Crimson and Silver

by SnowieBearSnarl

The world of Remnant is filled with many legends and myths, but some have more truth than others. One such myth speaks of two powerful races that once defended man and faunus kind alike in ancient times. One of these races were the Vampires. Though now few in numbers, they still exist, often living as bandits to get by. A new Vampire has awakened, a silver eyed girl named Ruby.

11. The Skin Ceremony

She's still sleeping… Raven looked out the window of her home, seeing the soft glow of dawn greeting the horizon as she sat on her heels beside the unconscious girl.

The process of merging can be exhausting, but she should have been awake by last night. The vampire could feel Ruby's heart beating, blood coursing steadily through her veins. She could see the gentle rise and fall of her chest as her lungs breathed calmly. As far as anyone could tell, she was merely asleep. It's been over twenty-four hours.

"Ruby, A lot of people are worried about you. Alan checked on you eight times until Iris convinced him to get some sleep himself. Mica and Calister have both come by to see how you were doing. I know you, you're just like Summer, you wouldn't want to cause the people who care about you to worry." Despite the gnawing anxiety gripping her chest, Raven's voice barely registered as a soft whisper.

I didn't want to consider it… but it's possible her hybrid biology is causing a problem. She's completely unprecedented, we've treated her like any other vampire, but her soul might not be able to fully integrate with her familiar. If that's the case, who knows what could happen to her. Raven tenderly brushed loose strands of hair from Ruby's face. My Semblance isn't giving me any useful insights into Ruby's condition either. What's the point of seeing the future when it won't work when I need it to?

It had been a restless night, she could feel exhaustion creeping through her bones and weighing down her eyelids. That's right… I haven't fed in a while, I didn't feed while Ruby was going through her trial, after that I was too focused on the threats from outside and from within our tribe, and last night I was so focused on Ruby. It's dawn, I can get blood soon, but I want to wait just a little bit longer.

She knew she couldn't indulge in sleep, even so, the sound of Ruby's soft inhales and exhales lulled her into a peaceful calm, drawing her already heavy eyelids to a close. Raven didn't let herself fully succumb to sleep, but let restfulness tease the edges of her consciousness as a soft smile pulled at her lips.

Ever since Qrow dropped this kid in my lap, I feel like I'm getting a lot of second chances. I'm loathed to acknowledge that my brother did something right, especially when it comes to meddling in my life. I know being here for Ruby can't make up for everything I've done, but if I can just carve out a place for this little halfling, I know I'll be doing right by both my daughter… and Summer. As much as I hate to admit this to myself, the thought of her returning to her old life scares me, maybe because it was a decision I was incapable of making for Yang and Tai… or perhaps-

"Raven…"

"Ruby!" At the soft, shaky voice, Raven's eyes shot open, her heart pounding and her weariness burned away in an instant.

A balled up fist rubbed the bleariness from crimson-stained silver eyes as the hybrid shakily forced herself up, drawing in a great, deep yawn. Her muscles shifted and stretched, fighting off the stiffness in her body from her long sleep, before she looked to the window, and then back to her mentor with a cool, soft smile. "Good morning."

"How are you feeling?" Raven instinctively bit back the intense upwelling of emotions that she felt, instead keeping her tone and expression calm and neutral.

"I could use some blood… how long have I been out?" Blinking away the last of her grogginess, Ruby pulled the covers off her body and sat up, the cool morning air flowing around her skin, and the scents of the forest she'd grown used to dulled and mingled with the scents of her village, bringing a nostalgic warmth to her heart. I'm home… we're home, Drei.

"Over twenty-four hours," Despite her best efforts, she couldn't help the relieved sigh that escaped her lips. "As for blood, I can go wake Alan, he's been eager to see you since you returned from your trial."

"If he was worrying about me, he might not have gotten enough sleep. I can wait a little bit longer, maybe I'll have some of my own blood in the meantime." Ruby's gaze fixed on the horizon, to the rising sun and the sprawling forest that surrounded them on all sides. Something within her heart ached, a feeling of longing as she heard the birds sing their morning song, and the forest come to life as night gave to day.

"Very well, just try not to overdo it." Raven shrugged. As a practice, self feeding is extremely common, especially in younger vampires. But it doesn't provide the same benefits as drinking mortal blood, it can take the edge off. Besides, her blood is merged deeply with her Familiar, I'm sure she misses him, even though she can undoubtedly feel his presence within her, I'm sure it will be a comfort to taste his own blood in hers.

