Author's Notes: So the Volume 5 soundtrack is out kids. What's your favorite songs so far? Bet ya'll can't guess mine. Lol.

I Will Not Scatter

Chapter 53

Mountain Glenn Part VI

The Nevermore circled the battlefield, its wings beating slowly in subconscious rhythm to Nwyfre's heartbeat. The Morrigan turned her helmeted head, scanning the ground as the Grimm banked. In her ear, a stolen earpiece squawked with chatter from the hunters.

Several Hellwings shrieked by, the great bats chasing after a fleeing transport that was attempting to reach the airfield half a mile away. Nwyfre's eyes squinted behind the slits in her helm.

"HCC, B-20 carrying two teams, comin in hot! We got bats on our tail!"

"B-20, we have you on radar-"

One of the Hellwings screamed, a blast of sonic energy striking the bullhead's right wing. Nwyfre could see smoke billow up from the ship's engine. The bullhead tilted crazily, and when another bat latched onto the hull with a screech, it began to spin out of control.

"We're hit! They're on top of us!"

Nwyfre sighed, pushing into a crouch. The wind whipped her dreads into wild patterns behind her. The Nevermore's head turned to glance back at her as she pushed off into the air, free falling. Nwyfre brought her limbs in close, pointing downwards as she plummeted towards the bats and bullhead.

"Mayday, mayday, mayday!"

Nwyfre growled, her fingers gripping her hilts as her glyphed cloak flapped behind her. Fifty feet. Twenty feet. Ten. Now.

The glyphs in her cloak activated with green Dust, buffering her and slowing her fall as she drew her green forged katanas. She spun, triggering her Dust blades. Wind sliced ahead of her, concentrated and deadly as a needle in a tornado.

The Hellwing never saw what hit it, its head severing as its smoking body let go of the rolling bullhead. Nwyfre flared her aura, rolled, and landed on the bullhead, stabbing both blades into the metal wing. The transport continued to spin; Nwyfre clung on, flaring her green aura.

The Nevermore banked ahead of them, approaching the spinning transport from the front. Gritting her teeth, Nwyfre hung on as the Nevermore screamed, extending its claws.

"Dust that's a big fucking Nevermore-"

The Nevermore plucked the bullhead from the sky, shrieking again as it beat its wings frantically. Claws as big as draft horses encircled her and the bullhead as the great bird cradled the transport. The ground was only a hundred meters below them, but there was a tall building nearby with a roof big enough to land on.

The Nevermore soared towards it, and after a few tense seconds set them down safely on the rooftop. Nwyfre wasted no time, leaping to the concrete. The Nevermore perched nearby, clucking as she proudly observed her handiwork. The Hellwings that had been pursuing the transport skirted the perimeter until the Nevermore turned her head and screamed at them. The bats scattered, tittering angrily.

The Morrigan sheathed her weapons, stepping towards the cargo door. Casually, Nwyfre knocked on the metal door. There was a long pause.

The door hissed as the mechanisms released; Nwyfre took a step back as it lowered to the ground. She took a breath, resting her hand on her hilt.

The door crunched against rooftop and Nwyfre squinted into the dark hold. A figure stumbled out; she stopped herself from moving forward. The person before her coughed, kneeling as they clutched their head. After a moment, they looked up, startling like a young hare spotting a harris hawk.

"Wha-" the boy reached for his weapon, only to realize it wasn't there. Nwyfre kicked him in the skull, and the boy dropped like a sack of potatoes, unconscious.

Pssh. Novices.

Nwfyre strode past him scornfully. She scanned the cargo hold, grey eyes flickering over the groaning hunters in training. With growing irritation, the Morrigan stepped into cockpit, glancing at the dazed bodies of the pilots.

Frustrated, she turned back to the hold, looking at the recovering teenagers. One girl, who appeared like she had been through a fucking blender, was staring at her openly. Nwyfre stopped before her, eyes cold.

"Where is STRQ?" she asked, her voice made hollow by the helmet.

