From October 24th to the 31st, monsters will rise again, and long forgotten heroes will awaken from their slumber. Ghosts linger in unexpected places, hear their words.
PROMPTS
Day 1 (24/10):
Revali's Landing // Ancient Armor // Cursed
"When I finally had it... I could sense the doom of a dark omen brewing."
Day 2 (25/10):
Lost Woods // Gossip Stones // Fae
"The thousand years of raindrops summoned by my song are my tears. The thunder that strikes the earth is my anger."
Day 3 (26/10):
Thyphlo Ruins // Lens of Truth // Lycanthropy
"The history of light and shadow will be written in blood."
Day 4 (27/10):
Hyrule Castle // Great Eagle Bow // Ghosts
"Now no time remains... and time is not eternal."
Day 5 (28/10):
Temple of Time // Champion's Tunic // Undead
"There are some things in life that you can't change no matter how hard you try…"
Day 6 (29/10):
Spring of Wisdom // Sheikah Slate // Malice
"I wonder... The face under the mask... Is that... your true face?"
Day 7 (30/10):
Shrine of Resurrection // Majora's Mask // Mimic/Doppelganger
"I grant to you a soldier who has no heart. One who will not falter in the darkness."
Day 8 (31/10):
Free day
RULES
1. All works must be centered around Revalink. Other characters and pairings may appear as long as Revali and Link remain the focus.
2. Remember to tag your work with #revalinkhalloween2021. I will be checking the tags to find you, so be patient. If it’s been awhile and I have yet to reblog your work, do let me know. And if your submission isn’t showing up in the tags, don’t be afraid to tag the blog or send an ask redirecting me to your post.
3. You may mix prompts from the same or different days. As long as you're using one of the prompts provided, you're good to go.
4. Any medium is allowed! Fanfic, fanart, edits/graphics, poems, translations… You name it.
5. If your submission includes someone else’s artwork (graphics, translations, videos etc), you must have permission to use the artwork and include credit in your post. Submissions with any kind of plagiarism will not be reblogged.
6. Horror is highly encouraged! However, provide trigger warnings and use read mores where you can. I will also add trigger warnings as seen necessary. If anyone needs a particular trigger warning tag, please let me know so I can watch out for it!
7. NSFW content is not allowed. This goes for both smut and graphic gore.
8. Disturbing content (pedophilia, incest, rape) will not be reblogged.
9. Works will be reblogged for the entire duration of the event, even if you're late for a certain day. After the event is over, I'll still reblog content to the blog for the next two weeks for any late entries!
This is my "I'm taking your canon and messing with it" to Nintendo SIMPLY for the Gossip Stones. My gossip stones are based off of the Skyward Sword ones.
CWs FOR BELOW THE CUT: Mentions of death, description of how death occured as well as a slight panic attack. I tried to keep it as non-graphic as I could while still making sure I hurt them
------
There was silence between the Hylian and the Rito that were walking side by side, although the air wasn't heavy like one would expect. It was calm, serene, welcoming. The two were calm about the trip and what was to come of it. Just a simple trip to visit the Great Deku Tree, to get information on the sword that seals the darkness. The two sets of feet stopped at the entrance of the forest, the swirls of the air and the blue lights trying to lure them in.
“Are you sure you wanna come with me?” Link asked, looking up at the Rito standing next to him. The blonde tilted his head as he waited for a response, a habit that they picked up from the Zora children. Revali couldn't help but chuckle as he looked over at Link, rolling his eyes before responding, “Of course. Someone has to make sure the legendary hero comes back alive.”
Revali was very sure they weren't gonna make it out alive. For a Rito, the forest felt like it was closing him on him at every second. He could hardly see the sky, which made him feel small, insignificant. His feathers were on edge, even as calloused Hylian hands grabbed one of his feathered, you could call them fingers, as if sensing the uneasiness of his Rito. Revali wasn't meant to be here. This forest wasn't his. It didn't want him.
Link would never admit they were lost, not to Revali. Revali liked to be right, and as much as Link loved (although also loathed at times) watching Revali's face light up when he was right, now was not the time for it. The torches that once guided him through the forest were gone and the sparks that came from the one in their hand weren't going in any particular direction. One hand had a torch and the other, a grasp on the Rito. Link glanced over, checking the bandage that was on the Rito's waist. Revali hated it, but Link didn't want it getting infected. To each their own.
