The wake-up call came early the next morning, and after breakfast, they were ready to begin the journey to Hateno Village. Without stopping this would be about a six-hour ride, but of course, they planned to rest along the way.

Link went over to speak to the Lieutenant.

"Impa told us to be especially careful during this stage of our trip. She thought there was a reasonable chance a Yiga Clan spy spotted us," said Link.

"Yes, sir. I'll pass that along to the Guards and make sure the squad knows it too," said Gadlin. "Are you and Princess Mipha ready?"

"Yes, let's go," said Link.

They left Kakariko Village at about 7:30 and enjoyed a peaceful ride. They reached and crossed the Kakariko Bridge at 9:30 and decided to continue riding. So far there had been no sign of any trouble. After another hour they passed north of Ash Swamp and reached where Fort Hateno stood in Link's former timeline. The last time Link saw this place it lay in ruins with broken Guardians strewn throughout the field. But now there were only trees and shrubs. The fort had been built to stop a Guardian attack that never happened in this timeline. It was a good time to stop for a rest.

"I hope you're not getting bored with me reminiscing all the time," said Link. "This area has some special significance to me. We just passed Ash Swamp which is where I died battling Guardian Stalkers."

"I understand you need some closure with your past," said Mipha. "And I am interested in what happened to you. But unless you want to see me crying, don't talk about that part again."

"Alright, I'm sorry," said Link.

They finished a light early lunch, and it was time to continue. Lieutenant Gadlin thought they were a little less than three hours ride away from Hateno Village.

The road carried them past some cliffs on one side and the Fir river on the other. They were approaching a part of the path where it squeezed between two cliffs. Link started to feel uneasy. When he was traveling by himself, he preferred to climb cliffs like these and not stick to the road. However, he could not see any trouble, and the squad ahead had apparently passed through here safely shortly before. Nevertheless, he touched his sword to assure himself it was handy.

Mipha noticed his reaction. "Are you alright, Link?" she asked.

"I think so. I don't like where this path is headed between those cliffs up ahead. I think we should be on our guard," he said.

There was still no sign of trouble, though, and it would be difficult to backtrack and scale the cliffs with their horses. They continued to ride ahead.

Suddenly there was a rumbling sound.

"Look out!" the Lieutenant shouted.

Boulders were rolling down from the cliffs above, both ahead of them and behind them. It was a cunning ambush. The stones would prevent their escape along the road, and they would be like fish in a barrel to any archers on the cliffs above. And that was precisely the plan. Four Yiga Clan archers had been hiding above them on the north cliff and started shooting from bows that launched two arrows at a time.

"Use the horses as a shield if necessary," yelled Link. "And hug the north cliff wall." He had pulled Mipha next to him and pushed her behind his horse. The Guards returned fire, but the angle made their shots difficult. The only thing that might help them, Link realized, was that all four Yiga Clan soldiers were on the same north cliff. Apparently, the south cliff did not offer enough concealment to spring their trap. If they too hugged the north cliff wall, the enemy would have a more difficult shot. To target them the Yiga archers would have to lean over the cliff themselves, making them an easier target.

"We need to scale the cliff somehow," Link shouted. If only he had Revali's gale now, he thought. "Try to cover me by keeping up your shooting. I am going to climb up. Mipha, stay down here behind this horse and along this side of the cliff so they can't target you."

At that moment one of the Guards went down with a groan, pierced in the chest with two arrows. The remaining three Guards shot arrows at the enemy to distract them, while Link began scaling the north cliff. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain: he was hit in the left shoulder with an arrow as he climbed and nearly lost his balance. He groaned but managed to hold on and soon scaled the top. His left arm was throbbing. He drew his sword and rushed the nearest Yiga warrior. The warrior had not expected Link to charge so quickly, and in trying to switch from his bow to his sword left himself vulnerable. Link was able to strike him down with a single blow. He disappeared in a puff of orange smoke, leaving bananas and rupees on the ground.

But three of the enemy remained, and they were now focused entirely on Link. He held his shield up and backed away. They advanced slowly, spreading wider apart to divide his attention and encircle him. They had put away their bows and now wielded sharp-pointed black sickle-shaped weapons. His left shoulder throbbed in pain, but he knew he had to keep his shield up. If they all rushed him at once, he wasn't sure he could handle them. Suddenly one of the Yiga Clan warriors cried out in pain and fell to the ground, pierced with an arrow to the chest. While the enemy had focused on him, Lieutenant Gadlin had scaled the wall, and his aim with the bow was perfect. The other two Yiga Clan warriors looked uncertain whom to attack. Gadlin held his ground, shield raised. The enemy warriors looked at each other, nodded, and then one rushed Link while the other rushed Gadlin. Link planted himself firmly, ready to defend himself from the blow he felt sure was coming when suddenly the warrior charging him fell to the ground, writhed in pain, then disappeared in an orange puff of smoke. Mipha's trident had pierced his chest. Meanwhile, a second Royal Guard soldier had scaled the cliff and now stood beside his Lieutenant, sword drawn. Outnumbered, the remaining Yiga Clan warrior suddenly halted his charge, waved his arms in an incantation, and disappeared in an orange puff of smoke. The attack was over. Mipha rushed over to Link.

