Since it is the 1st of December and the Christmas season is underway I have decided to upload this little one-shot. I hope you enjoy it and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

Two Wolves

Long ago, the land of Hyrule was faced with a dire crisis. Throughout its history the kingdom had stood against many adversities, however in this particular case Hyrule was attacked by a force none could have ever dreamt of. Beings from a realm of shadow entered this world and invaded the kingdom without warning. Unprepared and overwhelmed, the army of Hyrule had no choice other than to submit. The shadow creatures wasted no time and plunged the once bright kingdom into darkness, its people locked in a waking nightmare. Only one was able to overcome the foul magic and fight the darkness back, the legendary hero chosen by the gods. Little by little, the hero cleansed the kingdom and restored it to its former glory. With light shining once again, the hero stormed the shadow creatures' stronghold and singlehandedly slew their leader with the mighty Sword of Evil's Bane. The evil beings were at last defeated and Hyrule returned to a time of peace.

Alas, no one expected what became of their beloved hero after his victory. Not long afterwards it was discovered that the hero had found love. To the people's great dismay, that love was found in none other than the true ruler of the shadow beings, their queen. Betrayal was felt by both sides as was anger and hate. Some tales tell that the hero claimed the shadow queen had helped him rescue Hyrule, however these accounts remain unconfirmed and viewed as no more than hearsay. The shadow beings rejected the hero, calling him conqueror and murderer. Refusing him as their new king, the shadow beings sent assassins to end his life. Not wanting to be divided, the hero and the queen sought refuge in Hyrule yet found none. The people saw the shadow queen as a monster and a witch, slamming their doors in the lovers' faces. Assailants from the darkness pursued the hero and queen even in the light, never relenting in their quest for blood. With nowhere else to turn, the queen used her magic to cast her and her hero's skins aside and replace them with the pelts of wolves. The new wolves escaped into the forest, venturing deeper than few dared to go. The hunters searched far and wide for many a year but the disgraced hero and queen were never seen again.

Trees and bushes flew by in a mottled flurry of browns and greens. Sunlight flickered through the thick canopy above, barely illuminating the surrounding woods. The tranquil silence was broken as a dark blur dashed across the root-riddled earth. Frightened by the disturbance, animals dove into the undergrowth and birds took to the skies. The source of their alarm, a wolf, paid them no mind.

'Just a little further,' Link thought to himself, his heart pounding hard and fast in his chest. 'Just a little further.'

Wind tore along his muzzle and through his thick grey fur. His paws ripped the soil up in small clumps as he ran, snapping twigs and rustling fallen leaves in his wake. Behind him, Link could hear similar noises as the creature chasing after him gradually grew closer. The wolf dared not look back in fear of stumbling.

'Almost to the clearing... It shouldn't be far now.'

The unmarked path twisted in front of him in an unruly fashion and the ground was terribly uneven. It required all of Link's attention to weave around the moss-covered trunks. Sometimes the trees grew so close together the space between them was too small to pass through. His pursuer was gaining ground, Link's sensitive ears told him. He resisted the urge to increase his speed and end up exhausting himself too soon.

Charging over the next hill, the wolf saw sunlight ahead shining brighter than anywhere else in the dense woods. Link's spirits lifted, the clearing was no further than fifty meters away now. He quickened his pace and finally satisfied that nagging instinct to run faster. The light crept closer and closer as triumph filled the wolf. But then disaster struck.

The ground suddenly gave way beneath Link's paws and he felt the weightless sensation of falling. The wolf landed heavily on sticks and leaves with a pained growl. Above him, the pursuing animal passed right by where Link fell, sprinting on ahead without stopping. When the wolf's head cleared from the unpleasant surprise, his heart sunk as a delighted cry filled the air.

"YES! I win!" whooped a feminine voice. Link let out an aggravated groan as his head dropped to his front paws. Shaking away his disappointment, the wolf glanced around him. Earthen walls surrounded him from all sides with the floor heavily littered with foliage. Overhead he saw a rough circle showing nothing but the treetops. Link mentally kicked himself, he had fallen into a pitfall trap.

