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An Impulse Decision: Chapter 35

Fanfiction.net

AO3

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Chapter 35: Into the Wilds

Bordering the region of the rocky terrain of Eldin was a small forest. It contains several animal species. These include a small group called rabbits. Cute furry creatures with long ears and a knack for speed. They feasted upon the plant life growing among them. All seemed peaceful. Until the sound of twigs snapping broke their focus. The rabbits scurry away, wanting to be as far away from the one who made the sound. In most circumstances, that sound indicated that a giant animal was around, like a predator wanting to make a meal from the poor rabbits.

Except the creature that made the sound was no predator or prey. Emerging from the bushes was a creature the same size as the rabbits, but it was no such thing.

This creature's coat was a shining light blue color. A far cry from the usual brown, red, or light gray seen on most rabbits. It had golden wreaths similar to a moth's antennae sticking up its head like rabbit ears, with a heart-shaped face and round, large glowing eyes like an owl. The creature has been called many things for years, but it was most comfortable being called 'Blupee.'

Under most circumstances, the Blupee would not be this far deep into the wilds. They prefer to be on the highest mountain, only further south of this region. As of last week, it began sensing some changes.

A plan went down an unexpectedly altered path, slightly deviating further away from the designated trail each new day that passed. Yesterday, the path gradually changed.

The Blupee exits out of the forest. Eldin Volcano and its vast rocky terrain shined by the early sunrise greeted its sight. The edge of it was bustling with activity. First, it noticed the abundance of Mogmas. Most were simply conversing among themselves. Then it spotted the Goron. In recent years, the Blupee had noticed a slight increase in sightings of members of this particular sentient race. The closest to seeing a large gathering of Gorons in a millennium. Undoubtedly, the race may settle back here in a few short years.

Then it noticed the four humans—three males and a female—all adolescents. What is most interesting to the Blupee is their auras. Each is different from the other.

The first boy, Pipit, stood at the edge of the Mogma settlement, seemingly patrolling the area. His eyes shined green like Farore herself, and a fraction of her essence dwelled within his soul. Despite Pipit's serious demeanor, the Blupee could sense the boy's compassion, especially when he glanced back at his human companions.

The girl, known as Karane, sat next to the second boy, dressed in orange, by a small campfire. If not for sensing Nayru's essence in her soul, the Blupee could see the wisdom through the girl's unusually bright blue eyes. She talked to the second boy as if she was asking him questions with concern.

The second boy could have looked better. Like he had been through a terrible ordeal, as evidenced by his sliced left ear and a crude scar on his cheek. The fact that he looked younger than the other humans made the Blupee feel its heartache for him. Young ones should not have to go through so much pain. Yet despite the second boy's sorry state, the Blupee could see in his red eyes that his tenacity is as strong as Din's essence that resides within.

Then came the final boy dressed in green. Link is his name. He was different from the other three. For he was Hylia's chosen hero. Though he did not have any sort of the Golden Goddess's essence within him, he perhaps was the strongest of the humans the Blupee could sense. Beside him was a spirit talking to what appeared to be a living model of the long-deactivated Lanayru Robots called Scrapper. The spirit talking to it was known as Fi.

Curious, The Blupee listens in to the conversation.

"You made me drag myself here just for a simple message?!" Scrapper exclaimed.

"That is correct," Fi told the robot. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Master Link and his friends cannot return to Skyloft for some time. I wish you to relay the message to Headmaster Gaepora of the Skyloft Knight Academy so that he does not worry and passes it on to loved ones."

"Ugh! I normally don't like the role of messenger, but I'll do it only for you, Mistress Fi!"

"Thank you. Please deliver the message at once."

"Will do! Take care, Mistress Fi! And you better keep her safe, Master Shortpants!

Scrapper flew back into the skies.

"I really hate that Robot," Link commented.

"While I understand your validation, Master, he is our only way to communicate with Skyloft. You cannot let what happened yesterday blind you."

"If he had listened to us and didn't land in the wrong spot, we would've gotten back to Fledge sooner. And maybe I could've saved him from Ghirahim."

"There was nothing you could've done. But what's done is done. We must continue forward."

"You're right, Fi," Link breathed out. "I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted, Master Link." Before Link could say anything else, a loud grumble came from his stomach. "Perhaps you should get some breakfast. It would be unwise to travel with an empty stomach."

"That sounds nice. Maybe it'll make me less grouchy."

"That is a high probability as well."

Despite speaking in a monotone voice, Link seemed to pick up the small joke, if Fi intended one. Link started walking to the group with Fi trailing behind, only for her to suddenly stop. She looked over and saw the Blupee. The sword spirit and creature spent several long seconds staring at one another.

"Fi?" The Blupee chose that moment to duck back into the trees when Link spoke to her. "Everything okay?"

"Apologies, Master. I thought I sensed something, but it was merely a false alarm. Let us rejoin the others."

Link believed her answer. Fi followed closely behind him. Not before taking one last quick glance at the trees, seeing a faint glow.

