Disclaimer: I do not own any RWBY characters nor am I affiliated with the show or it's creators

Chapter 1


The heat of the sun beat down mercilessly, stealing all the moisture the land could spare, and more. The tall grass beside the path I was walking kept brushing my bare forearm, their dry blades slicing tiny gashes along my unprotected skin. The path was no more comfortable in the heat as crevaces formed on its surface, as if hundreds of beasts had run across puncturing the earth with their claws. The cracks and the deep grooves worn down by decades or more of heavy carts passing through on the way to market, all added to the danger of the road. One misstep and I could break an ankle, and that was not something I needed added to my day.

Missions were so much easier when disposing of Grimm. I preferred the monotony of slaying beasts to chasing down thieves and murderers. For one, Grimm were fairly easy to track in the wild. They left marks wherever they went, broken branches, claw marks, a trail of destruction. They weren't the most sleuthy of living things. Plus, they came to me more often than me having to chase them down. Sure, they could be quite large and fairly strong at times, but that just ensured I got a good work out.

Another perk of hunting Grimm instead of the criminals I found myself tracking today, was that a Grimm couldn't just wander into a city or village and basically disappear.

I looked up to the gates suddenly towering over me. The village of Murk. How appropriately named. This was where cutthroats, mercenaries and thieves came to sell their prizes, pick up more contracts and spend their ill gotten gains. I never cared for Murk. In all my travels, it still remains my least favourite spot on the map. There was nowhere else their tracks could have led though. They had to be here. Even in my dehydrated state I wouldn't have missed the signs of them turning off the path.

"Move it!"

A rough voice rose up behind me. I looked back and had just enough time to step further off the path to miss being run down by a massive horse pulling an even larger cart. I glared at the driver, though he didn't seem to mind my anger. He whipped the horse on the flank as he passed and I heard the indignant snort of the animal as he did. At least I wasn't the only one to dislike the man. Maybe the horse would get a chance to kick the brute in the head. The thought cheered me up only long enough to see what the merchant was transporting.

It was evident why the cart needed such a large beast pulling it as it passed me. The frame itself wasn't all that large, but the thick metal bars that made up the walls and even the roof of it looked to weigh the same as a small Goliath. A quick look inside had my blood boiling once again.

There was one other type of power hungry beast that came to Murk to perform their business transactions; slave traders. And if there was anyone I hated more than murderers, it was them.

The dust kicked up behind the cart and cast a shadow over the dozen or so living creatures in the cage. I was unable to see any of them clearly but from their postures, huddling together, and the slightness of their frames they all looked weak, and terrified.

I looked down at the pain I felt in my right hand to find I had dug my nails so far into the flesh of my palm the tiny crescent indentations were bleeding. I relaxed my fist and took a steadying breath. There was nothing I could do for those unfortunate souls, but I did have a job to do. Maybe I could take my anger out on the ones I was chasing. Normally, I wouldn't use any extraneous force to complete a mission but I suddenly found myself in need of some tension release.

I forced my feet to carry me between the stone pillars of the open gate. One guard eyed me as I passed and I redoubled my effort of keeping the emotions from visibly showing on my features. Someone on the inside would be waiting to exploit anything they could pick up on from me. Weakness would attract the thieves and traders of illegal goods and too much strength would surely catch the attention of some man wanting to prove something.

The smell of human waste, rotten food scraps and thousands of unwashed bodies stewing in the heat of the day assailed my senses the second I was within the village walls. I felt my nose twitch involuntarily in protest. I continued walking further into the rats den, counting my steps to keep my mind off the stench. I received more than a few looks from the men I passed, but I was just glad none acted on whatever was going through their minds. Causing a scene would not help me find my targets.

I came to a run down, hole in the wall bar. I pushed the door, hanging from one hinge, and it creaked open. A cursory look around showed what I was expecting. A bunch of dirty men sat at the small wooden tables drinking their few lien worth of savings away. I kept my eye on the half dozen men as I made my way to the rear of the establishment and took a seat, my back to the wall.

