So this is the sequel to my Team WOLF story, if you haven't read it I would encourage you to. This first chapter is the prolouge and then I'm going to take time for each characters stories. I have them all written out and now I'll update when I need to. Also this is a parallel story to my Changing Generations, so you can read that one too.

XXX

Wolf's Shadows

Wyatt sat in the booth at the same bar at the same time, the bar was crowded enough that he didn't draw attention to himself or his guest but the crowd was sparse enough that conversations could be held. It was a perfect meeting spot. If it weren't for his guest, they'd never draw attention to themselves, but she was a master at all eyes on me. Today was different. She had her long golden hair up in a ponytail and only gave sideways glances to the barkeep.

"Ya got my usual?" she asked.

"Strawberry sunrise, no ice, little umbrella," he said.

"Perfect!" She sat down and started sipping her drink.

"So how'd it go?" he asked.

"Well enough, got something that might be of use to you."

"And the sirens?"

"Well I had a little fun for myself as well," she said with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

"Ya shouldn't draw that much attention to yerself," he told her.

"Why's that?"

"Cause I've come to rely on ya, and I can trust ya, those two ain't common 'round here." She was shocked at his reasoning.

"So what you care about me?" she asked, expecting a hasty change in subject.

"That I do," he said as he leaned back. "But business first, what'd ya get?"

She stared at him for a few more moments though; she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Y-you?"

"Miss Xiao Long?" he asked. She shook her head, pulling herself out of her daze. "The information?"

"R-right, sorry, um," she cleared her throat as she hid her face behind her drink. "Junior said some guy came in threw a bunch of money on the table and picked up a delivery. Said he didn't know what the delivery was. At first." She adopted a devilish smirk.

"Was he hospitalized?"

"No, but he probably should have been. But he gave me what we needed in the end, and it was a weapons deal, he couldn't look inside the cases but they were heavy enough that they couldn't have been anything else."

"Did he identify the man sent to pick it up?"

"Orange hair and bowler cap," she said.

Wyatt sighed and continued taking his notes. "Anythin' else noteworthy?"

"His nightclub was pretty empty, only a few guests. Even his bodyguards were scarce. I think something else went down last night."

"Might've been that botched robbery downtown, I'll check with my team. Thank you Miss Xiao Long," he said.

"Hell, call me Yang. We're friends right?" she asked.

Wyatt sighed and pulled his hat off. "Reckon we are," he said softly. Yang again was confused. "If ya got somethin' else ta do today, I reckon ya can head out."

"Don't have much planned, what about you?"

"Same, we got the day off." The two just sat and sipped their drinks for a few minutes, the ambient conversations of the bar echoing between the two.

Yang kept thinking about the man sitting in front of her. There had to be a catch.

"So you're a fourth year Beacon student right? That means you're what 25?" she asked.

Wyatt gave an odd chuckle. "I'm only 22, and a second year student, that bein' said, yer what? 17?"

"19, about to turn 20 thank you very much."

"My apologies," he said, finishing his glass of whiskey before pouring him a new one, he poured her some too and she sipped on it. "Why ya askin'?"

Yang couldn't exactly tell him why she asked. But she knew there had to be a catch. Oh to hell with it.

"I'm just wondering what the catch is," she said.

"What catch?"

"You said you care about me and you trust me, when we met you didn't seem to do either."

"When I met ya, ya were tryin' to get drunk an' start a fight for the hell of it. Now yer doin' somethin' good, if on yer own terms anyway." He started drinking more of his whiskey. "Have ya ever considered goin' to Beacon?"

"I don't think they'd take me," she said honestly. "A 19 year old booze hound, who likes to get into bar fights? Nah, not exactly huntress material."

"In any other circumstance, I'd likely agree with ya, 'cept one thing."

"What's that?"

"They let me in," he said. Yang couldn't help but agree, Wyatt James the son of Earl James probably the worst criminal to ever live. Now he was a huntsman, well, a huntsman in training. "Course there was some interesting reasoning behind it."

"Why's that?"

"Well Professor Ozpin met me in a holdin' cell after I beat a man unconscious cause he was getting grabby with a woman who'd told him no three times." Yang's eyes widened at his honesty. "Now I was set to be in jail fer about six months, but Ozpin stepped in and gave me another choice."

"Go to Beacon," she finished.

"Right. I was skeptical at first, cause I'd never wanted to do it. I had my own life built up, but Ozpin convinced me. And they let me in, and Imma team leader, for whatever reason."

"Look, I get your whole little rescue story, but I know what I want to do in life."

"Do ya really?" he asked.

"I want to have fun, I want to travel, I want to go out and do things. I don't want to get stuck in some stuffy school for soldiers."

"Then don't, ya ain't gotta if'n ya don't want to. But think about this, four years of restriction in exchange for the rest of yer life a free woman."

The idea appealed to Yang.

"Just think on it," he said. "It might do ya some good."

"Yeah, whatever." Yang rubbed her eyes and leaned back just as he was. "So what about you, what do you want to do?"

"I ain't ever known that answer, it's been different every year."

"Yeah I get that," she said.

"So with that in mind, what do ya really want? Fer yer future?"