"I'll be careful." With a soft nod and a thankful smile, Ruby brought her wrist to her fangs.

Raven watched scarlet drops trickle down Ruby's chin and forearm as she imbibed her own blood. Just looking at her, it was plain to see how her time in the wilderness had changed her physically. The girl's muscles were more defined and toned, she had lost weight, but not as much as her mentor had expected. Her hands were rough and calloused from the work they did to sustain her life.

I wonder just how much she's changed from her experiences out there… It was something Raven only caught glimpses of after they returned to their village.

"I'm sorry I worried you." Ruby's voice was soft as she pulled her fangs from her flesh, licking at the small wounds left behind. My blood tastes so different. Still, it's nice, more affirming and intense than before, like it's embracing me and telling me I'm strong. That's you, isn't it, Drei?

"I knew you would wake up, after all, who would clean my room if you died?" Raven gave a huff of laughter, throwing her hands up and shrugging her shoulders dismissively.

"Is that why you were up at the crack of dawn watching over me?" Ruby smirked, drawing her knees to her chest, her big eyes shimmering with love and gratitude as she looked to her mentor. "Thanks… for not letting me wake up alone."

Raven's playful grin faded as she stared at the girl before her. The vampire's lips parted ever so slightly as so many insincere words and snarky retorts died on her tongue. All she could do was give a resigned smile, and a soft sigh. "Make sure you thank everyone who checked in on you as well. Alan, Iris, Master Mica and Master Calister."

"Will do!" Ruby chimed, pulling the blanket off her rest of her body. She could feel the indent in the sleeping mat left by her body after laying there for over a day.

"In the meantime, I can get a bath ready for us, though you'll have to do your morning chores after you feed." The anxiety she felt since the night before hadn't completely subsided, even as her ward sat up on her heels, mirroring her mentor, looking stronger than ever.

"The skin ceremony is tonight, isn't it?" The hybrid stared wistfully down at her hands as they held each other, feeling their roughened texture with each gentle touch.

"That's right. Drei's body has been preserved while you slept, so you don't have to worry about its condition. I'll walk you through all the details later today." Raven knew her words were little comfort.

"What was your familiar like?" Ruby looked up, her eyes locking with her mentor's, brimming with a complicated mix of pain, strength and hope that left no room for Raven to do anything but relent.

She hesitated, her hand raising unconsciously toward her head, her fingertips brushing her silky, pitch black hair. Tethered to a single lock, hidden from view, she felt a small bead, and the long shaft of a feather that held her namesake.

"It's been a while since I talked about her…" Raven couldn't help but smile as held the black feather between her thumb and the knuckle of her index finger. "She was a raven and a bitch. She led me around the forest for weeks, making me climb trees and just abandoning me there. I named her Alize. Heh, I remember one time she had me crack a bunch of walnuts, only for her to antagonize a boar into attacking me while she ate all my hard work." Raven giggled to herself, shaking her head as she continued to fondly stroke the feather in her hair.

"Ppf! Sounds like you had it worse than I did." Ruby snorted with laughter as she listened intently.

"I ended up killing the boar with a spear I had made. I ate well that night. Those nuts would never have been enough to sustain me, but it was plenty for her. Turned out, the boar was injured in a fight, likely with another boar, he would have died soon enough, and was an easy kill for me." The vampire drew a deep breath, her own time in the forest playing through her mind so vividly, like it was only yesterday.

"She sounds wise, like a certain someone I know." Ruby leaned forward, her vivid imagination playing through what her mentor's trial must have been like.

"If I'm wise at all, it's only because of her… and experience." She shrugged off the complement, letting her hand fall to her side. "Alize taught me a lot, I wouldn't be me without her."

"Do you miss her? Do you ever talk to her?" Her words were so soft as she squeezed her hands tight, breaking eye contact with her mentor as she looked into her lap, weighed down by a permeating, dull ache in her chest.

"I used to, but you'll find that as you grow, you can feel them growing with you. Soon, you'll realize there isn't a you or them. You're one being now, as much Drei as you are Ruby." It was a hard concept for her to grasp at first too, but she knew from experience, and all she could do was hope that it was a small comfort to her niece.

"I think I understand. I see memories, playing in the forest, hunting. I can see a pack of wolves, dwindling one by one, until I'm alone. I see all the battles, and hardships… I can see when we met in the forest, from Drei's perspective. You'd think it would be overwhelming… but it feels right." Ruby closed her eyes softly, drawing in a deep breath through her nose. It's just like I said when we merged; together forever… no matter what.