Now is a good time for The Blupee to hide. It dashed away, each step sounding like bells until it vanished. It would seem meeting Hylia's Chosen will happen way sooner than The Blupee anticipated. All it can do now is prepare and watch over the hero and his friends.

----

The air was quiet at the Mogma colony. No words were spoken as all eyes laid upon the quartet of Knight Students. They were checking their gear, making sure they got everything they needed before making the long walk to the Faron Region, something Link was not eager to do.

Link glanced over to his other friends. Pipit and Karane looked fine, but Link could tell they were uncertain about the trip. And then there was Fledge. Despite everything he had gone through the previous day, the kid remained strong. But Link noticed the boy wincing every now and then. Without the Red Potions, he probably would be in a much worse state physically. Link hopes that Din will give Fledge the strength to get through this.

Who knows how long the trek will take.

It could take days. Weeks maybe. Probably even months.

"You and your pals got everything, bud?" Gorko walked up to Link.

Link glanced at his friends, all answering with a nod. "We do."

"Alright, but be absolutely sure."

Link nods back to the Goron. He glances at the Mogmas nearby. "Thank you all again for helping us out."

"Don't sweat it! It's the least we could do!" Ledd exclaimed.

"If you guys ever need help, we'll be ready to assist," Silva proclaimed.

"You helped my husband and all of our friends. We were more than happy to repay your kindness!" Lapi glances at Fledge. "I am still dreadfully sorry for what you had gone through yesterday. I can only hope you'll recover."

Fledge gave her a small smile. "Thank you again for helping me out."

"Is there anything else we could do for all of you?" Guld offered.

"I don't think you really can at this point," Karane shrugged.

"Not unless you guys know a secret shortcut or maybe a way to magically teleport to Faron," Pipit deadpanned.

"Well, we don't have those…But I can offer you advice on what you may deal with out there," Mala spoke up.

"I think any help would be appreciated at this point," Link agreed.

"Okay, good! Buckle down & listen up 'cause I'm only going to tell you all this once." All four pairs of eyes glued to the green-haired Mogma. "Out there, things are more unpredictable than what may be seen here in Eldin. There are also even more types of monsters that roam the lands. There are also animals you may come across. I advise you to be careful around them as well. Plenty from both kinds would see us Mogmas as a tasty meal. I have no doubt they would see you all the same. If not, they may do it for fun!"

Gorko loudly cleared his throat, gaining everyone's attention. "I would also like to add that when sunset comes, I suggest you all use that time to find shelter for the night. Traveling in the dark is not a good idea."

"The Goron is correct on that matter! Plenty of creatures like to come out more at nighttime. Including the ones that'll gobble you up!" Guld exclaimed.

"Duly noted." Link and his friend looked at each other uneasily. "I'm sure Fi will be able to help out."

"I sure hope so. You're all going to need all the help you can get!" Mala stated sternly.

"I'd go with you guys, but I'm afraid I have other things to take care of," Gorko shared almost shamefully.

"We came this far, I think we can do this," Link assured the concerned Goron.

"I have no doubt you will, bud." Gorko looks over to the knight students."Take care, all of you. Hopefully, we'll meet again under better circumstances."

"I hope so, too. Good luck to you, Gorko."

With all that set and done, the quartet of knight students finished their preparations. They all said their goodbyes to Gorko & the Mogmas. Then, they make their way to the treelines. All the while, the Mogma shouted words of encouragement.

"Good luck to you all!" Ledd yelled.

"Stay safe!" Silva expressed.

"Follow my advice, and you may not get eaten!" Mala reminded.

"Be mighty careful!" Guld shouted.

"Take care of yourselves well, dearies!" Lapi said while Toopa waved to the humans.

The students all stopped at the foot of the treelines. The tall trees towering over them looked like walls, separating the Eldin region from the rest of the land. Beyond those walls of trees, they would be walking through uncharted territory.

"We're really going to do this, huh?" Fledge stated.

"Yeah. We are," Link responded. "We don't know what to expect out there."

"That hasn't stopped us before," Fledge responded back lightly.

Link gave an acknowledging hum.

"We'll get through this. We have to." Karane encouraged.

"Karane is right. We face so much crazy stuff. Walking through the wilderness and avoiding creatures should be a breeze compared to all of those." Pipit crossed his arms. "At least I hope so…"

"As long as we stick together," Link vowed, looking straight into the treelines.

That said and done, all four steps forward into the forest.

----

Two deer, a buck and a doe, graze on the grass in the forest. The Buck suddenly darts his head up with an alert grunt, followed by The Doe, who looks where he is cautiously. A snap rings in the air, prompting the pair to run off. The four knight students emerge from the bushes and walk onto where the deer had been eating moments ago.

Judging by the sun's position, they have been on their trek for at least several hours. So far, the walk had been uneventful. From the warnings Mala, Gorko, and Guld had told them, the students were expecting to be jumped at by a monster, some animal, or whatever, but nothing had happened. Not that they don't believe in their warnings, but the quartet did hope that the Mogmas & Goron were maybe merely exaggerating, despite logic telling them how unlikely they would do such a thing and keeping their guard up.

