Ami worked hard to get her sister to wake up. But Kifan was dead asleep. "It's time to deliver the wood supply to the courtyard today young lady. We can't afford to be late again. It's giving us a bad reputation. "
Kifan groaned and rolled over, tugging the blanket off her body. "Stop treating me like your child." She demanded groggily.
"Good, you're up. Now get some decent cloths on and fix your hair. Be outside in ten minutes." Ami clearly ignored her younger sister's demand and left the room, and walked out of the house to hook the horse up to the wagon. Kifan pouted and attempted to tame her wild bedhead with her hands. The shoulder length dark brown hair was still a mess, but she didn't pay any more attention to it as she grabbed her scarf and rough textured cashmere sweater, throwing them on without putting on fresh clothes. She pulled on her boots and left the small house and walked over to her sister while stretching.
"Hurry up Kifan, we don't have all day." Ami demanded as Kifan strutted over.
"Yeah yeah I'm coming...." Kifan muttered as she climbed into the back of the wagon with the wood. Ami cracked the reins and the horse trotted off toward the center of Castle Town.
Kifan sat on one of the logs with absolute curiosity about her surroundings. She had lived here ever since she could remember, and there were still many places in this town that she hadn't explored yet. Just like the library. She heard there were secret doors inside, but she never found them. She was always kicked out for causing trouble before she could make it to the back of the room.
Now was her chance. Right as they entered the gates to the courtyard she hopped out of the wagon and turned the corner, waiting to hear her sister angrily call her name. Nothing. Ami hadn't noticed. Kifan made her way toward the library. She then looked for a way to get in from a different side of the small building, knowing she wouldn't be welcomed too warmly at the front.
Cerath sat where he usually did, outside of the library - seeing as the librarian had grown tired of him a few days ago, correcting him on his own facts. Nothing stopped the young man from doing what he enjoyed however, which was reading his books and carving his masks. He even managed to look rather blissful where he sat, turning the page of a thick book laying next to him on the tiny patch of grass while his other hand steadily held a dull looking dagger and a wooden plank. He was reading as well as carving. Dangerous? Perhaps, but he hadn't hurt himself yet.
Cerath was a intelligent young man who spent most of his time all alone. It was just him and his cat. Happy, who was laying in his lap, hissing at the shreds of wood that went flying every time the man carved something out. The cat seemed rather fed up but instead of leaving its owner it stayed put, trying its hardest to lull itself back to sleep with endless purring.
The young man whispered 'forgive me' under his breath as he continued, smiling softly at the wooden plank he held in his hand. This would be his fifteenth mask and he couldn't wait to paint it. He hoped, almost that it would be good enough to capture a lost spirit so he too could enjoy a story of old just like the hero once did. It was a strange wish, perhaps, but it was what made the day seem so short and the nights so long. Not that Cerath got much sleep. The blue bags beneath his eyes were proof of that. The man didn't get much rest.
The sun stood high in the sky, casting hot beams down on top of him. It was a pleasant day and he couldn't see anything to complain about, except perhaps the wind which decided to play with the pages in his book and made him read it all from the beginning for the third time that day. However, the man didn't seem to mind. He had after all little else to do.
It was then he noticed the young woman who seemed to try and sneak into the library. Lowering the dagger the man studied her silently before he said: "Excuse me? There's a way into the basement over here... Though the librarian probably locked it last time I tried."
Hearing the soft voice speaking to her, Kifan looked at the boy. Without saying anything, she gave him a smile of thanks and went over to the place he mentioned. She walked down the small steps to the door, and wiggled the knob to see if it was locked. It was, to her dismay. She huffed and then walked back up the stairs, giving her surroundings a look over before she went back down. She stood on her toes and felt the top of the doorframe for any kind of object she could use to unlock the door. Sure enough, the old rim was loose along the edge, and she broke off a jagged piece, that seemed to be sturdy enough and thin enough to poke through the keyhole. Kifan slipped one end inside and wiggled it around for a bit, until she heard a click.
A grin of joy graced her lips. She tossed aside the piece of wood and opened the door, causing it to squeak a little. She closed it as quietly as she could before looking around her. There were stairs leading up to the main floor of the library. She walked over, climbing the stairs. It was quiet, and when she reached the top, she hid behind a pillar and peeked around the edge to see if the librarian had seen her. She hadn't
Kifan quickly made it behind a tall bookshelf, and looked around. The walls were lined with books. She let out a huff again. "Now where do I look?" She asked herself as quietly as she could. Kifan silently walked over to the corner, where she gently removed some books off the bottom shelf. She crouched to look into the opening she made, only to be faced by a solid wall. A look of disappointment replaced her eager expression. "nothing here..." She muttered as she stood up, ready to search somewhere else.
