A.N.)- Screwing Authors Notes commencing.

I scowled at the… ursa? Yep that's an ursa. Fuck.

Slowly sniffing, the mass of black fur and white bone armor slowly stalked up the rise that led to large entrance to the cavern. The entrance was just a bit bigger than Andoriol's crouched form, so… maybe fifteen feet by twenty. It was in the side of a small cliff face on the way up the mountain, and I could see the body of the Ursa start to crest the rise.

Okay, so… what do I have?

No Blooming Moon, no legs… aura…? Nnnnot really.

And no Andy. Crap.

Lots of crap.

So… could I just hope it doesn't see me?

Of course it growled at me. How unbearable.

Alright, options?

Fight? Not feasible, but fallback option. Call for help?

… can't really make things any worse, I'm dead regardless if it doesn't work.

"ANDY–!" I was cut off with a wheeze and a small hack, but I took a deep breath even as the yell made the Ursa pause, "ANDORIOL! MIGHT NEED SOME HELP!"

The Ursa's growl intensified, and I hesitated. Not because I was particularly scared by the Ursa, but because shouting for help might make it come at me quicker… still… "Aaaaanddyyyyyy!"

It seemed the Grimm didn't care for my shouting, or saw it as a challenge. It breathed in deep before roaring. [1]

"Oh screw you," I grumbled beneath my breath, before breathing in deep, my heart starting to thud in my chest uncomfortably. I pushed my cloak aside, gripping my chains still around my bracers and trying to push myself into a proper sitting position, "ANDY!"

Taking two more steps forward, the Ursa roared again. I was trembling now though, was this… was I going to die now, after all of that? I'm so sorry Taiyang… Ruby… Yang… sweethearts… mommy might not be coming home… I breathed in deeply before shouting again, my voice cracking, "ANDY!"

The Ursa roared, the deep sound reverberating in my chest as it stalked closer. Damnit. Damnit damnit damnit! I survived fighting a full grown Goliath! I had to survive-! I had to-! "ANDY! Damnit Andoriol-! I've got a Grimm here! I need you here now-! … please…"

Inhaling deeply, the Ursa's chest expanded as it prepared to roar once more–

And the world shook. [2]

I felt the sound wash over me physically, the tongues of the fire actually leaning away from the entrance as some pebbles on the floor rattled in place, the sound accompanied by a ferocious if brief wind.

… oh… oh fuck.

Given how the Ursa's eyes widened, it probably agreed with me on that one. The Ursa began to scramble in my direction but–

*BOOM!*

Okay–! Wait, what-?! I missed that-!

Reflexively, I'd jerked back and the sudden blur of motion that I'd barely been able to interpret, a blur of white with streaks of red and black had just surged into the cavern and the floor had trembled! My brain had barely caught up to the fact that now the Ursa was more than half crushed into a small crater in the rock by Andoriol's large hand which was just large enough to wrap entirely around the Grimm Bear before both it and the arm blurred once more and my cloak actually rippled from the rush of wind from the displaced air. Out of the cavern entrance I saw the mass of the Ursa crash into and nearly through one of the large trees outside, practically splattering like a bug on a windshield as it did, making the tree buckle.

My jaw hung open for a few moments as I processed that.

Andoriol was half crouched outside of the cavern entrance, turned away from me with his right arm still extended from having flung the Ursa away, his large wings still in the process of re-folding into place even now.

Holy crap did that drive home how big he really was. His hand could fit entirely around an Ursa! Not an Alpha, sure, but definitely full grown! And by Dust was he fast! Something that big should not be that fast! Even without Aura enhancing my vision, I had good enough eyes that I should've been able to see something!

The giant turned back towards me, and in the shadows of his visor I saw glowing crimson for just the briefest of instants before glowing green was focused on me once more, tinges of purple at the edges as he quickly crawled into the cavern with that almost unnatural gait, "Rose-! You okay?"

I gaped at the giant knight, stunned for just a moment before a weak little chuckle escaped me, the tension melting out of my body as I slumped back onto the furs and I gave him a weak little smile, "Yeah… I am now big guy…"

Tenderly, his enormous knuckle brushed against my cheek as he tried to reassure himself that I was being honest. And while some part of me was still really, really unsettled by that, the big softie had freaking washed my legs and fed me, I could make do… though that fear had another component now because seriously, something that big should not be that fast. "So sorry… needed to get things to eat… didn't think the creatures could get here so soon."

