[b]Collaboration between YoshiSkittlez, Ghost Shadow, Guardian Angel Haruki and Tanderbolt[/b]

 The Enchanted Forest: 

The journey from the refugee camp to Snow's castle was rather uneventful, aside from the wide shadow that Knox Kowalski - apparently more than a sexually-frustrated security guard - was casting over the entire group. Edric's cat form, however, proved efficient enough in guiding the small team through the false dusk. 

Though not without conversation, The Cat kept himself quiet and focused for the majority of the journey, as the thoughts of returning to his 'home' (one of several) made him slightly tense. He thought of himself and Snow, how the two of them seemed to have drifted apart since they last saw each other. He was no longer the vulnerable cat, resigned to his fate, and she was no longer the young girl who wished to know the why of things. Though he never spoke these thoughts aloud, he would occasionally look back at her specifically before facing forward once more. 

Killian followed behind Snow and he had noticed that the area around them had grown darker ever since that other bloke, the one who told them to follow The Cat, joined them on their journey to the castle. Figuring that there was nothing better to do, he decided to strike up a conversation just to kill time while they walked along. However, he decided not to bring up the shadowy man, because he would rather not have some shadow spike pierce through The Fat Man's foot....at least, not out loud.

He looked to Snow and he asked quietly, "My Lady...who is that man in front? A friend of yours?" 

Several years in the hospital had weakened Snow a little, but thankfully the magical coma wasn't as deabilitating as a normal one. She still had the stamina to keep up with the rest of the group on their long journey. She didn't say much to the new companions, only answering when they asked a direct question just as their newest companion just had. 

"His name is Knox, and we're not exactly friends. I only met him recently, and he spent the better part of two weeks trying to convince me I was married to him. We just happened to wind up in the forest together, I doubt I'll be spending much time with him when we return home."

Killian raised an eyebrow at Snow's answer and he muttered in a mixture between shock and skepticism, "Really? Didn't he know that you're already married?" For everyone in the Enchanted Forest, it was common knowledge that Snow White was married to Prince Charming. The fact that somoene tried to woo Snow despite that somewhat surprised Killian, and it seemed hard to believe.

Snow ran her fingers through her hair. There was a lot left to explain. "I was in a coma for about five years, but from what I understand everyone's memory got messed up when we left the forest. I think Regina might've been the only one who knew anything, everyone else just acted like they lived there for their whole lives. That new world is a strange place, and I haven't seen beyond the borders of a fraction of it."

Killian commented in reply "Well...that makes much more sense--" 

"Have you lived in the forest for a while? I can't remember ever hearing of a man with a hook for a hand, you'd expect that word would get around." Snow said, wanting to know more about Killian.

Killian blinked at her questions, caught off guard by the fact that Snow was interested in learning a bit more about him. He answered Snow, "I have been in The Enchanted Forest for a while. But I was not born here, nor did I lose my hand here. I was a traveller before meeting Lancelot and the others,"

"Did you get here after the curse struck? I haven't seen Lancelot in a while, so I don't know what he's been up to. Is there anyone else you know well?" Snow asked, probing and trying to determine his true loyalty. She trusted her own judgment, and would not trust a stranger without first trying to discern his character.

"I did get here after the curse hit. Unfortunately, other than Lancelot and anyone else in the camp, I don't know anyone else very well," Killian answered Snow's questions. He was quite honest with the Queen, excluding 'Lancelot's' true identity.

His answer didn't say anything that worried her, but it was light on the details. Snow decided to ask one more question. "What did you do for a living before the ogres came? Do you have any noteworthy skills or achievements?"

"I was a blacksmith before the ogres came, and I still am today. Though I do have a bit of sailing knowledge from my travels," Killian answered with ease. 

"Did you lose your hand in a blacksmithing accident? I imagine that would make it harder to work."

Killian paused for a moment, before he answered "Aye, I did. Really, the hook makes blacksmithing easier," 
He didn't really like talking about his hand and about the 'crocodile' that took his hand from him in the first place. But he didn't make any sign of it. He instead acted like he normally did, and kept on walking with Snow.

