Hello !

I'm so happy you take time for my fic, I worked very hard to write it! … and even harder to translate it… Yep, English is not my native language so I know my grammar and stuff are far from perfect, there's a lot of things that are a pain to translate, especially familiar words and expressions, or measurement units, but it's understandable. I think. I hope…

Soooooo… About the fic! Raven is a character who fascinate me, and I think the RWBY fandom is often unfair with her, so I decided to comfort her. Seriously, everyone is breaking sugar on her back* but she just want to be left alone! She looks like this kid that everyone bother at school when he's quietly sitting in a corner and get yelled at by a teacher the day he decide to defend himself!

*cough*

Anyway, I tried to follow the original development of the story, but I also changed few things that you will discover in this first chapter. This fic will be in 3 parts. I wrote the whole first part but I still have to translate it (8 chapters, 10000 words each, ouch…). I just began the second part that will be longer because more complex. And the third part start at the same moment as the show, with Beacon, and a lot of changes.

And final point (the last, I promise), as I said, English is not my native language, but I really want to do the best I can with this fic, so if someone could help me to correct the translation, it would be very sweet.

*I don't know if this expression is also used in English, but in French, "to break sugar on someone's back" approximately means "to pick on someone".

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Raven was angry.

First, the raid didn't go well at all because of a stupid snowstorm, they weren't able to bring back nearly half of their loot, and several members of the tribe perished at the hands of Huntsmen who were in the village.

Second, because of this failed raid, winter supplies were much smaller than what they usually were, which meant that a rationing system had to be created for the coldest period, until they were able to make a new raid or move the camp, which would require a lot of organization and effort.

Third, Qrow. Of all the villages of Anima, it had to be in this one, at that very moment! At least he didn't dare to attack them, and just avoided the deaths of innocents, but Raven was pretty sure that his deliberately amplified Semblance was what set off this storm and forced them to leave. Did he really think she didn't notice his little smirk when she gave the order to retreat?!

Raven was having a very bad day. As she returned to the camp followed by her troops, she gave the usual orders for a return from raid, and entered her tent, ordering not to be disturbed. Tired and angry, she forcefully put her helmet on the coffee table, sitting down and pinched the bridge of her nose in an attempt to calm down. She mustn't let her emotions get the better of her, if she lost control, the whole tribe would suffer, she had to stay strong and inflexible no matter the situa-…

-Mommy?

…-tion.

With a sigh, Raven turned to see a three-year-old curly little blonde girl with big purple eyes looking at her worryingly, half hidden behind the curtain that separated her room from the rest of the tent. Without a word, the tribe leader reached out a hand to the child, who rushed into her mother's arms laughing, a small wooden sword in her hands.

Raven couldn't help but smile tenderly as she hugged her daughter, letting her hand slip in her soft golden curls, which were already reaching her shoulders. She could be cold, cruel, even ruthless with the rest of the world, but the simple presence of her little bird was always enough to melt her ice heart.

The little girl raised her head up to her mother with a big smile, and began to wave her toy weapon in all directions, pulling Raven's sleeve with her free hand.

-Mommy, can you show me some cool stuff with your sword? Please please please!

-Yang, sweetheart, I just come back from a raid, can you let me rest?

-But I'm boooooored!

Yang dramatically fell on the floor and watched her feet pedal in the void above her head. She disliked when her mommy went out on a raid, because it meant she had to stay alone for days, or even weeks when the camp had to move to join them, and when her mommy was back, she was too tired to play. She couldn't wait to be old enough to go on a raid, it would be funnier. But she had to wait until she was ten years old and get her own weapon.

-Why don't you go with Vernal? You like her, don't you?

-She says I'm a baby!

Raven let out a little tired laugh, and beckoned her daughter to get closer. She sat cross-legged in front of the table, her little bird nestled in the hollow of her legs, her back against her mother's chest.

-What if I told you a story instead?

-Oh yes! I love stories!

Raven smiled and passed an arm around her daughter to hold her in place, little electric pile she was, and stretched the other arm to the table, where ice sculptures appeared. Yang watched in amazement as the shiny forms moved by themselves as if they were alive. She loved when her mommy performed magic, it was so beautiful… But she mustn't tell anyone, it was their little secret to both of them. And Vernal, but it didn't matter, she was the fake Maiden.

-Once upon a time, there was… a man. A wizard.

The ice moved to form a male figure, wearing a long coat, with what looked like a scepter in his hands.

-This wizard was very powerful, he possessed many powers, each more impressive than the others. But the most amazing of all… was his ability to reincarnate. Every time he died, his soul, his memories, his magic, did not disappear, and found a new host. Another soul to share a body with.

-Wow…

Yang's eyes stared at the ice characters, who moved to the rhythm of Raven's story, illustrating her words.

-The wizard lived hundreds of lives, some quiet as a farmhand or a seller, others more epic as a fighter, sometimes even a king. But he wasn't alone in these lives. Each time, there was a second soul, the one the body originally belonged to. And sometimes some of these souls fell in love, married, and had children. And these children, born of a parent capable of perform magic, inherited a power.

-Could they do magic like you?

-Not like me, no… They had only one power. But it was incredibly powerful.

On the table, an ice Nevermore flaunted its wings menacingly in front of a young girl in a long hooded cape.

