They Say a Wolf is an Imp's Best Friend

The beast lays dormant, his body only slightly ever rising and falling to the rhythm of his breathing. It comes as a huge relief, causing the last stains of fear to ebb away as a twisted sort of curiosity takes its place. There I was, aimlessly floating around the World of Light, trying to shake off any forsaken Shadow Beasts, and then suddenly, I stumbled upon one. Finally, though, it's not me it had in its grip but a peculiar, dark-maned beast.

It doubled back, carelessly dragging him to the Castle’s dungeons and locking him up. Cue an hour or two, and he still hasn’t risen. Laying right at my feet… could it really be him? I had never expected the beast to be so… rugged. It had no air of divinity about it and looked… rather small and frail where it lay now. Still, a beast was a beast, and it was exactly as the legends my people foretold.

As if sensing that he was up for discussion, he shakes his bleary eyes open, letting out something that must have been a gasp at the sound of his rattling chains. I wait eagerly, ears pricked, and eyes widened as I anticipate for it to escape. Minutes pass and all he does is rattle at his chains and paw around frantically, acting too much like a true dog for my care. Would I really have to help him out? As I emerge from the shadows, eyeing him up and down, he only stares back, lips peeled, and eyes narrowed. Looks like I have to break the tension.

With the widest of my smiles, I leap through the bars of his cell.

“I found you!”

He wastes no time in formalities and begins to rumble a deep growl.

“Oooh! Aren’t you scary?” I scoff. As if he could do any damage clasped down with that chain… or any at all for that matter. It’s no secret that he’s confused and completely lost within that new body of his.

“Eee hee! Are you sure you want to be doing that? Snarling and glaring at me?” I question him, crossing my arms and staring him straight in the eyes. “Well, that’s too bad… I was planning on helping you… if you were nice.”

As soon as I finish the sentence, his ears prick forward, and his mouth fastens shut.

“Eee hee! That’s much better! You humans are obedient to a fault, aren’t you?” I peer even closer to him and lay a hand on his snout. “Oops! But you AREN’T a human anymore, are you? You’re a beast! Eee hee!”

As I pit pat his snout, he narrows his eyes and I’m certain he’ll begin growling again. Yet no sound erupts from him this time, and he simply remains staring at me, until finally launching a quick bite, one that is almost too easy to avoid.

“There, there,” I hiss darting away. “You be a good boy and calm down. No need to bite!”

With the flick of my hands, I send a ball of Twilight hurtling at him, his chains snapping with a spectacular crack!

“You look kind of surprised! Eee hee hee!” I giggle as I feast my eyes upon his once more.

“So! I bet you’re wondering, where exactly are we?!” and with that I effortlessly surpass his prison cell bars, taking up a new position just beyond them. This part should be interesting.

“Well, I’ll make you a deal. If you can get over here, maybe I’ll tell you! Eee hee!” I throw my head back, calling forth the largest, drawn-out yawn I can muster, letting him know that I’m in no hurry at all.

Though, that’s a lie, of course. With Zant close by and the Shadow Beasts patrolling the grounds… there’s no knowing when someone will come to retrieve him. Zant may be foolish, letting him listlessly lay around here for hours, but even his brashness has limits.

He scuffs around the cell, poking his snout into all the small cracks and crevices that litter the uneven ground. A few times, I even catch him sniffing at the air, perhaps trying to catch whiffs of any nearby scents. Good, at least he has some bearings of his body, maybe he’s not completely hopeless. It isn’t long before he launches his body against the lonely, decaying crate in his cell, and finally discovers the gaping bars I hoped for him to. With an uneasy look at the scuffed ground, he awkwardly shoves his way through and exits in one piece. A small shred of impressiveness works its way through my body though I push it back down. He’ll need to do far more than that to have me truly convinced of his abilities.

With a small, graceful twist I land on his back, and he begins to hurriedly flail around. I can’t withhold a smirk at how much he looks like a dog chasing its own tail.

“Hmph! I guess you’re not completely stupid after all!” I exclaim, slapping a few pats down upon his head. “Listen, I like you, so I think I’ll get you out of here.”

I now prepare myself for my delivery. Him refusing my offer is… simply not an option, I need him for the Twili’s sake, for my sake. With the yank of his ear, I push my mouth close to it and continue.

“But in exchange, you have to do EXACTLY as I say!” he only gives me one of his listless stares, showing no protest. I let a smile of satisfaction form. Of course, he’ll do what I say, he’s in no position to refuse – at least not yet. Later on, it may not be so easy.

“So, are we all clear? Good. Now, come on! Get moving!” As he leaps forward into action, I ready myself for what is to come. No matter what happens, I must get him to Zelda, I must set him on his journey. It’s the only way my people will ever be saved.

The End.