Dire Situation

SH-CK, CLANG. Ruby's arms slow as the Beowolves continue to circle her. The wound on her leg pulsates as the blood oozes around the quick tourniquet. Everything will be fine. There are only a small group of them left...

"A-A-AAAOOOOWWW." Ruby looks over to see that the Alfa of the pack is rallying the rest of the pack to converge on the warrior. Suddenly a wolf pounces onto Ruby who instinctively used her scythe handle to keep the biting beast at bay. The sloppering beast lunges it's snarling head towards the crimson clad warrior as she continues to twist her scythe to avoid losing a finger, she wriggles her body attempting to escape her predicament. "Would you get…." Ruby grits her teeth as she places her legs on the wolf's torso, the lukewarm blood splashes onto her as she uses all her strength to launch the wolf into the air. "Get off…" Ruby falls backwards, her scythe falls beside her as the wolves snap their mouths and close in on the woman.

I am not going to be able to keep this up for much longer? "You have more fight in you than that don't you?" A voice mocks from behind the bloodied and battered woman. "Get up!" A bright light in the distance causes the wolves to break away from the warrior for a moment. In that instance Ruby feels energy... warmth...whatever it is the young leader uses the burst to scoop up her scythe and rush towards the closest Grimm slicing it clean in half. Ruby uses the momentum of the swing to leap into a small group of wolves spinning taking out their front paws, the howls cut short as her scythe makes a momentary home in each's neck.

"Ah hahh ahhh…" Ruby catches herself before she loses her footing, her shoulders drop as she grips her scythe the heavy weapon hangs parallel to the ground. Her silver eyes seem to glow in the moonlight as she turns her head towards the Alpha wolf.

"AAAAAAOOOOOOOWWWWOOO" He cries calling another five wolves forward ready to dash towards the warrior all from different directions. Ruby smiles as they start their attack, dropping to one knee as the first wolf is about to make contact with the woman. She drives the spiked end of her handle straight into the wolf's jaw, the end protrudes out the top of it's head, Ruby spins the scythe forward catching the next wolf in the chest just as it stands on its rear legs trying to change directions. The lifeless body of the dead wolf drops behind the woman, each spin and turn of her scythe carefully timed and choreographed to maximize the deadly weight of the weapon. After thinning the pack down to the Alpha and one last wolf who circles around the woman.

"... blurry…everything is becoming blurry" Ruby says, turning to look right at the Alpha, she stares deep into the endless darkness of the Alpha's eyes that seem to hold her gaze, "Once I get rid of you then I will rest until Yang gets back…."

WOOOOOSSSSHHH an icy breeze rolls through the open meadow, revealing the heavy breath of the warrior like a dragon whose fiery breath was extinguished. Ruby's cloak soaked through all the way up to her hood no longer flutters in the gust, now the cloak feels like it is a sack of potatoes around her neck. The last wolf and the Alpha stare down Ruby as she readies her scythe to charge at the beasts. Both wolves' ears perk straight up, tilting their heads towards a dark path that divides the forest.

Ruby uses this distraction to close the distance between her and the beasts. The gash on her leg bothering the warrior more than before. Nearly there…just a few more steps The leader notices that neither of the beasts are paying her any attention, both beasts are completely focused on the pathway. Ruby makes quick work of the remaining wolf and goes to finish the Alpha wolf but before her scythe is able to make contact with the beast, it swipes it's enormous claws to deflect the attack. As Ruby allows her scythe to spin around using the momentum launch her spiked end into the beast. The Alpha stops the attack and with it's free paw swatting Ruby into a nearby tree, before staring back at the pathway, growling at the dark entrance and disappearing from sight. "THWACK!" The impact momentarily knocks Ruby senseless. She looks up at the stars to see the image of the celestial objects spinning so fast they almost appear to be spelling her name?

"Who is there?" Ruby grunts as she is brought back to reality… The silhouette of someone wearing a cloak the likeness to her own was uncanny standing in the shadows of the treeline. "MOM!...MOM…." Ruby gets up in such a rush she trips over the defeat beasts stumbling as fast as she can towards the figure. How is this possible… I never did believe she was dead….. Ruby shakes her head running as fast as her exhausted body will allow her. "Mom?"

As she runs to the treeline towards the mysterious figure, splotches of blood creating a trail as her leather boot now pours the excessive blood out the top. Ruby stops just a few feet from the figure. "Mom…" The figure turns and howls charging right at the stunned woman. The figure morphs from the cloaked figure into the Alpha. CLINk… Ruby's scythe drops beside her as she swiftly draws her short sword. Using her left arm to defeat herself from the swipe of the beast as his chest becomes exposed. SCHLLLHHHING Ruby twists her wrist driving the thin edge of her sword between the seemingly armored chest plate of the beast puncturing it's lung.