The girl, who didn't look particularly bright, jawed for a second as she tried to collect herself. Then she scowled.

"Who?"

Nwyfre moved quickly, fluid as a snake, as she suddenly crouched in front of the injured teenager and pressed a blade to her throat. The girl's eyes widened, but to her credit, sneered defiantly. Nwyfre smirked in appreciation behind her mask.

"Team STRQ. They were supposed to be on this transport. Where are they?"

The girl glared at her sullenly.

"I dunno. It's a fucking warzone out there."

"But you see, I know that they were with you," Nwyfre tilted her head. "You're lying."

The brunette, whose throat was practically hamburger, frowned stubbornly.

"I don't know."

"Hmm," Nwyfre glanced at the girl's mutilated arm. "I wonder, if you really need that arm? Jorogumo webbing is very nasty. It will probably become infected."

The Nevermore screamed again outside, promising violence. The girl's eyes widened fearfully for a moment, before she scoffed.

"I'm not scared of you, bitch. Go ahead."

Nwyfre stared into the girl's eyes, moving as if she planned to inflict harm.

"They gave up their seats," said a voice. Nwyfre's head tilted as the girl before her winced.

"Laura, what the fuck?!" the girl asked.

"They gave up their seats?" Nwyfre repeated.

"Y-yes. They went on foot."

Of course they did.

"Do you know the route they took?"

"Laura!? Shut up!"

"Straight up indigo lane, unless…"

"I see. Thank you."

Nwyfre reached out swiftly, grabbing one of the girl's pressure points and sending her into unconscious. She stood up and stalked from the wreckage, making for the Nevermore. The great bird warbled, darting her beak forward as she clucked.

"No," Nwyfre sighed again. "Not here."

The Nevermore clucked in concern, rubbing her beak against her shoulder and nearly knocking her over. Patting the bird's face, Nwyfre tried to use her Semblance to see where her children were once more. However, as it had been for the past several days, she couldn't reach them. With a final growl, Nwyfre climbed onto the Nevermore's back.

The sky was full of Grimm, the creatures screaming as they swarmed towards the airfield and protected middle of the city. Nwyfre watched the spirits soaring overhead, cold eyes narrowing.

"Let's go," she said.

The Nevermore lifted her head, screeching once as she flapped her gigantic wings. They took off into the night sky, surrounded by Grimm and the smell of smoke and disaster.


"Tai, watch your flank!"

The martial artist spun and roundhouse kicked a Beowolf to the chin, before punching it in several vulnerable spots. The wolf Grimm snarled once before collapsing. Raven swiped her sword, taking the top of its head off as STRQ scanned their surroundings.

They had been running for the last thirty minutes, after giving up their spots on the last transport from the barricade to a second year team that had been gravely injured. Summer had recovered from her silver magical horseshit, though their leader was still sluggish compared to normal. The faunus had temporarily turned command of STRQ over to her, as Summer felt she was emotionally compromised. They didn't have far to go at this point, and had found several civilians to add their little party as they made for the underground.

Raven scanned the street before them, before waving her teammates and the civilians forward. She had taken point as Summer and Taiyang protected their middle. Qrow watched their backs.

The team continued. A family of humans scurried along between them, carrying their children as an elderly bat faunus struggled to keep up. Raven tried to keep a pace that they could all follow, fiercely attacking any opponents they came across.

The streets were empty, disturbingly so. Raven could feel the hairs on her neck raising and slowed as she approached a corner, peeking around it. She couldn't see anything, other than a flooding fire hydrant and the fires in an abandoned storefront. However, the shrieking Hellwings and Gryphons overhead were giving Raven the jitters. She felt she was missing something.

"Summer," she whispered. "Roll a grenade towards that semi."

There was an overturned semi in the middle of the street. Summer nodded and tossed a Dust grenade down the asphalt, the explosive rolling to a stop before one of the trucks tires. It exploded in a burst of red and yellow.

