lose interest and begin peppering Link with questions about his adventures. Cecili, having finished whatever work she was up to, wandered over and began engaging the two children in conversation.

She gave Link a wink in response to his small, grateful nod.

The Hylian tossed a hunk of butter into the pot. Genli watched it melt, smelling it with satisfaction. Meanwhile, Kass and Notts showed up with Medli in tow. To Link's surprise, Medli didn't have a book in hand, though he could see she was still lost in thought.

Once the butter was melted, they tossed the fish in. Then they lightly seasoned it as Kass excused himself, citing a need to grab something.

Soon enough, the smell of frying fish and melted butter permeated the inn as they all listened to the sizzling come from the pot. Link had Genli occasionally stir the contents carefully to ensure that nothing burned.

Kass returned just as they were adding the vegetables and another layer of seasoning. The bard handed Medli her harp, causing her to perk up, then settled in a chair with his accordion in hand. Together, the two began to play, harmonizing before Kass began to sing. Once he started, his children weren't far behind. Even Genli was distracted as her father began singing about an old hero who could bend the winds to his will.

Link didn't mind though. She had helped plenty.

The smells and songs must have made their way to the rest of the village, as numerous other Rito families began to poke their heads in.

He was a bit worried that there wouldn't be enough for everyone, until a few families entered with their own baskets of food. The meals were simple, but they were warm and offered variety.

And then everyone froze as a Shiekah dove in through the window, somehow missing everyone as she came to a stop with a roll.

She looked around until her eyes settled on Link. "I smell food." Impa seemed completely undeterred by the shocked looks she received from nearly everyone.

"It's not ready."

"It smells ready."

"Doesn't mean it's ready."

Link frowned at her as she marched over and grabbed a spoon. Impa helped herself to a large bite of the still cooking medley. She chewed it for a moment with a thoughtful expression. "It smells ready," she decided.

"It's not ready."

Impa groaned dramatically as she flopped down, much to the delight of the children.

Tulin appeared just as Link was finishing up. He wormed his way through the crowd to plop down next to Link excitedly.

"Mom and dad are on their way. They wanted Kaneli to join."

At the news that the elder would be joining them, Kass rose from his seat while Cecili gathered a few cushions for him to sit on. Meanwhile, the other adults herded the children and cleaned up a few toys that had been brought to ensure the elder could reach his seat safely.

And then Teba and Kaneli appeared, with the younger Rito supporting most of the elder's weight. Saki followed close behind as Teba helped Kaneli limp to the chair that Cecili had readied for him. The old bird sat with a pained groan, grimacing as he tried to settle in comfortably. However, he was smiling soon enough, though Link could still see that he was in pain.

Once Kaneli was settled, Cecili began rolling out mats for everyone to sit on as they ate. Meanwhile, Link and Genli, who had remembered that she was helping to cook, dished out the seafood and veggie stir fry. The Hylian had to slap Impa's hand away a few times as she attempted to sneak in a few bites while he wasn't looking. She might have even succeeded if he hadn't known he needed to keep an eye on her.

And she claimed to be the more mature of them both.

As Genli and a few others began serving bowls of food, Link found himself feeling almost discontent. He loved moments like this, being able to watch as people benefited directly from his efforts, especially when those efforts involved food. And yet, as he sat back with his own bowl in hand. He was plagued by the thought that someone or something was missing. All of this was familiar to him. All of this was how it had played out before a few times.

And yet, something was wrong. It was almost as though there was a gap somewhere in the room, but he couldn't place it. And even if he could, he wasn't sure he would know what was supposed to fill that empty space.

So, he sat quietly, struggling to maintain a friendly and peaceful demeanor as Tulin tried to catch him up on all that he had missed since his last visit.

And as the night passed and everyone started to clean up, Link continued to struggle silently against his misgivings. All the while, fully aware that Impa's piercing gaze was on him.

"Do you have a moment, Master Link?" Saki asked quietly.

Link looked up from the cooking pot he was scrubbing. He tilted his head in interest.

"I wanted to apologize," Saki murmured.

To her relief, Link stood up from the pot to give her his full attention. She had been watching him throughout the night and had noticed that he had become more and more stoic. While he had continued to be kind to her son, he had been particularly quiet, even for him. Tulin probably hadn't minded, but it had made her question whether or not she should approach or wait for a better time.