"OOoooieeee" The Alpha Grimm cries as his lungs fill with blood, the beast looks down staring at Ruby. Her silver eyes watch as the twinkle in its eyes go dull, Ruby quickly yanks her sword out of the beast's body.

Both of the beast's arms fall as the rest of its body goes limp, Ruby smiles but her relief is quickly turned to shock. The weight of the huge beast tumbles forward pinning the warrior beneath. "Get off of me…" Ruby struggles feeling the warm blood of the dead beast soak into her clothes, it's no use...Yang hurry… Ruby feels her eyes grow heavy, as her body goes limp under the weight of the beast..

How much blood have I lost already… if Yang were here she would tell me to stay awake…

"Don't close your eyes Ruby...stay awake Ruby…" Ruby mimics her sister, "uhck uhck" thanks to the blood Ruby manages to wriggle her arm up to her lips to cover her coughing. Pulling her hand away from her face Ruby looks down as her hand smells of iron completely covered in blood.

"Is this my blood or yours?" Ruby asks the dead beast on top of her. It will be ok to close my eyes for just a minute...Yang will be here soon. The warriors' blinks become longer and longer until her eyes remain close.

"See you soon Princess…." Ruby whispers as she loses conscience. Everything around the warrior fades away, a familiar darkness overtakes Ruby's sight and mind.

Even the sounds of the surrounding forest dissolve until all the warrior could hear is the sound of her own heartbeat. With each beat Ruby sees images of different people, each beat grows slower and slower. The smiles of her new group of friends, her father's smiling face, Yang calling to her baby sister to hurry up, the image of her mother waving goodbye before her last mission, and finally Princess Weiss.

I have to apologize...I yelled at the Princess...I….Ruby wakes up in her bed. "Ahhhh!"

"Ruby! Is everything alright?!" Yang flings her blanket from her bed just feet away from the young girl.

"Uhhh...yeah I just had a crazy dream…." Ruby scratches the back of her sweating head. "We were knights and I got hurt…like really bad…. there was a lot of blood…" Ruby looks over to see that Yang's morphs into a grotesque beast. "Yang?"

"Wha-what's the matter RU- RUb-" Her sister's once velvety voice gets deeper and deeper, the tone twists to the point where Ruby can barely recognize who is speaking. "Wh- at's ...on...you-r hands?"

Ruby looks down at her hands to see them covered in blood. "Where - what...Ya- ng…" The young woman frantically starts wiping her hands on her blanket, her tunic but the blood won't wipe away. Ruby looks over and she is alone... she is no longer in her room...just an empty dark space… "Yang?" Ruby whimpers,

"Yang is gone….and soon you will meet the same fate as your mother…" A voice fills the room, Ruby stares at her hands as the blood drips to the ground.

"You're weak just like her…" A flash of her mother smiling, "you will never see that Princess of yours either...soon my brethren will kill her too…." "AAOOOOOO" The same howl the Alpha cried before the assault on the young warrior began echoes.

"Ruby…" Ruby hears a familiar voice call to her "you will be fine, I am here now…"

"Yang?...where are you?" The Captain calls out spinning around in the darkness "YANG!"

Why does everything hurt…what is the last thing that happened- why can't I remember…

Ruby shakes her head, "you left her alone…" the dark voice whispers "her death will be on your hands just like your mother's…"

"Ruby wake up!" "She has lost a lot of blood" "Ruby bite down on this…"

Suddenly Ruby wakes up in the dimly lit shack, and Weiss is hugging her… The warmth from the Princess comforts the warrior though her entire body is numb and hurts...

"Hold her still, this is going to hurt." Pyrrha looks into Ruby's partially open eyes. She mouths out the words I'm sorry. Ruby tries to nod but her head won't move, I feel so weak…everything hurts...

In an instant the most intense, excruciating, fiery pain strikes from her legs throughout her body. Ruby bites down so hard on the object in her mouth she begins to taste iron, right before she loses consciousness "weiss…"

Everything again goes black, "the bleeding finally stopped" -"for now"

"Ruby, come on…. If we don't hurry everyone is waiting for us." Weiss giggles as she reaches for Ruby's hand.

"Princess, no one is waiting for me...you know they are all waiting for you, my dearest." Ruby wraps her arms around the slender form of the Princess beautiful as always. "But you're right."

"As always, in the time we have been together…" Weiss swings her hips and places her hand below her chin, "I don't think I have ever been wrong about anything...ever."

"Hooo hoho… that is a bold claim." Ruby let's go of the Princess' waist and spins around her, "I seem to remember a time here and there where a certain someone …." Before Ruby could finish, Weiss places her pale finger on Ruby's lips causing the brunette to smirk.