The forest welcomed Link, even if it was misguiding them. The forest has always been a home for Link, the way that the trees loom over and create shelter from the rain and the conditions of all the people outside. It was the way that the breezes seemed to come at the right time and the way that the resources were all there when he got lost that one time when they were young and landed in the forest by chance. The forest calls to Link, it wants him here.
“So, you got us loss, didn't you, hero?” were the first words out of Revali's mouth as the two of them came to a stop in a clearing that was very obviously not the Great Deku Tree. Granted, it was different than the rest of the forest. The fog was higher off the ground than the rest, and there were green leaves all about, ones that actually looked alive compared to the rest of the forest. It was a little bit scary in a way, even to the Hylian who had expanded their grip from one feather finger to the whole wing. The hero in question, although reluctant, took away their hand, putting out the flame of their torch.
“Lost is one word for it,” came the response as a sheepish smile came upon their face. Revali rolled his eyes, scoffing as well. Link was indeed one of the smartest people he knew, but sometimes the hero was a bit in the clouds.
“I guess I can see if I can get my gale to scope out where we are, although I can't promise that-” Revali was halfway through his speech when the ground in the middle of the clearing started to rumble and rocks and dirt started to shake, causing the two to look at each other and move in opposite directions, waiting to see what would come out of it.
And out popped, a stone. Well, a form of a stone. In the stone was an engraved Sheikah symbol, while it's eye glowed a purple hue and the the designs on it also glowed, although it was a bit more faint. The two looked at each other and then the stone, one curious and one absolutely about to lose his shit.
Link opened his mouth to speak when the stone, the stone of all things, beat him to it, “I could show you glimpses of the future.”
“No you can't.”
Link looked at Revali, eyes wide in response to what the Rito said. Revali stood with his beak very tightly shut and his wings crossed. He had been on edge this whole trip and now this was the icing on the cake. This was supposed to be a peaceful trip, but now this was pushing it. Pushing everything that Revali believed in and the limits of what he was willing to go through as a champion.
“How about you sit down, and let me show you?” the voice that came from the stone was very much not that of a living creature. It was graggly and gruff, it hurt the ears yet lurned you in because it was so hard to understand. Link carefully let their hand grab Revali's shoulder, shaking their head, “it's not worth it to get yourself worked up, Revali.” Link's whispers were comforting, but Revali was stubborn, and a warrior, and a Rito. He could handle this.
So he sat, pulling away from Link's grasp and sitting criss-cross in front of the stone with the horns that threw Link for a loop everytime they looked at them. Link didn't know what to expect, and neither did Revali.
“Let us begin.”
He saw Vah Medoh, more importantly he was on Vah Medoh. It was a different sight however, it was like he was looking upon himself. Himself in a situation that he was scared of. That made him sick to his stomach. He saw him, but he was dead. Or might as well have been. Revali took what felt like a step and suddenly the whole scene changed, showing a monster covered in malice calling upon little air cannons and shooting at him. His wings were burnt, and he looked, dead. Especially as the little canons opened up their fronts and light could be seen at the end. Suddenly Revali was cold but warm at the same time, his head pounding.
Then it wasn't him, oh no. No no, it was a field in Hateno, Guardians all around. They weren't the Guardian Revali knew, no, these ones were purple and pink and shooting laser beams everywhere. The Rito turned around to the muffled sounds of crying, only to see Link get hit. Which wasn't right, right? Link wasn't supposed to get hurt, he wasn't supposed to get hurt. The stone is lying, even as Zelda defeats the Guardian, Revali can't breathe because the idea of dying scares him but the idea of losing Link scares him more. His vision blurs, and he's not sure if it's from tears or his worries.
Link was terrified. All they could do was watch as Revali sat there, his face changing every now and again from confusion, to anger, to fear. Then he was shaking, his eyes glossed over and the stone shrinking back into the earth. The fight or flight response kicked in and Link softly wrappd his arms around Revali, sliding down besides him and pulling him into his chest. The shaking kept coming, and soon, Link felt the tunic he was wearing start to get wet. It getting wet meant one thing, and Link looked down only to have their worries confirmed. There in their arms lay a quietly sobbing Rito who looked like he had been through hell and back.
