Disclaimer: RWBY is owned by Rooster Teeth.

Author's Notes: Another rough one, and it's short. Bleh.

The sky was an empty azure, crossed by circling hawks looking for an absentminded meal, but to the north, gathering storm clouds threatened a heavy rain later in the evening. The tall mountains that sat on the horizon behind the mission's buildings stabbed upwards into the vast blue emptiness, concealing the shining yellow sun behind their high peaks. Amber fields of knee-height grass rustled in the light breeze that washed over the plains, carrying the crisp smell of fresh air and wildflowers' pollen. Far to the south, the wispy trail of smoke from a Schnee Railroad Company train was visible leading away from the approaching town, the sound of the engine's whistle a faint screech barely audible over the large distance.

The conglomeration of structures that made up Beacon started at the bottom of a short crest and staggered up the slope to culminate in a lavishly ornate church with a vigilant bell tower, the giant bronze bell glittering in the dimming light. Each building was constructed of the dark local woods of the mountains; mostly pines and sturdy oaks; save for the church, which was built of finely planed planks of maple brought along by the missionaries from the East.

Swathes of grass slowly began to give way to thin trails that then coalesced into a well-traveled road for the trio of girls to follow into the town, small puffs of dust pluming from their horses' shoes. Two townspeople were waiting for them as the reached the edge of the mission; a tall man with silver hair whose eyes hid behind a dark pair of glasses, and a slightly shorter woman, with bright blonde hair, hovering at the man's shoulder. Weiss tugged her reins toward the pair, followed by Ruby and Yang on either flank. Pulling her horse up short, Weiss waited as the man stepped forward to grasp the bridle and stand at her side.

"Hello, Ms. Schnee," the man said. His voice was calm and gentle, but carried a subtle authority and depth of knowledge that made his words seem intensely powerful. "You weren't anticipated to arrive for another two days." His eyes twinkled with thoughtful curiosity as he peered up at her over his glasses, "And you were expected to arrive by train..."

Weiss kept her face forward, only glancing down sidelong, "And yet you are here to meet us at the edge of town, Father Ozpin, despite our surprise punctuality?"

An amused grin wrinkled the weathered skin by his eyes, "Yes, well, one of our more naïve and fearful members mistook you for approaching bandits."

Yang slowed to a stop beside Weiss, glancing down at the Father across Weiss' gelding, "And if we had been bandits? What would you have done?"

Ozpin's eyes flicked to Yang, but no longer held any of the mirth he had favored Weiss with. "You would have found Beacon to be far more prepared than it appeared. Glynda," He turned his head to look at the woman, still standing in the road, "would you please let everyone know it's safe?"

"Certainly, Father." Glynda bobbed her head then turned sharply on her heel and strut down the road in a straight path aimed directly at the church.

Ozpin returned his attention to the three girls, gently stroking his hand along the gelding's muzzle. "You three must certainly be hungry after your travels. Have you eaten yet?" Without waiting for an answer, he continued, "Perhaps you would join me for a light supper in my home?"

The sisters looked at Weiss for direction, and the white-haired rider nodded politely. "We would be grateful, if it did not cause any undue difficulty for you?"

He waved away her concern and started walking toward a corner of the small town, leading her horse by the slackened reins, "Not at all, Ms. Schnee. One of the main tenets of my creed is the breaking of bread with the weary and the hungry." Ozpin glanced back over his shoulder at the trio, "And you three fit both those descriptions. Come, dinner is waiting."

The great bell raised in the church's tower began to chime as they passed the church, and Weiss watched as the wide doors opened and released a flood of townsfolk, who began scurrying towards their homes. Matronly women tried to corral the dozens of children away from the horses, but Yang's enormous stallion still drew many pairs of wide eyes. The blonde grinned and gave the small ones a quick wink, forming her hand into the shape of a primitive pistol and pointing it at the enraptured boys whose eyes followed more than just her horse. Each boy then got a quick slap from Glynda for their unvirtuous attentions, before the older woman joined the modest party heading towards Ozpin's home.

...