For the most part, they enjoyed the scenery around them. Enormous trees, lush plant life, and various critters. At first glance, it didn't appear that different from Faron. What made that region different from this area was the minor detail that the trees in Faron were taller than the ones here, and the plants were greener in Faron. Regardless, each quartet member would often find themselves glancing around whenever they saw a plant they'd never seen before or a small animal scurrying by with curious awe.

Despite the excitement of seeing new surroundings, Link still had to focus. This was still uncharted territory. While the maps did update, showing more of the land, they did not show what would be ahead for him and his friends. The only thing it did was show that they were going south. Not to mention frequently checking on Fledge to ensure he was keeping up. Link did not care how long it would take, but he would stop if Fledge, Pipit, or Karane needed to rest. He'll stop for a full day if he has to.

"You guys holding up alright?" Link called out.

"Doing good," Pipit called back.

"I'm okay so far," Karane responded as well.

"What about you, Fledge?" Link asks the young teen.

"I-I'm fine," Fledge responded, trying to not make the wince in his voice evident.

"Are you sure?"

"I am."

"Okay. But if you need to stop, we will. It's no trouble to stop for a few minutes."

"And if your pain comes back, I especially need to know so I can give you more red potion," Karane reminded firmly. "And don't even think about trying to 'tough it out' if it gets worse."

"Why do you say that?" Fledge looks at her questioningly.

"Because that seems to be a universal thing with guys. And I'm speaking from experience." She eyed Link.

"Yeah…I am pretty guilty of doing it a few times."

"A few times?! You did way more than a few times," Karane scoffed.

"I'm not that bad," Link argued back in defense, cutting down a bush to clear the path ahead.

"Not that bad? Hmm, let's see," Karane hummed. "There was when you struggle to stay awake through class after staying up all night making Zelda's birthday gift. And when you tried to move heavy boxes for Henya with a sprained wrist. And when you sneezed throughout Eagus' class because you caught Sky Flu."

"Okay, you got me there, but that doesn't-"

"And let's not forget the dares you've done with Groose over the years, like when he challenged you to a Spicy Pepper eating contest, where you both almost burned your mouths. And when he dared you to belly flop to Skyloft Lake…from your Loftwing, and for weeks, you hid that your body was sore. And, my personal favorite, when Groose dared you to stand outside in the cold weather in nothing but your underpants at night."

"I think that was my personal best-" Link interjected, only to be greeted by Karane's glare. "Okay, point taken. I'm a reckless dumbass sometimes."

"And he finally admits it…" Pipit muttered under his breath. Karane heard that and responded with a light punch on his arm. "Hey! What was that for?"

"You're not innocent either. Just because I'm your girlfriend doesn't mean you're exempt from this. Do you think I haven't noticed the days you went without sleep because of night patrol? And I do even need to bring up the time you came to school when you got Loft Pox?"

"Oh yeah! You used your mom's makeup to cover up the spots!" Link mentioned.

"You had to bring THAT up…" Pipit grumbled.

"How can we forget that? The lengths you went through were pretty much hard to forget."

"Loft Pox makes you feel tired no matter how long you rest, yet you thought it would be a good idea to still attend school," Karane continued.

"In my defense, we did have a test that day. And everyone pretty much got Loft Pox at that point…" Pipit mentioned softly.

"And you think a test is more important than your health?" Karane chided.

"Looking back, no, it wasn't. It was stupid of me to do…"

At one point, Fledge tuned out of the light banter with his friends. He put more of his attention to the scenery. Near the end of their conversation, Fledge noticed a new noise. One that sounded like loud footsteps. And they were getting closer.

"Guys, do you hear that?" Fledge called out.

"Hear what-?" Pipit started, only for Fledge to cut him off with a 'Shh!'

Loud footsteps and the rusling of plants were more apparent, putting the quartet on high alert. They didn't know if what was coming towards them was monsters or some type of animal.

"Can you sense that, Fi?" Link said to the sword, which was tightly gripped in his hand.

"I do, Master," She responded back.

"Are they monsters?"

"I do not sense any aura matching any of the monsters in my memory bank. My scans do show that it is an animal."

"That doesn't sound bad, at least," Pipit commented.

"But we don't know if they'll eat us. Mala said there are animals down here that can do that," Fledge pointed out.

The animals soon revealed themselves. A dozen creatures stood as tall as fully grown Loftwings, maybe even taller. They all had long faces and four legs with hooves on their feet. Each of their creatures had fur coats, manes, and tails in various colors: brown, gray, black, blue, and peach. Their coat patterns varied with solid color, spots, and some stripes. There were some smaller ones, which could be the babies.

"What are those?" Link asked Fi.

"Grassland Horses. These horses can most often be found on plains, but they travel long distances to find food and to breed. Their diet mostly contains vegetation, so they do not see you as food. However, they can be startled easily and will kick you with their strong hind legs, which could kill you on impact. I recommend keeping a reasonable distance from them."

Link sheathed his sword, believing there was no danger.

"Look at the size of those things…" Pipit commented in total admiration.

"Remarkable." Karane pulled out her sketchbook, making a quick but detailed sketch of the horses.

