Warning: This chapter contains animal attacks. Nothing gory (I hope) but still wanted to put it out there.

Chapter 36: Carnivorous Nature

A squirrel ran across the forested ground. Leaves flew up into the air as they dashed by. It had barely dodged an arrow that landed mere inches away. Emerging from behind the bushes a lone Bokoblin let out a frustrated shriek, stomping its foot. It chased the squirrel through the forest. The Bokoblin leaped towards the animal to catch it, but the squirrel darted into nearby bushes at the last minute. The monster got back on its feet and followed it through the bush.

A large field with grass as tall as the Bokoblin resided on the other side. The Bokoblin saw some movement in the grass. A smug grin planted on the pig monster's face. Target is locked. It ran straight into the long grass with an excited giggle.

The long grass was dense, and the thick, tall blades made it difficult to see what was around. Anything could sneak up on it if it wanted. The Bokoblin didn't care. It was armed, so it didn't think anything would be bold enough to attack it.

A hooting sound caught the monster's attention, but it quickly brushed it off. The sound was clearly from a bird. No different from the hundreds of others it heard. At least the ones it could eat like he will do with the squirrel as soon as it finds it.

Behind the density of the grass, eyes watched the monster walking through—birdlike eyes too big to belong to any small bird the Bokoblin may know of.

The Bokoblin continued its search to no avail when he hears the hooting again. This time it was loud enough to warrant the monster's attention. Grass rustled from its side, in front, and behind, all accompanied with a curious chirp from. There was something in the field with the monster. The Bokoblin frantically searched, trying to see who was making the noise. The air went silent. The Bokoblin raised its bow, readying to attack.

A loud squawk is heard. Running footsteps echoed from behind, and the Bokoblin turned to fire its arrow.

What followed next was the sound of a loud screech and the painful screams of the Bokoblin.

Meanwhile, the same squirrel that the Bokoblin was hunting watched from the edge of the grass, running back into the safety of the forest when the Bokoblin's screams faded into the long grass.

The quartet of knight students strolled through the forest. They had their guard up so that they wouldn't have a repeat of yesterday with the Lynel, but things were going smoothly so far. They kept walking through a particular area where the trees & plants appeared identical.

It wasn't until they walked past a giant green mushroom a third time that Pipit got suspicious. Passing it a fifth time made Pipit abruptly stop.

"What's wrong, Pipit?" Link questioned.

"We're walking in circles!" Pipit pointed to the mushroom. "I've seen that same giant green mushroom five times!"

"There's giant mushrooms everywhere! No way that's the same one!" Link argued back.

"Actually, Master Link, Master Pipit is correct in his claim. You all have indeed walked past this area five times." Fi voiced through the sword.

"Thank you, Fi…" Link responded through his gritted teeth

"See! Even Fi knows we're lost!" Pipit proclaimed. "Did you read the map right?"

"Of course I did! The maps haven't steered us off so far. Something around here is misleading us."

"Give me one of the maps!" Pipit attempted to reach into Link's pouch.

"I know how to read a map, Pipit!" Link yelled as he tried to hold Pipit back.

"You clearly don't if we keep passing through here!" Pipit kept waving his arms.

"Get off me!"

"Just give me the map!"

"Stop waving your arms like a maniac!"

"I'm not—" Pipit suddenly felt two arms wrapped around his torso, and he was hoisted from the ground. "What the?!"

"This is not going to help us!" Fledge barked as he held onto Pipit.

"Fledge is right. Acting like toddlers is not going to help us find our way," Karane scolded the pair.

Link & Pipit lowered their limbs, giving embarrassed looks.

"Now that we got that settled, Fledge put Pipit down." The younger teen lowered the older boy back down. "You." Karane pointed at Pipit. "Stay put. You." She pointed to Link. "Give me one of the maps."

"But I—" Karane's glare cut off whatever argument Link was about to say. With reluctance, he handed her a map.

"Now then. Clearly, all this walking has been making some of us a little cranky." Both Link and Pipit's faces flushed red. "What you bot are going to do is spend the next few minutes cooling off while I try to figure out a path."

The sounds of a grumbling stomach filled the quiet space around.

"And maybe you can try to find some food in the meantime." Karane walked several steps away, muttering as she looked over the map.

"I'll try to find some food so you knuckleheads can cool off," Fledge offered.

"Hey! If anyone is a knucklehead it's him." Pipit points to Link, who looks scandalized by the accusation.

"You liar! You're just as bad-!"

Fledge grabs both of their heads and headbutts them into each other followed by a loud 'OW' as they soothe their foreheads.

"Both of you COOL IT!" Fledge stared down Link and Pipit with a peeved expression. "I'm going to look around here while we wait for Karane. You both are going to be quiet and not act like the Bickering Brothers. Are we clear?"

"Yeah."

"We're clear."

With that said and done, Fledge walked behind some trees. Leaving Link and Pipit metaphorically licking their wounds as they tried to comfort the pain.

"Nice seeing Fledge being more assertive," Pipit commented, cradling his forehead.

"Wish we weren't at the end of it…" Link responded as he rubbed his head. "But given what he did to Ghirahim, this is probably not so bad."

"I agree with you on that. If there's anything I learned through this whole thing: Angry Fledge is terrifying."

"You got that from him beating up Ghirahim?"

"From when he yelled at Groose."

Link could only answer with a low hum as the pain in his head faded.

"Hey, um, sorry about-" Pipit broke the silence but was cut off by Link.

"It's good." Link let out a breath. "I think we're all just tired."

Link's stomach rumbles in the air. "And hungry, too." Pipit quipped.

"Yeah, and that." The Hero responded with a light chuckle.

"Reminds me of this phrase I heard once: You're not you when you're hungry."

"Where did you hear that from?"

Pipit crossed both arms as he considered his answer. "I think maybe from a book, but I can't remember."

"I hope Fledge finds something and that it's safe. Everything Fi scanned so far was either make us sick, or can kill us." Link let out a dreamy sigh. "I kill for Pumm's soups right about now."

"I kill for his Pumpkin Bread." Pipit mused. "Cheap as it is, it's still delicious."

"Not as good as his Roasted Pumpkin."

