The twilight curse

ch 20; the missing Rito

For the first time, Link was really excited to continue their journey.
Knowing there might be a chance to meet his friend, Midna again. Makes him restless.
Despite it would be much better to stay a night at the Village, at the Ritos', he only wants to get to Gerudo town as soon as possible.

Linkly is following him a slightly doubtfully, while walking down on the stairs, around the tree.
"Why can't we stay the night here? It's almost dusk... And no point to continue our journey..."
Link grins over the shoulder at the hylian, whose hand, Link holds.
" 'Cause we have important things to do in Gerudo town... And the sooner we get there, the better..."
Linkly looks even more doubtful at him, and exhales sighing through the nose.
Link snorts smiling, and turns the face forward.
"And if you get tired, you can always sleep on my back, when I'm a wolf" he adds stubbornly.
Linkly rolls the eyes. Not very convinced with the idea.

Soon the smaller hylian's ears, twitch from hearing the mumbling from the hylian woman.
How she still is pleading for baked apple.
The voice is low and raspy, as she has been pleading in hours.
Linkly furrows the eyebrows in pity for her.
He stops walking down through the stairs, and his hand starts sliding out from Link's.
Link grunts surprised and turns around to see why Linkly stopped walking.
"Linkly?-... Why did you stopped walking?"
"She is still sitting in same place and begging for baked apples..."
Link raises an eyebrow and looks toward the direction, where Linkly is looking.
The sandy blonde haired hylian, stares at her for a while. Thinking it's a shame with people who is in a need to beg.
He was about to shrug and tell Linkly, they should go, when Linkly starts running away. Down through the stairs.
"I will help her!"
Link flinches and turns around, and jerks forward to follow him.
"Linkly wait! We don't have the time-..." he protests.
"TULIN?!" a female voice shouts from downstairs.

Since Linkly's mind was already set to help the woman, by getting apples and bake them, he keeps running down through the stairs.
While Link's ears twitch from the voice, and makes him to stop following Linkly.
"Tuuuliiiin-..." She keeps shouting, with a worried sound in her trembling voice.
Soon she comes around the corner, and Link could see, she was the same pink Rito they talked with, earlier.
It's Teba's wife.
The pink and white feathered Rito inhales deeply.
"TUUU-...Oh?!" She jolts, when she sees Link.
Link looks asking at her, and takes few steps down.
"Is something wrong?" He asks the rito who seems being on the verge of tears.
Saki swallows hardly and tries keeping the tears from falling.
She nods.
"Yes-..." The female Rito exhales.
"M-my son is missing... And I can't find him..."
Link gives a small nod.
"And you are sure, he isn't with a friend?"
The female Rito nods with worries in the eyes.
"I am sure... No way he would visit any friend now..."
Link raises an eyebrow.
"And how can you be sure about that?" He tilts the head and crosses the arms.
Saki sniffles.
" Because-... He has been waiting for his dad to get back home... My husband, Teba, is his hero... And Tulin has been eager, to be with his father today" she explains and looks down on the steps of the stairway.
Link narrows the eyes, thoughtfully, while Saki seems even more miserable. Afraid something could had happened with her son.
"... And-..." Link starts saying a slightly unsure how to ask her.
Saki flinches, and looks humming up at him.
The hylian shrugs, and untangled the arms.
"And this is the first time he has disappeared?... Or it has happened before?"
Saki shakes the head.
"No-... Tulin has never done anything like this before... This is the first time he is gone, without saying any word..." she answers.
Link nods.
"Alright-... Then I have one last question..." he tells her.
The rito looks asking at him. Looking more stressed, for each moment she hasn't found her son.
Link exhales smiling.
"Do you have anything who belongs Tulin? Like a pillow, or something who could have his scent on?"
The worried Rito, looks confused at him.
"His scent?"
Link grins.
"Yes-... I have a very good nose... If I can smell something with his scent on, I will find him" he explains, and knows how weird it sounds.
The rito is eyeing him for a short moment, a bit hesitantly, but also curious.
"Alright..." She agrees.
"You can ask my husband to give you, Tulin's blanket... Teba is home... And while you are doing that, I will try find my son in the meantime... Thanks for your help..." Saki adds, before walking upstairs, where she keeps shouting the name of her son.
"TUUULIIIIN?!-.... ARE YOU HERE?!'
Link was about to say something, but closes the mouth again, since she was already on her way.
Then he walks downstairs to find Teba. And hopefully their son...
***