Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Oh goddesses,” Wars yawned, stretching his arms behind his head, “I want a bath.”

Twilight hummed in mild amusement. “You’re right–you smell like like-like slop.”

Wars gave the man an unimpressed look. “Says you,” he huffed. “You look like you came out of one.”

“Maybe I did,” Twilight said with a crooked smile. “Maybe I’m not really Hylian after all ‘n I been a really likeable like-like this whole time.”

“Well,” Wars said with a sharp smile, “you’d be one of the dumber like-likes I’ve met in my day.”

“Pro’ly prettier than the ones you seen at night– oof !”

Twilight burst into laughter, Wars rolling his eyes. The rancher rubbed his ribs where he’d been elbowed by the sufficiently annoyed captain. Twilight’s loud laugh echoed in the still forest. Wars sighed tiredly. It was quieter than the man would ever be comfortable with again in his life.

He could hear the trees creaking in a warm breeze, but despite the summer’s day, there were no birds, no bugs. Twilight threw an arm out, stopping Wars in his tracks. At the beginning of their journey, the captain was always irritated with the less than gracious signal, but now he knew it meant to fall still and shut up because something had caught Twilight’s attention.

The captain’s eyes scoured the trees. Twilight closed his own, a frown gathering as he tipped his head and turned it slightly–

“There,” the rancher said, pointing ahead towards the side. “They’re coming this way.”

“How many?” Wars asked, drawing his toothed sword.

Twilight shook his head. “Dunno. Too much leaves on the ground, ain’t able to get a headcount. Sounds like bokoblins.”

“Right– gah !”

Wars yelped as Twilight suddenly tackled him out of an arrow’s way. The rancher’s gaze settled into a frosty glare.

“Dunno how they done that ,” he murmured.

“Black-bloods,” Wars hissed, gathering himself. “Should we signal–”

Another arrow, this one aimed straight for Twilight’s head. Instinct jerked the rancher from its path as Wars cut it down with his blade. There was no time to signal for the others.

A mix of monsters swarmed the two, curling around them in an arc. The heroes found themselves pressed back to back, swords at the ready. A quick sweep of his eyes, the captain estimated 15 in all. Two moblins, the rest bokoblins of varying colors. They had their work cut out for them.

Twilight was quick to act as always. His decisiveness was often a curse and a blessing, but at times like this, it nearly always gave him the upperhand. Despite the surprise of the monsters, Twilight had cleaved through two red bokoblins before he found himself blocking the blows of old rusted blades.

Wars used the distraction to throw himself into the fray. His right hand to the small of his back, he moved his blade with ease and well practiced grace. Long movements, the sort of strikes which could cut water.

The captain’s blade sank through one bokoblins neck, was drawn back out easily along its sharp edge, and then with a slight flourish– clang! –was blocking a strike at his shoulder.

Where Wars moved like a dancer, Twilight worked like an animal.

The sharp cut of a draft, the rancher blocked a sword with his own, using nothing but his strength to overpower a bokoblin. He drew up his foot and with a kick, sent the monster reeling as he cleaved the Ordon blade into a different beast altogether. Lacking in the captain’s agility, the rancher’s strikes were far more powerful, far deadlier no matter where they landed.

The two heroes worked through the mob from either end and towards the middle. Black blood spilled down their blades, red blood pooled into the forest floor.

Twilight rolled just in time for a moblin spear to clip his ear. A hiss of pain, he came up with a yell and hewed his blade into the pig-faced beast’s thigh. A curdled screamed left the moblin and it swung wildly, tearing into the dirt with its sword and with a wooden shield–

“Twi!” Wars barked.

The rancher rolled shoulder over shoulder, coming up with a mouthful of slobber spilling from his lip as he wheezed to find his air again. The shield bash did little to deter the rancher and everything to anger him.

Wars contended with his very own moblin, this one armed with a fearsome spiked club. He was careful not to get his sword stuck in the thick weapon, instead dodging and dodging and dodging until he had an opening.

The captain rolled up to his feet, seizing an opportunity to carve his sword up the monster’s back. A scream of pain, a spray of black blood. Wars barely bent back in a bridge in time to avoid having his head ripped clean off against that gnarly club.

Twilight was there to cover the man during the brief opening. He plowed his sword into the monster’s side, burying it up to the hilt, shoulder checking the thing to throw it to the ground as he ripped the blade out sideways and opened the monster in a deep gash.

