Reminiscent Warmth

"We look before and after,

And pine for what is not.

Our sincerest laughter

With some pain is fraught

Our sweetest songs are those

That tell the saddest thought."

- Percy Bysshe Shelley.

Optional Song - I'll Follow You Into the Dark, by Death Cab for Cutie.

"What in Remnant were you thinking?!"

"I can't leave her like that!"

"You bloody well should have! What are we going to tell Roy when we get back?!"

"I - I don't know."

"See, that's your problem Travis. You don't know. You don't think. You do."

"What would YOU have done?"

"Isn't it obvious? Leave her!"

"But she'd die!"

"She just took out eighty, ninety Beowolves, solo! I think she can bloody well take care of herself!"

Ruby woke up feeling warmer and colder than she had ever been. Cracking an eyelid open, she could see two men bickering over a dying campfire. The moon was hovering over the horizon, and the blizzard has abated to a gentle drizzle of snowflakes.

"Can't you see she was out of aura?"

"Couldn't care less."

"And that's your problem Malcolm! You don't give a shit about anything!"

"And you give too much!"

Their argument has escalated into full on shouting and it was hurting her head. Scratch that. Her entire body hurts. It felt as if she had been pounded by an Ursa over and over again, but at least she was alive. She analyzed her surroundings. There was a burly man and a young man beside him, talking brashly. She spotted Crescent Rose lying on the ground next to them, uncomfortably close to the fire itself.

Night has fallen, and with it the temperature. Ruby sneezed - the snow trapped within the folds of her clothing had melted and her campfire companions noticed. It was then did she realized that they were faunus - one of them sported a pair of antlers and the other a leopard's tail.

"Oh look, sleeping beauty's awake." the deer faunus jeered. "Go kiss your Prince Charming."

He stood up, stretching his massive shoulders.

"Hey, where are you going?" the other asked.

"Outta here. Getting some wood. Fire's dying. Besides, she's your problem."

Footsteps plowed away from the camp and the leopard faunus sighed in exasperation.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked. Her vision improved slowly, and she could her knight in shining armor clearly - a young faunus, well built in his mid-twenties. He wore a thick parka with camouflage patterns of grey and white, and his tail flicked around, playing with the snow. He was poking the campfire with a stick, trying to revive the coals.

She tried to move her stiff limbs but realized they were bound by ropes.

Seeing the girl struggle, Travis stopped toying with the fire.

"Sorry about that." he moved to her side and started unbinding the ropes. "I'm Travis. That ass out there is Malcolm and-"

The girl wasn't there any more.

Swearing in surprise, he leapt back. She was a dozen paces away and holding her weapon - how did she get there so fast? And the air.. he swore he could smell the aroma of roses. A flying petal pelted him in the nose and he waved it away. The entire camp was surrounded by roses.

"Calm down!" Travis said, arms outstretched in an appeasing manner. "We're not gonna hurt you."

"Then why did you tie me up?" the girl croaked. Speech felt alien to Ruby; seven years of isolation had stifled her ability to speak considerably.

"Malcolm insisted. Look; we just found you in the blizzard. Well, I did. You looked like you needed help, so I brought you here."

"Where is.. here?"

"Home. For tonight, that is. We're heading further south to join the others."

"What were you doing here?" she asked suspiciously. "There's nothing here."

The leopard faunus shook his head. "Yeah, there's nothing alright. Just a bunch of dead wood and arctic animals but Roy thought - hey can you lower that thing? You're scaring the shit out of me."

There was a pregnant pause.

"Cookies."

"What?"

"You heard me. Do you have any cookies?"

She heard the sound of footsteps and glanced to see the beefy deer faunus returning to camp.

"Hey Trav, can't find any decent wood - what the hell is going on?"

Ruby pointed the barrel at the faunus, alternating every few seconds.

"Cookies." she repeated.

"Hey Malc."

"What."

"You got any cookies left?"

Travis sat silently, watching the girl devour a jumbo pack of cookies Malcolm had been snacking on the entire trip. Its owner sulked with his back turned against the girl and the campfire. She chewed on silently, crumbs dropping to the lap of her fur clothing. She had her cloak wrapped around her, staring blankly into the fire. Her black eyepatch adds to the list of intimidating mysterious surrounding her.

"What's your name?"

She continued to munch on her cookies.

A little flustered at being ignored, Travis repeated once more. "What's your-"

"I heard you the first time." she cut him off. Then; "Ruby."