-Their silver eyes could emit an intense light, capable of changing Grimm… into stone.

And faithful to Raven's words, the girl's sculpture began to shine in the direction of the giant bird, and the ice Nevermore became a stone Nevermore, before collapsing on the table into small pebbles.

Yang grabbed one and watched it dissolve into dust in her hand. Magic was amazing. There were so many amazing things that became possible with it… Even turn Grimm into stone.

-This power has been passed down from generation to generation, but over time it has gradually died out, and only few people today still possess it. They are rare, and many of them don't even know about their power. Even their legend is not know by the public. But they exist, they're here, among us. I saw it with my own eyes.

-Wow! For real?

-Don't you believe me?

-I do! It's just amazing! I wish I could do magic too!

Raven smiled tenderly as she clutched her daughter, a hint of sadness crossing her gaze.

-One day you will… I'm sure of it…

-Qrow.

-Raven. How was your week? Well I hope so.

-…

-Hey, don't give me that look. I go wherever I want.

-Are you aware that the tribe is going to have a hard time getting through the winter because of this?

-Your tribe doesn't concern me. I just did my Huntsman job, and if I'd do it seriously, I should have tried to shoot you.

-I would not hesitate to behead you, and you know I am capable of it.

-Was I supposed to let you kill innocent people?

-The weak die, the strong live.

Qrow sighed and took a sip of alcohol from the glass laid in front of him, even though he didn't particularly like to drink. He knew his sister would be willing to kill him if he really put her precious tribe in danger, just as he knew he had almost no chance in front of her when she was angry. That was largely why he didn't arrest them directly, even though he wasn't going to let them kill innocent people. And it was quite funny to see his invincible sister having to run because of the weather, for once, his Semblance didn't just cause him problems. But honestly, they hadn't seen each other for more than three years now, and she had nothing but reproaches for him? When she was the one who left them all for no reason?

-Anyway, do you know Tai and Summer got a kid a year ago?

-Pff, why should I be concerned by that?

-Oh I don't know, maybe because you and Tai were married before you left without a word.

Raven frowned, got up, and left. Qrow watched her without adding anything. She didn't listen to anyone, not even him, she ran and turned her back on them all without any remorse, and honestly, he wondered who was on the other side of this portal that led her to the tribe. At least it meant she wasn't completely alone, and that there was still some place for someone in her heart, even if there wasn't for her team anymore.

Raven landed in her tent without a sound, Yang was sleeping just across the curtain and she was already having enough trouble getting her to bed. After a few seconds of silence to make sure her little bird had not woken up, she fell on her knees, and tears soon fell.

What was Qrow thinking? That she just forgot on Tai overnight? That she had got tired of him? Or perhaps that she never really loved him?

Well, she did, Raven really loved Tai, and she still loved him, that was why she had married him, why it was so hard to leave, why she didn't divorce, why she continued to wear her wedding ring. She had named her daughter after him, and she was always happy to see Yang's pretty blonde curls, her big smile, or her inexhaustible good mood!

She would have stayed without even considering leaving… if it wasn't for Ozpin. This man had no qualms, he saw people as puppets, puppets who had to obey him. He was even more dangerous than Salem herself, and if that were enough to kill him, Raven would gladly plant her sword between his eyes. And of course, she was the only one who understood it, to have seen through his beautiful speeches. She could have told them, it would have been so easy, and they would all have turned their back on Ozpin. And he knew it. So he threatened her. Worse, he threatened her tribe. He dared to threaten her tribe. At first she stayed quiet, she let go on this plan that disgusted her, and then the same day she learned of her pregnancy, she was gone, without saying a word about her condition. She didn't want to abandon them, she didn't do it for herself, she did it for Yang.

She never stopped to love Tai deeply.

Obviously, it wasn't reciprocal, and Ozpin got what he wanted.

Raven removed the armor on her forearm and the glove she was wearing underneath, and dropped her gaze on her wedding ring. The tears were accompanied by cry. She couldn't blame him, she was the one who left, she broke his heart, she let her place with no intention of taking it back one day, it would be selfish to want him to be alone after that, she knew perfectly well. That doesn't mean it didn't hurt.

-Mommy…?

Raven quickly wiped away her tears before turning to her daughter with a fake smile.

-Yang, what are you doing here? You're supposed to sleep.

-I heard a noise…

Raven sighed and reached out a hand to her daughter. Yang came closer, rubbing her eyes with her hand. It was almost midnight, she didn't used to be awake so late. Half-collapsing, she sat down between her mother's legs, and used her chest as a pillow, as she often did. She was about to go back to sleep when a drop of water fell on the top of her head.

-Mommy?

Raven tightened her arms around her daughter, not even trying to hold back her tears. Yang looked at her mother anxiously, she had never seen her cry, her mother was always strong, she was the leader of the tribe, she was stronger than the Huntsmen, she was never afraid of anything, and no one was strong enough to hurt her. What could make her so sad?

Raven felt her little bird move in her arms and turn around to pass her little arms around her neck.

-I don't like when you're sad...

Taken aback, the mother didn't know what to do. Then she let her maternal instinct speak for her, and pressed her daughter harder against her, like if she was the one who comforted her. She didn't want to worry her daughter like that.