“I don't wanna talk about it.” Revali's voice was broken, and even though he normally would be rejecting this attention and affection (even in their ever improving yet complicated relationship) there was no energy to do so.
A calloused hand softly ran through Revali's head feathers, nodding.
“You don't have to. You just calm down and then we'll leave.”
I hope everyone had a good Halloween!! Thank you everyone who participated in the event, I'm so honored to see your works 🖤 I had a lot fun with this and you guys are the reason why.
Now, for any late entries. Reminder that I'll still be reblogging your pieces up until 2 weeks from now. If you didn't have the chance to post during the week, don't worry, there's still some time for you to participate.
At the end, as the run rose in the horizon, Link opened his eyes to a world bathed in warm light. The dripping blood, the watching red moon, the carnage... All of it was a distant memory now.
Quietly, someone whispered to him, May we meet again. A blue feather, stuck to Link's hair, fluttered and fell away in the wind.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Link/Revali (Legend of Zelda)
Characters: Link (Legend of Zelda), Revali (Legend of Zelda), Other(s)
Additional Tags: i promise the revalink is there just keep readin LDHBFHJLB, Horror, some body horror ig?, Blood and Injury, Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Fluff, Yes I know, Minor Character Death, but it’s bozai so i dont think yall care
Summary:
They say there’s little to fear on a camping trip in Deya Forest. A bear, maybe. Some bees, even. Plenty of people go year-round and stay all night without issue.
What they do not consider is the possibility of a migrating danger.
Perhaps they should.
–
written for the @revalinkexchange and Halloween in general!
feat. concept art Revali :D I might continue this with tomorrow's prompt because it feels more like a "to be continued" than a one-shot, but we'll see? Also, I've had the idea for a story where Link encounters the Champions as wandering spirits King Rhoam-style for a while, but I also know somebody made a post somewhat recently with the same sort of idea? If anyone happens to know who that was so I could credit them I'd appreciate it, because I can't find it anywhere T-T
—
It was an old Sheikah relic, Impa had explained as she gave it to Link, passed down through uncounted generations. Used by ancient heroes in journeys past, the Lens of Truth pierced through deception and lies to show that which was hidden—to reveal the ultimate truth in its unblinking eye.
…Or something like that. Link took his legends with a dose of skepticism these days, all too aware of how even one hundred years could shift a story sideways. Still, he'd thanked Impa for the gift, and discovered a few good ways to use it. Taluses were made obvious at a distance now, and those treasure-headed Octoroks never got the jump on him anymore. Most importantly, Link could identify Yiga with it at a glance, and that alone made it more than worth the space it took up in his pockets. Now, instead of reacting warily to each lone traveler he met on the road, he could reach for his hidden hand glass, looking through surreptitiously to see if all was as it seemed.
Of course, the Yiga only ever tried to pass as Hylians, which meant that when Link first came across the strange Rito playing violin by moonlight, the Lens of Truth never even crossed his mind.
Link heard him before he saw him, though the lantern hanging from a pole at his belt marked him against the night soon enough. Pale gray feathers stuck out in tufts above a wide-brimmed hat, fading to dusky charcoal where the tips of his wings held both bow and violin, with a thick, woven poncho hiding everything in between.
The melancholy music tugged Link forward as surely as Kass's cheerful accordion ever had, until he stood before the stranger. The brim of his hat pulled low masked the Rito's expression, but the bow paused against the strings as Link approached.
"It's a bit late for traveling, don't you think?" he asked, raising his head enough for Link to make out one green eye. "Old bones have been known to attack those who travel past sunset."
Link shrugged, watching the stranger curiously. Stalmonsters weren't any harder to deal with than their living counterparts. Easier, in fact.
"I've not had a problem with them."
"No?" The Rito's laughter had a short, bitter edge that matched his mournful music. "Well, I'm in no position to call you cocky. You are still alive, after all." Setting the violin aside, he reached inside his poncho, pulling out a rolled-up cloth. “Since you are here and alive, would you care to examine my wares?”
Brow furrowed, Link leaned in to watch as he rolled it out.