"No, it's okay, I'm alright…" I said, my smile growing stronger as my heart rate finally started to get into the realm of normal again, "Just had a bit of a scare is all."

He sighed, pulling back, "Still… sorry."

With a bit of effort, I lifted a hand to waggle a finger at him, grinning, "Just don't let it happen again mister! I couldn't bear to be alone with someone as ungentlemanly as an Ursa!"

For a moment, I thought the joke would go totally over his head with how he blinked at me in confusion, glowing green eyes flickering a few times in that visor before he snorted, a chuffing laughter escaping him, "I'll do 'at I can."

I smiled a bit more genuinely at him this time if for just a moment before it faded, my dream coming back to me… though… that wasn't right, was it…?

"… Rose…?"

"… Andy… you…" I hesitated, especially after seeing that display of power. I… hell, if I was at full strength I wasn't sure I could beat him if he could keep up that sort of speed. But… I needed to know. Was it connected? Or was I just going crazy? "You ate Grimm while you were human… didn't you? That's what turned you into this…"

The enormous knight stiffened, eyes going wide. He was almost unnaturally still, like a statue rather than anything living for several long moments, his eyes focused on me… warily…? In anger…? It was hard to read someone's expression just from their eyes. Then he slumped, eyes falling to the rocky floor as he rumbled out, "How… how did you know?"

"I… I think I'm seeing your memories…" I admitted, unable to look at my savior's face… but he deserved to know, and I needed to know, "In my dreams… you… you had brown hair didn't you…?"

The silence stretched on for a long moment before he spoke, "Yes."

That confirmation was the straw that really broke the camels back, and it really just sort of… hit me how absurd all of this was, even for a Hunter… this was insane. All of it. I wrapped my arms around myself, silver eyes focusing on the far wall before the knight took a knee before me, one hand on the cavern floor for balance, "Rose… I… I don't understand. Anything. Any o' this… it's all new… I don't know how any o' it… acts. 'Ow could any o' this 'ork…? I need to kno' the things you do…"

"… know what…?" I almost hesitantly asked.

"Anything! I don't kno' anything!" For the briefest of moments, his voice rose and it just filled the cavern, making my ribs shake and a part of me wanted to shrink away, but he stiffened even as I watched, looking away and letting out a little sigh before speaking at a more normal volume, "I… this is all strange… don't ejen kno' 'at parts are strange and 'at aren't…"

As he trailed off, gesticulating with the hand not propping himself up, I softly and unhappily admitted, "Nothing about this isn't strange…"

"How though?" He asked with a near growl, "You… you kno' 'at is right here and 'at isn't and I don't ejen… that! None of it…"

"My aura isn't returning…" I started off slowly, but as I spoke, the words came faster, like cracks in a dam as it broke and the words practically tumbled out of my mouth, "It should've been back at least partially by now. It's there, but… it's not… and you're some sort of human Grimm thing which shouldn't even be possible… and somehow I'm seeing your memories when I sleep… and my legs are just gone now and I don't… none of this… makes any sort of sense…"

I hugged myself tightly, chest heaving as I tried to get my breathing back under control… and warm, oversized hands gently closed around me, making my head jerk up even as I was lifted and brought me to his armored chest. I stared up at him briefly as the giant murmured, "Sorry… so sorry… didn't 'ant that to… I didn't think that… I just needed to kno'… I shouldn'ta said… so sorry…" I pressed my face against the hard plating of his chest, hiding the hot tears flowing down my cheeks. I was a full grown Huntress damnit! I should be better than this! But the giant wasn't done, "Rose… I'll do anything you need… assist you in anything you desire… little or grand… ask… and I'll do all that I can…"

A little sob escaped me in spite of myself… I wanted to believe him… had to believe him… I had no other options… he was my only hope now… and while I didn't know for sure, I was willing to give him a chance. Tears slowly flowed out of my eyes and I let them as I leaned into the armor of his torso, finding myself gently enshrouded in black feathers as he wrapped his arms around me. Sniffling, I did my best to smile up at him, the attempt shaky and weak, "Despite all that armor, you really are a softie aren't you…?"

"Quite," he rumbled, and despite not being able to see his eyes, I could hear the small smile in his tone as he simply held me close and… it was nice. Despite being disconcerting on a certain level, there was a certain measure of comfort in being hugged by someone so big… and yeah… someone… not something. Had to do him at least that much justice.