"Link, you're wounded," she cried.

"Mipha, are you okay?" Link asked. "I'm not badly hurt. Please look after the Royal Guard soldier on the ground below first. He took two arrows to the chest earlier in the fight."

"Alright but stay still here. I will be back as soon as I can," said Mipha.

The Guard pierced with two arrows lay motionless on the ground. Mipha rushed over to him. He was still alive, but barely. She would have to hurry. She removed the arrows, closed her eyes, and waved her hands slowly over the wounds. They began to heal. She kept up her healing process until the wounds closed. But the Guard had lost a lot of blood and was still very weak. He would need a blood transfusion and further medical attention. Mipha had done all she could for him. She climbed back up the cliff to where Link lay, finished healing Link and then attended to the other Guards. Gadlin was uninjured, and the other two Guards had only minor scrapes.

Finally, Link saw the squad of soldiers assigned to assure the road was clear rushing back. He wondered what had gone wrong. Lieutenant Gadlin was wondering the same thing and was soon speaking to the officer in charge of the squad. Apparently, the Yiga Clan were aware of the advance squad and had lured them away from the attack on Link's party by staging an attack further down the road. The squad had been able to drive them off without injury, but while they were engaged with that, the four hidden Yiga clan archers in the rear had rolled the boulders they positioned earlier over the cliff to entrap Link and Mipha's party between the rocks and the cliff walls. The Yiga Clan had hoped they could finish Link's party off with arrows, but when Mipha, Link and the Royal Guards had hugged the north wall too tightly, the Yiga were unable to clearly target them. The rest of the story they knew.

It was essential they get the injured Royal Guard to Hateno Village as soon as possible, so three of the squad members took him and raced on ahead.

Link went over to Mipha and put his arm around her. "Thanks for rescuing me, but I wish you had stayed safe."

"I told you I'm not helpless. And if anything had happened to you while I stayed safe, I could never forgive myself," said Mipha.

"Well, thank Hylia you're uninjured, and most of us are only slightly hurt. My prayers are with the wounded Guard. I hope they can treat him in time," said Link.

One of the horses had died in the battle, so two of the squad soldiers doubled up. Lieutenant Gadlin said the entire party might as well stay together now. If they pushed their horses to a gentle gallop, they were less than an hour's ride from Hateno Village. He thought a second attack unlikely but felt it best to move on quickly. They mounted up and galloped ahead. Soon they were climbing past Ovli Plain, Camphor Pond, and Ginner Woods, and then on into Hateno Village. It was mid-afternoon. Mipha and Link were brought directly to the Great Ton Pu Inn.

"Princess Mipha and Sir Link, I trust you are alright now. I am sorry for what you had to go through. I will leave you in the care of the innkeeper here, and two of my soldiers will stand guard. I want to check on how my injured colleague is doing," said Lieutenant Gadlin.

"Of course," said Link. "And please let us know if there is anything we can do. Don't feel bad about what happened. The Yiga Clan staged a clever ambush, and you helped save my life at the end."

"Thank you, sir," said Gadlin. "I hope Her Highness sees things the same way when she reads my report."

"I'll be happy to add my account to your report, Lieutenant, if that would help. Or even speak to Her Highness personally. So please don't worry about that. You did fine. Go ahead and check on your injured colleague," said Link.

"Thank you sir," said Gadlin. He headed off to the medical center.

Mipha and Link went to their room. There was nothing more they could do now. It was a much closer call than Link had expected and he was concerned about Mipha's safety.

"Mipha, do you think perhaps it might be safer for you to return at once to the Domain? I can finish this trip alone," said Link.

"No," said Mipha. "I would be worried out of my mind about you if I was back in the Domain. I want to be with you to share any danger and help take care of you. I know you mean well, but you forget I am one of the Champions and am not helpless."

"Yes, you're right. Without your help, I could have been gravely injured today or even killed. I never imagined it would be this dangerous," Link said. "I know it's early, but I'm exhausted. I need to lie down for a while." He collapsed on the bed and ended up sleeping through to the next morning.