Charm420 is the big winner of the name contest! Enjoy :)
"What did you call me out here for?" Regina asked, joining Emma by the edge of the forest.
"Archie was walking with Pongo and said that Pongo suddenly went nuts and dragged him into the forest," Emma said. "He didn't see her for very long, but Archie swears that he saw a little girl."
"So why call me?" Regina asked.
"Because I wanted your help, not David's," Emma said. "If this is a little girl, I'd rather you be by my side."
"Okay," Regina said, not pushing the issue. "What direction did Archie see her going in?"
Emma sighed. "He had no idea. He only got a glimpse of her before she took off. Pongo was acting too crazy for him to want to go after her."
"Why was Pongo acting all crazy?" Regina asked. "He seems like a calm dog most of the time."
"No idea," Emma said. "All I know is that there's a little girl, possibly, out in the forest all by herself. I have no idea how to start looking for her though."
"Leave that part to me," Regina said. "I spent years hunting after your mother. I know a thing or two about tracking."
Emma smiled. "Lead the way Madame Mayor."
"Wow," Emma said. "That is one impressive campsite." A large tent was set up in the middle of a clearing, with several blankets inside made of animal fur. Pots and pans were stacked around the opening of the tent, most of them clean and ready for use. A large campfire was set up a safe distance away from the tent, perfectly made.
"I think we found our little girl," Regina said. "Or someone else who's very good at making camp and lives alone."
"There has to be some kind of trap around here," Emma said, looking around on the ground. "No one sets up camp without a way to protect themselves while they're sleeping."
"She wouldn't be sleeping right now," Regina said in confusion.
Emma felt the ground before smiling as she uncovered a string buried just under the surface of the dirt. "Maybe not, but she'd still want to be protected if she's home."
Regina peered through the bush, freezing when she saw a little girl walk out of the tent. She was wearing clothes that could only have come from the Enchanted Forest, but they were much too big for her. Her caramel skin was even darker with dirt, and her hair was knotted and ratted.
"Emma, look," Regina whispered. Emma looked up from the ground and gasped at the sight of the little girl.
"How old do you think she is?" Emma asked.
"6 or 7," Regina said. "Much too young to be in the woods living by herself."
"Do we approach her?" Emma asked. "I don't want to spook her, but we can't just leave her out here alone. She needs a home."
Regina nodded before grabbing Emma's hand and standing up slowly. The little girl turned towards them, seeing their movements from the corner of her eye. Her eyes widened and she quickly bolted into her tent, burrowing under her pile of blankets.
Stepping carefully over her trap, Emma and Regina walked slowly over to the tent. "We aren't going to hurt you," Regina said softly, letting go of Emma's hand and kneeling down in front of the tent. "We want to help you."
"Who are you?" the little girl asked.
"My name is Regina, and this is Emma," Regina said. Emma kneeled down next to her, giving a little wave. "What's your name?"
"Tyanah," the little girl said.
"That's a beautiful name," Emma said.
"Thank you," Tyanah mumbled. "Why do you want to help me? What's in it for you?"
"Nothing," Emma said. "We just want to help because you're living by yourself out in the dirty forest when you could be living in a home."
"My parents are dead," Tyanah said. "I don't have a home. I came here with the other people from the Land of Untold Stories."
"We could help you find a home," Regina said, holding out her hand. "You don't have to live out here anymore."
Several seconds passed that felt like hours before Tyanah put her little hand in Regina's and came out of the tent. Smiling even bigger, Regina and Emma took her back to the car and drove home.
It had been a couple weeks since Tyanah had come home with Emma and Regina. They had cleaned her up and fed her, and now she was the happiest little girl alive. Everyone in town loved her, but no one really wanted to adopt her. They all had families of their own.
"Why doesn't anyone want me?" Tyanah asked. "They're all so kind to me, but none of them want me in their family."
"It's complicated Ty," Emma said. "But I think we have a solution to your problem."
"Someone finally wants me?" Tyanah asked, perking up. Emma couldn't help but smile. Every time that Tyanah got excited, her hazel eyes lit up like mini light bulbs.
"Actually it's a couple," Regina said. "They already have an older son, but they made a connection with you and wanted to see about adopting you."
"I haven't met any families that have an older son," Tyanah said in confusion. "They've all been babies."
"Are you sure about that?" Emma asked, smirking.
"Yeah," Tyanah said. "No one in this town has an older son except for- oh." She looked at Emma and Regina in shock before her whole face lit up with a smile that could have powered the planet for years. She ran over to them both, hugging them tightly.
"I told you we would find you a home," Regina said. "And we did."
Fluff, fluff, and more fluff. You're welcome! Should I do more name challenges to feature more people?