Chapter Description:

After Snow White rides off with her prince, the seven Dwarfs return to their usual routine, but Grumpy notices Grimhilde's raven hanging around. No matter how much he tries, he can't get it to go away. But when Dopey makes a poor decision, Grumpy might just change his mind.


Grumpy couldn't help but scowl when he walked out into the garden and saw that stupid raven again. It perked when it saw him, and he glanced around to make sure he was alone before making a rude gesture. The bird chattered its beak then flew over to circle him. Grumpy swatted at it.

"I done told you, I don't want you around here," he scolded in a low voice. "Now get! Go be a bird. Make a nest. Hatch eggs."

The raven croaked and continued to circle. Grumpy finally snapped his fingers. Magic sparked, spooking the raven so that it flapped away. It turned to glare at him before settling down to watch him again. He couldn't try and shoo it away again as Bashful came out, ready for gardening. Grumpy walked over, knowing the bird was still watching and wondering what it would take to get it to go away.

The stupid raven had been hanging around ever since he'd gotten back from talking to the prince in Finderlsland the winter before. It was most irritating to have it trying to get his attention and constantly claiming that Grumpy was her master now whenever he deigned to cast a spell to speak to it. He didn't want to be her master, and he didn't want a stupid companion.

Dopey came bursting out of the house and began marching off toward the mines. Grumpy stared for a moment before Doc came flying out of the house.

"Dopey! I said no. We're not stowing, ah, going today. We need to garden. We'll get it tomorrow."

Dopey continued marching, his back straight and his fists clenched. Doc ran over and snagged his shirt.

"Garden!" he ordered, spinning him around.

Dopey made several rude gestures, and Grumpy winced as Doc puffed up. He smacked Dopey upside the head and pushed him back toward the garden. The others, who had watched with mild interest just outside the doorway, glanced at each other and shook their heads.

"He's bein' ornery," Happy said when Grumpy gestured at Dopey, puzzled.

"How so?" Grumpy asked.

"Wants to go to the mine," Sneezy sniffled. "He left somethin' there yesterday."

"I can take him," Grumpy offered.

"Doc ain't gonna let him go after what he just done," Bashful said. "He'll have to wait until tomorrow."

Grumpy nodded, and they all headed around the cottage to the garden. Bashful looked around then set their tasks for the day. They got to work, but Dopey was clearly still angry at Doc. He'd been getting restless lately, and Grumpy knew it was just the adolescent in him, pushing boundaries and finding his place. He'd seen it so many times back at Cliffside. The difference was that it was for Dopey's good instead of humiliating him back in line like Calida always had.

By the time they were done for the day, Dopey had worked out quite a bit of his anger through the physical labor, but he still brushed off any attempt of comfort or soothing. When they went inside for the day, Dopey stomped upstairs and slammed the door. Grumpy pursed his lips and squinted up the stairs.

"Better be careful, Doc," Grumpy said.

"He'll get over it," Doc said stiffly.

"Yeah. Or do somethin' stupid," Grumpy replied, but he let the subject drop.

Dopey didn't come down for supper, and when Bashful went up to get him, he came back down alone, rubbing his shoulder. He said nothing except to tell them that Dopey wasn't hungry. So they sat down to eat a very subdued meal without him. After supper, they didn't really feel like staying up. With Dopey mad, the house felt off, so they all headed upstairs for bed. The lump under the covers that was Dopey didn't move the whole time they got undressed and settled in.

"Goodnight," Doc called.

Dopey shifted but kept the covers over his face. Doc snuffed the candle, and there was quiet. The quiet was slowly filled with soft snores as one by one, the others dropped asleep. Grumpy finally followed, despite the uneasy feeling that buzzed across his skin like electricity.

Grumpy awoke some time later to something brushing his face. He swiped at it, but he received a sharp pain in return. He sat up with a gasp, and he felt something on his chest drop into his lap. He felt at it and was shocked to find that it was feathered.

Grumpy cursed under his breath as he grasped the raven none too gently and flung the covers back. The raven sensibly didn't move until they were downstairs. Grumpy flung a ball of fire into the fireplace and released the bird, which flapped over to perch on a chair. Grumpy glanced up at the bedroom then drew his fingers from his ears to his mouth, casting a spell. Green sparkles glittered as they fell from his fingers before fading away in midair. Then he looked up and spoke in a low voice.

