The Legend of Zelda: Zelda's Honor

Chapter 64 - Going in Circles

Link shook his head and smiled at the beast he had grown so fond of over the orbits. "Nothing ever gets you down, does it Xavier?" He asked.

"Nope!" She grinned bearing all of her teeth. To the uninitiated, it was a frightening visage but to Link and Zelda, it was one of great joy.

Saria plunked down next to Nabooru with a whine, she had been flying all day trying to assist them in finding the right path, all to no avail. She jealously looked at Link receiving a massage to the base of his wings from Zelda. "I certainly wish I could get a rubbing like that, I've been flying all day." She pouted.

Zelda looked at her and smiled, "Well, when I'm done with Link, would you care if I did yours too?" She had unintentionally become the de facto therapist for Link's wings each night, it wasn't anything they questioned anymore, it just happened.

Saria puffed up irritably, turning around to display her ethereal wings as she glared at Zelda, "Do you see any part that is physically connected with my body? They just hang there, I can feel that they are there but there is nothing to hold onto."

Leaving a protesting Link behind, Zelda walked over to Saria to inspect what she was talking about. Allowing her to touch the wings, Saria held them still. Gently feeling the delicate material they were comprised of, Zelda was surprised to discover that they were quite firm to the touch. Following it down to the base where it should have been connected just between the shoulder blades, she encountered nothing. There was nothing specific to grasp or hold on to, her brow furrowed in consternation as she began examining further.

Saria giggled, "Okay, now you're just tickling." She leapt away quickly before fluttering back to the ground facing Zelda.

Zelda crossed her arms perplexed, "I wasn't meaning to, I'm just surprised at how different your wings are from Link's. And you say they are sore and aching from flying all day?" Saria nodded vigorously. "Strange." Zelda said, mulling over the matter.

Nabooru, having ignored the entire conversation, had started a raging fire just a couple meters away from Xavier's resting spot for the night. "If you all are quite done, let's get some food started here so we can eat." She was feeling especially famished tonight, Xavier seemed to concur with her sentiment by licking her snout excitedly.

Zelda looked around anxiously, "Do you still think it's a good idea to be starting fires like that?"

The Gerudo elder looked around in the fading light of dusk, "I don't believe there is anything dangerous that we can't handle in these parts. Besides, there is nothing of interest here for the Nevachreans, that lies further north with the Gorons." Satisfied with her own logic, Nabooru continued unwrapping the last few packages of cured meats they had brought with them from Glaun'rung.

A look of worry began to form on Link's face as he watched Nabooru heating up the hunks of meat. "Don't you think we should begin rationing the food a bit better? We still have a lot further to go and I haven't noticed any real game we can hunt here for replenishments."

"Yeah," Saria chided, "I also haven't noticed any fresh fruit trees or any foliage that looks remotely edible in this pile of rocks. What do you expect me to eat, that?" She curled her lip as she pointed disgustingly at the flesh slabs that were just starting to steam. "You are just as bad as Talon with wanting and eating food, maybe he's rubbing off on you!" She added in carelessly.

Nabooru scowled at the indignant Kokiri, "If you don't like what I cook, then you can go without food for tonight then." Tempers had flared between them over the last couple moons, the journey had already taken a toll and it was clearly showing.

Zelda quickly stepped in the middle of the two holding her arms up to distance the flustered combatants, "Okay, let's just simmer down now. We've all had a frustrating day. Let's just settle down, rest and start anew tomorrow, all right?" She looked back and forth between the two of them. Sensing that the hostility had lifted slightly, she ruffled in their food pack and brought out an orange and a few leafy greens. "I know it isn't much, but we are running out of food for you Saria." She tried to smile, but it only came out half-heartedly when handing the food to the Kokiri.