The horses were left tied to a railing of Ozpin's front porch, munching on the sparse grass that made up the Father's lawn, while inside the home the travelers were seated at a long oak table. Plates of food were passed around while Glynda lit candles to push back the growing darkness. Between bites of buttered bread, Ruby asked, "Are you two married?"

"Unfortunately, our beliefs forbid pastors to marry." Ozpin began while handing a dish of potatoes to Yang, "She is, though, a very old friend."

"Hmph!" Glynda sniffed, placing the last candle and extinguishing the match with a curt puff of breath. "I'm not that old."

Ozpin leaned over to Yang, covering his mouth with a hand, "Nor that friendly..." Yang snorted but tried to pass it as a cough when faced with Glynda's withering scowl. "Now, before we eat, let us say a quick prayer..."

And when he finished, they dined.

Weiss wiped her mouth with the corner of her napkin, enjoying the last few lingering flavors of the delicious meal. It had definitely been the best she'd had since she left; the cooks at home might even be in need of some pointers. She leaned back in her chair, letting her hands rest daintily in her lap while she waited for her dining companions to finish. Ozpin, who had appeared to be waiting as well, surprised her by asking, "Have you explained the situation to your friends, Ms. Schnee?"

"Hmm? I, oh, well, no." Yang, shoveling food into her mouth, glanced at her and raised an eyebrow. "I thought it prudent we arrive, first." The weakness of her recovery was disappointing.

Ozpin spread his hands. "Well, you have arrived. Would you like to begin, or should I?"

A loud burp interrupted them, Yang leaning back in her chair and patting her stomach. "High rate if I do say so! Delicious!" Turning to Ozpin, she said, "All she's told us is we're transportin' an outlaw, so why don't you catch us up from there?"

He took a moment to match her expectant suspicion with a calm serenity, then began slowly, "She came to us-"

"She?" Ruby asked quickly before getting an angry 'shush!' from Glynda.

Ozpin smiled and tilted his head at his friend, then continued, "She came to us two weeks ago, after she was captured in a cavalry engagement. We put her in the jail after treating her wounds, and sent a telegram to Atlas. They responded soon, and together we worked out a plan. Someone would come to transport her to justice," He glanced at Weiss, "but they never said it would be a Schnee herself."

Weiss ignored his implied question, sitting forward, "Normally we would have simply put her on the first train to Atlas, but due to some critical circumstances, that is not possible."

Yang cocked her head, leaning forward to rest her elbows on the table, either unaware of or refusing to acknowledge Glynda's disapproving glare, "Circumstances, huh? What makes it so she can't ride a train?"

The creak of a chair drew everyone's attention to the head of the table, where Ozpin was rising from his seat. With a final brush of his napkin across his mouth, he straightened his jacket and looked at each girl in turn, saying, "To answer that question, I think it would be best if you met her." He gestured for them to stand, then lead the way out of the house.

...

Glynda carried a candle to light their way through the deepening twilight as they followed the empty streets to the other side of the town, sheltering the fragile flame from the strengthening wind with her hand. The mission's jail was a squat building made of thick oak beams, set a half-step into the ground so the roof was just above head height, the only window cut out of the door and crossed by strong iron bars. Ozpin rapped his knuckles twice on the door, and after a short wait the group was greeted by a gangly youth dressed in a worn cavalry uniform standing at attention in the doorway. "Father Ozpin! H-How can I help you? Are you here to see the prisoner?"

"Yes, Jaune. Have you eaten recently? You look pale."

The boy's shoulders drooped, "It's... she's... she won't let me rest! I-"

The pastor held up a hand, then placed it gently on Jaune's shoulder. "Easy, my son. Go eat, and rest. You have done well. Go." He gave the soldier a small nudge in the direction of the church, then nodded the girls and Glynda inside.

Weiss entered just after the matron, using the handrail to steady herself as she stepped into the prison. The space was cut in half by a line of square wooden posts eight inches thick that held up the low ceiling, each connected to the next by a series of vertical iron bars so close together Weiss doubted she could fit her whole arm between them. The far side of the building was entirely allocated to the cells, each having a stocky bed, chamber pot, and thin window that was just above ground level, offering the prisoners a wonderful view of grass and dirt. Candles were tucked into brass braces nailed to the walls, shedding their warm light across the creaky floor. The near wall had a bench running its full length, iron hooks pressed into the wood along the wall to hang garments, shackles, or keys, the latter of which dangled just by the door. At the very end of the hallway the group was herded into, from inside the last cell, a pair of pale arms hung through the bars, resting against the lock.

