The sky was red.

That was the first thing that I noticed when I opened The blinds in my chambers. I remember very clearly that the sky in the dream was a murky blue most of the time. A Sight I had grown used both as a Hunter of beasts and since I had taken Gherman's place as the keeper of the Hunter's Dream. A shiver runs down my spine when I think of the monstrosity that I faced shorty after I'm still surprised that I was able to defeat it.

But still, the shade of the sky did not mean that there was nothing to do. To keep myself from going insane I had taken up the near impossible task of marking down every hunter that had passed through the dream the one's before and the one's after onto their own tombstones. The task itself almost drove me mad ironically. Fortunately I still had another life line The Doll. After I had freed Maria from the Hunter's Nightmare the Doll had changed. Both emotionally but also physically. At some point she slowly began to change her porcelain body became that of flesh and she even seemed to share some memories of Maria. A terrifying though when considering the late Lady's heritage. Truly Maria was the greatest hunter after Ghearmen. Her mastery of the blade was staggering but her use of blood arts was what was truly terrifying. Never again did I encounter someone with that amount of skill in the blood arts I fear what would happen if the doll tried to use such techniques.

But enough reminiscing in the past there is work to be done and the Doll is no doubt done preparing breakfast and true enough she was. The morning tea was freshly poured and there were eggs next to them (wherever they come from I dare not ask) she briefly glanced at me before giving a small smile and returning to he own breakfast.

"Good Hunter do you have any plans for today?" she said in her ever calming voice.

I shook my head no Doll smiled sadly and continued onto her meal. I had lost my ability to speak when I was turned into… whatever I turned into and I had yet to regain my ability to speak the Doll for whatever reason felt responsible for this. Still I ate my breakfast and drank my tea before moving over to Doll giving a hand on her shoulder smiling and moving to my study. Over the time I had spent in the dream I had expanded the little workshop into a small manor and the study is where I spent most of my time. So much so that I have begun to sleep in there most nights. Entering I could very clearly see the mounds of books I had accumulated all of very topics from history medicine and even music a few of witch I had written myself. The curtains were closed however and even with my enhanced sight I could not navigate the dark room. So moving over to the curtains I opened them swiftly.

Revealing a massive forest.

'That is odd' I think to myself. First the sky is read now the dream is no longer in the gray abyss I have grown used to. Moving over to my Hunting gear I began to dress for a small extrusion into this new forest. Firstly I placed changed by pants into a more sturdy pair of gray slacks with a thick brown belt with a simple bronze belt buckle shortly after I placed play hunters coat on however I left the black half cap in order to allow for more shoulder movement. After all I highly doubted I would need it no rain was falling and I don't think any hunting will take place. Next I put on some simple leather gloves. Finally ending off my look with a wide brimmed hat based off of the hat of father Gascoigne. Because for a holy man he knew how to accessorize.

Shortly after I reached the front door of the manor to see the Doll fully decked out in a custom made hunter outfit based off the one Maria wore she even had the Rakuyo at her side. She truly was always one step ahead of me. Opening the door in front of me she spoke.

"So Good Hunter, you noticed as well? That we no longer reside in the dream?" I nodded moving over to where my cane rested collecting it before leaving the Manor.

The front door lead to none other then the front garden where Doll would spend most of her time when not assisting me in creating the graveyard. The white flowers that Doll and Maria cared for so greatly. Moving past them and out the gate I had realized now that it was red earlier because the sun had risen and now that it was up I can't help but marvel it's been so long since I have felt this warmth it is strangely nostalgic how odd.

"Good Hunter" Doll ask from behind "What is this warmth? Is it the yellow ball in the sky?" It was cute in a way. Her memories of Maria are foggy and unclear and even then it was unlikely that Maria ever cared to ask about the sun let alone ask what it was. I chucked soundlessly in response and gave her a smile and a small nod.

So we walked for some time exploring the lands around our home. It seemed to be primarily forest but there was a small lake down a goods way. Moving along the coast of the lake just enjoying the peacefulness of the walk something the two of us rarely got to enjoy. Even if the dream was quite it was incredibly unnerving. After a few more minutes of walking was disrupted by the sound of a young girls scream.

"Qrow! You have to get up they'll catch us otherwise!"

Looking over to the Doll we quickened our pace to where the scream had come from.

Soon we came across a clearing with two young children in it one standing definitely a girl from what I can tell about seven or eight with long black hair then fell just below the middle of her back in tattered black cloth that could have been called clothing once but now it was barely holding itself together. Below her a boy maybe about the same age with black short hair in a similar state of dress but instead of black his rags were gray.

Standing before them was a group of men all with their faces obscured by white masks with red markings on them.

"Get away from us! We're not going back to camp!" the girl yelled definitely mustering a lot of courage into her voice she even held up a stick for effect. But the men just laughed at her. And the once closest to her spoke.

"Well Raven you don't have a choice in the matter. Besides the Elder is worried about you and wants you home as soon as possible." He walked closer as he spoke his intentions very clear as "Raven" raised her stick ready to strike the man however he never got the chance. The Doll appeared in front of her with her Rakuyo drawn at the man throat.

"Now now friend" she said in a sickly sweet voice. "Why are you harassing this poor little girl? She clearly wants to be left alone."

The man was surprised to see her however he quickly composed himself and began to give the doll excuses on why the children needed to return home completely unaware that we had heard everything. While the Doll ran some interference I snuck up behind the group of men and slammed by cane onto the ground quickly gaining their attention. As they turned the Doll moved into action pulling the handle of her combined Rakuyo she began to choke the gentlemen she was speaking to earlier as I sprung into action.

Swiftly I sent the chain whip to the neck of the man closest to myself wrapping it around easily and with practiced hands removed his head from his shoulders in a bloody mess. Something I noticed however was the resistance I had at first as if his neck was armored in someway. However, I didn't have the time to investigate as the other man charged me with a simple looking sword. Changing my whip back to its cane form I began to duel the stranger. He threw colorful insults at me that I mostly ignored in favor of watching his eyes. In my time in Yharnam I have found that looking into the eyes of a man fighting for his life is the only real time to find our who he really is and this man had eyes I was very familiar with.

The same eyes I look into every day. The eyes of a killer. The eyes of a man who was ready to kill just to live or even just for fun. A bandit if you will a common criminal. So I felt nothing as I shattered the bones in his left knee as I kick him with enough force to crush a lycanthrope skull. Nor did I feel nothing as I used the chain form of the cane to give him a similar fate to his partner. Honestly I fear what I have become.

It matters not however as now there were two children who just saw the murder of some of their family. And once again I was responsible.

"Who are you!"

Turning behind me I saw the little girl tears down her face as she looked at me caked in blood. The Doll ever prepared answered in a motherly tone.

"He is the Good Hunter and I am the Doll. Who are you little one?" the girl stiffened at the worry in the Doll's voice. And she lowered her stick.

"Raven Branwen this is my younger brother Qrow.

The Doll smiled.

"Well then Mrs. Raven Branwen. Would you care to join us for lunch?"