Chapter Two~

The next time Fayetta returned to the glen she found to her surprise just within the shelter of the trees a wounded black wolf pup. Whimpering, the poor thing had been snagged in a hunters trap and though had been able to somehow escape was now wounded badly and weak from running. Gently easing over to the scared thing, Fayetta hushed to the wolf pup,

"Its ok sweetheart, I'm here to help."

"Really dearie, why help a wolf pup when it will just surly die?" a sudden voice said so that turning towards it Fayetta frowned when she saw who it was, Rumpelstiltskin leaning against a tree.

"It won't die if I help it Rumple." she said as she turned back to the wolf pup and kneeling gently before him she looked over the wound on his leg before moving to her skirt and ripping a long piece from it.

"Could you please find a plant with a long steam which when you break it the sap turns brown? It will help stop the bleeding." Fayetta asked him so that Rumple raised an eyebrow asking as he picked at his nails,

"Why should I?" making her roll her eyes before saying to him,

"Because it would help the wolf pup, and if you do I'll do something for you in return. A trade." hearing this Rumple grinned wide before in his hand appeared said plant so that he handed it to her as she muttered,

"Cheat." before she cracked the steam in half and smeared the sap onto the torn piece of cloth, then wrapped the wounded leg with the cloth and when she finished tying it told the wolf pup,

"All better!" so that Rumple watched as the wolf pup stood shakily before licking her on the cheek making her giggle as it took off into the darken forest as she stood up.

"How chivalrous of you dearie." he told her making her make a face at him causing him to chuckle as she stepped into the glen before finding a place to lie down and stare up at the stars. Hearing footsteps Fayetta watched his figure take a seat near her as he asked,

"How did ye know what to do about the leg then?"

"I was taught, fairies are meant to learn how to help those in need. Just because I lost my wings doesn't mean I lost my ability to help." Fayetta told him so that when he simply hummed in responds she slapped his foot making him chuckle again. Falling into silence, she looked over at him before asking,

"So what now?"

"What do ye mean?" he wondered so that she sat up facing him as she shrugged saying,

"We can't possibly just sit here saying nothing all night can we?" so that his eyes twinkled as he put a hand to his chin in thought before he nodded saying,

"Alright dearie, since ye said you'd do something for me—how about show me where ye live." making her eyes widen, Fayetta shook her head as she said to him,

"No I can't do that!" yet when he made a face saying 'yes you can, you promised' she sighed and stood up telling him,

"Fine, but I don't want unexpected visitors at my home understand?" as he giggled madly he crossed his heart telling her,

"Ye won't see me save for here dearie." giving him a weary look, Fayetta finally nodded before starting to walk for the tree line indicating he follow her. They walked in silence for a while before the sound of a stream could be heard. Soon the smell of smoke was drifting on the wind before at long last they appeared before a tiny cottage near a running stream that snaked its way just a few feet by the cottage.

"Ok see, here it is." Fayetta told him only she noticed the door was wide open and upon hearing something moving inside felt a hand push her behind a tree. Turning towards Rumple she watched as he raised a finger to his lips before he went over towards the cottage where two men stepped out holding crossbows.

"Who the hell are you?" one snapped before the other one slapped his friend on the shoulder saying,

"This is the Dark One idiot!"

"Indeed, and ye two have upset me." Rumple said so that with a wave of his hand both of their crossbows disappeared and they somehow ended up in the ground up to their heads! Gasping at this, Fayetta watched as Rumple walked over to them and crouching down to them told them,

"Now, if ye two ever come back here—I can bury both of ye alive. Is that understood?" when both men nodded furiously, they popped back out of the ground and high tailed it into the forest as fast as they could. As soon as they were gone Fayetta stepped out of her hiding spot and entered her cottage to see everything destroyed and broken. With a frown on her face she turned to see Rumple who simply winked at her before with a wave of his hands turned everything broken and destroyed—fixed! Seeing the amount of magic he had done in a few short moments, Fayetta turned back towards him and with a wide grin went over a hugged him. Not feeling him stiffen underneath her, Fayetta pulled back saying,

"Thank you, now I do owe you something in return." regaining his composure Rumple told her with a smirk,

"I could think of a few things." making her slap his shoulder as she asked softly,

"What did they mean 'Dark One'? What was that all about?" seeing his eyes darken, Fayetta took a step back away from him as he said,

"Never ye mind dearie, though I best be off after all it is almost morning." nodding, Fayetta looked around the cottage again and heard him say,

"Perhaps I'll think of something ye can give me in return the next time we meet." giving him a look, Fayetta shook her head as he began to giggle so that when he went over to the door she called out,

"I guess until then Rumple."

"Indeed, little fairy." he replied turning around to see her before stepping out the door only to vanish into thin air once on the other side! Smirking at this, Fayetta closed the door before looking around at her cottage. It was a very simple cottage; a single cot bed in a corner where before the bed was a chest for clothes, a fireplace for cooking, a small table and one chair, shelves along either side of a window and against the glass of said window a dreamcatcher with blue-jay feathers. Going over to her bed she opened the chest to change her skirt that she had torn and once done climbed into bed. As soon as her head hit the pillow Fayetta fell asleep and slept most of the morning. When she did wake it was midafternoon so that she made a quick meal. As she ate Fayetta noticed something outside her window, the black wolf pup! With a smile she stopped what she was doing and stepped outside so that when the wolf pup noticed her it came over towards her panting. Bending down to ruffle its fur, Fayetta said to the pup,

"How are you then?" seeing the wrapping she had made, she asked the pup,

"Can I see your leg?" when the pup sat down and then rolled over she laughed before unwrapping the cloth to see the wound was starting to heal over already. Smiling wide, she began rubbing the pup's stomach saying as she giggled,

"You're silly you know that?" the pups only reply was to lick her face making her laugh again as the pup stood and turned around to trot away before bending down to pick something up. Confused, Fayetta watched the pup trot back over with something in its mouth which he dropped before her feet—a small bag.

"What's this then?" she asked him picking it up and when she opened it she found several silver pieces inside which would be enough to feed her for three whole months! Gasping, she looked at the pup who was panting happily at her as she wondered,

"Where did you find this?" his only reply was to lick her face before turning around and scampering off.

"Wait!" she cried quickly putting the bag inside her cottage before chasing after him so that by the time she caught up to the pup it was sunset. As she dashed out of the trees she found to her utter surprise that the wolf pup had led her to the glen! Amazed, she was also surprised when she saw a smirking Rumple waiting for her.

"Did you have the pup give me the money?" she asked him so that he shrugged saying to her,

"Your cottage is terribly pathetic, horribly so if I must be honest." though he was insulting her, Fayetta smiled because despite his words—he was smiling.