Chapter 1
"So can someone tell me why we are going to the middle of nowhere?"
"Gods Yang, Professor Ozpin told us that we are to investigate abnormal Grimm activity in the mountains. Did you not listen to the brief at all?"
"Geez Ice-Queen, I was just asking. It's not like we got a ton of sleep last night. With the headmaster calling us at one in the morning."
"Girls, please we are almost there."
With that the four girls that were riding in the back of the bullhead. Turned to look at their leader who was sitting in the co-pilot seat, staring out the window at the fast-approaching clearing that was to be their drop zone into the forest below. The girls stood and walked to look over the shoulder of their leader as the bullhead started its descent.
The morning was still early with the sun just cresting over the mountain that protected the clearing to the East. The year was just entering the early fall, with the trees starting to show signs of change in the tip of the leaves of the trees. As the bullhead touched down, two of the girls, one with a head of fiery golden locks and the other with raven black hair. Prepare themselves at the door, both shivering slightly as the cool air met their skin as the door dropped open.
With the airship now landed the two girls made the way out making sure to secure the clearing before signaling the other two inside. With a quick thank you, to the pilot the last two members of the group exited the bullhead. A dirty redhead with silver eyes carried two packs, two more packs were carried out by a girl with snow-white hair.
"Well, here we are." Said the redhead as she set down her packs. The bullhead taking off behind her.
"Wow, Ruby I wouldn't have guessed. Can't wait to spend a week in the woods with no shower." Yang said, grabbing one of the packs before shrugging it on her shoulders. The ravenette also grabbed hers, rolling her eyes at the blonde.
"Come on, Yang it will be fun, and according to the map there is a river not too far away that we can set up camp at." Ruby chirped, walking forward to the west side of the clearing. Which could be seen sloping down toward a valley.
Yang sagged in relief at the words, as well as the other two girls. As they started to follow their leader.
"Good see you did some research into the map." The snow-haired girl commented, before looking pointedly at the blonde to her right. " At least someone was thinking about the mission."
"Oi, I was just asking a question earlier, besides I never said I didn't know what the mission was." Yang retorted. Before letting go of a low-hanging branch which ended up smacking the girl in white.
The girl's aura flashed as it made contact, causing the branch to do little more than making her stumble. The offending branch soon found itself cut from the tree it belonged to.
"Pfft, then pray tell what was the mission assigned to us?" the girl said, pulling leaves out of her hair.
"Well, Weiss, if you must know. It is to infiltrate this forest, set up a base camp, and perform a week-long investigation into the Grimm activity in said forest." Yang recited as she continued to push her way through the trees. Though this time she was nice enough to make sure the limbs didn't hit her teammate.
Who just gave her a glare as she stayed silent. Earning a smirk from the blonde in the small win that she achieved. The other two in the group who lead the group just sighed, knowing that this small amount of bickering would pick up again later.
They continued walking through the forest for about an hour. Enjoying the surprising peace that they had found under the trees. Only the slightly brisk mountain air and smell of evergreens blessed the senses. With the abundant sound of wildlife floating in the air.
It was only about mid-day when they reached the site of what would be their campsite. Splitting up the four each took on different tasks, in setting up the site.
Ruby went about setting up their tents and laying out a kitchen area along with a hygiene area a little away from camp. Wiess took on the task of setting up communication equipment, inventorying their supplies, as well as getting their weather warning equipment set up. This was gear that she was determined to get before they left due to the unpredictable weather patterns in the area.
The ravenette, Blake, went to setting up early warning systems around the perimeter of the camp as doing an initial patrol of the area. Leaving Yang to the last but most important task.
To gather firewood.
"Ugggh, why is this my job every time?" the blonde said to herself as she pushed out away from the camp. She wanted to, one, find possibly a large dead tree so she could get a pile started so she would have to keep making trips. But, two, a place that she could keep coming to so she would have to keep searching every time they needed wood.
This usually would take too long, being that the forest that they were currently in was reported to be very active with Grimm. So it didn't have any settlements near or in it, meaning that the forest should have been untouched with all of the natural debris on the forest floor. Ripe for the taking to build a campfire or two.
For Gods knows what reason though there were no dead trees to be found.
"IT HAS BEEN THREE HOURS!"
The yell could definitely be heard back at camp even though it was six miles in the direction she came from.
"I thought this forest was supposed to be old as shit. Shouldn't there be at least one dead tree?" The frustration clearly showed Yang's voice as continued to move through many, very alive trees.
"Least throw a Grimm my way."
The blonde sighed as she flopped, down on a rock as she entered a clearing. Pulling out her scroll she sent her team a message telling them that she was fine for the third time since she started this search. She didn't even realize how long she had been gone till Ruby had called her an hour and a half ago.
"Well, at least I've done a fair bit of scouting this way. If the next few days turn out like this, we could probably call this mission a success." Yang said, before cupping her face with her hands. "And now I'm talking to myself."