"There's still his Pumpkin Stew."

"Maybe the Cheese Pumpkin."

"That's good too. Don't forget the Pumpkin Pies."

"And his Pumpkin Rice Balls."

"My favorite thing is his Pumpkin Lasagna. Farore, thinking about it just makes my mouth water."

"And the best thing The Lumpy Pumpkin has to offer: The Party Pumpkin."

"Where Pumm fills a Roasted Pumpkin with soup…"

"...And you eat the pumpkin once all the soup is out."

Link and Pipit let out a dreamy hum as they fantasized about eating the foods listed. Their fantasy ended when both let out loud, hungry growls.

"Did you find something, Fledge?!" Link called out.

"As a matter of fact, yes!" The young teen returned holding four red mushrooms the size of an adult's hand.

"Mushrooms?" Pipit stuck his tongue out. "Why them?"

"They didn't look like the poisonous ones we've seen They remind me of the Skyshrooms that we eat. That, and they didn't shake weird stinking mist like the big red one from earlier."

Link glance at his sword on his back. "Are these safe, Fi?"

"Master Fledge holds Surfaceshrooms. A non-poisonous mushroom that is safe to eat. You made an excellent observation, Master Fledge."

"Thank you, Fi," Fledge said with a slight flattered flush.

"I see you found our dinner," Karane said, returning to the guys. "And I think I may have figured out how to get us not lost."

"How so?" Link inquired.

"I think what we ought to do is leave marks of sorts. That way, we can know if we're on the same trail."

"There are plenty of things around this forest that we can use. Branches, rocks, maybe even those pinecones." Link quickly glanced at the area around them.

"That's exactly what I was thinking too. Hopefully it will make it harder for us to get lost. Now another thing I wanted to bring up-"

Branches snapping caused the group to flinch. They perked their heads to listen. Sure enough, they heard footsteps and the grunts of familiar monster enemies.

"Hide!" Link commanded.

The quartet ducked behind some nearby trees. A Moblin waltzed into the clearing with a line of a dozen Bokoblins trailing behind it. The Moblin stopped and grunted something at the Bokoblins, who then dispersed. Each one searched around their own little spot.

"Our old friends. How nice…" Link muttered sarcastically. He scanned them. "Seems like they're searching for something."

"Us?" Karane guessed.

"I don't think so. If they were, they would be charging over now."

"Maybe we should keep it that way, eh?" Pipit suggested.

"Probably should," Link agreed. "Let's move back. Quietly."

The quartet proceeded to walk back slowly, watching their step so that they didn't walk on anything loud. Fledge had been doing that, still holding the four Surfaceshrooms in his arms. Until he felt a sudden stinging pain in his body, causing him to let out a groan and put the rest of the group on alert. The realization came to him to what was happening.

"Fledge? What's wrong?" Link hastily asked.

"Potion…wearing off." Another stab of pain struck through Fledge, causing him to drop the mushrooms. That caught the attention of the lead Moblin, who started dead straight at the humans. It blew into a horn to alert the other Bokoblins, pointing them in the humans' direction.

Link dash to Fledge, placing the boy into arms. "RUN!"

The teens made a break for it in the woods, with Link carrying Fledge in his arms. Behind them, they could hear the stampede of the Bokoblins and the thunderous ones from the Moblin. Amidst the running, both parties failed to see an arrow lodged into the ground.

"This…hurts." Fledge groaned as he cradled himself.

"Hang in there, buddy." Link assured him.

"They're gaining on us!" Pipit bellowed out.

"We can't keep running! We need to hide," Karane shouted.

The group runs past a large bush. Ahead of them was a field of grass that was as tall as them.

"In the long grass!" Link commanded.

The humans ran into the long grass, moving into the deeper parts. They stopped once they were far enough. They could see the Moblin and his subordinates emerging from the treelines at the forest's edge.

"Duck!" Link hissed.

All of the knight students moved below the grasslands to cover themselves. They could hear the monsters enter the field of long grass. Link placed Fledge into the ground, and Karane reached into her pouch to pull out a Red Potion bottle, hastily uncorking the lid. Fledge took the bottle and drank all its contents.

"You okay?" Link asked.

Fledge swallows the last drop of the potion. "I will be now." He panted.

"Keep it down. They're close," Pipit whispered.

"We need to get out of here." Fledge tried to move but Karane pushed him back down.

"You need a few minutes for that potion to settle in. Otherwise, you'll re-aggravate the pain," Karane instructed firmly.

The quartet stayed ducked below the grass. They could hear the monsters walk past them. From their point of view, they could only see the heads of the Bokoblins. The Moblin towers over the grass levels. The monsters move deep into the field, walking by the quartet's hiding spot without knowing it.

"Okay, we wait for them to move deep into the field. Once Fledge is better, we sneak out of here and go back straight into the woods," Link instructed.

The rest nodded in agreement. They resumed watching the monsters, who slowly moved further away. Something else caught Pipit's attention in the corner of his eye. Lying not too far was a sizeable singular bird feather. Curious, he reached over to grab it.

"What is it?" Karane noticed Pipit's shift in behavior.

"Look at this feather." Pipit held it up to show to the others.

"Babe, I don't think this is the right time for you to be a bird nerd."

"I know but look...if I can guess right, it's been freshly plucked. "

"A Loftwing feather?" Link questioned

"Not any I've seen in this color. And look at the size of it." Pipit's eyes then caught something else. He crawled over to the other end from where he was sitting. The others looked to see what caught Pipit's attention. There was a large footprint with three toes in the front, and one in the back.

"That looks like a Loftwing footprint," Karane observed.

"It can't be a Loftwing. It's too small." Pipit placed his hand next to the footprint, greatly dwarfing his own. "But it's still big. What kind of bird is this, I wonder?"

"I think one that did this…" Everyone turns to see Fledge holding a sizable skull of an unknown creature.

Link suddenly feels that the monsters may not be the only things in the grass with them. He sets his sights on the feather in Pipit's hand. "Fi, what animal is this feather from?"

"Phoru Birds…"

"A what?'

A grim pause followed. Something Fi has not done before.