A black horse with an orange mane and tail strolled in front of the quartet. It was close enough that the teens could see its eyes were a beautiful shade of green. The horse glanced at the group, lingering on Link for a few seconds before quickly losing interest and trotting away.

"Wow. Yikes. Wow…" Fledge uttered with pure wonder.

A loud neigh emitted from behind the quartet, startling them. A white horse with a gold mane strutted by. It then stopped to look at the students. This horse stood out compared to the rest of the small herd. It had a graceful posture and stood imposing. The horse might be intimidating at first glance, but one look into his blue eyes showed the gentleness of this giant.

Link got a nagging feeling as his friends admired these creatures in awe. He had never seen these creatures, yet something about them felt familiar. Link gazed upon the white horse again. Blinking a few times, the scene around him suddenly changed. The white horse remained, but a woman was sitting on its back.

The woman wore a beautiful, flowing white dress. Her blonde hair was styled with two braids on each side of her face. Over her head was a hood/veil covered with feathers. For some reason, Link could not make out her face, but he could see her mouth curved in a gentle, warm smile.

Link didn't know why but felt compelled to reach the horse's snout. Sticking out his hand, he saw that it looked bigger like it belonged to a full-grown man. His glove and bracers seemed slightly different, and his arm had additional armor. Link hesitated to touch the horse.

"Don't worry. He won't bite. At least I hope he doesn't, hehe." The woman said in an unfamiliar but familiar voice, making Link feel comfortable as if they had had this conversation before.

Link's hand moved closer to the horse's snout. Only a mere centimeter left, the white horse's head jerked up. The motion snapped Link out of his vision. The woman in white has gone from the horse's back and put him back in reality.

"What's up with him," Fledge questioned as he and Pipit & Karane looked at the horse concernedly.

Link noticed how alarmed the horse looked. The white horse neighed to its kind, getting all of their attention. Quickly, all of the horses dashed out of the area. The students were confused by what was going on. They got their answer when the last horse ran off, showing a different animal they had never seen, making itself known with a loud bellow.

This creature was not as tall as the horse but still massive in muscle. Its mere size alone showed that it weighed at least a ton. Like the horse, it had four legs with hooves. Unlike the horse, it had horns on the top of its head curving inwards that were as long as both of Link's legs. Its fur is coated in a dark blue color. Its eyes lock on to the students.

All four teens stood on alert, not looking at the animal.

"Fi what is that?" Link questioned, hand hovering over the Master Sword's grip.

"That is the Land Buffalo. These animals come equipped with curved horns made for defending themselves against predators. They can weigh up to two thousand pounds. They are very aggressive when provoked and run at high speeds."

"What do we do?" Karane question.

"Should we…fight it?" Pipit suggested.

"No! Do not fight! You'll aggravate him!"

"It seems pretty aggravated to me," Link snapped back.

"His hide is too thick for one stab to finish him off. He'll attack if he feels threatened and won't stop until you're no longer a threat," Fi explained grimly.

The Buffalo then bellows louder, ramming its head on the trees, and used its horns to pull up a bush.

"What's it doing?" Fledge hastily inquired.

"A territorial threat display. All of you do NOT run, or he'll charge."

"So what do we do? Dance with it?" Link quipped sarcastically.

"Hold your ground…" Fi instructed firmly.

The quartet glanced at each other nervously and then back to the animal. The Buffalo used one of its front legs to dig into the ground. With another bellow, the Buffalo charged over to the group. All four stood still, fighting the urge to run. When the animal got close, Link suddenly darted toward it, letting out a loud yell.

To everyone's surprise, including Link's, the Buffalo stops its tracks. It took a few steps back, almost as if it was afraid of him. Pipit, Karane, and Fledge could only look in astonishment. Link gave out a cheerful but nervous-filled laugh.

"You guys saw that? Yeah, that's right!" Link shouted at the Buffalo, which scurried away. "Who's the tough guy now, huh!"

"Do you think it's a good idea to taunt it?" Pipit wondered.

"Why? It clearly scared us," Link argued back.

"TOO scared…something about this doesn't feel right," Karane pondered uneasily.

Unbeknownst to Karane, she had no clue how right she was.

Emerging from behind the quartet was a large monster. Its lower half had the body of a horse. The upper half showed a muscular torso with two arms. Black fur covered it from head to hooves. Its head had the face of a feline creature with a fiery red mane with jagged antlers sticking out. Armed in its hands was a spear. Fledge was the first one to take notice of the monster.

"Guys…" Fledge called out urgently. His three friends turn to meet the monster face to face, gaping at its size.

The monster roared, leaping over the group to chase after the Buffalo. The animal let out a call, prompting several other members of its species to show up and make a defense line against the monster.

"That's no Remlit…" Fledge commented.

"It certainly is not," Link muttered. "Fi…"

"That is a Lynel. They possess intense resilience, along with piercing horns and weapons they hand-crafted themselves. They are excellent hunters, making them among the most dangerous monsters in all the land. They have thick hides, making them difficult to kill. Their only weak spot is their head."

