Barking Up The Wrong Tree
I like the pattern of heroes watching over one another. I also felt bad for lowkey leaving Twilight out of the last one sooo here’s this? I couldn’t think of a replacement name to give Twilight, so he gets to stay Twilight in these things until I Git Gud. He will forever be Wolfie in my mind. Also, Wild is a dramatic dork. But what else is new! @linkeduniverse is my new inspiration until I run out of things to reference and angst to create.
When Time had asked the group who wanted to grab some firewood, Twilight was the first to stand up, with Wild volunteering right after. So the two of them headed off to pick up sticks that had fallen off the nearby trees, though Wild had seemed to find enjoyment in using them as swords every time he found one that was big enough, and it was starting to get on Twilight’s nerves.
“Would you quit swinging those around? Soon enough you’re going to just hit yourself in the face.” Twilight picked up another stick, adding it to his collection.
“I didn’t think you thought that badly of my swordsmanship.” Wild joked, sliding the tree branch under his arm.
Wild quickly interrupted him. “I know. You can’t take a joke, can you?”
Twilight frowned, picking up another stick. “I can take a joke just fine, thank you very much. I don’t need you judging my sense of humor.”
Wild rolled his eyes as he stepped forwards, the familiar crunch of dry leaves under his feet as he moved. “Sometimes you’re more stiff than the old man is.”
“Well not all of us can just breeze through life!” Twilight retorted, following Wild through the forest.
“Who said any of us ‘breezed through life’? I was just making an observation, you don’t need to get so flippant.”
“Do you even know what flippant means?” Twilight asked, picking up another stick.
“Showing a disrespectful attitude.” Wild said. “Princess Zelda called me it a lot.”
“I can’t imagine why.” Twilight replied, deadpan.
Wild looked at the amount of sticks the two had picked up, then turned on his heel like a soldier and began to walk back to their camp. “We have enough.”
Twilight narrowed his eyes when he saw how Wild turned, quickly trying to catch up. “You were a soldier, weren’t you?”
“No idea.” Wild shrugged. “What does it matter.”
“You don’t need to play dumb, that was a perfect about face, in worn travelers boots, in the middle of a forest.” Twilight grabbed onto Wild’s arm, stopping him. “You had to be a soldier.”
“Time can ride a horse, does that make him a farmer? Legend can man a ship, does that make him a captain? We can all use swords and shields, but does that make us members of the royal guard?” Wild pulled his arm away from Twilight’s grasp, continuing to move forward. “I don’t know what I was, and I don’t worry about it. All that matters is what I am now.”
Twilight stood there for a second, before quickening his pace and catching back up with Wild. “You remember a word the Princess used to describe you and its meaning, but not what your job was? What you did every day? I have a hard time believing that.”
“Maybe it’s time to start believing then.”
The two of them said nothing else to each other the rest of the walk back, and Wild refused to look at Twilight for the rest of the night. So of course Time took notice of all of this, and after the rest of the boys had gone to sleep, pulled his descendant to the side.
“What did you say to Wild?” Time asked.
“What do you mean what did I say to Wild?” Twilight crossed his arms. “Why do you automatically assume it was me?”
Time took a deep breath. “Look, we can all be a bit brash at times, but you and Legend most of all. Based on how Wild’s been acting all night, I’m inclined to believe you two had one hell of a conversation while picking up firewood.”
“He’s just mad because I can tell he’s not telling us everything.” Twilight said.
“Oh, like you’re one to talk.” Time began to laugh, at the annoyance of Twilight. “Wild doesn’t have to tell us anything. I could barely remember how to walk when I woke up after seven years, imagine one hundred and memory loss. Maybe he just truly doesn’t remember everything.”
Twilight scoffed. “Muscle memory can only take a person so far when it comes to Ganon.”
“Should I remind you who taught you everything you know?” Time raised an eyebrow.
“I can still beat you in a horse race, old man.” Twilight argued.
“A horse can’t beat Ganon.” Time continued, beginning to lean up against a nearby tree.
Twilight laughed. “Well you’ve never been kicked in the stomach by a horse, then!”
Time chucked, looking over at the dying fire, the rest of the boys asleep. Wild had a book resting on his chest, moving up and down with his breathing. “So what did you say to him?”
