Cracks in the New Armor
I shouldn't have suggested that we send the Princess and Erin back to that terrible tavern. That Innkeeper could care less about the Princess let alone Erin. Now…I have overstepped my place. What was I thinking…? Pyrrha's mind races while she scans the now darkening woods.
CRtck "Who's there?!" Pyrrha puts her hand on her spear, slowly releasing the spear holding it out. "Show yourself. NOW!" a flurry quick moving steps circling around the redhead. Pyrrha closes her eyes, stay, calm focus. FOCUS. The sounds go quiet and all that can be heard is the gentle breeze through the trees. "Hmm, I should head back to the camp." The redhead exhales keeping her trusted weapon out at the ready. Emerald eyes glisten watching the shadows begin to grow as the sun fades.
The shadow of a floating creature with tentacles zooms past undetected by the warrior even while on edge as she begins her long trek back to the small shack her friends are calling home.
=,.Back at Erin's Home.,=
"Here! Here try this!" Erin hands Ruby and Weiss a small piece of hardened bread.
"Oooo…uhh thanks Erin." Ruby smiles and slowly moves the morsel up to her mouth; she notices that the young girl is watching like a hawk.
"Yes, thank you Erin I am not very hungry." Weiss excuses herself as she places the bread back on the table. GEUUEUUERRRRR the Princess continues to walk to the front window placing her hand on her stomach. The noise catches the young girl's attention giving Ruby the chance to examine the bread, twirling the piece under her nose. The bread though hard has an alluringly sweet aroma. I have to at least try it…Ruby inhales and takes a very small bite as she continues to keep an eye on Weiss and the newest member under her care.
Yang chuckles, "sounds like you could use that piece of bread, hmm Princess. At least your stomach is honest."
"Oh be quiet you brute!" Weiss snaps back, gritting her teeth. "If you are so keen on it, you can have that piece." Yang looks over to see Ruby slowly chewing the morsel given to hear by Erin.
"Mmmmhhh, Ohhh this is actually really tasty Erin." Ruby's eyes widen in surprise, turning to the young girl whose eyes go from worry to glistening happiness.
"Hehehe yes…mother and I would soak day old bread in jam and re-bake the bread in the oven." Erin dances around the kitchen as she recalls the last time her and her mother made the food. "After baking the bread for an hour, it will keep for weeks thanks to the second bake… though it makes it very hard." Erin walks up to the towering blonde by the front door and hands her a generous chunk of bread.
"Oh thank you, Erin." Yang smiles watching the young girl sit across from the woman. Erin motions for Yang to try the bread to which the blonde slyly smiles and takes a meticulously precise bite of the large hunk of bread the girl provided her. Yang dubiously nods crunching loudly on the bread as a few crumbs escape accidentally out of her mouth. "Oh this…is…" The sweetness of forest ripened berries begin to explode from the extra crunch bread, Yang feels her mouth begin to salivate as she takes another large bit from the piece Erin originally gave her. "This stuff is GREAT."
Ruby nods in agreement as she gives Erin a big hug, "Thank you, it was amazing. I do have a very serious question for you." Ruby coughs.
Erin straightens her back and salutes Ruby, "Of course anything I can do to help."
Yang chuckles, Weiss turns with her eyebrow raised at the mere mention of Ruby being serious.
"Do you have more so that Ren, Nora and Pyrrha can try it when me and Yang trade with them?" Ruby claps her hands Erin giggles and nods excitedly.
"Of course there is a whole other loaf right here." The girl reaches her arms up towards the top cupboard, "Mother and I made three loaves…so there should be one more in here." Erin struggles to reach the carefully covered loaf. Yang walks up and removes the bread with ease handing it to Erin. "Thank you…" the young girl smiles, taking the bread in her hands.
Nora burst through the front door causing Yang and Ruby to take a defensive position. Even Weiss takes hold of Erin, pushing the girl behind her. "Pyrrha is back, do…"Nora looks around, "Why is everyone so jumpy?"
"Maybe is it because we have been attacked and will continue to be attacked by both the Grimm and BANDITS!?" Yang shouts dropping her fists and pops her lower jaw back and forth.
"She is right Nora…maybe a knock would have been more appropriate." Ren adds nonchalantly, walking into the small house.
"I don't suppose knocking is something you are used to doing, is it NORA!" Weiss calmly shouts, Ruby takes the opportunity to walk outside.