He crouched onto his haunches and sprung off with his powerful hind legs. The wolf attempted to scramble up the side of the pit yet the rim was just out of his reach. Landing on all fours, Link backed up a few paces and made a running start before lunging again. He clawed at the pit wall hoping to find some purchase to no avail. Link fell to the floor on his back, having found no more success than his first try. He let out an irritated growl.

As he righted himself, Link heard something padding towards the hole. Looking up, his crystal blue eyes met two yellow ones with red irises that resembled setting suns. Those unusual eyes belonged to a she-wolf with a beautiful black and white coat. The she-wolf stared down at Link with unmasked amusement.

"What are you doing down there?" she asked him.

"I didn't fall in here on purpose," Link snarled up at the other wolf. She took no offense at the angry response and instead curled her lips up into a smirk.

"Awww, is the big bad wolf upset because he lost our little race?" the she-wolf teased, lying down on her belly as she continued to stare down at him. Link glared at her indignantly but made no reply. "Come on, Link. Hurry up and climb out of there."

The trapped wolf growled in annoyance. "Do you seriously think I would still be down here if I could? Help me out, Midna."

Midna barely managed to suppress a giggle. "I would," she said, flashing her fangs in a mischievous smile, "If you ask nicely."

Link resisted the urge to growl again. "Please Midna, help me get out of this pit," he grumbled.

The she-wolf contemplated the request for a few prolonged moments then smiled. "Ask nicer."

Link's frowned up at her and shook his head. "No. I'm not doing it. I already asked so just get me out of this bloody thing."

Mock disappointment shone in Midna's crimson eyes. "That's a shame. I guess if you don't have any manners then there's nothing I can do." She stood up and turned around slowly. "I better make myself scarce before the hunter who dug this hole gets back. Otherwise I'll get caught as well." Midna then started to walk away.

The snarl that came from Link echoed from the pit. "Alright, fine!" Midna returned to the edge and sat on her haunches, grinning at how easy it is to manipulate the male wolf.

After a few seconds of aggravated heavy breathing, Link tilted his head towards the ground at his paws. "Oh magnificent Midna," he muttered as loud as he felt he had to, "love of my life and queen of my heart. Your beauty can be compared to no other. Your eyes shine with a radiance that is beyond words and your shadowy pelt is softer than the finest velvet." Midna's muzzle moved silently in perfect sync with the words, the corners of her mouth twitching to the point where it was almost painful.

"Humans and animals alike look towards you in awe and envy. Queens and ladies desire you luxurious fur in hopes that it will make them more beautiful. Beasts great and small cower before your pearly-white fangs as they swiftly bring death closer. The goddesses above have graced you with a majesty that stands apart from all others. I am no more than a mangy mongrel in your presence without any right to bask in your glory as you allow me to. I humbly and pitifully request that your benevolent heart free me from this pit that I have so foolishly fallen into."

"There, was that so difficult?" Midna teased. Link gave her a glare more intense than any he had ever done before.

"Just get me out already," he snapped. His patience was at its limit.

Midna stood up again and padded off. "Okay, okay. Chill out. Give me a minute to figure something out. Don't go anywhere."

'Like I could,' he thought darkly.

Outside of the pit, Midna searched around her for anything she could use. Her gaze fell on a thick log little under a meter away. Upon closer inspection she found the wood to be hollow but reasonably sturdy. The she-wolf grasped a solid-looking branch with her jaws and began to pull it towards the trap. Despite the log being fairly heavy, Midna was able to drag it little by little across the ground. If she got a splinter in her mouth for this she would be sure to make Link pay for it.

After several minutes the end of the log finally hung over the hole. Seeing what the female was doing, Link moved himself to the side to avoid getting crushed. Midna released the branch and adjusted her position so that she could push the log the rest of the way. The effort required with great but eventually the fallen trunk teetered on the rim of the hole. With one last shove, Midna sent it over and into the pit. The log embedded itself in the bottom edge with the back end poking up outside over Midna's head.

Link tested his means of escape with a tentative paw. The bark was thinly covered in slippery moss but felt more or less stable. He hopped up on the log and managed to keep his balance without it rolling under him. Careful not to lose his footing, Link shuffled up at a snail's pace until he leaped forward near the top and landed right next to Midna. He turned to her with appreciation.

