Wild Child (SidLink)

Differences (Chapter 9)

".......So what you're saying is that you've NEVER had a friend in your entire life?"
"Does my mom count?"
Scala rubbed her temples with her two index fingers.
"Just....Just how many winters are you exactly?" She asked wearily.
"23 winters, from birth to now-"
"Wait you were born a Wildling?! That's awesome! I wasn't a Wildling until uh......well I can't exactly remember my life before being a Wildling, but my mom says I was very tiny and was walked up to her - so I'd assume maybe at least 2 winters?" Namira piped in excitedly, catching Link off guard.
"I thought being born as a Wildling was normal....?" Link was starting to feel more like an outcast.
"Well uh....no not really.... b-but I have a theory on why we became Wildlings!" She got up and begin to dramatically exaggerate her movements.
"So me, Scala, and Ton all have similar beginning stories - when our parents found us it was right after something supposably traumatic happened. I say supposably because we don't actually remember our previous lives, and it's probably for the better." She placed a hand onto herself. "Mom told me she found me crying outside of a burning cottage, assumedly my home. She also said there were burnt corpses littered around and that I kept clinging on to her. I'm kinda glad I don't remember any of this......" She muttered the last part out sadly.
Namira then pointed at Scala, who had her head in her heads, shaking it from side to side.
"She says her parents found her at a village that was recently raided by bandits. She had been the only survivor. Apparently she was more angry than sad, but was no longer speaking in the Hyrulean's language - so that made it easier for her parents to calm her down. Plus her mom thought she was feisty and cute!"
She then hopped onto a tree stump and raised her hand high into the air.
"Then finally there's Ton! He's like REAAAALLLYYYY tall! Like SUPER tall! I swear being raised by a Moblin played a part in him being sooooo tall!" She jumped up to try demonstrate his exact height.
"He was fairly older than us, like 13 winters. Mon was 1 winters and Yon hadn't even been found or possibly been born yet! He wouldn't give much detail, but I think it involved a cult or something? Either way something really bad happened and he ended up becoming like us - memories were blocked and he was speaking our language. So I have a theory-" she jumped off the stumped, towering over Link.
"If everyone goes through, like, a terrible time or something, then the WHOLE world can be full of wildlings! Or perhaps we can just take in troubled children because that sounds a little better than forcefully causing harms to other- I dunno what do you think, Scala?" Namira whipped her head to an irritated Scala.
"Okay.....I know you get excited about your theories and all, BUT IN NO WAY WERE WE EVEN TALKING ABOUT TRAGIC BACKSTORIES AND ALL THAT PERSONAL BUSINESS. WE WERE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT FRIENDSHIP AND YOU HAD TO JUST BUTT IN WITH YOUR CONSPIRACIES!" Hissed Scala, rubbing her temples.
"B-But this is really important to me!!! I-I just want Wildlings to be able to live more freely and need any support I can get...." Namira was at the point of tears.
Scala sighed and walked over to ruffle Namira's hair.
"....There's a time and place for everything, kiddo." She cooed.
Scala then turned to Link with a perplexed look on her face.
"It just doesn't make any sense. How were you not able to make a single friend throughout your current life span?"
Link pondered at this. This all seemed normal to him, was he really that different?
"....I really-"
"Papa, I think I heard an animal!" All the wildlings froze, turning their heads to the source.
"Shhhh..... Don't make to much noise or else the monsters will hear us!"
"S-Sorry papa...."
"Damn.....hyruleans...." Scala took a deep breath.
"You guys stay here. I've got this." She then proceeded to march out towards the small group.
Link and Namira scurried to a bush to hide that was also within seeing range of where Scala was.
Scala was waving over towards the group, signaling them to come closer to her.
"Evening gentlemen! Are you in need of any assistance?" She spoke.
The man sighed in relief, realizing this wasn't some bandit trying to rob them. He stuck out his hand in order to shake hers. She accepted and shook it back.
"Y-Yes! Thank you! Me, my son, my daughter and my wife got separated. We were hoping to find a stable to reside in since the sun is setting and hopefully catch up to them later or even at the stable. Do you know where the nearest stable could be?" He asked while his son quivered from his head to his toes.
"Hmmmm." Scala thought to herself for a second. "I'm ssurprised you didn't see it while walking along the trail. It's that way, after all." She said while pointing the opposite direction of where the man and his son were standing. The man looked surprised but quickly grabbed his son and dashed off, yelling a distant "thank you!"
Scala walked back over to the group.
"That should keep him busy. Hopefully his wife and daughter aren't dead - but I mean if so then them's-the-breaks." Namira nodded along, completely used to whatever had just happened - but Link on the other hand...
"W-What in Ganon's name were those noises that you were making?!" He chirped confusedly.
Scala just gave him an odd look.
"Uhh....Hyrulean? The universal language?" She said as if it was obvious.
"I thought Hyrulean was just a race....????"
Scala gave him a pitying look.
"Oh my Ganon..... You poor naive thing...." She cooed sadly.