Live Your Own Story in Hyrule

Wolf Link barks at the gate, telling his companion to be careful.

No sooner than the threshold of the gate is crossed, the blade comes flying down, with the full intention of ensuring the welcome to this place was painfully unforgetable.

Wolf Link jumps up immediately and attempts to tackle Irina, with the intention of rolling away from the blade with her. He anticipates some of his hairs trimmed at the very least.

The welcoming gate certainly does shave off some hair. After that tackle, a good patch is trimmed clean through, from top coat to bottom even managing to catch and nick the skin like a dull grater, leaving spotted, bloody patches where fur used to be. A crooked line traced its way through the fur starting from the neck and traveling down the leg. At the very least, both are safe for the moment.

Irina is tackled and pushed to the floor. When she finally stops, she looks at Link and gasps. “Oh, no! Are you okay?!” She rushes fo check on him.

Wolf Link pants as he gets up and examines himself. He whines as he sees the missing fur and blood, instinctively licking his wounds. He moves and acts relatively normal, however.

Translation available: Wolf

“Thank goodness,” Irina replies, quickly going though her bag and pulling out some ointment and a cloth. “I am so sorry that you had to do that. You keep getting hurt.” She offers to apply the ointment if he lets her, hoping at least to stop the bleeding.

Wolf Link doesn't protest to the ointment

Irina applies it but doesn't delay. She clearly wants to get out of this terrible place as soon as they can.

When she is done, she looks at where she thinks the rest of the party is, wondering if she can see them or if she can reach the chain from there. Otherwise, they may have to continue.

"Holy goddesses! Are you two okay over there?" _Gatu calls over across the pit. It was a fair distance across, so it was hard to make out what happened entirely, but he did see a scuffle of some sort._

"An invisible moving platform? This place really commits to that illusion thing." Revali admits, just a bit annoyed. He watched the other two, lantern and all move away and across to the other side. He could barely make out the lantern light, but it at least gave an idea of where they were and how quickly that platform was moving.

While waiting for it to come back, he's shaken by the shouting and looks at Gatu with confusion and then back across the cavern. "What? What happened?"

Mipha watched the two hop onto the invisible platform and for a brief moment, wondered if they were trying to take off together? With a bit of thought, she shook it off, finding the idea of them disappearing in a place like this to be counterintuitive. Who would want to risk their lives to that degree? Well...it wasn't too improbable.

"Did you both make it safely!?" She called out across the cavern. "I don't know what happened or if something happened, I hope it hasn't." She paused. Wait, shouting wasn't necessary, they could still speak through these charms. Old habits, and all. "Are you both well?" She spoke more casually, reminded of its purpose.

Mipha was right in one thing - Irina did want to take off, hopefully with everybody in one piece and soon.

"We made it alive. Link got hurt, but he's okay," Irina explains through the charm while she finishes applying the ointment. She then touches the wolf's side and gives him a sad look, as if apologizing again.

"There was an invisible platform and a guillotine once we jumped off. Be very careful with that one!" She looks at the chain, not sure where the platform is at this point. "I can use the wand and send the platform to get the group. Just let me know when you are ready."

"Whew! For a few moments, I thought something terrible had happened. Glad that's not the case." Red was glad to hear that report. "They're okay, but just barely. They had a...they had a close shave with a guillotine." He shared with the group. Heck, he didn't even know those were in use. Probably why one was in here. Ugh. "We can't see the platform without that wand. We'll let you know when we're about to step on so we don't get shocked."

"Tell you what, I'll think of a surprise and it'll be on the house." Fallon replies to Saria, jotting down 'surprise' and circling it. "Okay, that ought to take care of things and--" her head lowers to see her little one at the table. "Play? That is what you are offering after they have just arrived?" She smiles, giving way to the table so they can all take off. "Of course, they wouldn't say no to that offer."

She chuckles and clears the milk and water cups while she determines what would be good for them to eat. "Make sure you stay close by!!" She called out to them, ensuring her voice could be heard through and beyond the door.

"Okay, now what to feed to them... Perhaps some cuccoo tenders. I think that'll be good. Side of greenery and that ought to cover it."

That in mind, she quickly heads to the kitchen to drop off the glasses and put the order in. She then hustles towards the exit so she could watch them and wait for the order to finish.

"Okay Mommy!" Naomi says as she follows the other two, her brain immediately filing the instruction under 'Things that have been responded to and thus require no further thought'.

Out in the field, Naomi spreads her arms to the others. "So what should we play? How abouuuuuuuut" (points at Aio) "you're the heroic knight," (points at Saria) "you're the pretty princess," (points at self) "and I'M the ferocious dragon?" >:) Naomi raises her hands high like claws and stomps dramatically toward Saria. "IIIIII'M GOING TO EEEEAAAT YOOOOUUUUU!" >:O

Aio stares at Naomi blankly. He clearly didn't understand her. He wonders why this girl is threatening the other girl.

As he doesn't quite understand the rules of the game, he does the same and chases after Saria, holding his hands up like a dragon as well. He calls out "Raaawr!" and something unintelligible in his language.

