The Legend of Zelda- Ocarina of Time

Lost in the Woods

Chapter 14

Lost in the Woods

"Here you go. That should go nicely with your costume," said the owner of Kakariko's Ajith Emporium, the village tailor, as he presented Link with a new hat.

It looked almost identical to Link's old one, except it was longer. He had missed his old hat, feeling incomplete without it. Navi hadn't shared his sentiment, and, tiring of his moping, she had led him to the village tailor to buy a new one. The tailor seemed perplexed at the unusual order until Navi said it was for a costume for the Festival of the Goddesses.

"You look like a forest child now," the man remarked as Link put on his hat. "If that's what they wear. All anyone's seen of them is plays and puppet shows. Where are you from anyway, boy?"

"Lon Lon," Link answered.

Navi had told him to pretend he was a Hylian child, so he didn't say that he was, in fact, a Kokiri.

Link thought his new garb made him look a little odd. Still wearing in his green tunic, a pair of green leggings now hid the scar on his leg. His boots, purchased from the cobbler's shop, looked shinier than his road-battered pair, which had been badly scorched.

Finishing his business with the tailor, for which he still had Impa's letter of credit, Link left the shop. Navi waited just outside the door, keeping underneath the awning to shelter from the rain.

"Finally," she exclaimed when she saw him. "Happy now?"

"Yeah," Link affirmed, beaming.

"Good. Honestly, I can't believe you're so attached to that hat," Navi muttered, flying underneath his hat. "We should wait for the rain to stop before we head out. Elisia won't mind if we're a little late."

Link disregarded this advice. It would be warm and dry inside the inn, and his stomach grumbled at the thought of food.

He stepped out from beneath the awning and into the muddy street.

"Ugh, fine. Don't blame me when you're drenched," Navi muttered.

Soon, the icy droplets were soaking through Link's tunic. Eager for the inn's comforting warmth, Link tried to hurry, but his injured leg betrayed him, throbbing with each step. It was hard to distract himself from the pain, especially knowing he would soon leave for Zora's Domain. Link wasn't even sure he could fight well if he needed to, which would make him easy prey for hungry Wolfos. He stared off to the side of the road, looking for somewhere a Wolfos might hide, gripped by the cruel torment of unwanted memories. A wolf, or perhaps a Gerudo, waiting in the shadows, waiting to drag him away.

He stepped faster, still looking for somewhere where a hidden danger might lurk.

"Link, watch out!" Navi cried out.

The ground vibrated, the rhythmic clopping of hooves rising above the pattering rain. Link jerked his head back to the road to see a tall horse stomping towards him. The driver yelled obscenities at him—the kind Ingo liked to use while chasing runaway chickens.

"Move!" the hulking figure of a man bellowed. "Get out of the way, you damned kid!"

Link jumped, slipping in the mud as pain flared down his injured leg. Before he knew it, the wagon was rumbling past, and the driver looked down at the mud-splattered child. Link clambered to his feet, looking to see if Navi was okay. Luckily, she had seen the danger and flown out of Link's pocket, yelling several unfriendly insults back at the driver.

A red-haired woman, whom Link recognised from the inn, asked him if he was alright, but Link brushed aside her concerned questions. Then the noon bell rang, giving Link more reason to hurry.