Listening to Metallica's Enter Sandman and Of Wolf and Man on repeat as I'm writing this.

And time for a PSA: I'm thinking about maybe aiming to end the story at 20 chapters to tie it in with the Arc Number in the early chapters. Sound off in the reviews below if you agree or disagree or want to suggest something.

She kept on running through the forest. Her heart was racing, pounding at the front of her ribcage as if it wanted to break free from its confinement. Off in the far distance she could see the edge of the forest. Once she arrived there, she would be safe from her pursuers. She could hear them behind her, growling and howling, snapping branches and foliage as it was overrun. Above her the moon shone its silver light down on her. She dared glance back at her hunters, their eyes aglow in the night behind her. As she turned her attention forward again, she realised something was wrong. The faster she ran, the further away the edge of the forest seemed to be. Suddenly she felt something large impact her back. She fell to the ground, shielding her face with her arms, the young woman was beset by the pack. They bit her, they clawed at her, they howled at the moon as she cried in absolute agony…

Ruby shot out of bed with a shriek.

"RUBY?! What's wrong?" Yang practically jumped over from her bed, and Weiss was not far behind from the bunk underneath Ruby's. The white-haired girl reassuringly put a hand on Ruby's.

"… Another nightmare?" Ruby nodded in between her rocking sobs. She could feel the cold sweat running down her back under her pyjamas. No doubt Yang felt it too as her warmth enveloped the younger sister in a hug, soon joined by Weiss.

"The forest one again?" more insistent nodding from Ruby.

Blake spoke up as she leaned on the edge of Ruby's bunk.

"You know, sometimes it helps me to get rid of my nightmares by analysing the themes and possible meanings in the events. Once you understand what the dream or rather, your subconscious, is trying to tell you, it should stop." Yang broke the hug off and sat down beside Ruby again, prepping up her chin in-between the palms of her hands.

"So… running away from Grimm is a no-brainer, that means she doesn't want to die. The vanishing treeline… " She rolled her eyes upwards in deep thought.

"… I got nothing on that." Blake smiled softly at Yang.

"Dreams are rarely that simple to decipher. I'd say rather than her running away from the beowolves is 'fear of death', it's quite likely she subconsciously is running away from a traumatic experience, of which beowolves are an integral part."

Blake momentarily let her gaze rest on Ruby's eyepatch. Weiss leaned in and gave Ruby a kiss on the cheek.

"I can have Atlas' finest psychiatrists here in a heartbeat, just say the word." Ruby finally calmed down enough to reply.

"Guys, I'm fine. Really."

"Waking up early in the morning screaming is hardly 'fine', sis… Let's all just calm down, go back to bed and try to deal with this in the morning."

"Wow, Yang of all people being the sensible one."

"Ah, stuff it Weiss." Yang glared at the chuckling girl.

Summer was distraught beyond comprehension as she had heard about the mornings events from her eldest 'stepdaughter', and as soon as Ruby had entered the temporary housing of the time-displaced STRQ she had practically tackle-hugged the girl.

"It's all my fault! If I hadn't charged in like that we could've taken care of it together! Filthy mutt, daring to hurt you like that…" Ruby struggled free from the clingy girl in front of her.

"It's nobody's fault. We just got unlucky." She turned to the young Qrow.

"Have you guys met uncle Qrow properly yet?"

"Oh yes, a charming fellow. It's a miracle I… he… manages to string more than four words together coherently, what with all that high blood alcohol and all. Truly a paragon to look forward to becoming."

"You've had a lot of practice though…" Raven said as she wrestled yet another juice box from the hands of her younger brother.

"Well at least there's no alcohol in these, right?" Raven walked up to Tai's bed and handed him the unopened box as she sat down beside him. Tai studied the side of the box.

"Well, with the amount of sugar in one of these I'm surprised you could still have any teeth left at the rate you chug them down."

"'Pick your poison', I guess…" Qrow shrugged.

AN: Platonic Ladybug and FreezerBurn, romantic WhiteRose and (implied beginnings of) Raven x Tai – does that suffice enough for you shippers out there?

I do not own RWBY, that's RoosterTeeth and Monty Oum.