A/N: Hey, all. I've been tossing some ideas and AU elements for a RWBY fanfic around in my head for a while now and I finally figured out how to get them down in writing. This is my first fanfic so, if you do plan on criticizing, please make it constructive. Any fics that are just rants can and will be ignored with extreme prejudice but, aside from that, lemme know what you guy think. Enjoy!

Prologue:

The wind rustled in the trees, bringing with it sounds and smells from countless miles away.

The animals went about their business, constantly aware and alert for any signs of danger.

The crude shovel, little more than a tree branch fit into a hole in a flat rock, cut into the earth, intent on digging a grave for the fallen.

Canaan worked diligently, only occasionally taking breaks to sweep the deep, unforgiving forest that had been his home for his entire lifetime.

For a twelve-year-old, Canaan had seen more of the hidden beauty in the wilderness than most people five or more times his age, not that he knew that fact, seeing as how his entire life was spent isolated in this forest that stretched for countless miles in every direction.

As per his fathers wishes upon his death, Canaan had removed the head of his father with his -late- father's (now his) longsword, to make sure he would stay dead -the two had seen some very disturbing things over the years, however walking corpses with partially developed Grimm masks were ranked very high on that list- and out of respect for his father, companion and mentor, he was spending hours he could have spent preparing to fulfil his father's other requests digging a grave for him.

Canaan was unfamiliar with numerous concepts, burial just being another one to add to the ever-looming pile -why waste time digging a hole just so you could fill it in again after putting a dead person in said hole, it just seemed to be an exercise in futility, he never dug graves for the animals he killed and ate- but, he decided he was going to try branching out, since he was going to be leaving soon, after all.

One of the lessons Canaan's father had taught him was, one day, when he was ready, he was going to leave his forest to live amongst others of his own kind. The father's final words were simply 'you're ready'. To anyone else, that would have sparked confusion, to Canaan it had done nothing more than temper his already formidable resolve as he started on the grave.

The hole was about seven feet long, three feet wide and a foot deep. Canaan gauged it would take him another five hours to finish up, plus five minutes to move the body, plus twenty minutes to fill it back in again.

He would have time to set the rest of the plan into action.

Heading back inside the crude hovel he lived in made of sticks and mud and logs and assorted animal hides he set about gathering his meagre belongings along with his bag. A wooden structure with a shell made of deer skin, everything from his clothes to his weapons to his and his father's journals and finally, the key he needed. A small black box with a button and an antennae, this would be the signal.

His finger hovered over the button, not finding the will to press it. What was wrong? He was trained not to hesitate. But questions kept bouncing through his head. What if he wasn't ready? What if he tried and he just didn't make the cut? Then what? Go back to the forest? Adapt to his new environment? What?

A memory emerged, entirely unbidden, but not wholly unwelcome, a memory of one of the many things his father taught him.

"why did you hesitate?"

His father had asked the eight-year-old Canaan. The two had been hunting, as per usual, but this time, instead of Canaan shadowing and spotting for his father, it was the other way around.

The hunt had gone well. Canaan, using everything his father had taught him, had tracked a buck and got so close to making a kill. But at the last second he hesitated, a twig snapped and the buck bolted, Canaan quickly finished it off before it could get out of sight, but it had been messy, only to be scolded by his father.

As punishment, Canaan was stuck dragging the buck home unaided. It was how his father taught him, get better, or suffer.

After Canaan had prepared the buck by himself, his father sat him down to talk.

"Son, you're a hunter. You can't afford to hesitate, you either do, or you don't. Hesitate, and you could lose your life, or worse lose someone else's. Don't think, act, react, just do, OK?"

His father never received an answer.

Until now

"OK" Canaan muttered as he pushed the button, as he clutched the necklace around his neck with his free hand, two charms adorned the silver chain, a fang and a sword. A red LED light lit up on the surface of the box.

Miles away

Amaterasu Senmonka was sitting at her desk, writing reports on her students who were eligible for leaving Bastion academy, she rubbed her tired green eyes, a trait which had been passed down to her daughter, Yoko, when the oddest and most unexpected of things happened. She received an update on a long-dormant remote-activated tracker.

It had been such a long time since she had received an update from this particular tracker, located about four hundred miles into the Forest of Ghosts it took her a few moments for the memory to return.

"Khan, what the hell did you do!?" Amaterasu shouted at her childhood friend and ally, despite being eight months pregnant, she still managed to catch up with him just before he reached the Forest of Ghosts. It was obvious he was spooked, one of his hatchets in hand, his straight-backed longsword with a single, curved edge, Souruītā on his back, a nondescript bundle in his free arm.

Taking a step closer caused him to tighten his grip on the hatchet and twist away, bringing the bundle further away.

"They were going to take my baby away, Ama, I wasn't going to lie down and let them take my son away"

Her eyes widened in shock before narrowing

"T.. that's your son, Khan?" she asked, gesturing to the bundle she had heard Khan's wife died in childbirth which prompted her friend to go into an overprotective rage and murder the staff but, she had no idea the child survived.

