Author's Note The next chapter is the end! Some shit is gonna' go down, but for now, it's just a wild goose chase. Did you guys know Zatarra and Zatanna speak backwards for spells? How awesome is that? You can decode the spells from the last chapter! FYI, Circe was named after the magic goddess, you know The Odyssey. And in this fic her father is Merlin. How awesome am I? Stupid writer is stupid and untalented. :P This is going to be a long chapter, enjoy! I read and appreciate each review, so thanks for the support!

Wally's POV

10:28 AM, forest

After running back into the forest after we met Circe, Artemis and I decided to take a well needed rest. After being denied at an inn because we had no money, we decided to sleep in the cold forest. We made a bed of leaves and slept in it. It was the worst sleep I had ever had.

It was now morning, I didn't know the time, but the sun had already half-way risen in the East. It was chilly and I woke up with a cramped neck.

I tore the loaf in half and half it again. I gave a quarter to Artemis, who nodded, and ate another quarter myself. The rest was saved in my trouser pocket.

"That was the crappiest night ever," I complained, trying to make conversation.

She nodded, "Back hurts." She took a bite of her bread. "Are you ready to run?" she asked sincerely.

I stood and stretched. "Reckon I'm going to get super tired soon, but yeah I'll deal."

"Sorry for yelling, yesterday." She blurted to my surprise, her hand picking at her dress.

I smiled. "Me too. We were both tired and frustrated, I didn't mean any of it. Come on, let's get going, now that we have a lead."

I picked Artemis up and began to run, her dirty hair flying into my face with the speed, and her warm hands around my neck.

Red Arrow's POV

10:22 AM, home of the seven dwarves

"Doc, I'm going to the mines!" I yelled up the stairs to Doc.

"Alright, do you want any company?" he replied.

"Nah, I'm good." I hiked up my equipment with a grunt and pushed the door open. The number one rule of mining is telling someone you're going to mine. That's how accidents happen, and no one knows where you are. Number one rule for everything, really.

The mining equipment consisted of a mining pick and shove, an oil lamp around my shoulder, and a bag to collect the jewels. I also took my bow and arrows, just in case.

I made my way through the forest, pushing west. After some twenty minutes, I jumped onto large rocks to pass a stream, which told me I was almost there. After a few more minutes of walking, the woods cleared and a large hole appeared in the ground, as if a giant mole had dug through. I moved into the mineral rich mines, hoping I would get good picking today.

Wally's POV

10:50 AM, forest

"Turn here," Artemis interrupted the silence, pointing to the left.

I followed the small rocky path off the trail to the left, being smacked by the overhanging leaves. My dry eyes watered with the speed. I really wish I had my goggles.

After stumbling over some large ferns in my way, Artemis halted me.

She held up a hand for me to be quiet and listened hard. I tried to mimic her, but I couldn't hear anything but the birds and forest animals.

She suddenly jumped out of my arms and took off, yelling, "Come on!"

"What do you hear?" I said, running alongside her.

She paused, "Clinging."

"How—" A low branch cut off my sentence. I spat leaves and made a quick right before I hit the tree a foot in front of me. "How do you hear that?"

She leaped over a log like an Olympian. "Just run."

I grunted.

"Hey, Kid Stupid, you there?" She had stopped, hand on hip.

I flew past her, and after tripping over a root onto my face, I turned to glare at her. "You found the noise?"

"I don't know. I lost it." She sat down on a nearby rock and put her head in her hands.

I patted her shoulder. "It's fine. It probably didn't have anything to do with M'gann anyway."

"Yeah, you're right." She sighed. "This is just getting tiring. I feel like I'm forgetting something."

I sat down next to her. "Tell me about it." Whenever I thought about things, there were always large gray areas, especially over people's faces. "But we've got a lead now, so we might as well follow through."

She placed her head in her lap and looked up at me. Her eyes were a pale gray, like thunder clouds, framed in almond-shaped lids. Her thick lashes left shadows on her cheeks, black despite her blonde hair.

I didn't realize how intense I was staring until her voice interrupted, "You're right. We should keep moving. Can't stop now." She stood, her hair whipping around.