"Do I have more visitors?" The voice that drifted down the hallway was akin to a raspy growl, any semblance of femininity lost amongst the feral ferociousness. "Or a new gaoler? The last was a little faint of heart..."

Ozpin slid to the front of the company, unconcernedly moving to the end of the room and standing opposite the hanging arms, though Weiss noticed he was careful to remain out of their reach. He swung his arm in a presenting gesture, "Ladies, the prisoner."

The three girls shuffled down the hall until they were beside Ozpin, and could finally observe their new charge. Narrowed eyes the color of molten gold prowled across their faces, examining, evaluating, seeking any exploitable weakness. Thick tresses darker than midnight hung about the woman's – creatures? – shoulders, the perfect contrast to her milky skin, dirtied by days in the dusty prison. But what absorbed Weiss' attention, and from her peripheral she could tell did the same to her companions, were the fuzzy ears that poked out from the top of the creature's head, held flat against her scalp in... fear? Anger? Boredom?

"Oh?" The woman licked her lips, revealing for a moment pointed white teeth, "Quite an audience you've brought me, Father." The eyes wandered across Weiss' face and clothes, "I see a Schnee, far from home," The golden discs switched to Yang, "a bounty hunter," They flashed to Ruby, but the spark of interest faded from their depths, and they drifted back to Ozpin, "and a young girl, barely old enough to ride. Are these to be my guardians?"

Ozpin ignored her, addressing the party of travelers, "I believe I can trust you three alone with her? I suppose I must, if you are to transport her. I'll be just outside when you are done." He turned to the faunus and crossed himself, "Mercy upon you, child of God," then stepped to Glynda. The pair left, leaving the candle wavering on the bench.

Four pairs of eyes watched them exit, then turned back to one another. Weiss spoke first. "I think it would be best if we left tonight, and utilize the storm."

Yang shot her a confused look, "What? Why? We only just got here, princess! I ain't even had time to get a good drink and you already want to be headin' on?" She put her hands on her hips, "An' why do you want to leave so soon anyway? Last night was your first time sleeping outside and now you want to go ridin' through a storm?"

Weiss glared at her, stepping forward and pushing her face in front of the blonde's, "Yes! It would be better if we left early, and the storm would hide our tracks! It would slow them down!"

Piping up from the bench, Ruby asked, "Slow 'them'? Who are they?"

Weiss opened her mouth, but quickly closed it again. The sisters wouldn't desert her if they knew the true threat, would they?

The faunus seemed to sense her weakness, and chuckled to herself, "They don't know who I am?" Raising her voice, "You didn't tell them the entirety of their duty, did you, Schnee?" She pressed her face against the bars, smiling evilly at the sisters, "You have allied yourselves with a greedy viper, bounty hunters, who will hoard everything of value just to keep it out of your hands. She's the daughter of a vulture, preying on the weak, and will watch from afar while you die, waiting for your last breath before she robs you. She leads you to your doom."

"Silence, filth!" Weiss screamed, stomping in front of the bars and glaring red-faced at the laughing yellow eyes. "You should be gagged, you disgusting faunus! Then your whispered lies would choke you!"

"Who is she, Ms. Schnee?" Ruby asked from the back of the space, standing from the bench and joining her sister in watching the spiteful argument. "Who are we trying to slow down? Why can't we take her by train?"

White teeth caught the candlelight as the creature grinned, slinking to the back of her cell and lying on her bed, dressed in the shadows of the cage. "Tell them, Schnee, and watch them flee from your side!"

Weiss hung her head, grinding her teeth together in frustration as she slowly turned to face the sisters and their curious, demanding expressions. "This," she began, gesturing to the smirking faunus, "is Blake Belladonna of the White Fang." Watching as Yang and Ruby's eyes grew wide, she continued, "And we are her jailors! If we leave tonight and make reasonable time, we'll be safe in Atlas and you two will be rich."

