Link can explain monsters! In a slightly casual, rambly way, but still. Octoroks are the only ones that might pose a real threat, they spit rocks at you and run away if you try to get close, so you have to use some kind of ranged weapon.

"...But anyway, looks like our little raft is just about done! Just after lunchtime, too. Anything else you want to do before we set off?

"I'm ready when you are."

Link arranges their things onboard and kicks it into the water and, "Off we go! We'll have to portage twice, it looks like. Once where it goes really narrow about halfway through and once where there's a waterfall and no way around near the swamps. If we make good enough time we can camp at this nice dry rock overhang I found on my way up."

"Will we have a lot of octoroks to deal with on the river?"

"Not sure. Maybe one, I couldn't tell for sure if I got him or not on my way up. Maybe more. I can deal with them, Octoroks are more annoying than dangerous, really."

"Are there a lot of people here who could say that or is it just you?"

On the river he watches scenery and sometimes Link.

"I'm sure I'm not the only one. It takes archery skills. A lot of Rito are really good archers, you know. And I bet Zora can deal with them pretty easily."

The scenery is partly some pretty spectacular cliffs, partly verdant greenery, and a few elaborate and beautiful bridges the Zora built.

Link steers the raft, and sings. (Not very well, but at least enthusiastically.)

"Tell me more about archery? We don't have it at home."

"Sure! So the basic idea is, you can throw something, but that only gets it going so fast, right? A bow lets you throw things much faster, little things called arrows with a sharp tip and a sturdy shaft. They're made of tough wood and a flexible string you can pull back on, putting tension on the bow, which is all released in a burst of speed on the arrow when you fire it. Arrows can go faster than anyone could possibly throw a rock, so they make good weapons. And you put magic on them - shock arrows, fire arrows, ice arrows."

"I guess they would work better with our kinds of bodies. Do you use them for hunting food, too, or just monsters?"

"Yep, they were probably for hunting first, way back in ancient history or whatever."

"Are we going to hunt? I never have but I think I can probably just stop an animal's heart."

He decides Link is more interesting than the scenery and just watches her for a while.

"Hunting is surprisingly hard work, stalking and what not. I'll probably fish at some point, though." Link smiles at Valanda, laying back and totally relaxed.

He wouldn't've guessed that just seeing Link like this would be so nice.

"When's the next time we'll see a door? Not that I mind being stuck here at all."

"There's gonna be lots of doors in Kakariko Village. End of day tomorrow, I figure, unless we make bad time. We can hurry up and try to get you home whenever you like."

Sigh. "If I could get a door whenever I wanted I wouldn't leave tomorrow. But if it's always possible I'll never get another one I'm leaving as soon as I do."

"Sound plan. I think the doors like us, but you can't be too careful with important things like this. Oop, hold on."

Link smoothly stands up and picks up a long branch fashioned into a crude oar to start steering the raft away from the riverbank, incidentally displaying some toned muscle and bare skin glistening with river spray...

He watches intently. It's very important to know how to steer a raft.

"Oh, I think I just noticed something..."

She continues steering the raft, stretching and posing perhaps a bit more than necessary. Watching Valanda watch her and grinning.

Oh. Oh, she's not just tolerating being watched.

"You're pretty. You're strong and pretty and brave and wonderful. And pretty."

"You say such nice things. A girl could get the wrong idea... Okay, ignore that, I forgot where you're from for a moment, it was sarcasm. I wanna kiss you again but you don't like it, which kinda takes out some of the joy of kissing. Oh well. You're pretty too, and smart, and kind, and trying to help people back home. I like you."

"I like you too! And I'm not against ever doing things that other species get off on, that used to be my job, kissing isn't even the grossest thing I've ever had to do, if it's important to you..."

"-No no no. The point of kissing is that it's fun for both people. It's sort of like hugging, but specifically... Romantic and linked to sex." She gives a slight sigh and sits down again. "What an awful job to get forced into..."

"Forced? No, I was pretending not to be very good at magic, I could've stopped pretending and been used for that instead if I'd wanted. Or I could've run away, I just didn't think I'd live very long if I tried."

"But some choices aren't really choices. Your world's a sad place."