Chapter 8: Reflections and A Look Down the Road
*Trigger Warning *
This chapter contains a panic attack I'll put an asterisk before and after it so you can skip it if you want.
It will look like this
Other than that enjoy the chapter!
Jaune narrowed his eyes on the large stag in front of him and drew the bowstring, he took a deep breath. He released the arrow and let out the breath at the same moment. With a whistle, the arrow pierced the air and landed in the deer in front of him, with a cry the deer began to run.
Another whistle filled the air as a second arrow left the bushes and landed in the stag, downing it in a single shot.
Jaune stood up and made his way over to the Stagg, he was soon joined by Cardin who flashed his confident smile at Jaune, "Pretty good shot there, Jauney boy!"
Jaune rolled his eyes, "I'll stay with the kill, you can bring the sled over."
Cardin nodded and made his way back into the forest to grab the sled that they would use to bring back the stag.
Jaune sat down beside the kill and let out a huff.
He didn't like the quiet, everything seemed too...still. Just a week ago Jaune, Ren, Nora, and Summer were fighting for their lives against a crazy woman.
He had watched Crendire, his home, get destroyed by an endless wave of Grimm.
Yet here he sat. In a new town, pretending that nothing was happening, pretending that children hadn't lost their mothers and fathers, pretending to be the same person he had been in Crendire.
It was the same, the quiet, it was the same as Crendire.
Jaune began to shake.
It would repeat itself, after all the saying was 'history repeats itself!'
Jaune felt his palms get sweaty and he took several rapid breaths in and out.
He didn't want to see Ren and Nora get killed! He didn't want to see everyone he knew get ripped apart by the Grimm!
Jaune's breathing got even more rapid and he clutched his chest, it felt like his heart was going to explode!
He took several rapid breaths, why did his throat feel so tight?!
The world began to swirl around him, he could hear the screams of those he loved. He could hear the pain and suffering!
"Jaune run!" His mother screamed.
"Nora!" Ren screamed
"...une!"
"Ruby," Summer's final words began to fill Jaune's head, "I'm sorry…"
He could feel goosebumps form on his skin, he began to shake and his breathing only got worse.
"...aune!" A voice pierced the chaos.
Jaune felt a hand grab his shoulder and give a comforting squeeze, "Jaune! Take a deep breath."
The blonde took several short shallow breaths but managed to get a deep breath after a moment, when he did, his surroundings returned to him.
He saw Cardin kneeled in front of him, "Take a deep breath, you're having a panic attack."
Jaune took several more deep breaths and felt himself calm down.
The brunette smiled, "Do you want to talk about it?"
Jaune shook his head, "No, let's just get this stag back to Glen Mor."
Cardin frowned as Jaune stood up. With a shrug he stood up and began to help Jaune get the stag onto the sled, they had to get back to Glen Mor before sundown.
By the time Jaune and Cardin had made it back to Glen Mor the sun had nearly fallen below the horizon.
The two made their way to the temporary shelters for the refugees, a small tent city that had been erected outside the palisade walls of Glen Mor. Far enough away that any sickness wouldn't spread to the city but close enough that they could evacuate into Glen Mor if there was a need.
Jaune and Cardin made their way to the makeshift hunter's tent and skinned the stag. After the stag had been skinned and the different parts of the animal had been cut up they took some of the meat and put it on fire to fry them. Everything else was smoked for the following day or was salted and preserved for later.
Cardin handed Jaune a plate of three fried pieces of venison, "Here, one for you and two for Ren and Nora."
Jaune nodded to Cardin and made his way through the tent city and toward Glen Mor proper.
On his way through the felt a small pull on his pants, he turned and saw a little boy staring back up at him. He was covered in bruises and had dirt all over him, Jaune knelt, "What is it, little buddy?"
"Hey, Shaun" Jaune smiled and didn't mind the little boy mistaking his name, "Can I have a bit of your food?"
Just as the boy finished pointing to Jaune's plate his stomach growled and he blushed.
Jaune smiled, "Here, take mine!"
He grabbed his fried venison and handed it to the boy. With a cheer the boy gave Jaune a quick hug and ran back to a nearby tent, Jaune's gaze followed him.
What Jaune saw made him frown. The boy had immediately given the venison to his older sister, she looked bedridden and had an infection on her calf.
Jaune took a deep breath and stood up, Ren and Nora needed some warm food.
He continued through and made his way to the gate into the city. He stopped next to one of the guards, "Can you let one of your doctor's know that there are a couple of people who still need medical attention."
The guard nodded, "I'll let them know."
With a nod to the guard, Jaune made his way into the infirmary and to the now awake Ren and Nora. He was happy to hear they were awake, he had received the news just before setting off on his hunting trip. He would have gone to them right then, but the refugees had needed him.
Jaune shook his head and cleared his mind of those thoughts, with a smile he opened the door to the duo's room and was immediately tackled onto a wall.
Nora buried her head into his chest, "Jaune! I was so worried!"
Jaune glanced over the ginger toward Ren, who simply smiled at him. With a returning smile he glanced down to Nora, "I was too, but we're safe now!"
"Summer…" Nora began, "It wasn't your fault that she…"
"How much have you been informed about?" Jaune asked.