"Yeah," I said breathily. "Can't stop."

Black Canary's POV

11:56 PM, castle

As soon as the courier opened the door, I jumped out the coach. Carefully cradling my apples, I walked up the steps of my castle and to the doors. The courier let me in despite the protests of the guards.

I told him to wait for me at the top of the stairs while I went into the door of my little storeroom, where I kept the mirror and spells. I placed my apples on the desk and turned to the mirror. I pulled the cloth from it and gazed at my reflection. I was quite old, and very ugly. I spoke the spell that returned me to my original form. With a puff of smoke, I felt myself grow taller, slimmer.

I ogled at my image on the glass. My perfect lips. My perfect nose. My perfect baby-blue eyes. I was perfection. And yet the mirror dare say that wretched girl is more so? I was tempted to grab a stone and dash it upon the glass, but instead I let out a breath and chanted:

"Mirror, mirror, find the Snow White,

So that I can punish her with my iron might.

The fierce blonde must at last be found

Anger made my blood boil; I clenched my teeth and finished with:

So that she may be bound, drowned, fed to my hounds!"

The clouded face assembled, gazing at me with wise eyes and spoke:

"Snow White is with the seven.

The blonde joins them to create eleven.

The final clue will be the last ordeal

All you must find is the bird of teal."

The face disappeared in a cloud of black shadows.

With the seven? What did that mean? And a bird of teal…I thought as I walked up the stairs.

"Milady!" The courier appeared in front of me, extremely excited.

I glared at him. "I remind you to mind your manners and speak to me in a respectful style, Courier."

"Apologies, Milady." He said with a cheeky, excited smile. "I just have some infor—"

"Yromem sih esare!" There was a bright white light, and suddenly the courier was on the floor in front of me, sleeping.

"What the devil?" I exclaimed, looking around the corner for the origin. No one was in sight.

I kicked him the back with my old boots, remnants of my old woman disguise. While it wasn't painful, it got the job done. He awoke with a start.

"Mi—Milady?" he stuttered sleepily.

"Get up, you buffoon!" I growled, kicking him in the head. He quickly got off the floor in his attention stance.

"Sincerest apologies, my Queen!"

"Never mind that! What were you about to say?" I questioned.

"I—I do not recall, milady." His eyes widened fearfully.

I smacked him and turned away. "Then do not waste my time! I am going to sleep. Do not wake me unless it is an emergency." While I did want to go after Snow White, I had begun to get tired and needed my beauty sleep.

"Er, yes, of course, your highness."

…

10:30 AM, castle

I awoke that morning, my head groggy but excited. Jumping out of bed, I went in my bedclothes to the ground floor and entered the cellar of my potions.

Disguising myself as the crone, I took my basket of apples and tugged on my brown cloak. I went to my throne and sat heavily, wondering where my courier could be. I saw him passing by, and called out to him.

He walked over with enthusiasm, his cat following. "My Queen, my Queen!" he was breathing heavily as he kissed my hand, as if he had ran. I ripped it out of his grasp. "I have been looking for you all morning."

His nasally voice cracked in excitement. "The guards caught a blonde and a redhead boy running into the castle last night! They're in the dungeon right now!"

I hopped off the throne, my mind buzzing with anticipation. I ran past three doors lined with knights. The dungeon door stood at the end of the hall. The guards stopped me with crossed spears. "Move, fools! The blonde is here!" I grinned wildly.

"Let her through!" The courier shouted behind me.

The two guards shrugged and let us through, albeit with another one following us in.

"Courier, torch," I ordered, squinting in the dark.

I walked swiftly once the chamber was illuminated, and looked into the long lines of cellblocks. Not a single person was in them.

I whipped around to face the guards and courier, snarling, "WHERE ARE THEY?"

The bulky guard backed up, suddenly terrified but also shocked. "Th-they were just here." He pointed to two cells. "In there."

I looked into the empty cells. The guard looked with me, and I grabbed his shoulder and got into his face, my sour breath mingling with his nose. He grimaced, trying not to vomit. "How did they look?"

