The trees flew by as the heavy truck bounced along the road. Ruby shivered curling up as Qrow lay beside her in his human form with a sheet over him, he wheezed with every slow labored breath. Ozpin was curled into a ball and hugging himself his eyes wide and unfocused. The pool of blood was steadily growing under Qrow.

Weiss pulled herself away from her husband and put her hands on Qrow's chest and started to hum. She was tired but she tried to focus on encouraging the poison out of the Garou. Her actions startled Ozpin into motion, he moved sluggishly. The others in the back of the truck watched Oz's hands shake. He bent over Qrow and licked over a small cut, it healed. Weiss sat back exhausted but didn't stop Oz as he moved from one cut to another licking till they healed.

Ozpin looked down at the fang marks, he couldn't steady his hands, didn't even try as he picked up the bleeding limb. He sealed his lips over one of the larger punctures and started to suck, he could taste the poison mixing with his blood. He drew back and spat the blood away he went back to licking. Qrow groaned in pain and Oz lifted dull eyes to look at Qrow who reached out and put a hand on Qrow's chest.

Weiss watched blood well up from Oz's skin and sink into Qrow. She could feel the magic of the Obeah Discipline as Qrow fell asleep again, his pain soothed by the Discipline. Ozpin returned to drawing out poison and healing the Garou. Lick after lick.

Ruby could only watch as Oz worked, his hands continued to shake and his eyes were dull. Feeding on Pyrrha had healed his body, but his eyes were the dullest she's ever seen and he couldn't stop shaking. Just what had that monster done to him? She shifted and crawled around Qrow and reached out putting a hand on his shoulder. "Oz? Are you okay?"

Oz looked over to her, his eyes slowly widening. She was completely unprepared when red started to pool in his eyes and he cried . Everyone stared shocked as the vampire cried red streaming down his face. Oz curled over and covered his face with his hands. Ruby moved over and hugged him, petting through his hair.

Jaune and Oscar sat curled together, they watched the scene silently. They weren't angry with Ozpin, Pyrrha had made her choice and she'd be back. She'd probably be in better shape then he was right now. Oz didn't need to breathe so there was no coughing but he did jerk on occasion, like his body wanted to cough and sniffle but couldn't.

Taiyang looked out through the back window as he sat up front beside Raven who was driving. He was surprised by the vampire's state. The thing that had been holding him, well that had been disturbing and to be a creature without an off switch like fainting. Tai didn't even want to imagine what it had been like for Ozpin. He glanced away at the dash looking at the clock. "We'll need to stop before dawn. Ozpin needs a dark place and we all need sleep."

Raven looked back and scoffed. "Yeah sure whatever. We'll set camp at the next clearing. Dig a hole for the leach."

Ozpin pulled away from Ruby and looked down at the blood on his hands, then back to Qrow. He set his hands on Qrow and scowled pulling on his Obeah Discipline again, he really did need to get better at this. A few more of Qrow's cuts closed using up yet more of Pyrrha's blood. He bowed his head, he was as tired as a vampire could be and he ached all over.

Ruby watched Oz's shoulders sag. How low his eyes were, like he was tired. She reached out and pulled him away from Qrow. "Take a break." She sat down and pulled him so his head landed in her lap. Ozpin didn't think he'd sleep but as soon as he settled his eyes slid shut and he slept.

A whine woke Oz with a start, he sat up slowly and found that all but him and Qrow had left the truck. He pushed himself up, he felt hungry and tired . Ozpin blinked once and put a hand on his temple, since when could he feel tired? Qrow whined again and Oz reached out once again calling on his Obeah Discipline.

Qrow opened his eyes. "Don't put me to sleep again."

Oz nodded and touched him, taking away the pain again. Qrow blinked again and said. "You don't look so good."

"You're a fine one to talk." Ozpin looked out to find everyone else had set up camp.