"Thanks," he said. Midna gave a pleased smile and nuzzled her mate affectionately. She was secretly glad he was not going to be made into a coat.

Link took a look at himself and realised with a frown how dirty he now was. As they searched for a river or lake where he could clean up, Link's thoughts circled around the hunter's trap. It had been a long time since he and Midna last encountered any humans. When they first took on their wolf forms those encounters were often and dangerous. Over time though as the stories of what became of them became little more than rumors, the sightings grew fewer with each passing month. Now their only experiences were chance run-ins with hunters. Typically they left each other alone so long as the wolves kept their distance but occasionally there was the daring soul who wanted a big catch. Those ones often returned home empty-handed and many times humiliated.

How long had it been since they gave up being human and twili? Link had almost lost track of the years with nothing to gauge time but the changing of the seasons. In the beginning they rarely dared transform again in case someone found out where they were hiding. Now they stayed as they were more because it felt stranger being humanoid. Of course, that did not stop them from occasionally transforming to enjoy the benefits of their true forms. One major downside to being animals was the inability to hold and kiss one another. Any attempts to prove otherwise were awkward and unsatisfying.

Link cast a glance at his mate. How he admired the grace and pride in which Midna walked even as a beast. Her dainty paws made barely any sound as she stepped with perfect poise. The way she moved almost made her seem to glide. He found himself fixated on her, and not for the first time. Midna watched him through the corner of her eye and smirked. She then said something quietly which Link was too distracted to hear.

"And three... two... one." Pain exploded in Link's head as he collided with something hard. Swearing, the wolf looked forward to find that he had drifted right in the trunk of an old pine tree. Midna laughed aloud beside him, barely managing to stay standing. Link threw her a filthy glare.

"You could have warned me, you know," he grumbled.

"Could've, should've, didn't want to," she giggled. "You ought to be paying more attention, Link. That's twice in less than an hour that you've ran into something you could have avoided."

Link gave an angry huff and quickened his pace, pulling away from her. He could still hear her stifled giggles, making him burn with embarrassment. Somehow he always managed to do something stupid in front of Midna, even back during the days when they walked on two legs, and every time she would laugh at him for it. To be fair, he loved her laugh but he wished he did not have to hear it at his expense.

A mix of scents and the sound of flowing water snapped him out of his thoughts. Through the trees Link could make out a line of blue and made a beeline towards the river. Before breaking away from the cover of the forest, Link crouched low to his stomach and honed his senses. Eyes scanned the scene for any potential threats while his nose and ears were on high alert for any strange sounds or smells. Birds chirped in the canopy without a care and several smaller animals could be seen drinking from the water. Satisfied that there was nothing out of the ordinary, Link crept out into the open while still aware of any sign of danger. Midna followed close behind, mimicking his cautious behaviour.

At the stream's edge, Link leaned forward and lapped up the water with his tongue. Once finished, he then padded into the river and allowed the current to wash away the dirt matting his fur. Midna quenched her own thirst as Link re-emerged clean and dripping wet. Link violently shook the water from his coat, sending a shower all around him that made his mate jump back with a yelp. He gave the she-wolf a cheeky grin as she shot him a fierce glare.

They were about to return to the trees when a scent caught Link's attention. He sniffed the air intently as his nose guided him upwind. At his paws, Link found a set of tracks in the mud. A herd of deer had passed through here recently, he realised. The footprints were still fresh and the mouth-watering smell was warm. Link beckoned Midna over and showed his discovery. The way she licked her lips told him that she was very pleased.

With Link taking point, the two wolves followed the trail, the thrill of the hunt charging them with vigour. In their time they feasted on many different kinds of prey, but no meat was richer and more rewarding than deer. To catch one required speed and skill, and precision was everything lest you risk your quarry getting away. It had taken the wolves much practice and patience to succeed in killing their first doe, Midna especially as she had been a novice in hunting and was yet to fully master her new lupine instincts.

After a while the wolves stopped running. Link saw the herd before any of them had seen him. A quick count told him there were about twenty or so grazing on long grass and shrubs. Link and Midna scanned the herd for suitable targets. Once they attacked, the deer would all flee meaning that there would be no second chance if their first targets escaped. It was far simpler to go after young or injured ones that could not run as fast.