A loud bird squawk rang in the air. The teens went silent. That did not sound like the majestic Loftwings, the cute Chirris, or the pesky Guays. Sounds of footsteps scurried past their hiding spot. Footsteps that sounded too large to be a Chirri or a Guay. The group was on alert.

"Fi?" Link whispered with an urgent tone.

"Masters, listen to me. For the next few minutes, it is imperative that you do not make a sound and do not move! And do not move above the grass lines!"

None of them questioned her any further. The urgency in her voice did not put them at ease. All they can do is watch the unaware monsters.

The Moblin continued to lead its charge while the rest of the Bokoblins continued looking. They looked through the grass, barking at each other if they suspected one was slacking. Doing all of this certainly made them loud.

Which caught the attention of a new set of eyes. The eyes did not belong to humans but were birdlike.

The creatures' feathery heads peeked over the grass at a far enough distance for the monsters not to see them. The grass allows these animals the perfect cover due to their feathers allowing them to blend in. The monsters were none the wiser of the new sets of eyes watching. One of the creatures made a sound that resembled a low whistle, sending a signal to the rest of its kind of their newfound meal before ducking back down. Then they slowly stalked the red intruders starting with the line.

The Bokoblin at the end of the line was the first to go down. Then came down a second, quickly followed by a third just ahead. Then a fourth. When the fifth went down, the remaining Bokoblins scrambled around in an attempt to escape.

Meanwhile, the quartet of knight students watch with confusion & fear as they see the massacre play out.

"What's happening?" Fledge wondered.

"Somethings attacking the Bokoblins!" Pipit stated

"But what?" Karane questioned.

For better or for worse, the teens got their answer when a piercing birdlike screech pierced the air. That's when they witnessed a bird creature as tall as a fully grown human male, at least, leap into the air towards one of the Bokoblins, who could only scream in fear as the animals pounced on it, turning its scream into a gargle followed by the bird's beak digging into its flesh.

"That must be the Phoru Birds," Link confirmed.

The symphony of death continued to play out. One by one, the remaining Bokoblins fell victim to the giant birds. It played in the same tune: A Bokoblin gets pulled down, followed by its scream, and finally, the piercing silence of death. The carnage continued until the Moblin was the only one standing.

At least a dozen Phoru Birds stuck their heads above the grass surrounding the obese monster. From their hiding spot, the teens finally got a good look at the creatures that had attacked the Bokoblins. These birds are vastly different from the Loftwings commonly seen throughout the skies.

Their feathers were a mix of dull brown's, greys, and whites. Not colorful like the Loftwings. The Phoru's were smaller than Loftwings but only by a mere few feet, and they were still considerably more taller than the teens. Their wings were tiny compared to the Loftwing's massive wings. Could the Phours even fly with wings that size? Their oval beaks were short but sharp in a hook shape, unlike the long, rounded beaks that the Loftwings had.

And unlike the friendly nature of the Loftwings, the Phorus appeared to be downright terrifying. Link thought that 'Terror Bird' would be a more fitting name. If Loftwing's were angels, Phorus could serve as their demon counterparts.

The Moblin stood its ground against the giant birds that stalked over. Bracing its shield & steadying its spear, it readied itself for the attack. The first of the Phorus made a leap but got knocked away by the Moblin's shield. Several more Phoru Birds attempted to strike at it from the front but the monster used its shield to block them. Though the Moblin had the advantage of offense & defense, the Phorus had the advantage of numbers. And camouflage. As the Moblin ward off its attackers at his front side, more Phoru's ran around the monster. The Phoru's feathers allow them to camouflage into the grass, practically becoming practically invisible. The Moblin could not see any of the birds, leading it to strike its spear into the surrounding grass only to hit nothing. The Phorus were fast ones. Able to be at one spot one second and a far distance the next. The Moblin could not tell how many were around.

That was all the Phorus needed for what they did next.

A Phoru leaped from behind the Moblin. Using its sharp talons, it landed on the monster's shoulders. The claws dug into its skin, drawing a dark liquid substance that could be the monster's own blood. The Moblin tried to fight it off but the giant bird kept its grip. The Phoru struck its beak into one of the Moblin's eyeballs, and a trail of strange purple substance flew into the air from the Moblin's eye as the Phoru leaped back to the ground. The Moblin uttered a painful scream, dropping its shield to cover its eye socket. More of the purple liquid poured out through the cracks of its hand.

Despite one eye gone, the Moblin continued to fight off the birds, who retaliated back with one strike from their beaks or their talons on their feet. They struck with ferocity and speed, barely leaving The Moblin a chance to catch its breath. Every strike was more painful than the last to the Moblin. And then the Moblin felt a new searing pain on its belly.

The shock caused the monster to drop the spear. It now used its free hand to feel the area of the pain. Its hand touched something warm. The Moblin's remaining eye widened with fear when it realized that what he was holding was supposed to be inside of him. The rest of the Phorus jumped in to commence the attack and begin to feast on the monster.

All four of the knight students could watch in silence as the giant birds brutally pulled apart the monster. Jumping all over to get a bite, the birds fought over their own scraps without a flinch. All the while, the monster screamed in agony for many long minutes until it finally died down. For those brief minutes, the teens almost felt bad for the Moblin.

The Phorus were nothing like the Loftwings the teens had known. Loftwings were always gentle, friendly animals. They would never resort to brutal methods, even the Loftwings that acted like jerks like Groose & Cawlin's. Loftwings can kill Skytails, Aeralfos, Aerocudas, and even people if they pose a big enough threat to themselves or their human half. Otherwise, they try to avoid those threats and would certainly never go out of their way to hurt them. And when they have to take out those threats they're swift & quick about it.

These birds here, however, were no such thing. They ended the monster's life brutally. And the teens were still in the grass with the birds. Judging by what they saw they did to the Bokoblins and the Moblin, they can only imagine what the Phorus will do to them.

They need to get out of there.

"Fledge?" Link whispered

"Yes?"

"Has the potion settled in?"

"I believe so."

"Good. Then I need all of you to run."

"Now?" Fledge questioned.

One of the Phorus moved away from the Moblin carcass as the rest of its kind fed. It swallowed a chunk of the flesh when it looked in the teens' direction, curiously tilting its head to the side. They could not tell if the bird was staring right at them. It ducked into the grass. Link felt his heart skip a beat when he saw the grass shifting in his direction.