Taiyang walked over seeing the two had woken. "Help me get Qrow to the tent and Oscar dug a hole for you Oz."

Oz curled his lip at the prospect of having to sleep in a hole but it was better than burning to death. Qrow tried to sit up but neither of his arms were anywhere near healed. Sweat gathered on his brow but Oz moved then wrapped an arm around Qrow's back. "Don't. I worked on removing the poison but I don't think I got all of it."

Tai reached up and helped Ozpin get Qrow out of the truck bed. The Garou found that he couldn't even help himself stand. His body having stopped was not going to get moving again in a hurry. Raven looked over as her brother started to bleed again. "Good, you're awake, I want a full report on this monster."

Qrow looked up at her. "It was Grimm with two vampires merged in. My guess is a Malkavian and a Treme-."

"Stop Qrow. I'll tell her later." Taiyang pulled and Ozpin helped him move.

"I asked Qrow." Raven growled.

Tai stopped and glared at her. "Fuck off Raven. And don't you say a word Qrow." He and Ozpin helped Qrow away and to the main tent, he would need to be watched for the next twenty four to ensure the poison wouldn't steal him from them. The fact that his twin was demanding a report while he all but hung between Ozpin and himself, weak and injured just served to remind him what a bitch she would always be.

Weiss and Ruby were already in the tent, ready with hot water and bandages. Tai and Ozpin laid Qrow down and he let out a relieved sigh. "Oscar has made a place for you outside, we'll wake you though if we need you."

Ozpin nodded once and left, hunger gnawed at his belly. Aches filled his body, he glanced around and saw Jaune. He stood alone, against one of the trees with a look of sorrow on his face. The fact that he had been separated from Pyrrha was his fault and he couldn't think what to do to help the young Kindred "Jaune." He walked quickly over to the other vampire. "I… need to apologize."

Jaune just raised a hand for him to stop. "It's okay Ozpin, Pyrrha will be back, she knew what she was doing."

Ozpin pursed his lips and rubbed at his stomach. "Something to do with her being a phoenix?"

"Yeah, Oscar and I will summon her tomorrow. You hungry?" Jaune asked.

"Yeah and… hurting. It's weird, I'm used to pain when something is broken but Pyrrha's blood healed me. There shouldn't be anything wrong with me." Ozpin said.

Jaune rubbed the back of his head. "I get that all the time. I thought it was just a Thin Blood thing."

"Maybe it's because you feed on a phoenix. I feel strange when I feed from Ruby as well. Both are magical, maybe there is a further effect on us Kindred. When I drank from Qrow even a few drops made my inner Beast rise up unlike anything I've felt, short of a full blown Frenzy." Ozpin's brows knitted together.

"I've never Frenzy'd but I'll ask Raven or Qrow for a drink tomorrow. Maybe we can test your theory." Jaune grimace and shook his head. "Errr maybe not Raven, she kinda scares me." He said and gestured behind the main tent. "Oscar made us a coffin."

Ozpin only nodded and followed Jaune back and found the stone coffin. It was half buried into the ground and big enough for both him and Jaune. Oz looked his clothes over and decided finding out who had grabbed his bag would be a task for tomorrow. He and Jaune climbed into the coffin and pulled the heavy lid over them. It settled with a muted boom.

The long tensile tongue slid down his throat, it was sharp and twisting. Teeth sank into his flesh, that tongue twisted in his insides. Oz could only stare into those eyes, as she started to eat him from the inside out.

Ozpin woke with a scream, seeing only darkness he lashed out, the lid of the coffin blasting apart as he hit and he scrambled up only to get struck with bright direct sunlight. He shrieked in his panic addled mind and tried to fall back, retreating and hitting the back of the coffin. The smell of burning flesh woke Jaune who saw what was happening and grabbed Oz by the shoulder. He fought to pull him back down into the coffin, back in the shadows where the sun no longer burned him, but ash was still falling from his blistering skin.

