Red Trailer

A boy with blond hair and red bangs leaned against his escape pod, panting after his hard landing. Huge green pine trees stretched upwards around him. His breath came out in a thick white fog and snow crunched under his feet. As his breath slowed he leaned down and touched the white snow under his feet, running his fingers over its cold surface. It melted in his hands; the boy wiped his wet hands against his jumpsuit to dry them. Shivering, he rubbed his hands against his arms to warm himself. The air felt freezing.

I have to get somewhere warm he thought. The alien DNA implanted into his body made him more vulnerable to the cold. The boy turned and walked, he wasn't sure if he was going deeper into the wood, or walking towards freedom.

Red Bangs hadn't been walking very long when he stumbled on a path; it was covered in snow but still visible. He was so cold, so horribly cold. He needed to get somewhere warm, and fast. Following his instincts, he began walking.

As he rounded a bend, an old, broken down barn came into view. Well he thought at least it won't be snowing inside. He began walking towards the rusted, broken building but suddenly froze – there was a noise, an odd squeaking. He hid behind some trees as the oddly familiar sound grew closer, but he couldn't pin point where he had heard it before. The boy's heart beat faster as he stared at the path.

A girl became visible through the trees. She had blond hair pulled into two pigtails and she pulled a wagon behind her, something was in it but the boy couldn't make out what it was. The Blond was clearly exhausted, stumbling towards the barn. She looked about his own age.

Suddenly a dark, angry growl vibrated the air. Red Bangs stood, his heart hammering. The Blond looked towards the barn and stumbled back, falling as she did. A dark shadow emerged from inside, followed by another like it. They were huge figures, hunched over. Their eyes glowed red in their evil skulls. The girl stared at them in horror, too tired to call for help. The creatures' intent was clear as they stalked towards her. One of them roared and charged forward.

Without thought, the boy sprang to action. The girl's terrified face seemed to awaken something inside of him. He ran towards the beasts, blood rushing through his ears and leaped in front of the black creatures. His hand flew forward, a blast of fire shooting out and slamming against the leader's muzzle. It roared in pain and stumbled back. Then the beast turned and looked at him, anger burning is his eyes. The boy felt his fear rise - all the monsters slowly turned their heads towards him. The one he had burned, the pack leader, charged. Frantically, Red Bangs tried to make another fire ball, but a second monster slammed into him. The boy fell on his hands and looked up just in time to see a back paw slam into his face. The force of it knocked him backwards and he slammed into a tree, the air exploding out of him. Hit face burned in pain and he felt something warm and wet run down his face. The leader snarled and ran towards him, fear gripped the boys heart, he couldn't move, couldn't turn away. He was going to die!

Just as the beast was reaching its unforgiving claws towards his face something slammed into its paw, impaling the monster against the snow-covered ground. The monster howled in pain as the boy stared at the object which had saved his life - it was a silver sword, black markings and strange diagonal slits decorated the side. Before he could stare at it farther, it was yanked out of the ground, cutting off the creature's hand. Looking up in shock the boy saw a man with a torn, dark red cape and black hair swinging the odd sword. Jumping and cutting the man killed beast after beast. The monsters faded to ash as he killed them. Red Bangs sat silent in shock against the barn.

As the last one fell the man stood fully straight, panting. Putting his sword away he walked over to the cowering blond girl. "You okay?" he asked, leaning down and putting a hand on her shoulder, his voice deep and rough. In response, the girl began to cry, flinging her arm around his neck. The man gently patted her back. He turned his curious gaze on the boy with red bangs and blue eyes. He stood and walked towards him. The boy felt no fear under his gaze, blue eyes meeting red.

"Hey," the man said gently, "you okay kid? You're bleeding." Red Bangs reached and felt his face, his hand came away wet with blood. He swallowed and nodded. As the man continued to stare at him, Red Bangs became more aware of his ribs poking through his jumpsuit, and his hollow face. The dark haired man reached a hand to touch the boy's arm, but Red Bangs flinched back, afraid of touch. Pulling back his hand the man looked at him with worry and concern. Coming to a silent decision, the man stood.

