Snow covered the forest floor, encasing the land in a sheet of ice. Everything was so quiet, so peaceful, even though only minutes before it had been filled with the clashing of steel and the roars of war. Bodies lay strewn across the earth, swords and axes were embedded in the trees, broken arrows and splintered shields lay among those fallen. In this area, the snow was almost gone, melted by the warm blood of the soldiers who fought here. Only a single sign of life remained on the battlefield, a single figure making her way across the forest.

The wolf soon left the warzone behind. She left a long trail in the snow from the mangled forepaw that she was forced to carry just above the ground. Scars cut through once glorious black fur and she let out a soft whimper every few steps or so. Her every move was a struggle, sending pain through her tired form. But there was something she had to see, so she couldn't stop. Not yet.

It took another hour with a couple rests in between before she reached her destination. An old mill that was by now, run down and worn by time. It looked dark and desolate, but a little wag made its way to her tail at all the memories she had here. Meeting the love of her life, helping her do her daily chores, laughing as they chased each other across the field, murdering her abusive alcoholic father was a particularly fond one. She paused, looking down at a spot in the grass where she could almost see them lying there, looking at the stars, dreaming about the future. It seemed so long ago. She flicked her ears, hearing breathing behind her.

"I didn't think you would come." She turned around, ears instantly going flat against her head and baring her teeth. "Don't growl at me, Ruby. You know I dislike it." Cora Mills stood before her, looking as immaculate as ever. She was wearing a beautiful red cloak that once belonged to the wolf that was now towering over her threateningly. She wasn't afraid however, as she knew Ruby would never hurt her.

Ruby took a step back, feeling a pain like no other at seeing Cora again, hearing her voice again. She closed her eyes and allowed her shift to take place, changing back into her human form where she was wearing a simple green commoner's dress and a small pendant. Her eyes took a moment to turn from the animalistic gold to their natural cerulean blue.

"I only came for one reason." Ruby replied.

Cora stepped forward, reaching out to touch her broken hand. "I never thought you a warrior." She waved her hand over it, allowing her magic to heal the deformed limb. "I hope the man who did that to you paid with his life."

"He did." Ruby pulled her hand back, but Cora suddenly grabbed it again. She pushed Ruby's hair to the side, seeing the jagged scars peeking out of her shirt.

"Who did this?" The older woman whispered. She moved Ruby's dress, seeing that the scars extended much farther down. A frown marred her face as she continued tracing the scars through her dress. They were giant scars, the marks of giant claws raking Ruby's chest.

"I didn't come here to talk about-"

"Who did this?!" Cora snapped. Ruby felt a growl stir in her throat. Her lack of answer only seemed anger her former lover even more. "Tell me right now who tried to claw your fucking heart out!"

"I DID!" Ruby roared, pushing her away.

A look of shock crossed Cora's face. "Why?"

"Because you wouldn't put yours back in." Ruby hissed. "Not even for me. Because you were willing to give yourself to all these other men, but you couldn't give yourself to me unless you wanted a quick fuck. So yes, I don't have the magic to do it but I would rather claw my own heart out than feel this pain any longer." A silence fell over them and it was almost painful. Ruby looked down, hating, even now, to yell at Cora. She tried to never be angry at her love, because a wolf was supposed to protect her mate, provide for her mate. Some wolves spent their lives searching for their mate, but Ruby found hers at a young age. Unfortunately, Cora always wanted to be more than her mate and nothing Ruby could do would satisfy her besides taking over a kingdom and stealing the crown for her. It wasn't always like that of course. In the beginning, Cora wasn't so hard. She was actually sweet, playful, full of life. Now… she was nothing like Ruby remembered.

"Ruby, I'm sorry-"

"No, you're not!" Ruby said, almost shaking with anger. "Put your heart back in and tell me that."

"No." Cora sighed.

"Then we have nothing to say to each other and never will again." She ripped off her pendant, a gift from the woman herself and pressed it into Cora's hand. "For the record, I didn't care about what you were. I don't care about what you are now. Queen of Hearts, Heart-Ripper, I loved you as the Miller's Daughter and I would've loved you through anything. I gave you everything. Why wasn't I enough?"

Cora bit her lip. "You were. You are. But we just weren't where I wanted to be."

"You didn't need to push me away. I wasn't a soldier before but I would've been yours. I would have been...anything you wanted, if only I got to be with you."

"Then be with me." The words were so soft, she almost missed them. Cora swallowed thickly, cracks forming in her calm and collected demeanor. Ruby pulled her close, capturing her lips in a heated caress. It awakened so many feelings in her that they threatened to overwhelm her. She just wanted this. She would drop being Snow's general in a heartbeat, walk away from her little war in a second if it meant that Cora would go with her. But she knew she never would. All Ruby would be was a wolf rejected by her mate.

