Hey everyone, I'm back in action. Figure I'd start off the new year with releasing this. For those of you returning from my last piece, welcome back and thanks for joining. For those of you new around here, I hope you enjoy the story. I've made this as new reader friendly as possible, so people don't have to go back and read the prequel to this. This series will mostly follow the separated members of Team RWBY as they travel Remnant after the event of the Hunt. Each chapter will only focus on one or two characters. Usually you'll get two to three chapters in a row with the same charterer so that the story can actually make some progress. That won't happen with this chapter since I'm using it as a re-introduction into the series and to catch up anyone who doesn't want to read Hunter to Huntsman.

With the basics of the way, let's enjoy the show.

Beta Reader: Poliamida

A small town sat in the middle of a heavily cleared forest. Dying stumps sat in the distance. So far out from the town no one bothered too clear them. A dirt road ran through the center of the town and back into the forest. The sun had recently set with its soft glow fading over the horizon. Darkens falling in the forest and the town due to the shadows being cast by the trees. Even the moon couldn't illuminate the night with a cover of clouds in the sky. The last carriage for the day came out of the forest. It's wheels shaking as it came down the uneven dirt path. Wheat fields that were a few feet off of the road appeared ready for harvest.

The carriage pulled up in front of the towns inn and the driver stepped off onto the ground. Walking over to the passenger door he pulled it open. Three passengers stepped out on to the road and made their way to the inn. Each one with a backpack strapped to themselves and a bag in hand. As they walked through the entrance, the driver looked inside to see a passenger still asleep.

"Hey, Stranger, we made it to Greenacres. Unless you want to help store the carriage and put the horses away, it's best you head inside." The man said as the last passenger began weakly opening their eyes.

After a moment, the passenger stepped out of the carriage and walked tiredly towards the inn. A package was strapped to her back and wrapped in cloth to protect it. They even had an oversized survival pack that reached from their back over their head. The carriage was pulled around the back of the inn, leaving the last passenger by themselves.

Inside the inn, travelers were drinking and exchanging stories about their trips. People going about their night before heading to bed. The stranger pulled up a stool at the bar and set their backpack on the ground. A red hood covered their head, shielding them from any prying eyes. It only took a moment for the bartender to make her way down to the customer.

"What I can I get you?" The bartender asked.

"I'll have your tallest glass of milk." The girl asked.

A silence ran across the entire ground floor as people turned their heads towards the newcomer. Cards were set down and games put on hold as a single laugh came from a table. At that moment, the entire inn burst into laughter. Fists began pounding onto tabletops as some patrons couldn't contain themselves. Some could even be seen with tears in their eyes from how hard they were laughing. Eventually the laughter died down to a occasional chuckle as people remembered the event. The bartender managed to suppress her laughter and look at the girl again.

"Not from around these parts I take it." She stated the question as a fact.

"No, actually. I've been traveling around for a few weeks, but my supplies started to run low. I figured a town like this could help me restock before taking off again." She brought her hood down far enough to hide the top of her face.

"Sorry about the laughter, but we don't get to many city folk coming out this far. You're probably the first this town has seen in years. More will start showing up after the shit show in Vale though. Most people out here are already doubtful of the Council and tend to be a hell of a lot more welcoming of others trying to etch out an existence in the world." The bartender pulled out a glass and began wiping it down with a rag.

"More business and growth for surrounding towns then. Everything in Vale started to go downhill pretty quick once it became apparent living space had become an issue. To many residential areas lost and people displaced. With nowhere to go and a vast number of jobs no longer being done, people just couldn't afford to live in the city." The girl adjusted her hood to look back at the server.

"You a refugee then? Looking to start up a new life outside the government's reach. It's not so bad out here. No one steals or fights simply due to it attracting the Grimm. Even got a few town guards for when some strays find this place. So, what can I get you?"

"Do you actually not have any milk." The girl gave a small pout as the bartended slowly began to waiver.

"We have it, but it's usually only taken by children. Aren't you a bit old to still be drinking milk?"

