#khosha the songbird warrior

[sunset-peril]

Khosha, Wife of Revali

As had become commonplace since the appointment of Hyrule’s Champions, the Flight Range of Rito Village had once again become alive with the chatter of five voices: the four Champions and Hyrule’s princess. Her appointed knight was also in attendance, the sacred sword in his possession, but he remained ever silent. He stayed near to his princess, providing comfort and protection to the young woman. The snow outside was beginning to taper off, but the party had yet to venture out of the small, interior area. All were still crowded around the small fire pit, except Revali, who stood aside fiddling with his aerial artillery.  

"C'mon, Revali." Urbosa began. "Join the team for once." 

"I think not, not only would that end distastefully with all of us around the fire, but I'm waiting for an arrival from the Village."

"If I may," Zelda began, pausing for a moment for an undetermined reason. "who is it we are expecting?"

"If the elder didn't change plans since I arrived here, which I'm not sure why he would have,” Revali replied with his ever-present self-confident tone and upward tip of his beak before his tone mellowed in its presentation. “then it will be Khosha, a songbird with a-” He allowed an audible pause in his voice, as if he was unsure how to describe the visitor. “-stunning admiration for the warrior arts." 

The party took notice of Revali's seemingly uncharacteristic description, but were equally uncertain of what to respond. 

"She sounds nice…" Daruk began, uncertain about the reply. “She a… friend of yours?” 

“...You could say that.” 

A silence fell over the Flight Range, one that felt almost awkward. 

Revali returned to his weapons, Urbosa casting a glance at him before turning back to the fire to see her little bird move slightly both towards the fire and her knight; watching him discreetly squeeze her hand before letting go. 

His face was emotionless as he did so, which normally wouldn't be much to note, but Urbosa and Daruk had seen how, in similar exchanges, he would let a smile or a nod shine through even if just for a moment. Through an exchange of their own, the two reasoned it was due to the increase of pressure and the amount of professionalism of the event.

The flap of wings began to be heard over the freezing wind, a Rito figure soon came into view, soaring into the Flight Range's side door with a sweeping wingspan and three balancing flaps. As eyes focused on the Rito, they found her beautiful. A thin braid of light teal feathers trailed down her right shoulder and chest, the back corners of her almond-shaped green eyes dark with gorgeous long eyelashes and her hay-colored beak, about half as long as Revali's, curled down to a pointed tip that was a peach-like hue. 

"Khosha." Revali's voice was uncharacteristically soft. "Welcome."

A small chuckle was heard. "Revali." She looked around. “And Champions.” She lifted the medium-sized pot that she was gripping with her right foot. “I’ve brought a meal.”

Dishes were served and warriors were fed. Finally, Revali sat down near the group.

“It is wonderful to finally meet you all face to face. We don’t often interact with other tribes. Revali,” she nudged the bird. “Are you going to introduce me to your companions?”

The Champions were distracted from their meals for just a moment. Khosha must be a friend of Revali’s indeed, a simple villager should not have had the comfort level to ask Revali for an introduction.”

“Of course.” Revali set his bowl to the ground. “You are already aware of Princess Zelda, a Hylian from Central Hyrule. Sitting on her right is Princess Mipha, a Zora from Lanayru. On Zelda’s left is Link, Zelda’s bodyguard and the Hylian Champion. He’s actually a Wolfbred, from far east Necluda, but he was appointed as the Hylian Champion. Next to him is Urbosa, the Gerudo chieftain. And finally, Daruk of Goron City in Eldin.”

“My!” Khosha took the tips of Revali’s wings in hers. “You’ve become quite well-traveled, my dear.” She gestured softly towards Link. “I had heard the Kingdom reabsorbed your tribe. How has your tribe been adjusting?”

Link’s scarred lips pulled back slightly, but not enough to show any teeth. Zelda reached over his back and pulled him a little closer, as if to reassure him that the multi-colored Rito was not going to jump at him. The sudden touch brought a soft clicking sound from Link’s mouth, and he looked toward Zelda.”

“My apologies, Khosha. The Wolfbred can be… quite anxious. The people of my kingdom have not been as willing to accommodate them as my father and I have been, which only heightens their stress.”

“Ah, so the ban of the restraints has not changed public opinion much at all, has it?”

“No, sadly. In fact, I think my father’s decision to ban muzzling of the Wolfbred has only worsened opinions of him and his people; not to mention him being selected to represent Hyrule in battle. Pardon any offense, but I am surprised you know of such a matter.” 

“I find none, Your Highness. That incident spread far throughout the kingdom. I believe almost anyone could identify the Champion by his scars alone.”