After a few minutes, she felt a gentle and steady breath against her neck, indicating that Yang was sleeping again.

Raven tenderly smiled, got up with her daughter in her arms, and carried her to her bed. It was only a futon installed on the ground, covered with a thick blanket for the winter. A big brown teddy bear with a yellow ribbon tied around its neck was lying around, she found it during a raid when Yang was a baby, and since the people who used to live in the house were lying in their own blood, they wouldn't be angry at her for taking it, dead people wouldn't need it anyway. Yang loved her stuffed animal, and as soon as Raven putted it in her arms, she clung to it with a little grin.

Tai could no longer love her, Summer could have robbed her husband, Qrow could call her a coward and a heartless murderer, Remnant could see her as a monster, but nothing would stop her from loving her daughter more than anything in the world. And as long as Raven was alive, Ozpin would not touch a single one of her golden curls.

-Again. Again. Put your shoulders back on. You're not holding the handle properly.

Yang jumped back and took up position, a tantô in her hands. She was still too small to use a katana. Planted in the ground, her mother's was bigger than her! But that didn't stop her from learning how to handle a blade. It even seemed that she was very good. With surgical precision, she performed for the umpteenth time since the beginning of the morning the movements that her mother had been teaching her for a few weeks now.

Raven was very proud of her daughter, she learned fast and did very well in the handling of the blades. She also seemed to be gifted for hand-to-hand combat, she certainly took it from her father. It would be another two or three years before her fighting style really began to establish itself, and later, she would get her own weapon. Raven was almost sure it would be a sword, whatever the form, but the question was where to find it. She could always take it from a Huntsman she would have killed in a raid, for her it was as simple as going shopping at the supermarket. But Yang deserved better than a second-hand weapon, she needed something truly made for her, adapted to her abilities and fighting style.

By the way, she didn't try guns yet…

-That's fine Yang. We're done for this morning, come on, let's go back home.

Although out of breath, Yang ran to her mother with a big smile on her lips. She loved spending time alone with her mommy during the day, it was rare, Raven was often busy as the leader of the tribe, especially now, because they apparently had rationing problems for the winter, but she found always a way to get time for her.

Hand in hand, the two girls returned to the camp, after training in the forest. Everything was covered by snow, and groups took turns clearing the passages between the tents, otherwise they would end up buried before the end of the week. As she walked to her tent, Raven observed the state of her troops. They wouldn't pass the winter if they didn't get more supplies, but with such weather conditions, an emergency raid would be too risky, especially so soon after their failure, two weeks ago. Honestly, sometimes she wondered why she hadn't killed Qrow yet.

Raven felt Yang's little hand come out of hers, and watched her run, shouting towards Vernal, who was arm-wrestling with one of the tribe's heavyweights. The tribe leader let a proud smile appear on her lips when her disciple won her fight effortlessly, she didn't regret accepting her among them. And it was a bit of company for Yang, even though they were ten years apart.

Upon entering her tent, the tribal leader took out the list of their inventory, as well as a map of the land. The situation was critical, she had to do something until the coldest period of the season had yet arrived. There were several villages that would make good targets in the north, but they were all two or three days' walk away, and in the snow they would take even longer, and the risk of Huntsmen would be bigger. There also seemed to be a very recent village further south, the journey would take almost a week just to get there, but they had the advantage that it was warmer in this area, there would be less snow, and the weather would be more favorable to them. After that, if the village was so new, there was no guarantee it had enough to fill the tribe's stocks, so much of a raid had to be worth it. Perhaps she should go there in avian form in spotting? But she couldn't afford to leave the tribe without her protection in this critical time. She could always use Yang to come back with a portal, but she would still have to get there first. And moving the camp in these conditions was out of the question, so they couldn't even change the area to dodge the weather.

But what if...?

Raven got up and quietly glanced outside. Everyone went about their business, no sign of a problem to solve, and Vernal was showing Yang how to maintain a gun. Perfect. She quickly went out to the other side of the tent, and turned into a raven to fly away. She landed a hundred yards further, made sure that there was absolutely no one around, and looked up at the sky. A thick layer of clouds hid the sun, and snow fell heavily from it.

Raven closed her eyes, and focused, her hands outstretched in the direction of the camp. The wind rose quickly, anyone would believe a storm was about to begin, the flakes fell more and more obliquely as the clouds began to move. Raven held her breath and forced even more, magic over such a distance required a lot of effort, it was like lifting a big rock at arm's length. The wind was blowing stronger and stronger, the tribe should have started to worry about the risk of storm, she had to be quick, she would not last very long.

The tug of war with the wind lasted another minute, and Raven was not used to perform so much magic over such long periods. But her efforts eventually paid off, because when she opened her eyes, the snow had stopped falling, the sky was clear, and only a few clouds at very high altitude were still there.

Unfortunately, it would not be definitive, this more bearable weather would not last more than a day, and required too much energy to be recreated every time it disappeared. But… it was better than nothing. And over time, it would become easier, even if it got her very tired. She would keep that for snowstorms for now. For the time being, she had to find a solution to their supply problem.