Snow didn't know much about blacksmithing, but she never saw a successful smith missing a hand. She said "Was it your fault? I'm glad it hasn't diminished your skills."

Killian shook his head, keeping his rage at bay, and he answered calmly "No. No, it wasn't anyone's fault," 

"Mistake your hand for a meat slab, then?" The Cat put in suddenly, obviously making light of Killian's situation with insulting humor. Not waiting for the blacksmith to respond, The Cat continued, 

"I apologize for my bluntness," he began, lacking sincerity, "but it is the only conceivable thought I could think up if you somehow excised your own hand there, friend." The Cat finished, looking behind him to flash a grin at Killian before looking out in front of him once again.

Killian shot The Cat a glare at the insult, his rage just bubbling and making his blood boil. He sneered "There are other ways of accidentally cutting off a hand, other than simply mistaking it for a simple piece of meat," His glare clearly held the warning that he would make The Cat lose a paw in the same manner if he continued.

"Well, please enlighten me." The Cat said under his breath. He could tell this was a sensitive subject to Killian, and knew that pushing anymore on it could incur the man's wrath. Not that he was worried, as having Killian chase him would be like chasing a ghost. Nevertheless, there were more important matters at hand than bickering with the man. 

"I nearly lost my head if it makes you feel any better." The Cat then replied in a louder tone, aparantly switching tactics from goading Killian to attempting to lower the tension. There'd be time for insults later. 

Killian lightly scoffed at The Cat's comment, feeling a bit better from the thought, even though he knew exactly who would most likely try and do that. "Why does that not surprise me in the least?" He spoke out loud in slight sarcasm, but in a tone that showed that he was in a better mood then he was when The Cat insulted him. 

"My humor is wasted on bureaucrats and sycophants, it seems. They gain more amusement from tax refunds and boring speeches over unsweetened tea. So, after deciding the court was [i]quite[/i] dry, I figured getting myself executed would be fun. Rather, [i]escaping[/i] execution just as the axe came down would be fun." The Cat finished in an affable tone, his tail sticking straight up as he retold a...somewhat-biased tale of his stint in the Queen of Heart's castle. 

Killian raised an eyebrow at The Cat with a skeptical look. He didn't say anything in response to The Cat. He had no idea what happened between him and Cora, but he wasn't going to comment anything about it. Besides, he could tell that The Cat was over-compensating, like a drunken pirate. 

"What's the matter, blacksmith? Cat got your tongue?" The Cat asked with a small snicker, apparently quite pleased with himself at the pun. "I do enjoy a good conversation now and again, especially given the nature of our journey. Have my tales of woe and wonder left you speechless?" He asked, looking behind him to catch a glance at Killian for any visible reaction/expression. 

Killian merely rolled his eyes at The Cat and he answered "No. In fact, anyone can just simply conjure up a tale like that. I think your tale is just smoke and mirrors,"

"My dear blacksmith...if I were deceiving you, you would not know it." The Cat put in a suddenly serious tone, looking back behind him for longer than a moment as he let the words sink in. 

"Wonderland is my home. The Queen's castle was [i]also[/i] my home, for a time; though not a very good one at that. My sister and I were....separated from each other there. Events were not in my control as I would have liked. Rather, they were controlled by [i]another[/i] - One greater than the Queen. My past is riddled with conjecture and hyperboles, but it is true all the same. Perhaps I'll prove it to you once we make it to Wonderland." The Cat finished the last sentence in a hushed whisper, his tone solemn as to not be overheard by others. 

Killian was silent as The Cat spoke about his past. Hearing the story made him think about Milah and how he had lost her. He could easily guess that the Crocodile had something to do with The Cat's time in Wonderland, but he didn't speak his thoughts. He answered quietly in response to The Cat's whisper "Maybe you will...Who knows," He merely shrugged and continued walking.

After this conversation, The Cat kept silent, a rather pensive state coming over him as he became lost in old memories. For the longest time he simply blocked them out, keep the pain locked away. But that was no longer an option. 

Sometime during the walk, The Cat believed that levitating was more ideal than walking, and floated aimlessly alongside the group, still keeping in front due to the still darkness that The Night was casting. 

