The Bridge

“Saria, I don’t think this is a good idea—everyone knows the Lost Woods are dangerous. They’re called the ‘Lost Woods’ for a reason!”
Despite Link’s surprisingly brilliant moment of insightful sagacity, Saria seemed not to hear him, and casually brushed through a mess of tangled vines, disappearing behind the foliage.
“Com’on Link! I think it’s this way!”
“You think? You “think” it’s this way? Saria, if we get lost, we could get attacked by Skull Kids! Or worse, we could become one! Haven’t you heard the Know-It-All Brothers’ stories? All Kokiri who become helplessly lost in the Lost Woods transform into horrific monsters, forced to wander the woods alone for all time!”
Link’s voice echoed endlessly into the trees. Wyn, Saria’s freckled, chestnut-haired fairy, floated just ahead, holding aside a curtain of vines obligingly.
“Right, right, I get it. I’m coming.”
Link forged ahead, brushing a firefly out of his face as he swept past the viney curtain and crawled into the narrow, dark tunnel after Saria. The Lost Woods were not like ordinary woods. You couldn’t just leave a marker on one tree and follow your way back home. The woods were constantly shifting and changing—moving. Any marker you left on one tree could end up sprouting on the other side of the forest in moments, as if the tree had magically replanted itself. There was no sense of direction in these woods—no sun to guide your way, no moss that grew on one a single side of each tree, and no stars at night. The only light the wood offered was the multicolored glow of the countless fireflies lazily drifting about, and even this was morphed and stretched to bizarre proportions by the thick fog penetrating the air. It didn’t even appear like a forest half the time—all over, massive trees lay fallen against the ground, their insides hollowed out into small tunnels. Earth and nature grew around these tunnels, such that it was often very difficult to see them. And though Link could usually see what lay beyond them relatively easily, every time he passed through a tunnel, it was as if he had emerged in another part of the woods entirely. There was something magical about this part of the forest—very ancient. The thought that one wrong step could quite easily lose him his life both excited and terrified him at the same time. Still, he trusted Saria. Everyone in the forest knew she had traveled these woods before, although no one dared follow her. It was as if the forest spoke to her, and welcomed her into its embrace like an old friend.
Still, Link didn’t feel as though the forest regarded him with the same warm feelings. No matter how hard he tried, he could not escape a nagging feeling that every step he took was being watched.
“Link! Are you coming?”
“Geez Saria, ever hear of patience?”
“Hurry!”
Link finally emerged at the end of the tunnel, and crawled to his feet. Saria was already a good ways ahead of him, but Wyn soon popped out of the tunnel’s opening and beckoned him forward with a whistle.
Just ahead, Saria stopped, and turned around to face Link, her expression suddenly very somber, as opposed to the cheerful fervor she had displayed only moments before. Link walked slowly up to her, and glanced ahead. There was very little mist now, and very few fireflies, but the sun shone just enough through the trees to allow Link to see everything clearly. Another hollowed tree tunnel lay just ahead, although it was considerably larger than the others, and was wound tightly into what appeared into what appeared to be a very large cliffside. He peered upward, but could not see the top. He stopped next to Saria, and looked into her eyes. Her emerald glint seemed drowned in melancholy, and her gaze kept diverting back and forth between him and the dark tunnel. When she finally spoke, her voice was so low that Link could barely hear her.
“Just beyond this tunnel lies the bridge to the outside world.”
Link gasped. The world outside the forest—it had always been a story among the Kokiri—a fable. Everyone talked about it, but no one knew what it was like, or even if it really existed. Link had wanted to see the outside world for as long as he could remember, but for him to witness it now…
“It’s almost beyond belief, isn’t it Link?”
Link nodded, unable to speak.
“It’s a dangerous world out there. The Great Deku Tree shields us from it for a very good reason. You know why, don’t you?”
Link nodded again.
“Within this forest, the Great Deku Tree can protect us. But beyond his borders, even his power is unable to hold off the curse that has been darkening this world since the beginning of time—death.”
Saria hung her head, and continued.
“Link, I’ve been thinking…what if the Great Deku Tree’s powers aren’t enough? He’s watched over us for years, but who watches him? What stops him from meeting the same curse as everything else outside of the forest? …I’ve been having nightmares…”
Nightmares. Saria too? She’d never had nightmares before—at least, not that anyone else knew of. She was the bravest Kokiri in the village—everyone knew that. What could possibly make her afraid? Link suddenly thought about telling her about his own nightmares, but decided against it. They were dumb anyway.
“…I don’t know how to explain it, but…I think the Great Deku Tree is in trouble. He hasn’t seen anyone in weeks, and what few glimpses I have had of him, he’s looked terribly wearied and sodden…old.”
Link trembled. What was Saria saying? Why had she brought him here?
“Link, I don’t pretend to know what power the Great Deku Tree has, or whether or not anything is happening at all. Maybe I’m just paranoid. But…I’ve seen strange things lately. The forest around us…it’s growing darker. It’s aging. Link—I think the Great Deku Tree is dying.”
So that was it. This was why Saria had brought him here. Saria never brought people with her into this part of the forest—and for good reason. Last time she did, an inexplicable tragedy occurred. It was before Link came to the woods, but he had heard talk of it from time to time. Mido had warned all the Kokiri never to bring it up, but, once every so often, someone would mention the incident, and everyone would begin talking in hushed tones, acting very somber. Link kept asking what it was that happened, but no one ever told him. When Link finally went to ask Mido himself, he just got beat up. Eventually, he just gave up trying to find out. Still, he had never managed to entirely shake loose of his curiosity, and now—more than ever—he wanted to know.
Link glanced upward. Saria was looking at him in a puzzled manner, stroking her mossy hair contemplatively. Then, she glanced behind Link, and swiftly walked past him toward another tunnel.
“Com’on Link. There’s something else I think you should see.”
Saria crawled into the hollow expanse of the tunnel, and soon disappeared from sight. Wyn was right behind her, lingered a moment to give Link a gesture, and darted into the shadows. Link glanced back towards the bridge tunnel. A roar of wind suddenly erupted from its mouth, nearly knocking Link’s hat off. He jumped back in surprise, and began running back towards Saria. He glanced behind him, and was suddenly sure of his suspicions—he was being watched.