Smiling and sniffling again, I pressed my forehead against the warm armor of his chest, my smile quivering as I struggled to maintain it, "Really… thanks big guy…"

The blunt back of one of his claws brushed gently against my shoulders as he rumbled, "It's okay. I do 'at I can."

A weak little laugh escaped me and I clung to the plating of his torso… and I let the tears flow freely, but quietly. We stayed like that for a while, he didn't patronize me by rocking me or anything, and instead just held me close to his armored chest and enveloped in the warm and soft down of the feathers on his wings. The ache in my chest… the fear and horror… those hadn't gone away, but at the very least I felt safe here… and the simple attempt to comfort me meant a lot to me.

Digging my palm into my eyes, I tried to dry them the red and puffy mess off. But eventually, I forced myself to take a shuddering breath to calm myself, and the mere touch of my hand on the giant's arm had him easing me away from his chest to look at me. I smiled weakly up at him, "Thanks big guy."

Those emerald eyes glowed a soft lavender briefly, "Least I could do, doing that to you."

While a part of me definitely wanted to give him some crap for that, I also knew that it wasn't really his fault. I was holding myself together because I had to, I was still on edge really… "It's not your fault… I was going to do that at some point or another. Really, I'm glad to have gotten it out of the way!" I beamed up at him, and even if it was a little fake, the look in his eyes softened.

Carefully, he set me back down on the furs, propping me up in a sitting position. "I need to get eats. You need to eat, increase your strength. Heal."

"Good point… just… ah…" I hesitated, realizing how silly and weak what I'd almost said would make me seem, but he didn't really care about that.

"Stay close." He filled in, reaching out to gently brush the back of his knuckles against the side of my arm, "I understand. I shall."

I smiled just a bit at him, grateful for his understanding. But… something was niggling at me, "Andy?" He paused mid turn to look at me, "What…" I hesitated, trying to reorder my thoughts into something resembling sentences, "… what's the plan? The overall one?" A pause before I softly pointed out, "I can't stay here forever, Andy…"

He sighed, nodding in agreement, "True… thinking that you should heal. Rest. And once strong enou', take you to the… toun."

"Sounds good…" I smiled just a bit before a knot started to twist itself in my stomach, out of paranoia or reasonable caution, I wondered… why hadn't he taken me there in the first place…? It was a terrifying thought that he'd taken me away on purpose…

White bone armor appeared in my vision, and I raised my gaze to him, realizing it'd fallen to the cavern floor. I found him looking at me in concern beneath that visor, "You okay…?"

… oh what the heck. "Andy… why didn't you take me there in the first place…? No offense, but I don't think you're exactly 'Doctor Andoriol'…" It hit me that that might seem ungrateful and I hastened to reassure him, "Though you've done a great job what with the huge hands and all! Just…"

He let out that chuffing sound of a chuckle before nodding, gesturing at the cavern, "Not a…" he started before making that 'the hell do I say' look with his eyes and settling on, "Clinic."

At my hesitant nod, he sighed and looked up at the rocky ceiling, slumping slightly, "Couldn't… tried to… couldn't. They shot at us… didn't see or… didn't care that I held you. You… lost legs and unconscious…" He shook his head slightly, looking down, "Didn't know hou tough or strong you are… could you take a hit? I couldn't take the risk. A single stray shot coulda done you in…"

"Yeah… I can see that…" That… made a lot of sense actually. Someone who just saw a huge, scary Grimm like Andy without knowing he was a big softie inside would shoot first and pray, even if they had someone… it made sense that twitchy civilians would shoot first. And since I didn't have my aura then or now… that could easily have saved my life. My own resigned sigh drew his emerald gaze back to mine and I asked, "What about you though…? What are you going to do?"

He shrugged. "Do nice things?"

…

"… what?"

Andoriol gave a determined nod, "Do nice things."

I just sorta gaped at him. "… you're a giant, alien, human-Grimm hybrid thing and your plans for the future are 'do nice things'?"

"Sorta. Hard to say really," he tapped the tips of his three oversized fingers against the fangs that formed his mouth… completely devoid of lips.

"… oh." I blushed a bit in embarrassment, realizing what he meant. "You have more plans, they're just hard to tell me?"

But at that, he sighed, "Sorta. Not a lot. No good ideas."