"We'll outlive everyone. As vampires, we're immortal… the world will change around us, people we love will pass on while we stay the same. It's not an easy thing to watch, but a familiar ensures that we're never alone, no matter how many centuries pass." Just as Mica had done to her… Raven placed her hand atop Ruby's head, gently roughing up her oily hair.

"Mmmm…" Ruby hummed blissfully as she pressed her head into her mentor's hand, a feeling of contentment washing over her began to pant on instinct. She could practically feel her tail wagging behind her.

"Haha! You're really into this aren't you?" Raven burst out laughing, continuing to pet Ruby's head harder and faster. "Will your leg start kicking next?"

"Stoooop!" Ruby shrieked between breathless bouts of giggles, trying to pull away, despite a great part of her not wanting the attention to stop.

"If you say so." With a shrug of shoulders, Raven moved her hand down to Ruby's forehead and gave a light shove, toppling the girl right back down onto her sleeping mat, panting for breath and beaming with glee.

"You didn't have to shove me!" She forced herself to sit back up, still grinning as she patted down her hair.

"See, Drei isn't gone," Raven's tone was warm, but held a gravity that compelled her niece to listen. "Don't forget tha-"

Before she could finish another word, a sudden impact nearly drove the vampire off balance. Raven recoiled, managing to keep herself upright… but she could feel a gentle warm enveloped her along with a soft pressure. In a blur, Ruby closed the gap between herself and her mentor, and held her in a tight embrace, her head resting comfortably on her aunt's shoulder.

Once Raven's mind finally caught back up to reality, she found herself completely helpless, it was too late. The vampire stared blankly at the wall as she felt Ruby's chest against hers, her breathing, her heartbeat, her warmth. It dawned on her, as all these sensations crashed against her mind like a tsunami… When was the last time I've been hugged?

Her tense muscles relaxed, accepting the affection of her student. Raven could swear she felt Ruby smiling, even though she couldn't see her face, and somehow, that made her smile in turn.

"Alright, get off me, you've got a big day and a lot of work to do." Raven felt an annoying pang of disappointment as cool air rushed between their bodies when Ruby finally let go.

"Yes Ma'am." Ruby pulled away, sitting back on her heels as she bowed her head respectfully, still, she couldn't hide her happiness and gratitude, feeling like pure sunshine in her heart.

"Get dressed and go find Alan. After you feed, I'll give you your duties for the day. An hour before dusk, the skin ceremony starts, so be sure to finish all your chores by then." With that, Raven stood and Ruby followed.

Together, both women readied for the day ahead of them. Though weeks had passed since she'd been back, Ruby and Raven went about their morning routine, both content to be home.

---

I can't believe it's been so long since I've been here. Though, when I think about it, I haven't even been part of this village for that long, have I? Mentor and mentee had gone their separate ways after leaving their house. Raven had her own tasks in preparation for the coming ceremony, and Ruby still needed to feed.

All around her, the hybrid watched the morning play out as her extended family of vampires, vassals and acolytes set about their work, organized by more senior or distinguished members of the tribe.

There were already vampires leaving the acolyte barracks, having fed for the morning, while the humans and faunus inside prepared breakfast for themselves. Vampires rarely ate food, the steady surplus supply of willing blood donors meant that few experienced mortal hunger. Though I have seen Raven snacking on seeds before, I wonder if that's because of Alize being a bird? I have had a craving for meat, though that might just be because I haven't had blood yet.

The acolyte barracks was the largest building in the village. While most of the tribe's construction was modest, single story dwellings, the housing for the human and faunus acolytes was three stories high and took up a lot of ground in comparison to the surrounding structures. Only the bathhouse even comes close.

All the humans and faunus that lived as part of the tribe and weren't vassals lived within the confines of the large structure. Vassals often lived with their vampires in their homes, though even some vassals chose to stay in the barracks. The building was centered in the very middle of the village, in the event of an attack, the more vulnerable members of the tribe, and their essential function of providing blood, would be surrounded by very motivated vampires.

I still have a lot of questions on how this all works. Alan told me he and Krystal were taken in as young children. As far as he remembers, they were brought there because of a Grimm attack in another village not too far from here. I don't want to think anything bad of the people here, and none of the acolytes I've spoken to seem unhappy with the situation. Still, it makes me uneasy…

Ruby greeted the few vampires that had just fed as they left, most seemed unbothered by her presence. Despite her so far friendly interactions since she joined the tribe, a couple less than friendly looks told her there was still a way to go for her to gain full acceptance.