"Come on," he called over his shoulder as he walked to the wagon. "I know a place you could say, its warm and safe. If you don't want to, stay here." Red Bangs thought about his options, going with the man who had just saved his life sounded like a better idea then freezing alone in the cold. He stood and ran after him. A smile flickered over the man's face.

"Name's Qrow," the man said. He gestured to the wagon, "The blond, who is exhausted and asleep, is Yang, the younger one is Ruby." Blue Eyes looked into the wagon and saw a very young girl with bright silver eyes staring up at him. A gentle smile grew on her face and Red Bangs felt one upon his own.

"You got a name kid?" Qrow asked. Red Bang's smile faded and he shook his head. Qrow was silent for a few seconds. He grabbed the wagon's handle and began to pull it down the path.

"We need to get moving," he called over his shoulder. "The house is pretty far and it's so cold I can't feel my fingers." The boy silently walked after him, glad to have someone telling him where to go. Glad to know there was somewhere safe.

The journey was slow. Snow began to fall as they walked. After the wagon became stuck in the snow for the fourth time, Qrow sighed and dug it out, muttering something about a "stupid semblance." The sky began to darken and Red Bang's legs grew heavier and heavier. He began to stumble over the uneven path. He was cold and tired and numb, his lips tinted blue. Qrow finally stopped, took off his sword and laid it in the wagon. He glared at Ruby as he did. "Don't touch it. My weapon is not a toy and can hurt you! I don't care you much you like it." Then he turned and picked up the small boy, who was too tired and cold to resist, and hoisted him on his back. Red Bangs hunched closer to the warmth of Qrow's body. Picking up the wagon handle again, Qrow walked on.

Qrow felt the boy's cold, shivering body through his thin clothes. The faster we get to Tai's house, the faster this kid can get warm, he thought. How long had he been out in the snow? Did the kid have parents? He thought back on the blast of fire the kid had made, it didn't seem natural…even for a semblance. He had noticed a strange tattoo on the kid's lower arm, who would tattoo a kid? Why didn't he have a name?

When it was dark, they finally approached the house, the glow from the shattered moon giving some light. Qrow stopped to take a breath. Ruby whimpered from hunger. He felt the boy's head raise toward the house. Qrow smiled, "What do you think?" he asked. "It's kind of homey right?" When the boy said nothing in response, Qrow walked on. Almost there he thought I swear if Tai doesn't have some kind of food I can eat I will literally kill him. Suddenly the front door of the house was flung open and a bedraggled, worried Tai ran down the steps.

"Qrow!" he called, running towards him. "Are the girls alright? I just turned my back for a second and they were both gone!"

"They were fine, Tai," Qrow said tiredly. "I made sure nothing bad happened."

"What do you mean 'made sure nothing bad happened!" Tai shouted, "How did you even know where they were!" Qrow shrugged in response.

"I followed them." He said simply. He could feel the kid shrink on his back, clearly afraid of Tai's harsh voice.

"Tai, listen, there's something I have to tell…"

"Why is Ruby holding your weapon!" Tai shouted, interrupting him. Glancing back Qrow saw Ruby clinging to the hilt of Harbinger. Again.

"Ruby!" he said angrily, "I told you not…Argh! Tai this is not the time!"

"Not the time?" Tai said angrily, "I just found out you let my daughters go into a Grimm infested wood alone! And now I find Ruby holding a sword!" He grabbed it and angrily pulled the weapon out of her grasp.

Qrow sighed.

"They weren't alone Tai, I was with them the whole time. And it wasn't my fault they were out there! You should have told Yang who her real mom was sooner! Besides, she had to learn she can't just run off into the woods unarmed!"

"Oh you were with them! Well that makes me feel so much better! And don't you dare try to pin this on me! They do stuff like this because you make it seem like running through the woods is some kind of…"

"Tai!" Qrow shouted, "I found someone in the woods. He needs help." The huntsman turned and for the first time saw the huddled form of the boy on Qrow's back. Instantly his anger left him.