Yang was worried. Her mommy seemed more and more tired for some time, she spent her time thinking, looking at her map, and usually ended up getting angry and disappearing for a few hours, coming back even more tired, she even almost collapsed once. Sometimes, she also talked to herself, when she didn't notice that her daughter was there, and insulted a certain "Qrow". Was he the one who annoyed her so much? Yang didn't know, she didn't know anyone by that name.

Maybe Vernal would know?

-Vernaaaaal!

-A problem Yang?

-Who's Qrow?

Vernal froze, her shovel still planted in the snow, and looked at the little blonde with round eyes. She glanced around her, only to see that she wasn't the only one who heard the question, several older members had also stopped clearing the snow, and were watching them with a hint of anger in their eyes. Vernal swallowed as she turned her gaze to her little sister by heart, and hesitated for a moment before finally answering, uncertain.

-He's… a former member of the tribe… who… left?

-Is that all?

Vernal nodded, not wanting to add anything and hoping it would be enough. Qrow Branwen was a taboo subject in the tribe, the one they had always hated and reluctantly kept, the one they thought could finally make useful by sending him Beacon, the one who had betrayed them by not returning. Raven also had no plans to return, but she finally did, and she had made the tribe stronger than ever. Qrow remained a traitor and it was because of him that they were in this difficult situation.

Suspicious and a little disappointed by her answer, Yang went away, letting the grown-ups return to work, not noticing their sigh of relief when she didn't ask more questions. They didn't want to get Raven's wrath by giving too much information to her little princess. Where did she even hear about him?

Yang walked between the tents, leaving small footprints behind her. She wasn't much more advanced, she still didn't know who was this Qrow, or why her mommy was so tired. If even Vernal couldn't help her, no one could. What was she supposed to do now?

...

No, really, she couldn't find a solution… She still could train to pass the time, her mommy often said that staying by and doing nothing was a waste of time. At least she told those she found playing cards instead of making themselves useful. Yang was still too small to help with anything other than cooking, and still. She was the only child here, the tribe usually recruited its members at the earliest in the last decade, births within the camp were rare. So there wasn't a lot of activity for a three-year-old girl, people tolerated her because she was the chief's daughter, otherwise she wouldn't have any reason to be there. A place in the Branwen tribe was earned and deserved, and compared to the others, Yang was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Very few people except Vernal were actually paying attention to her…

The weak die, the strong live. That's what her mommy used to say all the time. So she was going to train, and become strong, to earn her place here. Maybe it would cheer up her mommy?

It couldn't go on. Despite the rationing, the reserves were too thin, and the bite of the cold was increasingly felt despite her daily efforts on the weather. The tribe could hold on to this precarious balance for now, but the slightest little climate change would have catastrophic consequences. She had to find a solution and quick.

But no matter which village they chose to attack, they always had the same problems: the travel time, the weather, and the Huntsmen. If each of these things was manageable separately, all three at the same time made any raid almost impossible. Yet the longer they waited, the weaker they became, and the less they were likely to succeed what already had very low chances of success.

-We survived so far, we're not going to let ourselves be take down by a simple winter…

Letting out a small part of her frustration over the poor innocent pencil she had in her hand, Raven dropped the now broken piece of wood to take a sip of steaming tea. The burning liquid warmed her more than the thick jacket she was wearing today. Slowly, she let out a long sigh. She didn't have much luxury to relax lately.

-Mommy Mommy!

And of course, this moment of calm could not last… Knowing that her moment of calm was over, Raven put her cup down and turned to see Yang run towards her, soaked by the snow, and with a slightly bleeding scratch on her forehead which she did not seem to care about. Actually, knowing Yang, she surely didn't even notice… Her Aura would take care of it.

Yang was very independent for her age. Of course, with Raven going on raid for long periods of time, she didn't have much choice, but given the environment in which she grew up, it was for the best. She quickly learned to walk, without going through the "four-legged" part, and didn't take long before running, she spoke well for her age, largely because no one bothered to adapt their language to a child, she ate what she was given without making a fuss, either with her mother or with the members who did not go on raid, she didn't cry for twenty minutes at the slightest wound, she knew not to disturb those who worked, and she knew how to find useful occupations when she was alone, whether it was helping cooks, doing small chores, or more recently training. She rarely stayed with nothing to do and it was impossible to hold her in place.

In a flash, the little terror was next to her mother and pulled on the sleeve of her jacket, hopping with excitement.

-Mommy you'll never guess what I did!

Raven sighed and gave her daughter the significant "calm down first" look, that Yang ignored in favor of her incredible story. She would have reprimanded her slightly in normal circumstances, but the fact that she did not see the usual joyful smile on her little bird's face made her understand that something was wrong.

-What did you do?

-Well I didn't really know what to do so I wanted to go to training but since in the camp there is too much snow and you said I wasn't allowed to go out alone and everyone is busy-…

-Stop. Take your breath, just like in training.

Although a little annoyed by being cut in her story, Yang took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly, as she did after a tiring exercise.

-That's it. Now go on, slowly.

-Okay. So as there was no place for me to practice sword because of the snow, I decided to practice climbing the logs around the camp. And I almost got to the top! But when I was almost at the top, I slipped, because the trunk was wet, and when I fell, I-…!

Raven had to resist the urge to let her head fall in her hand. Yang might be more mature than other children of her age, but sometimes Raven wondered if she did not have a monkey Faunus among her ancestors. Or she just looked like her father. Or both, knowing Tai, it wasn't even impossible.