"I thought you were a bard."
"I play as well as that, do I?" the Rito said, a satisfied smirk twisting the corner of his beak. "Of course I do. I've had plenty of time to practice, after all… but no. I simply deal in arrows."
And so he did. Spread out on the cloth for Link's perusal was every kind of arrow he'd ever seen, plus a few he didn't recognize. Picking up the strangest one of the lot, Link examined its mechanical arrowhead curiously.
"An ancient arrow," the Rito said, his smirk more pronounced now. "I'd be a bit more careful with that one… assuming you enjoy continuing in this plane of existence, that is."
Link stopped just short of uncovering the arrow's hidden point, flushing as he set it down carefully. Some of them were no doubt far outside of his price range, but it never hurt to restock on arrows, and these looked like they would fly straight.
"How much?"
"Oh, make me an offer, I suppose," the Rito said, sounding far more disinterested in the topic than most merchants were. "I've not much patience for haggling."
That turned out to be true enough. Link felt almost embarrassed at how little he paid in the end for a full quiver of arrows, elementals included, though he had the feeling that the merchant would have taken a lower offer still if Link had dared to make it.
"Heading to Rito Village?" the merchant asked as he took his scant handful of Rupees, watching Link out of the corner of one eye with uncomfortable intensity. Link could almost believe he suspected Link of trying to cheat him, except he hardly seemed to care about that one way or another. "I could point you in the right direction, if you'd like."
"Uhhh… no." An odd question, considering that Rito Village was nowhere nearby as far as Link knew. "I'm looking for Zora's Domain, actually. Do you know the way?"
"I'm afraid not," the merchant said, his sardonic grin lopsided now. "Somebody else can help you there, I'm sure."
He bent as if to roll up his much depleted pack, but Link stopped him.
"What are those?" he asked, pointing towards a few unassuming arrows tucked off to the side that had escaped his notice. There wasn't much to differentiate them from the standard arrows already filling his quiver. In fact, Link couldn't really say what about them had caught his eye, aside from maybe their curiously blue-feathered fletching.
"Ahhh." From the merchant's expression, he'd been waiting for Link to ask. Holding one of the arrows delicately, he ran a feathered finger along its perfectly straight shaft. "A creation of my own design. These arrows will hit whatever you aim them at."
"Isn't that how all arrows work?" Link quipped, and was met with a sharp glare.
"You misunderstand," the Rito emphasized. "These arrows will strike where you aim them." His smirk returned. "Even the most average marksman could make good use of these." The words "like you," though not spoken, came strongly implied.
Link frowned, not (entirely) out of offense. Such a claim sounded farfetched, yet somehow, he believed it. He also believed he'd be paying far more for these arrows than he had the others.
"How much?" he asked warily. Sure enough, the merchant hummed in the pretense of thought.
"Shall I part with such a treasure for mere rupees?" he mused, still playing with the arrow absently. "I'll admit I had in mind a bargain somewhat less traditional—information, perhaps? I have three of these special arrows in my possession at the moment, however…" His visible eye flicked towards Link's face. "I will trade all three away in exchange for one question answered honestly."
Confused, Link nodded slowly. He felt as short on answers as he was on Rupees these days, but with nothing to lose he might as well try.
"Shoot."
"What makes someone deserving of a second chance?"
"...What?" Link blinked, caught entirely off guard. Somehow, he hadn't expected anything quite so philosophical. "What do you mean?"
"A second chance," the Rito merchant repeated impatiently, as if he expected Link to keep up with this bizarre conversation. “An opportunity to rectify a failure, or right one’s own wrongs. What makes one person worthy of such a chance, while another must wallow in their own defeat with no hope for redemption?”
“I…”
Link went quiet, considering his answer. The question must have meant something to the strange Rito, or he wouldn't have asked it. At the very least, Link had the strong impression that any less-than-earnest answer on his part would be dismissed outright.
"Maybe nobody deserves one, exactly," Link said at last, thinking it through as if it was some kind of riddle. Was it? "That's what makes it a second chance, right? Or... some people get one and some people don't, but I don't think it's a mark of worthiness. Terrible people get second chances sometimes."
