Hey guys, here is the next chapter in this story. Hope you have enjoyed the read so far.

Anyway, here is the newest chapter. Enjoy

Fourteen

It had been three days since Weiss had left the Fort behind. Three days since she was galloping her horse through the empty lands of the Frozen North, however, strangely enough, the cold was the last thing on her mind. The young woman was looking down at the map that Raze had given her as she sat beside a small camp for the night.

Studying the map, Weiss sat beside the small fire she had built with great difficulties thanks to the weather, but at least she had a fire going to give her enough light to read what was upon the piece of paper in front of her. The map was old, and was filled with many writings upon it, most of them made by hand probably from the many Rangers that had used it in the past. Raze's words on the Faunus camp was that it was somewhere in the West, but where exactly there was just too many places to look from. Tracing it with her fingers, Weiss noticed a place called Giant's Past which made her wonder exactly how it had gotten the name.

They were other nearby places but just to reach one of them will take weeks and she didn't have that kind of time on her side. This was her first time out there on her own and she didn't know the lands out there as well as she would have hoped. But she didn't have a much of a choice, as she has to go and find the Faunus and maybe ask them for help.

The War in the North was a battle that she had heard quite a lot about and had read about it during her youth. It was a battle against the Faunus when they had tried to invade the lands south of the Gate and she knew that her own father, Jarus, had taken part in the battle. She knew that they had lost that battle, thought what started the war was muddled to say the least…thought the most popular theory was the slaughter of the Faunus family which had unleashed it, and it was from that war that the White Fang was created.

Rolling up the map, Weiss let out a small sigh before huddling closer to the fire so that she could keep warm and get ready for the next day. When she next wake up, the sun wasn't yet up but the fire had died during the night and she was surprised that wasn't frozen from how cold the air was. No matter, however, she had simply climbed upon Misha again and started off in her journey again.

It was a long day as she rode the horse through the snow but with how much of it there was, the horse was slowed to a trot mostly and she had to get off and walk in front of it so that she could make her way forward, to have Misha following after her. For the entire day, Weiss traveled forward, making some pause to take a rest and eat some bread and fruits to keep her strength and feeding Misha as well before moving on and it took her another four days before she reached a forest known as the Shimmering Woods at least that was what the map said.

A little East of those woods was the Giant's Past and even further north were the Three Tooth Mountain. Further away from that was the other Fort and it made her wonder if she couldn't go there first and see if the people of the Hunt at least were alive in some way. That nothing of what had befallen them a few nights ago had happened to them as well. Thinking about them, made her think about the strange creatures as well. If those things were Grimm then Weiss didn't want to think on what calamity could be awaiting them in the future. If Grimm actually existed, then, the story of the Pale King must also have some grain of truth within it. The Pale King was powerful, more powerful than any man that lived after him even with the magic that her family had been blessed with, there was no one that could even matched him…

Then…could Aura had been the magic that the people of the south believed him to have?

Shaking her head, Weiss made her horse move forward and into the Shimmering Woods. If she could make it through there, she might reach the edge of the White Woods and maybe ran into some Faunus…and reach a bargain with them…but how was she going to do that? Raze told her that the Faunus spoke some other language that they couldn't understand and if she doesn't understand it, then maybe, that whole journey could have been in vain…

A howl broke through her musing causing the girl to instantly look up feeling her heart jump in her chest. Misha let out a nervous sound as she started to step backward and Weiss knew that the horse was afraid. She could feel that same uneasiness as before starting to set in. Weiss knew that whatever had caused that howl was a Grimm.

And it didn't diminish her fear as she searched around her, searching for the direction of the howl.

"C'mon Misha," she said, urging her horse forward, "C'mon."

The horse followed her order but she can still feel its fear as they started to gallop forward passing the trees around them. Weiss was starting to breathe heavily as she moved forward, her eyes searching the woods around her as another howl echoed and this time even closer than before. She instantly turned her gaze to her left and that was when she saw it.

It was as big as it was black, the same size as a full grown horse but the glowing red eyes that were staring at her made her realize just how in much danger she was. Weiss wasted no time to pull out her sword from her waist as her horse continued to gallop forward so that the enemy didn't catch up to her. For almost an hour, this game of cat and mouse went in as each time Weiss started to believe that she had lost it, the creature reappeared in the distance prompting her forward as she coursed through the woods.

Misha was completely terrified of the situation, Weiss could tell and she was having an hard time controlling the horse. Weiss knew that she was lost in the woods of the Shimmering Forest, as every tree looked the same and there was no telling where to go, and if she was even going West as she had firmly believed.

Pulling upon the reign of the horse, Weiss brought her to a stop before glancing around herself, her sword still in hand and searching for the enemy that was stalking her. She was now waiting for them to catch up to her so that she could kill them herself. The way it was going, she was going to get hopelessly lost if she continues to run and with Misha so afraid, the horse will be harder to control. So she was going to face battle and wasn't going to run at all from her enemy. Weiss glanced down at her blade, staring at the blue color of the metal. The sword still didn't have a name yet, and if she was going to die now, she refuses to do so without giving it a name.