Since I've been here, I've mostly spent time with Raven, Alan and a couple other acolytes. I can't help but wonder if it's Raven's reputation, my hybrid and outsider status, Qrow's lineage or me being close with Alan that's causing some vampires around here to ignore me when I walk by, or stop talking when I'm nearby. As long as Calister and Raven are on my side, I shouldn't have to worry about being kicked out. Once I prove my usefulness and loyalty to our tribe, they'll have no choice but to accept me!

Her feet came to a heavy stop in the grass as her fists clenched at her sides. Her eyes stared ahead at the large wooden doors to the barracks, her chin held high as flame flickered within her lungs. Indecisiveness doesn't feel right anymore. I meant what I wrote out in the forest. Weiss and Blake… I know I promised I would come back, but here, I have something I haven't felt since I was very young, since before my mom died. I might not fit in perfectly, but I'm happy here, happier than I was struggling at Beacon. I still want to see them again, and maybe I will, once I've earned my place in the tribe. As for Yang, I still believe she's meant to be with us.

Ruby's eyes fluttered closed, her hearing and smell and touch taking in the breadth of her surroundings. In her heart, the halls of her old school seemed dwarfed by the memories of hunting as part of a pack of wolves, or doing laundry with Raven on a sunny afternoon, or sitting by the fire with Aries during her trial. Still, the voices of her team, the taste of Weiss' blood, the fun she had all drew a smile to her lips as her fists unclenched. This may be my home, but my team will always be family too.

Her eyes shot open, sparking with a renewed confidence, before she made her way up the steps and through the large doors into the barracks.

The scent of food hit her immediately; roasted meats, eggs, fresh vegetables mingling in the air alongside the clatter of dishes and the carefree chatter of the acolytes and vampires within.

There were scores of humans and faunus living together, making up the largest percentage of the population of the village. Through the throngs of people and the permeating scents of food and blood she couldn't pick out her friend on sight, though her fangs began to ache as her vampiric senses pulled her attention to every mortal body nearby at once.

"Ruby, glad you see you're still with us." Iris called out, weaving her way between the crowd. As caretaker, she lived in the barracks with acolytes, helping out where needed, though she was old enough to be everyone's great grandmother.

"Lady Iris," Ruby bowed quickly before giving a thankful and reassuring smile to her elder. "It's good to be back, sorry for worrying you, and thanks for checking in on me while I slept."

"We look after our own here, you're no exception." She spoke so simply, if one didn't know better, it would have sounded dismissive, but they both knew the weight of what she meant. "You look like you could use some blood, there are still acolytes that haven't reached their feeding limit, or…"

"I'd like to see Alan, if he's awake." Ruby could feel her cheeks heat up as they glowed a soft pink. "Lady Raven told me he was up late worrying about me, I should thank him and let him know I'm fine."

"You're in luck, he got himself out of bed just a few minutes ago. That slacker was so determined to see you as soon as you woke up that he tried to keep himself awake by organizing the entire library. His dumb ass ended up passing out on the floor, leaving it a bigger mess than he found it, I had to carry him back to his bed. I'm amazed he's up already." Even through Iris' disappointed tone and harsh words, she was smiling the entire time she spoke.

"Heh, poor Alan." Ruby gave a muffled laugh as the image of her friend surrounded by scattered books snoring on the floor.

"He usually eats in his room, so he's probably there now. He hasn't fed anyone since you returned from your trial so I'm sure he won't have a problem taking care of you." With that, Iris turned around, looking back to the girl behind her. "Need me to show you the way?"

Ruby shook her head gently. "No, I can find it, I think. Second floor right?"

"That's right, on the north side." Ruby gave Iris one more quick bow before the overseer of the acolytes returned to her duties.

The crowd had thinned enough through their conversation that she could easily navigate her way around, the majority of acolytes happily eating in the cafeteria. The sounds of idle chatter and the smell of food bringing Ruby's mind back to her days at Beacon, always rushing to get the same table with their friends every day.

One of the main differences from Beacon was the widely varying ages of the people around her. The first floor rooms were reserved for the elderly, the injured, pregnant women and new mothers, while the second and third floors were for younger and stronger residents. Rooming was as organized as it could be, with small families living in the same room, while others were placed randomly with roommates.

