A/N: This contains the snippet I wrote last month for tumblr, edited to fit the whole story better now, and with some extra after. A fitting end for my RQW contribution, I think. I hope you enjoy it.

Though angry, Red is almost pleased with how subtle Regina's trail is. A lesser tracker might have problems following the witch, but to Red's nose Regina's scent is easy enough to follow. She wonders at how good a tracker Regina might be - the trail of the rebel soldiers is nowhere to be found. Perhaps, even, Regina is simply escaping rather than chasing down the reckless rebels.

It doesn't take long before Regina is in sight. She growls her displeasure, the sound carrying over as she becomes her human self again. "What are you doing?"

Regina pauses, and Red looks curiously at the raised hand that's glowing fuchsia. The glow dissipates as Regina turns and scowls at Red.

"What does it look like? I'm cleaning up after Snow's buffoons. They'll get themselves killed; even worse, they took off like a group of fumbling trolls." Regina waves angrily at the ground in front of her.

Red's eyebrows rise. It's abundantly clear now why she hadn't caught sight of the soldiers' trail; Regina has been restoring their very obvious disruption through the woods. "Ah," is all Red can say.

Regina lets out a sound of disgust and faces forward again. "They would have had my mother's army at Snow's camp within a day."

Words rise in Red's throat, and she rolls them around in their mouth before hesitantly speaking. "Thanks, Regina."

Their patch of forest is quiet, Regina slowly turning. She looks mildly astonished, looking Red over slowly. "The wolf does have manners."

Red squints as she tries to refrain from smiling. The corners of Regina's lips are just slightly upturned. Red clears her throat and glances away. "You know, Regina...you kinda slipped up earlier."

Regina crosses her arms, an elegant finger tapping slowly at her bicep. "Oh, how so?"

"You called me Red. You have taken the time to learn my name." Red's smile does come out now.

"Oh, that." Regina waves a dismissive hand. "It's hard to miss when Snow calls out for her favorite lapdog."

Ordinarily Red might be annoyed, but there's just the barest hint of pink on Regina's cheeks. "My size isn't really fit for a lapdog," Red says with a grin.

"Perhaps you're right," Regina agrees with a thoughtful nod, her eyes again slowly trailing over Red's body.

Red straightens her back, proud of her physique and perhaps not unhappy to have Regina admiring it as well. "You look at me like that a lot. Is there something you'd like to say, Regina?"

Regina looks Red in the eye, and the air around them seems thick as Regina steps closer. She sobers after a moment, again turning away. "Yes. Your idiot comrades are headed straight for one of mother's hidden outposts of elite head hunters."

"What?" Red winces at the volume of her own voice, which has set several nearby birds fluttering off in surprise.

"Yes, that's right. She has several in this part of the forest; all an effort to find Snow and her friends. You're lucky to have your fairy friends along to hide you from her scrying." Regina begins walking again, her hand raised as she continues her earlier work.

"Why didn't you say something?" Red's hackles are back up.

Regina shakes her head, muttering under her breath in an unknown tongue as she clears away a large patch of crushed undergrowth. "None of you listen," she finally says once the patch is restored.

Red follows Regina silently, knowing that the other woman is right. They've nearly reached a small road by the time she's gathered herself enough to speak again. "What do you know, Regina, that can help us win this war against your mother?"

"Everything."

There's a power in the single word, the potency of which leaves Red's skin tingling. "Regi-"

"This is where we part ways, Wolf. Those buffoons have a tremendous head start on us, and although they are unquestionably idiots, they don't deserve the fate that waits them when my mother's men find them."

The words have scarcely been uttered when Regina is enveloped in purple smoke.

Red growls again when she finds herself alone. "Dammit, Regina. You could've taken me with you."

She shakes her head, and then she's on all fours, angrily searching for Basil's trail.

It takes several hours to catch up to Basil, and by the time Red does, it's to a shamefaced Basil headed back toward camp. He and his friends look like they've been in a fight.

"Where's the witch," Regina barks out angrily the moment she sees them.

Basil sends an uneasy look at his small band of friends, and all five of them are unable to meet Red's eyes.

"We didn't know they'd be so close," one of them finally says.

"They tweren't like no normal soldiers," another almost mumbles.

"We're lucky she came when she did," the youngest says as he stares at the ground.

Red strides forward, her hands taking a painful grip on Basil's shoulders. "Where is she?"

Basil licks at his cracked lips, still unable to look directly at her. His throat works. "She said she'd be right behind us, but things got real quiet real quick. I-I think they got her."

She stares at him for half a beat, and then roughly shoves him away. Fury makes her vision blurred. "Return to camp, and you'd damn well better not leave a trail a half-blind child could follow."

The night is full and rich around her, and so Red focuses. The fear of the men around her fades away, and she lets the sounds and scents of the forest dim as she waits.

There, just a hint of apple and something spicy. She shifts into her wolf, feeling as invigorated by her rage as she had only some nights before when the moon had been full.

Red's lips pull back in a silent snarl as she draws closer to her objective. The moon overhead seems to light a path just for her as she crashes through the undergrowth of the thick woods.

Stealth doesn't matter. She wants them to know she's coming. A howl itches at the back of her throat, but she simply churns her legs faster, knowing her paws are leaving great furrows in the soft earth.

The first guard is only a glimmer of chainmail, and then moments later the rings are dulled under the fresh blood spilled from his exposed jugular. He'd turned in surprise, unknowingly giving her the perfect opening.