Twilight didn’t say anything for a moment before realizing he can’t keep things from Time forever. “I asked him if he was a soldier. He said he didn’t know. I didn’t believe him.”
“You didn’t believe him.” Time repeated, looking back at his face, barely illuminated by the fire. “Why didn’t you believe him.”
“I don’t know! He walks just like one, he stands just like one, he acts just like one.” Twilight closed his eyes and sighed. “Muscle memory can only get you so far.”
“It seems to be getting him pretty far, then.” Time said, not skipping a beat. “I don’t think he would hide something like that if he truly didn’t know. Why do you think he carries all those books around? He’s not a scholar, that’s for sure.”
“Then what’s inside the books?” Twilight asked.
“Why don’t you ask him? I wouldn’t know, they’re not my books.” Time stood up, stepping away from the tree and heading back towards the camp, sitting down by the fire and leaving Twilight alone.
The next morning, Twilight listened to Times advice. For once.
“Is that a good book?” Twilight asked, standing over Wild as he sat reading the book he had fallen asleep reading last night.
Wild looked up, quickly closing the book on his finger so he wouldn’t lose his place. “Why do you ask?”
“Well, you’re always reading, so I was just wondering.” Twilight shrugged. “Do you mind if I sit?”
Wild shook his head, so Twilight sat down right in front of him.
“What’s the book about?” Twilight asked.
Wild looked from the book to Twilight, as if he was contemplating if he should tell him or not. “It’s not a book, actually. It’s more of a diary.”
“You keep a diary? Or, kept?”
Wild shook his head again. “No, I wish. This one is the diary of a good friend of mine. Her father let me borrow it, to hopefully get some of my memory back. It’s not really working, sadly.”
Twilight looked at the book in his hand, curious now. “I don’t mean to pry, but can I read some? If it’s personal it’s fine, but-” He was cut off by the book getting shoved in his face, open to a certain page.
Twilight reluctantly took the book, reading the writing out loud in almost a whisper. “Link came to visit the domain. It feels like forever since he was here last. He no longer resembles the child I first met. He is now an accomplished knight and keeper of the sword that seals the darkness. I am so proud. However… He hardly speaks anymore, and smiles even more rarely. He is still the kind soul I knew, but something has changed. I asked him if something had happened, if something was wrong. He merely shook his head.”
“I hope that answers your question from yesterday.” Wild said after he was done reading, feeling the book get shoved back into his hand.
“Vaguely.” Wild shrugged, setting the book on his lap. “I remember a lot of feelings. The feeling of a sword and a shield on my back. The feeling of the royal guards uniform. Just not a lot of images.”
“That must get…” Twilight tried to think of the right word. “Frustrating?”
Wild shook his head a third time. “It kind of lets me start over. I wish I remembered everything before, but I’m glad I don’t remember what happened during. I don’t think I ever want to remember what happened. I’m perfectly fine with not knowing. I don’t recommend sleeping for one hundred years to forget, though. It’s not really worth it.”
That got a chuckle out of Twilight, which seemed to satisfy Wild.
“So you do have a sense of humor! Thank the Goddesses, I was starting to get worried there.”
Wild ignored him, patting his head. “Who’s a good woflie? You are!”
Twilight growled, picking up Wild’s arm and moving it to the side. “I hate that nickname.”
“Not my fault the youngest one here picked it.”
“Liar! You’re the one that started it!”
“Did I?” Wild leaned his head back, thinking for a moment. “Oh! I did! Still not my fault, because what else are you supposed to call the wolf spirit of a legendary hero that starts following you around?”
“Something with class, maybe?” Twilight suggested.
Wild pretending to think, closing his eyes and humming. “I can start calling you flippant again.”
“Wolfie it is, then. So no more arguing, or I tell the whole group about it.”
Twilight dismissed him. “Half of them already know.”
“Oh, really?” Wild took a deep breath, cupping his hands around his mouth. “Hey-”
He was quickly cut off by Twilight slamming his hands over his mouth to keep him from talking any longer, nearly knocking Wild’s head into a tree.
“Wolfie is fine.” Twilight pulled his hands back, pushing himself up off the ground.
Wild smirked, opening his book again. “That’s what I thought.”