The legend of AB: Epona´s Filly, Hero´s apprentice.

A bow, an arrow, a path, and a target.

That was the essence of archery. Of course, in practice, it was much more complicated—especially for an outsider unfamiliar with the art. But the Rito? They were simply built different.

The first toy any young Rito received was a slingshot. From the moment they could grasp it in their talons, they would spend endless days launching nuts and small rocks at anything in sight—tree branches, distant cliffs, even the occasional unsuspecting traveler (who, more often than not, turned out to be another young Rito with a slingshot of their own).

Surprisingly, it was a fairly safe pastime. High up in their mountainous domain, there weren’t many threats that could reach a Rito perched in the craggy heights. The greatest danger came from the Ice Keese—monstrous bats with a single, glowing eye. They attacked in swarms, wielding ice magic that could freeze an unprepared traveler in seconds. But their oversized, luminous sensory organ made for an easy target. A well-aimed shot was all it took to bring one down, turning them from fearsome predators into little more than target practice.

The cold was no real issue for the Rito either. Their bodies were naturally resistant to frigid temperatures, their feathers insulating them from the harsh mountain winds.

The same could not be said for Applebuck.

Even with her thick fur coat and tunic, she was beginning to shiver, her teeth clacking audibly as she trudged forward against the icy breeze.

For the Rito, this air was practically mild—warmer than what they were used to back home. But for someone who had never even seen snow before, it was freezing.

Tulin hesitated, glancing ahead. They were close to their goal—just one more hill, a river crossing, and they’d be there. Pushing forward would be the quickest option.

But then he noticed the filly trembling, her body stiff with cold. The constant fights against Ice Chuchus must have drained what little warmth she had left.

Tulin sighed. "...Come on, let’s find a cave. You need to warm up." He was already scanning the rocky landscape for a decent shelter.

"Nn-no! I—I can keep going!" Applebuck protested, stomping a hoof for emphasis.

Tulin smirked, ruffling his feathers against the wind. "You know that just makes you look adorable instead of determined, right?"

Applebuck pouted, but she had no real argument. Huffing, she stomped after him, following his lead toward whatever warmth they could find.

Applebuck kept pouting, ears flicking in irritation. Her uncle, Link, only chuckled lightly.

"C’mon, Buky, we’re done here," he said, sheathing the Master Sword with practiced ease, the blade sliding into its scabbard in a single fluid motion.

The filly glanced around at the aftermath of the battle—the scattered remains of their fallen foes—and then back at him.

"Shouldn’t we grab the loot?" she asked, securing her mace onto her back.

Link paused for a moment, then shrugged. "If you wanna carry it, be my guest."

Applebuck gave him a flat, unimpressed stare.

"You’re only saying that ‘cause you’re as rich as a Goron mine," she chided playfully before trotting over to gather their spoils—guts, teeth, eyes, hearts, and other monster parts that would fetch a fair price or be useful in brewing elixirs.

Link smirked but, in the end, helped her collect the materials, wordlessly filling his own pouch with the grim trophies of their fight.

Meanwhile, on a distant lookout to the south, two Hylian guards stood watch, their eyes fixed on the unmistakable aftermath of what could only be described as a Blood Moon massacre.

The younger of the two swallowed hard, gripping his spear a little tighter. "...Monsters. Those two are monsters," he muttered, fear creeping into his voice as he watched them scavenge from the carnage.

The older guard exhaled through his nose, his expression hard. "Maybe," he admitted, "but they’re the Goddess’s monsters." He shot the younger one a sharp look. "And you’d do well to remember that. With the way things are now, we need all the savagery we can get. As long as the moon bleeds, there will be no peace."

The young guard could only gulp and nod, eyes still locked on the figures below.