Saria lets out a scream as both come after her and laughs, running. She looks at Aio and points at Naomi without stopping. "Attack HER, not me! We are the good guys! Dragon! Dragon! " She repeats, hoping to teach Aio a new word.

Aio begins chasing after Naomi, too, and calls her by what he thinks is probably her name, "Dragon! Dragon!"

Fallon opens the door and is immediately met with screaming and shouts of a dragon. She hurries outside, checking the sky and surroundings to see if one had suddenly popped up. Thankfully, there was no such creature and further processing allowed her to realize they were just playing out here. Of course, that's what they intended to do in the first place, but flashbacks of moldugas and spiders said otherwise. Briefly, anyway.

So, she heads back towards the walls of the inn and leans against them, watching them play and enjoy life for the time being. A refreshing change of scenery to what she knows lies beyond.

Naomi blinks at the swift derailment of her CAREFULLY CRAFTED FANTASY WORLD. o.O; At least Saria seems to get the idea and is trying to explain it to Aio -- but it looks like he still thinks _he's_ a dragon. Okay, well, maybe he can be a knight AND a dragon! Like some kind of...dragon man!

<https://i.redd.it/xcbi8yj0nhv81.jpg>

"Ummm...OHNOES IT IS THE DRAGONBORN! BUT YOU WILL NEVER DEFEAT ME UNLESS YOU FIND THE, ummm, MAGICAL HELMET OF RAINBOW FLAMES! IT IS IN, ummmmmmmmmm...aaaaaa SECRET PLACE THAT--THAT ONLY THE ROYAL FAMILY KNOWS ABOUT!" Yeah, Naomi is totally engaging in AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION and not dumping her DM responsibilities on Saria. n.n

Those were a lot of words and Aio understood none of them! He continues to chase Dragon and shouts her name. He giggles with excitement as the air and sun and open space combine to create a volatile reaction of fun.

As the screams of the children echo through the field outside of the Wolfos, a tall imposing Gerudo woman cuts the horizon perpendicularly. She holds a spear and walks in a relaxed pace but with a serious expression. The expression softens when she sees the children playing, particularly the boy.

She stops and observes them by the stables outside of the inn.

Saria laughs and nods, pointing at Noemi! "Yes! Catch the dragon!"

Seeing Risa arrive, Saria hmms, touching her chin with a finger. She approaches Risa and Fallon and brings her hands to her back. "Excuse me, I have a question."

"As you know, Aio is living in the Kokiri Forest now. Do you know of any grown-ups that may help us build a treehouse for him?"

Risa crouches down to become eye-level with the forest child. She rests her elbow on her knee and says, "A treehouse?" She thinks, and says, "Sweetie, I am from the desert. I don't know much about trees. But I will find someone who can help."

Fallon laughed to herself. Of all the things Naomi could've been, a dragon...born was not one she expected. Yet, she could appreciate her imagination. Those bedtime stories must've sounded far more spectacular to her than she'd thought.

Spotting movement in the distance, she looked towards it and found it was a friendly face upon closer inspection. She smiled as Risa approached, acknowledging her presence with a nod.

With Saria now approaching, she then pondered her question, "You need help with one, hm? Well, I'm not much of a builder, but I can assist in whatever way I can. I'll have to ask my husband if he has any suggestions or ideas. All else fails, I could just read about trees and houses and then attempt to replicate it."

Saria grins, her hands on her back while she listens to them. "You are big and strong women, so I knew you could help! Thank you." With this, she goes back to playing with her friends.

GUUUHHHH!!! &gt;_&lt;; Being a DM is so FRUSTRATING! You put in all this work to give the players an intricate world to interact with, and they just want to be MURDER HOBOS that solve every problem by charging at it swords waving! "Okay, fine! TAG, YOU'RE IT!" Naomi shouts to Aio. Then she turns and dashes away.

Saria runs after the Wolfos family with Link. When they arrive at the temple, the kokiri's interest switches from the animals to the building. She runs to it, touching the wall and looking for the door curiously. "What is this place? Have you been here before?" she asks Link.

Link shakes his head. "I haven't. And from the looks of these vines, it doesn't look like anybody has been here for a while." He looks up at the stone walls and tries to peer into an opening. "Let's explore it!"

Saria grabs one of the vines to make a small climb to one of the openings. "Hellooooo!" She looks inside and hmms. "I am so curious to see what is in there..." She follows you, wondering if you fit into the opening.

Link barely fits but he squeezes in, pushing past vines and other plants. There is a sudden drop but plenty of vines to hold onto. He climbs down. Some light filters in from other windows and a hole in the roof. He reaches a large central room and calls out to you.

Saria almost falls as well, and not as gracefully as Link. She grabs onto the vines, almost getting trapped in them, but climbs down after Link and looks around. "This is place is so mysterious! I wonder how long it has been empty. We should be careful; there might be some skulltullas and deku babas around."

_------+++++++++++++++------_

A certain Gerudo chef is examining the few fallen logs at the edge of the Woods, turning them over and disturbing the life within as her little troop begin the trek to Kokiri Forest proper.