Malon looked down at the boy who was clinging to her arm and laughed. "Well, this is a side of Fairy Boy that I haven't seen yet. But I'm afraid that my bed was only made for one. If you're so desperate for company, you could ask Dad; his bed is for two. Carved it with his own two hands when he and Mother got married." She smiled a bit wistfully at the thought.

"What?" Talon stopped just short of spluttering. "I don't... That is... I..."

"Dad, it's all right," his daughter assured him, smiling as she laid a hand on his shoulder. "I was only joking. All right, you two. Go warm yourselves by the kitchen fireplace; it's a bit nippy out this evening. Dad, could you get the cots? I'll go get extra blankets."

Talon did as his daughter asked, and Malon soon reappeared in the kitchen bearing an armload of blankets, as well as a couple of pillows. "Oof!" She puffed as she dumped the load on the floor by the fire. "Dad and I will make them up for you, and then you can get yourselves some sleep. If you need anything during the night, my room's right upstairs and Dad's is over there." She pointed at a door in the far wall before picking up a blanket and throwing it over the nearest cot.

Raito was going to start pouting again, but the flustered face of Talon just made him laugh. When she pointed out the fire place he ran over happily to warm up.

He hadn't realized it, but the darkness that was surrounding them, and the fog from before really made him feel weird. Scared? Cold? Was the light afraid of the dark? So odd.

He stared into the flames of the fireplace while malon plopped the blankets on the ground. His face no longer showed cheer, more sad, deep, too deep then they would've thought capable.
Navi flew over to Raito and plopped atop his head. He was being oddly quiet. As soon as she landed however he seemed to perk up and look over at Malon, watching her with a bright smile.

She could never tell what Link was thinking, if he was thinking at all...it appeared the same way with little Raito.
"Thank you very muchly!" He cheered, getting up and giving a bow before hopping on a made cot, hiding under the covers. Navi mimicked a bow of her own for respect. They really did owe her for taking care of so many people.

((Awe, Shmougie you get more non important points! Maybe i should keep tack and give out prizes...)

"Alright sirs, that will be well." He positioned himself near the open window and made a few calculations before going to bed. Where the nearest exit was. Quickest way to the house. Noting any of the large and unusual farm objects. He thought he glimpsed something outside but no it was a shadow moving in the slight breeze. He watched for one more minute, then went to sleep.



Indeed a shadow seemed to be watching them, It stayed its distance and not even his hair rustled. He stood only observing, his eyes glinting red however briefly when a moon beam gave off a little light.

Malon smiled back. "Not at all. It's been a while since we've had guests on our ranch." She sat down in front of the fire, drawing her knees up to her chin and wrapping her arms snugly around her legs. "Or one guest. I'm still trying to figure that out."

She shook her head slightly and giggled. "To be honest, I'm kind of surprised that Fairy Boy has a girl as part of his... soul, or however that works. He always seemed so eager to prove himself as a man, even when he was still a boy; helping on the ranch, taming Epona, racing her to win a bet...." She smiled slightly at the memory. "You know, of course, that it's thanks to him that we even still have this ranch at all. Our ranch-hand, Ingo, is away right now on an errand, but he was once tempted by evil powers to try to take over our ranch.... Oh!"

Malon put a hand over her mouth and glanced at Sakuraka. "I'm so sorry, Saku--may I call you that? I shouldn't be boring you with a story that you obviously already know."

Navi was floating between the two girls, joining in the conversation.

"Don't be sorry. Maybe telling them previous endeavors will help them remember what happened after? After all, we have no idea how they ended up like this." even she didn't remember. There was darkness, and before she knew it she was under little Raito's hat.
Raito felt it too. Something...something bad. He started to tremble and whimpere quietly.

"Go away, Go away. I don't like you! Go away!!" was the mantra in his mind. But still the feeling lingered, and it was creeping, getting worse.

He promised to take good care of them. How can he do that if he's cowering under the covers?

He clenched the slingshot that was under his pillow and pulled it close to his body before shooting out from under the covers and out into the hall.
"What-"
"Bathroom!!" The little boy explained before Navi could even ask all the way. The truth was though, he was making his way out the door.
"The bathroom isn't that way!" Navi scolded as she chased after him out the door, zipping past the two other link males that were still awake. "Where are you going!?"

Raito couldn't seem to speak. He was fighting back tears to the point he was shaking. He looked up, eyes glittering in the moonlight and just ran to Sakura, hugging her around the waist. Her love and kindness, along with her arms enveloped him.

