Chapter 18

They had been traveling by horse for two days. Will kept watching Santana, as did Hori. Quinn didn't understand why, but it didn't make her feel any better about the situation. She'd been holding her tongue, but she couldn't anymore. The more she watched Will watching Santana, the more it was eating at her. Will was getting antsy, but she was showing it to Santana, Hori, or the other Randae.

Boykin had returned with a letter written by Belle and not Regina. Will could tell by the script. Quinn wasn't sure if this is what set her off or whatever Hori had told her days before, but either way something wasn't sitting right with her. The letter was written in Vulcannonian, so Will was the only one who could read it.

Finally, Quinn had enough of the looks and the secretiveness. She couldn't take it. She needed to know what was going on and how she could help. That was why she was here, to help. She walked through that mirror to help Danni and now, she was on some adventure trying to do that. She knew that she might not understand everything about this world, but she could tell that whatever was bothering Will was affecting her. When she took another glance back at Santana, Quinn made her decision.

"I'll be back in a minute," she told Santana, as she slightly heeled her horse urging it forward.

She trotted up beside Will and waited for Will to acknowledge her presence. When Will didn't immediately say something to her, she turned to face the knight. Will finally turned to face her.

"What?"

"What's going on?" Quinn asked.

"You already know," Will answered.

"Not really. I know that we are looking for some plant for Danni, but that isn't what has you on edge. Nope, don't try to deny it. I can see it in your face. It's subtle, but it's there."

Will smiled at her. Silently, she'd been wondering how long it was going to take Quinn to come to her. She knew that they weren't prepared for the news that would change their lives forever. She knew they needed to know before something happened to them there, but she just didn't know how to go about telling them the truth. Even in the missive to Regina, she'd glossed over the truth.

"You've been antsy since Hori showed up. Want to explain that? Cause, I know that has something to do with it. You've been on edge since that night. So spill."

"How much do you know about Santana's lineage?" Will asked her.

Quinn looked at her skeptically. What did that have to do with anything? She looked back at San and then in the questioning blue eyes of Will. She saw something akin to wonder and something more...trust possible, a want for Quinn to trust her with the knowledge that she was trying to receive.

"Enough, why?" Quinn inquired.

"What's her mother's name?" Will probed, not offering any further explanation.

"Maribel," Quinn stated.

"Her full name?" Will asked.

"Maribel Sanchez Gonzales Lopez, why?"

"Her grandmother, her mother's mother?" Will pushed.

"Lupe Maria Villalobos Gonzales," Quinn stated.

Will laughed. It was light but genuine. It made Quinn stare harder at her.

"What?"

"She is from a line of them and she doesn't even know. I'd laugh harder, but… Has she always been aggressive? Genuinely healthy and always warm to the touch? Always wants to be in an Alpha position, but will submit to the right person depending on how she's treated?" Will questioned.

"Yeah, for the most part. We fought a lot in high school always via for the top position, but after she made things official with Brittney, she calmed down a lot. She was always at odds with her father, though and his mother, Alma. She didn't take to kindly to Santana being a lesbian."

"Then, she might have a problem with all of us."

"She finally relented and came to their wedding. I think that Maribel dragged her though. It made San really happy. She loved her grandmother a lot and for her to turn her out like that. It almost broke her. She never met her mother's parents. They died in a car crash in Mexico when she was little."

Will just nodded at the information. She was trying to process it so she could explain to Quinn what was going to happen to her best friend. How do you tell someone that she's Werewolf and expect her to take it okay? How do you tell her best friend the same thing? While they are out in the woods, on an adventure, when the full moon starts tomorrow night? Will had no idea, so she decided to go with the most direct route. She'd be blunt and honest.

"I don't know how else to tell you this, but Santana is a were."

"Aware of what?"

"Not aware, a were. She's a shape shifter and she doesn't know. When the moon hits the sky, full and round, tomorrow night, we are all going to see her in her full glory," Will told her.

"Like what? She's a werewolf or something? Is that what you are trying to tell me?"

"Yes, and she is from a long line of them it seems. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that her grands on her mother's side knew and were both Wolves. She is like Ruby. She's human, but the magic here is effecting her. I know that you can see that. She is probably from an Alpha line as well, which is why she wants to fight with Hori so much. I know you've seen that," Will stated.

"Yeah, I have, but I thought that was just her personality. She doesn't take orders well from people she doesn't know or trust. And, he is just one on a very long list of people that she doesn't trust. Are you going to tell her?" Quinn asked like it was nothing new for her to deal with it.

