Everything seemed to happen at once, like some kind of divine providence had brought many threads of fate and circumstance to this exact spot at the same time, for all the wrong reasons. Fate was a fickle mistress, and yet she was always in attendance. This was a painful lesson learned over a century of existence, yet it rang no less true for Rajaala now than it did on the day her King died. In the back of her mind, she sought answers, some rhyme or reason for these happenings, yet not one was immediately forthcoming.<br/><br/>The Goron child had been a surprise, the rockling stumbled into the clearing with significantly less noise than she expected for one of its kind, yet she had let it slip from her mind for the moment. It was no threat. Likely as useless and numbly stupid as the rest of its kind. Her attention had been grabbed by the second arrival, a Hylian it was to be assumed. Dark clothing, tall hat and a mask of some kind. Regular looking shapes under his long cloak suggested the presence of weapons. Her conscious mind immediately classified him as a threat, an unknown. At least he could talk, as evidenced by his attempt at getting the forest madman's attention, but she wished he wouldn't. His voice grated across her like a metal shaver. He didn't seem to have seen her yet. Perhaps she should...<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">*WHAM*</span><br/><br/>No questions. No hesitation. Her instincts told her that this was life or death. It never occurred to the Zora warrior that they might be wrong. Her blade was in hand, thankfully still sheathed for now, without any real intent on her part. Her thoughts were empty, a void where only true focus held any purchase. The situation in front of her was quickly analysed and weighted, yet some...<span style="font-style: italic">thing</span>stayed her hand. Curious.<br/><br/>With some difficulty, she prised her mind open again to allow for more than thoughts of killing and destruction. What she saw almost drove her to laughter.<span style="font-style: italic">Almost</span>. In front of her, maybe fifteen yards or so into the clearing, was another Goron. This was much larger than the rockling that cowered off to the side, well into adulthood. Still probably just as dumb as the rocks it ate. Her countenance shifted ever so slightly towards relaxation.<br/><br/>As if drawn by her sudden explosion of movement, the rockling's eyes seemed to zero on her, lighting up in an odd way, as if he somehow recognised her. It began tottering towards her, squeaking and dropping into a roll. She had nothing but contempt for it, right up until she actually made out what it was squeaking.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"Vota!"</span><br/><br/>A name. It had no outward effect on her. Inside she reeled. Vota. A Zora name. She had known a Zora by that name, long ago. Vota was... had been a friend of sorts, always willing to laugh at and alongside her. She shook the feeling. It wasn't exactly an uncommon name. Perhaps this child had known another Zora by that name and simply mistaken her. It stopped, the light fading from its eyes.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"U-um, hello, do you know... u-um..."</span>The rockling practically crumbled before her.<br/><br/>"No, little rock, I do not know." Her voice was raw from lack of use over the last few weeks, coming out a little raspy, yet still confident.<br/><br/>"Cease your blubbering. Begone before you embarrass yourself any further. Here I thought rocks were meant to be tough." She turned away, intending to show nothing but her back to this pathetic pebble.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"YOU TAKE CHILD FROM MOUNTAIN?! WHY YOU DO THIS? CHILD NEEDS ROCKS AND MOUNTAIN!"</span>Oh lovely, the big one had opened its fool mouth. Rajaala wondered how exactly her day could get too much worse and was suddenly interrupted when the beast brought its club down hard on the earth beside her. Her steel leapt to hand instinctively, yet she did nothing with it. A sword wasn't going to hurt a creature that tough. Her halberd might, but it was a good few steps behind her. Should she turn for it, she would die. Of this she was certain.<br/><br/>"This rockling is not mine. As if I would bother taking one. I would wonder, perhaps, how you lost it, my coprolite friend?" There was bite there, intention to wound with words if not with anything else. Again she turned away, returning her blade to its home. Her attention turned to the mad old man once more, fixing him with a direct stare.<br/><br/>"I will wish you luck in dealing with the Gorons if you tell me the sense in talking to plants, old man. By the Goddess, you'll need it and I find myself curious as to why you do as you do. Is it perhaps to persuade them not to break your ankles?" Another barb, aimed at the dark and edgy one this time. Who knew that she had so missed company that she could bait with words? It was liberating to some extent.<br/><br/>She flopped herself down against the exposed roots of the tree she had slept under to await their response, the very picture of ease whilst being anything but.