Link seemed noticeably more uncomfortable by this statement.

“That is… unfortunate for his safety, if Link might be identified so readily by such a permanent fixture on his body.” 

Urbosa shuffled into a new position. “We’ve talked about the soldier boy, now what about you? You seem quite close to Revali.”

“I suppose now’s a good enough time as ever,” Revali mused from his piece of the floor. “Everyone, meet Khosha: my wife.”

~~~~

Evening came upon the village. Even though the snowstorm was long gone, the temperature continued to drop. After a long day of council, the Champions eventually ventured out to tour the Tabantha region, with an even more self-confident Revali soaring on the bygone storm’s remaining breeze. Of course he would act in such a manner. As fine of a warrior he was, a young Rito he remained. Last spring’s molt had taken her fledgling markings from her visage, but his remained as red, almost pink really, as ever. They too would be gone in the next few years, and she knew he’d continue to smooth over as they faded from his face. His personality had already mellowed significantly from their first encounters as fledglings. The Wolfbred warrior, Link, he seemed about Revali’s age. Perhaps that is why Revali had taken to such grandiose presentation after she’d been introduced to them. For any warrior, to be suddenly paired with a mythical warhound would be quite the shock to their ego, especially a perfectionist like her dear. Perhaps the two would grow close as they prepared for the Calamity’s arrival, close enough at least that Link’s presence would soothe Revali instead of leaving him with ruffled feathers. 

The Princess and her warriors would be returning soon, as the sun would sink below the mountains before too long. After picking the Great Eagle Bow up from the bowyer’s shop and purchasing a full quiver’s worth of arrows from his wife, the fletcher, Khosha made one final stop near the village’s entrance, overwhelmed by thoughts from meeting Hyrule’s Champions that she must bring before her Goddess in order to find peace.

Oh Hylia, my mind is uneasy as I see the Champions appointed by your divine blessing gather. All of them… they have their peoples behind them… they have laid down lives that can still amount to so much… all for this cause. 

Hyrule's princess, your incarnation descended, seems… ill of the mind. There is a darkness in her unnatural to her age. I suppose I should not be surprised. The Hyrulean Royal Family is broken. The King and Princess are fighting. The Queen has been dead for ten long years. I’ve heard rumors… rumors that the Princess was found in a silent rebellion with one of the knights… while I can only imagine that this is just a lonely girl crying out for love, I can’t help but worry on how far it may go… or how it may end… whether it warrant no consequences at all, whether someone will wind up in prison… or the bloodline extended…

…My apologies, Hylia, my mind wanders. Take my worries away from her, Hylia, she has an unimaginable share of other frets to manage on those small shoulders of hers. She has an entire world watching her every move, eagerly waiting for the divine glow of her birthright to illuminate an uncertain time. It is this power, this divine, glowing power, that causes the darkness in Princess Zelda, even more so than the lingering scars of her mother's death. She does not have access to it as her father demands. Your holy inheritance… a power intended only for goodness… yet it has caused only pain and sorrow for her and all in the castle… and possibly beyond. 

Why do you leave her like this, Hylia? I know this darkness in her can be purged, I see it chased back like evil in the legends of old whenever she is presented with research… or she becomes newly aware of her knight's presence. That light in her eyes… I know it so well. It is the light of love. Love for relics of old, learning their forgotten purposes and watching them return to life… and love for him, Link the knight. It is his purpose to defend her, but I can see that she'll go out of her way to do the same for him. Seeing this light… it gives me peace for Hyrule's future…

Protect them, the Princess, the knight, the Champions… so that they all may return to their people from these ancient wonders of holy war… grant the Princess her power… the wear in her young body declares that she had proved rigorous dedication… the introduction to every battle and legend of old declares the need for the knight and the princess… As much as the Guardians and Divine Beasts will aid us in the fight to come, it is not them but her that is irreversibly needed. The legends dating back even to your original incarnation… The Divine Beasts aren't inscribed, but the Princess and Knight are. She needs this power, Hylia… why do you withhold it from her?

~~~~

Hyrule's Final Stand Masterlist

[sunset-peril]

I've decided to show off my Zelda moodboards that I've made over the years. I like to make them as I feel it helps me better understand my own guys.

Without further ado, here are the first two I've decided to share, one I made way back in 2020 and one I made this month, in that order -

List to all image credits

List to all image credits

I plan to show off the others in due time!

