"All clear on our area, no signs of Grimm nearby" Weiss spoke over her wheezing radio. Their scrolls were overall the best mobile communications tool huntsmen had at their disposal, but they were also complex, fragile and heavily reliant on the CCT coverage, which was not exactly great as one progressed farther from the kingdom's immediate area and into the mountain ranges that adorned most of Vale's territory. Out here, for more pressing field communications it was often better to rely on simpler methods like medium range radios.

"Understood RWBY Two, most of the village is secured as well." Sounded the voice of the senior huntsman that had accompanied her team tonight. "The 6th Infantry Division has been notified and should be here in thirty minutes. Stand guard and wait for the troops."

"Understood." She answered simply.

It was usual for third year students to take real missions, either by themselves or with the aid of a certified huntsman, but as their seniors had told before and they soon discovered for themselves, it wasn't easy to get used to emergency response calls.

The life outside the kingdom walls tended to be relatively peaceful, away from the rush of the big cities and the concentrations of negative emotions that acted as lures for the larger packs of Grimm. The small towns and villages established deeper into the continent represented an escape, a fresh start with few impositions and even less taxes, but sometimes not even their calm ways, natural defences and dedicated protectors were enough to keep a village safe.

That was the case tonight.

They were rushed into the airship and debriefed on the flight. A small town came under attack by a huge pack of Grimm. Luck was on their side when a passing huntsman noticed the signs of their approach and called in for help before it was too late.

Smaller groups of Grimm could usually move and approach their preys without being noticed until it was too late to call for help, but migrating packs were like a storm brewing on the horizon. Birds would fly away, animals would run or hide, and then the forest would fall in dead silence. Only a fool would stay on their way, but a hole village couldn't just pick up their things and move away.

And probably even if they could, they wouldn't. For hundreds of people, that place was home. It was all they had in life - their new life - and many were willing to risk everything to protected it. Sadly, without help more often than not they would lose, as history so often told.

Weiss shook her head to clear those thoughts. That hadn't been the case tonight. There was blood on the streets, yes, but there was also victory on their hands and the town had survived to brave another day. She could only hope that luck would remain on their side…

"Would should find an advantage point to keep watch." Ruby said from a few meters ahead in a low tone.

There was blood on the streets, and the sights of tonight seemed to have affected Ruby this time again.

As much as Weiss hated to admit, she was getting used to death. It was ugly, it was painful, but sometimes it was also inexorable. Sometimes it was a dark reminder of the reason they were training and sometimes it just was.

She was sure that Ruby understood those things as well, the brunette was no child anymore, but every horror seemed to weigh on the girl's heart ten times more. It was as if she shared part of the pain of those who had lost someone. In a certain way, she did.

Maybe she was the right one to feel like that. Maybe this was just another testament to how cold Weiss could be, but this wasn't about her.

Weiss hated to see that painful look on the girl's eyes.

"Yes, good idea." She said while closing the gap between them. The road was desert and quiet, safe for sparse sounds of combat from the other side of the village, but even those were far in between. Probably Yang and Blake or the milicia driving any stragglers away. "There was a two-story building back down the road. We could try and reach the roof."

Ruby simply nodded and started down the road as Weiss followed silently. She hated seeing Ruby like this, but she wasn't exactly great at cheering people up.

Weiss wrinkled her mind for something to say, anything at all that would bring even a semblance of her leader's true personality back to the surface, but she couldn't think of anything. Ruby had helped her in several hard moments regarding her family and her future, but not even once she was able to repay the favor.

It was extremely frustrating, but she couldn't lose herself into loathing. As empty as the streets were, this was still a combat zone. The barricaded houses and vaporizing corpses of Grimm did well to remember her of such. Most of the buildings and business were heavily shut, those who couldn't fight surely gathered at the core of their homes, trusting their life to the few inches of wood that separated them from the blood-covered streets.

It was essentially useless, their fear would only attract the Grimm. Too late they would learn that the wooden house hasn't kept the wolf outside before and life would be all too eager to reenact art. Still, it was a infinitely better sight than a house with doors or windows hanging wide open. Those inside would never leave them like this in such situation, so there was only one explanation. One that would surely find Weiss in her dreams when she managed to lay her head. The gaping hallways were dark seen from the street, but no darker than the reality that waited inside.

It would be the troops job to check those houses, and Weiss thanked the heavens for that. She thanked the heavens that Ruby wouldn't have to witness whatever horror scene had been set beyond those crushed doors.

But again, in complete opposition the hour prior the streets were nearly silent, stones paying respect to those who placed them. In the sanctity of their figurative mourning, a soft sound traveled far.

Distant, low and constant, but Weiss couldn't tell what it was. It didn't sounded like any type of Grimm or machine. Maybe it could be someone in distress?