The Lynel roared at the herd of Buffalo, but they did not show any sign of backing down. Seeing its prey is out of reach, the Lynel set its sights on the quartet. Slowly, it stalks over to them.

"So what about this guy? Run? Don't run? What?" Link frantically prodded.

"Run. Definitely run!" Despite sounding calm, the sense of urgency was loud enough in Fi's voice.

With a roar, the Lynel charges towards the group. All four made a mad dash into the trees, with the Lynel giving chase. The knight students ran through the thickest part of the forest, narrowly avoiding running into trees and tripping over logs & rocks. The Lynel cut through the obstacles with no issue, getting closer by the minute.

At one point, it got close enough to try to throw its spear at them, narrowingly missing Fledge by centimeters. The Lynel continued to pursue, grabbing its spear lodged onto the ground as it released an angry snarl.

"Anyone got a plan? Because I certainly do not want to die again!" Fledge yelled out.

"Right now, keep running!" Link screamed back.

"Oh, that's a good plan!" Fledge bit back sarcastically.

The Lynel was close on their tail, taking several swipes at the group with its spear's jagged metal tip. There was no sign of it slowing down. It could keep chasing them for as long as it wanted to.

Pipit got an idea. Not a smart one, but it was better than none.

He stopped running, turning on his heels and looking straight at The Lynel. Outstretching both arms, a large gust of wind blew out of his hand into The Lynel's direction. The wind did push the monster back several feet away. However, it manages to remain firm on all four of its hooves. When the wind died down, The Lynel stared straight at Pipit. Pipit may not be an expert, but he could see that The Lynel was now super pissed off.

"Shit…" Pipit ran again, with The Lynel pursuing him. He caught sight of a tree with some roots sticking up from the ground, giving enough space for him to take cover. The Lynel gave a vicious snarl, using its clawed hands to dig through the roots. They swipe at a fast speed, and Pipit barely avoids getting clawed several times.

Out of desperation, Pipit blew another gust of wind out of his hands. The Lynel stumbled back briefly, long enough for Pipit to crawl out of the roots and run. Unfortunately, The Lynel was quicker. Pipit only made it a few feet when the monster made an enormous leap. The impact of his landing shook the ground, making Pipit stumble. The Lynel then grabbed Pipit, hoisting him over the ground.

Pipit tried to wiggle free, but the crushing grip of the Lynel's enormous hands prevented him. The monster stared Pipit down, sniffing him before licking its lips. It bared its huge fangs, moving Pipit's head into its mouth, intending to eat him.

A thump echoed in the air, making The Lynel jerk back its head. Turning its side, it sees Karane whacking one of its legs with a large tree branch.

"LET GO OF HIM!" She gave another smack. Not too far behind was Fledge, who threw a large rock, striking the Lynel's torso.

"Karane! Fledge! Get out of here!" Pipit screamed.

"Screw that! We're not leaving you!" Fledge threw another rock, hitting the top of The Lynel's head. That action, along with Karane's continued assault with the tree branch, caused The Lynel to give an aggravated growl. It smacks Karane with its hand, causing her to fly into Fledge, both toppling down on the ground.

In that moment of distraction, The Lynel failed to see the group's last member hiding in the trees above.

Link leaped down, landing on The Lynel. His arms wrapped tightly around it's neck, holding on for dear life as it thrashed around. Amid the thrashing, Link landed a punch right onto The Lynel's face. This stunned the massive monster, causing him to kneel and drop Pipit on the ground.

"Go, go, go!" Link leaped off the monster, helping Pipit as Karane & Fledge regain their bearings.

They only got a decent distance when they heard The Lynel's anger-filled roar and its charging. The quartet ran past a thick brush when they fell straight down a steep ditch. They lay there, letting out small groans of pain. The Lynel's footsteps getting closer snap them out of it. Link told everyone to lie against the wall of the ditch that was littered with overgrown plants covering them.

From their position, they could see the shadow of the Lynel. The students sat still, not daring to move a muscle and trying not to breathe loudly. Fledge even had to cover his mouth when rocks fell onto him when The Lynel moved to the side. The students could only remain silent and pray The Lynel does not find them.

After a few painfully long minutes, The Lynel let out a frustrated huff, and its shadow disappeared from the human's view. It took another minute for Link to gather the courage to look at the top of the ditch with the other remaining tense.

"I think he's gone." Link confirmed with a shaky voice.

The other three let out relieved breaths of their own, relaxing their bodies. It took them minutes before everyone started to move again and climbed out of the ditch. Once they were certain The Lynel was gone they went back into the trees. Barely five minutes into the walk, a scent caught them.

"Do you smell that?" Fledge was the first to catch it scrunching up his nose.

One by one, the knight students sniffed the air. The smell in question was a putrid one.

"Ugh, what is that? It reeks." Pipit groaned, holding his nose.

"It smells rotten," Karane noted, fanning the air away from her. "Where's it coming from?"

"Over there," Link pointed to a large bush. Silently volunteering to go see, Link parted the bushes to the side. Greeting his sight was the large, freshly decaying carcass of some large animal, with flies buzzing above in a small clearing.

"What is it?" Fledge asked.