That didn't sit right with me… if he… no, when he got me back to civilization, I'd owe him my life, hell, I owed him my life already! And… ugh. "Okay, look. I know some people, when I get back, I'm going to make some calls… wish I still had my scroll so I could do it now but that was in my belt so I can't. But when I get back, I'll make some calls, see what I can do about getting you into civilization. About helping you turn back. Whatever we can do. I promise."

The giant stared at me in surprise for a brief moment before his eyes smiled, "Thank you. I'd… I'd like that."

"Hey, I'm a fully grown and trained Huntress," I said with a grin and pointing at him, "That means I return the favor when you save me."

A little chuffing laugh escaped the giant before he sighed, with what had to be a smile in his eyes, "I'll hold you to that… Rose…"

I smiled at him, a pleasant feeling surging through me, even if it was nothing more than words right now, I knew I fully intended to follow through with it, and the idea of at least doing something for him in return for giving me the opportunity to see my family again was worth so much to me.

The giant half turned, "I… has an idea to get eats without risking you too greatly… I'll return soon." Humor danced in the eyes hidden in the visor of his mask, "Don't go any'ere."

An amused snort escaped me and I used my arms to shift myself around slightly in order to get into a better position against the fur-covered rock I was propped against, "Well I guess I can stay here."

Laughing quietly, he turned fully, crawling out of the cavern.

"What an ass," I murmured, shaking my head, but smiling after him.

-oOo-

So… I was starting to get the impression that I was rather unwanted.

Eight of those werewolf hollows were gathered around together, milling about and slowly heading in the direction of the temple.

They'd been headed this way for a while now, I'd caught them coming not too long ago… but not too long would be plenty long enough.

Making sure everything was ready, I stood and took a step–

Right off of the branch and falling straight to the ground over a dozen feet below, landing right between two of the werewolf hollows at the back of the pack with a muted thud.

They all stopped, turning to look at me in surprise, so I grinned, "Hi~ I'm a bunny~!" [3]

Apparently they didn't know how to react to a bunny of my size, because they just stared at me for a long moment, probably blinking if those giant red eyes could. They smelled like wet dog and blood and general nastiness, a cloying and horrific scent that just filled the nose. So excuse me if I wasn't nice enough to not take advantage of their hesitation and hunting the wabbit.

With a little hop, I reoriented my left foot, my right raising off of the ground even as both my arms went up, and then my right arm went down and the left went out to counterbalance my leg swinging upwards in a textbook high kick as I kicked its teeth in.

Quite literally.

White bone cracked and fangs fractured as I kicked the werewolf hollows teeth right down its throat, the creature still having too much inertia to be sent utterly flying, but its' head snapped back with a resounding crack before I swept my leg back around and buried my heel into the face of the one on my other side in a roundhouse kick. Fuck yeah kickboxing!

Mind you, it did little more than stun that one since it was shit positioning and I wasn't that good, but still! It was awesome! And from the way the one on my left was already starting to sublimate, I knew I'd taken one of them out! Sweet shit.

So without further ado? It was time to haul ass.

"When the night, has come… and the land is dark…" Hopping back a few steps I twisted and rushed off to the tree I'd so recently vacated even as the howls lit up behind me. Ominous and terrifying in their number and menace… except for the part where everything was going according to plan. "And the moon… is the only… light we'll see!"

I ran a few steps right up the trunk of the tree before my momentum ran out and I monkey climbed the rest of the way up, the creatures scrambling after me, only one of them able to climb after me at a time. And while they had claws and thumbs, they were also kinda stupid, and I'd gotten quite good at climbing over the past few months.

"Stand… by me~… oh, stand by me…" Swinging myself up onto a thick, low branch, I grabbed one of the spears from my bundle that I'd left on the branch and turned, "Won't you stand… by me~"

Aaaand stab.

Down goes one.

And another! … sorta surprised you didn't get knocked down by your buddy falling on top of you. But whatever. Stab!

This was almost trivially easy now. Taking care of these things. I wasn't strong or tough enough to risk a straight fight with one, but I wasn't stupid. Surprise. Range. The high ground. Blinding. Ball shots. Straight fights were for losers.

Took out four of them before they got smart, instead circling the base of the tree. Problem with that?

With a resounding thunk, one of the creatures was pinned to the dirt, the sharpened stick having pierced straight through it and embedding in the dirt below. The remaining three stared at the impaled werewolf squirming in pain as it let out little growls and whimpers before slumping. Then they looked back up at me, arm cocked back with another spear.