I guess this is more efficient than having everyone living in their own house… at least for us vampires. We all only have to go to one place to feed. Still, as far as I know, none of the acolytes have their own houses. I'm still new here, is it even right to question it?

Ruby shook her head, her aching fangs pulling her attention to her more immediate needs. Her tongue lapped at her teeth, the blood she drank from herself, as comforting as it was, had done little to dull her thirst. She could swear she could make out every single heartbeat around her, feeling the blood flowing through their bodies, mapping out every vein and artery and capillary as it pulse through them. She could hardly hear her boots against the stairs over the rushing of blood.

She could barely focus, moving more on autopilot than anything else. One by one she looked into the open doors and checked the names on the outsides of the rooms where the doors were closed. The hybrid felt her own blood writhe and tremble as it her hunger mounted.

I almost forgot how hard this was to bear. In the forest my vampire senses weren't being overloaded by so many warm, blood filled bodies. It's like when I first awakened as a vampire back at Beacon. It's so obvious now, this is really the only viable way for vampires to live, if I were in school or in a city, I'd be losing my mind.

"If I can't find Alan's room soon I'll feed from someone else before I-" Her mumbled groaning was cut off as her eyes caught a name painted on a small panel of wood in front of a closed door. Skye. This is it.

Each room held four to six acolytes, Ruby noticed that there was a gap beside Alan's name, she imagined Krystal's bed hadn't been filled since she left.

Opening the door, two young men looked up at her, one she recognized as Alan's friend and roommate, a human boy with pale blonde hair. Across from him, sitting on his bed… Alan stared up at the hybrid with jaw hanging open, like he had stopped mid word and froze that way.

"Oh, you're Lady Ruby, right?!" The blonde human grinned playfully, looking between her and his friend. "Alan's been worried sick about you, glad you see you're up."

"It's nice to meet you," She returned his smile with her own. "Could I have the room alone with Alan please? It's been a while since I've seen him… or fed."

Ruby was calm, her words were so smooth and lacking in her usual hesitation or anxiety that it surprised even her. A quick glance beside her told her that her demeanor hadn't gone unnoticed by Alan either.

"Of course, you two have fun." With a quick bow to the vampire hybrid, the roommate took his leave, giving a quick wink to his friend before closing the door behind him.

The room descended into silence, only broken by the soft white noise of happy chatter of acolytes on the first floor just finishing up breakfast. Alan sat at the edge of his bed, his blankets strewn about and partly laying on the floor while the rest of the beds were neatly made.

"You look good." Alan muttered, averting his eyes as his legs began to sway back and forth to combat his awkward stillness.

"I feel good," Ruby sat down on Alan's bed beside him, she could feel the warmth radiating from his body and feel the blood coursing through his veins. "I heard from Lady Raven that you checked in on me a lot while I was asleep."

"You slept for a long time, I wanted to make sure you had blood when you woke up. Sorry I wasn't there, I kinda passed out after Lady Raven and Lady Iris told me to leave you to rest. I just woke up a few minutes ago." Alan's cheeks were tinted a soft pink as he looked to his friend.

"I'm sorry for worrying you, but thanks… for worrying about me." Ruby's dazzling eyes held his as a soft but tender smile took hold of her.

"I know the familiar trial is a big deal, but after two weeks I was really scared something happened. Then there was that storm…," he shook his head, banishing his previous fears. "I'm just glad you're back. I don't have a lot of people to talk to since Krystal left, you kinda showed up just after she left, and you kinda remind me of her… just a lot nicer, heh."

"I missed you a lot too, you know." The halfling leaned her weight gently against his side. "It was hard out there, but I learned a lot, and my familiar… he's the best."

"Ooh, what kind of familiar did you get!?" Alan leaned on Ruby in turn.

"I can't tell you, you know that," she nudged him playfully. "You'll just have to wait until the skin ceremony to see him- I mean… me… us? You'll have to wait to see just like everyone else!"

"Wait… you said your familiar is a he?" Alan looked at her dubiously.

"Yeah? So?" She tilted her head, perplexed.

"Well, vampires take on their familiar's body when they transform, just with slight changes. So like, since your familiar is a guy, does that mean that when you transform you have a…"

Ruby stared blankly at her friend for a long moment… before her cheeks burned a deep red and her eyes went wide.

"ALAN!" She shoved him, toppling him over with ease while he was dying of laughter.

"Sorry! I'm sorry!" He wheezed barely coherent between fits of giggling.

