55. Camping with the boys

The sun was setting, Zid was asked to find a safe place to camp and gather and dry branches for a bonfire. Zelda helped finding and gathering tinder to easily ignite it. Link and Robert headed out to hunt something to dine on.

[Link taped on Lee's shoulder "you come with me and help me hunt, but let's not use your gun this time, I have no hunting license" Robert laughs "fair, I don't mind getting my hands dirty you know?" Robert says as he cracks his knuckles]

ZELDA POV

I am sure they will bring something, even if small. But how am I going to cook it? I have nowhere to boil it and even if I did have some type of casserole… it's not a good idea to waste the water we brought on that

"I should have gone with them too you know" Zid says grumbling

"And leave me here all alone and unprotected?" Zelda fakes sobbing in despair

Zid rolls his eyes "TSK, we both know you don't really need me; the area is secure enough and you are not defenseless. But my bros… not that they are weak or anything, it's just that they could easily get attacked by a dangerous animal. And its already late, there is not enough daylight for them to spot tracks for a hunt, or notice an incoming animal attack… I should have gone with them, to help you know"

O my… he cares. He can be a little rough at some of his edges but… what is there not to love about Zid?

Grinning "Don't worry about them, they will manage, in the mean time you cou-" Zelda stops mid-sentence, eyes wide in fear and worry. Zid turned distressed by the face he saw on the Princess. The figure standing there with them was Link, he was drenched in blood. Zelda was about to rush to him, to check if he had any injury but he winked an eye at her grinning, that action alone put her at ease immediately. Zid gasped and slapped his palm on his own forehead.

"Things did go according to plan" Link informed them with half a smile

"We had a plan?" Robert states in anger as he approaches them, he was disheveled and covered in dust and mud.

"No, but I thought I could improvise this time"

"Don't get me wrong, you and Zelda are EXELENT at that shit, but this time you involved ME… why the fuck would you thought that I will be fine with this? I got dirt everywhere, even inside my boxers" Lee yells exasperated as he shakes some of the dust from his pants.

"Must I remind you that you said you didn't mind getting your hands dirty, or are you backing off like a little pussy?" Link challenges

"NEVER, I said what I said and I stand by it… I jumped on the fucking boar, didn't I? you just stayed back smirking and clapping"

Link starts walking away laughing "Yeah… sorry about that, I could not take my eyes off the sight of you wrestling a feral pig. But you DID get back at me when you pushed me into the pool of blood and innards"

They left the innards behind? Why?

"Wait… we are not eating the innards?" Zelda asks a little worried, no innards meant less food for the group.

Hearing her voice tone, Link realizes her concern and chuckles "No innards this time, we can't boil them and roasting innards is a hassle, we just eat the meat this time, it's still enough meat, don't worry"

"That sounds good, but where is the meat?" Zelda asks with concern

Link stops and opens his eyes wide turning to scream at Lee

"MOTHERFUCKER, you forgot the meat back there on purpose, didn't you?" Link yelled as he opens his backpack drawing big chunks of meat out, he was smiling at his own theatrics.

Rolling his eyes "You asked me to help you hunt, not to help you carry meat around DUMB ASS" Lee yells as he also draws a piece of meat from his backpack, and places it next to Link's. The brunette looks down at all the meat and smiles satisfied, he then raises his fist asking for a fist bump. Link quickly clean his hand from the dried blood before answering Robert's bro fist.

What is going on? Why are they fighting? Are they fighting at all?

Zelda turns to Zid puzzled, Zid is finding it hard to keep his laughter at bay, noticing the princess's confusion he says "they are just professing brotherly love to each other… isn't that right Ciel?" Zid taunts

"FUCK YOU" sighs "just be quiet and come help me set the fire" Link half orders and half asks

"I need a bath" Robert blurts out helpless

Zelda stares at him distressed, she wants to help him, but how can she? Zid grins remembering something

"SIS, remember we just passed a Banksia tree? The one with the odd yellow flowers? There was a burble sound around the area. Take Robert there to find the water, I will take Link after we set the fire"

YES, I remember, such a beautiful flower, that was like 3 minutes ago. There was a burble sound? I really need to pay more attention, hope Lee can find the water source fast.

The Princess tock hold of Lee's hand and started pulling him away. Meanwhile Zid started making a small circle with stones, to mark the area where the fire will be.

ZID POV

"Do I just throw everything in there?"

"Of course not, have you never made a camp fire before?" Link mocks as he grabs the meat to cut it

"Obviously not, you think I am stupid? Why would I signal the locals where I am with light and smoke?"

Link stops cutting the meat, slowly realizing the stupidity of his comment, and what Zid must have gone through to survive. He could not help but admire the pirate for his resilience.