The young man gazed over at her and watched her as she picked the lock. How curious. He never thought a young woman would have such a nasty habit. He then wondered why exactly someone wanted to break into a library. If the Librarian didn't want you there were certainly no reason to force your presence upon him, right? Yet it seemed like he was baffled and surprised enough to get up, leave his book, the mask and the cat on the tiny patch of grass and follow the young lady. Just to figure out what exactly she was up to.
Silently he walked behind her. He had this strange skill of always appearing unnoticed. It was an odd skill, something that he never thought much off but it always filled him with guilt when he managed to startle someone half to death by simply joining them and opening his mouth to speak.
The young girl seemed to be looking for something, he peered around wondering if it was a book of some sort. He then felt rather stupid, why would she go to a library looking for fruit or something else that isn't a book? He sighed, took a deep breath and said: "Excuse me, can I help you?"
Kifan squeaked and brought her hands to her mouth, and turning around to face him. Her eyes were wide. "You're going to get me caught!" She whispered loudly.
She heard the squeaky floorboards of the librarian as they got up and began walking in their drection. Kifan grabbed the boy's wrist and pulled him roughly along sid her as she attempted to escape. The door was so close, but when she opened it, a very angry Ami was standing there, looking down at her. "Kifan... You are in big trouble." Kifan let go of the stranger's wrist and Ami took a fistful of her sister's scarf before tugging her out of the library.
Kifan folded her arms and hid her face into her scarf to where her mouth was covered. She glanced back at the open door of the library at the strange boy. A sigh left her lips before she turned back around to follow her sister.
"You have got to stop running off like this!" Ami hissed. "It's dangerous and it won't get you anywhere in life."
"Neither will delivering wood..." Kifan muttered. Ami pulled Kifan's ear and bent down to speak sternly to the girl.
"It gets us money, so I can take care of you, Kifan. Father left you in my hands so that you could be looked after and raised." Ami had bitterness in her voice.
'I can take care of myself...' Kifan thought as she looked to the side to avoid her sister's eyes.
Just around the corner, the corner which the girl seemed to be turning was a big fluffy dog. However, this dog wasn't at all happy to see whatever it was barking and growling at. The dog was angry and jumping from side to side as if it was going to attack whatever it was, hiding in the corner and making a strange low trumpet noise. It was a creature that hadn't been seen in Hyrule for many, many years. Something tiny and wood-like, with big shoes and big gloves. It looked a bit like a trumpet, the way its nose and mouth were shaped, gaping towards the dog. The eyes were glowing and orange with the little creature didn't look very threatening, however, the Dog didn't seem to like it much, if at all.
It was clearly a Deku Sprout, a tiny creature who was probably not taller than up to an adult Hylian's knee. It was hard to know as to why the creature were in the great capital to begin with. A Deku Sprout was often seen in the woods, or it used to be, before they suddenly vanished. No one knew why or to where. The tiny creature had ended up in Castle Town by mistake, he had been looking for special seeds, gotten lost and then curiosity had gotten the better of him. Unfortunately, the dog wasn't his only problem. The guards would probably capture him and then death would be his safest bet, if not sent to a research lab within the castle.
Ami sighed. "Kifan, listen." She let go of her sister and placed her hands on her shoulders before continuing. "You're a great kid. You're intelligent, and probably one of the sweetest people I know. And I know you could probably make it by without me, but I'm here for a reason. You're not old enough to be on your own yet.
Kifan shook Ami's hands away. "That's what you think."
Ami sighed. "Just be at the gate in an hour. And don't cause any trouble."
Kifan folded her arms and looked away. "Fine." Ami ruffled her hair and walked off. Kifan's hands fell back down to her sides as a dog began barking very loudly.
She turned around and saw it jumping from side to side as it seemed to be occupied with something. Kifan picked up a rock and threw it at the dog, making it land just beside the animal with a good thud.
The dog became startled and ran away. "What's his deal?" Kifan asked herself as she saw the dog run into the street and into an alley. She turned back and her eyes fell upon gaping holes that seemed to have an orange glow.
Puzzled, she shook her head and looked at the creature again. Slowly, Kifan inched forward, plopping onto the ground in front of it. Her confused expression became more apparent. "I thought... They were all gone..."
The little scrub shouted out in surprise when the dog suddenly ran off. It had been chasing him for a good twenty minutes now and it was a terrifying sight. Dogs were always the most aggressive. What took its place however wasn't something better. The Deku pressed himself backwards against the stone wall behind him. Staring with scared big eyes at her. He had used all his deku nuts on the dog! He had nothing to protect himself with and the female seemed to have one mean throwing arm.