-… I turned into a bird!

…

-I'm sorry?

-I turned into a bird!

… No. No, she couldn't. Anything but that.

With trembling hands, Raven firmly grabbed Yang's shoulders and forced her to look her mother in the eyes.

-Yang. Are you sure that's what happened?

-That's true, I swear! I was falling, but when I moved my arms, it had become wings and so I didn't get hurt when falling! And I felt like I was smaller too, it was so weird!

Several seconds of heavy silence passed like hours. Yang didn't dare to move. Her mommy had always been much more emotional with her than with the tribe, with them she was cold, strict, authoritarian, and, according to some, quite cruel, even by the standards of bandits, she was a Huntsmen killer after all. But Yang had already seen her be happy, she had seen her be sweet, she had seen her be worry, she also vaguely remembered seeing her cry, even though she wasn't sure and maybe she just dreamed. She had seen her from an angle that she was the only one who knew.

But it was the first time she saw her mommy being afraid.

-Mommy…?

Raven didn't move, still staring at her daughter, her three-year-old daughter, still innocent. Yet she could perform magic. Yang was born with the ability to perform magic, she had neither asked nor accepted it, and she could never get rid of it. If she could turn into bird, who said she didn't also have Maiden powers? If Salem found out, or worse, if Ozpin found out, if they found out that it was possible to be born with magic? Perhaps Salem would ignore it if it was just transformation, but if she had Maiden powers? And Ozpin, whatever her powers, would do anything to have Yang in his army, to make her another of his precious pawns to sacrifice without remorse! What if Tai found out he had a daughter and wanted her back?! No! No, it was out of the question for them to take her away from her! No one-…!

-Mommy?

Raven startled, Yang's voice bringing her back to reality. Only then she realized her own condition, she was sweating, breathing heavily, and her hands were shaking. Slowly, she dropped Yang's shoulders, who looked at her anxiously, and buried her face in her hands, her elbows resting on the table.

-Momm-…

-Go to your room.

-… But-…

-I said, go to your room!

Yang backed away, more out of shock than fear, despite the coldness of the order she just received. Timidly, she bypassed her mother without taking her eyes off her, and disappeared behind the thick curtain that separated her "room" from the rest of the tent. There, she sat in her bed and clutched her teddy bear against her. Her mom never yelled at her. Did she do anything wrong?

Raven let out a long sigh. She was exhausted. They were barely halfway through the winter, they had practically no more supplies, a heavy snowstorm seemed to be heading straight for them, and she was no longer strong enough to push it away. On top of that, more and more Grimm were passing by the camp because of the negativity that their situation brought. They may have been just Beowolves and Boarbatusk, but the bandits were more used to fight humans, and between fatigue and lack of proper equipment, it was very hard for the tribe to defend itself. Only Raven was holding up. Because she had no choice. She was their chief, their leader, and the most powerful fighter in the tribe. If she fell, everything would collapse with her. And it was getting harder and harder. She managed to keep her face until then, but those who worked with her more regularly, like Vernal, knew she was at the end of her rope.

And in addition to all these problems, she still had Yang's problem. Actually, she almost didn't talk to her daughter since. Meals was quiet, training was shorter and less frequent due to lack of time, and Yang didn't come to talk to her on her own even once, preferring to help in the camp or train alone rather than risk her mother being even more angry at her. Raven knew it was her fault, she got angry and raised her voice for the first time, without giving any explanation. But what was she supposed to explain? Yang knew that magic was real, but she was still too young to really understand what it meant, she might not even understand that she could perform magic.

-What can I do…? All because of a single failed raid. Thank you Qrow. Oh, really.

A gale lifted the canvas that served as the entrance to the tent, letting in the worried noises of the tribe members. The snowstorm was approaching and they knew it. She had no choice or time to find a solution, it was time to take drastic decision.

It was the middle of the night, but Raven wasn't sleeping. How could she? Before sunrise, the camp would be buried under the snow and there would be no way to get around. That was why everyone had a formal ban on going out, the last rations of food had been distributed to everyone to keep on until the end of the storm. By then, everyone had to stay in their tent, sealed off, and wait. It was a state of emergency.

It had happened once, a little over fifteen years ago. Raven and Qrow were eight years old at the time, they had to spend two days and two nights together, locked in the same tent, with just enough food, and only blankets and their Aura so as not to freeze to death. How did they manage not to tear eyes out from each other? No one knew. There had been many deaths from the cold, some tents had flown away, leaving their occupants exposed to powerful gusts of wind and snow, with no hope that anyone would come to help them.

This time, Raven had personally checked the bindings of each tent, and distributed a small amount of Fire Dust to each group by drawing from her personal reserve. The storm was expected to be long and violent, but as a leader she was willing to do anything to ensure the survival of her tribe. They had provisions for three days, and they could possibly hold a fourth if they made efforts. But the hardest thing would be after that, when the storm stopped, they would all be tired, and they would have no food.

-The weak die, the strong live. The weak die, the strong live. The weak die, the strong live…

They were strong, they would survive it, she would make sure. And those who would die despite all that she had done? They deserved it. She just hoped they wouldn't be too many...