There was a pause before a swarm of Grimm poured out of the buildings to their left, grunting and growling as they inspected the source of the explosion. Raven sneered, sliding her sword out of its sheath slowly.

The Grimm were mostly low tiered, Beowolves, Boarbatusks and a couple of Jorogumo spawn. However, there were at least fifty of them. Raven didn't want to risk the civilians with them on an encounter. All of STRQ was low on aura, and tired from the fighting of the past day and a half. It was best to play it safe.

"We should circle around," Raven whispered. "There's too many."

"The safe zone is right behind them," countered Tai. "I can toss a portal over their heads and we can zip on by."

Summer scooted up next to them, her ears flicking. The little faunus had been unnaturally quiet since they had set off; Raven had continuously sent her worried glances, yet Summer remained stoic, her ears drooping.

"We could end up pinned against the field, though," Raven said, glaring at the blue force field shimmering in the distance.

"We can make it-"

Raven paused, cocking her head as she listened.

"..What is it?" asked Tai.

Raven glanced back her brother, who was also tilting his head as they listened. In the distance, a familiar screech echoed though the blasted city streets.

"It's nothing," Raven said after a moment. "Let's go around."

Taiyang shrugged as he turned towards the civilians. Raven calmed herself, glancing back at her partner and Qrow. Her brother looked as exhausted as she felt, and Summer was barely standing. Whatever the silver light had been had drained her considerably; sometimes, tears would streak down her face, staining against the dirt and Grimm ink.

Across their bond, Raven could feel a muted anguish of some sort, a thorn plaguing Summer's heart. Raven very much wanted to scoop her up and kiss away whatever was hurting her; however, they were in a warzone. Kisses could come after they all made it out alive. Not for the first time, Raven cursed herself for letting the others give up their seats on the transport.

The group used portals to hop across to the other side of the street; Raven scouted ahead, trying to find a better avenue. The old bat faunus was panting, his ears drooping much like Summer's as he trotted after them, several tattered books in his arms.

They passed a sub shop, the smell of sourdough bread making her wrists itch uncomfortably. However, Raven breathed slowly, grounding herself in the present; she had to get her people to safety.

The street was dark, the lamps having all been broken at some time or another. She could see the blue light of the field. She inspected the street, but felt no gut warnings and deemed it safe to pass through.

"Alright, let's go-"

Another scream filled the air, this one shattering several windows from buildings overhead. Raven immediately flared her aura, covering her head automatically as glass rained down. The bat faunus yelped, dancing in place as he avoided the glass. Taiyang covered the family of humans as Summer and Qrow spun to look at the source of the noise.

Hairs raising in dread, Raven looked up. A huge Nevermore was flapping overhead, screeching in distress. She could hear Qrow curse under his breath. Raven glared, gritting her teeth in frustration until she spotted several figures on the rooftops nearby, fighting.

"Oh fuckin hell," growled Qrow, his pale eyes narrowed as he followed the fighters.

Raven spotted the Morrigan's familiar figure spinning and slashing in a green and black blur between two other people. Nwyfre's attackers were moving at a speed and obvious skill level to give even her trouble. The Nevermore was warbling, hovering uncertainly over the building.

"Dude, what?" mumbled Taiyang, peering at the fighters. Raven glanced back at the force field.

What do I do?

"Your duty is to your teammates."

"I would burn every Kingdom in the world to ground for you."

Dust, she was so tired. Clenching her fist, Raven turned towards the building.

"Tai, Summer, get them to the airfield," she said.

"Oh no," protested Taiyang, grabbing her shoulder. Raven glared back at him.

"No, we are not splitting up again. Who is that?" he asked staring up the people fighting.

Raven hesitated for a fraction of a second. Summer's ears had flipped upwards as she looked at the fighters as well.

"No one," Raven growled, brushing his hand away. He moved in front of her stubbornly, blue eyes squinting.

"Rae, quit your bullshit, what is going on?"

"Look, I don't have time!" she snapped. "Get these people somewhere safe-"

"Ok!" Tai yelled, throwing a portal to the edge of the blue force field two blocks away. He dropped the other at their feet, the golden portal opening.