"Run now!"

The quartet ran as fast as their legs could move. Link trailed behind his line of friends, keeping his eyes locked on all of them. Behind him Link could hear the sounds of something running towards them. He could feel his heart beating against his chest, sweat forming on his head. The closer the running got, the more his fear grew. The fear was replaced with relief when he ran back to the edge of the forest line. He glances to see his friends, tired out but all accounted for. Link let out a breath of relief.

Something tapped his ankle, causing Link to let out a shriek and jump into the air. His friends prepared their stances, anticipating a fight.

What they saw was a Bokoblin crawling out of the grass. Gashes of its oozing purple blood littered all over its body. It let out tired grunts as it slowly tried to crawl out. The Bokoblin's eyes widened with fear as it felt a hard tug. Something behind the grass line pulled the monster back in. The Bokoblin shrieked, digging its finger into the dirt, leaving drag marks as it was pulled back in. It disappeared back into the grass, screaming until it went quiet. The teens all stood frozen, gaping at the grass as they saw a bird head stood over the grass lines.

The Phoru's cold eyes stared straight at the humans, beak covered with the purple blood. It seemed curious about the group. It let out a low squawk that seemed reminiscent of Loftwings. The giant bird ducked its head back in the grass after staring at the humans, presumingly eating the Bokoblin.

Link glances at his sword. "Fi. What can you tell us about this…Phoru."

"Phoru Birds are a species of large carnivorous birds. Their wings are too small for them to fly, but they make up for it with their strong legs, sharp talons, and piercing beaks. They prefer to hunt in tall grasslands. Unlike the Loftwing's gentle nature, these birds are aggressive. However, they stick to long grasslands and will not follow you beyond them. I advise that you all stay away from fields of tall grass unless you have the tools to handle these creatures."

"Stay away from the long grass. Got it," Link summarized.

"A bird that cannot fly…" Pipit mused, observing the bird with interest. "That is something I had never heard of in my life."

Pipit attempted to move closer to get a better look, only to be stopped by Fledge's firm grip.

"I think you should probably admire them far away," Fledge suggested in an unsettled tone.

The Phoru made a slurping sound. Then teens watch the giant bird suck in a stringy substance like a noodle, but they know it wasn't a noodle.

"Yeah, you're probably right, Fledge," Pipit meekly agreed.

The teens speed-walked back into the forest. Leaving the Phoru alone to eat its meal.

"That was fun..." Karane sarcastically stated once the group felt they were a safe enough distance away from any monsters. And giant killer birds.

"I'll say." Link breathed out, resting his hands on his knees. "And I thought the Lynel was terrifying."

Pipit let out a shiver. "Don't remind me. I can still smell its breath…"

"Is it weird that I felt bad for those monsters?" All eyes turn to Fledge. "Don't get me wrong, they're still mindless, psychotic assholes, but hearing those screams, and what those birds did to that Moblin…I wouldn't wish that on anybody. Not even Ghirahim." Fledge's fingers touch the diamond scar.

Pipit crosses his arms. "Could we even call them birds? They can't fly, and they all attacked so brutally. They're nothing like Loftwings! They were more like monsters."

"The Phorus are not monsters. They're birds just the same as Loftwings," Fi's chime rang loudly. "Not all bird species behave the same as Loftwings. The Phorus, along with many animals, do not have the same sense of empathy & morality as humans. "

"Why would the Goddesses create something like the Phoru?"

"All the Goddesses did was bring life to them. Everything else was a production of natural evolution. No involvement of divine intervention. All living species, including humans, have one goal: survival. How they do it makes each living species different. Humans are intelligent enough to determine what is right & wrong. Most animal species do not have the same mindsets. The Phoru & Sabertooth Lions kill because they are carnivorous. They need to eat other animals, and monsters to live. And the herbivores, like the Grassland Horses & Land Buffalo, kill for defense. Monsters kill for fun. Animals do it to protect themselves & to survive. That is how nature is."

"Doesn't mean we want to see nature in action," Karane commented. "Like I didn't need to know what the insides of Moblins were like. At least it might kill my appetite for food." Her stomach chose that moment, as if it was part of some sick practical joke, to grumble. "Oh who am I kidding! We still need to find food!"

"Too bad I lost those mushrooms. We're right back to square one," Fledge lowered his head, clearly disappointed with himself.

"Don't beat yourself up. It wasn't your fault." Pipit patted Fledge's shoulder. "We'll just have to find something else…"

Everyone skims around the forested area. As the three searched on the ground, Link glanced upwards. In a small clearing in the trees, he saw what appeared to be a trail of smoke.

"I think I know where to start." The other three glance at the smoke trail. They grasped what Link was thinking. Where there's smoke, there's fire, like a fire pit that was built. The quartet strolled in the direction of the smoke trail.

A campsite soon came into their view with several familiar poorly constructed tents.

"Looks like one of the monster camps back in Eldin," Fledge pointed out.

"I can only guess who this belonged to," Karane said with an unsettled expression.

"Unless they left friends to watch it," Pipit nudges Link.

"Fi?" Link called out.

"I detect no monsters in the area. The camp is clear," Fi answered.

"Good." Link starts walking to the Monster Camp.

"Where are you going?" Pipit asked.

"There could be something useful in that camp, like food." Link said with a sheepish expression, "I mean, it's not like anyone's using it…."

"It can't hurt to look around," Fledge suggested. "Also, a free place to spend the night. Hehe…" Pipit & Karane only gave bewildered expressions at him.

The four entered the camp. All evidence showed that this camp was recently inhabited, most likely by the monsters taken down by the Phoru birds. At first glance, all the teens could see were jagged weapons, a garbage pile of bones & rotten eaten fruit with flies buzzing around, and the Bokoblin's outlandish underpants scattered around the camp.

"What a charming place they have here. I can see Bokoblins and Moblins care about cleanliness," Karane commented sarcastically.

"And I thought Groose's room was messy," Link scrunched his nose.