"I already told you, I just want go out and do things."

"What things?"

"Fun stuff ya know?"

"Like bar fights?" he asked.

"Look I don't know okay, but I've never known!" she said, getting kind of frustrated. "But I'm not gonna sit here and wallow in it, I'll figure it out eventually, I know that. But while I'm here I'm gonna have fun at least, it's the only thing I can control."

Wyatt leaned back with a bit of a smile. "I can respect that."

"Really?" she asked with a glare.

"Yeah, I can. Ya don't always have to have a plan, it helps, but it ain't always what's needed. Sometimes ya just gotta fly by the seat of yer britches."

"Well that's handy cause I never wear pants!" she said in a laugh. "Who knows?"

"Who knows what?"

"This could be the start of a beautiful drunken friendship!"

XXX

"How long have we been laying here?" Yang asked, staring at Wyatt as he checked his watch.

"Most of the night," he said softly. "This is nice."

"Yeah," she said happily.

"You know I miss when you wore yer hair up."

"Yeah, but it's longer now, and I look damn sexy with it."

"I think you look beautiful either way," he said with a kiss on her forehead.

"Gooey romantic sap." She shook her head and nuzzled deeper into his chest. "It kinda stinks that we have to go back soon, after what we did last night."

"Yeah, but y'all get to see some family and y'all are second years now. No more bottom of the totem pole."

"Yeah but you guys are graduating and it makes me sad!" she said, adopting a fake pout. "No more adventure quickies at Beacon!"

"I think we're runnin' out of places to do it anyway," he said as he kissed her.

"Still I'm gonna miss being there with you."

"But Stele an' I have been talkin' bout getting a place near Beacon an' splittin' the rent."

"Why Stele?" she asked. She didn't want to admit she was sort of jealous that he would be living with another woman, but he knew and constantly assured her that Stele was not someone to worry about. "Why not Orion?" she asked.

"Cause Stele ain't gonna care if we have our fun, but downside is she'll probably ask ta join in." They laughed together as Yang readjusted and hugged Wyatt tighter.

"Do I get to meet Stele finally?"

"I think you will, they usually make the second year teams train with and shadow fourth years."

"Goodie, that means I get to party with you too."

"I hope so," he kissed her again and then sat up tall. "'Sides, now I hafta take my lumps."

"You're just coming to meeting my dad, it's not like me meeting your dad."

"Well ya already did, so guess we're good there.

"But it will be nice to go see my dad and uncle again."

"Well then we'd better pack. We gotta leave in 'bout three hours."

"Well I can pack up in three minutes, and you live out of a suitcase, so that gives us about two and half hours." She climbed on top of him and looked down, gently massaging his chest.

"That sounds nice," he admitted. "But what're we gonna do with the other two hours and 25 minutes?"

"Shut up!" she said in a laugh. "You can last longer than that!"

He grew a dirty little smirk. "I was talkin' bout you."

"Oh you're on!"

XXX

"So Ruby are you excited about seeing your dad again?" Weiss asked.

"Yep! And Uncle Qrow's gonna be there! I'm so excited! And Blake's gonna meet them both, so is Wyatt! It'll be awesome!" she said happily.

"Are you excited to see your family?" Blake asked.

"My father? No. However I'm always happy to see my sister again," Weiss said.

"You could always come over to visit us!" Ruby hinted.

"As much as I'd like to Ruby, I don't think it's manageable, but I will see what I can do," she said.

"Aww you do like me!" she said teasingly. Weiss' soft smile turned into an icy glare.

"You dolt! I'm just saying I'll leap at the chance to avoid any conversation with my father," she corrected.

"Sure you are," Ruby teased again, this time earning a pillow to the face.

"So where is your sister? Shouldn't we be heading to the docks by now?"

"She's in Wyatt's room, the rest of Team WOLF already left for Leah's village last night. She hadn't been back there in a few years so it's good for all of them."

"So wait, Wyatt and Yang have been left unattended for how long?" Weiss asked, with her face covered by her hands.

"Basically all of last night and this morning," Blake answered with a soft laugh.

"Ew," Ruby whined as she finished processing the questions.

"Well at least she's protected," Weiss said.

"Wait, how do you know?" Blake asked. Weiss walked over to her bed and yanked her pillow off where the other girls saw the three bags of small orange colored pills. Blake tired to withstand the laughter building in her chest and Weiss just covered the pills back up with a frustrated shake of her head.

"She's not exactly subtle!" Weiss argued.

"Well she never claimed to be," Ruby said. "Besides, it's not like she'll ever have kids."

"The thought of Yang becoming a mother is frightening."

"No the scary part is trying to tell her she can't drink for nine months," Ruby corrected.

Blake lost herself in her childish giggles as Ruby said it.

XXX

"Are y'all ready to go?" Wyatt asked.

"Yes! Let's go!" Ruby shouted as she blitzed onto the airship, dragging Blake with her.

"Weiss you comin' with?" he asked.

"Only until the transfer station, I'm going to Atlas."

"Well good luck," he said.

"Should I tell my sister you said hi?" she asked with a smirk.