Pyrrha sits just outside the shack on the tree that Yang had dragged towards the home in an attempt to add a layer of protection. "Hey." Ruby nervously says, catching Pyrrha off guard.
"Oh hello, Captain….uhh... Ruby…." Pyrrha responds while staring off into the distance, the air between the two women is heavier than it has ever been. I should apologize for overstepping my bounds, Ruby is the leader…she may look to me for advice and help but…
"I am sorry…" Ruby starts snapping the redhead out of her thoughts. The young leader motions beside Pyrrha who nods, Ruby takes a seat beside the Spartan warrior her spearhead dug into the ground.
"Why are you sorry…I'm the one who overstepped." Pyrrha buries her face into her hands, "You're the leader, and I don't know what came over me." The older warrior feels a strangely familiar warmth on her back lifting her head from her hands.
"I rely a lot on you and everyone else, without your advice and everyone's support I don't know where I would be. Yang is my biggest support but she is my sister." Ruby lifts her hand off of Pyrrha's back. "You tell me things I sometimes don't want to hear, things that have to be done. I have great respect for your opinion. You are right I am the Captain…" Ruby drops her head and sighs, "But I…."
Pyrrha senses what the young leader is trying to say and this time the older warrior places her palm on the cloaked back of her Captain. "Well I, for one believe you are doing an excellent job, you take direction very well, you always ask for help when you are in new situations. You are a great leader." Ruby lifts her head and smiles. "Thank you Pyrrha."
"Yeah Rubes you are doing just fine! What are you worried about?" Yang scoops each of the women up one in each arm. "Now," Yang smiles and exchanges looks with each warrior, "if I am not mistaken it is Pyrrha's turn to try to get some rest while we go on patrol." The three women start to laugh as the brawler puts the pair down.
Ruby jumps up and shouts "Yeah, but let me go get Crescent Rose." The mention of the name causes Yang to roll her eyes. Ruby's weapon sits carefully positioned in the kitchen area, the young leader dashes through weaving past everyone scattered inside as she makes her way to her beloved weapon. "Still where I left you…" Ruby whispers to her scythe snatching it from its resting place and heads back to her sister.
"You know naming your weapon doesn't make it any more deadly…." Yang calls after her sister who is already on her way back out while she sits on the stoop of the shack.
Ruby just smiles, "we both know that you name your gauntlets, Yang…I hear you whispering to them while you clean them." the young leader teases her sister causing the brawler to chase after the leader.
Pyrrha watches as the pair run off, taking a bit out of the bread the young girl handed her. "Will we be safe here?" Weiss questions from inside the doorway as she watches Ruby who turns and waves to the Princess. Suddenly cerulean eyes are held by the deep waves of red fluttering as slender yet elegantly robust legs carry the leader further from sight.
Yang notices the quick exchange of soft looks between her sister and Weiss. She stops in her tracks shouting "BYE PRINCESS!" Ruby turns around and jumps on her sister trying to get her to stop.
Nora pops her head out from the doorway and waves to the pair, "Be careful out there." Pyrrha giggles, noticing that Weiss' cheeks seem to be a bit flushed. "SO what shall we have for dinner?" Nora beams as she spins around to be facing Erin.
"Oh oh…mmm there is some smoked venison and…." Erin bounces from cupboard to cupboard looking for food. "There are a few more people than mother and me usually prepare meals for…" Her voice drops, a sizable chunk of smoked meat in her hands.
"That's ok show me where you keep your cookware Nora and I have made meals with far less." Ren tenderly nudges the girl while Nora nods and helps pull some root vegetables off the table.
Weiss and Pyrrha watch while Ren and Nora keep the young girl's attention. "Pyrrha what did you see?" Weiss' eyes bore holes into Pyrrha's, the redhead tilts her head.
