Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time or anything mentioned from that show.

Note: Anything up to and past "Red-Handed" is fair game. If you don't like spoilers, don't read.

Prologue: In Which We Meet Our Heroine And Her Sister

Two girls walked through the forest, always close together, gliding like ghosts over the snow. One girl younger and more innocent than her sister; her cloak and dress were a vivid blue and her skin was pale. She had a pale pink rose in her hair. Her sister beside her wore a black cloak and black dress that seemed as dark as the night that was quickly drawing near. Her skin, however, was a pale green.

"Darkness is falling, Nessa. We need to get home, and fast. It is wolfstime, you know," The older sister was saying.

"Can we just please go see if Red is alright? -Please-, Elphie? That last attack was a bad one..." Nessarose pleaded.

Elphaba shook her head. "No." she said. "We're already late for dinner, and mother-" She was stopped short by a loud howl.

Nessa and Elphaba exchanged glances, then the two began walking faster towards their home.

"Do you think it's nearby?" Nessarose asked.

"I certainly hope not," "Elphie" replied, clutching her younger sister's hand. "You've heard the stories. That wolf is a demon from Hell. We'd never be able to escape."

"But you're a witch, Elphie! You'd protect us!" Nessa cried earnestly.

The older girl put a finger to her lips and quickly shushed her. "We don't talk about that, Nessa...you know that." Elphba told her sister.

Another loud howl interrupted their conversation. With another glance exchanged, the two sisters continued walking quickly towards home as night fell all around them. Nessarose lit a lantern and held it in front of them as they continued walking. The pair heard something running and panting heavily behind them, but tried to ignore it. The noises grew closer and closer, and finally, they turned around.

Behind them stood a large, bloodthirsty wolf that was getting closer and closer by the minute. It was as large as a pony, but much more fearsome. The girls could see its sharp teeth glinting in the light of the full moon. Elphaba looked at Nessarose, fear evident in her eyes. Nessarose looked at Elphaba with wide eyes, shivering.

They ran for their lives.

Cloaks billowing out behind them, Nessarose threw the lantern at the wolf. The glass shattered all over its fur, but the wolf continued to chase them, and they continued running. Trees rushed past the Thropp girls as they ran towards the safety of their home, away from the fearsome beast.

Finally, Elphaba yelled to her sister, "It's no use! Climb a tree, quick! The wolf won't be able to catch us there!"

Nessa nodded and veered off the path suddenly, effortlessly climbing a large oak. Elphie followed her and sat beside her on a thick branch high up the tree. The two sisters clutched each other, shivering from both fear and cold with their cloaks clutched tight around them and their hoods up, as the wolf below scratched the tree, trying to reach its prey.

The moon cast an eerie light upon them as they waited for the wolf to leave. Finally, Elphaba had had enough. She leaped to the forest floor, an inhuman beast of shadows.

"Leave us alone," she hissed, her silver eyes glowing with power. Her palms were extended out at the wolf,and the air around them was shifting and warping. The wolf glanced around, growled at her once, and, without breaking eye contact, slowly backed away into the forest. Elphie signaled to Nessa, and the younger girl swiftly descended in a blur of dark blue. The two joined hands once more, and silently ran back to their home.

Nessarose was used to her sister behaving like this, as Elphaba was a witch. She was curious about her sister's power, but even at the age of fourteen knew not to ask any questions now. Perhaps when she was twenty, like her sister, she would know more about witchcraft in general. I should have worn red, she thought. Everyone knows that red repels wolves, but blue and white attract them. How foolish of me to forget that it is Wolfstime...but then again, We didn't expect to be out so late. Glinda did invite us in the early afternoon, after all...

Elphaba silently worried about how close it had been. If I wasn't here, then Nessa could have died...I must ask mother to keep her inside more often during Wolfstime. She's too young and naive to protect herself. At least I have witchcraft to protect me, if nothing else. Oh, how I wish Fiyero were here...that really shook me up.

The large black castle the Western Royal Family (The Thropps) called home came into view, with the large, gleaming black spires and the rosebushes full of pink, red, black and white roses surrounding it. It was a sturdy castle; if under siege, it would not go down easily. As they drew closer, the girls slowed down. Something felt...wrong. The atmosphere was foreboding. And...what was that red liquid dripping off one of the rosebushes?

As the enormous front door of the castle came into view, Elphaba and Nessrose slowed to a cautious walk. They looked around, trying to find the source of the foreboding, when Nessarose accidentally stepped into a puddle of the thick, red liquid. The girls looked down in front of them, to be greeted with the sight of their cousins.

Nessarose screamed.