"Don't threaten me like that." They all boarded the airship and packed their bags away, taking their seats across from each other and enjoying their conversations.

"So Wyatt, are you ready to meet Yang's father?" Weiss asked.

"Why not, y'all met mine," he said. "Though I'm hopin' it'll be under better circumstances."

"We met your father when we invaded his compound and arrested him. I'm not sure there could be worse circumstances."

"As I've learned in life, there could always be worse circumstances, but I'm still happy that Taiyang even agreed ta meet with me."

"Why? Our dad's nice!" Ruby said.

"I've no doubt, but-."

"But it's not exactly comforting when you tell your dad, 'Hi dad this is the guy I was having a secret relationship for a year with, but it's all good now! Oh by the way he's the son of the worst criminal to ever exist'," Yang said with an uneasy expression.

"As long as dad meets him, I think it'll be fine," Ruby said.

"Yeah guess you're right."

"Besides, it's not like he's still a criminal, he's a huntsmen," Blake said. "He's doing good things for the world."

"Reckon yer right, but Imma catch some shut-eye. Didn't sleep well last night," he said, sliding his hat over his eyes.

"Why not?" Ruby asked. Both he and Yang just grew big smirks.

"Secrets of the trade, Miss Rose," he said happily.

"Huh?" she looked over toward her sister who shared the same nasty smirk as Wyatt. "Ew!"

XXX

"Ruby!" Taiyang yelled out happily. Ruby leapt into his arms and they danced around for a while. "It's been so long! Same with you, Yang!"

The daughters danced around with their dad for a few more moments as Blake and Wyatt watched with smiles on their faces.

"It's so good to see you both! And who's this?"

"Dad, this is Blake Belladonna! She's part of our team!" Ruby said happily.

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Xiao Long."

"Pleasure is mine, and you are?"

Yang dashed in front of Wyatt with a nervous grin. "Dad, this is Wyatt, my boyfriend," she said very hesitantly. It was quiet for a minute as they looked at each other.

"I'm pleased to meet you as well sir."

"Ha!" Taiyang laughed and shook his hand roughly. "Don't call me sir; you can call me Tai though. It's nice to meet you."

"Thank you, Taiyang," he said, still trying to be respectful of Yang's father.

"Well that about Tai's things up, c'mon in we'll cook up some food!" Wyatt and Yang smiled at each other.

"Hey I get it honestly," she said quietly.

"At least he didn't gimme the dad speeches quite yet."

"That'll come later."

The company headed inside and was welcomed by a man sprawled out on the couch snoring loud enough to give Yang a run for her money.

"Uncle Qrow!" Ruby said happily, though he didn't wake up.

"Is he drunk?" Blake asked.

"Probably," Tai said. He walked over and put the man upright and grabbed his collar. "Hey dipshit, wake up!" he shouted as he put a powerful smack across Qrow's face, stirring him awake.

"Huh, wha?" he asked.

"I need to try that with Stele," Wyatt muttered.

"The girls are back and they brought friends."

"Oh, okay," he looked over and smiled. "Little Red, Big Girl." The two hugged their uncle and enjoyed it for as long as they could.

"Have you been drinking again?" Ruby asked.

"That question offends me, I never stop," he said with a smirk. He looked towards Blake and shook her hand. "You're Blake right?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good, and you-." Qrow and Wyatt locked eyes and Qrow's face turned to a scowl.

"Good to see ya again, Qrow."

Qrow just kept scowling.

"Wait, you know him?"

"Not in the way ya think," he said.

"You stole my whiskey." Qrow said in a growl.

"You shot me in the rear."

"You stole my whiskey!"

"You shot me in the rear!"

The two stared at each for a few more moments, no one saying a word.

"So, Uncle Qrow this is my boyfriend, Wyatt."

"No."

"Huh?"

"No, get 'im out," Qrow said.

"What, no he's-."

"Qrow," Taiyang pulled him aside out of earshot from the girls and Wyatt. "I let him in, I need you to trust me."

"I trust you fine, it's him I don't trust. You know who he is."

"I know who he was, but I'd like to know who he is now."

"People like that don't change!" he whispered harshly.

"You know damn well that they can, Qrow."

"We shouldn't trust him."

"Then trust Yang, you knew her mother, you know how she thinks."

"She's just a kid!"

"She's still old enough to make these decisions, and she's my daughter. I trust her. It's not like he's dating Ruby, Yang is old enough to make these decisions."

The two stood silently for a few minutes, neither one of them backing down.

"I'll talk to him," Qrow said.

"Qrow, don't."

"I'm only gonna threaten him," he said. Qrow finally came back into the room and pointed at Wyatt. "You're coming with me."

"Qrow!" Yang stood up between the two.

"He's gonna replace my whiskey," he said, still staring at Wyatt.

"Qrow, leave him alone," Yang said, but Wyatt pulled her back.

"I'll go," he said.

"Good."

"Wyatt!" Yang whispered. "What are you doing?"

"Like I said, Imma hafta take my lumps."

Yang sighed and watched as Qrow led Wyatt away and out of the door.

"So who's hungry?" Taiyang asked.

