"Have you guys seen Link recently?" Marth asked the table as he took a spoonful of his soup. "I need to speak with him urgently."

Zelda who was not far from the young man turned her attention to him. "I'm not sure, I haven't spoken to him in some time."

Their heads turned to the dining hall door as the young hero they spoke of miraculously appeared. He looked worse for wear; his whole stature was slumped; the severe lack of sleep was clearly evident on Link's face. They watched as he lazily grabbed a tray and carelessly threw food onto his plate. He staggered to an empty table and slumped down into the chair. Link slouched leaning his elbows on the table as he placed his head in hands, attempting to rub the tiredness from his brow. Zelda had never seen the boy look so untamed. Link was usually so upbeat and lively, ready to brighten anyone's day with his shining smile. The princess watched Marth rise from his seat and head over to the unkempt hero. The Altea prince sat opposite the boy and cleared his throat to get Link's attention.

"Oh, Marth," Link's head shot up with a jolt of surprise. "I didn't realise you were there."

"It's fine, Link." Marth waved him off and clasped his hands together on the table's surface. "I just came over to tell you, that you have a match tomorrow."

Link's eyes widened and he shook his head in disagreement. "Marth, I really don't think I can do it."

"Why not?"

"I-" Link chewed his lip before bowing his head in submission. "It's nothing, never mind, I'll see you tomorrow."

Marth gazed after Link as the Hyrule hero rose from his isolated spot and dragged his feet as he left the hall. The Altea prince glanced down at Link's tray and rose a brow in concern. Despite Link being one of the few fighters who ate little, his tray was pristinely untouched. Something was undeniably wrong and Marth looked back at the table where Zelda sat to see her already trying to catch his attention. They shared a knowing gaze and decided it was time to investigate why their friend was so down in the dumps.

***

Link rubbed his aching forehead as he walked down the hall, trying to withhold the urge to curl into the ball before he got to his room. His eyes stung from the suppression of tears and the lack of sleep, sluggishly moving from the tiredness that was now taking a toll on his body. A small heat pulsed in his hand and his eyes widened in horror and realisation.

"Oh no." He muttered and looked down the hall. He wasn't too far from his room and ignored the sudden weight he felt in his body and started a quick pace. Link picked up into a jog, almost flinging himself around the corner, instantly coming to an abrupt stop as a body came into view. Link gazed up as his body burned in agony, to find Ike before him looking down at him in worry.

"Hey, where are you off to in a hurry?"

"Sorry, Ike. I have to go." Link pushed past him, feeling the takeover begin. He slammed his door behind him and his body fell to the floor as the pain began to pulse. He repressed his urge to scream not wanting to alert anyone of his pain. Link's bones began to crack, adjusting their position in his body. His jaw began to change in shape to accommodate the huge razor-sharp canines that began to slice through his gums. Link let out a small howled whimper after his transformation was complete and wobbled heavily on his four paws. He glanced into his mirror that sat beside his bed and huffed in annoyance. The transformations were becoming far more frequent than before and more excruciatingly painful each time he went through it. Link noticed the triforce glowing brightly; shining like a curse on his paw. The wolf reflecting back at him was everything he remembered. The intricate markings on his forehead and the beautiful thick fur that kept him warm in the cold nights of the Gerudo Desert. He glanced over his shoulder to his vacant back and frowned. Midna; the small temperamental imp- who turned out to be a beautiful princess- was lost forever, locked away in the twilight realm. Midna had ensured Link that he wouldn't be able to change into his other form without her present. She had taken the small piece of twilight magic Zant had given them with her. So, what was happening? Link glanced to the side and winced at the sight of his bed. Link had locked himself in his room last night and after he woke, he found his bed ripped apart. He hadn't remembered doing such a thing, his memory fading after he had transformed. This time he'd seemed to be in control, well, for now at least. Link sighed, a small glum howl escaping his lips. He curled into himself in front of the mirror, momentarily gazing at the blueness of his eyes before he drifted off to sleep.

***

When Link awoke the next morning, he was human, hairless and steady on two feet. He stretched his aching limbs and yawned loudly. The match Link was participating in was on this morning and he was beyond starving. After checking to make sure he didn't have wolf ears or a tail Link headed to the dining hall, feeling slightly better than he had all week. He wolfed down his breakfast, managing to keep it all down and let a small smile grace his lips when he caught the dullness of the Triforce on the back of his hand.

"What are you smiling about, Link?"

Link's perked his head up to see Zelda and Samus making their way over towards him. Zelda delicately perched herself in front of him while Samus planted herself beside the princess and grinned at Link.

"Oh, nothing." He replied and popped his spoon into his mouth.

Zelda rose a brow before dismissing Link's lack of an answer and began to eat. Samus nudged the young hero's hand from across the table and winked at him.

"I'm in the match with you this morning. Prepare to be smashed."

"I look forward to it." Link nodded and smiled at Sam, "If you'll excuse me."

Link bowed his head in respect for his monarch before he rose and headed to the locker room to ready himself for the match ahead.