Finally breaking the silence, The Cat spoke to the group as a whole, "Any chance we could stop to eat? I'm due for a good meal and would like to collect." He finished casually, stopping in mid-air to stare at the party. 

While they were speaking, Snow had been surveying their surrounding and figuring out their distance. She said "We can eat when we get there. It won't be long, if you two can stop arguing and keep up a good pace. We'll have to stick together if we want to do this before nightfall, especially on the return trip."

"No need to be fussy, Snow, just a question." The Cat returned in an almost casual manner. Had the times really changed her so much? Or had they changed him...? 

"On the bright side, it will be quite interesting to see the castle again. All the more nooks and crannies for me to find. Maybe I can actually have a nice nap, who knows." He put with a small rolling of his shoulders, signifying a shrug. 

True to Snow's word, just as they reached the peak of a particularly steep hill, Snow's castle could be seen in the distance. The curse had taken quite the toll on the structure, as it merely looked like a pile of rocks from where they stood, bringing a tear to the eyes of those who knew the castle in all it's splendor. It was there, and yet it might as well had not been. Mulan had been right, it seemed the entirety of The Enchanted Forest had been destroyed in the wake of Regina's curse, and whatever had been left had been utterly destroyed by Ogres. It would take a few hours yet to reach the ruins, but it at least lit the fire of hope in the weary travellers' chests upon finally being able to see their destination after so many hours of nothing but ruined terrain. Perhaps it was possible to salvage some sort of shelter from the wreckage to keep them safe from the extremities of the night.

Seeing what remained of the castle for what it was, The Cat could only stare at the pile of rubble for a few moments, wordlessly shifting back into human form as he did so, not even spending the time to fix his hair or adjust his cravat as he usually did upon reverting. 

"Well...there it is." Edric said quietly, his voice lacking the cheery disposition it usually did, replaced by pained nostalgia.

Snow pulled Henry aside, he was the only one she could trust completely. She said to him "There's a reason I came here. I need to find a letter from before the curse hit, it has some very important information inside. It should still be sealed, keep an eye out for it."

Interrupted from his thoughtful reverie as Snow pulled him aside, Edric looked confused for a few moments as he switched gears, trying to gauge what Snow was talking about. 

"A letter you say? Are you sure it survived this carnage? If brick and stone can't, I don't see how parchment can." Edric questioned, though not rudely, sincere skepticism in his tone. 

"I'm not certain, but I'd be really surprised if it was destroyed. It would take a lot of effort to get rid of it, and I doubt any of the Ogres were interested in it." She was hiding something from him, but she hoped he wouldn't realize.

"Lot of effort for a letter?" Edric repeated, narrowing his eyes slightly. However, before she could answer he let out a heavy sigh before speaking again. "Do you have any clue where it [i]was[/i] before the Curse hit? It looks like most of the wings are badly damaged, if not destroyed...there's a chance your precious letter might be buried under stories tall of rubble." Edric finished, placing both hands in his coat pockets, looking to his side to stare at the ruins once again. 

"That's what I'm worried about. I left it in the bedroom, and from what I can see the walls and roof of that portion still stand. I'll help you look when we get there, and it's a natural place to go for shelter, that'll be our excuse for going there." Snow said, trying hint that it was a good idea to hide this from the others.

"As you wish." Edric replied simply, daring to offer a small corner smile towards his young friend. "How long do you anticipate until we'll be there? I think it's starting to get dark even [i]without[/i] our umbra over there." He finished, motioning over to where Knox was (possibly) standing. 

"We can make it before nightfall, don't worry. I suggest you keep your human form if you want to keep up, we'll have to be a little quicker for this last stretch." Snow said, with confidence in her voice.

"Can do, Your Highness." Edric replied, smiling widely. It would still be a few miles before they finally made it to the castle, but at least they could see it. 

Though he shared Snow's confidence, it was for different reasons. She was excited to find this strange...letter (a matter he would have to ponder on more), but his entire focus was on the portal alone. He [i]had[/i] to get his sister back, no matter what the cost...even if it meant making the journey alone.