One of the Bokoblin's undies hanging from the top of one of the tents fell onto Pipit's head. The yellow-clad senior knight yelped in surprise, frozen in place at the shock of what landed on him like he was traumatized. After several long second, he blew a small gust of air out of his hand to remove the fabric,

"I hope that was clean…" Pipit quavered with unease.

The underpants floated down in the center of the camp. Residing there, the group could see the large fire pit, which was the source of the smoke. Something else was also there with it. Hanging above what looked to be a large object with a brown leathery surface.

"What is that thing?" Fledge wondered. "Is that some sort of Bokoblin decoration? It smells odd."

"Probably more of their trash," Karane suggested, kicking more rotten, chewed-up fruit.

Link examines the weird object. "I don't think it's either. It reminds me of how Henya would make her Copious Mushrooms. She always puts them on sticks."

"Are you saying that the monsters were…cooking this?" Pipit inquired. Link answered with an uncertain nod. "Why would they cook their decor or garbage?"

Fi's chime rings in the air. "That's because it is neither. What you see right here is meat from fully grown Male Surface Deer."

"Deer? You mean those cute, furry, four-legged animals with little black noses and small tails?" Karane asks for clarification.

"The very same, Master Karane. Monsters tend to be carnivorous, like the Phorus & Sabertooth Lions. It is likely that they intended to eat this meat here. However, the monsters prefer to cook their meat. I hypothesized that's what these monsters were doing with this one when they searched the woods for whatever reason before what happened to them in the long grass field."

Stomach grumbles reach the air yet again, this time from Fledge. "We deprived the monsters of their last meal, but we should probably keep looking for our next one, or those ration bars will be our last."

"I'm sure there's something around here for us." Pipit declared, moving to the side to look.

Link was about to search independently when he decided to look back at the meat. He started at it for who knows how long.

The scene around him suddenly changed.

Instead of the Monster Camp, he found himself sitting at a table. The room he was in was large, with very nice carving on the walls. He was wearing the same uniform, the red scarf included. Footsteps caught his attention. Walking to the table was Hylia, holding what appeared to be a large, freshly cooked meat dish.

"I hope I didn't keep you waiting, Link," Hylia said apologetically.

"Not at all, Hylia," Other Link, whom Link is going to dub him as since they shared the same name, said back. He gave a sniff. "That smells great!"

"I do hope it tastes just as much." Hylia set the dish on the table, cutting a piece of the large meat to put on Link's plate. Link watches the hands of Other Link cut a small piece of his slice with his fork & knife and eat it. Hylia watches curiously. "Be honest, how is it?"

"This is delicious!" Other Link proclaimed happily, taking more bites of the meat.

"Slow down!" Hylia warned. "I don't want you to throw it up now!"

Other Link used his hand to wipe his mouth. "Apologies. I couldn't help myself. This is wonderful food you made. I never knew you could cook."

"I used to cook a lot to help the humans a long time ago. Over time, they insisted that they do it more often. I would often cook for my proteges until they were old enough to do it themselves," Hylia explained. "I don't cook as often as I want to."

"Well, you should, 'cause this is great!" Other Link said in between bites. "What is this stuff? How do you make it this good?"

"I used spice that were handmade by the Gorons. They're the top experts on spices. As for the meat, it's from the biggest & strongest buck."

"Where did you find this buck? My sister hasn't had any luck finding any deer on her hunts."

"You would have to ask Impa…I asked her to hunt it," Hylia revealed with a sheepish smile. "Hunting is not something I'm good at…"

"A goddess who's a master sword fighter and a wonderful cook but can't hunt?" Other Link summarizes with an amusing tone.

"Just because I'm a goddess doesn't make me omnipotent."

"I never said you were. Don't worry, I won't judge."

Other Link finished up the rest of his plate, letting out a loud burp. He covered his mouth, feeling the heat of a blush grow. Hylia didn't seem phased and only let out a snort. Other Link relaxed his stance.

"Now this was a birthday surprise I enjoyed."

"Thank you, Link. But…that's not the only gift I got for you."

"Oh?"

Hylia reached into one of her dress's pockets, pulling out a box with wrapping paper and a neatly tied ribbon, offering it to Other Link. He took the present and removed the paper. Underneath was a box with a lid. In the box, a necklace with a silver chain and a crescent moon pendant lay.

"This looks lovely," Other Link complimented.

"Thank you." A pregnant pause after Hylia answered. "I…actually have a similar necklace." The Goddess reached behind her neck, pulling out a necklace with a gold chain and a sun pendant. "I had that made from the same place I got this. And if you put them together they fit." Hylia moved her sun necklace, prompting Link to move his moon one. Their pendants overlap, with the moon perfectly fitting inside the sun.

"May I ask what got you the idea for this?" Other Link leaned in, interested in Hylia's reasoning. "I can't imagine this here is a mere simple gesture of friendship."

"People have often regarded me as the sun, the bringer of Light. Many believe that the sun and moon are two halves of the same thing—opposites who are similar, equal partners. And I think you are a perfect example of the moon."

"Because I'm a night owl who stays up late and becomes a sleepyhead during the day?" Other Link lightly quipped.

Hylia chuckled in response. "That's part of the reason. But mostly because, like the moon, you shine a light even in the darkest nights. Sun & Moon may differ, but they are equals serving the same purpose. To bring light, no matter how black the darkness is. I am a Goddess, and you are a simple mortal, yet we serve the same purpose: To protect those who cannot protect themselves. I've met some extraordinary humans during the centuries I've been alive. But none come as close as you, Link. No one has the balance of courage, wisdom, and power you have. I would be proud to call you my equal. The moon to my sun."

"I…I do not know what to say. What could I say in response to those kind words?"

"Maybe simply accept them?" Hylia gave a warm smile.

"I shall not disappoint you," Other Link bowed his head.

"You could never."

Other Link lifted his head, returning his gaze to the moon necklace. He then placed the jewelry around his neck. "How do I look?" He asks Hylia.

"Handsome," The Goddess replied without hesitance. Her boldness was replaced with embarrassment once she realized what she had said, turning her face flush with red. "Forgive my boldness! I don't know what came over me!"

"It's alright!" Other Link gave a nervous, good-hearted chuckle. Silence lingered for a bit afterward until he spoke again. "So, um, you want to finish this dish with me. I don't think I could eat all of this."