"O...Oh," he said in surprise. "Well, let's get him inside. Get them all inside." He started to hand Qrow's weapon back to him, but hesitated, seeing how he was using both hands to keep the kid on his back. Instead, he grabbed the wagon handle and began to pull it back towards the house. The boy whimpered and buried his face into Qrow's back.

"Hey don't worry," Qrow said gently. "You'll be safe here. I promise. Tai is a nice guy…he just…doesn't like me very much."

When they reached the house Qrow gently laid him down on the couch. The boy looked up at him with scared, trusting eyes. Tai walked past him, Ruby and Yang in each arm. "I'm…going to put them to bed," he said. "You should try to wash the blood on the kids face." Qrow looked down at the shivering child and nodded.

Walking into the kitchen, Qrow dampened a towel then sat next to the boy on the couch. Holding up the towel he rubbed it over his own skin, showing the kid it was safe. The boy flinched as Qrow gently put the towel over his face, but let him wipe off the dried blood, wincing as the towel rubbed against the raw wound.

Tai returned and looked at the child, his brow creasing in worry. "I'm…gonna go make some soup."

"Hey make some for me too!" Qrow called after him. Looking back at the blue eyed boy, he sighed.

"He probably won't but it was worth asking," he said shrugging. The boy's cleaned face revealed a deep cut through his eyebrow.

"You're lucky," Qrow said wiping off the last of the blood. "It looks like the Grimm just back handed you, if it had been its full paw you wouldn't have an eye." Tai walked back in, carrying two bowls of soup and a white tube in his pocket.

"Oh would you look at that," Qrow whispered to the boy, "looks like he made me some after all. He's losing his touch." Tai placed the bowls of soup on the coffee table.

"What did you say?" he asked.

"Nothing, nothing," Qrow said, winking at the boy. "Just talking to myself." Tai shrugged, pulled the tube out of his pocket and squeezed mint green slave onto his finger.

"It'll help your cut not get infected," he said, showing him the green smear. He leaned towards the boy's face but he turned away, fear in his eyes. Straitening up Tai frowned.

"Let me try," Qrow said. He grabbed the tube and smeared a dab on his finger.

"Look," he said gently, "it doesn't hurt I promise." The boy looked at him warily, but let him rub it on his cut.

After he put the slave on his face, Qrow showed the boy the soup was food, and how to eat it. When he was eating with gusto Tai pulled him aside.

"Where did you find this kid?" he asked.

"In the middle of the woods," Qrow said shrugging.

"Did you think to look for parents?" Tai asked. "They might be worried about it!"

"Tai look at him! He clearly hasn't eaten for a while, and he's sacred of anyone touching him! Where ever he's from, I don't think he wants to go back, he wasn't taken care of. Look at the tattoo on his arm! Who would do that to someone so young?" Tai looked at the boy and sighed.

"Alright then," he said, "I'm just not sure what to do with him…" Qrow gave him an apologetic shrug.

"Well…I did kind of promise him that you would let him stay for the night."

"What!" Tai tersely whispered. "And you didn't think to ask me first?"

"What else could I do?" Qrow growled back, "he was freezing to death! I couldn't just leave him!" Tai looked back at the kid and sighed.

"…He can sleep on the couch tonight, I'll figure out what to do with him tomorrow." He said tiredly.

The two men prepared a bed. When it was finished, Qrow stood, rubbing a tired hand down his face.

"Alright," he said, "I'm going to bed now." He walked over the stairs and was about to climb them when, with a cry of panic, Red Bangs flung his arms around his legs.

"Looks like he's sleeping with you." Tai said smiling. Qrow glared at him and looked down at the kid clinging to his leg. Sighing, he picked him up.

"Fine," he muttered.

A few minutes later, Qrow lay in Tai's guest bed and the boy lay asleep in a makeshift sleeping bag on the floor beside him. He rolled over and quickly fell asleep, tired of walking through thick snow carrying a kid while dragging two more.