Yang abruptly shut her hanging mouth and put her hand to her face while Ruby continued to stare, eventually collapsing back onto the bench. "We're transporting the Blake Belladonna? Blake 'Nightshade' Belladonna, the wildcat of the West, the dark matriarch of the White Fang and betrothed of the warlord?" She clawed her hands through her hair, "You have to be shittin' me, Ms. Schnee!"

"So you see why we need to leave immediately, and without taking trains, don't you!? The longer we wait-"

"The closer the Fang gets to us." Yang pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, using her arm to support herself against the wall. "Well, it'd be mighty nice if we could take the train, but between your situation and tryin' to outrun the best train robbers in the world, maybe it'd be best if we just not even think about trains."

"Then we leave-"

White light flared through the windows, instantaneously illuminating the entire prison for the blink of an eye before the darkness returned. Moments later, the deep reverberation of thunder rolled through the air, rumbling in their chests, forcing a lengthy pause into the conversation.

When the cacophonous growl eased to an end, Weiss gulped, breathing out through her nose in defeat. "We may be forced to stay the night, after all."

A cackling laugh slithered from the back of the Blake's cell, "Scared of the storm, Schnee? Rain, thunder, and lightning will soon be the least of your worries..."

"Shut up, beast!" Weiss snapped back into the dim prison. She closed her eyes to try and regain her composure, then addressed the sisters, "We should speak to Father Ozpin about our lodgings tonight."

Yang nodded. "I agree," She started walking to the exit, "And I think I need a drink too. A strong one."

...

After discussing their plans with Ozpin, the Father had pointed them in the direction of the mission's mostly vacant inn, down the road from the jail and run by a portly gentleman with a large mustache. Yang helped her sister move their packs and supplies into their separate room, then left in search for a bar just as the first drops of rain splattered into the dirt. Weiss watched her walk into the town from her window, following the bouncing hat with her eyes until it disappeared around a corner.

The rowdy blonde hadn't spoken a word to her since they left the prison, avoiding eye contact and standing far to the side during the explanation to Ozpin, and now Weiss was worried that she was upset with her. Well, she was obviously upset, but upset enough to perhaps abandon their goal? She wouldn't, right? She was too invested in the dual rewards.

As well as maybe...?

Weiss pulled the curtains closed, hiding the rain-streaked glass, and moved to her bed, snuffing the candle before climbing beneath the sheets and resting her head against the pillow. Tomorrow their trial would begin, and it would take all her concentration and energy to confound the Fang and get her small party to civilization quickly.

She soon fell asleep, wrapped in a warm cocoon of covers.

...

Sometime late in the night she was awoken by a sharp knock on her door. She grabbed her derringer from the nightstand as she sat upwards, pointing it at the door and gently lifting the covers from her legs. "Who is it?" Her voice sounded so frightened, so frail, in the darkness. There was no response, and Weiss crept softly across the creaky floorboards to the door, her pistol held close to her chest. "Who's there?" She asked a final time, pulling back the hammer of her weapon.

Moving fast to catch the intruder by surprise, Weiss heaved the door open, shoving the barrel of her pistol into the hall. When she saw nothing but empty air, she cautiously stepped out of her room, scanning down either side of the hallway for a trace of the mysterious knocker. Both ends were equally empty, but just as she turned around to go back to bed, she heard the muffled 'click!' of the latch on the door beside hers, as though it had just closed.

Groaning as she stumbled back to bed and replaced her pistol on the table by the headboard, she buried herself under the covers and tried to get back to sleep as quickly as possible.

She couldn't tell if she was more annoyed or happy that Yang Xiao Long felt it necessary to notify her of her return.

But the smile on her lips and sense of comfort made strong arguments for the latter.

Author's Notes: The next update for this story might be a long ways off; after finishing this chapter it was apparent to me that some of my critical plot/character points do not make sense. For example, I had to scrap one of Yang's three rules because it was too complicated and difficult to work in. The story in general is similar: it's like a bowling ball that I threw wrong. I know how I wanted it to go, but when it actually started rolling I could only watch as it started to drift toward the gutter. I've also lost my editor so now I don't know if what I want you guys to get is actually coming through.

Well, whatever. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Thank you for reading!

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