XXX

"I'm going to make this perfectly clear, I don't like you. I will never like you. And I damn well don't like you around my niece," he started. The two of them were sitting in a booth at the only bar in Patch.

"I understand," he said.

"Then why are you still here?"

"Because Yang and I both talked about the risks of us bein' in a relationship, we both understand and we're both ready to support one another."

Qrow just growled and pounded his whiskey. "You've got too much shit hanging over your head, and she's not going to be unaffected."

"I didn't think she would be, Qrow. But she ain't a damsel in distress; Yang is ready to fight with me. Somethin' I've grown to appreciate."

"She shouldn't be fighting with you at all! I know who you are, Wyatt. I know what you've done."

"I ain't tried to hide it, but Yang helped me bury it. We're trying to move on. Qrow believe me, I know what dangers lurk under my name, and I've dealt with them most my life."

"And you'll deal with them until all those shadows catch up with you and bury you, and you'll take Yang with you."

"I know that, cause I told her that. I vehemently warned her and when our relationship was gettin' really serious I told her everythin' I could to scare her away. But she still wanted to stay with me. Trust me when I say this, I tried just as hard you are right now to convince her to leave. But she wanted to stay."

Qrow just looked at Wyatt angrily.

"And I want to stay with her, I will do my best to protect her, but honestly half the time she don't need protectin'. You know that well as I do."

"If she gets hurt, I will not hesitate to kill you. And I'll get away with it."

"If she gets hurt, you best believe I'm already dead or out there tryin' to find who did it. You can join me or hunt me but make no mistake, Yang is the most precious person on Remnant to me."

"You know your family, both of them could target her to hurt you."

"I understand but-." Wyatt paused.

"But nothing, Yang's a target cause she's with you." Qrow looked back up and Wyatt was pale as a ghost, and barely breathing. "What the hell's wrong with you?"

"D-did you just say 'both'?"

XXX

"So what's it like being on a team with your little sister?" Tai asked.

"It's pretty good, 'cept she's a dork," Yang said with her tongue out which Ruby replied in kind.

"Is this what you deal with Blake?" Tai asked.

"Most of the time, usually Weiss keeps them in check, or makes it worse. It's about 50/50," she said.

"Sounds like when Qrow and I were in Beacon. So Yang I was meaning to ask, how did you and Wyatt meet?"

"I met him during my year off at the bar down by the docks."

"I remember that place, whatever happened to it?"

"Not sure, it just went up in smoke one day."

"Well I'm glad he's respectful at least," Tai said. "How long have you two been together?"

"Just about a year and a half."

"That's good, I expect him and Qrow to be back any minute."

"But will Wyatt be drunk like Qrow?" Blake asked.

"Wyatt doesn't get drunk, at least not easily," Yang corrected. "So it'll take a long time to get Wyatt drunk."

"So what is Wyatt's team like?"

"You want the long version or the short version?" Ruby asked.

"Basically there's Wyatt, a smart-ass archer, a happy mute pyro, and a good old fashioned berserker," she explained.

"What's the long version?"

"That was the long version, the short version is: they're weird," Yang said.

"Sounds like a fun team."

The gang continued to eat until Wyatt finally did return without Qrow.

"What happened?" Yang asked worriedly.

"Well Qrow said he had somethin' to take care of, he said he'd call ya later Taiyang."

"I'll hear from him later tonight, I think. Well we've got snacks and drinks in the fridge. We'll go out tomorrow for more but please help yourselves. Wyatt may I speak with you, please?"

"Yes, sir."

Yang looked worried again but Taiyang and Wyatt both tried to comfort her. The girls all ran off to the living room to start a movie Ruby had wanted to watch for sometime. Wyatt and Taiyang left for the outside patio, the view of the mountainous region was amazing, and Wyatt had always preferred mountains of the Gray Isles instead of the forests of Beacon and Vale.

"So how was the meeting with Qrow?" he asked as he sat down.

"Bout as well as you'd imagine lots of drinkin' and threats."

"I wouldn't expect anything less from Qrow," he said with a laugh. "Well don't worry I'm not going to threaten you as bad as Qrow."

"I appreciate that."

"It's funny, as much as Qrow denies it, Yang really is a lot like her mother."

"Who is her mother?"

"I can't say because she does a lot of undercover work. Yang knows her mother's not dead and hasn't given up on finding her yet."

"Why'd she leave?"

"Like I said, lots of undercover work," he said.

"Right, how's Yang like her?"

"Headstrong to the point of anger, focused on only what interests her, protective to an aggressive degree. The only thing that she got from me was her carefree attitude and her love of puns."

"I share that love by the way," Wyatt said with a smirk.

"I've got some good ones for you then, remind me later."

"Will do," he said with a grin.

"I know who you are, Wyatt. I've known ever since Ozpin told me you were in Beacon."

"Why did he tell you?"

"Yang's mother spent a long time investigating the Grays before they went down. I may have known what you did with the Grays, but I also know what you did to the Grays."

"Thank you, sir."

"You don't have to call me sir. I know it's a sign of respect and all, but I don't mind."

"Don't much know what else to call ya," Wyatt said.

"Then stick to Taiyang, it's my name after all."