Wars was back up on his feet. “Down!” the captain barked.

Twilight fell to a crouch just as Wars stabbed over his head to sink the magic sword into the spear moblins chest. Pulling back, he found the teeth of his blade caught in the thing’s thick sternum. A curse slipped the man as he fought to draw his sword back out.

“Cap’n!” Twilight yelled.

Pain in his shoulder, the flesh kept from the club’s spikes by his armor. Wars was thrown across the ground in a sloppy spill, his blade still stuck in that spear moblin.

Wars groaned, pushing himself upright. Twilight was alone against the two now.

The fight had dragged on. The heroes were panting and red-faced. Sweat dripped from the captain’s bangs and Twilight’s skin was smeared with blood. The moblins were not as tired as them, but whittled down somewhat by the mortal wounds.

Twilight was moving again, forcing himself forward. He planted a foot, he led with his shoulder in a quick turn, tossing his sword from his left to his right. The blade split the belly of the club moblin wide open.

A cry of pain left the rancher as the club came down on him, tearing his tunic and breaking the chainmail underneath.

Wars dashed into the fight, forcing everything into drawing his blade out of the spear moblin. The club moblin staggered with a dying roar, falling backwards as its innards fell from the hole in its gut.

Suddenly, Twilight was in front of Wars.

Suddenly, the rancher was taking a spear through his gut.

“ Twi !” Wars cried, narrowly missing the spearhead as it pushed through the rancher’s back.

Twilight’s eyes widened with pain but singularly focused on the battle, he brought the Ordon blade through the spear shaft and–

A crunch as the moblin’s shield met the rancher’s face. Twilight fell slack, half the spear still run through his gut.

The captain screamed in rage. Near ward, running at the monster recklessly, light on his feet and with a bloody war cry, he ripped the toothed sword up the moblin’s torso from groin to chest.

A spray of black blood coated the captain. The monsters vanished. Twilight was still on the ground.

Wars patted the rancher’s face, smearing his damp skin with blood. He pulled Twilight’s eyelids open, relieved to see the man’s pupils shrink against the daylight. A cheek over the rancher’s face to confirm he was breathing–Wars became aware of a soft gurgling noise in Twilight’s throat.

A swear left the captain. He dug through his pouch for anything he had on hand, coming up with half a bottle of red potion.

“Sorry,” Wars sighed.

Twilight woke with a cry of pain, choking over a sob and mouthful of blood as Wars ripped the spear out.

The captain held Twilight down at the forehead and tipped up the potion. Twilight choked, but Wars held his jaw shut until the man swallowed.

Twilight gasped for air, hands finding the half healed hole in his body. He wheezed out some curse so drenched in his accent that the captain couldn’t pull one syllable from the next.

“Take more,” Wars ordered.

Twilight frowned, gritting his teeth in discomfort as his hands explored his mottled face. “You’ve some firs’–you gone haf t’carry me back.”

Wars knit his brow, but Twilight was right. The captain took the smallest drink he could manage. Immediately the edge of pain in his shoulder was gone.

Twilight rolled over, hacking and sputtering. Wars grimaced as the rancher threw up bile and blood and one of his front teeth.

“Here,” Wars said, offering his water.

Twilight took it, managing to sit though he sagged. The potion had healed a broken face, leaving his skin darkly bruised, right eye swollen shut and nose crushed. Twilight rinsed and gargled a mouthful of water, spitting the reddish mix to the ground with a groan of disgust.

Wars offered the potion again. “Well, you look better than usual,” the captain joked.

Twilight took a sip, careful not to upset his stomach. “M’spoken f’r cap’n,” he offered simply.

Wars rolled his eyes. “Someone who can count past 10, I hope.”

“Mm, dunno. Never ask’er.”

Finally, Twilight let out a quiet sigh, passing the potion back to Wars. He rubbed at his mostly healed face, wincing over the brown bruises left scattered across the right side. Closing his left nostril, he blew a clot of blood from the right.

The rancher pulled at his tunic with a frown. “Well, chainmail’s bridled t’ Death Mount’in ‘n back ag’in.”

Wars sighed, pushing himself up to his feet with a soft groan. “Rather the chainmail than your ribcage, rancher.”

Twilight shrugged. “My ribs heal f’r free. This chainmail ain’ cheap .”