"You will be!" Ruby growled, jumping on top of him before pinning him to the bed with ease. He struggled but even without blood, she was far stronger, though more so because Alan was scrawny and weak to begin with.

He put up a valiant but pitiful struggle against the half-vampire, before giving up completely, panting between giggles. His laughter was infectious, Ruby finding herself taken in as she chortled right along with him.

"You win, you win!" He gasped breathlessly, settling down with a bright, shining smile.

"Yeah, obviously." Ruby shoved him down into the bed one more time, asserting her dominance, feeling a pride and affirmation in her chest that she knew was from her familiar.

"Cut me some slack, I haven't had breakfast yet." He smirked back at her.

"Me either." Ruby softened her grip on Alan. Still, he was so soft, his skin, his muscles, she could feel them deform so easily under her touch even with just a little pressure. A far cry from the rough and unyielding wilderness that had been her home for what felt like a lifetime. And it was a lifetime… sort of.

The frenetic energy of their play calmed to warm smiles as they looked at each other. Alan could see it clearly… she wasn't the same as when she left. She felt different, everything about her. This wasn't the first time he had seen a vampire receive their familiar, but he was never this close to anyone besides his sister. Her eyes held an intent, a focus that was hard for him to explain. Still, she felt right, and his fear of losing his friend was far from his mind now.

"You should probably feed then," Alan gave a gentle exhale. "I haven't given my blood to anyone else for a while, kinda feeling uncomfortable, but I wanted to make sure you had enough, not much else I can do for you."

"I haven't had blood since my familiar… I might drink a lot, are you okay with that?" Ruby's warm smile softened with care as she lightened her grip on her friend even further, until it felt like they were barely touching, somehow, that felt even more nicer.

"Have as much as you want, worst case, I get out of chores while I recover." He gave a huff of laughter before relaxing his muscles and slowing his breathing, something he knew from experience made feeding easier for vampires.

"You're such a slacker." She giggled right along with him, moving his right arm up with her hand until it's side was exposed just below his shoulder. "But I guess I can help you out if you really want me to, since you stayed up late worrying about me."

"And Lady Iris won't yell at you since you just woke up from your merging. Win win." Alan couldn't slow his heart down if he tried, the pressure would be a bit high, usually he didn't get anxious before feeding.

Ruby smiled and shook her head, before gently sliding her thumb over his arm, feeling the pulse of his heart pushing blood through every individual blood vessel. Her fangs felt like hot metal burning into her jaw as her hunger flared.

Drawing in a shaky breath, she lowered her head down to his very upper arm, her lips touching down on his skin. She could feel it, like some combination of echo-location and heat sensing, she had a clear picture of the structure of his blood vessels just from being so close to him.

She could hear his breathing getting more rapid and his heart racing even harder as she opened her mouth, exposing her glistening fangs… before they pierced his flesh. Muscle, fat and connective tissue just gave way to her fangs as though they were just giving her access, until the tips of her fangs met his axillary artery.

Hot blood rushed through her mouth at high pressure, even more so than her experience with Weiss, largely because of the larger vessel she tapped. Still, the weeks of having not fed on another person had left her blood-starved.

Her eyes fluttered softly closed as she took in more and more of his blood, feeling his heart beating harder in response, only serving to push more of his vital fluid into her body. His blood had a gentle heat to it, something soothing and calm. She had fed from other acolytes since she arrived, but Alan's blood was her favorite. It feels welcoming, as relaxed and carefree as he is. It gives a feeling of wanting to lay down and be comfortable in bed all day with a good book and someone you care about to read it with.

She could taste the anxiety that had been building in him for a long time, probably since she left, and the spike in it as recent as this morning. She could taste the relief he felt when she walked in. Still, all of that was overwhelmed by the feeling of contentment that flowed out of him, and into her.

Her muscles relaxed, her weight resting on top of him as she continued to feed. She could feel his skin cooling and his breathing becoming shallow, and she knew he was about at his limit. Swallowing the last mouthful of blood, she pulled away, crimson trickling down her chin and staining her lips before she tenderly licked his wounds clean, stopping the bleeding almost immediately, and savoring every last drop.

"Y-yep… I won't be doing anything… for a while," Alan attempted to raise his fist into the air in victory, but gave up halfway, letting his arm fall back down to his side. "Thanks."