But, she thought it better to address the issue quickly rather than waiting for a time when she was more comfortable. Besides, her apology wasn't supposed to be about her anyway. If she could have had it her way, she would have chosen a time when Kaneli wasn't napping in the corner while Cecili and the young Shiekah woman weren't helping to finish cleaning up the inn. But considering that everyone else was gone, this was probably going to be her best opportunity.

Cecili spared them a quick glance, a knowing glint in her eye, but she said nothing. And Link's friend seemed to be completely unaware of them in general.

"I've been cold to you in the past, despite how much you've done for the village. And for my family."

Link's eyes grew distant as he looked down, likely trying to recall the instances she was referring to. It was possible that her behavior hadn't even registered with him, especially since she had done her best to refrain from being outright rude. Rather, she had made it a point to try and politely avoid him and would pull Teba and Tulin away when she could.

"I was worried that Teba might slip back into some of his old ways and that Tulin would try to be just like you. But that's not fair to put on you."

Link nodded, his frown deepening slightly.

Saki wasn't sure how to interpret that until Link spoke. "I'd be worried too."

"Thank you for understanding. And I am sorry. You deserved better from me."

Link's eyes finally refocused on her. "It's okay."

Saki inclined her head then took a deep breath. "I was also hoping I could ask you for a favor."

His frown disappeared as he tilted his head in interest again.

"I'm sure you noticed that Tulin looks up to you a great deal. And, now that he's a fledgling, he's determined to prove himself to the people he looks up to." She watched his reaction carefully, hoping that he would understand what she was saying and why she was concerned. Unfortunately, he gave away little of what he was thinking. "Since Teba was going to go with you to do… whatever you need to do, he was going to bring Tulin along."

That did get a reaction. His eyes widened and he stiffened just slightly. So he did understand why she was worried and probably shared in her concerns himself.

"I wish that we could keep at home, but he's at an age where we can't stop him anymore. And I'm worried that if we don't let him go with you and Teba, he'll sneak out and get himself hurt."

"Yeah," Link sighed as he rubbed his head with a grimace.

She refrained from asking if he had childhood stories of rushing headlong into danger. Judging by his expression, he did. And he probably didn't want to talk about it. "Will you please keep him safe?"

The hand rubbing the back of his head slowed as his frown deepened. "I'll try."

"... That's all I can ask." She wanted to ask more. She wanted a promise that Tulin would return home to her, safe and sound. She wanted a promise that he wouldn't see anything awful or go within one hundred miles of danger. But all of that was something even she couldn't guarantee.

Link seemed to sense her discontent, but if he had any words of assurance for her, he didn't offer them.

"Thank you for your time, Master Link. I'll let you get some rest now."

The Hylian nodded, still looking like he had something he wanted to say; however, she didn't press him. He would probably feel more comfortable sharing his thoughts with Teba and she had already put a lot on his shoulders. She would just have to trust in her husband's capabilities and Link's good intentions. So, she excused herself and stepped back out into the cold, crisp air.

To her surprise, Teba was standing a short distance away, wings clasped behind his back as he stared out into the Hebra mountains.

"Did you take care of what you needed to?" Teba asked as she joined him.

"Yeah." They stood together silently, staring toward the mountains. "I suppose you'll be staying at the Range tonight."

"No." Teba turned toward her. "I've been at the Range all day. I need a little time with you, especially since we don't know when and where we'll be heading."

Saki smiled. She had been expecting him to devote every ounce of himself to his training, and not make much, if any, time for her. What he was trying to do was incredibly important, but the thought had still stung a bit.

"Besides, maybe I'm feeling a little jealous," Teba said nonchalantly.

"Hmm?" She cocked her head to the side.

"Seeing you talking to another guy," Teba said with a raised brow.

Saki groaned, rolling her eyes as she turned away. "I'll see you at home."

Teba fell in step with her, chuckling as he wrapped a wing around her.

"You're a moron, you know that?"

"Am I at least your moron?"

"I suppose," Saki replied with a click of her beak as she leaned into him slightly. "But," she said pointedly, "you keep that up and you can spend the night at the Flight Range."

"Okay, but hear me out…"