Pyrrha and Weiss go out the back door and close it behind them. "Dozens of Grimm, at least two separate packs of Beowolves, a sleuth of Ursai, if that was all we had to deal with we would have our hands full but there is definitely a camp ground the bandits are calling home nearby. Though in the time I was gone I did not locate their camp." Pyrrha pulls something from her back pouch, "but I found this." She unrolls a slip of parchment that bears the White Fang's signature stamp on the outside, inside reads:
STOP ALL TRAVEL TO BRIER
Kill all traders
Attack village and pillage what you can
Capture and hold anyone that comes from Staub for ransom
Send word if any Royalty arrives in town
-A
Weiss slaps her hand with the tiny slip and crumples the slip, "They are targeting this village because every merchant and trader has to come here either on the way to Staub or when leaving. Who is A?" Weiss grits her teeth, "so these are not just any bandits…"
"Maybe, this parchment doesn't prove that the bandits who attacked us are White Fang, though it does mean the White Fang are here and on strict orders to kidnap anyone who is or even appears to be Royalty." Pyrrha exhales and straightens out the crumbled slip and puts it back into her pouch. "I know I don't have to say this but you will have to follow every direction we give you Princess, we won't let anyone hurt you…" The redhead looks out into the ominous darkness.
"Of course but I am not helpless." Weiss quietly responds placing her hand over her rapier. Suddenly Pyrrha notices a large shadow slowly lurking just past the path leading to the house.
"What was that?" Pyrrha leans close to the window. "Weiss get down, take Erin and stay put." Pyrrha swings the backdoor open as she takes a torch out and lights it. "Nora! Ren! Protect the Princess."
Weiss takes Erin further into the house while Ren goes to close the rear door Nora shouts "Pyrrha wait! Where are you going?" Ren places his hand on her shoulder.
"I wonder what she saw out there." Ren narrows his eyes seeing nothing out of the ordinary, watching the warrior run into the darkness. He watches as Pyrrha takes out her sword keeping her spear holstered with her left hand held out so the torch lights the way ahead.
Weiss and Erin look out the kitchen window seeing that Pyrrha's spear glistens in the moonlight. "Princess…why did Pyrrha leave us here?" The young girl wonders while she teeters-totters on her tippy toes to catch a glimpse of the warrior before she is completely engulfed by the dark forest soon even the glow of her torch is gone.
"Pyrrha went to protect us all from something." Nora confidently answers for Weiss.
Weiss looks over to see Nora grinning as Ren finishes securing the rear door, "Yes, she went to go get Ruby and Yang so that they can defend us from the Grimm and any bandits tonight." The Princess sees the young girl's eyes light up as she imagines Pyrrha fighting with Yang and Ruby.
"Wow… I wish we could go-just to watch though." Erin nervously mentions.
"It is best for us to just wait here." Ren cracks a smirk. "They will be back soon…I hope" The last words caught the end of the man's breath.
In the moonlight a massive and expanding cloud arises from the area of the forest where Pyrrha was running towards. The sight causes Weiss to sharply inhale and raise her hands to her mouth. "What is that?!" The cloud spreads across the starry sky causing all the stars and moonlight to be completely consumed, a total and eerie darkness falls on the land.
"Ren…?" The usually energetic woman calls to her longtime companion. Ren looks back at the mysterious cloud and closes the tattered drapes over the windows. Nora grabs her hammer and stands guard just to the side of the newly re-attached front door.
"Erin would you like to show the Princess where your bed is?" Ren notices a small ladder going to a small ledge. Weiss hesitantly smiles as the girl's face lights, instantly forgetting the ominous cloud spreading through the night sky.
"Oh I would love to!" Luckily the young girl's attention is easily distracted though the Princess' is not so easily swayed. Weiss rolls her eyes as Erin takes her hand, leading her to the ladder. "Follow me!" The girl excitedly climbs all the way to the top swinging her arm, "Hurry Hurry!"
"Princess, please watch over Erin and protect her." Nora mentions not taking her eyes off the door, her eyes narrow as the once moonlit scene just outside the home turns to pitch black. Only the flickering candles illuminate the interior of the small shack.
Weiss slows her ascend of the rickety ladder, "Erin please light a lantern if you have one up there…it seems to be very dark now."
"Okay." Erin's voice fades away from the Princess, seconds later a dim flame begins to fill the little ledge with a pulsing orange hue.
A loud creak can be heard just outside the house; Weiss quickly finishes her climb and pulls the ladder up to the ledge. The Princess turns to Erin holding her finger up to her lips; Erin nods and moves the ladder over to a hook that she and her mother placed just for this occasion.
Just outside the back door another creak can be heard but this one is much softer, now Ren and Nora's senses are in overdrive every movement, sound and possible sighting carefully noted. The pitch black darkness is unlike anything either of them, no unlike anything anyone has ever seen.