What surprised the Sprout the most however was that she didn't seem to interested in hurting him, in fact she seemed just as interested in him as he was in her. Perhaps she wasn't going to be vicious like a dog? He slowly and carefully moved off the wall behind him, still standing on top of the box which caused him to be just a tiny bit taller than her at this point in time, seeing as she was kneeling down. He moved closer, moving from side to side as if checking her out from every angle before he carefully and shyly moved backwards again.
He reached out his hand for her, like a grateful gesture, nervously. What language did these being speak? He hadn't seen them in so long. He recalled something, a word or two which made sense and with a small voice, that still sounded like a low blowing trumpet he said: "Thank you". He then quickly jumped off the crate and hurried to look around where he was standing. He needed to find his way back to the Lost Woods, his tribe was probably going to exile him by just being here! He quickly turned back towards her and this time he was holding a tiny flower with only four petals towards her, as a thank you gift. She had saved his life after all. It was awfully nice of her.
It was then his stomach, which seemed to be made out of compact wood started to make a horrible noise, a noise that clearly meant that he was hungry and it caught him so much of guard that it threw him off his feet and he ended up sitting on a patch of grass with a worried look on his face. How would he get all the way home, when he was lost and hungry? It wasn't good, it wasn't good at all.
Kifan's eyebrows knitted in confusion and pity. "Are you okay little guy?" She asked. He didn't seem to be any trouble, but he did seem tired and hungry. What was he even doing in this place? He clearly didn't belong here. kifan crawled over on her hands and knees and sat back again. His wood-like middle kept grumbling fiercely. She looked around. No one seemed to notice them. She looked back at the scrub. "Hungry?" She asked. She wasn't sure if it knew exactly what she was saying, or if it just knew the words 'thank you'.
She took a moment to decide. He seemed helpless and he clearly couldn't defend himself. Kifan made an awkward 'eck' noise before sighing and taking off her scarf. "Here... i'll help you out." She inched closer and wrapped the thick purplish fabric around the scrub. She stood up and picked him up. He was pretty heavy, but small enough for her to carry. Not really knowing what to do, she began carrying him around, adjusting the scarf around him to where only his gaping eyes were showing.
Maybe if she managed to hide him in the wagon when she met Ami at the gate, then she could possibly take him home with her to give him something to eat. But if Ami saw him, goddess knows what will happen.
The Deku frowned slightly, not that it was possible, he couldn't really make a expression with his carved face but his eyes managed to convey a great amount of emotion without facial muscles. What was she doing? "What are you doing?" He asked, as kindly as he could with his trumpet mouth and nose. He looked around, fairly confused as to why she didn't only pull a piece of cloth around him but she also picked him up. He just had to hope that she wasn't going to kidnap him or use him as furniture. His tribe always talked about the evil Hylian's and their home decorations. He shivered heavily.
The girl seemed nice enough though, she said she would help him which she had already done. Maybe she knew the way to the lost Woods? He looked up at her as she continued to carry him, hoping that his lack of movement would make it easier of a task. "Do you know how I could get to the Lost Woods from here?" He spoke with a low voice which again seemed rather strange, that he managed that was. With a mouth that big and always shaped like a trumpet it sure had to be a difficult task.
A bit startled that the scrub could say other things, Kifan flinched but managed to keep from dropping him. "I've never been outside of Castle Town..." She said awkwardly, quickening her pace. She could feel people watching her as she carried a mysterious bundle. The gates were close. "I'm going to feed you something." She said. "Just please try not to make any noise right now.'' She approached the hates and quickly ran over to the wagon. Ami was on one side of it, talking to a castle worker. Quietly, Kifan stood on her toes and put the deku shrub behind Ami's took box.
'Now stay quiet." She whispered softly as she began to unwrap her scarf from his body. Ami turned around and Kifan stood straight up.
"You're early." She said, raising an eyebrow. "Are you ready to go?" Kifan nodded, and Ami shrugged.
"Alright, get in the wagon." Ami walked over to the horse and mounted it. Kifan climbed into the cart and looked at the scrub. She felt a pang of guilt when she looked into those glowing eyes. Why? She didn't know. She reached out a hand and patted his wooden head. The wagon started moving. She wrapped the scarf back around her neck and leaned back on her hands as Ami drove the horse in the direction of their house.