"I see." The brim of the stranger's hat pushed low over his face again, hiding his expression. "What determines who gets that second chance, then?"
Link shrugged.
"Fate?" he suggested, a bit helplessly.
The stranger gave the same laugh as before, short and bitter.
"It always comes down to fate, doesn't it?" he sighed. "The hero chosen by the sword… fate's eternal darling." Raising his head at last, the Rito met Link’s gaze directly for the first time, his eyes glinting harshly. "So by your estimation, you did not deserve your own second chance?"
Link froze. Maybe it was the challenge in his green eyes that gripped him with strange familiarity, or a trick of the light that made the lantern glow ever so faintly green… or maybe it was the memory, still recent, of an old man's tattered clothes transforming in an instant to kingly raiment that burned with ghostly fire. Whatever it was, Link found himself reaching for the Lens of Truth, pulling it out slowly.
Somehow, the Rito caught his intention.
"Think carefully before looking," he warned, and though he didn't quite step forward, Link felt the intensity of his stare like a weight against him. "Once you've seen the truth, this is over for both of us."
Though Link stopped short of looking, he made no move to put the lens away, either.
"What's your name?" he asked coldly—and to his surprise, the Rito laughed.
"Ill-bred Hylian," he said, shaking his head. "Finally got around to asking, did you? If you must call me something, you may call me Vale. Does that suffice?"
Slowly, Link nodded. Not his true name, obviously, but still better than nothing.
"And what is 'this,' exactly?"
The Lens of Truth slipped back inside Link's pocket, and though again Vale didn't visibly move, Link felt his relief like a cool breath of wind. With a flourish, he presented all three arrows, blue-feathered fletching pointed outward.
"Why, me selling you arrows, of course. At unbeatable prices," he added dryly—but then his humor faded into something uncertain. "And… something else, maybe? My own second chance, perhaps, little though I suppose I deserve it."
"As we agreed," he murmured as Link took them silently. "May they always fly true, as promised."
Their exchange concluded, Vale retrieved his violin from where he'd put it aside.
"Mira?"
"Give my regards to Mira when you see her," he said, setting the bow against the strings. "It's been a long time."
Link frowned.
But Vale was already playing, the melody echoing mournfully over Necluda's darkened hills as he ignored Link completely. Disgruntled, Link watched him play for another moment before turning reluctantly back the way he'd come earlier. Vale couldn't have made it clearer that he'd been dismissed.
On the point of putting the arrows away, Link paused to examine one, running his fingers along the blue feathers. Arrows that never missed... well, he might as well test one out to see if he'd gotten what he 'paid' for. Seized by a mischievous impulse, Link drew his bow, whirling around and aiming for Vale's hat.
A darkened hilltop met his eyes, filled only with the already fading sound of a violin.
Aka, 'this was meant to be angst but it turned into a comfort drabble' at Revali's landing
-----
The soft sound of Link's boots were louder than normal in the dead of night in the Rito Village. His eyes were trained in front of him and his hands were flexing at their sides. Everything about this trip had been bad, epecially since Zelda was now sick and confined to the bed that the elder had provided for her. This meant that Link had to spend time here, which wasn't bad at it's core, just annoying. That in itself wasn't true either. Revali had just said some stupid thing the day before and it was getting under their skin for some reason.
Link would have missed it if he wasn't looking, but of course he was looking.
On the landing that was some of the pride of the Rito, there was a mound of feathers bent over itself, the light of the full moon really shining on the quiver of the Rito's arrows. The picture was almost peaceful, soft. If it wasn't for the ragged breathing that was coming from the pile.
Boots were louder as Link put more weight into their steps, taking large strides to reach the Rito. The Hylian slid down besides the Rito, awaiting a response.
Besides him, Revali lay hunched over himself, eyes closed and breathing heavy. Between nightmares, training, stupid Link and trying to not worry too much about the village, Revali had gone off like an idiot and tried to go fight some monters to make his mind clear up. It helped, until he was blindsided by a Hylia-damn Lynel. His side hurt like hell, but the bruise to his ego was worse if he was honest with himself.
