The Hunter pushed himself as much as he could, cursing all members of his team and the cruelty of Fate. Knowing his Semblance, he was sure he would be late, yet he would sooner die trying than leave the kids to their fate - even if he decided to have a nice talk with the older girl about such hair-raising stunts. He forced himself to be faster, to ride the wind as never before; this being perhaps the first time he seriously envied the ability of his sister to simply force open a portal. The thought of said woman brought a savage snarl to his face - gods damn the stupid, insane ways of their old tribe, why could she not stick around for a short while, at least for the sake of the kids? Oh, they would be having words, never mind his success or failure here.
His heart almost stopped at the horrified scream of a young girl - before he realized that it came from rather close by, and he might just arrive in time. With a desperate effort, he poured more of himself into his speed, one hand unlimbering his sword, gears whirring as the scythe blade unfolded when he burst out to the clearing, seeing his two nieces slowly inching back from an abandoned building, Yang shoving Ruby behind herself, keeping up a fighting stance - and he could not stop himself grinning, despite the circumstances. The kid had the proper spirit all right; now it was up to him to ensure she lived long enough to learn how to use it.
He focused on the ring of dark shapes and orange-red eyes, tensing in preparation for the charge and melee, when he spotted her - and the sight stopped even him in his tracks for a fraction of a second. The woman appeared from the forest, and the encroaching horde of Grimm seemed to hesitate, and he could have sworn the monsters flinched at her presence. Not a good sign in his experience - was this woman the being whom Ozpin suspected of opposing them, of seeking the Four Treasures? His nostrils wrinkled as a distant, very faint whiff of brimstone wafted over the clearing, barely noticeable under the much more appreciated faint perfume. The woman stepped towards his nieces, and he focused his Aura to propel him between them, to protect the kids, when the unknown woman turned from the girls, faced the Grimm. Brown, leathery wings extended from her back, snapped taut, shielding the kids from the monsters. She chanted something in a voice that was sinfully seductive and purely innocent at the same time, caressing his ears and insides, making him shiver, as she reached a dainty pale hand towards the Shattered Moon - then with a deafening thunderclap, the sky rained lightning, the howl of scorched, dying Grimm filling the air, as the beasts were thrown into disarray.
The Hunter bared his teeth in a vicious smirk, as he breathed out, then with a flash, he was amongst the disoriented Grimm, his scythe cleaving into the shadowy stuff of the monsters with ease as he weaved a dance of destruction across them, while keeping his nieces and the unknown faunus in sight. She was again chanting in that melodious voice of hers, and tiny humanoid shapes of light spread out from her, flitting and hovering protectively around the two girls, and the few Grimm that dared approach were burned away by the radiant sprites. A minute, maybe two later, the only sound on the clearing was the faint sniffling of the two kids, and the harsh panting of the Hunter, whose scythe switched back to a sword with a whirr of gears, as the man stepped between the winged faunus and the kids.
Now, Qrow Branwen did appreciate fine ladies - and the woman standing before him was perhaps the most beautiful he had ever seen. Long, blonde hair tied into an elegant ponytail, twinkling blue eyes full of humor and wonder, a classically beautiful face, curves in all the right places, accented tastefully by the brown corset and skirt she wore, a simultaneously wicked and demure small smile … he could not stop himself from grinning and letting his eyes linger just a few seconds, before he focused on the important matters at hand.
"Are we going to have a problem, sweetheart? I'd hate to ruin that fine dress of yours with blood, but if you think about harming the kids, I'll end you."
She smiled, and Qrow felt his insides melt just a bit, as his heartbeat sped up, before she spoke, her voice a silky, warm caress.
"I am but a simple traveller, and only came across the children by pure luck. Even if you find it strange from my kind, I never will stand aside and let children come to harm; not if I can help it." Her eyes twinkled, and her smile turned just a bit predatory, showing perfect white teeth. "Besides, I rather enjoy the thrill of such fights from time to time."
"Well, I don't know where you are from lady, but around here, we don't consider all faunus as child-killing abominations." She perked an eyebrow at the label, and he went on. "At least, I won't, especially not one who helped keep my nieces safe."
He stepped forward, hand outstretched.
"Name's Qrow Branwen, a pleasure to meet you."
"A pleasure to meet you, Qrow Branwen. Call me Grace."
The dainty fingers touched his hand, and her beautiful features contorted for a fraction of a second, and he heard a faint sizzle as she withdrew her hand with a mute hiss, the pale fingers blackened and burned where his rings touched them.