"Then how did you coo- " shakes his head "forget it… just pay attention"

Link says as he begins to clear the area of grass, leaving only dirt inside the ring of stones Zid made. Ciel then grabbed some of the tinder Zelda managed to collect, placing it on the center of the stone ring and building a teepee on top of it with Zid's twigs. Link then pulled out his Swiss army knife, and opened it to pull a miniature ferro rod, it was placed where the toothpick should have been. Then he drew forward the knife pressing on the rod with it, generating a couple of sparks.

"That easy? I saw tourist do it using 2 stones"

"Surely made from the same material used for my convenient toothpick. Start the fire" Link says as he hands over the ferro rod and the army knife.

"But… I have never"

"You are smart, and you saw how I obtained the sparks didn't you?" Link challenges

Zid squints his eyes at him, and starts his first attempt, though he got the spark to kind of start igniting the tinder, the flame didn't grow enough to ignite the twigs.

Fuck, it's good that Zelda found plenty of tinder, maybe if I blow on it? Yeah… I should try that. why do I feel like I am being put to the test? Link is just staring at what I do, stoic as ever. Kind of what he must have done with Lee now that I think about… HE IS TESTING US, WHY? Worse thing is that I feel like I need. NO, I WANT to impress him. Like why the fuck would I want to impress him? who the fuck is he to me? I met the guy 2 days ago.

Zid managed to produce another spark and blew on it, making it grow into a full fire. Link started clapping.

"Perfect" Link says as he starts adding bigger pieces of wood to the fire, "lets stick the meat in some sturdy twigs and place them close to the fire, the heat should cook them"

As they start doing that Link asks what was on his mind "so… you really never cooked anything you caught?"

"Nope, I eat it raw, or dried by the sun. I try to avoid drying it though, most of it gets stolen by birds, doesn't taste bad but it's too dry, I could choke on it since I don't carry water"

"Speaking of, take me to the water source Zid, I hear the Princess and Rob are on their way here"

"Will do, you desperately need it… you reek"

Link feigns getting hurt by that comment. They both stand and start heading out right when Zelda arrives with Robert, Link tells them to watch over the roasting meat, and to put some more when the current pieces are done. Lee informs them where the small water stream is located.

They walked in silence following Lee's direction. They arrived to a very small stream, not deep at all, they could cross it only getting their feet and ankles wet. But it was flowing water, Link was not going to complain. Zid kneeled next to it washing his hands, arms and face, once he was done, he gawked at the sight of Link shirt less.

WTF, when?... how? It looks awesome in a way, not gonna lie. 4 gashes across his chest and belly, I would love a tattoo that looks like that, but damn. Got to respect the real deal, they seem to have been really deep, how did he survived? WHAT THE F… HIS BACK IS DAMAGED TOO!

Zid walks up to Link from behind and grabs him by his shoulders. Link sighs realizing what must have caught Zid's attention. He also had plenty of scratches, gashes and bruises on his back, but most of them already healed and barely noticeable, nothing as ghastly as what he had in his abdomen. Zid turned him but not to look at his abdomen, he stared right at Link eyes frowning in worry.

"What happen? Short version, pears and apples please"

"Was attacked by Hyrule's wild fauna, a monster that was supposed to have been eradicated from the area"

"And how did you survive this" Zid points at the gashes on his torso.

"I didn't, they had to resuscitate me, your sister helped with that." Link grins sheepishly

You telling me I almost didn't get to meet you? ANY of you for that matter. Cuz, I understand it was you who set out to find Robert and me… you and Zelda, why is she tagging along by the way?

"How did my sister got involved in all of this?" Zid aks

"I was protecting her; the beasts did a number on me but I killed them and Zelda was unscratched" Link says

"NICELY DONE, but not what I was asking… I wanted to know why is she here helping find us, and not in her kingdom doing princess stuff?" Zid asks, he was really curious about Zelda's involvement in all this.

"That is due to a promise I made to her, my way of showing gratitude for what she did for me, if the mission from SWORD does not pose a danger to her, she is coming with me."

Zid gives a step back laughing, he then invites Link to follow him as he starts walking. Link quickly puts on his t-shirt and follows.

"So, I am to believe you always keep your promises, right?" Zid asks in a mocking tone

Link stops dead in his tracks, Zid turns to look at him, Link's face showed disgruntlement at what Zid implied.

"There is something you need to know about me. I don't lie, if I say I am going to do something you better consider it done. I hate weakness, lying is not only a direct aggression, is an act of weakness. Is the coward's way out of conflict and responsibility. I am no coward and neither are you. Do not EVER lie to me."

DAMN! This motherfucker keeps making me want his approval badly. I wonder if Robert feels the same way. The worst part is… I now KNOW that I would rather die than failing him, because that would be like failing myself, WHY do I feel like that? WHO THE FUCK IS HE?

"I promise to continue to be a pain in the ass, but I will never lie to you, I am no coward." Zid declares

Link nods with a smile and hints for Zid reassume their walking. As they approached the camp, they could her Zelda screaming at Lee for not waiting for the boys before starting to eat. Link enters the area chuckling.