She thought about voicing her theory, of asking if Ruby could hear it too, but at the moment Weiss turned to her partner she was already gone, small rose petals drifting in her wake. Ruby darted further down the street, past their watch point and straight into a building to the right.

Weiss cursed under her breath and started after her partner. As unrefined as it was, the brunette had the terrible habit of eliciting such action from the Heiress.

It seemed to take her an age to traverse the path Ruby had done in a blink, but after reaching the building Ruby had disappeared into Weiss failed to recover her breath. The door was wide open, partially rip off from its hinges, and the interior was engulfed in darkness. She could only recognise the claw marks carved into the wood.

She pulled Myrtenaster to her front and infused the blade with blue dust. The icy essence caused the temperature to drop around her, but the faint glow returned to Weiss her vision.

The Heiress stepped carefully into what probably once was a living room, her boots crunching the broken glass beneath the soles. She could hear it clearly now. It was a sob coming from deeper into the home and it made her stomach drop to the ground. The treble tone could not belong to a grown person.

Walking deeper into the darkness Weiss reached a short hall with two doors. To the right was the source of sound that brought both of them to this place. To the left, a trail of blood.

She was rooted, millions possibilities rushing through her mind, every single one worst than the previous, but a soft whisper brought her back to reality. It was a voice she would never fail to recognise. Following the sound, Weiss step in front of the open door and found herself once again frozen in place.

There she was, sitting at a bed with a small child hidden into her chest, they both bathed by the moonlight seeping through a window at the ceiling. It was a very thoughtful touch. The boy could fall asleep counting the stars at night and be greeted by the sun just at the best time. Remnant itself would put him up in the morning.

Right now though, it was a spotlight to a heart wrenching scene. He couldn't be older than five, older than four even, and despite the sweat and Grimm blood, he hugged the brunette for his dear life, sobbing and whimpering.

And then there was Ruby. With one hand running on the boy's back and another brushing his blonde hair, she had everything to be mistaken for a guardian angel, whispering soft promises of peace and comfort. Her face, however, spoke of a bitter truth.

Ruby had trusted her with her past. She told Weiss about her childhood, about her father, uncle, and her mother. She told Weiss about the day her mother left for yet another hunt, with promises of gifts and cookies upon her return. She told Weiss about the day someone else returned in her place, bringing news that would crush her world. She trusted her with the long days and the longer nights. She told her how hard it had been for her to understand the truth. No child should ever have to learn the concept of death so early, and yet she did.

And so would have the boy. By stroking the boy's hair, she might as well be comforting her own heart.

Weiss looked back into the hall. She knew she should check the opposing room, but upon seeing Ruby's face every drop of will was drained from her. Maybe in the past she could just walk off and do her job to perfection, but those were long gone waters. As much as she had trained to be a huntress, with her teammates she also learned to be human. Coldness towards what she couldn't change was one thing, it helped her sanity, but tonight she could still act.

Weiss listened for a moment. It was quiet, it had been quiet for too long. Grimm didn't have that kind of patience and the scene she was witness to would be irresistible for one. It was a gamble, but it was a well pondered one. With a step and a reach, she closed the door across without allowing her eyes to drift inside. It felt like sealing a tomb.

Next she walked fully into the room with Ruby. For the first time the brunette rose her eyes to meet Weiss' and her heart broke all again. Her voice was calm and soothing, but the tears running down her face spoke of nothing but pain.

The boy seemed to react to her presence as well, but Ruby was quick to calm him. With brunette to blond, Weiss wondered if this was how Summer looked when comforting Yang.

She sat on the bed, just shy of the moonlight, held back by uncertainty. What could she do? Why this had to be so hard for her? Why couldn't she just wrap them both in her arms and comfort those going through a pain she also knew all too well?

Silver met icy-blue in a silent plea and it was all it took. A soundless request, just a look that begged for Weiss to do all she needed and all she wanted. The heiress moved closer and fully under the moon's gaze. Softly, she pulled the two into her own arms. One of Ruby's hands found her back and pulled closer, an act that Weiss responded in kind.

Soon the sobs became whimpers, but they longer came from only the boy. If Ruby needed her now, there she would be. Ruby was the youngest of the team, but she could be the strongest of them. Tonight she didn't have to. No silence, no facades. Tonight Weiss could be strong for them both. Tonight Weiss could support her, just by being there.

If the moon thought anything of it, it had nothing to say.

Hello guys, thank you for taking your time to read this! This one is more about friendship than romance, but you can also see it in a romantic way if you want. Whatever way you wish to interpret their relationship, the girls are obvious more than just teammates :) (whiterose ftw though)

I hope you all enjoyed it. Please review and let me know what you think!

Hugs,

Scribe Assistant