The Wolf and The Bird

[Illidan Stormrage]

Link stared at his boots as he was led away at knifepoint by the very person he had tried to save. The cowled man whom he battled stalked in front of them, taking them through the forest to some unknown destination. Several times Link wanted to shout at the woman and scold her for her deception, not so much as to make her feel guilty but to make himself feel better. He'd been taken for a fool and he hated that. Yet his mature side knew that an outburst like that wouldn't gain any traction; in fact, they'd likely mock him for his sulky reprimand. He was an adult now, not a ten year old kid, though sometimes the two raged against each other. He'd known how a child acts but the manners and demeanor of an adult were not privy to him. He picked up what he could, but it was a work in progress.

Link forced the bitterness away and watched the forest roof above. The branches lurched rhythmically in the wind, allowing a shifting view of the sky. Pale blue permitted the first star of the evening to blink above them, a single glistening jewel in a trickling stream. Soon night would arrive.

His impatience got the better of him. "Where are you taking me? What do you even want with me?"

The tip of the knive pressed harder against the small of his back. Link arched his back to mitigate the pain, but at least it distracted him from the unending throb in his right shoulder where the knife had sliced through.

"Stop talking," the woman said in his ear. "Just keep walking. You'll see soon enough."

Link continued on in silence, but not in his mind. He thought back to their encounter, visualising the scene again, scouring for clues. They were devious, setting a trap and lying in wait for the victim to arrive, so they could be thieves, or even hostage takers. They fought with skill; the man clashing against Link with two knives moved with the grace of practice, and the woman pounced on Link the moment he let his guard down. They were serious, no nonsense criminals. Then there was the man's response to his request to surrender.

"Nice sword. A Prime, are you? No one but them ever have the good stuff like glowing swords."

That told Link two things; these thieves weren't Primes, and they didn't have equipment on par with the Master Sword. In those instances, Link had an advantage. Yet there was more.

"And you're altruistic to boot. You'll make a fine prize."

Link didn't know what being altruistic meant, but being a fine prize spoke volumes. He was captured to be ransomed. Link understood that Primes were rare compared to the others that were summoned to the Omniverse, and perhaps there was someone willing to pay for a Prime. Or maybe they planned to sell him back to Camelot.

Link looked over his shoulder at the short haired woman, smirking grimly. "I'm onto you."

The woman grabbed his sore arm and twisted it behind Link's back. His shoulder screamed as if it were being ripped off. "Shut up."

"Hey!" the man said, turning a glance over his back. "Don't hurt him too much. He's not worth anything if he's dead."

The light of day soon conceded to night. Shadows leaked over the forest as the sun crawled behind the horizon. From above, muffled speaking reached Link's ears, as if a crowd of people were above him. He looked up but only saw the swaying outlines of the branches.

The cowled man stopped and raised a hand. "We're here." He rapped his knuckles on the closest tree. A hollow thump echoed back.

A rope ladder unfurled from above them. The cowled man reached over Link's back and took his bow and a single arrow. He strung it and aimed steadily at Link. "Go up the ladder. Syla will be right behind you. If you even think of jumping off the rope and running, I'll put this arrow through your heart."

Link swallowed through a dry throat. His quick plan dashed to pieces. At the urging of a knife, Link grasped the ladder and began his ascent. Even though he didn't look down, he felt the eyes of the cowled man and the trajectory of the arrow locked onto him. He climbed.

Closer to the treetops, the chatting grew louder, although still unintelligible as the din of a crowd often is. Small pockets of light circled a shadowed square. As he climbed higher, he realised they were torches, and the square was a giant platform. The ladder terminated at the edge of the platform, and two burly men in green tunics grabbed his forearms and hoisted him up.

Link stared wide eyed. A gathering of people sat around a rectangular table, feasting, on top of an oak platform suspended by ropes and supported by thick branches. A wooden walkway headed off behind them, and at regular intervals rings of firelight chased away the darkness. Fireflies flitted lazily above the revelers, catching the eye and bewitching the mind with their simple beauty. The people wolfed down roast chicken and boar, buttered bread and an assortment of vegetables and herbs. They drank a foul smelling brown concoction, which put Link in mind of the strong milk bars that only the adults could attend back in Hyrule. A trio of musicians sat to the side of the table, two violins and an accordion, filling the air with pleasant music.

These people were happy. An celebratory atmosphere wreathed the treetop dwellers. These were not desperate criminals down on their luck. Who exactly were they? And what did they want with Link? All his presumptions looked counterfeit in this jovial light.

Syla popped up onto the platform, scratching at the faded scar beneath her eye. "Welcome to Tralor, kid."

The cowled man joined them soon after. "No time for staring. We aren't finished yet."

They led Link past the crowd, ignorant of their presence, although whether it was intentional or due to their celebration he couldn't say. Down the walkway, past four thick trunked trees that reached into this lofty place, hollowed out and used for accommodation, they walked. Past another wide platform lined with strawmen with bullets painted on their heads, through another walkway, and then they stopped. The walkway diverged into three paths, each connecting to a hollowed tree big enough to house one person each. Wooden grates covered their entrances.

Syla kicked the back of Link's knees and he collapsed onto his hands. He went to protest, but the man's knife quickly settled beneath Link's chin.

"We're going to disarm you now, and put you in a cell," he said. "You will wait there until we return."

Syla unstrapped the Master Sword's sheath, the quiver, stole the shield and hookshots from his back and walked off. The cowled man directed Link back to his feet, and the two burly men seized him by his arms again. Without another word they dragged him through the centre path, removed the wooden grate, and hurled Link inside. He instantly found his feet and made to run, but one of the guards socked him in the jaw. Link's mouth went numb as he smacked against the hollow's wall, and then it exploded with heat. In his daze, he hadn't noticed that the wooden grate had been secured. Link barged against his prison but it barely budged.

"Hey!" he shouted as the two goons walked off. "What do you want with me? Tell me what's going on!"

All that answered Link was the stillness of night and the faint cheers of the celebration, far away from him.