"Better have a damn good reason for doing this."

The bird clapped and croaked several times. Grumpy's heart leaped into his throat. "What?!" Are you serious?"

The bird croaked. Grumpy scooped it into his arms and carried it to the door. He cast a spell on it as he walked, waving his hand over its head. It croaked again as Grumpy opened the door and held out his hands.

"Find him. I'll follow with the others."

The raven croaked again then took off into the night. The darkness swallowed it within seconds, and Grumpy shut the door then absorbed the fire. His heart pounding, he went back upstairs and lit a candle before walking over to Dopey's bed. When he pulled back the covers, he saw that the clever boy had pulled out some winter blankets and arranged them to make it seem as if he was still in bed. Grumpy took a deep breath then gave a shout.

"Doc! He's gone!"

The brothers came awake and sat up, scrubbing their eyes and looking around. Doc put on his glasses and looked at Grumpy. "What's going on?" Then his eyes saw Dopey's trick, and he let out a yell. "No! Where is he?"

"Ain't downstairs. Already looked," Grumpy said quickly. "Bet he went to the mines."

With that sentence, all of them scrambled out of bed and started getting dressed. Grumpy pulled on his clothes, his heart in his throat. It was dangerous out there at night, and he doubted Dopey had thought to take much to help him or protect him. Lantern light would only keep away some of the creatures in the woods.

When they were ready, they grabbed lanterns and equipment and started out. Grumpy took the lead and followed the pull of the raven. He could only hope it was with Dopey by this point. They started along the familiar path, but this time they hurried, and they didn't sing. Grumpy stopped suddenly and turned, peering into the darkness. The raven wasn't on the path anymore.

"What's wrong?" Sneezy asked.

Grumpy knelt down and pointed at boot prints. "He tried to take his shortcut."

"Oh no," Happy groaned. "He's lost?"

"Maybe, maybe not," Grumpy said. "This way."

He led them into the woods, the pull getting stronger. Then he heard something and stopped again. There it was again. A whimper.

"Dopey?" he called, hurrying toward the pull. "Dopey, you out here? Make a noise if you can."

Dopey didn't make a noise, but the raven sure did. It started croaking and there was loud flapping. Grumpy ran over, and the raven took off as light fell on it. But there, right beside where it had been, was Dopey. His face was scratched and streaked with dirt and pale with pain, A broken lantern wasn't too far away.

Doc cried out. "Dopey! Dopey, are you okay?"

Dopey shook his head frantically, grasping at his left ankle. Tears streamed down his face, and he reached out imploringly, afraid they would leave him. Grumpy moved at once, unwilling to let Dopey think he deserved this.

"Come on. Let's get you home and Doc can take a look at you."

Dopey wilted in relief as Happy and Sneezy grasped him and lifted him up between them. Dopey kept his left foot off the ground, wobbling a little. Grumpy looked around and saw skid marks in the dirt coming from the ridge they'd slid down to get to him.

"Bet he fell and twisted his ankle," Grumpy said, pointing. "Must've broke the lantern."

Dopey wouldn't look at him, but he gave a tiny nod.

"Well, let's get back," Bashful said.

It took much longer to get back to the cottage with Dopey hobbling on one foot, but they managed it in the end. As soon as they were inside, Grumpy lit the fire and Happy filled a pot to heat up water. Dopey sat down in a chair, shivering from cold and pain. Doc stripped out of his jacket and washed his hands then got his kit.

"Let's see what's song, um, wrong," he said gently.

After stripping Dopey out of his shirt, Doc looked at the bruises and cuts that decorated his left side and his back then nodded. "Ankle first. Nothing needs sutured."

Dopey sagged in relief. He didn't like stitches. But when Doc touched his ankle, he nearly kicked him in the face as he screamed.

"Oh, I hope it's not broken," Sleepy said, wide awake despite the hour.

"Me, too," Doc murmured. "But we seed, er, need to get his boot off." He paused and grabbed a strip of hard leather from his kit. "Bite on this."

