Snow ran through the foliage, tears blurring her vision as she pushed aside branches heavy with leaves.

She burst into the open and stumbled over a rock, pushing her arms out to cushion herself as she tumbled, she collapsed all of her weight onto a solid leather figure, forcing them both off a ledge and landing painfully into a shallow river.

Mulan shoved the stranger off her and assembled herself, leaving the woman lay pathetically, her beautiful gown drenched immediately with cold water. She instantly bent down and wrapped her arms beneath the lady's shoulders, lifting her up and onto her feet. Snow wobbled, face still tight with despair, and foundered backwards, sitting herself uncomfortably against the rugged edge of stone.

Mulan, unnoticed, stood awkwardly inspecting her, then strode over to sit by her side. Snow enveloped her face into her hands, and cried hard, the sounds of a woman's sob pinching through Mulan's ears. When she eventually calmed herself, she dropped her hands lazily, and stared into the stream.

"Hello." The Warrior spoke, watching the clouds move above them. Snow turned quickly, almost shocked at the presence of somebody close by.

Ruby sat confidently, cloak casually slumped along one half of her body, shooting encouraging glances at Belle, who sat stiffly, avoiding connecting their eyes.

"who was that?" she blushed, staring at the burnt out wood inside the camp-fire

"... Snow." She hushed, averting her eyes and pulling the cloak onto herself fully, her sensuality leaving, and being replaced by a clear look of guilt. "my partner..."

"I see." Belle coughed, a terrible feeling churning in her chest.

They sat in silence, as they were accustomed.

Belle's annoyance rose inside her, guilty for the poor woman who disappeared into the woods because of something she had caused, and a little broken that she had been allowed to feel the way she did.

"and does she know?" she questioned abruptly,

"she does now." she replied,

"no. I mean, does she know about your curse."

Ruby's head jolted up, face plastered with fear. Belle continued sitting in annoyance, not making any movement to look in her direction.

"Ruby!" An old woman tumbled out from the trees, clutching a crossbow as she jogged. A wide smile appeared on Ruby's cheeks and she stood excitedly, ensuring the cloak was firmly shut. They met, and held each other tight,

"Granny..." Ruby smiled.

"oh Ruby, I thought we'd really lost you this time." She pushed Ruby back to look into her face, wetting her thumb she rubbed it roughly along her cheek. "You're filthy." she smirked. Ruby, still shining a genuine innocence through her expression, giggled quietly. Granny looked over her shoulder towards Belle, then around the camp.

"where's Snow gone now? you know, I can never keep up with that girl." As she spoke, a rustling sounded to their side, and Mulan emerged from the leaves, followed by a depressed looking Snow.

"Speaking of the little whippet, you need to learn to wait for your elders, my legs aren't quite as lean and mean as yours you know... are you alright dear?" She looked concerned, noticing Snow's outfit completely wet from head to toe, then glared at Ruby. "I think I'll leave you girls to your own devices now that I know you're safe" She teetered over to the centre, and huffed a sigh of relief as she sat upon the tree stump and introduced herself to Belle and Mulan, shaking their hands and beginning nattering.

Ruby glanced over at Snow, stood lonesome at the edge of the camp, hair flat and unhappy under the weight of its wetness. Snow watched her approach, and pushed back tears from pouring out of her again. Ruby stood directly in front of her, looking lovingly into her eyes.

"Why?" Snow shivered, despair shooting through her skin "I was looking for you... like I always do... "

They looked tensely into each other's eyes,

"You must have known I was coming" her bottom lip quivered, "I always find you." she closed her eyes, releasing trapped tears.

Ruby went to touch her hand, and Snow refrained, taking a step back.

"I love you..." Ruby sobbed. Snow stayed quiet, silent tears endlessly flooding her face.

"It's the third night of the full moon..." She reached for her again, Snow crossed her arms and looked away,

"I need you... I'm scared..." She dropped her head, face distressed as she thought through everything that could happen if Snow wasn't to be there for her tonight...