Revali finally took the time to open his eyes and look over at the figure that was next to him. His eyes widened as he was met with the harshest yet most care filled blue eyes in all of Hyrule. The owner of them didn't say anything, they never did, however they reached into their bag, pulling out some medical wrap (or maybe it was just a cloth, Revali wouldn't have cared either way). He scoffed and rolled his eyes.
"I don't need your help, hero. I am fine," his words had a lot less bite than normal, and Link seemed to notice as well, raising an eyebrow at Revali. Revali opted to ignore it, pushing himself up while making sure to keep his injured side away from Link. The annoyance in question continued to kneel on the platform, arms crossing now. It caused Revali's blood to boil, but he grumbled as he sat back down, wound facing Link.
"Fine. Only because I know you won't let me live it down otherwise." This seemed to be a sufficent okay for Link, who scooted closer and started to work on the wound. It was an unspoken thing between the two of them, as last time Link was the one injured. "Thank you, Revali," came the soft response.
It was a way of saying their feelings, ones that were hidden under wraps. Even as a grumble of a 'thank you' and a, 'I am sorry for earlier,' are muttered.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Summary:
The looming threat of Calamity Ganon is gone, and the brave Rito warrior who played a key role in its destruction basks in the admiration of all of Hyrule. The legacy he has always dreamed of has finally become a reality.
But why does everything feel so… off?
Written for Revalink Halloween Week — Day 4: Ghosts (among other prompts I'll reveal in due time)
No major warnings for this chapter, but do keep an eye on the tags as the story progresses. Hope you enjoy this! 🎃
Pre-relationship Revali and Link travel together for unspecified reasons, and there's only one bed in the Great Deku Tree.
That's it. That's the story.
—
Of everywhere Link might have chosen for them to stay the night, Revali had not expected to be led inside the Great Deku Tree itself.
The prospect disturbed him more than he cared to admit considering how nonchalant Link seemed about the whole thing, though he privately considered that more a symptom of Link’s strangeness than anything reflecting poorly on Revali himself. Still, the thought of sleeping inside this immense living tree, nesting inside its… stomach, he supposed? Well, Revali would just try not to think about it too hard.
Of everything they might have found inside the Great Deku Tree, Revali had certainly not expected an actual bed. It even looked surprisingly comfortable, despite being fashioned out of wood and leaves. Maybe the long hours spent wandering through the woods had taken more out of him than he'd thought—though there was a major problem with these sleeping arrangements that Link had yet to address.
"There's only one bed," Revali said flatly.
"What?" Link barely seemed to have heard him, nearly falling over from exhaustion himself as he started tugging at one of his boots, and Revali clicked his beak in annoyance.
"There's only. One. Bed."
Link blinked once, twice, and at last appeared to comprehend. Boots half off, he looked up at Revali in consternation.
"I thought you slept in a hammock."
"Nowhere to hang it in here," Revali muttered, giving the rounded walls a regretful once over. He supposed he could sleep on the ground if pressed, though he knew he'd feel it in the morning.
"There's lots of… branches and stuff outside, though," Link pointed out, a yawn cracking his sentence halfway through. "Why not just sleep out there?"
He had both boots tossed in the corner before he noticed Revali’s silence.
"...What?"
Revali opened his beak and closed it again, fluffing his feathers up irritably. Truth be told, the only prospect worse than sleeping in here was sleeping out there. He'd still not caught sight of the tiny forest spirits Link claimed to be able to see, and more than half suspected the goddess’s hero of making it all up… but there was something in those woods, its laughter echoing just on the edge of hearing. Something that snapped twigs and rustled branches without wind, bringing to mind every story ever told over a Rito campfire about this forest.
Unfortunately, Link understood his hesitation.
"It’s okay," he said, and to Revali’s utter mortification Link smiled at him, encouragingly. How dare he. "The Koroks aren’t dangerous. They might like to play tricks sometimes, but—"
"I'm not afraid of your imaginary friends, if that's what you're implying," Revali snapped, drawing himself up in indignation. "You're right, of course. There is ample space outside to hang a hammock. The solitude will be refreshing, I'm sure."
And with that, he turned on his talons, storming back out through the Deku Tree's… mouth? He really did hate his own tongue sometimes.