Wars reached down, helping Twilight to his feet, drawing one of the man’s arms over his shoulders. Twilight swayed as he stood, eyes rolling as he fainted in Wars’ grasp for just a moment before coming to with a nauseous lurch. He held it down, rubbing his face.

“Wanna sleep,” he murmured.

“We’ll get back to camp first and see to your wounds.”

Twilight huffed in a petulant pout, but the two were heading back the way they came.

Chapter Text

Twilight was never a very nice patient to contend with. Four had the man held down at his shoulders, power bracelets equipped to deal Twilight’s stupid natural strength. Legend worked as quickly as he could to suture shut the hole in the rancher’s gut and all the while, Twilight could only murmur insults towards the clouds, cursing everything under the sun he possibly could.

Wars frowned slightly. “Sorry,” he said towards Time. “Black-bloods.”

Time shrugged, addressing the captain’s shoulder with a smear of ice jelly and bandages. “I’m glad you’re alive. Thank you for bringing him back in one piece–and yourself, too.”

Wars flushed slightly at the gratitude. “I was only doing my duty,” he mumbled.

“Are ya re’rangin’ me?” Twilight hissed at Legend.

The veteran snapped a dark look onto the rancher. “Well if you could hold still it wouldn’t hurt so bad!”

The two fell into squabbling. All it succeeded in doing was making Twilight resist more and Legend work less gently. Time sighed tiredly, pinching the bridge of his nose. Wars rolled his bandaged shoulder experimentally.

Sky stood over Twilight, a stern look on his face. The rancher gave up with a pout, looking away from everyone in a cross smolder.

“ Done ,” Legend snapped, cutting the thread.

“Go clean up,” Sky said strictly.

Twilight swatted the other heroes away. He didn’t mean poorly they knew, but he had his limits when it came to contact and even more so when it came to bandages and stitches. He rubbed at the tidy sutures in his gut, but caught Time’s look and withdrew his hand from it with a grumble.

“C’mon,” Wild offered, holding a spare change of clothes and soap.

Twilight nodded, tousling out his hair which dried in a bloody cast. The two headed down the slope towards a gentle river.

Wars sighed. “He saved me,” the captain said towards Time. “I was too slow, not careful enough. He took the spear for me.”
Time smiled gently, squeezing the captain’s good shoulder. “Everyone’s safe, captain. Besides, he’s sturdy. You know he is.”

Wars nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’d like to do something to say thanks, but he’s so closed off. I don’t really know what he likes.”

Time shrugged, standing up and brushing himself off. “Twilight’s a simple man. He’ll be grateful for anything you do.”

Wars nodded, chewing his lip. His eyes wandered the camp and– ah . The rancher’s bloodied clothes.

The captain got up with some effort, body burning with fatigue. Still, he gathered up the rancher’s clothing, pausing at the sash and cord set away from the other clothes. Twilight was particular about those two items–especially the cord. When the heroes did laundry, no one was allowed to touch them.

Wars knew why. The beads carried weight for the rancher. One bead for growing up, another for his journey, the last for a feat of strength. They were badges, but also memories. Twilight had a lot of treasured feelings connected to those three little beads snugly woven at one end of the cord.

The captain grabbed the cord and sash. Just one time Twilight wouldn’t mind, and Wars would take great care with the garments.

The captain wandered downstream of where Wild helped the grouchy rancher clean up. Twilight begrudgingly sat on a rock just beneath the water’s surface and Wild was scrubbing and combing blood from his hair.

The captain settled at the water’s edge and began to work at the bloodstains in the cold water. Using a brush and smooth stone, a bar of laundry soap and some grit, the captain succeeded in washing out a build up of sweat, dirt, and blood. The man didn’t stop until the water stopped clouding when he scrubbed at the woolen twills.

Satisfied, Wars hung the clothes out to dry with the other heroes’ on a length of rope spanning two thin conifers. He glanced up when an acorn fell on his head. With a scowl, he saw a crow sitting up in the branches. Wars rolled his eyes, leaving it be so he could tend to his own bath.

Chapter Text

It was gone . Twilight poured through his belongings–every pocket, pouch and pant leg. He opened everything, unrolled others. In short order, his bag had been ripped apart down to the seams and still, there was no sign of his cord. He drew a worried frown, lifting his bedroll, lifting the others’ bags–

“Pup,” Time said, touching Twilight’s shoulder.