"Girl don't yell so loudly; the whole jungle doesn't need to know how much of a shitty brother Robert is"

"Link… I don't mind animals knowing about my shitty ways, if it makes her feel better, just let her. I will continue to feast on this porcine leg" Robert says joyfully

Rolling his eyes "I am making you immune to my teasing am I not?" Link utters

"Oh, you were teasing? I thought we were stating facts" Lee says, chin tucked and eyes staring up at Link with an evil smile "I AM a shitty person, you didn't mind that, or do you?" Robert says defiantly

Chuckling "I don't, as long as you don't betray me or your brothers, we are fine" Link answers bluntly

Link and Zid lower themselves to sit on the old blanket Zelda extended on the ground.

"I told her we could sit on the ground, that she should have used the blanket for herself at night" Zid exclaims to everyone present.

Zelda exhales exasperated "and I told you, WE need an area to sleep on, I don't need it to warm myself, I WON'T be cold"

"None of us will be, unless you are a lone wolf and decide to sleep far away from us… don't recommend it though, it's not safe. I CALL DIBS ON LINK'S LEGS"

Zelda and Zid's eyes go wide open, Link hides his face in his hands. Zelda raises her hand yelling.

"NOT FAIR, whatever, he is hugging me… or I am hugging him. isn't that right Ciel?" Zelda states as she stares at Link daring him to disagree.

What? Dibs on Link? [Zid walks up to Link from behind and grabs him by his shoulders] So… I didn't imagine it back there; he HAS a thermic imbalance. And these fuckers are taking advantage of it… maybe I should too.

"I have an idea, Lee can make use of the legs as a pillow or whatever, but Link lays on his side, he spoons you sis, and I spoon him, that ok?"

LINK POV

I always knew that at some point a mob was going to be fighting for me… I was kind of hoping it would be composed of sexy females, not of highly skilled men-boys and my ward.

"You have not even asked me; we are out in the open in the middle of a jungle. I am staying on patrol all night" he looks at Lee and Zid "no need to take turns for guarding, I will take care of it"

"NO, WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU WILL TAKE CARE OF IT?" Lee sighs "you are part of the defense program here; we need you rested"

"We don't know how close we are to the fugitives we are chasing, and not all wild life in this particular zone is friendly. I won't be able to shut my eyes, better make myself useful don't you think? Besides… is not the first time I take an all-nighter, I will be fine… you all go to sleep, I will be leaning on that tree" Link points to an acacia tree nearby "hug each other if you need to, I swear that what happens in Australia stays in Australia" Link says wiggling his eyebrows

And with that they forget about me and 3, 2, 1. Fight!

Zid and Rob start growling at each other, the Princess rolls her eyes and puts herself between them

"I know, I know… ew. How about this, Lee hugs me and I hug Zid, that way you don't have to touch each other"

Damn this bitch, she won't let me have my fun.

Link grabbed a small piece and eats it, then heads to the acacia tree, leaving the rest to negotiate who hugs who. After a while no more sound is heard. Ciel chooses to sit in front of the tree, knees bent, arms resting on the knees, head hanging between his legs, eyes closed.

3 days, that is our time limit, and we don't even know if the assailants are still around. The aboriginals give up trying to seek help from the government, that was almost a year ago. They could have outgrown this shit, or moved to other parts of Australia. We should not be far from a barley plantation if I remember correctly. And it's supposed to be close to other 2, a wheat and apple plantations. Maybe we should try to locate an area between the three plantations, to allows us to respond fast to any of them if anything were to happen.

Movement is heard, Link doesn't open his eyes suspecting who it may be. Zelda managed to find her way out of Robert´s hold. As she walks out of the blanket Zelda notices Lee pulling Zid into a hug. She smiles but continues walking towards Link. Stops in front of him and crouches trying to look at his face, to cheek if he is sleep, or anything.

"What do you need?" Link suddenly blurts out without opening his eyes, the princess yelps in surprise.

"I… wanted to check on you, if you were fine"

"Go to sleep"

"ok" Zelda sits next to him and tries to hug him from the side

"What are you doing? Go back"

"That is no longer an option" Zelda giggles.

Link raises his head to look at what the problem is, he notices the compromising position his brothers were in and smiles.

I should take a picture of that
*you said that what happens in Australia STAYS in Australia, are you going to betray them?
FUCK… I will behave

Link sighs and lowers his legs tapping on them. The Princess smiling gets between his legs and lays her head on his right thigh hugging said leg, she the uses her hand to reach for his left leg and place it on top of herself.

Oh, wow… ok I guess, if she is comfortable. Better than her sitting on me
*COME ON, you wanted her to do that didn't you?
No, I didn't. When I saw her getting between my legs I started to panic. I still HATE her, but I don't want to cause her any harm. And if for some reason her actions where not demure, I would have slapped the shit out of her.
*And THAT I would have paid to see