"You aren't going to tell me I'm crazy?" Will asked.

"If I wasn't here with you, I might. If we were back home, definitely, but we aren't. I've seen more stuff in the last few weeks to make me question my sanity, but I can't denounce the facts that you know. You've been around this more than I have and have lived in both worlds. You know who and what are magical and I don't. I have to follow your lead on this. If you say that she is a Wolf, then she is a Wolf. I can't deny your knowledge on the subject. I know that you are part Wolf as well, but do you change?"

"No, I don't phase. I can choose to do so at will. So can Ruby. After sometime and training, Santana will be able to as well. I guess I am just surprised by how easily you are taking this. I'm shocked about it actually. I expected you to yell at me or something," Will told her.

"I mean I can yell at you if you want, but I don't think that will help anything now, will it?"

"No, it won't."

"Then what's the point in wasting the energy to do it?" Quinn asked.

"None, I guess."

"Exactly," Quinn replied.

They rode in silence for a few more minutes before Quinn turned to look at her again. Will seemed to be a little more at peace. She guessed it was because she finally told someone about Santana, but she wasn't sure. She knew that she would need to know more before tomorrow night or things would get ugly really quickly. And, an extremely angry Santana werewolf was not something she wanted.

"So, what are we going to do?" Quinn asked her.

"I have some ideas, but I don't think that you're going to like any of them."

"Meaning?"

"I could drug her," Will offered.

"Nope, out of the question. I am sure that she would have a hang over from Hell and you would have to deal with that, and it still wouldn't solve the problem. We would still have to deal with her next month. Next option?"

"We tell her."

"Okay, and then what?"

"We figure out a way to ease the transition. She's going to fight it because it is her first time and the Randae aren't going to want to wait for her. She's old enough to know better to them, but honestly, she'll is more like an adolescent Wolf in mentality. This will be her first change and I think that only Hori knows. He isn't going to explain to his Randae either. He doesn't care about her that much."

"Why not?"

"Because she isn't from the Enchanted Forest packs. He doesn't see her as a threat. He is only worried about Red and her offspring. She is the Alpha of Alpha's because she is one of the last descendents of the Brannonulf. She is Wolf royalty."

"But, Belle...how does that work?" Quinn asked, actually intrigued.

"Magic."

"Of course," she quipped.

"No seriously. Somehow with True Love magic Coraline or Remy, depending on the time line, was born from two mothers. She was carried by Regina, but she is biologically Emma's too. They cannot deny that. Before Coraline became Danni, she found a way to harness the power of True Love so that they could have more children. She gave the potion to Belle and Red for them as well. She kept some for herself. I think that she hoped that she would defeat the darkness of the Dark One and we could live in peace. Unfortunately, we still haven't had that opportunity," Will explained.

"Don't give up on her," Quinn ordered.

"I am not. Trust me on that. I am going to fight for her this time. I am not going to let her get away."

"Good."

"Careful, Quinn, your loyalty is showing," Will picked.

"Someone's has to around here," Quinn quipped back.

"I like you, kid."

"I am sure you do, but I'm taken."

"Oh, I know. So am I, if she'll have me again. But...things are going to be rough for the next three days or so. Are you sure that you can help me handle her?" Will questioned.

"We're deep in the woods and now you ask me that?"

"Well, you know, knowledge and that sort...just kinda came up."

"So how are we going to do this? Are you just going to tell her? Or, you planning on waiting for her to change to explain everything to her? Because I don't want to be there if that is the route you plan on taking," Quinn informed her.

"Well, there is more to it that just Santana."

"Such as?" Quinn asked giving her a skeptical look.

"Brittney."

"What about Brittney?"

"She's an empath."

"Okay, what the Hell does that mean? And is it going to hurt San? Because if it is, keep that to yourself. Brittney is one of the few things that keeps Santana sane. You can't take that from her and tell her that she's a werewolf," Quinn told her.

"No, it won't harm Santana. If anything, Brittney is the reason that Santana can be so calm sometimes. She has abilities over emotions and she can read people extremely well. She knows how to make each of calm in an otherwise extremely stressful situation. It seems to be an unnatural calm at that. I am sure that you've seen it with her. Haven't you?" Will asked.

"She's been like that all her life. She has been the one person that can make Santana calm down with a look or a touch. It used to unnerve me, but Rachel does the same to me. I just assumed it was because they loved each other so much," Quinn stated.