Jaune pulled off his cloak and wrapped up Oz up in it, careful to avoid the sunlight he shouted through the opening. "RUBY OSCAR!" He tried to grab Oz to keep him from going out into the sun again as the other vampire cried and twisted in his arms.

Ruby burst out of the main tent while Oscar took a bit longer to show. He came with a bit of tumble out of his tent, seeing the trashed coffin he clapped his hands and slammed them into the ground. Stone walls raised up out of the ground in a triangle shape large enough that Oz would have been able to stand with only one opening in the walls and it faced away from the setting sun.

Ozpin shoved the cloak away and kicked Jaune, backing up into the corner of the coffin and curling up into a ball. His skin flaking as it still smoldered. Ruby slowly approached dropping into the coffin with them. "What happened?"

"Panic attack. Though I thought he was in torpor, I didn't even know vampires could have panic attacks." Jaune said softly.

Ruby slowly approached, the burn in Oz's skin made it look like he was burning from the inside out. "Oz." She watched as his tall form curled into a ball, shaking and smoking. Ruby licked her lips and tried to think of what to say. "We're most of a day away from the fort. It's about six in the evening. Try to breath, smell. We are in the forest far from fort, Pyrrha burned it out remember?" The stone grit under her shoes as she took another step closer.

Oz shivered his brown eyes staring into the rock wall. A breeze blew through the opening carrying the scent of forest, the ash from the fire the living people had used to cook breakfast and Ruby. His eyes glanced over to her, traveling up and down her body. She was only wearing sleepwear, her hair down. The sight of her, it helped centre himself though thoughts failed to form as pain started to take over. Every inch of his body wanted to curl into something small and tight, his lengthy nails dug into the soft skin of his palm as he wound tighter and tighter. Oz kept his eyes trained on Ruby as something deep inside him began to roar like a crashing wave or thunder.

Ruby slipped closer, her feet on either side of Oz curled up legs as he lifted his hands into his hair, she could see him struggle and cupped his hands with her own. She could feel the bone and ash that used to be his skin till the sun kissed it. "Jaune? Oscar? Can the two of you give us a moment?"

"Are you sure Ruby?" Jaune got up slowly and as non threatening as possible, he didn't want to leave the silver eyes alone with Oz but it was clear he needed space. Seeing her nod he climbed out of the hole. Oscar keeping his spell active stepped back towards the tent taking Jaune with him.

Ruby heard their footsteps fade and turned back to the shivering vampire in front of her. She lowered her voice until it was a near whisper. "Ozpin, hear my voice, listen to it. Focus more on the sound of my voice then the words, hear me." Ruby tried to recall all the times she when her dad had attacks like these, especially after her mom died. Yang was always so good at helping him through them, all she had to do was try to channel that. Without realizing it the sounds of the camp behind her fell away as she focused on Oz. "We are safe here, can you hear the birds singing? They sound so much more different in the day then at night. When was the last time you heard them, do you remember?" Wetting her lips she moved in closer, Oz's body had gone mostly still. "It's like they sing a different song every day, listen to them." Curling her hands over his ears Ruby leaned her head against his just quietly humming a tune with the birds.

Oz could feel the vibrations of her humming through his shivers, the sound of her quiet breaths as she hummed. Bird song reached his ears, the twittering noise hardly resembled any sort of song but Ruby's muted voice was resounding inside his mind. This close he could smell her earthly rose scent, morning dew and floral, it was sweet. Sweet …

Licking his lips he hardly noticed when the pounding in his head rose as he bared his fangs. His eyes popped open suddenly, seeing Ruby so close, he could see her flawless pale skin, pale pink lips moved with each sound. His throat went dry when his eyes dropped to her slender neck, he could see her pulse beating there, feel it like the blood rushing through her.