"I'll tell your friend to bring you some food to get your strength back, just eat slowly." She was shaking, just a little, the intensity of her feeding overwhelming her body. Ruby could feel Alan's blood permeating her own, melding with hers and becoming part of her. I missed this so much…

"Yep, very slowly… heh." His face was pale, the color drained from it and his body slow and lethargic, more so than usual, as it diverted resources to replenishing blood.

With a soft shake of her head and a smile, Ruby tenderly pressed her warm cheek against his. "Thank you for letting me have your blood, and thanks again, for worrying about me. You just relax."

"Will do." He gently pressed his cheek back against hers, soaking up the heat of her touch. "You better go though… don't want to be a slacker, right? Heh."

"Ppf, of course." Despite her desire to stay, she forced herself to pull away from him and stand up. "I'll see you at the ceremony tonight, right?"

"For sure, I take parties very seriously." He gave a soft, barely audible laugh. His eyes fluttered closed and with the most content look on his face, fell into a comfortable sleep.

Ruby sat beside him, listening to him snore peacefully, out cold from blood loss. Outside, the rest of the town, vampires and acolytes, were set to their various chores and tasks needed to keep the village running.

I never realized how quickly a place can become home. I'd lived in that little cabin in Patch my whole life, that was the only home I'd ever known, Yang, Dad and Qrow were the only family I'd known since Mom died. Then I went to Beacon and Weis and Blake became family too. I felt at home there, with our routines, waking up together, fighting together… but it was temporary, once we graduated, the home I knew for those years would be behind me. During my trial, the wilderness began to feel like home, waking up with my head on Drei's chest and hearing the birds singing and the canopy glowing green in the light of dawn. Now I'm back here, in the tribe, and I feel at home again.

"I guess it's time to get to work." With a steady inhale, Ruby focused her mind, and left Alan to his rest, quietly closing the door behind her.

---

Midday sun shone down over the village and surrounding forests, the last cloudy remnants of the storm from days ago were gone and the sky was crystal clear. A prevailing breeze swept down from the north, bringing with it a pleasant cool.

Still, Ruby found herself wiping off a bead of sweat from her forehead as she held a hammer in hand, looking out over the village and the wilderness around it from high atop a wooden roof. Since leaving the acolytes barracks after feeding, she'd been working non-stop, there was always something that needed doing. I just wish I was able to sign up for a hunting party instead. After spending all morning splitting wood and drying fish, I could've used it. Still, this isn't so bad.

Hammer met nail with a loud thump, the spike of metal was driven through a thin cedar single. Around her, a chorus of hammering followed as two other members of her tribe worked with her to repair a leaky roof.

Looking behind her, Ruby felt a pang of annoyance at her pace and quality. It was probably functional, but it wasn't as pretty as her coworkers' work, and she had done about half as much in the same time. I've literally never swung a hammer in my life until today. Come on! I made a bow and arrow with sticks and rocks. I got this.

Reaching into a wooden bowl full of nails and pulling out another shingle tucked under her arm, she lined up the board against the structure of the roof and nailed it in place.

One after another, slowly but diligently, Ruby applied shingle after shingle. Her work was sloppy at best. Instead of the clean rows made by her coworkers, Ruby's area was uneven, with sparse gaps and some of the wooden shakes were lopsided. There's no way this will hold up against rain.

Her hand and the hammer held within it both fell weakly into the roof as she stared at what had been over an hour of work. A hot frustration bubbled up in her lungs, mingling with an ache of disappointment in herself.

From the corners of her eyes she caught the fleeting glances of the three other vampires working on the roof with her. She could have sworn she heard someone giggle under their breath before quickly getting back to work.

Forcing her anxiety aside, Ruby clenched her jaw and turned her head to bring her coworkers into focus. Her jaw nearly dropped the moment she saw the progress and quality of the other vampires, one was even packing up their tools and the other two weren't far behind. The roof was almost completely fixed… except for my part.

Her grip on her hammer waned so much with her rapidly growing dejection that she nearly lost it to gravity, only barely catching it in time. It doesn't look like I'll be getting any help… I've been at this for so long and I've barely made a dent in my corner of the roof.

With a heavy sigh, Ruby carefully reached out and pressed her fingers against the nearest shingle. Immediately it gave to her touch, creaking loudly as it wobbled and turned on its axis, allowing a small but definite gap to appear.

Uuuhg… none of this is good enough. She groaned, creaking the shingle more vigorously. This is someone's home, I can't just leave it poorly done, what if their roof leaks and it damages the structure.