***

"The match will begin in four minutes. Please head to the arena." The voice-over sounded over the speakers across the mansion. Zelda joined Marth and Ike where they sat and waited patiently for the fight to begin. Zelda turned to the Altea prince and updated him on their Link issue.

"Link seemed fine this morning, not quite himself but better than he has been these past few days."

"I'm sure he just had a bad night's sleep," Marth assured the Hylian woman with a smile and rose a brow at Ike as he patted his arm impatiently.

"Shh, it's starting," The mercenary shushed the two, eyes plastered on the fight below.

Samus headed straight for Link- who was already parrying against the angel, Pit, clanging blade against blade. Link sensed Samus's presence and leaped away from Pit, wincing in sympathy as the angel was struck by the intergalactic bounty hunter. Pit was thrown back, flying through the air before hitting the floor with a loud 'oomph' which was followed by a pained groan. A dark presence made Samus shiver, Link drawing his sword and shield up as Ganondorf appeared. Pit had only time to blink before the Gerudo rushed him and sent the injured angel soaring off the platform with a yell.

"Link if we team up, we can take him. Link?" Samus glanced behind her after she didn't get a response. She found him staring at his hand in a state of horror. The golden triangle- the Triforce if Samus recalled correctly after the many times Zelda had happily parted the information to her- was glowing brightly. Samus gandered a quick glance towards Ganondorf who had forgone his offensive stance and was looking at the young hero curiously.

"Hero, what are you doing?" He demanded and took a step forward. Link's sword and shield fell from his shaking grasp, clanging to the ground in the now deafening silence. The unbearable heat pulsed once again through Link's body, sending a searing pain to his head. He let out a painful cry as gravity pulled him onto all fours. Link clasped his hands around his head and tried to muffle his pained screams.

"Link, are you okay?" Samus reached out to him.

"Get away!"

Samus flinched away as Link's voice came out as a ferocious growl; an almost threatening tone. The Triforce shone brighter still, almost blinding the bounty hunter.

"Hero, stop whatever it is you are doing!" Ganondorf snapped the order as he gaped at his hand and the bright glow of his own Triforce. He glanced over into the crowd and found Zelda staring at her own dazzling hand. A loud pained scream ripped through the stadium as Link was coated in a golden light.

From where Ganondorf and Samus were situated, Link was in immense pain, his body shifting into awkward angles, his bones moulding into certain positions. Samus gasped as Link's head contorted into a wolf, the woman watched as the unique striking blue eyes slowly faded to black. The golden light faded and the snarl the wolf produced caused even Ganondorf to flinch. The large wolf locked his gaze on the blonde woman, growling lowly, showing its canines in insatiable hunger. The bounty hunter was unable to move, fear had taken over her body. Her easy-going friend was gone, replaced by a giant, menacing wolf. It moved closer, prowling towards its prey, analysing her with precise eyes. It let out a blood-curling howl before it pounced, ready to take his prey by the neck. Samus closed her eyes tight and waited for the deathly pain that never came. She slowly opened her eyes and saw none other than Ganondorf wrestling with the wolf. The evil king of the Gerudo's had just saved her life. Samus watched as the giant wolf clawed at the king, leaving huge gashes over the man's armour. His jaw went to bite at Ganondorf's face only for it to be whacked to the side as the Gerudo punched him. The wolf roared in response and dived for his neck. An arm came up between them and the teeth of the beast pierced Ganondorf's skin, embedding its canines into his arm. The huge man winced, turning to Samus who was still stunned by what was playing out in front of her.

"What are you doing bounty hunter?!" He boomed as he struggled to keep Link under control, "Help me!"

Samus suddenly came to, blinking as she began to pull her gun out its holster. She went to aim at the beast when Zelda magically appeared beside her and gave Link a stern gaze.

"LINK!"

The wolf snapped his head to the princess and Zelda shook under the stare. Those blue eyes she was expecting to see were black, there was nothing but an empty shell. The wolf seemed to forget the angered Gerudo beneath him and ran full bound at Zelda. He leaped, only to be side swept by Ganondorf once again. The taste of the huge male was still in Link's mouth and he was determined to finish the man once and for all. Zelda summoned her goddess bow and drew an arrow from the air. Samus watched her knot the arrow in place.

"What are you going to do?"

"Put him to sleep." Zelda informed her before she released the bow and the arrow headed straight towards the wolf's head. It knocked him clean off Ganondorf and laid there, unconscious and breathing deeply. Ganondorf raised himself and began to straighten his tattered armour. He heard Zelda's approach and nodded respectfully to her.

"Are you okay? Do you need to go to the infirmary?" The princess asked.

"I'm fine." The reply was curt but held no bite.

"Of course." Zelda offered him a piece of cloth, which he took gratefully, wrapping it tightly around his injured arm.

"Do you know why the Hero acted this way?"

"I don't."

They glanced at one another before the two watched the wolf be taken away, its paw glowing faintly.