I watched the two fairly pretty girls taking turns bringing the men their drinks, trying to escape with the least amount of groping as was possible. I had to admit, they didn't fair very well. These men didn't appear to have enough lien to afford an experienced women, from one of the many houses littering the street, that specialized in the pleasures of the flesh. They seemed content to take their fill of touching the young barmaids without needing to dip into their drinking funds.

One of the young women noticed me in my shadowed corner. Her posture softened when she realized I was a woman and not another groping man. She made her way to me, weaving in and out of the tables crammed into the small space. Her hair was a light fawn colour, pinned up haphazardly atop her head. Many tendrils were already falling out of place, brushing the sides of her face and back of her neck. She had a slight frame but rounded features where it counted and she knew how to dress to accentuate her positive attributes and to hide her more unfortunate ones. Her shirt was low cut, showing off more skin than was needed of a bar wench, and she wore the tallest pair of heels I'd ever seen. Sure, it might give the impression she had any sort of ass, but there was no way those were worth the pain they obviously caused. She swiped at her skirts trying to get rid of the wrinkles and smudges that dirty hands left behind. When she finally looked up to ask for my order her smile vanished just as quickly as it had appeared.

"Oh," she stepped back, surprised.

"Hello, Jade, was it?" I asked when it was evident she was in no hurry to do anything more than stare at me. She nodded in answer, gripping the fabric of her skirts, wrinkling them more than the men had already done. "Is he here?"

She looked to the back room and I followed her gaze. A faint light could be seen through the crack at the bottom of the door. She looked back at me and nodded again. Sick of this game I rose my brow, knowing she could see the irritation in my eyes.

"Yes," she finally spoke.

"Can you tell him I'm here? Or should I go interrupt whatever is going on in that room?"

"I-I'll go get him." She stammered.

"Good girl." I encouraged as she rushed passed me. I watched as she knocked and slipped through the door when it opened. The door shut behind her sealing her from view.

A few minutes passed before the door opened again. Jade emerged and returned to me quickly.

"He won't be a minute." She made to continue on her way, in a hurry to return to the groping calloused hands of the men now that she knew the options were them or to stay with me.

"Could you get me a water before you disappear?" I asked, wincing at how hoarse my voice came out.

She didn't respond but returned quickly with a mug full of cold water. I grabbed for it almost before Jade had fully set it down in front of me. I drank half of it in one gulp. The liquid burned, forcing its way down my dry, closed up throat.

I spent the next minute or two sipping at the liquid before the door to the back room opened again. I rolled my eyes seeing him tuck his shirt back into his pants as another young woman adjusted the fabric of her own clothing behind his underwhelming frame.

"Well, if it isn't my favourite- Uh." He looked to the rest of his patrons, making sure he hadn't captured anyones attention with his entrance. "Um, customer." He finished when it became evident the other men's attentions were captured more strongly by women and booze than him.

"Don't flatter yourself, B.K." I responded, keeping my voice low. "I wouldn't be caught dead in this place if you didn't have your uses."

He sat across from me with grunt. His black hair hung to his shoulders in a matted greasy mess. The clothes he wore were spattered with stains I didn't even want to start to decipher. He smiled and I counted three teeth in view that were missing. My nose twitched again as he leaned over the table separating us.

"What can I do for you today?" He asked, dropping his own voice an octave. "Having a huntress in my bar isn't the best for business."

"Then let's make this quick." I stated, pulling out my scroll and turning it on. I flicked through the file on my current mission until two pictures popped up. I turned the scroll towards B.K. "I'm looking for these two men. You know them?"

"Hmmm," He reached out to grab my scroll and I pulled it away, shooting him a sharp look. "Apologies, was just trying to get a closer look." When I didn't offer it to him he leaned forward, further, over the table, nose an inch from the lit up screen of my scroll.

"You need to get yourself some glasses B.K."

"Nonsense. Yeah I've seen them before. They come around once every couple weeks."

"You got any names?" I asked, tucking my scroll back into the inner pocket of my overcoat.

"Who knows."

I leaned back into the wall behind me and eyed him. "You don't know?"

"Nobody knows anyone's name here," he stated. "You know that better than anyone."

I stared blankly at the smudge of soot on his nose but didn't make any indication I even heard him.