"Myrtenaster," she said staring at it, "As the tale of the great general who showed no fear in battle. May that fearlessness calm my heart at the time of my death."

In front of her, some hundred of yards away, the great black beast appeared, growling as the red eyes focused upon her. Focusing upon her, the creature let out a growl that caused Misha to step backward again in fear but Weiss gently shushed the horse.

"Don't fear," she said, "Let us face our death head on."

The conviction in her voice must have done something for the horse actually stopped in it's movement and Weiss once again, focused upon the enemy…Grimm…across her. The young woman narrowed her eyes at the beast as she aimed her sword straight at it, issuing her challenge to the creature before urging her horse forward into a full gallop and at the same time, the Grimm launched itself forward as well, it's jaws filled with teeth. The two charged at each other as Weiss aimed Myrtenaster forward as the two crashed against each other, the force of the impact sending Weiss flying backward from her horse through the air and into the ground.

Pain surged from her arm as her wounds from a few nights ago started to bleed yet again. The girl, however, pushed herself up to her feet, Myrtenaster rising again as she glanced toward the Grimm in whom had one of its legs completely encased in ice. Weiss stared at it completely taken aback at what had happened but she wasn't going to lose her focus now as she stood at the ready as the Grimm let out a howl and angry snarl coming at her. With a yell, Weiss aimed her sword forward and stabbed the Grimm straight through its jaws as the sword came out of the top of it's head.

The beast was stopped short as she felt the weight pushing against her for a few moments and then right in front of her eyes, the Grimm started to dissipate into nothingness right in front of her. Staring at the place the Grimm once was, Weiss still couldn't understand how something like that was even possible but she didn't have time to ponder it as she turned her gaze toward where Misha had fallen.

"Goddess,"

A pool of blood had turned the snow red where her horse had fallen. Weiss quickly made her way toward the fallen animal and kneeled beside its head. The horse eye looked at her as she appeared but then the life slowly drained away from it's before then, it was dead. Weiss stared at the animal that had been by her side for a few years now. Gently closing it's eyes Weiss said a soft prayer for her friend.

"Forgive me Misha," she whispered before standing back up and sheathing Myrtenaster.

Taking the few of the supplies she could at least carry in a pack, Weiss made her way forward again walking through the woods as she tried to retrace the steps she had made during the chase the Grimm had done to her but it was impossible. She was completely lost within the Shimmering Woods and she don't know which was worse. Her wound was starting to sting as she can feel the blood dripping down her arm and wetting her sleeve. The young woman walked till night had fallen and walked some more…the air had started to become cold and yet there was warmth within it, as strange as it was.

Above her was the moonlight was bathing everything within it's glow as the young woman continued to walk forward through the woods and then the sound of a howl caused her to freeze up instantly. Weiss glanced behind her at the sound before she started to walk even faster this time, so that she may have a chance to escape those creatures.

Goddess don't they ever give up, Weiss thought as she continued to walk forward.

She was tired from her walk and the amount of blood she had lost was starting to catch up to her. She can feel her strength diminishing, her breath coming in gasp. She wasn't going to die out here killed by these Grimm who kept hunting her. It also made her wonder if Raze and the other were alright. If the Grimm could hunt her like this without rest, are the others still alive at this point?

Out of breath, Weiss leaned against a tree, to rest, staring out at the darkness around her. Another howl, caused her to spring forward yet again. She had to get away from the Grimm and if she dies out there and the people at Fort Sina would die as well and if those creatures are Grimm, then just as before, they would be unleashed upon Remnant, without warning at all…

Remnant would be completely destroyed.

Something in the darkness in front of her caused Weiss to come to a stop. Her eyes were fixed forward, staring straight forward. Her hand already drew Myrtenaster and she held the weapon in front of her to guard against whatever was going to come at her, thought from how much the blade was shaking as well as her arm, showed her just how weak she had become with the blood lost.

Then something appeared some yards across her and Weiss almost dropped her sword in shock and stupor. Standing across her, was a creature that many people in the South believed to be extinct for hundreds of years. It was easily the size of a small horse, the two blue eyes almost shining in the darkness as they stared at her direction. The creature's fur was as white as the snow around them, and it looked just as soft as hair.

Direwolf.

It was one of the most beautiful creatures that Weiss had ever seen in her life. The direwolf stood across her, staring at her and by just looking at it, Weiss didn't feel any danger at all unlike the time when she came across the Grimm. This animal was something that Weiss never thought she would ever see in her entire life and it seems that she was going to meet her end by it's jaws. Her strength leaving her, Weiss find herself falling to her knees, holding Myrtenaster in front of her like a cross, her blood dripping upon the weapon…

There was a soft padding on the snow in front of her and Weiss looked up seeing that the direwolf was now right in front of her, it's warm breath ghosting across her skin. The blue eyes stared straight into her owns, and there was an intelligence behind them that was startling to her. This animal was curious about her…probably why it decided to come so close to her and sniffing at her. However, Weiss don't know what made her do it. There was this strange pull toward the animal in front of her, something that she can't understand and it was that same pull that caused her to raise her hand toward it.