"True, ya said ya know what I did to the Grays, but what about after that? I may have gotten out from Earl's grasp, but I weren't exactly a nice guy."

"Well neither was Yang, I know some of what she did, and I know that she may not have been telling me the full truth when she told me how you guys met."

"What'd she say?"

"She told me you guys met at the bar by the airship docks during her year off."

"Well it's partially right," he offered.

"You don't need to tell me, here's what I do care about, Wyatt." Taiyang stood up and leaned against the balcony. "Yang is my daughter; I care about her safety and her well being. But as much as I want her to stay here where I know everything she does, I know that's not her. She's never been one to sit still and watch the world go by. So I want you to promise me something, promise me that you'll be with her. Promise me that you'll watch her and protect her. If you can honestly promise me that, I have no quarrel with your relationship."

Wyatt wanted to say yes, he wanted to just say I plan to; he wanted to do anything at that moment. But Qrow's words hung with him.

"Ya said ya know me, so that means ya know what Imma go through fer the rest of my life. I love Yang I really do, that part's easy. But I can't justify puttin' her through all that," he said.

"In any other circumstance, you might have had a point there. But remember this: Yang's gone through her own turmoil and didn't have anyone to help her through it besides herself. I knew when she got someone to help her through it a year and a half ago when she started really smiling again. You helped her, even if you don't know you did, I think she wants to help you."

"Yeah she does." Wyatt looked down at the valley below him and thought. Taiyang waited for him until Wyatt finally nodded. "I promise, I'll be there."

"That's all I needed to know," he said happily.

"I just got one more question for ya," Wyatt told him as he started to leave. Taiyang turned back with a smirk.

"Is it what I think it is?"

"Depends on how well ya know the James'."

XXX

Wyatt walked back in to see all three girls sleeping happily on the couch, the movie blaring at them even as they slept. Wyatt turned off the TV and grabbed a recliner on the other end of the room and leaned back into the soft chair. He couldn't help but stare at Yang as she snored against Ruby's head, sending the younger girls hair flying with every breath. Even as she rolled over and over trying to find a comfortable position she still was sleeping peacefully.

"I love you."

XXX

Weiss still hugged her sister tightly even as the rest of her family greeted her. In truth she only really liked visiting her sister, even with how strict Winter had become in the military. Still Weiss knew she had a soft spot for her baby sister.

"How was your first year at Beacon, Weiss?" Weiss couldn't help but smile even bigger when she used her name. There was no more formality now that the parents were gone; it was just them, just as when they were younger.

"It was amazing, and I still have the highest grades!" she boasted.

"That's good, considering you'll be taking the PRAC test when you get back," Winter told her. She poured their coffee and sat back across from Weiss.

"I've taken all three of the practice exams and have scored mid 70's each time."

"That's good considering the actual exam is always slightly easier than the practice exams, at least from my experience."

"What did you score?" Weiss asked.

"My second year I scored a 74 and my fourth year I scored an 80. I was the second highest in my class."

"That's impressive," Weiss immediately began feeling more and more nervous about her tests now. That was a daunting number to beat.

"Yes, now about your team, how will they score?"

"Well Blake's smart but she's never been a good test taker, so it's hard to judge, it's the same with Ruby our leader. And Yang?" Weiss thought back and realized that though Yang did her homework (most of the time she forgot to turn it in), she didn't score that high on assignments. Although she scored extremely high on tests, which was infuriating to Weiss because she never studied at all, which kept her in the B's and low A's range. "I'm not sure about Yang actually."

"Then might I suggest you take some time before you get start classes again to really study for the test, it will be beneficial to your team."

"I'm sure it would."

"I suppose that's enough about formal matters for now. How is your relationship with your team?"

"Well, they're my team and honestly it's like having three best friends."

"I can imagine. I know this might be early, but have you considered having a romantic relationship?"

Weiss' eyes widened and she grew uncomfortable. "That doesn't seem like a topic we should discuss Winter."

"I feel it is. Are there any men in mind for you?"

"W-well there was one, but it didn't work out. I just don't think about things like that! I'm there to learn!" she defended.

"I understand, but you of all people should realize that you're expected to be someone important in your life."

"What does that-?"

"So trust me when I say that you should enjoy the times you have with someone you love. Because you don't know what's going to happen."

"But that's not fair!"

"Why not you're enjoying the time aren't you?"

"I'd enjoy it, but it's still not fair."

"How so? It is for your enjoyment isn't it, and lots of people have flings to relax themselves."

"But it's not fair to her!"

Weiss and Winter's eyes widened at the same time and Weiss clapped her hands over her mouth. Her face grew a dark crimson and she looked away from Winter down towards the ground. Tears began to surface as she tried to keep breathing.

"I was unaware you felt that way," Winter said. "How long?"

Weiss could only shrug still trying to calm herself down.

"Is there a woman in mind?"

Weiss nodded this time as her face flashed in her mind. She couldn't help but smile at the thought.

"Have I met her?"

Weiss nodded again.

"It's your team leader isn't it?"

Weiss couldn't move this time, she just wanted to explode. Everything within her wanted the whole world to just shrink away. She was beyond embarrassed and just wanted to run away.