-,.In the Forest.,-
"Yang what is going on?" Ruby looks up as the moon disappears from sight becoming completely engulfed in darkness. "Yang?!" Ruby calls, no response. "YANG!"
Snap! A twig breaks behind the young warrior, "yang" Ruby calls in a lower voice now, her scythe held tight.
"yeah." Yang whispers next to Ruby, the brawler slowly edges slower to her sister. Ruby's "YA-" Yang immediately puts her hand over Ruby's mouth. "Shush…someone else is here." Ruby nods with Yang's hand still tight around her mouth. Yang drops her hand from her sister's lips and takes her hand. "Ruby I need you to hold on, be quiet and if we get separated we will meet back at the house okay?" The brawler whispers as quietly as she can.
Something about the way Yang said to meet back at the house, made the leader uneasy. "Yeah- sure." Ruby squeezes her sister's hand, "let's go" without another word Yang sprints in the direction they came from.
What is going on? There was a crash and now darkness engulfing the land I can barely make my hand out in front of my own face. The pair run hand in hand, Yang leads her left hand outstretched moving branches as they try to make their way back in utter darkness. As they blindly sprint Yang occasionally has to slow down as she nearly slams into dozens of trees. Yang stops abruptly, Ruby crashes onto her back, her scythe snags on a tree branch. "What is wrong?" Ruby looks around knowing that without the stars or moon she will not be able to even make out a tree from a Grimm. I should have tied Crescent Rose to my hand…Ruby tightens her grip on the leather bound handle and gives her sister's hand a light squeeze.
"There is something following us. Or should I say there are a few things that have been following us for a while." Yang exhales as she lets go of Ruby's hand. The sound of cracking knuckles and Yang trying to pump up herself can be heard and a gentle breeze feels as Yang gets ready to fight. "Get back to the Princess." Yang teases.
"But Yang…" Ruby protests taking her scythe in both her hands. "Last time I checked I am the leader…you don't give me orders." Yang feels her sister take a few steps away from her. The brawler gets ready chuckling at her sister's reply.
Swift movements through nearby bushes cause the pair to tense, as leaves rustle around them. Ruby exhales, a sharp pain suddenly shoots up her leg, "Ugh!" the leader drops to her knee, feeling hot streams cascade onto the ground. "Yang! something got me..." Ruby grits her teeth, running her left hand over the wound. Okay Ruby tie the wound up for now there is no time…we have to get back to the Princess as soon as possible. Ruby takes her cloak in her mouth and hesitantly uses her teeth to rip a strip of her mother's cloak off. "Good thing this is already red…" Ruby chokes on her words as she quickly wraps the wound.
The smell of blood draws the Grimm to Ruby. "Ruby…!" Yang shouts as two sets of footsteps race towards the leader, Yang turns to intercept them. Yang grunts as she catches one of the Grimm using them to shield her sister from the other monster. Yang tosses the beast away, listening to the whimpers as it limps just out of earshot. Ruby gets up quickly feeling the wound pulsing, her makeshift bandage slows the blood as it fills her boot.
Come on Ruby…think we are outnumbered and blindly fighting…"Yang get to the house and get help…" Ruby desperately calls, tightening her grip on her scythe. A Beowolf howls in the distance, the sound of a small pack barreling towards them.
"Ruby I'm not leav-" Yang huffs. "I can…"
"Yang…I can't run. I will just slow you down. They are after me. I can hold them off until you and the other get back." Ruby shouts as she slices a Beowolf that lunged towards her. "THEY ARE AFTER ME NOW GO!" Yang catches glimpses of her sister, her scythe sparking as it hits a few large rocks below her.
Reluctantly Yang takes out one more Grimm and begins to run, "I will be back before you know it Rubes, just don't die." Yang calls her voice fades.
"Hurry back..." Ruby whispers to herself, her boot so full of blood that it causes her movements to be limited. "It's just me and you now Crescent Rose…let's show these beasts what we can do." As more wolves gather around the wounded warrior.
A/N Hello travelers! Thanks for your patience, I missed my deadline for publishing yesterday. I hope everyone is still doing well. There is a lot going on in my life currently but I hope that everyone is still enjoying the story as much as I am loving writing it. As always feel free to leave a comment, a like, or a follow. I appreciate all the support and look forward to seeing you all in the next chapter!