"I am a growing woman and won't risk my growth being stunted due to poor nutrition."

"Let me get that for you then. I can give a few suggestions for where to restock afterwards if you're interested." Hoping the bar, she made her way to the back door and tapped the man standing by it on the shoulder. Giving a nod, the man walked behind the guard while keeping an eye on the patrons.

The girl kicked her legs back and forth while sitting when someone grabbed her by the shoulder. Turning around she saw a woman with two men at her side. Each had a blade on their waist and some minor armor covering them.

"It's rare to see people from the city venture this far out here. Only make me wonder why you would stop in this town?" She asked as the other two encircled the girl.

"Just stopping to pick up some supplies."

"Then you won't mind if we check your bags then." One of the guards asked.

"Sure, just be careful with it. Some of the stuff in there is fragile." She pulled her backpack off and handed it to the guards.

They opened the pack to find very mundane items within it. A small tent was tightly folded into the pack and wrapped around the metal stakes that would hold it down. Some basic firestarters and a sleeping bag could be seen pressing the tent against the edges of the bag. Everything seemed to be normal if not a little underprepared for life outside the kingdom. It seemed more useful as camping supplies for a small excursion than walking the continent. The only thing out of place was a old metal rod that protruded from the pack. It had an arm extending in a 'L' shape with a small ring at the end to attach something to it.

"Everything seems fine. Now if you could show us that thing strapped to your back." The guard asked as she set the backpack aside.

"I'm going to need you to not freak out when you take her, okay?" The girl asked as she pulled the wrapped object off her back.

One of the guards grabbed the wrapped object, but the moment it left the girl's hand, the guard was pulled to the ground with the object. A thud echoed through the hall as the guard tried to get the object off their arm. The other two guards rushed over and began trying to lift object off their friend. The object would only shift beneath the cloth, but couldn't be lifted. In the end, the girl got off her seat and pulled the object off the guard.

"What the hell do you have in that thing?" The woman asked as the others stood up.

"She is a bit heavier now due to the modifications, but she shouldn't be that heavy." Taking the object in hand, she placed it back on her back.

Before they could continue a man ran into the inn with panic across his face. "Grimm are coming!"

At the mention of Grimm, every patron in the bar reached for their weapon. Some pulling a revolver off their waist and others taking the riffles off their backs. Ammunition was loaded and extra clips were strapped on as they all began preparing for the incursion. Those without weapons were quickly armed by those who had weapons to spare. Children from the village were quickly ushered behind the bar and down into a cellar. People rushed out of the inn to join the townsfolk in the defense of the community.

"Why aren't you in the cellar with the others, kid?" The bartender asked as she grabbed a shotgun from behind the counter.

"I can't stay here while all of you are fighting and my names not kid, it's Ruby." The girl said as she grabbed her back pack and walked out the front door of the inn.

Ruby had a clear view towards the outskirts of the town thanks to the road that ran through it. People had taken up position with their guns pointed into the darkness. Each person waiting for the red glow of a Grimm's eyes. Taking off her backpack, she grabbed the metal rod and stabbed it into the ground. She grabbed a lantern from her pack and hanged it at the end of the metal poll. Opening the glass window, she struck a match and lit the candle inside. A soft blue flame formed atop the wick and continued to burn once the window was closed. Running her hand over the wrapped item on her back, it began to shift as it broke free of it bonds.

The weapon was nearly double the height of the girl. Most of it seemed to be a dark red with black accents. She started walking down the road towards the edge of town. Each step she took picked up speed quicker and quicker until she was in a full sprint. The town around her began to turn into a blur when she ran past the recently formed garrison. People could only see a red shape blow past them and disappear into the darkness.

Ruby came to a stop at the edge of the forest when she saw the pale white eyes shifting in the woods. The top of her weapon unfurled into a scythe as she gave it a quick practice twirl. The darkened blade giving off a shimmer as it caught some of the moonlight. A cloud passed overhead blanketing the country side in darkness as a muzzle flash was seen in the distance. The townsfolk had opened fire on whatever had begun approaching them. The moment Ruby turned her head to look towards the sound, a wolf like beast leaped out from the forest and swung at her.