Ruby felt the difference and stilled, her humming stopped just as a smooth wet tongue licked at the base of her neck. "Oz?" Something sharp grazed over her neck right as she felt Ozpin's fang puncture through her skin. "O-!" It was different from what he normally did, only using his upper canines. This time she could feel the pressure of his bite, how easily he could rip her throat open. He closed his mouth, drawing two huge cuts then bit again sealing his lips over it and drinking her down.

The Silver Eyed Warrior covered her mouth with her other hand. Trying to keep any squeaks she made silent as not to alert the local Garou. It didn't feel good like before, she closed her eyes and let herself be limp. Oz's arms came up around her and held in her a steel grip.

The Frenzy faded as Ozpin drank his fill, Ruby expected him to stop. When he didn't she called on her Aura and hit his shoulder. Only for Oz to groan in pleasure as her blood resumed to flow more freeing with the healing of her Aura. His body only hurt more even as the sun damage healed, the panic of before had made it felt like his heart pounded in his chest. His chest ached, as his heart gave one slow beat and then another. The pain grew more consuming and Oz drank all the faster, his instincts so used to feed healing.

Ruby tried to call out, but she couldn't find her voice. Jaune looked into the ready made cave, seeing Ruby's state he reached out and grabbed Oz's shoulder. "Hey enough!"

Ozpin flung his arm out it connected with Jaune's chest and sent him flying. It returned to cradling Ruby and he barely noticed her heart slowing down. It was only Raven ripping him off of Ruby that put a stop to it. Ruby suddenly very weak fell limply to the ground her Aura quickly healing her neck.

She picked herself and looked at Ozpin, his cheeks pinked and completely healed body. "Leave him be." Ruby put a hand on her neck the area still hurt.

Meanwhile Ozpin was completely ignoring Raven. His mind now finally clear of panic and Frenzy was being clawed away by guilt. It turned him inside out looking at Ruby's usually lily white skin now pasty and ashen, blood trickled down her neck from his punctures and he wished he could clean it away. His chest heaved up and down, even as his body still hurt. He didn't understand and it took him a moment to realise he was… out of breath. That realization only made his breath quicken even more as he tried to understand, a hand flew to his own neck. Pressing two fingers to his pulse point.

Silence….. Thump…. Thump…. Thump. Ozpin's eyes widened, what on Remnant… His gaze flew back to Ruby. If she hadn't had Aura he would have probably killed her. Yet… she was, had. Oz drew his legs up and stuck his head between his knees. Oh Gods, Oh Gods, Oh Gods, Oh Gods. Panic rose again, just what was going on? He started to hyperventilate.

Ruby pushed herself to her feet and shoved Raven away. Though it only worked on making her take a step back. "Oz, calm down. What's wrong?"

He snatched her hand and put it on his neck, causing Raven to pull her out sword in the same action holding it close to his skin. It took Ruby a minute to understand, but then she felt it that slow labored thump. So very much slower than a humans. "You're not normal, it's slow. Are you sure you need to breathe?"

Ozpin forced himself to stop and within twenty seconds he had to take another gulp of air. "Yes."

Taiyang shoved his way into the cave. "What is going on?!"

"Oz's heart is beating." Ruby said, still measuring his pulse.

Jaune spoke up from the other side of the cave, where he had been kicked away. "Ruby kicked me out before Oz started to feed. When I checked in it seemed like he was taking too much so I tried to stop him."

Raven furious that the Silver eyes had been put into a mortally dangerous situation put her sword to Oz's neck. "Give me one good reason not to kill you. You almost killed her!"

Ozpin looked up at her, could he be easily killed now? "I-."

"Qrow." Ruby responded. "Oz is a Salubri vampire, a healer. He's been healing Qrow for the whole trip if you kill him you kill your own twin."

That made Raven slowly lower her blade though she didn't sheath it. While finding a replacement to fill Qrow's role would be easy. Qrow was her twin and as powerful as she was. He was the best candidate for her plans. She growled lowly. "Fine! You get to live, for now but Tai, if this blood sucker you've brought hurts any of my people I will not hesitate to kill it." She finally sheathed her blade and strode off. "Since its up put it to work!"