"Well, the girlie was real pretty, with long blonde 'air, prettier than the queen, I'd say," he grinned at his goons.

I almost killed him right there.

"Just a joke, courier. Don't go telling on us." He said at the courier's shocked look. "'Bit o' an attitude, though. Spat at me when I winked at 'er, the bitch." He said angrily. "The boy looked real fancy, ev'n with the mud. 'e 'ad on a cape, real royal-like."

My eyes widened into what must've been moons. The blonde and the prince. "How did they escape?"

The guard seemed to be gaining his confidence, because he bit off, "Lady, dat ain't no business of yours."

My hand shot out and clutched his throat. "Tell me. Now."

The guard held my hand, trying to rip my iron grip. I clenched, and he began choking, making pathetic gasping sounds.

"I—I don' know—"

I loosened my grip and he fell to the ground, clutching his throat. "What was that?"

He took a deep breath and said, "We don' know. One minute they was 'ere, the next…they wasn't. I didn't even know they was gone until now."

She must be some sort of witch. That's the only way she can be more beautiful. Drinks the blood of maidens to stay young. I turn to the courier, who jumps. "We leave. To the forest!" I ordered.

"Yes, milady."

Before we go, I give the knight an apple.

Superboy's POV

11:38 AM, hunter's hut

I stared into the flames, my eyes dancing along with it. I couldn't stop thinking about her. It was strange. I kept imagining myself embracing her once more, running a hand through her soft hair. I stood up from my couch. I had been sitting for some hours now, in the exact same position before the two muddy ones left. It had stopped raining for some time, and now the morning sun was shining through my dusty window. I could hear a flutter of wings, maybe two hundred feet in the air, before a dove landed at my windowsill and started an insistent pecking on the glass.

I stared at it, my eyes roaming to the teal ribbon around its neck. "Circe," I whispered, before opening the window and letting the bird fly in. I let it rest on my shoulder while I untied and read the letter.

My dear friend,

I am in need of your assistance once again. My dear friend is lost in the forest. She is just a young maiden like I, and I'm not sure she will survive long. It has already been a day and a half, I'm not sure how long she will last. Will you please join my search party? I have already alerted "The Seven."

I groaned at that. Not those guys again.

I must thank you for your help all those years ago, and thank you again for this. I am completely indebt to you.

The girl's name is Snow White.

~Circe

M'gann's POV

11:56 AM, home of the seven dwarves

It was nearing noon when I tried on my new dress, staring at myself in the mirror. It was relatively simple: a sheer white dress, with a blue lacy trim of flowers. I combed my hair with wet fingers, freeing the knots that had begun to form. When I went down the stairs, I was greeted with oohs and aahs. It made me flush.

"You look great, Snow," Bashful smirked.

Dopey nodded in agreement.

I beamed. "Thank you guys!"

"Special occasion?" questioned Doc.

"No, not at all." I smiled gingerly. "I just feel happy. I wouldn't change a thing..." I trailed awkwardly. Wait. What if I couldn't stay here? I just put them in a horrible position. "Hello Snow! I mean—not that I'm—no, I mean—I'm not more than a guest or anything!" I stuttered, horrified.

Doc put a gentle hand on my shoulder. "You are more than a guest, Snow. You're family."

Everyone smiled in agreement.

I could feel the pricking of tears form on my eyes. I don't think I could ask for anything more. I looked at the seven—no, six of them. "Where's Grumpy?"

"Down at the mines. Wants to make his month's quota before the week is over." Bashful said.

Artemis's POV

11:30 AM, forest

Wally and I took a mini break after a half-hour of running. We climbed a tall tree and began to pick at our loaf, popping pieces into our mouths.

I sat up and looked around. "There it is again."

"I hear it too." Wally glanced around, staring at a clearing in the trees. "It's coming from there."

We jumped down, and I quickly climbed onto Wally. He halted at the clearing, staring at the deep tunnel that suddenly pierced the earth, the end disappearing into black. The pinging could be heard from inside. Harsh grunting was timed perfectly before each ping.

"Hello?" Wally called in.