The claws cutting into her side before a quick spin of her weapon caught the beast's arm. Ruby's blade dug into its fur and flesh, but came to a stop at the bone. Using its other arm, the beast managed to push Ruby away. As soon as some distance was created between them, Ruby pointed the end of her weapon behind herself. She brought her hand onto a metal lever and chambered a round into the riffle. Running towards the beast as it did the same. Both were poised to strike when Ruby pulled the trigger and vanished as her weapon fired. The beast brought its claws down on where the red cloaked girl should have been to no effect. Its claws cut through the air as the scythe hooked around its chest. With the blade digging into the beast's chest, Ruby fired another round forcing the blade to cleave through the muscle and bone. Blood spilled onto the forest floor as the two halves fell to the ground.

Even with one of the beasts dead, three more easily took its place. Ruby spun her weapon and managed to catch two beasts in the attack. She managed to stagger the two and force them back with a rush of quick flourishes. While she fought off the three encircling beasts, 5 more broke from the forest and began heading towards the town. She could already see the Grimm being fought back, but the addition of beasts could tip the scale in the Grimm's favor. Ruby disengaged from the three she was fighting and opened fire on the pack charging at the town. She unloaded one round into each of the beasts and immediately garnered their attention. The pack quickly circling around while Ruby rushed back towards her original opponents.

Her blade sparked against the one of the beast's steel like claws as they exchanged blows. Ruby would leap out of the way of one attack to be hit in the back by someone else. Hunting in packs offered a huge advantage to them in terms of defensive and offensive plans. Plans may be too complex of a concept for the beasts, but survival instincts easily made up for their lack of intelligence. Each time she began to lay into one of them, another would step in. Ruby was about to reload her empty magazine when something clamped down on her right arm. Turning her head, Ruby could see the lycan trying to tear into her. Bringing her weapon down into the beast's back, while effective, caused it to clamp down even harder in its death throes.

Before she could work on severing the monster's head another on latched onto her leg. This one tried to bring her down, but Ruby managed to keep herself up by pinning the second beat the ground with her weapon. Even if it couldn't move, it continued to try to eat her leg. She was about to kill the monster gnawing on her leg when she heard the thunderous steps of the pack she agitated. They were mid-leap when Ruby dropped her weapon and reached for something inside her cloak. Ruby threw the object into the air as she was tackled to the ground. The beasts clawed their way through her aura to get at her flesh. With one last slam of a beast's fist, her aura shattered letting the jaws clinging to her dig into her skin. Their feast didn't last for long though as the cylinder fell back towards the ground and exploded only a few feet above the beasts covering Ruby.

The entire town froze as the night turned to day in a flash of light. It was like the sun had abruptly risen in the distance as the fireball exploded. The Grimm were bathed in light exposing any that had been lurking forward to breach the towns defensive barrier. Even after the explosion had ended, the flames in the distance continued to burn. Those with melee weapons stayed close to the gunners to keep them safe from anything that got close. The red eyed creatures were throwing themselves at the defenses and through sheer number they were getting closer to penetrating the defenses.

A howl of pain could be heard rushing across their fields. Pain clearly being heard in their voice as a flaming dart shot out of the inferno. The flaming object swept through the wave of Grimm eviscerating everything before it. A path of weaving flames trailed behind the destruction left in its wake. The flames began to die off as the burning person pressed something to their arm. With a wave of her weapon, the flames on her died leaving behind a charred cape and burnt clothing. While most of the outfit had held up, some of it's already damaged components like the sleeves had large holes burnt into them.

As a Beowolf was about to land its claw into on one of the towns folk, a bullet snapped through its head. Ruby kept her back to the beasts as she fired towards the town at the Grimm. She thinned the horde at the town's doorstep while leaping through the battlefield. Grimm trying to swarm her to little effect as she danced around the slower targets.