-«The current storm on Mistral is of unprecedented power, and experts expect it to last several days in the south, and nearly a whole week in the north. The Kingdom has officially declared a state of alert this afternoon, air transport is on hold, and Haven Academy-... »

-Hey!

-No TV during diner.

Tai let out a long sigh and fixed his plate. Summer's dishes were among the best in Remnant, but by now he was too worried to swallow anything. The main camp of the Branwen tribe was in the north of Mistral, they must be in the middle of the storm right now. He had no doubt that Raven would make it, but he couldn't help but be worried about her. Even though she had been gone for years, even though he had remarried, even though he had a child with Summer, Raven still had a place in his heart. An empty place that she had left leaving overnight without a goodbye…

-Come on Ruby, open your mouth!

-Ah…!

-That's very good. Mmmh! Carrot puree taste good, doesn't it?

Ruby happily clapped her hands, laughing, snatching a small smile from her parents. When the meal was over, Summer went upstairs to put her to bed, while Tai sat on the chair near the fireplace with a thick packet of copies to correct. He would have liked Raven to be there with them to enjoy the warmth of a home and a family.

It should be almost midnight, the wind was blowing louder and louder, and the snow was piling up all around the tent. She couldn't close her eyes.

-Mommy?

Fully awake, Raven looked over her shoulder to see Yang wrapped up in her blanket.

-I can't sleep…

She should have expected it… With a sigh, Raven turned completely and lifted her blanket. Yang didn't pray and crept up next to her mother, huddling against her in search of some warmth. She wasn't chilly in normal circumstances, but protected from a snowstorm only by a few layers of cloth, even a mini-sun like her could be cold.

-Mommy… I'm sorry…

-For what?

-I don't know… But you got angry the other day so…

Raven pressed her daughter a little harder against her and put her chin on her little head, while a sweet smile appeared on her lips.

-Listen to me Yang, I'm not angry against you, and I will never be. You are the most precious thing I have ever had, and you take more space in my heart than anyone else in this world.

-So you're not angry?

-Of course not. Now sleep, tomorrow is going to be a long day.

-Okay mommy…

Yang huddled a little more in her mother's arms, more relaxed than when she came. Raven blamed herself for scaring her like that, she loved her daughter more than anything in the world, and she still preferred to throw herself head first towards a slow and painful death rather than hurt her.

If Qrow would hear it, he'd probably laugh at her with something like, "You've been softening up since time impart!". And she had to admit that he would not be wrong, compared to what they had experienced when they arrived in the tribe. They had been beaten to exhaustion almost every day after their arrival, they had to fight to the death against some members who considered them too weak and cumbersome, they had worked hard to stop being treated like burdens by the tribe, they had received no help, no support except each other.

Many would say they got a horrible childhood, it wasn't really the case, at least not for Raven. Yes it had been hard, yes she had suffered, yes she had looked death in the face more times than she could count. But she was still there, she survived, all these trials made her stronger, made her the monster of power that she was now. That was how she was raised, in a world where you have to be strong to survive, in a tribe of thieves and killers that she shamelessly called her family, and which she would protect with her life if she had to. It was a life she deliberately chose to return to.

And yet…

-Mommy will always be there for you, little bird. Always…

Three days. The storm had been raging on the camp for three days. Three days that Raven had been able to spend thinking more calmly about the solution. Three days during which she had been able to rest and regain enough energy to put her plan in action. It should have been the middle of the morning and the wind was still blowing as strong. As Yang tried to focus on the reading lessons she recently began, Raven put her hand on the canvas facing the back of the camp, trying to figure out how high the snow level was. Higher than her hips, and the tent was raised. It was going to be hard, but she could do it, she had to do it.

-I won't be long.

Yang nodded, and watched her mother go out despite the storm, letting in some wind and snow. Outside, Raven groped along the canvas, making her way between the fabric and the snow, until she reached one of the pillars that supported the tent. It wasn't very thick, but still enough to climb. With some effort due to the slippery wood and the wind, she finally managed to climb onto the roof. It was just as snowy as the rest of the camp, and it was a question of how it didn't already collapse.

Although totally blinded by the storm, Raven knew every inch of her camp, no matter how many times they moved, she didn't need her eyes to act with precision. Then, with a great sigh, she began.

Yang was bored. She was used to now, so she wasn't complaining too much. She didn't want to read the child books that her mommy had given her to keep her busy, and she really wanted to see her do magic. Yang loved magic. But mommy said no.

…

Oh, well, no one would know if she just looked.

Trying to be discreet, despite the deafening din of the wind, Yang walked towards the exit of the tent, and slightly pushed aside the two side solidly kept closed to prevent the snow from entering. Outside, everything was white, she couldn't even see the ground, and even standing on a pile of pillows, it was barely high enough to see over the snow piled up all around the tent.

And suddenly the wind stopped, the suspended flakes seemed to freeze, no more noise was heard, like if time had stopped. Then just as suddenly, everything started again, but in the opposite direction. The wind blew unnaturally from the ground to the sky, the snow already on the ground began to rise, as if it was falling upside down. Yang didn't know how long this had lasted, she was too hypnotized by the sight of seeing a soft, quiet tornado suck each flake, gradually releasing them from the winter trap they were trapped in. The tornado was not very large, but it was rising higher and higher, and when it touched the clouds, it also sucked them in, revealing the blue of the sky for the first time in a long time. Nothing stood up, no more storms for miles, it was a natural phenomenon stronger than nature itself.