Ozpin slowly stood leaning on the wall, he did feel very strange. Jaune stood in the weakening light and while it made him tired, it wasn't deadly. Ozpin walked and poked just his hand out into the sunlight. There was no instant burn but his skin did start to smoldered after a moment, unlike Jaune. He snatched his hand back and looked over to the tent Qrow was in. "If you could open the door to the tent, I'll bolt it."

"Right." Jaune moved and did as asked.

Oz bolted a grand total of seven steps though direct sunlight and was only smoldering rather then turned to ash when he entered the heavy brown tent. He stopped burning at all, which was odd but decidedly would return to later. He looked down to find Qrow sweating, fluttering in and out of consciousnesses. He quickly stepped over the small army of backpacks his own among them. Weiss was changing a bandage. "How long as he been like this?"

"About twelve hours. The fever started shortly after you went to sleep. I've been trying but I'm not much of a healer and his flesh fights my every song. I think it's the poison, maybe Grimm in nature." Weiss said.

Oz sat down and put a hand on Qrow's head measuring his temperature. He could feel the poison through his Obeah Discipline but was not near skilled enough to directly combat it. The Salubri focused again using his blood reserves and the Discipline to set about healing Qrow. Now with a clear mind he focused first on Qrow's chest healing the large holes from the Grimm's fangs. Then turning his attention inward trying to heal the tissue being damaged by the poison.

Ruby found it every unsettling watching blood wave and dance over Ozpin's hands as he worked but Qrow did heal. Weiss mopped down the areas as Oz worked, cleaning away old blood and sweat.

Ozpin found the aches and pains in his body started to fade as he worked. He eventually stopped before using all the of the blood he drank from Ruby. Oz reached up and pressed a couple of fingers to his neck and couldn't find his pulse. He moved his hand to his chest but his heart was still and cold again. He sighed and guessed that life would only come when he was full of Ruby's blood. He looked up to Ruby his gaze graviting to her neck. How many times had he fed on her now?

Three. Twice at the inns and this would be the third. Was she enthralled to him now? Worry twisted in him, he was dead meat. "Ruby how are you?"

"Fine. Why?" Ruby asked surprised by Oz's question.

"You don't feel any different than normal? If I order you to come here, would you?" Ozpin asked.

"No~." Ruby cocked her head. "Something up?"

"I'm just trying to figure out if you are thralled and it doesn't seem like it." Ozpin looked back to Qrow. "At least the fever is down."

"Thank you. It's been very frustrating trying to heal him." Weiss put her hand on Qrow's head and did find the fever had dropped to much more natural levels. "Do you think his body will burn out the poison?"

Ozpin shrugged. "I am not knowledgeable on Garou biology. There is less in him then when I went to… sleep. I think he is combating it on his own. I will just have to hold him together till he wins." He rubbed at his eyes. "It's strange being up in the day time."

"Yeah how is it that you aren't falling over with the need for torpor?" Weiss asked.

"I'm extremely skilled at the Discipline of Fortitude, an aspect of that is being able to function in the day time. So long as I don't end up in the sun." Oz yawned and it made both girls smile. "That said, I think I might rest for a bit." He laid down where he sat beside Qrow and tried to rest without going into torpor.

Meanwhile outside Jaune had approached Raven to test the theory of his and Ozpin's. It was understandably not going well.

The flap to the tent swiped open as the female twin flew inside. "You want to WHAT!?" The sound of Raven's voice bellowed through the tent as its occupants turned to Jaune who was requesting to feed off the Bandit chief.

"I'm not asking to actually feed on you, when Qrow allowed Ozpin to drink from him he stated his inner Beast went on a rampage, or tried to. I just want to rule out if Garou blood is non-compatible." Jaune skipped over to the tent flap to observe the sun finally start sinking behind the tree line. "I know it is a lot to ask but it's worth checking and who knows maybe the Garou's blood is too strong for us 'lowly leeches' to drink." He appealed to the Garou's ego and pride.