"Go! Go, gogogogogog-" he waved his hand quickly, ushering the civilians through. "Gogo! There! They made it!"

The civilians popped out by the field and a second later an archway opened, allowing them through. Raven tried to move towards the buildings again as Qrow stepped closer as well, following the fighters as they danced over the rooftops.

"Now quit your fucking crap and tell me, who the hell that is?!"

Raven tossed her hands in the air.

"My mom! That's my gods' damned mom, and I have to go help her!"

Tai stared at her.

"What?!"

"Aw fuck all kinds of duck," muttered Qrow, dashing forward towards the buildings.

"Fuckin what?!" yelped Tai.

Raven shared a look with Summer, desperate; her partner's lip twitched upwards and Raven ran after her brother. Changing her Dust coating once more, Raven swept her green coated blade and triggered the Dust; wind swept behind her as she sprinted up the side of the building, Qrow using his scythe to dig into the brick and fling himself upward.

The twins sprinted up the side of the structure, using Dust and weapons to finally leap onto the rooftop. Raven turned frantically towards the figures as they clashed in their deadly dance; Nwyfre was giving as good as she was getting, the Nevermore's beak darting towards her opponents whenever they paused. Behind the twins, their teammates were scurrying up the side of the building as well. Raven shared another look with Qrow, before the twins charged forwards into the fray.

The Nevermore turned sharply towards them as they approached, its beak clacking. However, it didn't attack them as they swept in, swinging at Nwyfre's opponents. Raven's sword met one of the attackers dual wield pistol knives fiercely, and she triggered the Dust coating, blowing her back. The shaved head was familiar; Raven realized she was one of the witchfingers who had escorted them previously.

"Tch. Figures," the witchfinger snarled, sweeping a leg suddenly. Raven leapt over the strike, breaking free of the woman's knives and swinging for her exposed side.

The woman blocked her, slashing her other arm out. Raven flared her aura, catching the hit as the witchfinger fired her Dust pistol into her flickering crimson. Qrow was trying to trip the other witchfinger that had been harassing Nwfyre with his scythe. The Morrigan had recovered and was swinging at the man's back. He flared his aura, catching the strike and flipping suddenly through the air.

The witchfinger partners did not seem disheartened at fighting two more opponents, even as Nwyfre multiplied herself; her ghost images flickering about, catching strikes and trying to confuse the witchfingers. The Morrigan would use her Dust blade and glyphs to dodge between them, moving with inhuman speed and grace. Raven made it to the Morrigan's side, guarding her flank from their opponents; so far the witchfingers hadn't used anything resembling a Semblance, relying solely on their own skill.

Nwyfre settled into a calm stance behind her; or perhaps one of Nwyfre's images. Raven wasn't entirely sure, but it was a part of their practiced strategies; Raven would support an image, confusing their opponents into thinking that was actually the Morrigan, before getting a blade to their back for their trouble.

Qrow was performing similarly, circling around behind another image as he tried to get the attention of the male witchfinger. However, the witchfingers were not interested in either of them. With uncanny swiftness, they struck out at two images, scattering them, before rolling in unison towards the dark figure by Raven.

Growling, Raven sent a wave of wind their way, concentrating it into a deadly slice that could shatter bones. Nwfyre dashed forward to meet the partners, her blades swirling in a deadly algorithm of strikes; the witchfingers met the Morrigans blades with their own. Raven rushed in, stabbing at the female witchfinger once more; the woman spun, sending a foot crashing towards her skull. Raven blocked it with a gauntleted forearm, sliding around to try to bring her sword against the woman's hip. Nwyfre similarly struck downwards, cutting against the witchfinger's violet aura.

Qrow's Semblance struck the male witchfinger, causing him to drop his saber; her twin didn't hesitate, sweeping his scythe around at the man's unprotected middle, catching against his aura and sending him tumbling across the rooftop. The witchfinger sprang to his feet promptly, holding his gloved hand up; his saber leapt off the rooftop, hilt slamming into his palm before he shoved the flat of his palm out. Qrow's scythe whipped around in his grip, before his nameless weapon was sent tumbling over the edge of the building.

