Not it. Er, I mean not mine. Thanks for the awesome suggestions and encouragement, contrite shadow.

Chapter 7

The next morning, there was a different tenor in the air. No longer was teaching Emma to use magic just a tool that might prove useful, it was now a necessity in order for them to gather more information. Further, the women knew that despite their differences they would have to cooperate to learn what was really going on in this world and how it affected their chances of returning to Storybrooke. Over breakfast, once again provided by Regina, they began discussing options. Snow broached a subject she had been thinking about more and more. "Emma, I know how important it is for you to learn to control magic and use it properly, and I know Regina needs to teach you how to transmutate."

"Whoa, wait. Who said anything about mutating?" Emma asked suspiciously.

"No, dear, not mutate. The word actually is transmute. You might also call it shape shifting. It is what you were talking about when you asked about me turning into a rodent to visit Rumpelstiltskin," Regina corrected and explained.

Snow continued, "But I think you also need to learn some forestry skills soon." Snow braced herself for some resistance; although they were getting along well, there was at times a tension in Emma's interactions with her that she didn't fully understand.

Before Emma could respond, though, Regina surprised both women. "Actually, I quite agree. While Emma's magic is still new and inconsistent, it is not as dangerously uncontrolled as it once was. If I am to teach her how to transmute, I will need time to practice myself and see how that has changed before I can do so. Now would be a good time for you to take Emma with you and start training her while I work alone for a bit."

"Oh, okay then. Well, I guess it's you and me today, Snow." Emma was both excited and nervous. She looked forward to spending time with Snow, but if she were being honest she had also been avoiding it up until now. They had so much to talk about, and Emma wasn't sure if she was ready. At the same time, though, she looked forward to being able to accept someone as a mom, finally. As usual, Snow gathered her bow and arrows, along with some trail rations and other supplies for the day. The two women set out for a day in the woods, Snow eager to be teaching her daughter for once.

After a bit of small talk, Emma decided it was time to speak up a bit. "Hey Snow, I just wanted to say thank you. I know you know I've been kind of avoiding dealing with things between us. It's not because I'm mad or anything, I've just needed some time to kind of let things settle in a little."

"I know that Emma. It's a lot to take in, especially for you. I can't imagine what it must be like for you to suddenly have parents that you thought were just characters from famous stories. I do want us to talk, but I'm not going anywhere."

"Yeah, me neither. I'm done running, you know. It's just, it is a lot to take in. I really want to be able to accept you as my mom, it's just so weird. Like, have you ever wanted something so very much but you'd resigned yourself to never having it? Then suddenly, once you decide you don't need it anymore, it's there? It's weird. But I, you know I mean, uh,"

"I love you too, Emma. And it's okay if you still need time to be comfortable. Look, we know how to be best friends, right?" At this Emma gave a small smile and a nod. "So let's just keep on being best friends, since we're already good at that, and let the whole mother-daughter thing come in its own time, okay?"

"Yeah, that sounds great. And really, thanks for understanding." Having finished the conversation, both women felt a degree of balance had been restored to their relationship that had been lacking since the breaking of the curse.

The rest of the day was taken with Snow teaching Emma the basics of skills such as tracking, in order to hunt and to discern possible threats. Snow also showed Emma some fundamentals of archery. While Emma was experienced with a gun, and had even used a sword once, the bow and arrows were entirely new. She found, though, that her training in magic helped her to focus on her goal and aim with uncanny accuracy. She also found, to Snow's reluctant delight, that the training in identifying energies helped with tracking skills. She was able to tune in, not only to signs such as broken twigs and disturbed soil, but also to traces of foreign energy left behind by game. Being able to distinguish between plant life, animal, and bird greatly improved her accuracy. On some occasions, she was even able to find animals that Snow missed because of their natural camouflage. Snow, however, was not in the least upset or jealous. On the contrary, she enjoyed every moment she had to spend with Emma in this place she loved so much.

She still harbored some concerns about magic; after all how could she not. But Snow found her concerns ebbing as she watched Emma. Witnessing how carefully Emma applied her skills certainly helped. There was more than a little maternal pride in watching Emma take to these skills so successfully. And there was an even greater sense of pride, and relief, in the caution Emma took any time she tapped into her magic. Snow was grateful to see that it was apparently possible for someone to practice magic without destroying everything in their path. The more time she spent teaching and observing, the more comfortable she became.

Over dinner that night, all three women agreed that they could not continue to wait much longer before trying to get more information. Regina was confident in her own ability to transmute. She was less certain of being able to train Emma in time, but had a backup plan in mind. As Emma recounted her day with Snow and how much Regina's lessons had bolstered what Snow was teaching, Snow and Regina came to the same conclusion: the next day, they would split Emma's time between themselves, then make final preparations for Emma and Regina to visit the village in animal form.

After working with Emma for several hours on transmuting, Regina came to the conclusion that it was too much, too soon. Fortunately she did have an alternate plan. Really, it was the same plan with some adjustments. As Regina and Emma had previously combined magic for the portal, Wraith, and to expand their tent, so Regina would use Emma's magic once again to augment her own when she cast the spell over them both. Emma and Snow agreed to the plans, and the remainder of the day was spent in forestry skills for the mother-daughter duo and rest and magical preparation for Regina.

Snow, aware that the next day would be emotionally draining for her, had Emma help her gather some materials. She knew that she would have to sit idly by while Emma and Regina went on their reconnaissance mission. Having her bow and arrows was proving handy, and it gave her a way to pass her time in their absence. With Emma's help, she gathered enough wood and stone to craft some new arrows and arrowheads during the coming separation. In her time as a fugitive, Snow had learned that it was vital to always have more weapons available than she thought she needed, because arrows break or get lost. Mainly, though, it would be a productive excuse to channel her nervous energy.

The tension was thick that night. Each woman was aware that what Emma and Regina were preparing to do had the potential to backfire in many ways. They could get lost or separated, injured, caught and trapped; there were a number of risks. But, since the alternative was to remain stowed away in a tree indefinitely and never find a way back to their loved ones...well, some risks are worth the taking. They knew that this was only the first step in figuring out how to get home. Regina, especially, felt the pressure of knowing that both her wellbeing and Emma's was in her hands. She was confident to the point of arrogance, true. But for reasons that she chose to believe centered only around Henry, Regina knew she could not allow any harm to come to Emma. She most certainly could not be the cause of it any more.

This night, without any discussion, Regina retreated to the solitude of sleeping in front of the entrance. Snow and Emma shared the sleeping furs, drawing comfort in their renewed friendship. Emma would not acknowledge that she was turning to Snow for the comfort provided by a mother. She also would not have stopped Snow's tender back rub for any reason short of an immediate return to Henry.