"Aryll told me otherwise. She once told me you ate a fully grown boar in one sitting."

"You know my little sister tends to exaggerate sometimes. I'm not that big of a glutton. And I'm willing to share, especially with you, since you did cook this."

"Very well then." Hylia took the utensils to start cutting the pieces again, giving Other Link & herself pieces of the deer. "Happy Birthday again, Link."

"Link!"

The Green Clad Hero was brought back to reality. Once again, Fledge called out to him, giving the hero a concerned look.

"Are you okay, Link?" Fledge asked. "You were just standing here looking at the meat. Is there something going on?"

"I was just…thinking," Link insisted.

"About where to find food, I hope," Karane joined in as she & Pipit walked out from the tents. "We haven't found anything here we could eat."

"All we found is already eaten rotten fruit," Pipit said, kicking another piece of an apple core.

"We'll just have to go back to the woods to look."

Link thought back to the vision, where Other Link and Hylia were eating the meat dish that Hylia herself had cooked. She mentioned that the meat was from a deer, much like the one cooking above the firepit right now.

"We could...Or," His three friends turn to Link. "Or we could…"

"Could what?" Fledge pressed on.

Link pointed to the meat. "...Eat this."

"WHAT?!" The trio of his friends gaped at Link as if he had just grown another head.

"You can't be serious, Link!" Pipit shouted. "That's from an animal! Like a Loftwing!"

"Well it's not Loftwing, is it?" Link snarked back.

"N-No, I suppose not…" Pipit crossed his arms. He leaned in. "Even still, could we eat something like that? That could be poisonous to us for all we know."

"Actually, Master Pipit, you should be able to eat it," Fi said through the sword.

"What? How?"

"Humans are biologically omnivorous. They can eat not only vegetation but also meat."

"We could do that?" Karane muttered in quiet amazement, holding her stomach.

"You can't eat the meat in its natural state like most fruits and vegetables, but you can cook it like this one right here. Based on my scans, this meat is cooked to the right state for consumption. And it is free of germs of any type, so it would be safe. Whatever you decide, I suggest you decide now before the meat gets overcooked or attracts predators. I personally recommend that you all eat it like Master Link suggests."

"Are we really considering doing this?" Karane fretted.

"We're talking about eating an animal here," Pipit said in an unsettled voice.

"Well, the deer is dead, so I don't think it would hold it against us." Link realized his tone may have come across as harsh. He let out a breath and softened his expression. "I don't like this as much as you guys. If there was a field of pumpkins nearby, I would take those over this. But what choice do we have? Either we eat this, or we keep looking around until possibly we collapse from hunger."

"He does have a point, guys…" Fledge admitted. "We're all starving. What other options do we have?"

Taking in Fledge's words, Pipit and Karane realize that Fledge is speaking the truth. They turn to Link, whose face shows they are compliant with his idea.

They all help move the meat away from the fire pit. After quickly cleaning the Master Sword with water, Link cuts the meat into four equal-sized slabs. All four have their own share of the meat. Everyone has a reluctant look on their faces. They had never eaten anything like this before. Some appear to be on the verge of changing their minds until another sound of a rumbling stomach catches their ears.

Link gave a gulp. "Here goes nothing."

He dug his teeth into the meat, biting off a chunk, chewing it while getting used to the bland taste of the leathery food, before finally swallowing it.

Pipit, Karane, and Fledge, respectively, followed suit. Like Link, they also had a hard time trying to adjust to the new food. Fledge almost choked on his piece because he didn't chew it enough due to its thickness. Karane's face was constantly cringing since she wasn't used to this type of food. Pipit did everything he could not to gag out the food when chewing and looking as if he used all of his strength just to swallow it alone.

A prolonged amount of minutes passed when they finally finished eating their meat. Link checked on all of his friends to see how they handled it. All three of them, plus himself, had blood on their mouths. He thought back to the Sabertooth Lions & the Phoru Birds. The image of blood on their mouths. Blood that wasn't theirs but from what they had killed & eaten. For that brief moment, they were no different from the carnivorous animals.

At least they have full bellies for the time being.

The teens sat in the biggest tent of the Monster camp, which was more than likely made for the large Moblin leader. Night had already fallen, and they decided they could use this camp for shelter for the night. That and they wanted the meat to settle in their bodies without risking triggering any digestive problems.

"Safe to say I think our bodies are handling the meat well," Karane declared. "Much better than I thought."

"I'd rather take my chances with mushrooms from this point…" Pipit made a gagging expression. "It was so leathery and…juicy. Is that normal? Because I feel like it shouldn't."

"I don't think it wasn't that bad," Fledge meekly admitted.

Karane gave him an odd look. "You…actually like that stuff?"

Fledge shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not saying it's the best thing I've eaten, but I think it could've been better. That meat wasn't as bad as it looked."

"I kinda liked it too," Link spoke up.

"...Maybe it could've used some rock salt," Karane unexpectedly confessed.

"You guys are talking as if you planned to do it again," Pipit said, surprised by his friend's words.

"The possibility is pretty much on the table now." Link argued.

"I rather hope it doesn't." Pipit crosses his arms, glancing away.

The other three stare at him with concern.

"Are you okay, Pipit?" Link asked with concern. "You usually don't get so worked up over food.

"Even with mushrooms too," Fledge added.

"I'm fine…" Pipit breathes out. "...I'm just not used to the idea of killing an animal just to eat it. I tried not to, but I kept imagining that we were eating a Remlit or a Loftwing. I get why we had to. We did it because we had no choice, but I felt guilty. That meat was from a deer. A harmless animal. I don't think it did anything wrong, and I doubt it was hurting the monsters. And the fact we're able to eat it is just...I can't wrap my head around that." Pipit buried his head into his face. "I sound crazy for saying this, don't I?"

Fi's familiar chime rang in the air. "You are not crazy at all, Master Pipit." She hovered over him. "From what I gathered, the food of Skyloftian society is strictly vegetarian. You've all been accustomed to it all of your lives. I don't think it would be a shock if you couldn't comprehend the idea of eating meat, much less not being fond of it like you, Master Pipit. You have an immense fondness for Loftwings. I 100% percent believe that your feelings are valid. But you should not feel guilty for fulfilling a basic human need."