"With the big fry out of the way, I can actually enjoy this." Ruby's scythe erupted in a shower of sparks as the blade segmented. Each piece shifting slightly from its original frame, giving it a serrated appearance.

She spun the weapon above her head with the blades slowly pulling further and further apart. Some steel like thread housed within the blades kept each piece from flying off into the distance. After the fifth pass, Ruby brought her weapon down in a sweeping motion. The blades easily cutting through the Grimm with the momentum they had built up. Limbs and entire torsos being cut down like rows of wheat. Her staff providing a already impressive range was pushed even further thanks to the threaded blades that made up her scythe.

When the dust settled all that remained was the red cloaked reaper and the pieces of her prey scattered around her. Her appearance was silhouetted by the flames that still burned in the distance. The Grimm had already begun to dissolve into a black mist. Even the blood of the Grimm was burning away into nothingness. Smoke rolling off of Ruby as she walked back to the village.

A few people were sat on the ground in exhaustion from the fight. Some even using their own weapons to prop themselves up. Injuries were few and far in between, but the defense of the town didn't come at no cost. Bodies that were clawed to pieces were given some dignity with a cloth cover. Identification would typically be housed on the dead's scroll, but some still used metal tags due to the technology being out of reach. Pyres would need to be built and stones carved, but nothing could be done in the middle of the night.

The bodies were quickly stored in a building and the town returned to the inn. Drinks were readily served as the people celebrated their defense of the town. Strangers telling tales to one another and becoming fast friends. Merchants exchanging information about the surrounding towns and talking about future opportunities. Even the children were running around the ground floor and happily interacting with the town's defenders. The sight was jarring to say the least for Ruby.

What had moments ago been a fight for survival was quickly replaced with festivities. In Vale they would be mourning the loss of life and be comforting one another. Funerals would immediately be planned and the dead would be buried. From what she could see it was clear that certain luxuries had to be cut out to aid in surviving outside the Cities and their protective walls. Mass mourning for the departed would only serve as a beacon for the creatures of Grimm to hone in on. Without a proper barrier or team of Huntsman in the area, it would only lead to more death.

Upon her entrance the bar erupted in cheer. Glasses being raised in honor of the little reaper that defended their town. "If it's not the huntress of the hour." One of the patrons yelled in joy.

"You certainly saved our asses today miss." A man said as a man quickly slapped him upside his head.

"Watch your language, you damn prick. You're in the presence of a lady." The table broke out in laughter as they began punching each other in the shoulder.

Ruby was about to respond when someone grabbed her by the shoulder and led her over to the bar. The town guard pulled her over to their table and seated her. Each one showing off their weapons and the new dings in their armor. "Sorry about earlier mam."

"If we knew you were a Huntress we wouldn't had given you the 5th degree back when we saw ya," another added to the apology.

"It's fine, I'm just happy the children are all okay," Ruby said while watching the kids run around the inn.

"Care to join us in a celebratory drink?" One of the guards offered Ruby a glass.

"Drinks don't really do anything to me anymore. Besides, wouldn't want to have to take you in for serving alcohol to a minor," Ruby jokes.

"Kingdom laws never counted for much out here. As long as the people don't do anything to make surviving out here any more difficult than it needs to be, then we tend to only help arbitrate conflicts."

"When I said drinks don't do anything, I meant it literally. I'm really resistant to poisons and alcohol falls into that category." Ruby pushed the glass away.

"That's a shame. Alcohol works a lot like medicine when applied at the correct dosage. Then again, it is just as common that people turn it into a crutch. Taking something that they don't need to survive. That's enough talk from an old guard from the boonies. Go talk to Maple and she'll make sure you're treated right in this town. No one messes with the one who supplies the booze." The man gave Ruby a push towards the bar as he went back to chatting.

"You come back for that glass of milk, little miss hero." The bartender said, pulling out a glass filled with milk.

"Can you point out a woman named Maple? The guards told me that she could help me get everything I need before heading out," Ruby asked.

"You're looking at her. They probably want me to give you room, board, and advice on where to shop. Luckily, I was already going to do that since we can't afford to pay you for your services. We're not exactly the richest village, but I'm sure some vendors would be more than happy to give you a discount since you won't receive a full commission."

