Her dark eyes were now staring directly into the dilated pupils of a wolf and Clara understood, by the sheer size of it, that it wasn't merely some dog out for a walk. It seemed to be smiling at her as she took a step back and she gasped when it hopped to her left and then her right in two giant leaps, toying with her. Turning her head slightly, she wanted to shout for Killian; Clara wanted to be sure the man was just behind her with his sword to protect her, but she was too afraid to look away.

As if she could somehow avoid being killed if she could just maintain eye contact with the beast.

"Killian," she managed, voice high-pitched and stuck in her throat.

The metal tip of his sword cut through the air at her side just before the leather clad pirate burst into the space in front of her with a half growl at the wolf. Clara could see the expression on that furry face shift as it watched this new threat – this actual threat – keeping track of its movements, ready to strike. The man before her held a hand out and she moved closer to him, clutching at him out of fear and she heard him chuckle.

"Oh, you would find amusement in this," she huffed.

With a snort, he told her, "Staring down a werewolf, love; one would be foolish to revel only in the fear."

"I'm quite the fool then," she spat in return.

He nodded when the wolf barked and commanded, "Stay behind me."

"Not a problem," she breathed.

It leapt forward and she gave a quick shout just before the wolf howled in pain and Clara closed her eyes, not releasing her grip on Killian's hand as she felt his weight shift. And then he turned and she yelped because he pulled her hand off the back of his arm and laughed. "Clara," he whispered, "It's alright."

She shook her head. "That was a werewolf," she managed to reply, eyes still pinched shut.

His hand was at her cheek, thumb giving her flesh a soft swipe and she heard him chuckle lightly, the metal of his sword sliding smoothly against the leather sheath on his waist and it was only when he repeated her name again that she chanced to look. She could see the amusement masking his concern and Clara glanced sideways to the naked man lying in the foliage, chest gouged and bloody. Nodding, she looked back to Killian and he dropped his hand away, slipping it over her arm and wrapping it around hers before moving towards the forest, waiting as she took hesitant steps.

"Forest not safe, I take it," she finally muttered.

Killian looked over the trees around them and landed his gaze on her, "Not much is safe here."

Feeling flustered, and a bit disappointed, Clara nervously shifted her fingers within his hand, saying quietly with a look at the piercing eyes that continued to search the forest around them as they moved, "Pirates lynching one another over suspicion I understand, but Neverland is lorded over by a Pan who kills; a forest full of werewolves and dangerous things – is there any safe place here?"

"Did I forget to mention this isn't your world?" He smiled weakly at her.

"Where are we?" Clara asked blankly, tearing her hand away. "I thought we were just earlier in time. Time travelling, ok, there are scientific theories behind it, but… portals to other worlds? Tears in the fabric of the universe? Other universes?"

Killian raised his hands and shook his head, then he straightened, "You live in a world where metal flies, where you use tubes in tunnels as transport, have a device that allows you to speak to your mate from across unknown distances, but a portal to another world – that's where you draw a line?" With a smile and a tilt of his head in her direction, he offered, "While I appreciated the rather revealing fashions of your time, I would say this is the more acceptable world."

"Acceptable because you live in it," Clara spat, "We don't have werewolves jumping out of the forest."

"You have wolves that wear the clothes of man and attack women at their most vulnerable," he pointed, "I caught a few stories on the enchanted boxes that hang everywhere in your land, pet. Don't pretend your world is so innocent."

Her jaw dropped slightly and then she shook her head and told him quietly, "I never claimed it was innocent, it just made sense."

"Sense is relevant," he replied calmly before glancing around, "Now we have to get moving."

"To find a fairy," she mocked.

He turned, "You still question…"

She interrupted loudly, "Yes, I question fairies – will they fall down dead if I say I don't believe? That's how it works in books in my land, is that how it works here?"

Killian took a long breath and watched the way her breath heaved and she stared with those impossibly wide eyes of hers and then he laughed. It was slow, starting with a chuckle, but eventually it echoed out into the forest and, after a moment, she joined him, enjoying the ridiculousness of their situation. Clara gestured back behind her and then bent slightly, hand grasping at her knee before she called,

"Werewolf," then she added loudly, "I could have been eaten by a werewolf!"

Nodding, he touched his sword, "I was chivalrous! A chivalrous pirate!"

Clara's laughter tapered off and she took a few long breaths, smiling up at the man who seemed to toggle between being impressed with his actions and being conflicted by them. How long had he been a pirate, she wondered suddenly. Was it a birthright in this place? Clara thought pirates of this nature lived in story books and imaginations, but now he stood in front of her, staring out at the forest, passing an occasional anxious glance in her direction and she stood straight, appreciating him.

"Your staring is most concerning," he finally allowed, ducking his head bashfully.

"You saved my life," Clara told him plainly.

With a nod, his head came up, cocky look on his face – or rather, Clara grinned, his regular look returned to its rightful place. "You owe me, milady."

Raising an eyebrow, she shot, "Oi, I married you, after you kidnapped me, and didn't rip your head off for that stunt you pulled last night – I believe you're still indebted to me, Captain."

He hooted and then nodded, "Aye, very true, Clara."

She grinned, then giggled, then asked quickly, "This land – rodents of unusual size?"

Glancing sideways, Killian replied quickly, "Rodents can be fairly large, I suppose."

Stepping towards him, Clara looped her arm around his and shook her head, "Joke, it was a joke about a… just lead the way to the fairies, Jones."

With a smile, he turned and began to walk with a simple, "As you wish, milady."