The rancher glanced up– puppy dog eyes . Time kept the thought to himself, clearing his throat at the plain plea in his pup’s face. It was easy to forget Twilight was hardly an adult. His youth showed when he let his well honed mask slip under the current of raw emotion.

Twilight noticed the others were watching. Concern on Sky and Wild’s faces, annoyance on Legend’s. The rancher flushed, realizing what a spectacle he’d made of himself, that he’d touched the others’ things.

“Ah–sorry,” Twilight mumbled.

Time shook his head. “It’s alright. You hit your head yesterday–do you know where we are?”

“S’not that,” Twilight said, failing to keep his distress out of his voice. “I–it’s my–well–” He paused, rubbing at his face with a soft groan.

It was a silly thing to get worked up over, he knew. How could he confess to his mentor that he was so worried about a little bit of string?

“Link,” Time said softly, pushing a hand into his hair. “Talk to me.”

Twilight sighed. “My cord,” he muttered. “For my sash. S’gone ‘n I ain’t able  t’fine it nowhere.”

Time nodded slightly, taking in Twilight’s fretting. The heroes all had things precious to them. Some were devastating items like perhaps the eldest’s own ocarina and others were little like Wild’s sand seal plush.

“Where did you have it last?” Time asked calmly.

Twilight shrugged. “I were– was –” He paused, rubbing at his face tiredly, flinching when he touched the bruises a little too harshly.

Time took Twilight’s hand away from his face. “Pup, it’s alright. We’ll find it.”

Twilight glanced up at a cool wind, the smell of distant rain reaching him. “Gotta get ‘head’f the storm–”

“And we will. I’m sure it’s still here at camp. Where did you have it last?”

Twilight shook his head. “Yesterday. Take it off so Ledge could fix me up. ‘N then I go t’bed after I wash up ‘n so I ain’t have it then ‘n it shoulda been right where I leave it y’know nex’ t’the treefoot here but m’sash were up on tha’there line–”

The rancher’s rambling devolved into a slur of country twang. Time patted the man’s head, which seemed to calm him just a little.

“Why don’t you pack up and we’ll look for it,” Time offered.

Twilight nodded faintly. “Sure,” he murmured.

Time sent him off with a clap on the shoulder. Twilight sulked, quietly re-rolling and folding his bags. Time marched over to the cold fire pit where the others waited, all of them ready to leave ahead of a dark front sweeping into the valley.

“Twilight can’t find the tie for his sash,” Time announced. “Has anyone seen it?”

Wars nodded. “I washed it yesterday for him. I hung it on the line with his sash.”

Time nodded, rubbing his chin. Four had taken the line down and handed out the clothes remaining on it just before breakfast. The eldest glanced at the smith. Four raised his hands in truce.

“I didn’t see it,” Four explained. “The sash was there and I gave it back to him.”

Legend hopped up. “I’m sure I have some string in my bag,” he offered. “Until we find it, he can use that.”

Sky tipped his head. “I remember seeing it on the clothesline before dinner. But I haven’t seen it since then.”

Time nodded, hands on his hips. The cord was bright orange. A sweep of his eyes picked out nothing from the brown and green forest.

The heroes looked up as soft thunder rumbled. Legend frowned, fishing a bit of twine from his bag.

Hyrule shook his head. “That’s not very far off. We should go.”

Time glanced towards the front. As the wind picked up, it came in with more speed. There wasn’t enough time for any search, let alone a thorough one. Glancing to Twilight, he saw the man was packed to go, eyes still searching the clearing.

Twilight pulled at the hem of his top, tunic and chainmail still ruined from the day before. “I c’n stay ‘n look ‘n catch up later–”

“No,” Time said. “Not in your condition.”

“Could Wolfie find it?” Wind asked helpfully.

“No way,” Hyrule said, nipping the idea in the bud. “You can’t take that kinda magic in the shape you’re in,” he warned Twilight.

More thunder, closer now. The wind picked up in a cold draft. Twilight felt his skin prickle, warning him of the incoming weather. Glancing at Sky, he sighed. The chosen hero was fidgeting already.

“S’fine,” Twilight sighed, giving up. “It’s…” He paused, shrugged. “Jus’a bit’a string. We should get movin’.”