"You don't have to do that. I received plenty of money before leaving Vale, so cash shouldn't be an issue for me. It would feel wrong to take so much from all of you when all I only did what was right." Ruby brought her hands up to dismiss the very idea.

"I get that some of you have the whole 'we do it because we're the only ones who can' shtick, but you can't live off of nothing. The least you can do is sleep on the idea." Maple pushed the glass towards Ruby. "Sorry about calling you a kid earlier. I heard that Huntsman and Huntresses usually look young, but I never thought you could be an Academy graduate."

"That's even more reason for you all to not pay me." Ruby began twiddling her thumbs. "I didn't exactly graduate. I'm a Beacon dropout since I didn't finish my education." Ruby looked down at her glass in embarrassment over the fact.

"There ain't no shame in that. We all have our own circumstances in life and you seem to be doing just fine. Don't tell the guards I said this, but you could probably beat all of them in a fight." Maple said, getting Ruby to laugh. "Now that's what I wanted to see. There's no reason to get so worked up over something like that when your skill speaks for itself. Any plans for your future then since you aren't going to be a Huntress?"

"I plan on taking up the job one of my teachers had. He always said it was a thankless job that someone has to do, so I figured I might as well start. Maybe find some people who I can help learn the craft like what Dunstan did for me."

"Sounds exciting. What did your teacher do before, well, he taught?"

"He was a Hunter, not the kind that goes after animals, but a person who hunts monsters."

"You mean like the Grimm."

"Not exactly. He would fight Grimm if he came across some, but he specialized in hunting plague ridden beasts. Beings that had mutated due to a very infectious virus and would do anything to infect others. Some of them even look like Grimm after their left alone for long enough, but they have different eyes."

"Sounds like a bad horror flick to me, but stranger things have happened around Remnant. So, is that why you came here?"

"I was tracking a pack of Scourge Beasts. They're a lot like Beowolves, except tougher, more vicious, and have a resistance to most firearms. Unless you're packing a cannon, you'll need to get up close and personal with them. Even then you'd have to worry about infection from their blood. They can even act as beacons for the Grimm thanks to them giving off a much anger and other emotions."

"I know I'll sleep better at night, knowing that there is someone like you out there keeping the beasts at bay. The world needs heroes now more than ever with communications down. Distress beacons can't contact anyone and the Huntsman won't come running." Maple said, as Ruby finished her glass of milk.

"We're not heroes. Just people with a job that has to be done. It's not glorious, it's bloody, dirty, and can't be done by anyone who wants to be called a hero. With Dunstan gone, someone has to fill his shoes. Might as well be me after everything I learned from him." Ruby got up from her seat and pushed her stool back underneath the counter. "If anything comes up, you can find me camping by the town entrance." Ruby grabbed her backpack and threw it on.

Ruby turned around to walk out when Maple shouted, "Think fast." Ruby jumped forward and spun around quickly to find a ring with a key on it flying at her. Raising her hand, Ruby caught the keys. "Your room number is 206. Remember to return those keys before you take off."

Ruby gave a soft smile and walked up the stair case. Reaching her room, Ruby unlocked the door and walked into the small room. A lone bed sat next to the window giving her a view of the town. The only decorative furniture she saw was a small dresser with a mirror sat atop it. Too tired to bother with anything at the moment Ruby took her pack off and set her weapons on the floor. She couldn't even remember the last time she bothered to dawn sleep wear. Getting dressed, she kept a single holster strapped to her side and fell onto the bed letting sleep overtake her.

Ruby waked up to the comforting sight of a roof over her head and the sound of people working outside. The bed beneath her almost felt too soft after having spent three weeks roughing it. Her hand still instinctively clutched at the pistol that remained strapped to her side, even during her rests. Sitting up, Ruby stretched her arms and looked out the window. Preparations for a mass funeral were already underway even with the sun just peaking over the horizon. Wagons loaded with the dead were being pulled out towards a mostly empty field. Funeral pyres were already under construction and would likely be completed before noon.

