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First Encounter

[1] Wolf of Twilight

Hyrule Castle Town. The brightest and most populous settlement in all of Hyrule. Filled with vendors attempting to weasel their way into the pockets of unfortunate travelers; children milling around, laughing, crying - all in all - just having fun. Castle town is magnificent yet, it is also as magnificent as it is hollow; an oxymoron in the plane of existence.

As brilliant as the settlement, one can only have so much joy when a sphere of darkness covers the heart of the town. Weeks prior, a barrier closed off the entire Hyrule Castle, prompting mass panic to the citizens of the area. Troops were sent off left and right to venture into the castle, and while they were able to make it back alive, they weren't returned in the best of shape. 

Instead, it took a number of days before people calmed down and resumed their regular lives. It made no sense to keep sending soldiers in, only for them to return battered. So they placed themselves around town square, designating their position to keep citizens out, and whatever creature was in the castle, in. 

The world went on as if nothing happened, while the power of darkness and malice continues to circle around the castle.

Dark, distasteful, and unsettling familiar.

The matters of Hylians were never something she wants to involve herself with anyways.

She ducks and fixes the hood of her cloak, ensuring that her face is covered in the midst of all the townsmen.  It was never in her plan to visit castle town. The magic in the air definitely dampens her mood, and makes her both unease and wary. If she had no orders commissioned, she would rather run far away from here.

Separating from the main path, she heads towards the south road. She wonders, perhaps she should ban her services from castle town. No, it wouldn't work out. After all, castle town is a popular tourist spot, travelers and swordsmen alike visit this area often. Losing her services here would put her back in a huge amount of rupees. Not to mention that Telma is one of her best customers, despite the hardships of being here, it is always a delight to see Telma again.

The sounds of clinking and rustling brings her back to focus. It sounds terribly similar to metal hitting pavement in her ears. She moves closer to the noise and recognizes -

A wolf?

She looks closely, to realize that it wasn't just an ordinary wolf.

It was drenched in the essence of Twilight.

That can't be good.

"Are you perhaps lost?"

The wolf startles and turns, growling at her with sharp canine teeth in full display. 

Well, that's just ill-mannered. 

She raises her brows, unimpressed. She doesn't make a move, nor is she fazed by the act of intimidation.

"Honestly, if I were out to attack you, I wouldn't have called out to you." She huffs, meeting the eyes of the wolf, who slowly lowers its stance once it notices that she doesn't exhibit any hostility. "Although, I wouldn't be surprised if someone had. With everything that's happened, you should be more careful of being seen. Most of the people here are...less accepting."

The wolf barks at that, head nodding up and down.

She laughs at the sight. How absolutely adorable.

"It would also do you no good if people realize that you're no ordinary wolf either."

She moves closer to the wolf, and taps it on the snout.

"Those eyes of yours speak intelligence, far too much for any animal."

The wolf blinks, surprised at the gesture and the sudden closure. It shakes its head, runs in a circle before settling down at a spot, only to bark at her once more.

Honestly, for a creature that was snarling at her moments ago. It seems as if it's transformed into more of a puppy now. A dangerous puppy that could still potentially rip her throat out, teeth sharp like a knife, paws soaked with the essence of twilight. Her mind reminds her.

For what she had expected to come out of this day, it certainly wasn't this. 

How captivating, but also troubling to an extent.  

"I believe I must be going now, I have matters to attend. Nevertheless, it was a pleasure meeting you." She smiles at the beast, giving its head a pat. 

She continues on her way. Her step makes noises as she walks on the pavement. However, when it was obvious that it isn't only her steps that are resounding, she comes to a halt.

"Are you perhaps planning on following me, Wolf?"

At the mention of its name, the wolf runs and bounds at her side. A soft nuzzling where it meets at her waist, before it starts walking ahead of you. Puzzled, and amused, she watches when it notices that she wasn't following, and proceeds to look back with a tilt of its head, before yapping at you.

"I see, well then, I'd be nice to have a companion for the short trip."

Looking back at it, perhaps it was obvious, for the wolf and the Hero to be one and the same.

But, for now she remains clueless.