When she stepped away, Cora's cheeks were streaked with tears. "Goodbye, Cora." Cora put a hand over her heart, or where her heart normally would be. She seemed to be in physical pain, but Ruby didn't bother asking, knowing Cora wouldn't answer truthfully.

"G...goodbye, Ruby."

"Come find me...when you put your heart back in. We'll be waiting." She shifted and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Cora called. "We?"

Ruby gulped, but kept walking. She couldn't look back. She didn't want to look back. It took her a little over an hour of running, hoping to drown out her thoughts, before she got back to Snow's war camp. Snow and Charming were waiting for her as she'd asked.

"How'd it go?" Snow asked. Ruby simply shook her head, shifting back into a human. "I can't ask you to stay?"

"You would be a great help to us." Charming added.

She shook her head. "I'm not a warrior. I'm a wolf. And uh, this place is getting to be a bit too...dark." She shrugged, pulling Snow for a hug. "Stay strong. I know you'll win." Snow nodded and Ruby shifted again, trotting off to a trio of trees on the edge of camp. She let out a soft bark and wagged her tail as a little white furred figure came sprinting out to welcome her.

"What'd she say, Mommy?"

Ruby swallowed the tears that wanted to burst out of her in that moment. "Sorry, baby, she um, she wasn't there."

"Oh." Her little girl was devastated. Her ears and tail dropped, but she tried to perk herself back up. "Are we leaving now?"

"Yes. Come along, Kore." She started off and the little she-wolf walked at her side.

"Where are we going, Mommy?"

"We're going to find others of our kind. That way you can play with other little pups."

"And you can play with other grown ups? Will we hunt together?"

"Of course we will." Ruby felt the sadness in her heart start to dissipate just being around her little girl. She bent down to nuzzle her and started walking a little faster. Kore was quick to take up the challenge and took off ahead. "Don't go too far." She called. When she received no answer she did a quick sprint, bursting into the small clearing prepared to defend her pup. Kore was unharmed, just watching the cloaked figure in front of her with curiosity. Cora looked down at the daughter they shared with raised eyebrows.

"Is she…"

Ruby growled, walking over Kore to stand in front of her. She shifted back once more and looked at Cora's hands. She seemed to be holding a heart. "What are you doing?"

"Is she mine?"

"Why does it matter?" Ruby asked. "We said goodbye. That's the end. If you won't-"

"I want to." Cora whispered. "I want to. I want you. I just...I'm scared."

"I'm right here. Why would you ever be scared with me?"

"It's more than you, more than us. The things I've done...The things I've done to the people I care about…" Cora shook her head. "You wouldn't understand."

"Put it back in and we will deal with anything that comes our way...together. I promise." Ruby whispered. She didn't think Cora would actually do it, but she hoped. She hoped that even without her heart, Cora loved her enough to finally realize that she didn't need to control peoples' lives, or a crown or a throne. Love isn't a weakness. She had gone to Cora's old house to say goodbye and finally move on, but she didn't want that. She wanted a new beginning. That was all. But Cora was stubborn and power hungry and without her heart, she couldn't form real connections. That's why it shocked her when Cora pushed the heart back into her chest. She instantly burst into tears and would've fallen if Ruby hadn't caught her. Cora cried into her shoulder. She kept whispering Regina, Zelena and Henry, but Ruby didn't know who they were. Probably people she hurt. The only person she could vaguely recall with the name of Regina, was the Evil Queen.

"Are you okay?" Kore's little voice made Cora stiffen in her arms. "Is there anything I can do for you?" Kore looked up at Ruby for guidance.

"No, I-I'm fine." Cora sat up and quickly wiped her eyes, magically fixing her makeup. She let out a deep sigh. "I'm so sorry, Ruby."

"Forget it." Ruby smiled at Kore. "This is her, baby."

Kore gasped dramatically and threw herself into Cora's arms, shocking the woman so much she could do nothing but sit there with her arms wide, almost afraid to hug the wolf child. She looked at Ruby, almost for permission. Ruby nodded. Cora slowly embraced their little girl. "Does this mean you're coming with us?" She asked.

"Um, not yet. I...I have other daughters that I must talk to and apologize to, and so many wrongs to make right." Cora looked up apologetically.

"I have sisters?"

Cora nodded and turned to Ruby with fear. "I would've told you."

"No, you wouldn't've. Just like I wouldn't've told you about Kore." Ruby returned. "But we'll get through it, right? You'll be my mate now?"

Cora leaned into her arms again. "Yes."

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