"I see."

It was silent as Weiss tried to calm back down, her breathing was loud and ragged. Each breath she took burned in her throat and the acidic bile threatened to surface as she held her stomach. Her eyes stung from the tears and her heart was beating a thousand times a minute. Winter waited patiently as her sister tried to calm down, she herself was shocked at her sister's sudden confession but given her romantic choices she couldn't judge.

"I suppose I must be honest now," she said. Weiss barely looked up, letting the stray hairs hide as much as she could. "I've been with someone for about four months, but I'm telling you this in confidence that you will say nothing."

Weiss nodded.

"The man that I am with is also in the military, this is against regulations and we both know it. But with you taking over the SDC hopefully I'll be able to leave soon, and our worries will be over. Again, this must not leave the two of us."

"I, I u-understand," Weiss said.

"In return, I will not tell our parents about this, not until you are ready. But I will warn you to be careful. You said it wasn't fair and it's not. Father isn't happy with you in the first place for leaving Atlas, but at the same time you agreed to take leadership of the company. He respects you're going to live your life, but this is a departure greater than anything I think he would anticipate. He might not-."

"I know!" she said angrily into her hands. "I've tried to deny it! I don't want her getting hurt!" Weiss was quiet again and let the room echo with a bitter silence. She held herself tightly and fought her tears once again.

"Did you know Father is putting an anti-discriminatory edict for the SDC in place?" Winter finally asked.

Weiss looked up toward her slowly.

"It will equalize pay, quality of work, and insurance for every worker for our company, regardless of heritage."

Weiss' eyes widened at her words.

"Sometimes, people can change."

The two were quiet for a long time and slowly watching the sun set as Weiss calmed down. Eventually she looked her sister in the eyes and was able to hold another small conversation. The hours crawled on as Winter looked at the clock with nervous eyes. She put down her coffee cup, initiating more serious conversation was impending.

"Though part of the reason I wanted to talk to you alone was because of one of your friends, I think they're in some trouble."

"What did Yang do now?" she asked with a groan.

"No not from your team, from the elder team you were shadowing."

"Team WOLF? Is it about Wyatt?"

"Yes, unfortunately," she said. Winter dug into her bag and pulled out a series of photos. "These were taken by a woman shadowing our target, someone connected to Mr. James."

"But Earl's in prison, we arrested him ourselves."

"I never said it was Earl."

Weiss raised an eyebrow and looked over the pictures in ever-growing horror. "Oh, no."

XXX

"Wow, this is amazing!" Orion said, he scanned over the small village as it rushed about, getting its needs done. "This is where you were born Leah?"

"Yes, this is my home." Leah had the faintest smile on her face as she stared out at her village.

Fang was just as enamored with the setting; she clung onto Leah's arm and twisted her head around to let her take in everything.

"You two explore, but behave," she warned, pointing at Orion.

"What?!" he asked.

"I need to talk with my Elder, but please enjoy."

She gave them some money and let them go, giving one final kiss to Fang before she went away. Orion took his funds and went toward one of the blacksmiths shops as Fang went towards the center of town. Leah walked through and though people looked at her, she didn't think anyone recognized her. At least not well enough to remember. She waited by the entrance of the Elder's home for a moment, a moment of trepidation. Finally she mustered up the courage to knock on his door. The small thuds echoed out behind her as others did finally look her way. She heard more whispers behind her, questions of who she was, asking why she was there. She tried her best to ignore them, but they hounded at her. Clawing at the back of her mind like the dark beasts, her worries increased as she stood there. As much as she loved it here, she also felt the insecurities from so long ago pulling her back into the fear she remembered. She looked up just as the Elder opened the door and grew a wide smile. She tried to smile back but she was too scared. She knelt before him out of respect and he did the same, to her surprise. When the two stood he embraced her in laughter and she reciprocated.

"It is good!" he said happily.

"It is good."

"Please come in," he moved aside and led her in. The home was just as she remembered it, so long ago. "How long has it been, my child?"

"Almost six years, give or take," she said softly.

"Far too long. May I get you a drink?"

"I'd like some of your tea," she admitted.

"Of course, what brings you back? You have one year left don't you?"

"Yes, but I've brought friends. They're exploring."

"I see!" he poured her tea and sat across from her. "I'd enjoy meeting them."

"I'm sure you will," she said softly.

"Something troubles you my child?"

She looked into his eyes and felt her walls breaking; she shook her head and starting speaking her native tongue.

"I know I belong here, I feel in my blood. The moment I step into the village I smile. But now all I can here are the whispers, worse than anything I've ever fought."

"We would not turn you away Lea'han'khalad'ashanta'kahdal. We know of your trials, and of your fears, and though we do not understand it all, we know you."

"But they claw at me!" she said, tears were starting to gather. "I feel them, tearing my chest open and scattering me out. They leave me weak! I fear for myself as for my love, she would feel them too!" Leah held her breath, the Elder now knew of her and Fang being together. "I do not want to put her through what I go through, it is not fair."

"If she truly loves you, she will guide you through it."

"But I will not lead her through shadow, it is not fair."