"That helps, but Brittney is special, too. She can control the emotions of anyone around her when she needs to, but she doesn't do it that often. Well at least since I've seen her, she hasn't done it. She seems to know that she can do it. But that isn't the most amazing thing that she can do," Will said.

"Like what?"

"She's been talking with Red."

"But I thought Red was in a coma," Quinn replied.

"She is."

"Then how does that work?"

"You'd have to ask Belle, Regina and Brittney for that one, kiddo. I am just a knight, remember? I let Regina deal with the magic stuff. But, I do the heavy lifting. Emma does both."

"Okay, so what has Red been saying?"

"I sent word that Santana was what we call 'cana.' That means she's a wolf cub. Red is sending order through ravens because she still hasn't woken up. She wants to talk to Santana as soon as she wakes. She also wants to run with her."

"Like a mentor?"

"Something of the sort, yes," Will replied.

"But there is more isn't there. You seem wary of more than just Santana. What is it?"

"Hori has been acting weird since Boykin got back. I am not worried about Boykin. I know that he is loyal to Red. It is Hori that I am worried about. He isn't known for his full support for Red as the Brannonulf. I am not sure that he is actually taking us to what we need, but he is the only one that can get us to that valley. I know approximately what we are looking for, but I've never actually seen it," Will told her.

"Wait…we're out here looking for something that you've never seen?"

"Yes."

"And, this isn't something that you felt you should have shared with us before?"

"No."

"Well, okay…why don't we go off on our own? They are going to phase tomorrow, right? We need to get Santana away from them and explain to her what is going to happen and find a way to help her. We can't be out in the open with them and her being new. They'll maul her."

"They might try, but I'm not going to let them succeed," Will stated.

"You have an idea?"

"I do," Will replied.

She pulled out a parchment from her saddle bag. She pulled up her horse and rode a little off the trail. She pointed for Quinn to continue on with the path. Santana caught up to her. Quinn waited for a moment and then continued up the trail. She knew that Will would catch up.

"What's going on?"

"We're going to go our way soon."

"Why?" Santana asked her.

"Something has come up at the castle."

"They aren't as friendly as they are leading up to believe, are they?" Santana questioned.

"No, not all of them."

"Something about Red, right?"

"Yup."

"What are we going to do?" Santana inquired.

"We are going to wait for Will to tell us what to do."

"Where did she go?"

"I don't know. I think to send a message back to Regina. She doesn't have magic and neither do we. We'll have to sit tight and just wait it out. I'm sure she'll catch us up soon," Quinn told her.

Santana knew that there was something more, but she wasn't going to push it now. She could tell that Quinn was worried and it wasn't about Will. She looked around them and noted where each and every one of the Wolves were. She wasn't happy, like the horses weren't, about riding with the Wolves to find this plant for Danni, but she was willing to rough it for Danni.

"We need this for Danni, right?"

"Yeah," Quinn stated.

"Do we need them?"

"I don't know."

Santana nodded. She still had this crazy itch under her skin and as night neared it was getting worse. She could tell that Quinn was watching her more and she didn't know why. She just hoped that it didn't have to do with the itchy feeling she was getting. She tried to shake it off, but she couldn't. She didn't doubt that Will told Quinn something that was weighing on her mind heavily, but she hoped that it didn't have anything to do with growing condition.

She looked up into the wood line in front of them. She turned her head slightly to the right, like she aiming her ears and nose towards it. She cocked her head a little more to the right and then turned it back to the center.

"What?" Quinn asked her.

"Someone is coming up on us and it isn't Will. We need to get off the path. I want to let them by."

"Is it one of the Randae?"

"No," Santana said.

Quinn could hear the conviction in her voice. She knew what Will had told her about Santana's growing abilities, so she didn't question it. She nudged her horse off of the path and into the wood line. She waited for Santana to join her before they turned around to face the path. They were so close together that Santana's leg was just behind hers. The rumps on the horses were almost touching.

"Are they close?" Quinn asked as she surveyed the path.

"Shh," Santana told her as she put a hand on her knee.

Quinn looked at her. Santana shifted in the saddle a few times before drawing the shorter sword that Will had left her with hanging from her saddle. She tapped Quinn's leg. When Quinn saw the sword, she reach back and unsheathed her bow. She quickly fixed the string and drew a few arrows from the quiver upon her back. She held one notched loosely, so she would have time to aim before letting it loose. The others were in her left hand, holding the bow as well.