The others nodded. Wild fell back to the rancher’s side, keeping him company in his dour mood. Twilight kept close to Sky, keeping the chosen hero company as the storm rolled into the valley.

Wars frowned, glancing down at his feet as he walked. First Twilight took a spear for him, now he’d gone and lost something precious to the man. The captain lingered, waiting for Twilight to catch up to him. The rancher moved with some stiffness over the injury in his stomach and Wild and Sky sandwiched him protectively.

Twilight glanced up at Wars, giving him a slight nod in greeting. “Cap’n,” he offered. “Lookin’ pretty today,” Twilight offered in a meager jab.

Wars gave up a slight smile. “Well I suppose that makes you the bell of the ball, Twi,” he returned.

Twilight snorted slightly.

Wars frowned. “Listen, rancher, I’m sorry about your cord.”

Twilight shook his head. “Ain’t nothing,” he offered somewhat unconvincingly.

“I know it meant a lot to you.”

“I can make another one,” Twilight sighed.

Wars nodded, knitting his brow. “I know you were careful with it and I–well I was only trying to do right by you.”

Twilight gave up a smile, reassuring Wars with a clap on his good shoulder. Sure, there was an unspoken rule that no one touched the sash and cord except for Twilight, but the rancher could hardly be angry at Wars for doing what was meant to be a favor. Twilight was irritated–part of him couldn’t help but think if Wars hadn’t done so that he would have it still–but he buried it away. It wasn’t helpful and the captain certainly didn’t deserve his ire for it.

“I know,” Twilight offered. “Thanks for warshin’–”

Wild bit back a laugh a touch too late. “ Warshin’ ,” the champion snickered.

Twilight rolled his eyes, but the motion made him dizzy over the mild concussion lingering from the day before.

“Whoa, I’ve got you,” Sky said gently, catching Twilight by the elbow.

Wars mussed the rancher’s hair. “Take it easy. You’re not in your best shape.”

Twilight huffed. “Yeah says you with you’s cowlick.”

“Cowlick?” Wars asked, patting down his hair.

Wild and Sky snickered. Wars scoffed, waving them off, the captain retreated to Time and Wind’s company instead.

Legend turned around, walking backwards, offering the coarse twine to Twilight and making no mention of how the rancher held his midsection insecurely. Twilight took it curiously.

“I know it’s not the same,” Legend offered with his arms folded behind his head, “but it’ll keep your sash on for now.”

Twilight offered a smile, though it failed to reach his eyes. “Thanks vet,” he said.

Legend nodded, turning back around only to get into a shoving match with Hyrule. Twilight stuffed the twine in his pocket, still not tying his sash on. It was too different, the knot wouldn’t tie the same, and Twilight didn’t want to be reminded of what he’d lost by losing that cord.

As the storm drew nearer, Sky found himself clinging to Twilight. He was, of course, simply supporting the rancher and not all holding onto the man for comfort. Even if it was Twilight’s arm over Sky’s shoulders, even if it was Sky tucking in close to the rancher’s side, even if it was Sky pressing closer anytime the wind blew harder and colder and the thunder came closer.

That was how the chosen hero discovered that Twilight’s composure was only a façade. The rancher, it turned out, was quite fidgety. The thunder made him flinch too as it came nearer, likely piquing his hearing. Twilight’s hand reached for his cord, for the familiar beads worn smooth with his tic over the years, but now, there was nothing. Twilight fussed instead. A hand through his hair, undoing and redoing his top button, fingering his earrings, drumming his other fingers on Sky’s shoulders. He was almost as bad as Wild , Sky found.

Sky looked up in worry. Flicking his gaze down, it met Wild’s. The champion frowned in return and the two seemed to share the same thought. The cord needed to be found.

Chapter Text

The rain made things worse. Upset over the loss of his cord, further insecure without his sash tied about him, without the weight of his usual chainmail, and there were stitches in his skin and now his shirt was wet and clung to his body uncomfortably and his hair was plastered to his face and neck.

Around them, the rain drowned out any attempts at conversation. It came down hard enough to obscure their view and a thick fog came in with it. The wind was cold and brought a chill to the soaked heroes. Twilight only knew where the front of their chain was because Legend borrowed his lantern to take lead.

There was that feeling Twilight had been fighting all day–like he was drifting out of existence, like there was some invisible wall between him and the real world. This time though as Sky clung to one arm and thunder shook the trees around them, Twilight was swiftly lost to the current of his own misery.