Light couldn't defeat dark alone. It needed courage, loyalty, strength and love. He should have known that jumping out like that would stir them up and make them worried. He could have messed up big time.

"I-I'm sorry..." he looked over at Toan, who seemed to be making a habit of getting him out of trouble. "I'm sorry. I....I don't like the dark."

Navi sighed and shook her head. She hovered over the three, a look of wory on her face.

"If you didn't like it, you should have told us....Hey, aren't I a personal night light for you guys?" she tried to make light of the situation, but the way he said dark worried her a little, like he knew more then he let on.

"Everything all right?" Malon asked with a slight, puzzled smile and a barely furrowed brow. When she learned about the darkness that had frightened Raito, she smiled again, this time comfortingly.

"Don't worry about the dark, Fai--Raito," she said. "I know it can be scary, especially since we're not that close to Castle Town, but you've got all these people here to protect you. If anything else scares you during the night, don't hesitate to wake up me or Saku, all right?" The red-haired girl glanced at Link's female counterpart for confirmation before starting her trek upstairs.

"I'll be right up in my room if you need anything. Or Dad is right over there in his. He's got his club, and I... Well, I've got good aim with a cuckoo." Shaking her head slightly, she finished climbing the stairs and entered her own room. Changing into her nightgown and crawling into bed, she fell asleep almost immediately. It had been a long day, and she had a feeling that tomorrow wasn't going to be any less interesting.

The shadow watched them converse. Somehow the part of light had sensed him. they being opposites had a sense of each other. He was stronger....He could feel the fear the light had of him and he rejoiced in that terror. Others would be a problem, but none but light could defeat him. He merged one withing the shadows and then faded away into the night. He would come to watch them another time.

Loyalty slept on oblivious to the commotion out of his hearing. He dreamt of the dark mist and of a certain girl One with a crown. He felt a duty still in need and as yet to be entrusted with. there was much to be done by all of them still. Of that he was sure his dream foretold.

((dark link will now have a character sheet up! Points for Sakura this round with finding strength in her character, also for Raito and Malon.))

((ZOMG I HAS A POINTS!!!! :XD))

Sakura smiled gratefully (sp? lol) to Toan before she went back inside with Malon and Raito. Once again she found her eyes sweeping the shadowy moor. The shadows were finally rolling back on themselves, but it was doing so with such alarming speed that it looked unnatural. Sakura glanced at Toan, wondering if she should tell him, but he was already gazing at the shadows too. He'd know if it was dangerous. She was confident.

With a last smile in Toan's direction, though she wasn't sure he'd seen it, Sakura closed the door behind her. Today had been a long, hard, weird day, and she couldn't wait to finally curl up in something familiar like a bed by a warm fire. She had no doubt that tomorrow would be just as long, hard and weird as it had been today, but she pushed that out of her mind. They'd all worry about that tomorrow.

Raito gave a final look towards Toan and gave a grateful smile before walking back in with Malon and Sakura. Like the tides, it seemed like the darkness was receding and it was making him calm.

"Thanks Malon, Sakuraka." he whispered to the air, since the two went different ways

He followed Sakura to the living room, where the cots were, and the fire still burned. Without saying anything he tugged his blanket off the cot and a pillow and curled up beside the fire, seeking for light.

Navi gave a quick swoop over the three men in the barn before following after the two girls and one boy. When she came in, she was surprised to see him beside the fire, but shrugged and sat beside his form.

"Night kiddo." She whispered, patting his head. "Night Sakuraka."

As Sakuraka slept, her dreams were filled with strange shadows and echoing footsteps, and glowing yellow eyes that seemed to watch her throughout the night, waiting for her to let her guard down. She was scared and confused when she woke up, and very thirsty. Sakura sat up and looked around, not sure where she could get water. Maybe she'd talk to whoever was taking their shift outside. At least then she wouldn't be disturbing anyone.

Sakura opened and closed the door as quietly as she could, and cast her eyes on the moor, just to make sure that strange darkness really had disappeared. Something about that darkness seemed oddly familiar, but in a bad way. Oh well. Sakura set her eyes on the person on guard, who was...

(Who's on guard?? o.O)

Sakura smiled sheepishly and took his arm. "Lead on," She grinned, going with it. Sakura saw this like a game, and she enjoyed it. Pretending to be noble was pretty fun.

(Sorry I'm not saying much :S)