I had several spears up here in my pack.

Hah!

It wasn't as impressive as a sudden rain of death, but the remaining creatures scrambled to do something, but it didn't work out too well because there wasn't much of anywhere to go. Two more fell to flying spears before the third hid behind a tree, watching me warily from behind it.

Now, as awesome as it'd have been to snipe it when it peeked out, I wasn't anywhere near confident enough in my aim with these things to manage that. If I'd had a proper gun? Oh yeah, I might miss once but I'd get it. But with a spear? Not so much.

So… I'm up here on a branch, still have two more spears, used up four throwing at the idiot creatures below… what were my options? Going down there and going mano-y-mano with the fuckface was an option, just not a great one… buuuuut…

Pulling my final spear out, I stood on the branch. The one in my left hand was my larger, 'melee' spear, just a thicker and longer stick that I'd sharpened, but the smaller, straighter throwing spear was in my right. So with a spear in each hand, I hooked one of them around the trunk of the tree and planted my bare feet against the trunk, sliding down as I presented the other spear.

"Stand by me… ohhh stand… won't you stand, by me?"

Sadly, the monster didn't charge at me like I'd hoped, but as my feet hit the dirt, I had to smile.

My shirt had been a lost cause, the legs of my black dress pants were finally starting to fray in spite of my best efforts, my dress shoes were tough for what they were but they hadn't been built for this sort of mess and I'd had to leave them behind. I looked like a freaking mountain man, my hair having grown like it always did… super fast. It was already pushing midway down my ears after three months, and my beard actually looked pretty good now… though I was distinctly remembered why I didn't grow it out. It was itchy as hell. And it looked like all of my hair was going gray now, there were several inches of my rich dark brown hair at the ends before immediately turning stark white. My skin had been slowly tanning, though not as quickly as I'd expected, I usually tanned nice and quick when I spent a lot of time outside…

Still. Me Tarzan. Me need meat. Me stab stupid creature.

Confidently, I strode forward, spears at the ready as I approached the still 'hidden' werewolf hollow. I didn't expect to take it on like this, that was a stupid plan, but I was really just trying to provoke it into–

Charging me like that-!

I hurled the right spear at it underhand, the wood being deflected by the creature's arm as it surged towards me, but I'd expected that, it'd just been to free my hand to do this!

It leapt through the air, attempting to pounce on me, but the joke was on it. With both hands on the spear, I'd planted the butt of the six foot shaft of wood into the dirt and let the creature impale itself with its own momentum, holding the spear in place for just an instant longer before leaping aside because shit– fuck its arms are long! Nearly clipped me there!

The spear bowed and broke beneath the creature's mass and inertia, but not before over a foot of it was embedded into its chest.

Aaaaaand now to wait.

Ha-hah!

And now I turned and ran, snatching the discarded spear off the ground before rushing up another tree. If this thing was stupid enough to try and follow me again I'd throw the spear, otherwise, I was just gonna let it bleed out.

Then Ima eat it. Because I'm getting hungry, they're high energy calories, and… well… despite not having found anything remotely resembling vegetables yet, I haven't been showing signs of scurvy or anything else horrific that should come from vitamin deficiencies… I mean, I've made a point to eat things like liver and brains and eyes from the deer and rabbits that I've caught, but still… I'd have expected some measure of horrible nastiness by now… I think these things were, get this, magical creatures.

Shit talking aside, my best theory was that I was in some way absorbing a fraction of these thing's strength or something in order to fuel myself… and because of some measure of bullshitium, was keeping me healthy in spite of a comparative vitamin deficiency.

Best theory doesn't make it right, because my limited knowledge of actual time periods and ratios of vitamins and such meant that it was entirely plausible that I simply hadn't reached the point that effects would start to show.

… wait, was it trying to run away…? Oh fuck that noise.

I launched off of the tree, my arm with the spear snapping forward and impaling the retreating creature, pinning it to the ground.

… belatedly I realized I probably shouldn't have jumped from the twenty foot high branch without some more planning, but you live and you–

*whump!*

… ow.

Hopefully learn.

…

Fucking ow. I think I twisted something.

[1] watch?v=YexQcXnVSzg

[2] watch?v=v_LFKNghYi8

[3] watch?v=zCRUPWDIgYM