The blonde lifted her head, looking to the sky. She smiled as she took a moment to breathe in the fresh air around her. If nothing else at least they were somewhere peaceful. A thing that had become rare in their lives since joining beacon. Especially with fighting the White Fang in their free time, a surprise Grimm invasion on their first mission, and the Vytal Festival coming up along with normal school tasks. Yeah, at least they seemed to be getting a small vacation. Maybe that's why the headmaster picked their team for the mission.
'Grrrrrrrrr'
She was pulled out of her thinking, with that sudden sound. She could feel the hair on the back of her neck stand up as she slowly turned to face the sound. She was greeted by the sight of a lupin Grimm. It had black fur with white highlights, and bone quills running through the fur to the back. It was staring right at her with its hackles raised and a low growl coming from its throat.
Yang had never seen a Grimm like this, and even though it seemed to be smaller than a lot of the Grimm she had faced in the past. There was something about its presence that made her wary of fighting it. Slowly standing she got into a fighting stance while engaging her weapons, two shotgun gauntlets that rested on her wrists.
The Grimm didn't move, only continuing to growl as it stared at her. The air became tense as the two stood there waiting for the other to make the first move. Their square off made the rest of the world fall away around, at least to Yang anyways as she was pulled farther and farther into the gaze of the Grimm.
Her wariness turned to an unsettling fear. Questions that normally didn't enter her mind when it came to Grimm surfaced in thoughts. The most prevalent was why not why it hadn't attacked, but why it had piercing blue eyes.
They stood there for only a few seconds but felt like hours before the Grimm moved. Leaping forward Yang barely had time to react, putting her arms up to block the oncoming attack.
That never came.
The Grimm jumps straight past her, right at the throat of an Ursa. The young huntress yelped as she spun around to see the two Grimm fighting one another. Completely ignoring her, the two soulless predators bit and clawed at each other. The strange lupin Grimm having a surprising advantage over its kin.
"How did I not notice the Ursa?" Yang panickedly thought as she tensely watched the fight. No longer pulled into the staring contest. She quickly took in her surroundings, what she saw making her stomach drop. In the treeline, there were six more Ursa closing in and all of them heading her way quickly.
Gritting her teeth, she met the first Grimm with a blast to the face. Giving her a second to take a step back as a second took a swing at her. She managed to block the first swing; the third sent her flying into a tree on the opposite side of the clearing.
Smack the tree hard, harder than should have been possible for just an Ursa. Yang felt her aura strain against the pressure, getting close to breaking.
"What the hell, why is it strong?" She thought as her head spun. Shaking her head clear she rolled to the side as one of the Ursa gave out a howl swinging at her. Destroying the tree behind her. Rolling to her feet to the side of one of the other Ursa she called upon her semblance, giving the beast two hits to ribs. Making it fold before she jumped up and delivered a final blow to the back of the head.
Landing she saw that her target was starting to disappear as heard another howl from behind. Accompanied by a canine-like snarl, as she turned to see a lupin Grimm had moved to another target.
Yang took the lull in the fight to look around and see that out of the initial seven Ursa two remained. One currently fighting one of its kin and the other heading straight for her. Stepping back she cocked her hand back, getting ready to throw another punch.
The Ursa reared up tall on its hind legs getting ready to come down on the blonde huntress, roaring as it raised its arms. To have its battle cry cut short a loud crack of a rifle filled the air, followed shortly by the Ursa face being blown off. Covering a surprised Yang covered in ink-black blood.
Breathing heavily Yang stood still, trying to process what had just happened. Her stress reached an all-time high, as the Ursa instead of disintegrating collapsed in a bloody mess and she saw out of the corner of her eye strange Grimm end the last Ursa. Before turning and walking toward the opposite treeline, the side where the shot had come.
"What is going on? Where did that shot come from? Why did Grimm just leave? Does it not see me?" Yang once again thought as her brain was trying to make sense of what just happened. Just as she was about to catch her breath, however, Yang was met by yet another question-raising sight.
Walking out of the treeline was a very large black figure with white bone attached in different spots. The figure appeared to be a person, a tall one standing about six foot ten, covered in what looked like a Grimm fur coat with a hood with the bone plates on its shoulders, legs and arms. It walked with its head down while reloading an ancient-looking rifle, with the strange Grimm trailing behind and to the left.
"Jeez, Saph what are you doing out here. Uncle said you move to Argus not to mention your way off the main trail." Said the figure in a deep but clear voice. As it finished loading and looked up to reveal the face of a man. His face was tan with a dark brown wild kept beard, chest-length hair hanging from either side, and piercing icy-blue eyes.
As the stranger finally looked at the huntress he stopped, with a confused look taking over his face. Crouching down he let the Grimm come up to him before he started petting it like a normal dog. Yang's eyes just grew as her brain was failing to process the scene in front of her, all the while she didn't leave her fighting stance, or break eye contact with the stranger in front of her.
"You're not…. Saphron." He said pointedly. Looking at her up and down, never leaving his spot next to the Grimm.
It was too much for the blonde huntress, as she took that moment to say goodbye to the waking world. The dream world seemed saner at that point in time.