Chapter Text
Link awoke shivering. He was in his nest, bundled and curled around the furs like his life depended on it, and yet he was still freezing. The Omega felt warm enough, but he was sweating in his sleep. He couldn't have possibly gotten sick, there wasn't any way he could have... As much as he hated thinking about it, the Lynel had taken very good care of him.
Groaning, Link stood, collecting himself and surveying the cave as he rubbed the last remnants of sleep from his eyes.
"Alpha? Where did he go...?" Link's brows furrowed in confusion. The Lynel rarely left him alone, and wouldn't leave, especially when he was sleeping. Stumbling to the mouth of the cave, he blinked at the brightness from the sky and waited for his eyes to adjust. It was quiet. Almost too quiet. He heard soft giggling from the forest to his left, scenting the air to try and discern who the noise came from. And who else would it be but Kai and Bali. Link chuckled at the sight of the two colts, sunk low to the ground and stalking him as though they were sneaky. The young Lynels were positive the sweet smelling Omega couldn't see them, and jumped out at him when he feigned ignorance. They squeaked in surprise when he jumped back at them, letting out a soft "Rawr!" for added dramatization.
As expected, Bali huddled to the ground with his little hands over his ears in fear, while Kai scrunched up his nose and glared at the Omega for scaring them.
"Aw, did I scare you? Aw, poor babies," Link cooed, squatting down to pat at Bali's mane gently. The colt whined pitifully, but glanced up at Link with puppy dog eyes, little tears gathering at the rims. "Come here, Bali."
Bali chirped in response, sniffling but rising as the Omega did, clutching onto his hips and nuzzling into the soft pudgy flesh gathering there. Link smiled down at him fondly before turning his gaze to Kai, who was still glaring and seemed butt hurt over the entire incident. Link stuck his tongue out at the other Lynel, who in turn growled and stuck his tongue right back, jumping idly from his left side to his right, his little hooves clinking on the pebbles beneath him. Once Bali had calmed and Kai was tired of playing, Link ushered them to the Cliffside, settling himself down on a patch of grass, leaning back against the rocky outface. The colts took this as a sign to nurse, laying next to him and gently kneading his sore breasts for the warm liquid. Link idly pet their heads, his mind wandering to what his life was like before he was kidnapped. Was kidnapped even the proper term for what happened to him? He felt more than content with his life here, at least he thought he did. What did he leave behind? He couldn't remember...
Why couldn't he remember?
He absent mindedly ran a hand over his bond mark (at least what he could reach, as both Sidon and the Lynel had rather large mouths and bit not only the nape of his neck, but a large portion of his upper back as well), deep in thought as his fingertips traced every indent and scar.
A soft whine brought his attention back to the task at hand. Kai, with his belly full of milk, had decided to venture off in favor of letting his brother get the rest of the milk. He was bored, anyway. Link's eyes trailed off in the direction Kai had taken, becoming sleepy as though he had drunk warm milk himself. Bali purred as he suckled, his little lips smacking and suckling in contentment. Link's head fell against the rockside as he let sleep succumb him, Bali's soft noises coaxing him into a deeper state of unconsciousness.
He was roused not minutes later by a frightened Kai, the little Lynel hopping and shifting uncomfortably on his hooves as he shook the Omega awake. He let out little blips of fear and worry, impatiently urging Link to awaken faster. As if on cue, Link startled awake and glanced around, his hands instinctively covering his belly. Sensing no immediate danger, he glanced at Kai to see why the little colt was so spooked in the first place. Bali snored against his thigh, his brother's distress unimportant to him. Kai's expression spoke volumes, Link not needing to be fluent in any other language than his own to understand what he was trying to say.
Danger. Close.
"Alright, baby, come on, we must go," Link shook Bali from his slumber, ignoring the bubbly whines of protest. "What happened? What did you see?" Kali merely whimpered in response, clutching onto Link's hand with his own. The Omega scented the air for any signs of danger; perhaps smoke, if maybe a wildfire had started, or another Stalnox had stumbled into the area. To make his day worse, the sun had hidden behind the clouds during his nap, a light drizzle taking its place, which greatly impeded upon his sense of smell. It was still too quiet in the area for comfort.