"But," he continued, sensing my displeasure. "Those two are known to go by the names of Ash and Drake."

I nodded, having read those names in the file. At least I knew B.K. was telling the truth and had the correct two guys in mind.

"Where can I find them?" I swept the bar with my eyes quickly.

"They haven't been around in weeks, must have been on a large job." B.K. also looked over his shoulder, making sure we weren't being overheard. "And if they have returned from a big job their pockets will be full of lien. Just so happens there's only one place those two enjoy spending it when in town."

"Cut to the chase." I said impatiently. I wanted out of this bar. I wanted out of this town.

"Madam Petal's Fine House of Whores." He whispered dramatically and smirked. I knew he was trying to get a reaction out of me. It wasn't going to work. I finished my mug of water, feeling the headache caused by the heat dissipating.

"Thanks." I threw a few lien on the table between us and stood. I knew I didn't need to pay him. I had enough dirt on him I could easily turn him in for a small payday for myself any day I wanted. But the miniscule gesture was a very small price to pay for keeping him happy thinking it was a mutual arrangement.

"Are you never going to tell me your name?" He asked, looking up at me from his chair.

"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours." I challenged.

"You already know it Honey, it's B.K." He instantly caught his mistake. He flinched and raised his arms, palms held out to me in surrender.

"Right," I dismissed. "You call me that or any other pet name again-"

"I won't."

Nodding my head at his earnest tone I made my way out of the bar.

Madam Petal's was not far away from B.K.'s bar. I made my way there, in a hurry to get the missions objective over with. I wanted to get out of Murk. It was already making my skin itch just being here.

The sun was just starting to set as I found a decent vantage point to observe the people going in and out of the pleasure house. I tucked myself into a small alcove, leaning up against the outer wall of the building across the road. It was hours before Ash and Drake made an appearance but even with my stiff limbs I silently thanked B.K. for pulling through. They were obviously drunk. They had to lean on each other to even stay upright and were speaking in hushed tones, although their voices carried across the road and into my hiding spot. They were wearing the same outfits the pictures in the file showed them in. Both wore black leather jackets, worn in spots to a faded gray. Ash wore a green bandana on his head, keeping his greasy hair from his face. Drake's one pant leg had torn at his knee and it was obvious at some point he had just hacked it off, making him look ridiculous.

"And then, then that sq-" Ash hiccoughed. "Squirrly one turned to you and begged." They both burst out laughing.

Drake tumbled to his knees as he lost his balance. When he finally struggled to his feet he swore. "Damn it, I'm bleeding." He said looking to his bare knee. A fresh trail of red liquid ran down his leg, disappearing into his boot.

"I see you got started without me." I said loudly, stepping out of the shadows.

They both looked up and their eyes widened. They grabbed for their weapons, both struggling to unsheath them. I laughed, eyeing their pathetic attempts to protect themselves. This was going to be too easy.

"W-w-what d-do you w-want." Ash stuttered.

I gasped. "I'm offended." I held a hand to cover my heart. "Don't tell me you don't know who I am?" I questioned, stalking forward slowly. I don't think they even noticed me advancing until I was only ten or so feet from them. They looked to each other before returning their confused gazes back to me. "Well, I know who you are, and I guess that's all that matters in the end."

I stepped forward again and Ash lifted his curved sword up higher. Drake took a step back but lifted his cut off shotgun to level it at my head.

"If you're going to attack, do it." I goaded. "The anticipation is just killing me."

They shared one more look before Drake pulled the trigger. I almost didn't even have to dodge it, he was that bad of a shot. I stepped forward and Ash was on me. At least he kept some of his skills. I smiled and made eye contact with him as he swung down at me and it caused him to flinch. It was easy to side step and reach passed his sword to knock it out of his hand as I grasped his wrist and spun him to place him in front of me, blocking Drake's next shot. Drake fired anyway, whether he didn't see Ash or didn't care I don't know. Ash's aura flickered and disappeared before he went limp in my arms. I let him fall shaking my head. Drake pulled the trigger a third time but this time I was close enough to tip the barrel up, smashing it into his nose. The ignited dust flared up into the night sky, lighting up the roofs of the nearby buildings. Drake howled as he dropped his weapon to bring both his hands to his broken nose.

