Blake was doing all she could to help Yang recover, but it was slow going. Her Aura had taken enough dents for the enemy's weapons to get through, and she had quite a few deep cuts and a few cracked ribs after taking a hit from the guy leading the White Fang insurrectionists. Ruby and Weiss were still cut off at the base of the waterfall, and Sun was ferrying the injured Ghira back inside Haven. That left only Kali and Blake on-hand to face the White Fang with a watery cliff at their back and a small promontory to hide behind. Blake had never known her mother to be much of a fighter, and now that left her as little more than a burden. Unfortunately, Blake was out of ammunition in Gambol Shroud and would only be able to fight a single target if she attempted to attack at range otherwise, so she needed to get Yang back into the fight.
The insurrectionists were drawing closer and Yang wasn't recovering her Aura fast enough. Kali met her daughter's frantic eye as the younger Belladonna tried to help her partner, before turning her attention back to the encroaching White Fang. Blake would need time, and Kali knew she could buy some. Maybe not much, maybe not even enough, but it was better than doing nothing while her child was in danger.
Kali stepped out from behind the protective rock face with both her hands up. She stepped towards the armored soldiers, but kept her eyes fixed on their burly leader in green. His stoic expression suggested to her he wasn't an ideological zealot like so many of the others marching behind him… and that gave Kali a starting point. "I'd like to parley with you," she said simply.
His eyes moved up and down. Kali was quite used to the occasional inappropriate glance, but this man didn't seem to be admiring her form; he was searching her for a weapon, or some other hidden tactic. "Why did a bunch of Beacon students bring a non-combatant with them?" he grunted at her.
As Kali suspected: direct and to the point, and using military terminology. He was an outsider leading the White Fang. That meant he was powerful enough to keep unruly elements in line… or he wasn't. Based on what Kali could discern of his scent, he was a human and not a Faunus. There was another wedge she could utilize if the opportunity presented itself… but only then. She couldn't play her hand too aggressively; she was still trying to bargain from a weaker position.
But she hadn't been married to the chieftain of Menagerie and former high leader of the White Fang without learning a trick or two about social dynamics and political discourse. She couldn't spend all day making tea.
"I'm traveling with my husband," Kali answered, putting on her best defenseless act. "He's in the kingdom- they were escorting me when they fell under your attack."
"Are you asking us to spare your life?" the burly man in green asked. "Because I will. You're not the one I'm here for." He took note of her ears, eyes lingering there. "Fortunately for you."
He held his gaze there. It was Blake they were after.
There was no way Kali could go now, but she had to play the part a bit longer. "Just like that?" she tried to sound as surprised as possible while remaining timid and submissive.
The burly man grunted and waved his arm, stepping slightly back. He was indeed offering her escape. Either that or trying to place her directly between him and his small legion of White Fang… allies? Subordinates?
Maybe she could at least gleam some relevant intel to send back to Blake. "What will you do to them?"
"Kill them," the burly man answered simply.
Kali couldn't restrain her surprise at his blunt reply. He was an honest one, but also a very flippant one.
"Hazel," interjected one of the White Fang soldiers behind her, "Do you not know who this woman is?"
Kali clenched her fist and glanced frantically between them. She could admit fault right away or play surprised, but she wasn't sure yet how to approach… if someone serious and stern were determined to make a kill, they didn't usually care to know the name or background of the one they were killing.
"Yes," this Hazel answered. "She's the mother of our primary target and wife of the chieftain."
He knew? Then why had he-?
"I have four targets, and you're not one of them," Hazel bluntly informed her, responding to her thoughts. "Go if you're going. I won't kill you unless you get in my way."
"But if this is the former high leader's wife, then the other Faunus traveling with her…" the same White Fang soldier came to an abrupt realization. "We were supposed to capture the runaway alive for brother Adam!"
A fracture. Kali could use that if she acted quickly.
She put on the best pleading expression she possibly could. "Please. I don't know why this is happening, but surely you don't need to kill-"
"Decide," Hazel interrupted her. "Run or die."
He already knew what she intended. Kali tried her best not to look towards the rock her daughter remained behind, but couldn't help it, and Hazel took note of her glance.
"I know it's not an easy decision to make," Hazel told her. "But the time has come for you to decide which life matters more to you."
Kali had played compliant to no avail. If Hazel was so dead set on his mission and she couldn't use diplomacy to find a way out…
She wasn't a fighter. This wasn't an environment she belonged in, and one she'd only rarely seen before. But she was all that remained between a vicious and direct killer and her daughter.
"I decided," Kali defiantly told him. "I'm in your way."
Hazel nodded. "Die without regrets."
He reared back his fist… and then an eruption of fiery Aura rose from behind the promontory, as Blake's blonde-haired partner from Beacon emerged, having finally recovered a second wind. Blake herself thrust out her arm and ensnared her mother with the whip-like cord of Gambol Shroud, pulling Kali back towards them.
The White Fang –at least the ones not distracted by Hazel revealing their true mission- readied their weapons and prepared to attack, before Yang leapt over the rock and reared back her right hand, driving a metal fist into the rock face.
Kali landed in her daughter's arms, who cautioned her: "Be ready. It's a long way down."
Down…?
Yang's fist shattered the rock. Behind her, chunks of stone fell away down into the rushing water.
"No!" Hazel reached after her, realizing what had just occurred. Yang smirked at him as she fell back with the crumbling rocks after Blake and Kali, disappearing into the turbulent water and falling stones.
Kali clung tightly to her daughter as they descended down through the rapid waters… only to abruptly come to a halt as a trio of glyphs appeared beneath their feet, abruptly stopping their fall and catching them before the rocks crashed into the misty waters below.
"About time you finished up," droned the voice of a white-haired girl (that Kali presumed must've been Weiss, based on the stories Sun had told her) standing a few dozen yards away, hand extended to hold them in the trio of projections.
"Just didn't want to interrupt Mrs. B during her magic trick," Yang remarked as they were pulled away from the waterfall and the drop. "You shoulda' seen the way she took on the White Fang."
Praise she wasn't worthy of. But not praise Kali objected to hearing. "I… only did what I could…"
Blake hugged her tightly. "You did great, mom. You were so brave."
That Kali was worthy of. And hearing it from Blake made the words all the sweeter.
"Come on, let's get out of here," the white-haired girl suggested. "Before they figure out you three survived the trip."