"Damn right, he's my son and he'll stay with me" was the sharp response in a voice that wouldn't take 'no' for an answer

"I get it, Khan but did you really have to kill those people?You're a criminal now, a life on the run is no way to raise a son" Amaterasu cooed, trying to soothe her friend so they could at least try to talk to him.

"I know, Ama, I know. Because of which I'm going to lie low until he's old enough and strong enough to become a huntsman"

Amaterasu had to laugh "where? Huh? Where are you going to go? I'm sorry, Khan, but your plan kinda needs more work"

"I'm going into the Forest of Ghosts" blunt, precise, in other words, typical Khan

A deadpan look "you're joking" A determined glower in response "...You're not joking" a shake of the head.

Amaterasu sighed, while Khan was a very intelligent man, but once he got an idea in his head, nothing could dissuade him. A thought came to mind "Khan, I wish you the best of luck, I really do but can I at least see the kid? I mean there's a chance I may never be able to again so... Y'know"

Khan sighed as well "OK, come here"

The baby boy was awake but silent with a shock of dirty grey hair on his head, regarding the world with intelligent blue eyes.

"He's adorable..." Amaterasu breathed.

"Yeah, he is" Khan replied.

"What's his name?" Amaterasu responded.

"I haven't decided yet. You pick"

Amaterasu was floored. Not only was her friend letting her get close to the tiny person he murdered twelve people just to keep close but he was also letting her name the boy.

"hmm... Canaan. His name should be Canaan"

A deep rumbling chuckle was the response.

"Canaan... I like it."

Amaterasu leaned in closer to the bundle. The boy now named Canaan reached out and grabbed a lock of her jet black hair curiously, causing her to giggle.

"Hey Canaan...Hi! I'm your aunt, Amaterasu, Ama-ter-a-su" She cooed, emphasising the syllables in her name the second time she said it as if Canaan would be able to say it as well.

Khan had to chuckle at his friends antics "he might be mine and Kate's son but he's not THAT smart. Not yet anyway"

Amaterasu laughed "yeah, it did take you like, what three months to get my name right when we first met, remember?"

The two laughed as they reminisced. Amaterasu pulled a black angular box out of her pocket and pressed it into Canaan's blanket, she also pulled out an elegant silver necklace with two charms on it, one shaped like a fang, one shaped like a sword, she gently placed the necklace on the bundle as well.

"Why..." Khan started before Amaterasu cut him off

"The box is for when he's ready, the necklace is a good-luck charm" she said with a smile

Khan smiled back -knowing Amaterasu's husbands overprotective nature in making her carry a remote activated tracker at all times when she first announced her pregnancy- and started walking towards the forest.

"hold up! Khan!" Amaterasu called

"Yeah?"

"you sure you can do this? It'll be tough out there"

"Yeah, it'll be tough, but he'll get tougher"

Amaterasu chuckled "lemme know when he goes from baby hunter to apex predator, OK? Really looking forward to getting to know him"

Khan didn't respond, only giving her a two-fingered salute as he slipped into the forest, silent as a ghost.

It was the last time she would ever see him.

Amaterasu's smile at the memory quickly became a frown. She was going to have to tell the other two members of her team from her Beacon academy days.

She knew Summer and Ozpin would be... well, saying they would be pissed would be an understatement, furious would have to do. She had told them both Khan and his son had died in their escape.

The fact that not only did she know he was still alive but the fact that his son was too, she could understand why they would be angry. Oh, well. She knew she would have to bite that particular bullet sooner or later. She made the call.

"Ah, Amaterasu, what can I do for you?" The warm voice asked

"Hey, Oz, I kinda need a favour"

"Amaterasu, you sound nervous. Is something wrong?"

Shit he could tell how worried she was down the line?

"y-yeah, I kinda have some stuff I need to get off my chest. How soon can you and Summer be here?"

"A group reunion? You know we stopped having these after Khan... after Khan passed away" She could tell he was still upset at his friends death

"Yeah, I need to talk to you two, it's about Khan, actually"

please don't dig any deeper Amaterasu silently prayed please don't dig any deeper

"OK, I'll get in touch with Summer and we'll be there by tomorrow."

"Great, see you then" Amaterasu answered, confidence returning at his friend not prying

"Oh, and Ama?"

"Yeah?"

"I'll be expecting an explanation"

Shit. "Oh, OK. See you then"

"OK, then, goodbye"

Ozpin hung up.

OK, now all I need is a permit to borrow a Bullhead and to find a way to explain this to the other's without getting strangled to death by Summer... why does life have to be so difficult?

An hour later she had finished shifting through a bureaucratic nightmare when she caught herself wondering if this would be worth it. She then though of Canaan, now more than likely a strong young man. Just like his father.

Hope you're ready for this kiddo, you're about to meet a lot of family you more than likely never knew you had.

She could barely contain her excitement at the idea.