"Then don't, let her make the choice. It is your life," he held her shoulders as she fought her emotions. "You are strong, my child, no matter how you fight it, you are strong in heart as well as flesh. I have heard you sing," he reminded.

She looked up in an embarrassing blush, no one at Beacon knew about that.

"I don't want her to be hurt because I'm too selfish to let go, the people were wary of me before I left, now I bring a woman lover to them and come bearing the pelts of dark beasts I've slain!" her concern dripped in her voice and her face. "They will not lash at me, they know they cannot. But I don't want to put Fang in line of their malice."

The Elder sighed and began to speak when the pounding of drums interrupted him; they were not the war drums that signaled attacks, but dancing drums. They opened the door and watched a small crowd gather by the square. Leah pushed her way in to see a group of dancers and in the middle dancing along them was Fang. She danced as they did and smiled all the while. Even when the others parted to put the light on her she just kept dancing. The song ended and they all clapped for each other. Fang smiled big enough that her namesake shone out in the sunlight but no one cared. They congratulated her and complimented her, even as she spotted Leah. She dashed through the crowd and nearly tackled Leah as she hugged her tightly and kissed her. Leah closed her eyes tightly waiting for the jeers to start but to her surprise, no one noticed. They wanted to talk to Fang or they were still gushing over her dancing.

"Do you still fear, Leah?" The Elder asked. Leah hugged Fang even tighter than she did to her.

"I don't think I'll ever stop, but at least some worries are gone."

The whole scene finally ended and left the three standing in the center of town talking. Until an older woman came up to Leah in a cold sweat, Leah was content to keep talking to the Elder.

"Lea'han'khalad'ashanta'kahdal? Is that you?" she asked.

"Yes I am, but who are you?" she asked. Fang had clung to Leah's arm in a moment.

"She came from another village," The elder started.

"It was destroyed by the dark beasts; we would have all died were it not for a savior."

"What does this have to do with me?"

XXX

Orion stood by the blacksmiths shop and watched as they forged hundreds of weapons for their hunts. One of the smith's apprentices asked if he needed assistance but Orion was just simply happy to watch in awe as he did it. A group of others came to the shop boasting of another successful hunt, which Orion took notice of. They brought up a large boar for the fires and Orion noticed the large spear between its eyes.

"Well done," Orion said. The young hunters turned and nodded.

"It was Upu'ana! He is the best hunter among us." They pointed to a young man, he couldn't have been any older than Orion and Orion could see his eyes and the claws on his hands.

"You're a Faunus?" he asked.

"Yes, I am a Beast-Blood, it is a gift!" he said happily.

"Well good, some people don't take it like that."

"You are one as well?" he asked.

"Yep!" Orion slipped his contacts out and they saw the dull golden eyes. "Technically I'm only half Faunus, my dad was but my mom wasn't."

"It is good! Why do you wear false eyes?"

"I have very sensitive vision, so this helps with dulling some of it so I'm not in pain all the time."

"I see, how clear is your sight?"

Orion looked up and saw a bird high in the sky; he drew his bow quickly, nocked and fired. Upu'ana looked up and tracked the arrow but lost it in the clear sky. Orion tracked the falling bird and fired another arrow pinning the now dead goose to a tree.

The hunters awed over the shot in their tongue, which Orion didn't understand.

"Amazing, can you hunt with a spear as well?"

"Oh, no you'd be better than me. I just shoot my bow and hit hard with these," he said and flicked his wrists, pulling the bow apart and using his hand-axes.

"It is good!" Upu'ana said. "Who made your weapon?"

"My older sister, her name was Thena Artis."

"Artis?" Upu'ana asked. "Like Ullr Artis?"

Orion's eyes went wide and he was speechless. "Y-you knew my dad?"

"He was a hunter; he traded often with our villages. You look just like him."

Orion couldn't help but smile. The others branched apart but Upu'ana pulled Orion to the side. "Are you familiar with the Beast-Blood army?"

"The what?"

"They call themselves the White Fang," he said quietly. Orion's face fell and he sneered. "You do not agree with them?"

"They were peaceful, now they've become terrorists trying to hurt innocent people. So no I don't."

"That is not what they say they are," Upu'ana said quietly.

"Adam is a liar, he radicalizes these people to believe what they're doing is right! It's-." Orion sighed. "I have a bad past with them."

"Perhaps it would have ended differently," Upu'ana said.

"What would have ended differently?"

"The red man came and took a few with him, he was a good talker."

"He was here, Adam Taurus?"

"Yes, that was his name. He had others with him, and he asked if we had seen someone. Someone like you,"

Orion's face contorted.

"Do you know where he went?"

XXX

Wyatt woke up in his recliner to an empty room, the morning sun was glaring through the window on his face and he shifted with a careful grunt and a slow yawn. He sat up in the chair and slowly made his way up to a standing position. He sighed when he realized his ribs weren't hurting and he could stand on both legs.

"It's gonna be a good day," he said happily. He walked into the kitchen where a pot of coffee sat beside a note. The scribbling looked like both of the siblings were fighting with different pens trying to write the same note. He deciphered a time of return and a vague description of where they went, followed by various comments that were scribbled out by the other ones ink. He sipped at his coffee and sat enjoying the mountain view and the quiet. He checked his scroll when a small sound broke his daze, seeing the message from Qrow.