I looked to Drake's weapon in my hand, astonished. Wow, were these guys stupid or what? The alcohol must have really done a number on them.

Drake removed his hands and I saw blood running in rivulets down his chin before they dripped onto the ground in front of him.

"Look at that," I smirked. "Now your face matches your knee."

He lunged at me, growling. I used his own weapon's stock to jab him hard in the gut and he wheezed as the air rushed out of his lungs. I brought my other arm up to strike him and he fell limply to the ground.

I bent over to rub the back of my hand on his jacket, wiping his blood off. Another reason I preferred hunting Grimm, they didn't bleed when I striked them. I tucked the shot gun and the sword through my belt and lifted both of the fallen men to their feet by the collars of their jackets.

My eyes met a couple bystanders as I shoved the two men down the street to the jail house. Most people hadn't even stopped at the small commotion we made and the ones that did quickly averted their eyes.

They struggled only when the jail house came into view. I don't know where they thought I was taking them up until that point. Once the paperwork was filled out, the men behind bars and their weapons marked for evidence then destruction was I able to make my exit.

Overall, it had gone more smoothly once I entered Murk than prior to arriving. That never happened. When I walked through the gates I was expecting to have to stay more than one night within its walls. I was excited to get out of here. I'd rather camp on the road than in the middle of all these criminals. I would probably be safer cuddling up to a Death Stalker than staying in Murk for the night, especially after I'd been seen arresting two of the deviants comrades.

Half the citizens were already safely behind their locked doors when I stepped back onto the street and the other half were mostly drunk, so no one paid any attention to me as I made my way back towards the main gate. As I passed the main courtyard I noticed the same cart that nearly ran me down earlier. The driver was missing from his perch, more than likely spending his commision of the sale in the bar or whore houses. The horse was presumably stalled for the night and the cold steel of the bars held nothing but the night air.

A part of me was glad the sale had taken place while I was busy staking out Madam Petal's. I'd always hated the inhuman practice of owning another living thing. Subconsciously, It was probably part of the reason why I'd never gotten a pet, even in my solitude. No I much preferred to keep to myself, lonely though it was at times, to being responsible for ownership of something.

Picturing my cottage nestled in the secluded corner of the wilds I'd claimed as my own made me homesick. With any luck the trek home wouldn't be too harsh and I would arrive late the next day. I could get a few days of rest before having to take up another mission. Things in Anima were not calming down. There were always criminals to chase down and the Grimm were ever present around the borders of civilization. It was thankless job some days, but it's what I signed up for. I couldn't just not do something when I knew I was capable where others weren't or refused to be.

I left the slave cart behind me, focussing on the journey ahead. I was still in the middle of a village I had no right letting my mind wander in. Just because most of the inhabitants seemed to be more pleasantly engaged didn't mean there wasn't someone willing to take out a lone huntress. This being a place where hunters and huntresses were the main disruption in the black market trades, meant there was never a shortage of targets on my own back.

I focussed again on the alcoves and alleyways I passed, readying myself for a surprise attack from their black depths. A racket from one alley caught my attention. A sinister gravelled voice reached my ears and it sent a shiver down my spine. I couldn't make out his words as the distance between us was too great but I know whatever he was saying wasn't anything good. He had a great Ursa bulk of a body with arms that were nearly the size of my waist. He was leaning down but his fist was raised at the ready. Noticing he wasn't paying me any mind, I would normally continue on my way, but my own curiosity got the better of me.

I stepped silently into the alley, making sure no one else noticed my abrupt change in direction. I saw no one move to follow so I took a few tentative steps further into the darkness. The gargantuan man didn't notice my approach and I was able to get within a dozen feet of him before I paused.

"Get up," he growled sternly, swinging his open hand to the ground in front of him. It was only then, as I followed his hands movement, that I noticed there was someone cowering on the ground before him. It was a tiny waif of skin and bones and as the man's hand connected with the poor creatures head I wasn't surprised to see them thrown several feet. They landed face down on the cobblestone. One reed thin arm rose a skeletal hand to cover the lump that had to be forming at the back of its head, but it still wasn't obeying the large man's demand.