"Some dead animal…" Just to be safe, Link taps on it with his foot. "A very dead animal. Nothing harmful."

In the sense of twisted humor that only the Goddesses would find funny, a grunt caught Link's ears but not from the dead animal.

Peeking above was not a dead animal whose head had feline features like The Lynel but was way smaller. Unlike the monster, it stood on four legs, around five tall and eight feet long. It jumped on the top of the carcass and it was not alone.

As Link backed away to his friends, four more of the same feline creature emerged from behind the carcass. The three big felines, including the one on top, had manes while the others didn't. One notable trait they all shared was two large tusks sticking down from the upper jaw. Judging by the dried blood on their mouths and tusks, they were more than likely responsible for the creature's demise.

"Link?" Fledge called out nervously.

"None of you move a muscle…" Link commanded in a hushed tone back as he backed away, watching the felines slowly stalk him. "What are these Fi? Lynel's?"

"These animals are Sabertooth Lions. Though they have similar feline traits, they are unrelated to Lynel's. The ones with manes are the males, and the ones without them are females called Lionesses. They are pack hunters, traveling together in groups known as Prides, all led by an Alpha and their mate."

"And I'm going to assume they could eat us?"

"Potentially, yes."

"Oh great…"

The Lions continue to stalk their way by the time Link rejoins his friends.

"What big teeth these guys have…" Fledge commented, trying not to imagine how the lion could use them on him.

"Are these the 'Run' or 'Don't run' kind of animals?" Pipit asked.

"Absolutely do not run. Running will trigger their hunting instincts." Fi informed him.

"They look like they're about to pounce at any moment…"

"They're only curious," Karane claimed.

"How do you know that?" Pipit inquires.

"Fi said they were felines, right? So are Remlits. Look at their tails. When a Remlit at night intends to attack, their tails are still. When they're cautious, they move side to side, meaning we have a chance to back off. The Lions' tails are still moving."

"Your assumption is correct, Master Karane," Fi confirmed. "The Lions are exhibiting cautious behavior, meaning they do not intend to hunt you but will attack if threatened."

"How do we get away then?" Link questioned.

"Slowly back away and keep full eye contact with the Lions. There is a 98% chance they'll leave you alone once you exit their territory. Don't make sudden moves, look away, or do anything that may scare them. And remain calm."

All the group could do was follow the sword spirit's advice. Every one of them walked back gradually, their eyes locked onto the Sabertooth Lions that continued to stalk them. While the felines were not close, they were at a close enough range for Link's liking. He did note some details about these creatures. They were irrelevant to his situation, but studying your opponents was practically drilled into his head in knight training.

The first Male Sabertooth Lion, the presumed Alpha that led the stalking, had fur that reminded Link of his own hair color, strangely enough, with its mane a darker color. The Alpha had scars on his body, meaning it probably went through some fights. And clearly, he was the biggest of the pride overall with his muscles & saber teeth.

Next to him was one of the two Sabertooth Lionesses, more than likely the Alpha's mate. What made her stick out to the other lions was that her fur was white. The Alpha Lioness may not be as muscular as the Alpha himself, she was still packing more strength than the other Lioness.

That brings the second Lion & Lioness. These two serve as loyal subordinates to the pair of Alphas. The Subordinate Lion had dark brown fur with some hints of spots all over their body. The Subordinate Lioness next to him had fur that may come close to the color red. There was likely another mated pair, given how close they stuck by one another.

The third male, the final member, was the smallest of the three male sabertooths. It was shorter by several inches, less muscular, had shorter saber teeth, and its mane wasn't as prevalent as the other two males. Perhaps he was the youngest of the pride. That did not mean he was less dangerous. Link swore that the Young Lion appeared eager, willing to prove himself. This was confirmed when Link glanced to the side and thought he had heard something in the nearby trees. It was only a second, enough for the Young Lion to attempt to charge before settling down when Link moved his gaze back.

The only conclusion that Link could get based on his observations was that he could not take any of these guys in a fight. And he certainly did not want his friends to fight them. One guaranteed way is to remain calm & hopefully, the Lions will lose interest quickly.

"Remlits at night don't seem so scary anymore…" Karane almost lamented.

"Stay calm, stay calm…" Pipit whispered loudly next to Fledge.

"I am calm," Fledge said back.

"…I'm talking to myself," Pipit clarified meekly.

"It'll be okay, guys. Just don't do anything stupid." Link said back to his friends. "Things can't get any worse…"

At that moment, a familiar roar rang in the air, causing the group to stop. Stumbling out of the trees on their side was the same Lynel from earlier and he certainly was not happy. All of his friends gave Link small glares.

"The universe just loves proving me wrong, doesn't it?!" Link exclaimed.

"You make it too easy," Fledge casually stated.

With its spear gripped in his hand, the Lynel made a mad leap towards the humans. Forgetting about the Lions stalking them, the students had no choice but to run. They only made several feet when the Lynel landed. The landing impact caused minor shockwaves strong enough to send the teens down. With the four humans down, the Lynel intends to hunt its prey.