Raven took a few moments to think about it, it would be beneficial to know that her people would be moderately safe from being fed on. She was also just a little too intrigued by the Kindred's 'inner beasts' and wanted to see up close what it was like. The kid acted much more like a Thin Blood rather then a full vampire, meaning he was weak and more human like then other Kindred. Raven sighed and removed her glove and knife. "Just a few drops, any more and I'll not hesitate to turn this knife on you. Got it?"

Jaune watched the older woman brandish the blade in her hand and make a small cut over her index finger. Almost immediately it a drop of crimson welled up from the cut and she offered it to him.

Jaune gratefully lowered his head to catch the drop, the taste and scent being absorbed into his body. To everyone in the tent Jaune suddenly made a squeaking noise, his eyes popping open as he threw his head away from the Branwen woman. "Oh My WORD! That is DISGUSTING!"

"Eh?!" Raven watched as the young Kindred made a show of himself, he stumbled several steps away spitting and hacking like he was trying to be sick. Her face went bright red with embarrassment when he literally pinched his tongue and started wiping it with a hand.

"Gross gross gross gross. What the hell was that? It didn't even taste like blood but mud and sewage and wet dog! YUCK!" Jaune almost danced around the tent trying to get away from the awful taste in his mouth and heaved again. If there was any stirring of his inner Beast it was lost to his ridiculous reaction from drinking Raven's blood.

Ozpin couldn't help it, something bubbled in his chest and his straight face wrinkled as he forced back a chuckle. The others had less control, Weiss's shoulders shook with smothered giggles while Ruby openly pointed at Jaune and laughed, one hand cradling her side as she lost herself to the laughter. Even Qrow who was still unconscious had the tiniest smile printed on his otherwise stern face.

Raven however only got redder and redder and just as angry as she watched the ridiculous boy dance around. How dare he! "What a child!" With that she stormed out of the tent, red all the way up to her ears.

Jaune grabbed his canteen and poured water over his mouth to wash the taste from him before he registered the growing ripples of laughter in the tent. Everyone was now openly laughing at him and he grinned sheepishly. "I guess I must be a bit spoilt."

Ozpin got up and walked over and patted the youngsters head. "Well you've been feeding on phoenix blood since your Embrace. Wait till you start feeding from rats and drug addicts though 'that' reaction," He pointed to the entrance of the tent where Raven had stormed off too. "May have been a bit much and not to mention incredibly rude. Did you at least feel anything? Or did you woos out too soon?"

"Yeah a little, like I said I have never Frenzy'd but I did feel something stir." Jaune said.

"You should try Ruby and see if she tastes different to you." Ozpin said. "She's the best that I've ever had."

Ruby sighed and got up slowly. "Fine, just a little bit though." She offered Jaune her wrist.

Jaune walked over and very carefully cut her wrist with a fang and sealed his lips over the cut. He purred at the Silver Eyed Warrior's blood, it was just as good as Pyrrha's blood. It was different however, it didn't make him feel as warm. It did still taste of magic, like drinking from a sparkling pool of water, drenched with magic and something pure. He sucked a little harder and Ruby yelped. "Hey!"

It was Oz who moved and shoved Jaune away. "She said only a little fledgling."

Jaune who was flat on his ass licked his lips. "Sorry, it's good though. As good as Pyrrha but different."

Ruby healed her wrist with a flare of Aura. "Well I am NOT supporting two vampires. So you'll just have to wait till Pyrrha comes back."

Jaune couldn't keep the pout off his lips. "But that won't be for ages yet!"

"Till we get to a big enough fire won't be ages Jaune." Oscar crossed his arms and fought down a smile.

"You are defiantly spoiled." Ozpin said and looked at the dark horizon. "We should get going, make use of the night."