"Would you two hurry up?!" Yang's voice can be heard from behind a closed door. "I know you two are in a room but…."

"Yes, we will be right there Yang…" Weiss calls back, "she is so impatient."

"I heard that!" Yang shouts as another voice can be heard soothing the brawler.

Ruby smiles, turning to put her cloak on, instinctively she goes and picks up a red cloak but notices that in the center is the Schnee Crest with the Rose crest beneath it. She stops and opens the cloak, the crests overlaid on the cloth so that appears as if they were always meant to be together. "Weiss?" Ruby turns around, Weiss is gone. The room is completely empty. As Ruby looks down at her hands, the cloak suddenly bursts into flames quickly turning into ash in the warriors hands. Darkness once again engulfs everything that Ruby can see, squeezing her eyes together hot tears fall as she drops to her knees. "Where am I?! YANG, PYRRHA. Weiss… help me."

"Ruby… please wake up."

Ruby looks up from her crouched position. "Yang?" All she sees is darkness until.

"You...better wake up soon…" Weiss quietly sobs.

A light appears in the darkness. "Weiss" Ruby stands up, and runs towards the light. "WEISS" Ruby feels the warmth of the light on her skin as she gets closer, soon she is completely surrounded in a blinding light.

"Weiss, you should get some rest." Yang put her hand on the exhausted Princess' shoulder. "You haven't left her side since we got back here." Yang yawns as she watches the sunset.

"You haven't either… actually has anyone other than Erin?" Weiss looks over to see Pyrrha standing by the door and the dark rings under eyes obvious even in this lighting.

Pyrrha comes to check on the young leader's condition. The redhead looks beside the Princess to find a wooden bowl of water with the one clean rag in the house beside her. "She looks a lot better" Pyrrha lifts the bandage around her wound to see that it is beginning to scab "and this is healing."

Weiss picks up the rag and wrings it out before wiping the sweat away from Ruby's forehead and neck. Yang watches and taps Pyrrha on the shoulder, the pair walk just out of earshot. The brawler does her best to remain calm and collected while Weiss tends to Ruby though deep in heart she wants to be the one sat beside her sister this whole time. Yang looks at Pyrrha and mumbles something.

Pyrrha looks over and to see that Yang's shoulders are raised, her fists are clenched, "Yang, I didn't hear that can you repeat it?" Emerald eyes widen to see that Yang has tears silently rolling down her cheek.

"Thank you." Yang bursts into tears, slinging her arms around Pyrrha, "thanks to you sh- she" Pyrrha says nothing but gives Yaag a reassuring hug and gently pats her back as Yang weeps.

"Princess, when is Ruby going to wake up?" Erin leans against Weiss, who places the cloth back into the bowl.

"I don't know but I hope she will soon…" The Princess stares out at the setting sun.

Nora and Ren come in from the rear of the house. "She hasn't woken up yet…" Nora's eyes drop, Ren nudges her and shoots a look at the young girl who is about to burst into tears.

Weiss shakes her head, a grunt from the leader immediately catches everyone's attention.

"Mmmmm ugggg…" The leader groans, Ruby moves her arm up to her head. Weiss gasps, dropping the rag onto the floor as she gently brushes the leaders hair out of her face.

"YANG! PYRRHA!" Nora shouts while she goes towards the front of the house. The pair being on high alert instantly kick the door open.

"Ruby?" Weiss takes her hand in her own "Ruby can you hear me?" Without a word Yang rushes to her sister sitting beside Weiss. Erin takes a step back so she is not in the way, Pyrrha stops her from leaving her spot and gives her a comforting smile.

Come on Rubes,,. Just open your eyes. Yang gently takes their hands in her calloused palms. "Please…" The brawler pleads with the unconscious leader. Pyrrha, Nora and Ren stand silently behind the pair.

"..." Ruby's chapped lips barely open and close, "...wa-..." Her face twists as she feels the latent pain from her legs work it's way up her body. Weiss leans closer to Ruby, "...wa- ...ter.." Before Weiss can turn to ask the others to get it.

Yang lets go of Ruby's hand and grabs a chalice from the table. "Here Rubes," she chuckles pressing the cold metal against her sister's lips. "I bet you are thirsty...you've been recovering for a few days…." Yang's voice trails off as she watches her sister sloppy drink from the chalice, the water slips off the corners of Ruby's lips dripping down her face.

"Slow down you dolt." Weiss softly scolds the leader as she wipes away some of the runaway liquid.

"Kchhhuh...sowwwry…." Ruby tries to speak while still guzzling down as much water as possible causing her to choke a bit.