That's when the White Alpha Sabertooth Lioness jumped onto his backside. The Lynel let out a pain-filled bellow when he felt her claws dig into his hide. It was quick to throw her off. The white feline let out a groan when the monster tossed her. The other sabertooth lions quickly joined the assault, forgetting about the humans. These creatures found a more clear threat to their territory. That gave the quartet the advantage to run back into the surrounding woods. Link stopped himself at the edge. Curiosity got the better of him as he found his gaze fixated on the battling creatures.

The Alpha Lion was quick by his mate's side, standing between her and The Lynel, snarling at it. The monster gripped its spear, ready to attack, failing to notice the rest of the pride. The Subordinate Lion & Lioness followed through the assault by attacking its legs. The Lynel did fight back by attempting to kick them. The Young Lion used the opportunity to jump square onto The Lynel's back. Despite three sabertooths all over it, the Lynel remains standing on all four hooves. Fi was not kidding about its resilience.

But resilience doesn't mean invincibility.

The Young Lion sunk its teeth in the perfect spot on the back where the Lynel's torso met its horse body. The Lynel's front part went on one of its knees. That was all that was needed for The Alpha Lion to jump right onto the Lynel's head, saber teeth dug into its neck. A loud snap cracked the air. Life in The Lynel's eyes faded as his limbs went limp, and his body landed on the ground with a thump.

The White Lioness rejoined her pride. She had received some scratches, but they did not appear concerning. She and the Alpha Lion rubbed their heads affectionately together, probably to assure each other they were okay. The mated pair and the other three Sabertooth Lions gazed at their kill. Link found it the right time to leave the scene.

The loud call of the Alpha Lion's triumphant roar screeched around the area as Link's running footsteps faded.

----

By the time dusk had settled, the knight students found their shelter in a small cave. There were no signs of anything living in it or fresh animal and monster tracks lingering nearby, so they deemed it safe to rest for the night. Like before, Fi offered to keep a vigil for any intruders, allowing the humans to relax. And really, who can blame them?

All four sat around on the cave's floor. Karane rummaged through their bags, checking on the supplies as the guys rested nearby.

"You doing okay, Fledge?" Link checked in.

"Could be better. Could be worse," Fledge responded with a deadpan expression, trying not to wince. "I do not recommend running around while recovering from torture."

"Pain coming back?"

Fledge gestured with his hand with a 'eh'. "It's not excruciating. I don't need any potions yet."

"Tell us when it does, okay?"

Fledge nodded, mumbling to himself, "Oh yeah, Din's essence brings me back from the dead, but it couldn't heal my other injuries. I guess Faron was right about power having limits."

Link looks over to Karane. "How are our supplies looking?"

"Good news, we still have food." Karane pulled our ration bars with a dejected look. "Bad news is, this is all we have. If I had known we would end up here…"

"It's not your fault. None of us knew. We're only here because of Ghirahim," Pipit assured adamantly. "I'm certain there are at least some things on The Surface that could be editable. Fi can probably help us."

Fi exits the sword. "I would be more than happy to assist with that, Master Pipit. There are plenty of types of plants that grow fruits and vegetables on The Surface. I implore you to let me analyze the food to ensure it is clear of any parasites, bacteria, or anything else that could harm you. I do not think that food will be a main concern, and I would be alarmed if we don't find any immediately."

"Why is that?" Karane questioned the sword spirit.

"Humans can go up to three weeks without food."

All four gave wide-eyed expressions. "You're joking, right?" Fledge blurted.

"I cannot give false information even if I wanted to," Fi reminded sternly.

Fledge lowered his gaze apologetically. "Sorry."

"Do not be sorry. I can understand the skepticism. The Sky does not have many places to get lost in the wilderness, so you would have no way to figure it out. Back to the topic, humans can only last three to five days without water, so I highly suggest prioritizing conserving your water and seeking out bodies of it."

"I wish I had known that years ago…" Pipit groaned, facepalming. "To think of all the times when money was tight for Mom and me, we had to cut down on food or rely on others' charity, and we could've survived on a week of water. It makes sense! Water is free, but food isn't! I spent nights filled with worry that we wouldn't have enough food for the week! I could've saved myself so much stress!"

"While I feel your frustration, Master Pipit, I am not suggesting you all starve yourselves and only drink water. I still recommend searching for things to eat, for there are nutrients food can provide to the human body that water cannot. I only share the fact that if you were forced to choose between food and water, the latter is the best option."

"And don't even think about doing something like that if things get tough for you and your mom." Karane scolded, lightly punching Pipit's arm. "And I'm glad you didn't do it back then!"

"Noted."

Link sat and watched the conversation play out, contemplating what to do next. If today had shown him anything, it was that The Surface was far more unpredictable than Faron, Lanayru, and Eldin combined. He wished that Loftwings could go below the cloud barrier so they can get back safety.

Near the end of the conversation, a voice caught his attention.

"Link…" It was a voice that didn't belong to either of his friends or Fi.

Link had sat near the cave entrance, which allowed him to view the wilderness. He scanned around the trees and bushes.

"Link." It called out again.