Link swallowed, taking a tentative step into the forest. The two colts had attached themselves to his hands, making him useless should anything decide to attack him. Bali's head whipped back and forth at any sound, a bird chirping or a branch breaking, his instincts elevated due to the adrenaline coursing through his body. Granted, Link and Kai weren't doing much better.
A loud roar erupted through the air, one Link would never forget.
Alpha.
His Alpha sounded angry.
Panting, Link jogged as quickly as he could with the weight of the two babies at his sides in the direction of his mate. Whatever was causing him distress, he must eradicate it. For the sake of himself and the colts (even if he didn't know where the colts came from in the first place. Their mother was probably very worried).
Link reached the edge of a clearing for a brief second before he was thrust into the air. His Alpha had swept him up into his arms within seconds, continuing his canter towards their den. Link screeched out angrily as he lost his grip on the colts' hands, pounding his fists against the Lynel's chest as he watched Kai and Bali fall behind. The Alpha reared up in slight bewilderment, but raced back to gather the two Lynels into his arms swiftly, the sound of hooves beating against the earth behind them. Link glanced over his mate's shoulder as they continued towards the cave, catching small glimpses of flags in the air... and was that a triforce?
The Lynel made haste in ushering his Omega and colts into the den, pushing them into the deepest part in a flurry of motion. Link glanced at the Alpha worriedly. Why was he in such a hurry?
"Alpha?" The Lynel paused as Link called out to him. He looked the Omega over fondly with his sharp gaze, calming himself down enough to croon to the shivering colts. He nuzzled Link's neck and face, licking his lips softly before returning to his work. He stood strongly in the mouth of the den, his sharp Savage Lynel Sword at his side as well as his shield. The Alpha let out soft croons to his mate in an attempt to soothe him, as though Link couldn't smell the distress leaking off the creature. The sour tang of copper hit his nostrils as well, the Omega searching for the source of it.
An arrow.
Imbedded into the calf of the Lynel's right hind leg. What was going on?
Link brought Kai and Bali closer to him, cuddling them into the depths of the nest, patting them and purring to them softly.
"Stay here, alright? Don't move." His sharp gaze implemented his command even more harshly.
Link padded over to his mate, whining at the sight of the arrow, the metal shaft of only half of it sticking out. The sucker was deep in there. Link pet the damp fur around it gingerly, muttering to himself lowly. What could have possibly had the balls to shoot an arrow at a Savage Lynel? (Aside from him, of course). Putting pressure on the creature's calf, he counted down from three before yanking the arrow out of the sinewy muscle in an instant, the Lynel hardly making a sound aside from a low pained growl. Link threw the offensive item to the side, hissing at it as though it could understand his anger. He trotted to the front of the Alpha, running his hands along the sharp v leading down to course fur.
"Who hurt you?" The Lynel snarled and pushed Link close to his side. "Was it Bokoblins? There's no one out here who even would dare to shoot at something like you! You're terrifying!" The Alpha cast a hurt look back at the sentiment before returning his gaze back to the front of the cave. Link stumbled over his words, his heart sinking at his mate's hurt gaze. "You don't scare me, of course! I mean, anything else! You're terrifying to other creatures, like the Lizalfos or even Hinoxes! The only thing crazy enough to shoot at you would be-"
"Me."
The Lynel growled at the intruders surrounding the den, stance low as the mob of people threatened his mate and temporary pups.
"Wh...what-"
"Link, get away from that creature." Princess Zelda stood armed and ready, her sword and shield at her side as her dress swirled behind her. Sidon appeared next to her, his gaze hard and almost animalistic, his eyes slits.
Sidon raised his own bow straight at the Lynel, ice crackling at the tip. As he was about to fire, the Lynel snarled and raised his shield, blocking his body and mate from range. His head stood proudly above the protection. The Lynel's own face was contorted into one of pure fury, his eyes dilated and his teeth bared, daring the creatures at the mouth of his den to come closer.
"My love, step away from the beast," Sidon commanded.
"No."
"What?" Sidon winced back in surprise as his Omega disobeyed the command. Link would never speak out against-
He wouldn't speak at all.
Because he couldn't.
"You can talk." Sidon and Princess Zelda both gasped in surprise, their eyes widening almost comically.
"You will not hurt him."