The direwolf's attention was turned toward the raised hand. She could feel the warmth of it's breath upon her finger as it sniffed it before approaching forward and then, the warm of the creature was beneath her finger. Weiss can feel her eyes widening in shock as the direwolf gently pushed its nose into her hand as she was actually touching the beautiful creature and she doesn't know why but tears fell from her eyes as she was doing it feeling the soft warm fur beneath her finger.

There was a slight noise from the direwolf as well, almost like it was purring. At that moment, all of her strength left her and Weiss fell forward unto the snow right beside the direwolf, unconscious.

The howls were what drew Blake's attention.

Having lived in these lands for her entire life, Blake had come to differentiate and recognize them. The Hunting Party had gone well and they had managed to snag a couple of moose for food and from the many animals that still lived in the North that was saying something. The Shimmering Woods were largely unexplored thought it was very easy to get lost in if you didn't know your way around within them.

Night had already fallen around their camps and the young woman had decided to take watch for tonight so that her companion could get some rest. A small fire was burning to keep them warm for the night thought she was still wearing her fur thought, the sound of the howls were too close for comfort.

"Grimm?"

Sun Wukong was holding his spear in hand, a frown upon his face as he stared out toward the darkness and thanks to them being Faunus, they could see well in the dark as if it was day.

"I don't think so," she said standing up, "Wake Velvet so that she could take over the watch, I'm going to see what's going on out there."

Without another word, the young woman moved forward. She could feel through the area using her Aura and she knew that it wasn't Grimm because if it was, she would have picked up on the foul magic that brought them to life but strangely enough, she could pick on another Aura as well. It felt a lot like the freshly fallen snow and it was puzzling. She didn't recognize it at all meaning it could be a Faunus from a different clan.

Could be the messenger father was waiting for ran into some trouble? She thought.

The young woman however, couldn't believe the sight she had fallen unto when she came across what caused it. A snow white direwolf was standing there right in front of what looked like to be a young woman on her knees in front of the creature and she had a sword as well. Blake instantly knew that this wasn't a Faunus from the way the woman was dressed meaning it was a Huntress. A Huntress this far North was puzzling. It was not near any of the Forts that she knew the Huntsmen and Huntress took place in so why was she here?

Then the woman simply collapsed in front of the animal causing the wolf to jump back a little before advancing forward again, nuzzling against the fallen woman. The Direwolves she had come across were never this…gentle as far as she was aware of. They were fierce creatures and very territorial and for one of them to act like that with the Huntress was shocking…

Then the direwolf turned it's head and the two blue eyes found Blake's spot causing her to freeze. The direwolf stood there for a few moments staring at her direction before nudging at the fallen young woman with it's nose. Then it turned away and galloped off until it's footfalls had fallen into silence. Blake simply stood there in shock at what she had just seen, unable to understand what had happened.

After a few minutes of just standing there, Blake made her way forward, keeping her hand upon her weapon as she approached the fallen woman. The first thing she noticed was that the woman's hair was the same shade as the snow around her. Blake also took the scent of blood that was coming from her and she was even more puzzled at the strange human that had somehow charmed a direwolf.

"Blake?"

Sun's voice startled her causing the dark haired girl to turn her attention toward were her friend was.

"Here," she called back.

Her friend quickly joined her and he was now standing beside her as he was staring down at the Huntress Blake was kneeling beside of.

"Who…Who is that?"

"A Huntress," Blake answered him, "We need to take her to my father…alive if needs be. Maybe that way we can finally know what the Huntsmen are planning these past few months since they've seemingly disappeared."

Sun stared at her confused before looking down at the white haired girl on the ground. A light frown appeared in his eyes as he kneeled beside her taking her in.

"What?" Blake asked him.

"You know it could cause a stir if we bring her back," he said, "It would be best to kill her and get it over with."

Blake stared down toward the girl. It was the most logical option in their situation thought, the sight of the direwolf and how gentle it was with her was still in the forefront of her mind and how the creature had left the human with her…

"I found a direwolf here with her," she said, "I had thought that she would have been killed but…it was gentle with her. It was like the girl was one of it's pup."

Sun stared at her, "You're jesting?"

"I wish I was," Blake said, "Then after she passed out, it looked straight at me as if it knew I was there, after that, it simply left."

Sun stayed silent for a few moments. Blake knew that everyone in the North understood how dangerous and intelligent the wolves were. For one of them to not kill an half dead human was an interesting matter…

"Well…I guess this human is more interesting than I previously thought," he said, "We'll do it your way and let's hope this human at least have the information we need."

Blake found Weiss...

Hope you have enjoyed the read.

AN: The direwolf scene was inspired by the scene where Jon Snow met Drogon...i liked that scene way too much not to include a homage here in my fic. As for why Weiss felt a connection to the direwolf...all i can say it's something that has to do with her family history. Much of the Schnee history will be lightly touched on in the coming chapters with some the mythology of this world as well.

That's all for now.

Jacques0 out.

R&R