"Doesn't make it easier."

Fi was quiet for a minute before speaking up. "Perhaps I should tell you something. Something I am 95% sure that you would be interested in hearing. Over a thousand years ago, humans ate meat often."

That got all of the group's attention.

"They did?" Pipit questioned.

Fi nodded. "In the age of Hylia, humans, your ancestors, had meat as part of their diet. They ate it as often as you ate vegetables. In their case, they had both options. Some ate more meat. Some had more vegetables. Often, they eat both just the same. When Hylia created Skyloft and the major sky islands, the humans had minimal resources. Vegetables were the most substantial food they could maintain, so they sacrificed their option to eat meat, and it's been that way for the next one thousand years."

"They never taught us that in school," Link commented.

"More than likely because sacrificing a meat diet also means losing any knowledge of eating it," Fi retorted to Link. "My point is that humans are designed by the nature of the Goddesses. A thousand years of not eating meat doesn't eliminate the biological capability to consume it. You should not feel guilty for something natural."

"But why should such a need exist to begin with? Why would the Goddesses create certain animals to eat others? Why not make all creatures plant eaters?"

"Nature is a complex network. Every living being has their role to play in it." Fi had a pregnant pause. "Let me ask you all these questions to help you better understand. Skyloft has a community garden, correct?"

The teens nod their heads. "And those gardens are tended to?" Fi pressed on.

"Yeah," Pipit responded back.

"What happens if they're not?"

"The plants may issues growing," Fledge answered.

"Right, and how often should you tend to the garden?"

"Enough to ensure it's well cared for," Karane answered.

"Right again. What methods do you use to tend to it?"

"We water it, trim it, and apply new soil every so often," Link explained. We help out every once in a while. It's pretty basic stuff."

"Do you put in new soil every day?" Fi asked Link.

"Well, no."

"What about trimming?"

"I think at least once a week."

"And the watering?"

"Once a day."

Fi turns to the group. "Here's my next question for you four: What happens when you do these things more than necessary? Could the plants grow like they're supposed to?"

"What would happen is…the plants could have issues." Link told her.

"And if they get worse?"

"…They die."

"And what measures do you have to prevent such a thing?"

"A lot of things!" Karane interjected. "You need to keep in check when you last did the certain need for the plant. Keep track of their growth. Chop off dead stems. Pull out any sick plants so the rest don't get infected. Keep in mind the time of year. A whole lot of factors." Karane let out an exaggerated breath. "Sorry. When you have someone like Owlan as an adoptive dad, you learn many things about plant care."

"All of those are good answers, Master Karane."

"What does a tending to a garden have to do with nature?" Pipit abruptly inquired to Fi.

"Nature on The Surface is basically a garden. And like all gardens, it must be tended to. You can already see the abundance of plant life here. The herbivores such as Grassland Horses, Land Buffalo, Deer, and many more do their part in tending to it by eating the plants so they don't overgrow. But then their numbers grew. You have more mouths to feed. If there are too many, there won't be any plants left. To combat this problem, carnivores such as the Sabertooth Lions & Phoru Birds are added. They basically…keep things in check with the herbivores."

"And they do it by eating them?" Pipit concluded.

"Previously, Master Pipit. Omnivores such as humans also play their part with the plants and hunt animals to eat them. All of these necessities are part of keeping nature in balance—the circle of life, as I like to call it."

"I guess that makes sense." Pipit massaged his head with his hand.

Fi gave him a gentle look. "I don't expect you to not fully understand it. This is all new to you. Don't feel guilty for fulfilling a natural need if the situation calls for it again."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Fi returned back to the Master Sword.

"All of that stuff Fi told us sounded so interesting," Fledge remarked. "I never knew about any of that. All that stuff about the circle of life sounded so interesting. Who knew it could be that complex?"

"I'm still reeling from the fact that we're capable of eating meat," Karane addressed. "This is a whole discovery altogether!"

Link pointed out, "Wouldn't it be technically a re-discovery since our ancestors did it long ago?"

"You know what I mean! Historical records before Skyloft are so limited. There could be more information about our ancestors' time down here than all of the libraries found in the island settlements!"

A loud yawn caught everyone's ears. "While that sounds exciting, I would like some shut-eye for now." Pipit lays down on his side.

Fledge let out a yawn of his own before laying down too. "I'm pretty tired as well. I should get some sleep, too."

Karane had almost followed Fledge's lead in lying down when she felt a grip on her shoulder. "Link?"

"Can I ask you something?" Link asked.

"Uh, sure. What is it?"

"...How much do you know about The Age Hylia?"

"The Age of Hylia?" Link nods. "Maybe a decent amount, but what exactly do you want to know?"

"Was there ever somebody Hylia worked with closely? Like, say…a chosen hero?"

"I'm not sure about that…" Karane queried. "I do recall hearing some accounts of a man that was often by Hylia's side, but those are from legends. There's no way to determine if they're true or not. Why do you want to know?"

"Well, um…" Link stammered, not wanting Karane to worry about the weird visions. "On the Wing Ceremony, Zelda told me that the goddess had a chosen hero to whom she gave a sailcloth."

That was not a total lie.

"Oh, I see," Karane lowered her eyes.

"I know it's a random question, but I was thinking about things, and I remember that Zelda told me that…"

"I miss her too…" Karane gently held Link's shoulder.

Link took a deep breath. "What else can you tell me about this hero."

"He fought like no other mortal human. According to legend, he was considered Hylia's equal. On the battlefield, they fought together with a ferocity and grace that couldn't be described. Many accounts describes them to be close comrades. Others, well..."

"What?" Link leaned in.

"...Some legends suggest they were lovers."

Link felt his face turn hot. He quickly regained his composure. "Whatever happened to him?"

"Legend says he was killed when the Demon Tribe made their assault on the humans. It was said our ancestors lived because of his heroic sacrifice." Karane shared. "Another thing to note is that among them was believed to be his sister. There's not much about her, but it's said that she had a child some years later who then founded the Knight Academy around twenty-five years after Skyloft was created to commemorate their heroic uncle they never got to meet."

