Ruby kept a steady pace through the trees, focusing on her sense of smell to follow the other students that had come through there not too long ago. There were the smells of animals passing over the students, but not enough to muddle the trail. She tried not to think about what Weiss had said, though she didn't really blame her for it. In the heat of the moment, people say stupid things, and Weiss hadn't known her for very long. It was understandable she had slipped up, and she didn't want to hold it against her.
Weiss followed behind Ruby at a fair distance. She felt horrible for what she had said, like there was a pit in the core of her being. Every so often, she would try to say something, but stopped for fear of saying something else that might offend her new partner even more. She had to say something, but what? How could you come back from that? I have to try something.
"Ruby," Weiss said. The hooded girl stopped in the middle of the trail, her head sinking a little bit more. "I... I'm sorry for what I said. I don't expect you to forgive me for saying those terrible things, nor do I ask for it. I know I haven't been the nicest person since we met, but if we're going to do this, we need to do this together." Ruby turned to face her, as best as she could anyway.
"Thank you, Weiss," Ruby replied. "I'm sorry too, for yelling at you earlier. I know, that it's not your fault. Everybody I know, is used to my, blindness. I shouldn't expect you to get used to it immediately. You're right, we need to work together. Do you think you can get on top of a tree? Maybe you can see the temple from where we are."
"I can do that," Weiss responded. She was surprised Ruby was taking it so well. She had practically insulted her partner for something she had no choice in, so all things considered, this was going rather well. She spun the cylinder on her blade and stuck it into the ground where a white glyph spread from the tip. She shot upward and spun the cylinder again, generating a black glyph underneath her, allowing her to stand on the air.
She looked around for anything that looked like any sort of temple. She looked toward the east, where the sun was just above the horizon and covered her eyes to keep the light at bay. She heard Ruby saying something beneath her, but couldn't tell what it was over the screaming winds. She looked down at her to try and figure out what the commotion was about. She saw Ruby with her hands cupped around her mouth like she was yelling. She almost looked scared. It wasn't until the very last second that she figured out what was happening.
Ruby pointed behind her, and she turned around, only to see a giant Nevermore flying straight towards her. It opened it's beak and was about to close it around her, but that's when a red blur of rose petals flew in front of her and grabbed her. Ruby had jumped upward, using the recoil from the blanks to propel her higher with each shot and grabbed Weiss right before she had been bitten in half by the giant bird. The two of them were above the grimm when Ruby redirected Crescent Rose and fired, sending the two of them onto the back of the Nevermore. They slammed into the rock-hard back and tried to grab a hold of as many feathers as they possibly could, only barely holding on at all.
"Weiss, are you okay?" Ruby yelled over the wind.
"I'm fine. Thanks for the rescue," Weiss yelled back. "Got any ideas?"
"If we get up to the head, you can tell me where the temple is, and I can steer us over there." They began to climb towardws the front end of the giant bird.
Kenshin and Tai rushed to the landing pad as Tai called for an airship. Kenshin was carrying Summer on his back and was running almost as fast as he could.
"Kenshin," Tai yelled from behind him. "What are we going to do once we get there?"
"We get her to Ozpin. He'll be able to slow the infection long enough for us to explain the situation to Ruby and Yang, and tell Ruby how to stop it."
"I don't understand how knocking her uncoscious will help though. What's happening to her?"
"It's a spell Salem uses on silver eyes to turn them into her servants. It requires mixing the blood of the transformed into the blood of another. Albastru knicked her leg with one of his fingers when she used Petal Burst to get around him. It was a split second, but I saw him slice his finger with one of his nails. Her fighting it would only make it attack her more, damaging her soul and body, further weakening her." They reached the landing pad as the airship arrived.
Professor Port slid the door open and the two of them jumped inside. The white-haired teacher yelled to the pilot to get to Beacon Academy as fast as possible.
"What happened here?" The man asked.
"I'll explain later," Kenshin replied. "For right now, I need more rest. Wake me when we get there or when something happens." He leaned against the wall and slid to the floor, the Sakabato in one hand and resting against his shoulder. Port and Tai got Summer on a stretcher and fastened down. They couldn't afford anymore surprises. They simply didn't have the time for any delays.
"I hope Ruby can do it in time," Tai whispered to himself. He felt his heart pounding at rapid speeds, the adrenaline beginning to wear off. He was going to have to take a long rest too after this was all over.