Let me know if there's a character that you do want to see a moodboard for! (These are fun to make, I like these)

[sunset-peril]

Successors - Chapter Two - The Songbird Warrior

*One Year Later*

~~~

"Oh, Mama! It's trembling again!" A blue and pink Rito peeped as she called her mother to the egg-filled nest. "That's the second time this hour!" 

"But of course! It's been a year since you laid." A pink and brown bird raised her head from the hammock.

"Oh, what would Revali be saying now?"

"That you should not be such a worrywart, Khosha!" She flapped her wings wide. "A hatching egg shall tremble, and that is nothing to concern over." Her talons clicked on the floor. "Specially, he would say you are being asinine." She sighed. "But that is not of concern. He's been gone a year, Khosha, and it's time for your egg to hatch. Please do not live in the past, he isn't there either." 

But Khosha's focus did not turn to her egg, but to Hyrule Castle in the distance. "The closer we've gotten, Mama, the more I've thought about her."

"Oh. How so?"

She sighed loudly. "It's been a year, Mama… she should have already had her baby; a beautiful, healthy, golden baby." Khosha glanced backwards. "I don't even know if she got out of that dangerous place, much less delivered a child as healthy as her effort deserved." Her egg rolled back and forth in her talons. "I guess it doesn't seem fair that I only lost my husband, but she lost so much more: her home, kingdom, husband, and quite possibly her child."

"The dead do not wish for you to mourn over their uncertainties."

"Oh, she was so little, Mama… so so little…" She poured over the words like a serenade. "but she had an ancient soul." 

The older woman's beak curved up slightly. "She sounds lovely."

"Did you ever see her? She came to the village several times." 

"A few. None as well as the last. I saw her when she came by just before the Calamity." She cooed out a chuckle. "Oh, she was so little… but that stomach of hers… hmm, that was a sight to behold. I don't think her husband appreciated my amusement though. He gave me the ugliest look." She imitated Link's steely glare. 

"He was not in a good mood that day. He was upset she was traveling instead of resting, and she'd been hurting earlier that morning."

"He had a good heart in him. Part of what made him the incarnation of protective, my theory. Hylia always takes the best sooner than we hope." 

"I bet the Princess is still missing him painfully."

"If she even survived. She might be up there with him, reunited with her dear mother."

"Mama, I know she's alive. I saw her."

"Oh, and where?" 

"The Castle. I… needed some closure soon after the Calamity, and flew there. I saw her in the throne room, Mama, just the way I saw her last, sitting on the throne with a great red Lynel at her feet that was streaked in black and purple like Malice. She didn't look like she'd aged a day, nor did her baby seem a day closer to coming, but she was cloaked in holy light." 

"Then she does seem alive, and in no need of our concern in this very moment." Khosha's mother gestured towards the egg rattling beneath Khosha's right foot. "Someone both alive and in our world would like your attention."

Finally, Khosha lowered her head from the window to focus on the hatching egg. "Hello? Is there a little Rito in there?"

A startlingly familiar beak pierced through the shell, sending cracks throughout the remaining areas before retracting. After that, the egg stopped moving, causing the two women to lower their beaks in curiosity.

"It just… stopped, Mama."

The shell split apart like an explosion, scattering fragments and revealing a tiny Rito with its wings outstretched.

"Revali?"

…

"It's like the Champion had a chick with himself!" The Elder exclaimed upon further examination.

"I've never seen this outside of the Hylian Royal Family!" 

The chick had since dried off from his egg into a noisy little poofball. To the amazement of the entire tribe, he was almost an exact copy of Champion Revali, except for the teal tips of his wings where his father had white.  

"His name is Revali the Second." His mother declared, bringing him closer to her chest. 

"Ah, what a joyous day is this!" The elder hooted. "To be gifted once again with our Champion just a year after his passing!" 

While the tribe gathered in celebration, heading to the Flight Range, Khosha and her mother lingered at the nest.

"He will lead a burdened life, that is for sure. His father's silhouette lies before him, and the world will try and get him to match it instead of casting his own, even if it is similar." 

Revali the Second glanced up from his mother's wings. Peep! Peep! 

"It's so strange…" 

"Perhaps Hylia knew you needed him to stay with you, even though he had to go with her. That is what she did for Zelda, is it not?"

"Yes." She wandered out to Revali's Landing, looking out towards the Flight Range. "And we'll make our mark, won't we, Revali?" She held the baby to the sky, whispering 'Look at your son…' before fastening him into a restraint, clasping the Great Eagle Bow and taking off. As she neared the Range, she prepared three bomb arrows and shot them into some of the targets her husband left behind, then landed with the same degree and style of fanfare he always had. And when she opened her beak to welcome the tribe in a way that he would, she could have sworn it was his voice and not her own.

"Impressive, I know."

Edited - 04/14/2024