Now that he’d said it, of course, he had no choice but to follow through. Sure enough, he found plenty of suitable trees in the grove outside, though Revali took his time picking out the perfect place to settle down for the night: far enough from those cursed Lost Woods for some measure of comfort, while not uncomfortably close to the Deku Tree itself, either.
That faint, childlike laughter still echoed in the distance, but Revali just clenched his beak, determined to ignore it. Link had said himself that there was nothing to be afraid of, and Revali would not be the first of them to lose his nerve.
His hammock tied securely between two sturdy branches, Revali set his belongings at the base of the tree, hopped inside, and closed his eyes stubbornly. He just needed to make it through the night. One night, and then he could rub it in Mr. Hero’s face for doubting him. Just one night…
“…Mr. Hero?”
Revali’s eyes snapped back open.
Pale moonlight slipped through the canopy of leaves in ghostly rays, catching on tendrils of mist that eddied up from the ground. Dry branches rustled in patches overhead—a notable phenomenon, in the absence of wind. And the laughter…
Revali swallowed uneasily. That laughter at the edge of hearing had all but vanished, replaced by whispers. The voices faded in and out, bits of phrases pushing forward excitedly only to fall back beyond comprehension… but he understood enough.
"Mr. Hero’s here! Mr. Hero…"
"...Bird? Brought a bird? Brought a blue…"
"Look… big bird! Look at Mr. Hero's bird!"
Though his eyes darted desperately, Revali could not make out the creatures that could obviously see him quite well. Still, he reminded himself over his own pounding heart, these spirits were supposedly harmless. Link had said as much, at least.
…He had also said they liked to play tricks. What kind of tricks?
"Big bird…"
"Pretty bird…"
"Blue bird…"
It didn't matter. Revali closed his eyes again, reminding himself of how tired he was. The voices were so soft, he could almost manage to ignore them. If he could just fall asleep, then—
"...Feathers?"
And he felt a sharp prick on his wing.
Revali did not squawk—a claim he had no trouble making, considering that there was nobody around to dispute it. He did sit up quickly, almost falling from his hammock in his haste to get out. Enough was enough. Laughter and voices were one thing, but a bird had to draw the line somewhere.
"Budge over, Mr. Hero," he told Link minutes later, nudging him roughly with a talon. To his disgust, Link barely stirred, squinting up at him blearily.
"Wha'...?"
"Budge over," Revali repeated, and, when Link made no move to comply, pushed him aside himself. “Your bird needs a place to sleep.”
Though Revali wouldn't have minded pushing Link out entirely, it turned out that the bed had space enough for them both—barely. It took some arranging of wings and awkward tucking of talons, but by the end of it all they were all in the bed, pressed tightly back to back.
Link had fallen back to sleep mere seconds after they settled in, though Revali couldn't quite manage the same. He felt somehow too aware of each slow breath expanding against his back, and Link's soft, rumbling snores, though less disconcerting than the whispers, were distracting in their own sort of way.
Most importantly, though, Link was not a comforting presence. Revali told himself this over and over, even as the thought of the Deku Tree surrounding them pushed him subconsciously closer. Link was not a comforting presence… he was not a comforting presence… he was not…
Slowly, Revali's eyes drooped shut as Link's comforting presence lulled him into sleep.
“There you are,” Revali exclaimed in exasperation.
Despite recognizing the voice, Link swirled with a hand on the handle of his sword. Even if he had no intention of unsheathing it, it still caught him off guard when Revali pressed a wing to his wrist. Link looked up, and Revali raised his brows in response.
“What, scared from being alone here?” He mocked. “You’d do me a favor if you didn’t wander off like that. Looking for you in this fog was a pain in the neck.”
It was good to confirm Revali was doing well, but the extent of Link’s positive thoughts ended there. He turned his gaze away, intending to walk towards the trail they were supposed to follow.
“Have it your way,” Revali huffed. His wing wrapped around Link’s wrist and he dragged him along confidently. “There, now we’ll both be lost if you mess it up, so you better know where you’re going.”
Thank you for this wonderful project. I just found out about this project today, and it's going to be difficult to complete everything in October, but can I still post my drawings with the hashtag when I draw them after October?
Of course! As stated in the rules, I fully intend to reblog late entries a full two weeks after October, so you have a little more breathing room to work with. Thank you for giving the event a try!!
