The Zoras were enjoying a time of peace after their beloved Prince Ralis had returned to their watery domain. Nothing was said, but the fact that the Zora folk didn’t complain as the foul stench of Reekfish drifted around the Mother and Child rocks once more should have been pointer enough.

Rumours flew, hushed words and urgent whispers, speaking of a green-clad warrior with the proud eyes of a beast. But, of course, they were just rumours. And as we all know, rumours are, at their best, extremely unreliable.

The Prince himself was seated cross-legged at the throne that had once held his mother, gazing with calm green eyes around the magnificent main chamber that was his people’s pride and joy. His flipper-endowed feet bobbed up and down, jiggling with his only sign of agitation.

Surrendering to a yawn, he peered up through the hole in the roof, scrutinising the mysterious black-and-blue object that, as ever, floated motionless over the room, ever-present, but never yielding its true meaning.

His guards stiffened, hands tightening on their spears as the object pulsed with light. Zoras surfaced, gazing up in wonder at the shining wonder drifting above them.

Prince Ralis stood, staring at the object with total and utter focus as what seemed to be a stream of black mist streaked down from the light. His eyes widened with recognition.

He’d seen that light once before, when he’d given Link his earrings. The Hylian boy had walked around behind the sacred rock, light had flashed, and then he’d been gone. Did this mean Link was coming to visit? Green eyes shone with hope for a moment, before narrowing in confusion as the black formed into a familiar shape; a wolf.

Wolves were no big deal to the Zoras. As neighbours to Snowpeak, they were used to the vicious white wolves that roved the mountain, and were careful to avoid them. They’d long been curious of the wolves’ astounding ability to melt into the snow and reappear many hundreds of yards away, but, as far as the Prince was aware, they’d never disappeared into a dozen black particles like this.

The beast that formed before them was as different from the ‘Ice Wolves’ as Fire from Water.

Black with swirls of silver-grey, this wolf was exquisitely beautiful, with a wild mane of dark fur and brilliant blue eyes…eyes familiar, but different. For some strange reason, its ears were adorned with blue hoop earrings—much like the earrings of Link, the Hero of Time. The crest of the Goddesses marked the wolf’s head, the bright symbol of the Triforce prominent on its brow.

Blinking slowly, the wolf yelped as it fell from its graceful perch in the air, falling with a bloody splash into the water below. It struggled to keep its wounded body afloat for a few moments before its blue eyes closed and it began the long spiral to the depths.

The reaction of the Zoras was instantaneous. As one, they heeled over and plunged after the strange beast. Even though it was an intruder into their private world, even though it could easily be as savage and wild as it looked, all felt that this odd black wolf, with its blue earrings and Goddesses’ Crest, deserved to live.

Prince Ralis leapt from his throne and ran down to kneel in the inch-deep water of the platform just in front of the Royal Chair, green eyes anxious. The seconds stretched into agonising minutes as he waited for the rescuers to surface.

Finally, in an explosion of bubbles, fur, and slick scales, two Zora he recognised as Lieutenant Karis and Sergeant Larnian of the Royal Guard erupted from the depths. Between them hung the strange black wolf, breathing ragged, clinging onto consciousness despite its wounds.

“He is in terrible shape, Your Highness!” Karis squeaked as he helped his partner to lay the wolf on the platform at their Prince’s feet.

“I wouldn’t have guessed,” Larnian muttered darkly, before standing proudly before the Prince. “Would you like us to remain, Sir?”

“No.” Ralis replied. “Your duties would be greatly helpful, however, if you could disperse the crowd. I do believe that even Lieutenant Karis is capable of performing that feat without error.” Both officers nodded tersely and began their task.

At the Prince’s feet, the wolf stirred.

Ralis rested one scaly hand on the beast’s side, feeling every strong, defiant beat of its great heart. Those oh-so-familiar blue eyes trembled open, blinking a few times before focusing on the Prince’s face. The beast let out a shuddering sigh, smiling as much as a wolf can smile as it carefully lifted its proud head and licked him, just once, on the cheek.

Limbs trembling, the wolf staggered to its weary paws, lifting its head back in a howl as black light enveloped its body. A strange, unearthly noise whispered through the cavern, and then, standing in the wolf’s place, bloody and beating and howling with wolf’s voice to the Zora sky, was Link.

“Link?” he gasped, rising to webbed feet, green eyes wide. “But—the wolf…you…how?” he spluttered. Link shrugged, forcing a pained grin, blood dribbling down the side of his face.

“I don’t know…” He replied. Ralis suddenly laughed.

“Come; let us heal you, Wolf of Time!”

Together, Zora and wolf walked off to face the terror that was the healers.