Finding some, the wolves lowered themselves behind the undergrowth and proceeded towards their separate targets slowly and quietly. Link took each step with great care to avoid alerting the deer of his presence. It would not do to snap a fallen branch and ruin the ambush. He crept closer to a doe standing at the fringe of the herd. Barely a meter apart and divided only by a small bush, the herbivore showed no indication that it sensed any danger. Link stayed where he was, waiting just a little longer for Midna to get into position. His muscles tensed in anticipation as he readied himself to move at any moment.

The doe suddenly stood upright with its body gone rigid. Link followed the animal's beady black eyes to see another deer staring out into the woods, breathing low and heavily. The wolf's heart skipped a beat. Deer behaved like that when they sense a threat and try to warn the rest of the herd. This meant one thing; Midna had been spotted. Link burst into action, lunging out from cover at the distracted doe. His fangs snapped at the animal's throat, his mouth filled with the metallic taste of hot blood. Their momentum brought the deer down to the ground as the wolf's predatory instincts took over.

The resulting noise alerted the rest of the herd, which bolted away from the vicious killer as fast as their legs could carry them. Midna pounced from the bushes at her intended prey, her teeth missing by mere inches. She dashed after the young buck but it was faster than she had anticipated. By chance, one of the deer's hooves lashed out and struck the she-wolf in the side as it dived away from her next lunge. Midna was knocked back, winded and immobilised by pain. Link saw none of this however, since he was too focused on ending his victim's misery by snapping its neck with his jaws. The dying animal gave one last pitiful cry before it was silenced forever.

Link looked up and around for his next target but found the area empty. Shaking the savage fog from his mind, he returned his attention to his catch and was about to take a bite when he heard a pained groan. Link snapped his head towards the source of the sound and was alarmed to see Midna lying on the ground. He immediately ran to her as she struggled to pick herself up.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice an octave higher than he was intending.

Midna shook a bit before making the final push to stand straight. Her breathing was short and laboured. "I was almost ready to go when some stupid squirrels started fighting over a nut right next to where I was. Then that deer looked up and saw me."

"That's not what I meant," Link said with a shake of his head. "I was talking about how you got injured."

The she-wolf noticed the concern in her mate's eyes. "It's nothing to worry about," she reassured him. "I just got kicked in the side. I don't think anything's broken though."

Link did not seem appeased. "I'm fine. All I need is to eat and rest," Midna told him more firmly. She took a few small steps forward, wincing as her tender muscles screamed in protest against the movement. Link placed his side against hers to support her and guided the she-wolf to the deer carcass. A meter away from the body, Midna decided she could manage the rest of the way on her own, albeit slowly and painfully. Link turned to face her then lowered his head and raised his front paw in a bow.

"After you, my darling," he offered. Midna giggled inwardly at his gentleman act. She thought it was sweet of Link to let her feed off of his kill first. He often did kind things like this for her whether it was a gift of flowers, letting her have some of his food when meat was scarce, or bringing back a few extra hares when Midna felt unwell. The former twili felt blessed to be loved by someone as special as Link. He was the only thing that made this dirty and uncertain life in the wilderness worthwhile. She had sacrificed so much just to be with him; wealth, power, even a warm bed to sleep in. Despite it all, Midna had no regrets so long as she was with the hero she loved.

She leaned forward and sank her teeth into the doe's soft belly. Midna's stomach gave its appreciation as she filled it with fresh venison. When she had her fill, Midna stepped aside so that Link could take his turn. The former twili queen had long since grown accustomed to eating meat straight from the animal and watched her mate feast unperturbed. In her peripheral vision, Midna saw a family of foxes hiding in the shadows nearby waiting to scavenge the wolves' leftovers. She paid them little mind, there was more than enough meat for both her and Link and foxes had to eat too. They just had to wait in line for those higher up on the food chain. Midna then noticed a couple of pups keeping close to their mother and studied them with a mild interest.

By the time Link was done most of the choice parts of the carcass were gone, leaving the smaller internal organs and the legs untouched. Link had helped Midna walk no further than twenty feet away when the fox family dashed out from cover and began devouring the remains with fervour. All Midna wanted to do right then was find a nice safe place to lie down so her aching side could recover. Their den was fortunately not that far away, only being perhaps a ten minute run from where the wolves currently were.