When the camp was completely free from the snow in which it was trapped, the tornado detached from the ground, and all it contained, strong winds, large amounts of snow, thick clouds, an entire snowstorm capable of covering an area the size of several villages, was compacted more and more, until it reached the size of a ball, so small that it could hardly be seen from afar.

There was a noise when Raven jumped from the roof, and then, as heads began to come out of the tents, attracted by the sudden disappearance of the storm and the noise it was making, she proudly advanced towards the center of the camp. There she picked up something on the floor, observed it a little, and then beckoned everyone to go out.

Yang followed the movement as the bandits formed a circle around their leader, and tried to sneak in front to see better. Everyone was jostling, and she was almost forced to walk on all fours to advance, when she felt two hands grab her under her armpits and lift her effortlessly into the air, to land on a pair of shoulders she knew well.

-Listen to me.

From the moment Raven began to speak, all the whispers stopped instantly. She had always had that power, that charisma that made her the leader of the tribe at such a young age. When Raven talked, you closed your mouth and listened. It wasn't by fear of her strength as one might think from bandits, it was by loyalty and trust, they all recognized her as their leader, they respected every one of her decisions because by her mere presence she made them feel that it was the right thing to do and they would not regret it. And they never regretted it, no matter how extreme the measures were, as for the last three days, no one objected, everyone trusted her, and again, they were right.

-This…

Raven raised her hand so everyone could see. Between her fingers was what looked from afar like a piece of opaque crystal in purple tones, no bigger than a gun bullet.

-… is the storm that thought it could take us down. This stone contains one of the most violent natural phenomena we ever had to deal with. And that strength is now in our hands. You may be wondering how such a thing is possible, but you already know the answer.

The crowd strayed, and Vernal advanced, straight and proud as expected the role she was told to play, and stood beside Raven, who put her free hand on her disciple's shoulder.

-This is the work of our Spring Maiden, our best asset, one of the most powerful powers mankind have ever seen. We don't have to fear the weather, because as long as that power is ours, nature itself is under our control. And this stone is proof. We are the strong, the ones who survive, those who are still there despite the trials!

Screams emanated throughout the camp, the bandits enthusiastically raising their fists after their leader's speech, and Yang shouted with them with her little high-pitched voice.

Raven was amazing, she had everything, strength, intelligence, courage, charisma, in addition to being the best mom in the world, the tribe never could have a better leader, and from the top of her three years, Yang was proud to be her daughter.

After the cheers, the group gradually dispersed, and Raven allowed herself a discreet sigh. She thanked Vernal and gave some instructions, then quickly looked for her daughter. She found her walking down from the Ramy's shoulders, an old man with ram horns who, following a serious leg injury years ago, took the role of chief cook of the tribe, a role that did not exist until then and which was cruelly lacking. Since Yang often helped in the kitchen, they spent a lot of time together, he was a kind of grandfather to her. The tribe was a big family after all.

-Mommy Mommy! Can I see the stone?

-It's not a toy, Yang.

-But I just want to see! Please, please, please, please, please!

Raven sighed, and crouched down to bring the precious crystal to the height of her daughter's eyes. The kid looked at it with wonder, as every time she saw magic. She was fascinated by magic, and the tribe leader had to admit that she herself was always impressed by her own powers.

-And if it breaks, what happens?

-The storm will come out, the wind, the snow, the clouds, everything will be violently expelled in all directions until it regains its original size and shape. It's kind of like a bomb.

When another child would be afraid of having a bomb right under his nose, Yang came closer to observe even more, as if mesmerized by what she saw. Raven seriously wondered her daughter being so close to magic everyday was a good thing. Magic meant Ozpin, it was impossible for one to go without the other, even Salem was not that dangerous about that, as long as she didn't need you or you did what she asked, she could leave you alone, magic or not. Ozpin would hunt you down relentlessly until he was sure he got you under his control.

Raven got up and took Yang's hand and brought her back to their tent. She had a supply raid to organize, and several villages devastated by the storm that were waiting for them.

-Where are we going mommy?

Raven didn't answer and continued to walk, Yang hanging at the end of her hand.

They did it, they survived this critical winter, with great effort and a very strict rationing of what they had obtained from villages weakened by the storm, but they were still standing, and now that the sun began to come back and that they were no longer in danger of starving, she finally had time to devote herself to something she had hoped she would never have to do: learn magic to Yang.

After a long walk through the woods, they finally reached their destination, at the top of a cliff that gave a stunning view of the still slightly snowy forest, and you could see a village destroyed in the distance, along the river that descended from the waterfall that was half a kilometer away, all bathed in the sunlight that rose straight in front of them.

-It's beautiful…

-Yes, but that's not what we're here for.

Raven walked to the ledge, beckoning her daughter not to move. She walked without fear, and without even stopping for a moment to see the height she was at, jumped. Yang watched her, curious about what was to come. She wasn't afraid for her mother, it would be insulting to worry just because she was falling off a cliff. She could bottle a storm if she wanted to!