Even death seemed to have lost its sting after causing, seeing, and experiencing so much of it. Ruby pulled herself out of bed and started her daily routine. Walking over to a nearby bucket of water Ruby dunked her head and began running her hands through the tangled strands. Dirt washing out of her hair with each stroke. Ruby grabbed a rag that was hanging on the edge of the bucket and started wiping herself down. Basic hygiene was something of a rarity that Ruby could only enjoy when she came across a river. Ruby let out a sigh of relief as she felt the layers of dirt being removed. She tried rubbing her wrists and hands to get more of the dirt off, only to find the beginning of a tan. Pulling her sleeve up further it became apparent that her pale skin had a clear dividing line just above her wrists.

Walking towards the mirror, Ruby could finally get a clear view on how much had changed after a few weeks outside of the kingdom. No new scars formed on her due to the unique physic that came with being bound to the dream, but some natural growth had started to occur. Her once shoulder length hair had started encroaching on her back. She had noticed how her hair started to pass by her eyes during a fight and with a mirror now in front of her, Ruby could see just how frayed the ends had become. Even her eyes appeared different. They still retained their silver color, but seemed to have lost their soft gaze. Ruby had seen the same eyes from some of her professors back at Beacon. The sight may have proved startling if Ruby hadn't realized the change before starting her journey. Her friends and sister had all pointed it out in one way or another during Vale's recovery. Her sister, Yang, joked about it being the end of the era of puppy dog eyes. Funnily enough, she wasn't wrong about the end of an era. Since the plague had suddenly exploded in each kingdom and cut them off from one another, it could no longer be considered the era of peace.

After 80 years of peace the four kingdoms were divided and keeping each other at a distance for fear of which one would be the first to strike. The last thing anyone saw being transmitted from Vale was Atlas robots opening fire on civilians. Vacuo and Mistral saw an opportunity and launched an attack on Atlas. All that was known to the world was that by the end of the month, Atlas continued to stand and no kingdom retained an army sizable enough to make an attempt on any other kingdom. Even two on one, Atlas' frozen lands, mountains, and fortifications managed to outlast their invaders. Remnant's shortest war that crippled three out of the four kingdoms militaries. How much of each kingdom was still around after their armies left was questionable though thanks to the plague's sudden appearance and growth.

Ruby finished washing and grabbed her cloak. Pulling the red hood over her head, she made her way down the stairs into the inn's bar. The bar was mostly empty save for a few patrons who were sleeping at their tables. Maple was behind the bar cleaning glasses when Ruby walked over.

"Did you sleep well?" Maple asked.

"I slept fine. Can you show me around town or do you have to stay here?" Ruby motioned around the bar and towards the passed-out patrons.

"I can leave. Bar doesn't open up till noon and Onyx can make sure no one tries to get at the alcohol." Maple placed her glass on the counter and took a deep breath. "Onyx, I'm heading out. Keep an eye on the bar."

Maple jumped the counter and took Ruby by the arm, guiding her out of the inn and into the town. Ruby let herself be dragged around by the excited barkeep. The town square contained a well and a few store fronts from the merchants passing through town. Most selling goods that couldn't be produced in a small town. Ammunition wasn't a problem for Ruby as long as she could get to the Hunters Dream to restock and the lantern she installed outside the inn provided the perfect entrance. Food was something else altogether. Though death would bring back to a normal healthy state of being, it couldn't supplement the sensation of a full belly or certain experiences.

Smoked and dried goods had proven to be some of Ruby's best friends after she realized that rations tended to taste like dirt. The only useful thing she managed to scrap from them tended to be the small supply of Dust meant to cook the 'meals'. Foraging for food turned out to be easy thanks to Ruby's ability to easily process any poison and nullify it. She even figured that raw meat likely wouldn't be a problem due to what ran through her blood, but there were some barriers she didn't want to cross just yet when alternatives were available.