"It's good to hear your voice again Captain." Pyrrha's voice cracks, as a few tears roll down her cheek. Ruby takes the chalice to the ceiling and smiles widely.

"It's so good to see you all as well." Ruby groans as she tries to sit up, Weiss and Yang go to assist her, "I am fine, please let me."

Ren and Nora exchange elated smiles, watching Ruby push herself into a seated position. "Ruby, what happened."

"What happened?" Ruby places her head into the palm of her hand, "I was…"

Erin jumps up onto the bed right beside Ruby and holds her tight "I am so glad you are awake…" The young girl cries as she squeezes the warrior as hard as she can.

"I will tell you all tomorrow." Ruby winces as Erin holds on tight, the young leader returns the hug as she feels the warm tears.

THWACK-SSSSSSHHHHHH-ACK

Everyone turns to see arrows sailing through the air towards them through the various windows. "The windows!" Yang and Nora begin throwing any large piece of furniture in front of all the windows.

"Princess, can you help Ruby up to the ledge you and Erin were on?" Pyrrha turns to see Weiss standing beside Ruby with her arm extended.

"No," Ruby replies, gently ushering Erin off the bed. "I won't hide while we are under attack."

"RUBES now is not the time." Yang shouts at her sister, as she works to keep their makeshift barricade up as more projectiles are flying through the gaps.

"Ren! REN!?" Nora shouts as she looks around, "Pyrrha, I have to tell you when Ren and I were out on patrol we saw a group of bandits."

"Why didn't you say something sooner?!" Weiss yells over the sound of glass shattering.

An arm reaches and yanks one of the arrows wedged into the floor, "Excuse me." Ren calmly draws back on the drawstring of a bow that he re-appeared with.

"Ren, the archers can you see them?" Ruby grunts as she hobbles towards Ren grinding her teeth to dull the pain, who slowly nods.

"Since when does Ren know archery?" Yang yells, "and where did that bow come from?!"

Nora laughs while handing Yang the table Ruby was laying on, in an attempt to make the barrier sturdy. "Ren has always been keen with a bow, and I think that is Pyrrha's bow." Nora leans close to examine the weapon.

"Who CARES?! JUST STOP THIS HAIL FIRE ON US?!" Weiss growls as she holds Erin close to her.

"Why are they attacking us…" The young girl cries, Ren fires off the arrows he ripped out from within the shack.

A cry can be heard, Yang peeks her head out from the barricade swish an arrow narrowly misses her. "Well you definitely hit someone…" Yang chuckles as she pats down her face as if the arrow hit her.

Pyrrha takes as many usable arrows as she can and gives them to Ren who stabs them into the ground beside him. "Ruby what should we do?" The redhead takes Erin up to the safest place in the shack.

"Erin stay up there and hide until you hear us return." Ruby huffs as she limps about the small shack, "Pyrrha you and I will create a distraction so that Nora and Yang can get close to pommel them. Ren how many of them do you think there are?" Ruby wonders as Ren's eyes completely focused watching for the slightest movement in the darkness.

"There are at least three archers, I must have wounded one, but I saw at least two other figures." Ren exhales as he releases another arrow, another cry can be heard.

"If there are only six and two are injured we can take them." Ruby sharply inhales as she puts weight on her barely healed leg.

"I'll take your place." Weiss steps forward, placing her rapier back on her belt. Everyone in the house turns to see Ruby's reaction.

"NO. There is no way you are going out there as a distraction while we are under attack!" Ruby groans as she stands up as straight as she can with as little weight on her leg as possible.

Pyrrha looks over at Weiss who nods, "Ruby you can't go out you will be killed instantly if you go out there like this." Pyrrha gently taps near her wound causing her to fall on her back.

"I hate to admit it but the Princess is right Rubes." Yang helps the injured warrior up. "We will take care of this, you stay here."

Ruby bites her lip, "I am the Captain of this-"

"You will remain here Captain Rose. That is an order." Weiss walks right up to Ruby, her face unwavering. Ruby looks down, scrunches up her eyebrows, "as you command."

Ruby bows, as Weiss turns to leave Ruby grabs her arm. "What-" Suddenly a familiar red cloak is wrapped around Weiss' shoulders. "Please wear this I-"

Yang raises her eyebrows at the sight. "Good luck, come back safe okay?" Ruby earnestly requests.

"Of course we will. Someone has to rule Staub, you dolt." Weiss mentions before turning to exit the back door.

A/N Hello travelers, this journey is a long on but I think it is worth the trek. As always all the comments, likes, and favorites make this journey for me much easier. This chapter as well as the ones that follow this have become much harder for me to find the right words to describe each action and scene even though it is so clear in mind. But I look forward to seeing you all in the next chapter! ^,.,^/