Ren flashed Nora a look before answering, "Other than that we're in Glen Mor and that the caravan arrived safely nothing."
Jaune nodded, "Let me grab a chair, I'll clue you in." he turned to grab a chair but stopped, "Oh yeah, this is for you."
He handed the two their food and prepared to tell them all the information he had.
They were surprised to hear that there was a huntress in Glen Mor, but not so much when it came to Aura and Semblances. They had heard rumors of such things before they had arrived in Crendire, much to Jaune's surprise. However, the news of their proximity to Mountain Glenn created a flash of dread on Ren's face.
"It's crazy to hear that the Huntsman's guild is planning on making a branch outside of the Kingdom." Nora began with a sigh, "Imagine how many villages would be protected."
Ren smiled and nodded to himself.
Jaune opened his mouth to speak but turned his head when the door opened, checking to see who it was.
Coco walked in and smiled at Jaune's now awake friends. Behind her was a dark-skinned man with several scars over his skin and clouded eyes. He wore a dark red leather cuirass, a type of armor that protected just the torso, below the cuirass he wore black pants and leather boots. He had metal gauntlets and had a pair of short swords sheathed on his hips.
"Good to hear that you're all awake now!" Coco smiled at the group, "This is Fox, one of my teammates, the one who was scouting Mountain Glenn."
Jaune smiled, "Nice to meet you!"
Fox nodded in Jaune's direction and turned his head toward Coco, who was pulling out a chair toward the three.
"So, I will be returning to Mountain Glenn in a couple of days," Coco began, "I'd like to stay longer but from what Fox told me they'll need all the help they can get."
"What's happening at Mountain Glenn?" Ren asked, sitting up.
"There is a massive herd of Grimm heading to the Eastern Barrier," Coco answered.
The Eastern Barrier was the main wall which protected Mountain Glenn, which had no natural barriers like Vale did. The barrier, according to what he's heard from caravans and the like, had walls that were eighty feet tall and had the best of the best soldiers standing guard. For them to be recalling Huntsman and Huntresses… the herd must have been massive.
"Something was unusual though," Coco began. Her words grabbed Jaune's attention, "The Grimm normally come from the Northeast, this herd was coming from the south and were made up of mostly Ursa and Beowolfs."
Jaune's eyes went wide and he turned his gaze toward Ren, "Do you think?"
Coco's eyes switched between the two and with a sigh she asked the million lien question, "What do you know about the herd?"
"We don't know much, in all honesty," Jaune said as he turned his gaze back toward Coco, "But if the theory holds up it's the same herd that attacked Crendire, our home…"
Coco narrowed her eyes, "What are you not telling me?"
Jaune glanced around the room and took in a breath, "When we were attacked there was a woman, she… she looked like a Grimm."
Coco glanced over to Fox and then leaned forward toward Jaune, "Anything else?"
"The Grimm didn't attack until after she blew a hole in the wall…" Jaune said after a moment, "It was almost like she was controlling them!"
Coco glanced at Fox and let out a breath, "Ozpin will want to hear about this won't he?"
Fox blinked at Coco, who let out a frustrated groan, "Yeah, your right."
How Coco and Fox were communicating when only one of them were talking, he didn't know. At this point he didn't care, he's seen much worse things.
Jaune glanced over at Ren and Nora, both of which nodded. They had a determined glare in their eyes. He nodded and turned his attention back toward Coco and Fox, "We want to go with you to Mountain Glenn."
The Huntress crossed her arms and chewed the inside of her lip, thinking over his request.
Jaune knew they needed this, to avenge the lives of those who had died in Crendire. If they didn't do this the parents who had lost their children wouldn't get revenge on the Grimm, the children who had lost their parents would always wonder if the monster who had ripped their family apart would return.
"No." Coco finally spoke, "It's far too dangerous and you have people to look after."
Jaune stared at the two, his mouth agape, "But-"
"Look at the shape you guys are in!" Coco practically yelled, "Still injured and underfed," She turned her gaze to Jaune, "You don't even have armor!"
Jaune opened his mouth to protest but the huntress continued.
"I would love to, but it would be irresponsible to do so, you are too inexperienced and if worse came to worse and you got injured…" Coco trailed off for a moment, "I don't want the deaths of three amazing people on my hands.
With that Coco stood up and made her way out of the room.
Fox hesitated at the doorway and glanced over his shoulder, "Good luck."
The three watched with wide eyes as they were left alone. They had been rejected by the people who they thought would understand them, Jaune grit his teeth and slammed his hand on the chair's armrest.
How could they reject them?! They had to know what they were going through, why didn't they want them at their sides?
"Jaune, breath." Ren cautioned.
Jaune stopped and took a breath, "Thanks, Ren."
"So what are we going to do?" Nora asked the two.
"They had a point," Ren brought a hand to his chin, "The caravan needs our help."
"But what about Summer's daughter?" Jaune began, "What about the witch and whoever that crazy lady was?"
"We need to make sure Vale knows about them!" Nora nodded.
"I guess it's decided then." Ren smiled at both Jaune and Nora.
The blonde smiled and looked out the window and toward the location of Mountain Glenn, "We're going to Mountain Glenn!"