I peered inside, my ponytail falling over my shoulder. It was completely dark, I could make out a tunnel or two branching out farther in, but just barely.

"Bashful?" A male voice called out. "Sleepy?"

What? Why was he naming adjectives? I gave Wally a confused shrug and he said, "Um, no. Just some passersby…we actually could use some help."

A great grunting echoed off the walls. There was a pin of light coming out of the right tunnel, and a man exited, holding an oil lamp and a mine pick. Across his back hung a quiver and a handsome bow, clean and well cared for, one I would love to hold in my hands.

The bow's owner was equally handsome. Even though he was covered in dirt and sweat, he had an attractive quality in the way he held himself—and those arms. The look was ruined at his blue-eyed glare and a muttered, "How can I help you?" He was older than us but couldn't be more than twenty. That constant dirty look in his eye just screamed I'm a PRICK.

"Yeah, hola. We're looking for someone." I explained.

He leaned against the mining pick and glowered at me. "Yeah? Great."

I clenched my teeth and let Wally speak.

"We're looking for this girl. She's lost out here, and it's been a couple of days since she disappeared."

I saw the man's face tighten and his eyes narrow. He peeled an orange in his knapsack and stood there, frozen in thought.

"Tell me about her." He commanded.

"Do you know anything?" I glared back, annoyed at how he was dominating the conversation.

"Maybe. I might."

I flexed my fingers angrily.

"Well, she's pretty, our age," Wally began. "She has really white skin, and her hair's reddish."

The man began coughing on his orange. He took a deep breath and said hesitantly, "I—she—no."

I practically pounced on him, throwing him to the ground. "You do know her? Where is she? What did you do to her?" I shook him with each question.

He threw me off and pulled out an armed bow faster than I could blink. "What do you want with Snow White?"

I held out my hands in surrender. "She's our friend. We've been looking for her for days now."

He snickered. "Right. Snow ran away from whatever trouble she was in. I'm not about to believe this bull."

I looked desperately at Wally. We were so close to finding her! I glared at the boy. He had no faults to his form or grip on the bow, held the arrow steady without shaking. I could tell that he had dead aim.

"Please. We're just trying to find our friend." I pleaded. "We're very worried about her."

He gave us a distrustful look, looked at the sky and raised his bow and arrow. He let loose the arrow while Wally and I watched it fly high into the air, slowing and falling back to Earth. Too late, I realized his distraction. He was gone.

"Flippin' asshole." I cussed.

KF ran to me, crouching so I could get on his back. We took off like a bolt of lightning, and I had to close my eyes against the speed.

"That's the same tree!" I said, after we passed a large oak.

"What? No. It can't be," KF said, continuing his run. "Where is that guy?" He jumped a log, landed awkwardly, and fell. I landed in a roll, breaking my fall.

"You're such a clumsy oaf." I stood, walking toward the oak. I placed a hand on its smooth bark and grabbed a sharp looking rock. I etched in A.C.

"No, no, I'm okay." Wally muttered, standing next to me.

I glanced at him. "Now we'll know."

I whispered a "don't trip this time," in his ear as he took off. After a few minutes of running, we passed an oak, and I had him slow down so I could look. The A.C.was there.

"This forest is evil." Wally muttered tiredly.

We wouldn't find him now. I had Wally stop for a rest. That man was trained well. I wonder where he learned to disappear like that. KF kicked a rock in his anger.

"Why can't we just get a straight answer?"

I sighed heavily. "We should stay near the mines. Maybe he'll come back."

M'gann's POV

12:19 PM, home of the seven dwarves

It had only been some twenty minutes when Grumpy came through the door, huffing and puffing. "Tiring day of work, Grumpy?" I asked, holding out a fresh pie I had just finished. "Reward."

He simply nodded, dropped his bow and arrow, and went to the living room.

I began to cut the warm pie, serving large slices. I knew how much these boys loved to eat. I chattering began in the other room, and a "Snow, can you come here?"

I walked over, holding four plates of pie. I put them on the table, and said, "Would you like some tea or…"

"Snow, forget the pie for a sec. Grumpy needs to ask you something." Bashful asserted.