The scrub looked around confused. She had never left town... That was indeed a problem, not a problem that he could do something about, he supposed. He could always ask her to come with him? Not that his tribe would like to have a Hylian around, they didn't really trust them. He sighed slightly but perked up when she mentioned food. She was nice enough. She then asked him to stay quiet he carefully agreed without saying a word and peered from beneath the cloth at the other girl then now approached.
Were they sibling? He couldn't tell the difference between them. His eye began to sparkle in a weird way. It was adorable. He had never seen siblings before. His tribe were all born from tree saplings, they had no relation except that very tree and that tree wasn't very talkative. After all, it was dead now. Of course, scrubs like himself would create a tiny fruit seed themselves and burry it to create a child but he had never seen it happen.
Kifan laid back looking at the sky as they moved. What was she thinking? What in the world was she going to do with a deku scrub? When they arrived at the small house, Kifan sat up. "I'll be chopping more wood." Ami said. "Would you mind unhitching Ginkgo?" The horse neighed at the sound of his name. Kifan sighed and nodded as Ami walked to the back of the house while pulling on her gloves. Kifan hopped out of the wagon and she reached in to take the scrub out. She set him on the ground.
"Follow me. I'll get you some food after I let Ginkgo run around for a while. Kifan undid Ginkgo's straps and the horse happily nuzzled her face before trotting off into the field that lied just beyond the fence. A shiver went down Kifan's spine. She had never crossed that fence in her life... She could only imagine what lurked out in that vast plain of grass.
She knew there were evils out there, but Ami didn't speak of them much, only when she'd talk about the trip she took with father and mother before Kifan was born. Kifan shook her head at the thoughts. "Okay, time to feed you." She said.
The Deku hurried after, as quick as his small legs could manage, anyhow. Perhaps it was for the best to continue staying quiet, however when the girl mentioned that she was going to try and feed him later the scrub had little else to do but to fold his arms. "That sounds a bit condescending, I can eat myself you know." She probably meant no harm but he couldn't be too sure about Hylians, he didn't understand them too well. He didn't trust the horse either, staying as far away from it as he possibly could and at the same time attempting to be as close to the girl as he possibly could. It had been a trying day.
"Do you have any fruit or veggies?" He could eat meat too. Soup was his favorite but meat was hard to come by where he lived. He assumed that asking for something like meat would be like asking for a sword. It would be insulting and rude, at the same time. Both being traits he didn't much enjoy nor cared about. He wanted to be kind to the young lady. "What's your name?" Hylians had names, didn't they? He wasn't too sure, to be honest. Feeling slightly stupid the scrub started to kick some dirt with his large boot, both hands on his back. He'd look like a right fool if she indeed didn't have one.
"I'm Kifan." She knelt down and patted his head. She stood up again. "Yeah. I think I might have some apples inside. Come on, I'll get them down for you." She motioned for him to follow as she began walking toward the tiny house. She felt bad that this scrub was so far from home. She assumed he had just wandered here by accident. She looked down at him and gave a small smile. Maybe she could help him get home. But that would mean... leaving the safety of her property.
She opened the door and looked around and then walked in, waiting for him to enter before she closed the door. She walked over to a cupboard and stood on her toes to reach the handles. She pulled it open and got out a bag of apples and set them on the high table. Kifan looked down at the scrub before picking him up and putting him on the table. "Help yourself. If you need water, you can come with me to the well to get some."
The scrub hurried after her, happy that she indeed did have a name. He would have felt awfully foolish if she didn't and he couldn't say that he enjoyed sounding stupid. He entered the house and looked around. The size of the inside was nothing in comparison to the Deku Castle but the furniture took him by surprise. He wasn't taller than a Hylian child after all and he was used to things being designed for someone his size and not for someone a lot bigger than he ever would be.
The Scrub looked upon the apples and grabbed one carefully, he didn't wish to look greedy but he couldn't help but feel as if his hunger would prove otherwise. He hadn't eaten in days! A scrub could live on only water for months, but some food was always nice and it made him feel a lot healthier too. He finished the apple in three big bites, that usually was what happened with a big mouth such as his.
"I'll come." He said happily and grabbed two more apples before running after her, happily.
Kifan smile down at him and grabbed the bucket, opening the door. She waited for him to walk out before she closed the door behind her. She swung the bucket by her side as the walked toward some small rolling hills. There was a well there, and the stone was mossy, and the wood around it seemed to have been falling apart due to age. "So, you're lost?" She asked, as she took off her scarf and tied a knot around the bucket handle with it. Then she lowered the bucket down the well with her scarf. She filled the bucket and started to pull it up. When the bucket was out of the well, she sat down on the grass and began untying the knot. "do you know how far you are from home?"