She held her breath as Santana started to take more stock in their surroundings. She knew to listen to Santana's worry. She knew that Santana could hear and smell whatever was coming up on them faster than she or Will could. She scanned the area, but she didn't hear anything.

Santana reached up with her left hand and pointed back towards the path. Then, she dismounted. Quinn reached over and grabbed the reins to her horse, tying them around the saddle horn of her own horse. She stayed in the saddle, covering Santana with her bow, as San moved through the underbrush.

She watched from her perch as San hunkered down behind a thick, tall, old tree. Short sword at the ready, San looked like she was about to ambush whoever was coming up on them. Quinn squeezed her knees into the flank of her horse to steady herself as she prepared to let loose an arrow if needed.

It was a few minutes before Quinn could hear anyone coming. She could tell by the sound of the hoof beats that they were heavily armored. There was no way that they were Wolves or someone that would be looking for them. Quinn could only wonder who they were. And, since they didn't know the colors or symbols of the kingdoms in the Enchanted Forest, Quinn had no clue how to identify them either.

Santana squatted down further. Quinn drew down, making sure that she wouldn't hit San when she let loose her arrow. She was waiting. If Santana jumped up to attack, she would let loose her fury. Her hazel eyes continued to scan the area.

She tried to control her breathing. Her time with Sue and the crazy ass training regiment that she put them through came to mind. She took a deep breath and tried to relax. She didn't want the horses to spook because of her anxiety over the situation.

The heavily armored horses came nearer. Quinn eyed each of the men as they slowly trotted passed their location. She didn't know why they were there but she was sure that it was for a good thing. She looked over at Santana, who was looking back giving her a knowing look. She nodded at Santana. The unspoken agreement was made. They had each other's backs. Santana was going to start the fight, if it came to it, but she knew that Quinn would be right behind her.

Quinn counted in her head to keep her head clear. Suddenly a vision of Rachel crossed her mind. She had to get through this to get back to Rachel. She had to get Santana back for Brittney. Once she found Will, again, they had to get her back for Danni. They were doing this for love and now, they were going to have to prove their metal. If they could get through this, they could get through anything in this world. Quinn was sure of it.

Suddenly, she felt a presence by her. She didn't want to move her head to see who it was, but she knew that would have to soon. Then there was a flash of movement behind the horse and to her left. She saw the shadow moving forward. She barely recognized it.

It was Will, but it wasn't. The hulking mass before her was stealthily moving through the underbrush. She turned and looked back at Quinn. The only way that she realized that it was Will was her piercing blue eyes. They reminded Quinn of Brittney's the few times that she saw the other blonde angry. She nodded to the warrior. There was something that past between them but Quinn couldn't define it. She returned her attention to the path and the heavily armored men coming up.

Will continued to move towards Santana. When she reached the Latina's side, San didn't seem that distracted or surprised. She just nodded at the larger-than-life Will that was moving up to hide behind her own tree. They didn't question one another or the need to hide. It was enough that Quinn and Santana knew to take cover and were protecting each other.

They were both taking their cues from Will. When she just let the men wander past, Quinn could only wonder why. After a few minutes, Will motioned for Santana to go back to where Quinn was. She sheathed her sword and quickly made her way back. She mounted her horse from the side with a quick jump and then righted herself. Quinn handed her the reins. Will quickly joined them on her horse. She wasn't so hulked out anymore.

"Um…"

"Later, both of you."

"I found a way around this. And, those knights are going to be our cover. They will keep the Randae busy while we find a way to get to the valley and get the plant we are looking for."

"Where were you?" Quinn asked.

"I sent a raven back to Regina."

"And?" Santana asked.

"We need to move. Forces are closing in and I think that Hori has something to do with it. We are leaving them and going on our own. We need to go, now."

"Umm, not to sound stupid but how are you sending ravens to Regina?" Santana asked.

"Magical parchments. Did you really think that she was going to send us out here without a way to talk to her? Regina is known to do some questionable things, but protecting her investments and family isn't one of them. She wanted to give us a way to talk to her, especially if we needed her. And, most of the people of the Enchanted Forest know not to cross her. They still remember her as the Evil Quinn. I'll send her another raven quickly and then we need to move."

"Agreed," Quinn said.

"Let's go," Santana replied as they pulled out of the woods and back towards the path without the Wolves following them or leading.

They were now on their own and for the first time, Quinn wasn't afraid. It was like she suddenly knew where they were going. She took the lead and Will didn't question it. They rode off in silence towards their destination and their quest for the plant to make Danni better.