Second Hand of the Chosen Hero

Chapter Twelve

Goddess, the surface was weird...

Tya had been reluctant to go with him mostly because of her ever suffering mental state. But the moment they leapt from their birds, there was a swell of excited anticipation that drove away a little bit of her tiredness. It was still present, as was the desire to go back to bed, but she was interested and there was no arguing it. Motivation was a difficult thing to find, but at least this seemed to keep her going.

For a second it did, anyway. That very minute sense of desire was dashed fairly quick when they landed to that horrid ear-piercing sound. She was irritable as fuck, but that didn't get its chance to show outside of bitching in the back of her head. Really, that was the other half of everything she did, so it wasn't news; bitch or worry.

Link had, on instinct, ripped his blade from its sheath upon hitting the ground. He had no idea where the sound was coming from, nor did Tya, and they also couldn't be sure that it wasn't prompted by seeing their landing. They were still and silent, awaiting an ambush that never came.

It was only the insult on their ears that continued. That didn't mean he put his guard down, but Link looked back at Tya, the girl who was grimacing and dusting herself off from a landing that was far less grateful than his own.

Upon noticing the attention he had on her, she froze, looking at him, then around at the woods. It took a moment for the meaning of The Look to really hit her, and when it did she tossed her sailcloth in place over her shoulder, wrapping one end through the other, and nodded to say they could move.

The sounds from the depths of the woods were familiar in their intention. It sounded almost exactly like the taunting they'd been doing toward the... What was he? He'd said 'Goron'. What in the clouds was a Goron? - It sounded exactly like the taunting they'd been doing toward Gorko.

Before she could wonder if he'd managed to get himself into another predicament, they came upon a break in the canopy. Light shined through to illuminate the spores on the breeze, as well as a... unique scene.

Tya had just started to wonder how these beings had gotten by this long when they were stupid enough to scream at bushes when the bush that held their attention let out another little terrified squeak. She was undeniably surprised to see the thing flinch, as anyone would be upon seeing a sentient bush. But that instinct to protect- the one that was, in her, generally dormant when it came to people- kicked in only mere seconds after hearing the squeal. It seemed to have been the same for Link. The moment everything registered he was in motion as well. Sword and shield drawn, he dove forward and skewered one of the pests. Its partner was far quicker than Tya would have anticipated it should be, but Link blocked a swing of its harshly made cleaver and slashed its forearm.

The screech that left it made her wince, but she only briefly faltered from her mission. She circled the fight, and just as the bush began to notice, crying something in regards to the fact that a green one had now joined the mix, it was made to squeal all over again by the fact that she swept it up.

Little hands flailed, trying to break free from her grasp as it shook and writhed, but she kept hold of it lest its terror run it right into the fray. She hushed it gently, though it did little good, and as she shuffled to the sidelines, Link thrust his blade through his foe's throat.

Somehow she preferred the choking sound of its death over the way it screamed. Both were bad.

Link shivered at the black blood coating the sword, and again, shook it to try and get some of it clean. It mattered little because just as they'd done before, the fallen enemies withered into a cloud of black smoke and their blood went with them.

The silence brought the slightest bit of calm from the plump little beast in Tya's arms. Its leaves were flattened against her chest, sticking up to brush against her face and causing her to tilt her head some. Both of its little hands set to her forearm, pressing with a bit of strength like it was still trying to escape.