After a few seconds of silence, a noise from above caught Yang's attention. A raven circled in the sky above her, then descended to the trees. It wasn't a normal bird, she could feel it, she had this familiar feeling of chills in her back every time her mother did magic near her… The bird continued to fly between the branches, getting closer and closer to the child. But as it was about to land in front of her, Raven landed in a small thud, lifting a small cloud of snow, and as she stood up, she couldn't help but smile at Yang's marveling gaze.

-Remember when you told me you turned into bird?

Yang nodded. Raven had deliberately avoided the subject ever since, but she surely didn't forget it. If Yang had really inherited her power, then she had to learn to master it, before it would come forward against her will and someone see her. No one was supposed to know. No one. But she wasn't going to ban her little bird from flying anyway.

-This power… You take it from me. It's one of the magic powers I got before you were born.

-I can do magic?!

-It seems so…

Yang tried to hold back from screaming and jumping for about a second, before exploding. Raven watched her bounce around with a little smile on her face, it was crazy how she looked just like her father sometimes. Finally, the little electric battery came back to be in front of her mother, eager to be able to do the same thing as the person she admired so much.

Raven sighed and put her hand on Yang's head to stop her jumping. She was already stressed enough like that...

-Good. First of all, do you remember how you felt the first time you changed?

-Uh... Not really… I just tried to stop falling, and then I saw that I had wings instead of arms, and I think I was smaller too.

-Try to do it again.

-Right now? But I don't know how I did it last time.

-Magic comes instinctively, just know what you want to do.

Yang frowned, still not quite sure what to do. She had seen her mother perform magic dozens of times, but she never wondered how it worked. So following the instructions given to her, she closed her eyes and tried to focus on a possible transformation. But she didn't even know which bird she was trying to turn into. Or how to turn. Did she have to… feel magic or something?… She opened an eye and looked at her hands, nothing had changed, no wings, not even a small feather. Undeterred, she tried again. She tried very hard, focusing so much that she had a headache.

Raven sighed.

-You're not going to make it like that.

As Yang let go of her breath and looked at the ground with a depressed look, Raven crouched down in front of her and put her hand on her cheek to make her look at her.

-Listen to me Yang, magic is not something you use, it's something you do, it's a part of you, it comes just as naturally to you as breathing. Don't think about how to transform, just do it.

-But…

-Try by jumping.

-Jumping?

-Yes, jumping over there.

Yang looked in the direction indicated by her mother, the edge of the cliff. Was she supposed to jump? That high? In the void?

-Uh…

-You don't have to be afraid. You already did it once, you can do it.

-And if I don't make it…?

-You will make it, I believe in you.

Raven's voice was soft but firm, she exuded the same aura that when she addressed the tribe, she looked so confident that you was obliged to trust her, you felt like there was no way she was wrong.

-What if I don't make it the first time?

Raven let out a little laugh, ruffled Yang's hair, and then put her forehead against her daughter's with a maternal smile on her lips. Her daughter was sometimes too smart, but she was proud of it.

-I'll always be there to catch you. I promise.

After a second of hesitation, Yang nodded with energy, and walked to the edge of the cliff. Along the slope, several trees and rocks protruded, threatening to impale her or smash her head if she had the misfortune to fall on them, and even if she jumped far enough, the forest below seemed too far for her to hope to go out with scratches that her Aura would treat, as was the case when she fell from the trees in which she was having fun climbing.

But mommy said she could make it, so she was going to make it. And if it wasn't the first time, she'd catch her. Yang didn't know how, but she believed in her. Mommy promised.

Yang recoiled a few steps, took a deep breath, then ran, and jumped.

After a few seconds of silence, Raven also approached the edge, one hand on her sword, ready to open a portal at any moment. She believed in her daughter, if there was one thing she was sure Yang was able to, it was to fly. But she couldn't help but be worried. Maternal instinct.

But as she leaned over to see how far her daughter was still from the ground, something quickly passed before her eyes, forcing her to back away, and a small corner smile appeared on her face when she realized it was a young falcon, twirling a little clumsily in the sky.

After a few antics, the bird descended, and began to fly to the ground as it made its way towards Raven. Knowing from experience how it would end, she crouched down and stretched out her arms, ready to make up for the inevitable fall. And indeed, when Yang turned into a little blonde girl, she was so close to the ground that her feet and knees scraped the earth before she could even try to stand, and would have made her crash on the floor if her mother didn't catch her before in a warm embrace.

-I am so proud of you, little bird!

Despite her knees burning her, and the still very present fear she had just before she turned, a big smile appeared on Yang's face as she jumped at her mother's neck.

-You're the best mommy in the world!

Hello again! So what do you think? Do you like it?

I allowed Yang to turn into a falcon because why not, and I gave Raven the Spring Maiden's power much earlier (I will explain why in part 2).

I hope Raven was credible as a mom and not too sweet. I try to make her very kind with Yang and stricter with her tribe, but since the first part will talk about Yang's childhood and her relation with her mother, Raven's kind side will be put forward. And I mean, okay she's rude in the anime, but if she would have kept her daughter and seen her grow since she was a baby, of course she would have act differently.

Oh and this fic is what I call a carpenter's fanfiction. I will explain in chapter 6 n_n

And I ask it again, if someone could help me to correct the translation, it would be very sweet.

Thanks for reading and see you next time!