"Finally." said Jim as he stretched his legs and back. Milo helped Cinderella out of the carriage. They had stopped at a little in Inn called the Tavern.

"We can stay here for a few days and then continue on." said Milo as he folded a map and placed it back inside his coat.

"I'm hungry. Do you think this tavern has good food?" Jim asked as he grabbed some luggage and headed for the inn.

"I hope so." said Cinderella. "I'm famished." The three of them, luggage in tow, walked into the inn. It was a bustle with people and activity. Milo went to the woman behind the bar.

"Do you have two rooms available?" Milo asked. The barmaid nodded and got two keys from the hook on the back wall behind the bar. Milo payed for the rooms and headed toward a set of stairs at the left of the bar. Cinderella and Jim followed Milo up the stairs. The hairs on the back of her neck bristled and started to stand on end. She couldn't help but feel like someone was watching her.

----------------------------------

The garden was quiet. Most of the girls sat together under a large willow tree. The sun shone through the willow branches onto the girls who sat below. Each girl was in her animal form. The days passed slowly and the nights fast. The only consolation was that they were together and even in their animal they could still talk to each other. But there was little talking going on this day.

A little ways off from the group Esmeralda laid on a branch that over looked the lake. She stared at her reflection in the water. "Which half am I?" She asked wisply. She looked at the lioness looking back at her and sighed. She flipped her paw through the water and ripples blurred her reflection.

"What are you doing?" Asked a small melodic voice. Esmeralda looked over her shoulder and saw a small blue bird perched on a branch.

"Oh. Hello Snow. I was just thinking." replied Esmeralda as she pawed the water some more, this time making larger ripples.

"What were you thinking about?" asked Snow White. She whistle a soft little tune and smiled at Esmeralda. Esmeralda couldn't help but smile back.

"Nothing much. Just.. you know.. about.. this. How we are now. Are we the women we are during the night or the creatures we are during the day? Or are we both? I feel like myself when I'm like this. It feels.... like it's ... part of me. I don't feel like a I'm trapped in this form. I don't feel like a beast. I just feel like me." Esmeralda stared at her reflection. The ripples had stopped and the water was still. "This is me." She said quietly. She almost thought she could see both of her-selves looking back at her. Both parts to her whole.

Snow White was quiet for long while, so long that Esmeralda thought she had left. Then Snow finally spoke. "We weren't meant to be like this but.... it must have been inside us somewhere. I've never felt as free and light as I do now."

"Says the one ounce blue bird trapped in an enchanted garden."

Snow ducked her head in a blushing move. "Yea, I know but I feel free and it just feels right. I didn't always have it as good as I do now. As horrible as that sounds, this is better and I'm happier." Snow sighed. "You know.... here with you guys." Snow looked far away for a moment. "I've never had friends and a family like you guys."

It was Esmeralda's turn to be taken aback. She was quiet for a moment. "Snow, I don't know what it was like for you before but I couldn't imagine life without you and the others. Now that we are all together. You guys are the only good thing about all this."

Snow smiled. "Being an animal isn't that bad either. If it wasn't a curse it would be nice." Both girls smiled and nodded. It wasn't as bad as some of the others thought.

"We should rejoin the others. I think Meg had something to talk to us about." Snow smiled and nodded. She took off from the branch and flew over to the others with grace and a melodic trill. Esmeralda shook her head and and meandered over to the group after Snow.