Gears whirred in his head. Seeing how she handled the giant pack of beowolves they'd been struggling to avoid in their journey, she's definitely a Huntress. But aside from a few retirees too old to lift a weapon, everyone knows Huntsmen are pretty much extinct. Not a single academy had survived the Black Tide, and the rest were slain at the Cataclysm. If any were left, they're hidden pretty well.

So what's a lone Huntress doing out here in the middle of nowhere?

"Why are you here, Ruby?" he asked tentatively, trying to be considerate.

"Living."

"That's not a very good answer."

"That's what you're getting." She turned her back to him with a near imperceptible movement - just noticeable enough for him to realize she had taken offense at his reply.

Okay. That didn't go as well as he'd hoped.

"Where are you from?" she asked.

Surprised that she had taken the initiative, Travis answered haltingly.

"Atlas."

"Atlas is gone. I was there."

"The city, perhaps. But not the people."

She took the last of the cookies and broke it in half. She handed one half to Travis. He took it gingerly. He brushed her skin and shivered; it was icy cold.

"Thanks."

"What, none for me?" Malcolm interjected.

"You had me tied up."

"It was a precaution! And a good one, seeing you nearly blew our heads off!"

"Yeah. Well, thanks for the cookies." Ruby got up to leave. "There's a well hidden shortcut to the southeast. It's hard going but it should get you to where you want to be faster."

"Good riddance." Malcolm murmured. If she'd heard him, she showed no signs of it.

Just as she was about to fade into the night, Travis stood up and shouted.

"Come with us!"

His outburst surprised him just as much as it did Malcolm and Ruby, who glanced back with a raised eyebrow, but he decided to go with it. "We could use your help."

"You've lived this long without me, I'm sure you'll be just fine." she replied.

"Listen to her!" Malcolm said. "Saving a damsel in distress is one thing, but bringing a human to the Sanctuary? Roy's gonna flip out!"

"Not just any human; a Huntress."

"I'm not a Huntress." Ruby interposed.

"And I'm not a drop-dead sexy hunk of Faunus booty." Malcolm snickered. "I'm not very bright, lady, but I'd have to be downright retarded to not recognize a Huntress when I see one."

"I'm not a Huntress." she insisted.

"Alright, you're not." Travis conceded. "But it doesn't change the fact you're a skilled fighter. We could really use someone of your caliber."

"Use?"

"My bad, it wasn't what I-"

"It doesn't matter." she said. She seems to be considering his request.

"She ain't comin', get over it." Malcolm said, lying on his back nonchalantly.

"We've got cookies." Travis joked.

He didn't actually think it would persuade the girl, but he swore he saw her resolve wavering at that statement

"Hang on. You're not serious." Malcolm said.

"I'll go." she decided. "On one condition."

"Look, lady, Travis might be in charge but I'm-"

He stopped when he noticed a gigantic scythe leveled at his throat. Ruby raised an index finger in front of her lips. The message was clear.

Shush.

"Name it."

"I get a piggyback ride." she smirked devilishly. "From this sexy hunk over here."

Both faunus stood still, dumbstruck.

"Do it, Malcolm." Travis broke the silence.

"Over my dead body." Malcolm whispered with gritted teeth.

"I may just take you to that offer." Ruby replied, removing part of the deer faunus's beard with a skillful jerk of her scythe.. "Alright! Alright! Crazy bitch." Malcolm jerked back with an oath, and walked away spitting a colorful spectrum of swear words. He grabbed a sleeping bag "You're gonna pay for this, Travis!"

Awkward silence reigned for a few moments.

"I guess that's settled." Travis concluded. "We still have a few more hours before daybreak, so I suggest we hit the sack."

Ruby started walking away.

"Hey, hey! Where are you going?"

"I don't like sleeping on the ground." she said without turning around. She stood in front of a pine tree and stretched her arms.

"We could share a sleeping bag." Travis suggested. It may be his imagination, but he thought he saw the faintest hint of a smile on the girl's face.

"Not interested."

She used a burst of aura to leap up the branch of a pine tree. She climbed higher and higher until she settled for a strong branch. Tying her cloak around the branches, she made a makeshift hammock.

Travis gave up and fell on his back.

What a woman.

What did he just get himself into?

A/N: So no, the stranger was not Jaune. What do you think? I have a ridiculous amount of free time today and thought, write some more? Why the hell not? I promise I'll never let sacrifice quality for quantity. Please tell me if there are any grammatical errors or if you have any suggestions to improve the story. And of course, review! They keep me on my feet.

Otherwise, have a good day.

-Deathwhisperer.