You can't change fate.
In the Dark Days, magic had ripped through the world like the Wolf's claws through prey. Time itself had waited in the cracks.
And Puck had fallen through.
He'd fallen in and then he'd fought his way out. He'd kept his mouth shut about what he'd seen, but he hadn't forgotten. He'd never forgotten. That was why -
That was why a lot of things, actually.
And not all of those were things he was proud of.
The deer was too good a chance to pass up. Terence raised his bow.
Impossibly, she heard him. She darted away.
Terence chased after her.
He blinked the lavender sparks from his eyes and didn't notice that the grass never bent where the deer stood.
Indy kept grimly weaving traps. He set them in a line by the banks of the stream. They covered the banks of most of the stream now. He couldn't replicate the barbs from the Capital nets, but that was alright. He didn't need to.
Weaving the nets helped keep Marion off his mind.
The water was higher now, but there was still too much silt in it. Gilbert kept following it and drew his jacket closer. It was cooler in the fall wedge.
It took Susan a moment to realize she had woken up. The whole world seemed hazy.
It was noon. She shouldn't have been asleep in the first place.
Something was wrong. Her blood itched with it, but there was nothing she could do.
She squared her shoulders for her siblings' sake and got back to the business of staying alive.
The deer ran faster than any mortal deer could, like the one Terence and Gawain had chased to the Other World.
Terence ran after it, faerie fast, and obeyed the call of the hunt in his blood.
Will jumped every time he heard a noise. He wasn't quite sure of what wedge he was in now. His own breath sounded loud in his ears. His head pounded like an executioner's drum.
He thought he had killed some more of the wolves. He might have imagined it.
Sleep. He needed sleep.
The water finally cleared. Gilbert knelt on the carpet of leaves and used his hands to bring water to his mouth. He had nothing to hold it while he heated it to purify it, so he'd just have to hope it was safe.
Ava nestled her head into Jack's shoulder. She felt safe, being carried like this. It was nice.
"Do you think it hurts to die?" she asked.
Jack's grip on her legs tightened. "Let's not find out. Not until we're as old as - as old as - "
"North," she suggested.
He laughed. "As old as North," he agreed. "Older, even."
Terence fired. The arrow streaked through the air and -
It must have hit. It must have. It was a perfect shot, but the deer kept running, and Terence did too.
The purple haze was thick around his eyes, but his legs were fine, and he ran like no mortal could.
Kate twisted the bracelet Tony had given her around her wrist. McGee looked at her nervously. "You all right, Kate?"
"I'm fine." She tried to smile.
It didn't come out quite right.
Gilbert didn't have to keep moving now that he had water, but there was nothing else to do. He kept following the stream.
Darcy had been right. When it had come down to it, he had killed someone.
Not even thoughts of Jane could distract Bingley from that.
Terence was close now. So close. He drew back his bowstring again.
The deer leaped over a running stream. It had nowhere else to go.
As soon as it was over running water, it vanished.
Directly behind where it had been, he saw a boy on the opposite bank. Unarmed. Eyes widening.
It was too late not to shoot, but he jerked his bow wide. The shot went wild. The other boy flinched to the left even so.
A net sprang up the second the boy's foot landed. Green vines nearly obscured him from view.
Instinct propelled Terence forward to help.
Too fast. He missed the wire under his feet until a net was yanking him into the air. Barbs dug into his skin when he tried to twist. His bow was pushed against his face. He could barely twitch, let alone reach an arrow.
The shaking in the other net ceased, establishing that the other boy had no better luck.
"Well," the other boy said at last, "this is awkward."
Terence's lips twitched. "That's one word for it." His arm was twisted behind him. He tried to move it and winced when the barbs held him fast. "We might as well introduce ourselves if we're going to be neighbors. I'm Terence."
The other boy laughed. "Gilbert. Any ideas for getting out of here?"
"That depends. How much does your sponsor like you?"
Ella was hungry. Hungrier than she'd ever been before.
But there was nothing here to eat.
In the Dark Days, Puck had seen the future. He had known what would happen to Connoire before the Reaping ever happened. He knew what would happen to Moth. He knew what would happen to Terence.
Now he hesitated at the edge of his wedge.
If he was going to use his knowledge, he had to survive this. If he was going to help the Grimms, he had to survive this. If he was going home, he had to survive this.
But it wasn't too late to change Terence's fate. Not yet.
Puck stood at the edge of the woods and argued with himself.
(Unless you're willing to try.)