The Ambush
The home of Snow White and the eight dwarfs was undisturbed at the ripe of morning. Muir slept on a top bunk, and below him lied Gort, dreaming of brawling in the woods. Alongside them slept Gus and Coll. Gus had been there when Muir discovered Snow White's body at the brim of the dark forest. He had convinced him to bring her tranquil body back to the cavern that the dwarfs inhabited. He had also been there for Snow during her mourning of the white wolf. To free her thoughts of the slaughter, he told her stories of his adventures in the woods before Queen Ravenna's reign, of a place filled with beauty and life, now hidden behind the veil of dark magic possessed by the Queen. They danced through the fields of grass and he played her melodies of luminescence. Coll, on the other hand, had been quite stern towards Snow White, explaining that the girl was too frail and that they'd better "toughen her up."
Nion and Duir slept across the room in a deep slumber. They were both timid dwarfs who often stayed behind to look after Snow White when the others went off to hunt. And lastly was Quert and Beith who slept in a bunk at the corner of the room. Quert often cleaned their home and prepared meals for the bunch. Beith had taken the responsibility of teaching Snow to fight, often times with the help of the other dwarfs, and later that day he would be teaching her to maneuver her keen dagger.
Snow White was endowed with an individual room, for her frame was quite larger than that of the dwarfs, who stood at three feet tall. She was the first to stir that morning and entered the kitchen for a cup of water. Outside, the sky was turning blue, and it appeared that the day would be cloudless. Perfect for the days exercises, she thought as she stared out the window, admiring the silvery flowers ascending from the ground. Something in the distance caught Snow White's attention. It appeared that there was movement beyond the trees, a shadow lurking in the distance. She squinted her eyes, striving to get a better look. The shadow was towering and bulky, and it appeared to be coming closer.
"You're up early," said Gus, causing Snow White to flinch in alarm. "Typically you're last to wake," he noted, staring up at Snow White's allure. She smiled, glancing back at the window, but the silhouette had vanished. "Is there something that's caught your eye?" The dwarf asked.
"No," she said with doubt. "Must've just been my eyes playing tricks on me."
"That happens sometimes, doesn't it," said Gus, losing his thoughts in reflection. The other dwarfs awoke, one after another, and Quert prepared breakfast for the lot of them. He attained eggs from the chickens outside in the pen, and plucked oranges to prepare juice on the side. Gort boasted about a time he encountered a warlock on a bridge in the dark forest. Threatening him, Gort gave the warlock a blow to the face, knocking the arrogant man down to the ground. The other dwarfs chuckled along with Snow White, who devoured her portion of the eggs. Momentarily after, Beith signalled to Snow White, pointing in the direction of the window, and they were off to practice in the forest.
The dagger swished through the air as Beith demonstrated his expertise to Snow White. He threw it up and the blade whirled in the air. He seized it in his other hand as he motioned his arm back, going in for an invisible stab. For his finale, he hurled the blade ahead and it spun until lodging into the trunk of a tree. He grinned at his accomplishment. "Now you try," Beith instructed, pointing at the dagger. Snow White approached the tree trunk and wrapped her fingers around the shaft of the blade. The gold piece felt stimulating in her hand. She struggled to loosen it, but once she did, she grasped it in her hand, ignorant of what to do next. "Here," said Beith. "Hold it firmly in your hand and swing at me." Snow White looked up with foreboding.
"I can't do that," she said, taken aback. "What if I hurt you."
Beith chuckled in response. "You have very little probability of doing much damage, any for that matter," he enlightened. "Swing at me. Don't fret." Snow White looked at him with skepticism, but she followed his order regardless. She instinctually swung at Beith and he evaded every aim she made. Her arm advanced more rapidly with each hit she flunked. Finally the blade extended only inches away from Beith's face and he clasped her arm in his hand. "Very good," he remarked, impressed with Snow's performance. She was nearly out of breath, and tumbled to the ground to unwind. "I'll go get us some water," Beith declared. "Back in a jiffy," he added, heading back to the lodge with the dagger in his hands.
Snow White rested her head on the grass and peered up at the unblemished sky. Bluebirds flew across her line of vision, and she mused about flying with them someday. They were so free, so independent. She woefully pondered about the dwarf's plan to go off into the dark forest and retrieve answers. She was comfortable just where she was. Her thoughts were soon interrupted by the sound of rustling leaves behind her. She moved her head back, witnessing a large man towering over her scrawny body, whose eyes were filled with brutality. He immediately placed his hand over Snow's mouth as she tried to scream, "No!" and hoisted her up by the neck. Her eyes widened in horror. She struggled in his grasp, squealing under the insulation of his hand.
"I've got you now," he muttered in her ear, generating terror through her nerves. His voice was deep and roughly familiar. She bit his hand, merely compelling his grip to tighten. The drown of her scream resonated through his burly body. Before he could proceed, a dagger soared through the air, impaling his shoulder and causing his grasp to release from Snow White's scowl.
"Flee!" Howled Beith, who was accompanied by the other dwarfs, and Snow White hauled herself up, embarking away from the cavernous region of the dark forest.
Her footsteps echoed as she bolted through the dank cave. Her mouth was parched and tears flooded her eyes. The shrieks from the dwarfs that she left behind her pierced her ears. She imagined the belligerent dwarf, Gort, putting up a fight against the man who had come to detain her. Glancing back at the sound of Nion's bellows, Snow White slipped, plummeting into a mound of mud. The taste of dirt infused her mouth, and tears filled her eyes as a result of her agony. Her face and body were now concealed in earth and she was forlorn in torment. She hesitated in contemplation of what her next move should be and wiped her eyes, merely spreading the dirt around. Snow White continued through the cave.
The exit neared as she saw the haze of the dark forest begin to fill the cave. Fog impaired Snow White's vision as her feet joined the earth, leaving the rocky floor behind her. She had never gone this far before, for the dwarfs had warned her of the dark forest's danger. "It plays tricks on you," they had said in a faint memory. "Once you enter, you can get lost forever." Snow White felt faint, falling into a growth of fungi. An aroma released from the growths beneath her, causing her dizziness and nausea. She attempted to make a run for it but her legs fell weak. Maggots now crawled between her fingers and wasps buzzed around her face. She screamed in terror, but nothing came out of her mouth.
She managed to lift herself up, but when she did, a monstrous bird above her unlatched it's wings causing Snow White to topple backwards again. Beneath it, a thick, black substance ran down the tree's trunk unveiling the torment of hell. Screeches and howls filled her ears as a distorted figure approached Snow White and shackled her arm to his.
The Huntsman took Snow White's unconscious body over his unscathed shoulder and made his way back to the Queen's castle.