Snow inspected her, heart racing with sorrow. She reached out and took Ruby's hand in hers.

Belle, trying to listen to the conversation over the top of Granny's ramblings, picked up a few words, and watched their body language. She hung her head as they hugged one another, fiddling with her gloves.

They walked towards the group, Snow striding as she led Ruby along behind her, suddenly awakened with confidence and frustration.

They crouched beside Granny, Mulan watched them intently, noticing the hurt in Belle's eyes, and locked her jaw into place.

"Apparently these nice girls have been tracking you as well Ruby! aren't you the popular one" Granny proclaimed,

"She knows?" answered Snow, staring directly at Belle, who awkwardly adjusted her position. Mulan glared straight back at her.

"We have been tracking her for a while now." she spoke,

"Why? Are you hunters? Because if you are, I warn you now, you'll find an arrow between your girlfriend's eyes."

Mulan rose, unsheathing a part of her sword, it's sharpness threatening as it glimmered with solid silver. Snow smiled eagerly and stood, quickly pulling her bow around, loading an arrow and directing it at Belle's stunned little face.

"Let's see who's shot lands first shall we." she smirked

"Ladies! Ladies!" Granny stood between their weapons, "Please! can Granny have one day without all this angst floating around her?!"

"Of course. Because we're leaving. C'mon Rubes." Snow grabbed Ruby by the arm,

"wait!" Belle shouted, "we can help you."

"help with what exactly?" Snow turned, sending a piercing look towards her, "help to take advantage of Ruby? Because I assure you, I can do that perfectly well on my own." She responded sarcastically. Belle blushed, Snow's eyes penetrating her skull.

"We tracked the Yaoguai also - a prince cursed to live inside the body of a beast, and helped him to recover his human form.' Mulan spoke steadily, hand still clasped on the handle of her sword. "we mean you no harm." she slid the blade back into its sheath, and looked empathetically at Ruby, who was knelt, Snow's hand gripping onto her lower arm, attempting to make her stand without using force. Ruby looked on, contemplating the situation, and whether or not she could trust these strangers.

"and what leads you to believe that we need your help?" Snow snapped,

"wouldn't you like the chance to be able to control when you change, and remember what happens when you do?" Belle started, speaking directly to Ruby, ignoring the burning of Snow's eyes. Ruby's head pricked up, astounded by her words.

"and you know how we can make that possible?" Granny leaned forth, eager for an explanation.

"I might... It's just..." she stuttered, "complicated..."

"Great plan. Let's go." Snow impatiently tugged at Ruby's arm, growing increasingly agitated the more she'd resist.

"Belle has a connection with the Dark One." stated Mulan,

"and why am I not surprised?" Snow laughed, tightening her hold on Ruby, limp within her grasp.

"what sort of a connection?" Ruby looked towards them, intrigued.

"he is infatuated with her." Mulan's eyes drooped down, feeling Belle's humiliation.

"well, aren't you the little sex magnet." Snow chuckled.

Granny interrupted, "But, I don't understand, how can he help us? and he wouldn't do it for nothing, surely... I've been around many years, and have never heard a single nice thing about that man."

"... that's where it would get complicated..." Belle mumbled.

"whatever happens, I just want Ruby to be safe, and this doesn't sound like a very safe plan to me." Snow proclaimed,

"Neither does disappearing into the woods with tonight being the third full moon." Mulan remarked.

"and I suppose you have a plan for that as well?"

"Yes."

"of course you do." Snow sighed, exhaustion beginning to show.

"I set up a trap just north of here, we were planning on luring the Werewolf towards it and waiting until morning for them to change back, but if you are willing... then we could still proceed with this." she asked Ruby, tentatively.

"a trap? luring? I don't trust you at all. There are many people wanting to capture her, to turn her in for gold. I refuse to risk her life for - "

"Okay." Ruby answered.