"I said, get up!" He voiced louder and the tiny sprawled out creature flinched. His boot shot out and kicked the smaller body in the stomach before he reached down, grabbing a fistful of hair and tugging it up forcefully. The creature was lifted and held up against the wall. "Worthless piece of shit."

I felt a familiar warmth rise up from deep in my belly. It spread into my chest before creeping its way down each limb. Within seconds each of my fingers and toes were burning with the familiar pain that accompanied my anger. I stepped to move around the man, who had yet to notice me, when I met a pair of golden orbs looking at me curiously.

No candles or lamps were set up in the alley, it was nearly pitch black, but I froze in my tracks entranced by the faint light dancing behind her eyes. Because even with sunken eye sockets and minimal curves, the lack of nutrition caused, it was still very evident that the creature was female.

Only when the man slammed her up against the building did she wince, and I snapped out of my stupor.

"What's going on here?" I asked, grabbing the man's elbow stopping his fist from connecting with her gut.. He wrenched his arm from my grip and glared sideways at me.

"None of your business," he spat. "Now get lost."

He ripped his hand from her hair and instead wrapped it around her throat. Her already thin neck was dwarfed in comparison to his sausage like fingers. The girl tried to get away from his hand, obviously not liking his touch on her bare skin, but the wall was still firmly pressed to her back.

"Sorry, no can do." I responded stepping closer to the smaller girl, trying to get a good angle to remove him from her throat without causing her more harm. "When a man starts hitting a woman I just can't let it go so easily." I spoke evenly, though my anger was still causing me to see red in the corners of my vision. "You understand that, right?"

"This ain't no woman, she's a slave." He stated. "My slave." He emphasized his ownership. "Even if she wasn't worth the lien I paid, she's my property and I'll do with her what I please."

I looked to the girl still pinned to the wall. She did look emaciated like most slaves I had come in contact with. I tried to not keep company with people that owned slaves, but in Anima, it was nearly impossible to go out in public and not at least see a handful of them. Her hair was black and hung just passed her shoulders. It was unevenly cut as if it had been sliced off with a dull blade held by an inexperienced hand. The clothes she wore were no better than a sack really, covering just enough to barely be decent, and it was stained with dirt and what looked like blood. Her shoes had multipple holes and looked to be a couple sizes too small. Taking in her drab appearance she could easily have been a slave but, looking her over once more, I didn't see any physical features indicating she was a Faunus.

That didn't particularly mean anything. Faunus sometimes had features that were easily hidden. I'd heard of one with chameleon traits that had lived as a human, she'd attended school and had even married and no one suspected a thing until a child she bore had been born with horns.

"What are you, the police?" He asked exasperated with my constant presence.

"Kind of, yeah." I stated, pulling out my scroll and showing him my huntress identification.

He sighed. "Do you need to see my ownership papers?" I glared at him but didn't retreat. "If you don't want to see them, could you move along?" He lifted his arm to wave me off. "The first twelve hours are important to a slaves conditioning, and this one has more than most to learn."

He ran one calloused finger down her jawline and she jerked her head away from his touch. He pulled her away from the wall and slammed her back into it. The sharp crack of her head hitting the stone behind her, had me wincing.

"You will not pull away when I touch you. You won't move until I tell you you can." He said firmly. But when he repeated the process it looked like the girl couldn't help the involuntary jerk of her head once more. She tensed even as her body withdrew from him, knowing another strike was incoming. I couldn't blame her, I'd want to get away from his touch as well.

"Do you even understand what I'm saying? I can't believe I paid good money for defective product." He mumbled angrily.

I knew I wasn't legally able to do anything. She was his property and as such if he wanted to stand here and beat her to death he could. The law would be on his side.

It was an unfortunate consequence of the Great War, slavery. It was supposed to have been a step forward in equality, but like all passed wars, equality was defined by the victor, and the Faunus had chosen the wrong allies. Having established settlements in Anima long before humans had ever stepped foot on the continent had the faunus wanting to keep and protect their ancestral homes, an admirable thought. They fought alongside the humans of Mystral, and were promised freedom and equality to live out their lives in their own, already established settlements. Instead, their homes were taken by force and the Faunus were rounded up and placed on an island to the south of Anima.