"I checked it out, it looks like it's true."

"Any way to prove it for sure?"

"Besides the obvious you mean?"

"That's what I thought, I appreciate it Qrow, keep me informed."

"I'll try."

Wyatt was once again left in the quiet, this time disturbed by the thoughts of his meeting. Once again his scroll blew up with messages but this time from his team, all of them said the same thing, they desperately needed to talk to him. Wyatt sighed again and sent his replies, now he was just concerned. He tried to replace the calm view but it wasn't working. He finally heard the door open and Yang rush through calling his name, he didn't hear anyone else even as she stormed through the house. She finally popped her head out of the balcony door and plopped down beside him.

"I got somethin' for ya!" she said happily. She pulled out a small bag and Wyatt's eyes widened.

"They have those here?"

"Yep! Turns out the baker's from Atlas and he missed them just as much as you did." She handed him the roll and he snatched it quickly, biting into it with a satisfied sigh. "And I got booze!" she put the six-pack on the table between them and cracked her open one. "So what'cha thinking about?"

"A lot," he said with a sigh.

"Like what?"

"Stuff," he said with a smirk.

"Smart-ass." Yang gave him a playful punch on the shoulder.

"I know, where're the others?"

"Blake and Rubes are off downtown, Dad's talking with Qrow and I'm chilling with my boyfriend."

"Sounds bout right," he said. She handed him a drink and they sat staring at the vista before them.

"So tell me the truth, what were you really thinking about?"

Wyatt sighed and put down his drink. "The same thing I always am."

"Me?" she asked with a grin.

"Yeah."

"Oh, shit I was kidding."

"I ain't, gotta lotta stuff goin' on. Lotta stuff on my mind, most all of it comes back to us."

"We've talked about this, though. I'm ready."

"Ya sure bout that?" he asked again.

"More than sure."

"How can ya? I ain't sure bout it, let alone someone else."

"Then enough of the 'I need to be protective bullshit', tell me what we're facing."

Wyatt couldn't help but laugh. She definitely wasn't a damsel in distress. "Don't worry bout it for now." He stood up and she got up to argue with him but he grabbed her hands and held her close.

She recognized what he was doing, and she wanted to fight it. But the look on his face said that he needed this.

"Hold on," she said as she pulled away. She flipped through her scroll and found the song he'd sung the last time they did this. It started playing and they danced with it. "Much better."

"I reckon yer right," he twirled her around and held her close. "I reckon yer right." They continued to dance happily, even as the door echoed with the knock.

"It's probably my sister, she's got keys."

"Mmhmm." They kept dancing until the pounding overtook them. "Seems she might 'ave forgotten 'em."

"Sheesh," she stormed over and slung the door open with Wyatt right behind her. "Didja forget your keys, Rubes?" Yang ran out of steam as she asked when she saw barrel between her eyes.

Wyatt barely managed to pull her back out of range from the blast, and slam the door behind her. He pulled her behind the couch as he drew his own guns, he had no sooner done it than the second blast tore straight through the door. Wyatt held his guns in the assailants face as they did with their shotgun to him. Yang's anger got the best of her and she lunged to tackle the assailant but they redirected her and sent her flying through the door and out into the yard. Wyatt gave a few shots but the assailant turned again and dodged everyone, placing the barrel of her shotgun in to the soft part of his jaw. He replied by doing the same to her. She stood across from him in a long dark grey coat and a plain black hat similar to his. Her light blonde hair was tied in a single small braid that traveled the length of her back and down near her boots.

"This here's 'tween us, got it?" the woman asked.

"Who are you?" Wyatt asked, clicking his hammers. He tried to find her eyes but they were covered by her low hat.

"Y'ain't gonna pull that trigger 'fore I do, boy, so listen close. Ya know who's on my tail, so get 'em off. I don't care how ya do it, but get the Shadow off me!"

"I don't know who you are!" he shouted. He tried to move her hat but she kept him away.

The woman raised her eyebrow and pulled the hammer of her gun, smirking when Wyatt didn't flinch. "Then yer dumber than I thought ya was, but make no mistake. Tell them to get off my ass, or Imma kill the blonde one. That oughta git yer attention."

Wyatt growled and shoved the guns deeper into her jaw but she spun him around and had him on his knees. Wyatt used his semblance to trace the arc of the next shot and counter, but she avoided it and had him at a standoff again. "You try it and I-."

"Send the message, boy!" The woman loaded a grey shell into her gun and fired at the ceiling sending dust flying throughout the room, Wyatt tried to track the woman but she was gone. Yang came back in a few seconds later, eyes red and hair glowing.

"Who has the balls?!" she screamed, trying to wade her way through the dust.

"Ironically it was a gal," he said. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I'm just a little bit FUCKING PISSED!" she growled. Wyatt held her tight after holstering his guns and sighed. "What the hell was that?"

"A message."

XXX

Get ready for Wolf's Shadow! Thanks for reading and I'll see you next time.