A noise woke him that night. Tiredly, Qrow opened his eyes and sat up. He looked around trying to pinpoint its origin. The boy on the floor was thrashing and calling out in his sleep.

"No," he said. "Get away from him! Stop it! You're hurting him! Stop! Stop!" He sat up panting, his eyes panicked. Qrow leaped out up bed and grabbed the boy's shoulders.

"Hey, look at me," he said. "You're safe here, no one's gonna hurt you. You're okay." The boy's eyes panicked met his. He recoiled from Qrow's touch, but, once he recognized the red eyes, his breathing began to slow. Suddenly he began to cry. Qrow pulled him closer and gently hugged him as the boy sobbed into his shoulder. The door was flung open to reveal a half-awake Tai, woken by the boy's cries.

"It's okay," Qrow whispered. "It was just a nightmare." Tai looked at the boy for a few moments. Then nodded and closed the door.

After the boy's sobbing had stopped, Qrow gently laid him down in his own bed and fell asleep with the kid curled up beside him.

The next day, Qrow left the kid with Tai to discover where the boy came from. When he was out of sight of the house he transformed into his bird form and flew across the sky. With the advantage of height, he spotted what he was looking for almost instantly. A huge scar was torn through the forest, trees had been knocked over by something huge and heavy. He flew down and transformed in order to get a better view of the damage. He walking into the woods, following the damaged trail. Soon he found the source.

Qrow stared in shock at the massive machine. It was scared, battered, and dented but still amazing. For a few hours the huntsman walked around the ship and explored the inside. Finally, he walked back and stared at the ship in confusion - he had never seen anything like it. It's technology was more advanced than anything even Atlas had made.

Ozpin needs to know about this he thought pulling out his scroll. Snapping a few fuzzy pictures, he sent them along with the caption Found this in the woods near Tai's house along with a kid.

The next week passed about the same – Red Bangs would keep his distance from every one (other than Qrow). Tai bought him some clothes so he could take off his jump suit. Oz would message Qrow, asking questions about the boy or the crashed ship he had found, and the kid would wake up from nightmares then proceed to spend the remainder of each night in Qrow's bed.

However, one night the boy woke up, thrashing and crying. Qrow pulled himself out of bed to help him. "Stop!" the boy called out frantically, "Get away! Don't touch me! Stop!"

"Hey!" Qrow said loudly, trying to wake him up. Leaning down he tried shake him awake.

"No!" the boy shouted, "Get away!" he flung out his hand and a wave of fire shot outwards. Qrow cried out in shock and stumbled back, flaring his aura to protect himself, instinctually raising an arm to guard his face. When he lowered it the kid was staring at him in shock.

"I…" he stammered, "I didn't…"

"Hey!," Qrow said. He could see the fear in the boy's eyes, the fear that he might hurt someone by just being around them. Qrow had seen that fear in his own eyes before.

"It's alright. You barley hurt me. See?" Qrow said, holding up his arm. It had only minor burns on it, his aura had protected him for the worst of the damage. He tied to put a hand on the boy's shoulder but he flinched back.

"I understand," Qrow said gently, he stood and laid back in his own bed alone.

The next day the dark haired huntsman was sitting on the porch, flask in hand, watching Yang and Ruby chase each other through the snow. The kid sat next to him, his hands fiddling with his thick new jacket. Qrow's scroll buzzed in his pocket. It was a text from Ozpin.

We need to talk it read. James found two more ships like the one you showed me near Atlas. I need you here at Beacon.

Qrow frowned and messaged back On my way. "Ruby, Yang!" He called out, standing up. "I have to leave."

"What!" Yang called back. "But you just got here!" Qrow sighed and nodded.

"Sorry kid," he said, "it's about my work."

An hour later, Qrow had finished his good byes, (although one involved a certain blue eyed, red banged boy refusing to let go of his legs). Transforming into his bird form he flew over the house one last time. Then turned towards Beacon.

I really hate my job he thought as he flew. Well; hopefully Tai can take care of the kid for me. He should probably name him too.