She wonders briefly what a sight she must be, a dusky shadow with crimson-stained teeth. The next guard isn't ready either, and he startles at the first glance of yellow eyes and a gaping mouth.

Too late to react, too late to do little more than gurgle weakly as his eyes dim.

The remaining guards are ready for her - at least they think so. The ravaged bodies left in her wake speak otherwise.

She grins, her tongue lolling out to taste the air. The scent is close now, even under the heavy scents of blood and fear that linger in the corridor.

Red's cautious now. Surely the meager collection of guards hadn't been the only defense of the small outpost-cum-jail? Her hackles rise as she steps ever closer to the dim cells. It's good that she'd come alone.

Nothing happens, and her tail twitches when she catches sight of lone occupant of the cells.

Regina yawns as she stands up, uncommonly beautiful in the coarse brown frock she'd no doubt been forced to don. "Well, you took your time," she mutters as she runs a hand through her shoulder length hair.

Red barks once, and then she's gripping the cell bars with both hands. "Be happy I'm here at all, Regina."

"Oh, I'm very happy to see you, Red." Regina stretches, a playful smirk pulling at her lips.

The glare Red sends Regina's way is ignored, and then she's left mumbling to herself as she retrieves the keys to unlock Regina's cell. She has half a mind to leave the witch to rot, but she knows Regina is vital in the rebellion against Cora.

And, well, she might regret it for more personal reasons. Regina just might have grown on Red over the last few weeks, and she has helped the rebels many times already. Part of Red wonders why Regina would put herself in danger for soldiers she seems to have nothing but contempt for.

Such thoughts are better left for later. She pulls the cell door open, the metal hinges screeching unpleasantly in protest.

"If you would be so kind," Regina says as she extends an arm.

Red concentrates, her fingers elongating until the tips are claws, She slashes at the strap of inconspicuous seeming leather binding Regina's wrist.

Regina hums her approval, her left hand rubbing the newly-freed flesh of her opposite wrist. "Werewolves really are just so incredibly handy. I think I'll have to get one of my very own one day."

The growl that rumbles in the back of Red's throat comes automatically. "We're not pets, Reg–"

There's a light hiss in the air, and Red only has a moment to react before there's a sharp piercing pain just to the left of her heart.

"Lucky," Regina says as she steps around Red, one hand up as she glances at the arrow shaft protruding from Red's chest.

Red doesn't feel lucky, not with the silver burning inside her and making her feel like she'll go mad, but it's then she notices the fierce expression on Regina's face. The violet glow in her eyes entrances Red for a moment, so much so that she barely has time to register the regiment of soldiers before they're met by a dark purple cloud.

Their faces are ashen and twisted into grotesque expressions when the cloud dissipates. They slump silently to the floor. Red can only stare numbly, dizziness making her sway.

Regina looks at her and then unceremoniously pulls the arrow out. Red shouts her surprise, stumbling backward to knock her head against the metal bars.

"Shh," Regina says as she steps closer, her glowing hand rising to hover millimeters away from Red's injury.

Warmth fills Red's chest, and she inhales sharply as she stares down at Regina. "They underestimated you."

Regina's earlier smirk returns, her hand now rubbing at Red's damaged tunic. "I'm not stupid, Red. I didn't tell them who I was. They thought me a minor witch working for the rebellion."

Red nods, though she's distracted by soft fingertips brushing her newly-repaired flesh. She swallows once. "Witches are pretty handy, might have to get my own some day."

Regina's eyes shimmer violet for a moment as she bites at her lower lip. "Come along, little wolf."

Red doesn't protest when Regina's fingers hook into her tunic to lead the way back out.

"Regina," Red says some time later when they're far from the outpost, "how did they catch you?"

Regina, now back in her normal clothes, glances at Red. It's almost a compliment, after all. "I used a lot of magic today," Regina says after a moment.

Red frowns, concerned. "Are you alright?"

There's another few seconds of silence. "I just needed to rest for a bit. I'm fine."

Red nods, one hand rising absently to rub at the damaged part of her tunic. "You used up a lot of magic once I freed you. You must be tired."

Regina huffs out an impatient breath. "A little. What is this? Do you think we're friends now?"

"Yes."

They stop, and Regina is giving her an odd look. "You're not a wolf right now, and yet I can swear I can almost see your tail wagging."

"Is that why you keep looking at my ass? It's as good of an excuse as any, I suppose." Red's grin widens when Regina glares.

"Fine, I am tired," Regina says in lieu of directly responding to Red.

Red checks the position of the moon, knowing there's only a few hours left until sunrise. "We can stop for now. Making it look like the guards ate spoiled food was a good idea, and I don't think we'll have to worry about being followed."

"You made a mess going in," Regina mutters. She inhales slowly and looks around. "I wouldn't mind some rest."

The grudging tone doesn't hide Regina's weariness, and Red's glad she's not being stubborn. "Best be safe and not light a fire."

Regina sighs and rubs at her face. "Nothing like a cold night on the hard ground."

Red's heartbeat accelerates, and she braces herself. "I could help with that, you know."

Regina's head turns sharply, and then she's carefully examining Red's expression. A slow smirk blossoms on her face.

"Yes, you can," she says as she turns to face Red. Her cloak drops to the ground a moment later.

Some time later when a content Regina is sleeping curled into Red, Red considers that maybe it's not a bad thing Regina is now part of the rebellion. She pulls Regina minutely closer, her fingertips tracing soft pattern against the bare skin of Regina's lower back.

Red shuts her eyes and smiles, knowing that Regina will be furious when she sees the mark Red has left on the base of her neck.