Maple led Ruby to each of the shops and true to word, each one was incredibly thankful for her assistance last night. They offered her free goods and discounts which Ruby readily declined. The trip went on like that for about an hour when a bell began to toll. Shops were quickly closed and merchant stalls were emptied as people moved towards the town bell.

When they arrived, a crowd had formed with what she assumed was the mayor standing on a podium. "We have gathered here to remember those that gave their lives in the defense of our town. Without their sacrifice, many of us wouldn't be standing here today. Though they are no longer with us, they will always be remembered." The mayor raised his arm with a chisel in his hand. "Their names will be added to the town monument and their ashes scattered to the winds."

The town was filled with applause for the speech as they all headed towards the field where the pyres had been constructed. Without even needing to look Ruby could smell the death that lingered within the wooden structures. Her senses easily picking up on the scent and putting her on edge. Taking a few breaths to calm down she found herself next to Maple as a torch was thrown into the tower.

Flames quickly worked their way up the structure. Smoke ran out of the opening at the top and carried the black fumes further up into the sky. People were dancing in the daylight as the departed rose above Remnant. Ruby found the fires mesmerizing to watch as they danced over the wood. Time seemed to become irrelevant to Ruby until someone accidently bumped her with their shoulder.

The festivities were in full swing with people dancing around the pyres. Those that were tired sat on the edge of the field chatting idling with one another. Most talking about their day or those to come with winter a few weeks away. Though one conversation caught Ruby's attention. Two men drinking beer from their mugs chatted about a few missing people.

"Have you seen the Oaks?"

"Last I heard they were hauling some Grimm that wouldn't dissolve out into the forest. Couldn't just leave the thing by the road so some guards asked them to chuck it."

"Wonder how far they went out. I know people don't want to attract any dangerous wildlife, but a ten-minute walk out should have been fine." The man said.

"Who helped haul it anyways?"

"Probably their son and daughter, since Grey is busy with the harvest."

"We'll just have to enjoy their share of the festivities then." The two men walked off with mugs in hand.

Ruby could feel her hand clenching at the thought of what she just heard. A minimum of two infected not counting who killed the beast originally and who was around when it happened. People who walked over the spilt blood could have touched their boots and then anything else. Food, water, or worst case the town well. People were walking around celebrating their survival and interacting with one another. The perfect situation to spread the infection and the next day all the travelers and merchants would head out to the next village on their route. Ruby could feel her heart beat pounding with each pulse causing her head to throb. No one was armed at the festival besides the few town guards. It wouldn't take long to kill them all. The first few wouldn't even realize they were killed if she struck fast enough. Everywhere she looked, Ruby saw the masses covered in red with fear frozen upon their faces. The plague didn't distinguish between young or old, it consumed all with and left people to fates worse than death. Ruby's hand was reaching for her weapon when a sudden touch on her shoulder, broke her free of her thoughts.

"You alright, Ruby?" Maple asked.

"I'm fine, just thinking about something." Ruby eased her hands back to her side.

"Well then," Maple extended a hand to Ruby, "would you like a dance, fair lady?"

Ruby used a hand to suppress a laugh before using her other to grab Maple's. "I would be delighted."

They still had options, Ruby thought. First thing first would be separating the noninfected from the infected. Stop it from spreading and then presenting the two horrible options for the infected. Either be executed or take a chance with a transfusion where if you survive you're drafted into the equivalent of an undead cult. She couldn't take the chance of leaving them in the village where they could accidently infect others.

Ruby led Maple around the pyre as they danced with the town. Ruby could enjoy this moment for a little longer and then an announcement could be made. If everyone remained calm and followed her instruction, no one who wouldn't have to die would. Ruby could feel her mood fall with the understanding that the likelihood of everyone complying would be near zero. Putting a smile on, Ruby continued to dance and try to enjoy herself for however long she could.

Well, that feels like an appropriate note to leave off on. This chapter should mostly serve as a nice introduction to everyone. I hope that this was worth the wait for all of you. On a side note, you can expect the next chapter to be released in 2 weeks. That means Jan. 15th is when you can expect a new chapter.