Despite the relatively short distance, Midna's injury slowed them down considerably. Moving too quickly caused her great discomfort, meaning they could go no faster than a strolling pace. When the trees gave way to rocky terrain, the sun had already begun to set for the night. Soon all they had to go by was the moonlight with their sharp nocturnal vision, one of several advantages of being wolves. Both Midna and Link sighed in relief as they finally arrived at the cave that served as their home. The entrance was low and narrow although still large enough for them to pass through with ease. Inside, the tunnel went deeper into the outcropping where it led off to a couple of other entrances located elsewhere.

Midna lowered herself in front of the cave mouth, groaning as she took the strain off of her injury. Link padded up beside her and lied down on his stomach. He felt her press into him and with a warm smile he responded in kind. Together they gazed up at the stars as they did every night before retreating to the safety of their den. Out here, away from the dense forest canopy, the constellations shone radiantly against the black sky.

Stars were one of the greatest wonders in Midna's opinion. Where she came from, stars were unheard of as the sky of her world remained the eternal gold of twilight. She gazed around for her favourite constellations and took the luxury of drawing new ones with her mind. Midna saw two clumps of stars floating close together with two smaller clusters nearby. It was almost as though the clusters were a family with two children standing close to their parents. Suddenly her thoughts turned to the foxes from earlier and she felt an empty gap open up in her chest.

Midna climbed up on top of Link with her front half lying on his back, finding the new position to be far more comfortable. He did not complain and closed his eyes peacefully. Midna thought more about what could possibly be troubling her. If she had to describe it simply, she guessed that it was loneliness. But how could that be when she was with Link all the time? She could not imagine being apart from him so why would she still feel lonely? Was it that she wanted more than just his company? The more questions she asked, the more Midna understood what she was yearning for.

"Hey, Link," she started, feeling slightly awkward.

Link opened his eyes and turned his head back towards her. "Yeah, what's up? Is your wound hurting you?"

Midna shook her head. "No, that's not it. I was just thinking about something. You know back when we caught that deer earlier?"

"You mean when I caught that deer?" Link corrected her with a sly grin. "What about it?"

The she-wolf rolled her eyes but otherwise ignored her mate's contradiction. "While you were eating, I saw these foxes hiding in the bushes, two mates and their pups. It got me thinking... we've been out here for so long now but it's always been just us. Don't take it the wrong way, I love you and nothing will ever change that, but I feel like I need more than that."

Link frowned as he pondered her words. "You know that other packs don't take kindly to outsiders," he warned. "Remember that run-in we had a few months back?" They had been outnumbered three-to-one then and it was lucky for the couple that the encounter had not turned into a fight. There were a few snaps and growls but Link was able to resolve the conflict by turning away. It had cost him and Midna some territory but at least they were unharmed.

"That's not what I meant," Midna replied. "What I was really thinking was what if there were more than just us here? What if we started a family?"

Link's mind started when he registered what his mate was proposing. He began to think on the matter himself. What if they had pups of their own? Already Link could see a litter of smaller wolves running around the den, tumbling over each other as they played. He saw himself teaching the young ones how to hunt and survive. He saw them all sleeping in a huddled pile to keep warm during cold winter nights. Link saw all that and found that he wanted it too. It was a kind of longing that he never knew he had been feeling before.

"You know, that's not a bad idea," he finally answered with a soft smile. He looked to his mate. "Alright, if that's what you really want then I say we do it."

The glimmer in Midna's eyes filled Link with tremendous joy. She reached down and licked him on the muzzle. "I love you, Link."

"I love you too, Midna," he said.

There is an old legend telling of creatures that dwelt within the deepest woods. These creatures came in the form of wolves that could think and walk like men. Some believed that their bite corrupts the victim, turning them into wolf-men themselves. It is also claimed that few people see the creatures and return alive to confirm these tales. As such, no one knows for certain. It is said that if you venture out into the forest on the night when the moon is the fullest, you can hear the howls of these beasts as they roam freely through the darkness. Should you hear them, it is wisest to turn the other way else you shall fall to a fool's fate. The world is full of many mysteries and some are best to be left as such.