Looking up, he felt as if he’d entered a dream somehow. He felt like he needed to escape his own skin, as if he was trapped in it. Instead he tensed, fixing his gaze on nothing, pushing off everything. Scratchscratchscratch at the stitches beneath his wet shirt–Wild snatched his hand by the wrist and pulled it away.

It wasn’t until there was a gentle hand to his chest did Twilight realize they’d reached a cave. Wild had halted him and the champion was lost beneath his hood, but Twilight could see a worried gaze. The rancher only gave up a smile, but it was hardly more than a frown which vanished too quickly.

The dry cave, the quiet cave, drew a collective sigh from the others.

“Alright,” Wars ordered. “Ledge, Wild, get a fire started. Everyone out of their wet clothes.”

Twilight found himself sitting up against a cave wall in his sleep clothes. His knees were drawn, arms wrapped around his legs and head resting between them. He lifted his gaze as someone dried his hair. Wind was over him with a smile. The rancher felt as if he’d been pulled from some void. He couldn’t recall anything after reaching the cave.

“You’re gonna catch a cold,” the sailor offered.

Twilight only gave up a quiet nod. Ducking his head again, he felt a wooden comb brushing through his hair. It reminded him of home, of when he was young and Uli would dry him off when he was caught in rainstorms and then she’d dry him in front of the fire and sing while she combed through his hair.

The home he grew up in and earned a bead for becoming one of them. The home he defended and earned a bead for being a hero. The home he loved and earned a bead proving himself in sumo. And now those beads were gone, lost in a forest separated from home by Hylia knows how many years.

Twilight drew away from Wind. The sailor allowed it. Wind got up, moving back to his bag to put up his comb.

Wars watched as he oiled his sword. The captain frowned, guilt gnawing at him. He glanced towards the others and found eyes moving to Twilight on occasion. Even if the rancher said it was fine, it was clear that he himself was from it.

Legend and Hyrule approached him.

“You should lay down,” Hyrule offered gently.

“Yeah,” Legend agreed, “you walked a lot on your injuries today.”

Twilight raised his head, glancing to the circle of bedrolls near the fire. He was all too aware then of the damp air and watching the fire move made him sick. He turned his attention away from it, trying to ignore the crackle of the flames but as he tried to push away the ambient noise of the cave it only seemed to grow louder.

When Twilight opened his eyes again, he was laying on his side. His roll was towards the back of the cave, his back turned to the others. They were keeping their voices quiet. Twilight curled in on himself.

What a display he was–Hylia’s chosen and upset over an old piece of string. Twilight’s fingers picked at a loose end in the seam of his bedroll. He was agitated, but it was locked inside sluggish muscles and he found himself unable to make a sound.

Chapter Text

“We’re going scouting,” Sky announced.

Time glanced up, surprised at the determination in the younger hero. Wild was next to Sky, looking just as stubborn about it. The storm cleared into a cool evening, water still dripping from the mouth of the cave. The birds returned in an evening lilt, the sky a hazy yellow behind the cloud cover.

Time only nodded. “Well alright,” he agreed. “You know the rules.”

Wild just as quickly herded Sky out of the cave. Time only gave up a crooked smile. They were not as good at hiding their intentions as they thought, but Time was hardly of the mind to stop them.

Near the front of the cave, Legend worked quietly at Twilight’s tunic, performing miracle work on the thing to get it back in proper fighting shape. Hyrule was busy mashing up fire jelly and herbs to make a salve for the veteran and Time. Four kept Wars busy by inviting the guilt-ridden captain to help with maintenance–it was something that always seemed to soothe the man. As Wars sharpened swords, Four did his best with the smashed chainmail and Wars’ dented armor.

Glancing towards the back of the cave, Time watched Twilight and Wind make fishing lures together. The sailor was being remarkably quiet for a change, and the craft gave Twilight something to focus on, to ground himself with, and to work his hands.

Sometimes Time forgot Wind was an older brother himself.

The eldest hero stood, stretching with a soft groan. He and Legend were alike in that rain always brought out their aches and pains. A stiff twitchy back, Time pressed his hands into it just above his hips and bent backwards before he shuffled over to Wind and Twilight and found himself sitting at his pup’s side.