A small, glowing blue creature stood in the center of Link's vision. Link did not know its intentions, but somehow, he knew this creature was safe.

"Link. Chosen Hero of Hylia," The blue called to him. "Remember…Who you were…"

A small flash covered Link's vision.

He remained in the cave, but something changed. Fi and his friends could not be seen. What he did see were two large horses sitting in the cave—the same white blonde horse from before, and a horse with a reddish coat and white mane and tail.

At the entrance of the cave stood a woman, watching rain pour down outside and thunder rumble in the air. The blonde in the white dress and veil reached her hand out. "I doubt this will let up soon…" she said almost gloomfully.

Link found himself walking over to her. He looked down to see his body was different. His body was that of an adult man. The arm is the same as the one that reaches for the horse's snout. The body had a green tunic with golden shoulder plates and a red scarf.

"So much for a relaxing day of horseback riding…" The woman lamented.

Despite being taller, Link's arm gently pats the woman's shoulder in a comforting manner. "I wouldn't say all is lost." A male voice came out of Link that wasn't his.

"Why is that?" The woman faces him with her beautiful, painfully familiar blue eyes.

"You have me by your side." That earns a soft chuckle from the woman.

"Well, I suppose there's that." The woman did a double take in Link's direction. "Have you been sleeping?"

"Maybe a little. I've been busy training some recruits."

"Of course you were." The woman breathes out, shaking her head. "You're too selfless for your own good."

"Apologies, Your Grace."

"And you don't have to call me that when it's just the two of us. At this point, I think we're beyond formalities."

"Of course, Hylia."

"Since we're going to be here for a while, perhaps you could take a nap until the rain stops," Hylia says, holding her hand up. "And don't try to argue with me otherwise."

"Alright, as you wish…Although, maybe I could get good sleep if I had something comfy to lay on…"

Hylia could only roll her eyes with a playful grin. She sits on the cave floor, the skirt of her white dress spreading out. Link lowered himself to the ground, resting his head comfortably on the dress's fabric. Hylia smiles down at him.

"Comfy now, sleepyhead?"

"Very much so, my sweet." A yawn came out of his mouth. His eyelids grew heavy, slowly enclosing his vision with darkness. The last thing he felt was a small kiss on his forehead. Hylia whispered, "Rest well, my dear Link…"

"Link!"

Hearing Fledge's voice made Link shake his body, letting out a small gasp. He turned to see Fledge looking at him with a concerned expression. "Are you okay? You looked like you zoned out."

"I-I'm fine. Just thinking that's all. Nothing to worry about."

"Alright…" Fledge responded, sounding a bit unconvinced. "Anyways, I just wanted to give you this." Fledge handed Link the last of the ration bars.

"Thanks," Link accepted it.

Fledge gave an acknowledged nod and walked away, leaving Link alone. The green-clad senior knight remembered what he had just seen moments ago.

"What the hell did I see? Was the other one from earlier connected to this? Was that really…Hylia, I saw? Is she the same woman I saw with the horse earlier? What is going on?"

The sounds of bells caught Link's attention. Once again, he saw the same blue creature staring back at him. Seconds later, it darted in the opposite direction, vanishing into thin air.

Link blinked several times to make sure he was not in a dream. "Did I see that?" He whispered to himself.

"You did, Master," Fi responded quietly as she floated beside Link. "I saw it too."

"You know what it is?"

"A Blupee. A spirit that glows with a mysterious blue light. I saw it back in Eldin before we left, and it's been following us."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I sensed no malicious intent of any kind back there and certainly not now. I found no need to alert you over something nonthreatening. I do apologize for not speaking up. It will not happen again, Master Link."

"It's fine." Link assured. "Do you know what it wants with us? Are you sure it's not a threat?"

"I am not sure of its true intentions, but I am 100% certain that it means no harm to us or your friends. I would not worry for the time being."

Link stood quiet, thinking for a minute. "Keep guard on it just to be sure."

"Understood, Master." Fi glances at Link's friends. "Should we tell your friends?"

"No. If it's not a threat, there's no need to tell them now. It'll probably be nothing for all we know."

"Very well."

"Everything okay there?" Pipit called out. Karane & Fledge also looking at him.

"Master Link thought he heard a noise. I was scanning the area and found no threats," Fi answered.

"Yeah! False alarm!" Link added with a nervous smile.

"Okay…" Pipit responded, confused by Link's weird response, but immediately brushed it off.

"Have you eaten yet?" Karane called out.

"Oh yeah." Link took a bite of the ration bar.

"Don't waste it now. We're going to need all the strength we can."

Link nodded back to her, bringing his gaze back to the wilderness. Fi had returned to The Master Sword. His mind was divided between the coming days and the visions. Frankly, he didn't know which he would rather think about. All he could hope for was that the coming days would be easier and the visions would not be very common. He did wonder if the Blupee had something to do with it. If that were the case, Link hoped it didn't do it constantly.

The last thing Link wants is more weird dreams again.

#legend of zelda #skyward sword #legend of zelda fanfiction #link #pipit #karane #fledge #fi #everyone is having a GREAT time here #an impulse decision

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