"Well, okay." I sat on the wooden chair, waiting for Grumpy to speak.

"There were – some people at the mines today. Asking about you." He declared, his arms crossed distrustfully.

Fear clenched my stomach. What if Drizella – or worse, the Queen, knew I was here? "What did they say?"

"They asked if I knew anything about you or where you were. I didn't tell them anything, but they were strange. A man and a woman, younger than me. The man could run extremely fast, it wasn't human. I had to hide in a tree for a half-hour, waiting for them to quit."

I shook my head. "I don't know these people. How did the woman look?" If it was Drizella…I gulped.

"She was blonde, agile. Extremely headstrong and angry."

The Queen? "Was she dressed fancily?"

"Not at all. She was covered in mud and dirt, needed a washing."

I sighed in relief. "They certainly knew me?"

"They knew your description and your name."

I put a hand to my mouth. "That is strange." I muttered, "Maybe there assassins?"

A gentle hand rested at my shoulder, and I looked up to a standing Doc. "Do not fret, Snow. We will keep you safe no matter what."

I nodded my thanks.

"The mines are no longer safe. We will postpone work until I feel it is."

Bashful and Happy gave a little whoop.

A slight tapping came from the window. A white dove pecked at the window, a teal ribbon 'round its neck.

"Circe!" Both Bashful and I said. We looked at each other, while Dopey opened the window.

The bird flew in with grace, and I let it land on my finger while Bashful gently untied and read the letter. He then read aloud:

"My friends,

I am in need of your help. My best friend, Snow White, is lost in the forest. She disappeared days ago, and will not survive long. Will you join my search party? I have also alerted the Hunter, do you remember him? Send me the dove back with an answer, and I thank you for all your help. –Circe"

"I had no idea she'd be looking for me!" I exclaimed, my hand to my mouth. Circe was my best friend at the castle. She was also a sorceress. We were once close, but we grew slightly apart in the last month.

"You know Circe?" Bashful asked. "She visits us sometimes. We were friends when we were younger." He flushed.

"That was the sorceress you were talking about before?"

"Yeah," He said, looking away.

"I had no idea. Please, let me write back to her. I need to let her know I'm okay."

"Of course." Doc runs off to get some parchment, and Happy hands me a quill and ink.

I smoothed out the little card of parchment, took a breath, and wrote.

Black Canary's POV

12:00 PM, forest

We were once again on the wretched forest trail. I was bouncing like a fool in my seat, trying to keep the apples in the basket. "Courier! Keep the wagon steady you fool!"

"Milady, the path is horribly tricky to navigate!" He called politely, an edge to his tone.

I glared at the window. All you must find is the bird of teal. "Just keep your eyes on the lookout for any…birds. Blue birds!"

I was looking out for signs of blue, when something white flashed past my eye. "STOP!"

I jumped out the coach before it even stopped, and tumbled to the ground. A white dove, cleaning its wing on a branch. It seems to be taking a short rest. More importantly, there is a teal ribbon around its throat.

I grab hold of the courier and toss him from his seat. "Kill the bird." I whisper.

He looks at me with concern, but grabs a long tree branch. He cautiously creeps closer on his thin legs, and then stops.

"What are you doing?" I whisper ferociously.

He holds up a hand but doesn't look at me, which only infuriates me more. He pulls from his knapsack what looks to be barley, and sprinkles it on the ground.

The dove is interested, and lands gracefully and begins to peck at the grain. The courier lifts the bird and brings it over to me.

I am angry, but satisfied. I untie the ribbon and a card falls out. I lift it with trembling fingers, excitement making me choke up.

I open the card and read:

Circe,

It's Snow White! I am fine. I'm happy that you were worried, you are a good friend. I am living with your friends, the Seven. I am right off the village of Wildeston Crags. What a happy life this is! Call off your search party, please. Visit us anytime, Bashful misses you.

~Snow White

I crumpled the card in my glee. "Wildeston Crags! Courier, do you know how to get there?"

"We were just there, milady, the town with the old violin player."

My eyes narrow in anger. So she has been there all along. I will find 'the Seven.' Destroy them for hiding the witch.