Twilight glanced over, offering a faint smile. It was the liveliest he’d looked since that morning, though there was still a miserable gravity in his features. He’d slept through the afternoon which seemed to alleviate some of his growing temper and they’d managed to get him to eat a bit of bread and butter after he slept through lunch.

“Why wasn’t I invited to this party?” Time teased, keeping his voice low.

Wind shrugged, thread between his teeth. “Figured your knuckles would be all achy or somethin’.”

Time rolled his eyes. “I’m not arthritic,” he sighed. “That’s Legend.”

The veteran sneezed at the other end of the cave. Time snickered.

Wind pointed to a scattering of supplies on the ground. “There’s plenty,” the sailor offered.

Time nodded, picking out a piece of cork and a few small feathers. Curiously, he lifted the feathers up to the light. Blue and yellow–ones he’d never seen on the two heroes’ lures before.

“Twi picked those up this afternoon,” Wind explained. “Pretty great, huh?”

“Indeed,” Time agreed. “Good eye, pup.”

Twilight shrugged mildly, engrossed in his work. He was twitchier than usual, Time noted.

“I’m sorry we couldn’t properly search for your cord,” Time offered.

Twilight’s work slowed. “S’only string,” he murmured. The same thing he’d been telling himself all day. It made him guilty, reducing all those years to nothing but string .

“Even so, I know you’re upset–”

“M’not,” Twilight lied in a huff.

Time only sighed, giving up a nod. He patted Twilight’s shoulder. The rancher calmed a little, sinking in on himself. He focused his efforts on the lure again.

Outside, the Master Blade thrummed with holy light, tugging Sky and Wild through the trees. The two heroes slipped under roots and over rocks, trekking down the mountainside through the refreshed forest. The smell of rain and pine hung thick in the air and water rushed down natural courses and dripped from the trees.

Wild pushed his hood back, staring up at a rainbow spanning the sky over the canopy. Sky stood in awe of it for a long moment.

“Are we close?” Wild asked.

Sky was drawn from his thoughts. He focused on the sword again, the tug much stronger than it had been at the cave.

“Not far,” he said encouragingly. “But this is nowhere near where we camped…”

“Maybe the wind took it and it got swept downstream,” Wild offered.

More walking–after an hour of trekking downhill through the woods, Sky stopped short.

“Here,” the chosen hero said.

The two looked around the trees but saw nothing.

“Are you…you’re sure?” Wild asked, snooping through the bushes. “I don’t see anything here.”

Sky nodded. “I’m sure–it’s screaming at me that it’s…ah…”

Wild glanced up curiously. Sky was staring upwards. Wild followed his gaze to a slender pine tree. Far, far up was a bird’s nest and from that nest, a stripe of bright orange.

“Ah. Hm.” Wild said, staring up at it.

Sky let out a tired sigh. “All yours, champ,” the chosen offered.

Wild nodded, donning his climbing gear. The wet bark was slick, he found himself slipping down. He frowned, scowling at the tree as if he had some personal vendetta against it. He had half a mind to simply cut the tree down.

“Here,” Sky said, offering his sailcloth.

Wild took it, eyes widening. “You’re sure?”

“For Twilight,” Sky confirmed.

Wild smiled. “For Twi.”

Slinging the sailcloth around the tree, wrapping either end around gloved hands, Wild began the steady climb up the tree. Without a branch to hold onto at the bird’s nest, the champion grabbed the cord between his teeth and yanked . Half the nest fell apart, but the cord came loose. Wild flung it down to Sky with a toss of his head.

Sky pattered around on the ground, diving to catch it as if it would break. He came up with his recovery proudly, thrusting the cord up in a fist. Wild grinned and with the sailcloth, made an easy landing.

The two heroes bumped either forearm and swapped a high-five but then…

“Um Sky,” Wild asked, “can you dowse us back to the cave?”

One uphill climb later, Twilight drew both the heroes into a crushing hug. Wild squeaked and Sky let out a wheeze against the rancher’s crushing embrace. And Twilight was very unashamedly crying.

Wars looked relieved, Time folded his arms with a smile. Legend pretended not to look moved and Hyrule gave the veteran a knowing elbow to the ribs.

Profuse gratitudes spilled out of the rancher in an unintelligible drawl. Wild and Sky simply patted the man on the back, unable to get words out trapped in Twilight’s bear hug. The sentiment was clear all the same– what’s important to you is important to us .