I'd heard people in other Kingdoms where I travelled speaking of the island as a gift to the Faunus. But I knew it for what it really was. A farm. A place where the Faunus could build, survive, and breed without the humans needing to pay for the raising and upkeep of their livestock. And once the slaves outlived their use they were either killed or returned to the island.

And since the Great War ended not much had changed for the Faunus species. I couldn't imagine a time that it would have been worse to be one of them. History books painted the Human and Faunus relationship as always strained, but before the Great War they had lived separate and though skirmishes were waged based on land ownership. It baffled me how a War of equality had led to the enslavement of a species that was previously free.

Sure on the other continents Faunus might not be considered outright slaves, but in all Kingdoms their lives were only ever lived in servitude to the human race.

I was brought back to the present when the large man threw the girl into the garbage heap.

"If you won't learn the lessons the easy way, we can try it the hard way." His deep voice sounded as sinister as I'd ever heard anyone speak. He pulled a knife from his belt and stalked towards his crouching prey.

I knew I wasn't allowed to stop him, wasn't allowed to interfere in anyway. But I couldn't stand by and allow him to cut his rules into her flesh until they were learned.

I rushed forward and stepped in front of the girl, blocking his path.

"Move." He growled, pointing his dagger at me.

My mind raced on how I could get both of us out of the situation without all the negative consequences. If I laid a hand on him for doing what was his legal right in this land I could get my Huntress credentials suspended or revoked, I couldn't stand the thought of not being what I'd always dreamed of being. A huntress was all of who I was. Worse still, it was possible for me to be thrown in jail with the criminals I'd put there, and I knew I wouldn't survive that. None of my options seemed to spare me and not one would ensure she would be saved from a beating longer than tonight. She was still his property, after all, and would be back with him as soon as I was taken away.

But I knew the frail girl behind me wouldn't survive if I didn't do something. She'd die in this man's care before the week was up, I was sure of it.

I flung my arm up and knocked the blade out of his hand. It clattered to the stones so loudly I was sure someone would come running to see what was going on, but I was wrong.

The man's eyes looked to his fallen weapon then to me. His glare was menacing.

I reached to my belt and ripped the tethers securing my purse to it. I threw it at the man and he caught it, surprise written on his face.

He untied the straps and looked inside. "What's this for?"

"There's enough in there to buy five of her." I nodded my head behind me to the girl still sitting in the rubbish pile. "Sign over the ownership papers and we'll be on our way."


A/N- I didn't think I had to actually write this but since I'm getting PM's and Reviews even about this I'm going to clarify.

I know what the wars were about in The series. I know the Great War was not the same as the Faunus Rights Revolution. But I think it's made obvious that this story does not follow the same timeline as the series. There was no Faunus War in the history of my story. There is no White Fang.

The Great War was not just about freedom of artistic expression or whatever. It was also about land and greed and corrupt Ideologies humans fight over. We don't know everything about the Great War. Each continent and Kingdom had its own reasons for war and not all those reasons are disclosed. My version depicts Mystral as looking for ways to strengthen their armies against Vale's to take the land they wanted. They did this by recruiting the Faunus, living free in settlements in the far reaches of Anima. The Faunus were promised equality, share of wealth in the war and land legally owned in the eyes on the Kingdom which would reduce Faunus/Human skirmishes over property. Once the Great War ended the Humans of Mystral went back on their word. To save money, to gain the lands they couldn't just take from Vale now they chose to take from the minority in their own lands. They stole the land that was promised to the Faunus. Lands the Faunus had been settling for generations. To prevent an uprising they threw the Faunus into slavery. The other Kingdoms still damaged from war and still having prejudices against the Faunus didn't see it worth another Great War and decided to ignore the slave trade for the most part. In my version although the other Kingdoms still saw the Faunus as unequal, they were still allowed to walk among the Kingdoms, work in usually the worst jobs with horrible conditions, but they are not slaves.

I hope this clarifies the confusion. Thanks.