"Owlan did say the Wing Ceremony took place on the 975 anniversary of the Academy's founding. It would line up…" Link noted to her.

"Maybe, if it is true…But like I said, its a legend. There's no way to verify them. Who knows? Maybe there is some truth to it." Karane let out a yawn of her own.

"You get some sleep now. Thank you," Link suggested to her.

"Always a pleasure. Good night."

Link watches Karane get comfortable and pull herself into slumber. This leaves him alone with his thoughts, specifically on the visions and what Karane had told him.

It's safe to say that Other Link is more than likely Hylia's own chosen hero, whom Zelda told him about that fateful day. The vision he saw mentioned Other Link having a little sister. Aryll, whom Link believed to be her name. Stories of the Knight Academy's formation had always been scarce because it was almost as old as Skyloft. However, if what Karane had said was true, Aryll would have had a child that later grown up to form the Knight Academy. It would make sense the more Link thought about it.

The tunic Other Link had was almost identical to all Skyknights' uniforms. The Hero's nephew/niece formed the academy in his honor. Was the uniform part of it?

It still doesn't Link's other questions.

What was Other Link's relationship with Hylia? Were they really lovers? What exactly happened to Other Link? Why is Link getting visions of them? And why did they feel so familiar to him?

Fi remained vigilant as her human masters slept as she had done previously. The fire in the camp had long since died down. She heard the ambience of the night, from the chirping crickets to the hoots of owls. Normally, she has no issue doing that within the confines of the sword, but this particular night, she felt the need to be out herself.

She glances at her human companions, sleeping peacefully into the night. That was the only luxury they could have right now. Despite all the recent troubles they've been through, Fi could ensure that they get a good night's rest. They still have a lot of ground to cover.

Bushes rushing caught her attention. She hovers outside the tent. The spirit looks around only to see nothing. Then she hears the sounds of bells to her side.

Standing beside her is The Blupee, staring at her with its large eyes.

"Greetings," The Blupee told her telepathically. "I hope you do not mind if we talk this way. I figure we shouldn't wake your companions."

"You've been following us," Fi told the Blupee sharply.

"Indeed, I have."

"For what reason?"

"I believe you should know that. You are made to read intentions, are you not?" The Blupee glances at Link's sleeping form.

"You have been the one giving my master those visions. He had one yesterday and another earlier." Fi looked at Link, then back to the spirit.

"You know of them?"

"I could sensed them, but I did not want to press the subject unless he wished too. I highly suggest that you stop. Your visions are causing him great confusion & distress"

"I understand your concerns greatly, but I cannot even if I could." The Blupee lowered its head. "Things have changed. I believe that it is beneficial that he knows this information. Link must remember, and you know it too. Because you know who he is."

"Until now, I had only merely suspected it. Since the moment he drew the sword."

"And I 100% can confirm that the Link you see here was the same as the one you knew when you were Fima."

Fi sharply moves her gaze back to The Blupee. "You know my old name?"

"I know a lot of things about everything, including you," the small spirit told her gently. And I know you harbor feelings of guilt for what happened to him."

Fi lowered her gaze dejectedly. The Blupee gently hops closer to her. "What happened that day was not your fault. You are not responsible for the tragedy that unfolded."

"But I am responsible for what happened to him," Fi glances at Link again. "I hesitated momentarily, and it was enough to lose everything."

"Are you afraid that once he remembers that, he will blame you?"

Fi has yet to respond.

"Is that why you gave up your humanity to become a sword spirit? To punish yourself?"

"I did it as atonement," Fi asserted. "My mistake nearly caused the extinction of humans. I vowed never to let my emotions get in the way so that I could aid Hylia's Chosen Hero. I never expected to be…him."

"He will not blame you." The Blupee told her warmly. "His sister didn't, and neither did Hylia. I don't see why he would."

Again, Fi did not answer. Blupee's gold wreath antennae perked up with an idea. "Perhaps you should tell him your story—about your life prior to who you are currently. Link deserves to know. They all do."

The Blupee glances at the four sleeping humans. Fi stayed still as she thought over The Blupee's words. She gave her answer and she took one more look at her masters. "I will consider it."

"I highly suggest that you do tell them. It will make Link better understand things when I tell him the full truth. He must remember who he was." The Blupee turned on its heels. "I will stick close watching you all. May the Goddesses watch over you."

The Blupee ran straight back into the trees, vanishing into the night. Fi hovered over her spot before returning to her human companions' tent. She spends most of the night thinking about the conversation she had.

A wise man once said "Don't go into the long grass!"

No Bokoblins & Moblins were harmed in the making of this chapter. I was doing my best to keep it within the T rating, and I hope I don't get in trouble for this..

Alternate title for this chapter: DAMN NATURE, U SCARY! (www. youtube watch?v=Ge4oufdIOMc)

Lets talk about the OC Animal species I introduced here: Phoru Birds. They are inspired by the Phorusrhacidae, more commonly known as 'Terror Birds', an extinct species of carnivorous flightless bird who were apex predators that once roamed South America during the Cenozoic Period. I thought it would be interesting for the group to encounter a bird species that were very different from Loftwings. Minor note: I keep imaging them making the same kind of noises as the Dilophosaurus from Jurassic Park

Another thing I wish to bring up. Not too long ago, it came to my attention that there is no trace of meat ANYWHERE on Skyloft. I've looked in every kitchen (the Knight Academy. The Bazaar. All the residential homes. Even The Lumpy Pumpkin) and I could not find any evidence. This made me led to believe that the Skyloftians have a strictly vegetarian diet (Not a full on vegan because I do headcanon that there's an island settlement with cows & goats that make milk, and that Loftwings can lay unfertilized eggs that humans eat but thats a whole other topic). It gives me reason to believe that the concept of eating meat would foreign to them. For some, something like that may not settle with them well like Pipit. Speaking of which, I had him react the way he did in terms of eating meat because he strikes me as the type of guy who likes animals. I thought it would interesting to see the kids learning this info & how they dealt with it.

Poor Link gets more visions of Hylia. And we see more of The Blupee. This time having a convo with Fi. What wonders awaits for everyone ahead?