Qrow scowled as the witchfinger turned towards Raven and Nwyfre. Spitting on the roof, he drew a spare blade from his belt and charged forward. He caught the witchfinger by surprise, striking white aura before kicking in the back of the man's knee; the man spun around, slashing at Qrow's hamstrings.

Raven saw this and swept a gust of air towards him, knocking his strike askew. Qrow socked the witchfinger in the face as the man's partner gunned for Raven, shooting Dust rounds into her weakened aura. Raven yelped in pain, spinning her sword around to deflect the rest of the bullets as best she could. Nwyfre brought her katanas together across the woman's aura, before kicking her savagely in the ches; the woman recovered, catching one of Nwyfre's blades with her own, trying to wrench it free. The Nevermore's beak suddenly struck down, crashing against the woman's flared aura brutally.

"Rrrrgh fucking witch!" the woman snarled, rolling away from the Nevermore and Nwyfre.

Jumping to her feet, she clapped her palms together; a wave of sonic force crashed into the Branwen, knocking them flat. Raven sprang desperately to her feet, her body aching with aura burnout and panting heavily; Qrow and Nwyfre had recovered as well, Qrow looking like he might drop at any second.

The witchfingers raised their hands in concert, and a cacophony of sound waves and metal shrapnel from the man's hands rained down around them. Raven felt the world slow as she wove around the attacks, spinning and ducking; several shards of metal pierced through her weakened aura, catching her in the shoulder. Qrow was battered by the sonic blasts, his nose breaking as the metal shrapnel swerved uncannily around him. The Nevermore was shrieking, hovering overhead as it rained deadly feathers down onto the rooftop, causing the witchfingers to somersault away to avoid being skewered. Nwyfre had avoided most of the attack and had materialized behind the female witchfinger, driving her sword through the woman's gut.

"Aaaugh!"

"Sasha!" shouted the man, turning towards his partner.

Nwyfre pinned the woman to the rooftop, turning towards him.

"Stop!"

Raven panted, turning towards the voice of her partner. Summer and Taiyang were standing near the edge of the rooftop, staring at the scene of violence before them. The Morrigan's helmet turned towards them slowly.

"Stop this," Summer said stepping forward. Her ears were up, eyes steady. "Please."

"Mind your own business, little girl," Nwyfre said, her hands tight on the hilt of her sword. The male witchfinger was glancing between Summer and his partner, who was groaning on the concrete.

"There are people who need our help, and you are wasting time hurting one another," Summer said, taking another step. Raven glanced at Qrow.

The Morrigan didn't answer.

"Ms. Rindvallis, please get away," said the male witchfinger.

"No," Summer insisted. "Does my father know you are doing this?"

The man flinched.

"You don't understand, this woman is a monster."

"Oh shut it, Barry," growled Nwyfre. "That's fine talk coming from you-"

"I don't care! I don't care whatever excuses you're giving yourselves!" Summer exclaimed. "Grow up! People are dying!"

Raven's eyes widened. She had never heard someone tell the Morrigan to grow up, and it made her nervous. However, the male witchfinger seemed to hesitate. Nwyfre snorted, shaking her helmet.

The male witchfinger tensed, before Raven spotted something that Nwyfre had flung from her hand. A hypodermic dart had struck the man in his neck. He gasped, before falling over. Summer tried to take an angry step forward before Taiyang stopped her.

"Raven, Qrow, we're leaving," Nwyfre said, standing.

Raven froze.

"What?" rasped Qrow.

"We are leaving," the Morrigan uttered slowly. "You two clearly can't keep out of trouble. So, we're going home."

Neither twin moved. Raven, her hands shaking from exhaustion or anger, lifted her head as she glared at the woman who had raised her. Her heart was pounding.

"No," Raven said.