Dopey knew those words would be followed by a lot of pain. He'd heard it for all of the others before, even Doc, but never for himself. He began to cry, and he hid his face. Grumpy hugged him.

"It'll be over quick," he promised.

Dopey sniffled and nodded then took the leather in his trembling fingers and bit down on it. Grumpy took one hand and Sneezy took the other, gripping him firmly.

"Bashful, help me," Doc ordered. "We need to do this as fast as possible. Yes, that will shirk, um, work. Ready, Dopey?"

Dopey squeezed his eyes shut, dug his teeth into the leather, then nodded. Doc and Bashful managed to get the boot off in two quick movements. Dopey screamed and his teeth clamped as hard as they could into the leather as his entire body convulsed and the world went white. He became aware that Sneezy and Grumpy were both rubbing his shoulders, and he opened his eyes, dizzy and weak.

"That's the hard part," Doc encouraged, patting Dopey's leg.

"What about his sock?" Bashful asked.

"Cut it off," Sleepy said at once. "I'll make him a new pair tomorrow."

Dopey had never been more relieved as Doc took out a knife and sliced the material off his foot. His ankle was very obviously swollen, and Doc gingerly took it into his hands and observed it. Dopey had to bite down on the leather again to stop himself from screaming. Grumpy and Sneezy squeezed his hands.

"You're doin' good, doodlebug," Grumpy said, his eyes soft.

Dopey met his eyes and nodded a little then looked back at his foot. He'd rather see the pain coming, thank you very much.

"I don't drink, ah, think it's broken," Doc said. "But it's badly sprained. We need to wrap it up tightly."

Grumpy nodded at the bedroom. "Cut some strips of the bolts up there, Sleepy. Happy, make some tea that will cut the pain."

Glad to have something to do, they hurried off to their tasks. Within half an hour, Dopey's foot was wrapped and elevated as he sat limply in the chair. Happy handed him tea.

"What some supper now?" he asked. "We saved some for you."

Dopey nodded, his bottom lip trembling. He swiped at his eyes, then looked at Doc and gestured an apology. He looked down quickly. Doc nodded and put away the kit then rejoined the group as Dopey was given a plate of supper.

"I know you wanted to stow, ah, go, but there were better ways to do it," Doc said, pulling a chair right beside him and sitting down. "There was no season, uh, reason to be so rude this morning."

Dopey shrugged and explained that he hadn't been able to sleep the night before. He'd been irritable all day, and he was sorry but when Doc said no, it pushed him over the edge.

"Why?" Doc asked.

Dopey looked into his lap for a moment then told them that he wasn't a kid anymore and he was tired of being treated like one.

"Guess you're right and we just ain't been seein' it," Bashful said. "We'll try and treat you more grown up." He smiled and tugged Dopey's hat over his eyes. "But you'll always be our little brother, and sometimes we might forget."

"Next time tell us what's wrong before you get your crazy ideas," Sneezy said as Dopey pushed up his hat. He wiggled his ears and nodded, and everybody relaxed.

"Eat your dinner," Doc said. "We'll all have some tea and go back to bed."

"Me and Happy will go get whatever you left tomorrow," Grumpy promised.

Dopey thought about this then shrugged and gestured that it didn't matter. Grumpy nodded, unsurprised by the change of heart. As Dopey sipped his tea and ate his dinner, Grumpy slipped outside with some of the rabbit they'd had for supper. He called out softly, and the raven fluttered over. Grumpy stared at it for a long minute then tossed the rabbit over.

"Guess you can stay," he said. "But don't expect me to be like that bitch. You can have your own life too, if you want."

The raven nodded then grabbed the rabbit and fluttered off into the darkness. Doc opened the door to find Grumpy staring out at where the raven had disappeared.

"Something wrong?"

"Nope," Grumpy said. "Tea ready?"

"Yes. Come back in. It's too silly, ah, chilly for you to be out here a bone, um, alone."

Without a word, Grumpy turned and followed Doc back inside. He hadn't chosen to have a companion, it was true. But he hadn't chosen any of his girls, either, and he wouldn't change that. Maybe this would be something he wouldn't change, too.