Compelled by a powerful fire in her chest that burned away her fears, Ruby turned from her work over to the vampire closest to her, drew in a deep breath and; "Excuse me, it looks like you're nearly done, do you think you could help me out? I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong but none of my shingles look right."

"I'm just about done with my work, why would I take on yours?" He barely even looked in Ruby's direction as he spoke, effortlessly nailing in the last shingle on his side. "No one here has time to baby you, even if you have Raven's favor."

Without another word, the vampire threw his bag of tools over his shoulder and made his way to the wooden ladder. All the young hybrid could do was stare as he disappeared behind the house, leaving his perfect roof behind.

Around her, the other two who had heard the conversation slinked off, one of the men offering her a quick, sympathetic glance before leaving her completely alone atop the house.

I guess it's too much to expect that everyone accepts me as part of the clan already. I know I'm carrying the baggage of my mom, Qrow and Raven on my back… still, I don't want to leave here. Her thoughts spiraled quickly, consuming all her attention as it tapped into her fears, leaving her body to move on autopilot.

Crack!

The sound of splitting wood ripped Ruby from her mind. Looking down, she realized the plank she was nailing had cracked evenly along itself left. "Great."

"Nailing at an angle is the best way to waste wood and nails." A deep, gravely voice from behind startled the young hybrid, nearly making her lose her balance on the slanted roof.

A large man with a wooden mask covering the lower half of his face knelt down casually behind her. He had huge muscles, lots of tattoos and a bald head. Something stirred inside Ruby and told her to give this stranger respect, she knew it was Drei talking to her.

"I- I uh, didn't mean to. I got distracted." Ruby lowered her head and she could practically feel her non-existent tail sagging.

"Distractions are fine when you're not working. When you are, you need focus and discipline, especially when working with wood." He effortlessly pulled the cracked plank off, nail and all. "My name is Cerbus, I'm the master carpenter."

"Lord Cerbus, sorry! I didn't know who you were!" Ruby blushed and gave a small bow, still trying to get the hang of the customs of the tribe. "My name's-"

"I know who you are, Pup." He reached into his belt and pulled out a fistful of nails. "Why don't you give it another try with that plank, and focus this time."

"Yes Sir," Ruby nodded rapidly, taking a couple of nails from his extremely rough hands before reaching for a fresh plank. She set it in place and positioned the nail, rearing back her hammer to strike it down.

"No." His voice was calm but his hand effortlessly grabbed Ruby's wrist mid swing.

"Huh, what am I doing wrong?" She felt frustration beginning to bubble up in her chest.

"The shake has a natural arch, trees don't grow as perfect squares," He let go of the girl's wrist and picked up the board, holding it flush with Ruby's eye level. "See?"

Ruby looked at it up and down, tilting her head before she finally saw the faint curvature in the wood.

"Oh yeah, I didn't see that at first." Inquisitively, Ruby's fingers traced the bend but it was still barely perceptible.

"You want it so the curve is facing down, otherwise water will pool on it and cause rot, then we'll have to do this again much sooner," he handed the piece of wood to her. "Do it right."

She hesitantly took the wood from him, examining it carefully to be certain she wouldn't screw up again. Once she was 'fairly' confident that the curve was facing down, Ruby placed it on the frame of the roof, glancing at Cerbus' unreadable expression for no semblance of reassurance.

With a shrug, Ruby fixed the board into position and once again grabbed her nail and hammer. Double checking to make sure the nail was aligned, Ruby glanced once more at Cerbus before striking down with her hammer, plunging the nail into the wood without problem.

"Hey, it worked!" Ruby beamed in delight. There was no hint of cracking or warping, it looks very much like the work the others had done.

"Good work… now fix the rest of the ones you nailed down wrong." He deadpanned, pointing with one finger and the portion of roof she had already done.

Ruby just looked blankly at him, then back to roof, then back to him…

"You mean-"

"There are eighteen boards that are warped upwards. Find them all, pull them up, replace them." He was still pointing, unflinching, like the branch of tree.

Suddenly, the hammer felt a lot heavier. She scanned her section of roof, hoping they would be immediately obvious… but they weren't. Great.

---

"Ouch." Ruby groaned, biting at the side of her thumb. "Stupid splinters."

The morning had long since come and passed and the late day sun was inching towards sunset casting long shadows from the forest. Her time up on the roof had left her sore and tired and her thirst for blood had returned despite how much she had drank from Alan.

The roof was finished. He only told me which ones were the wrong way after I pulled them up. At least he actually stayed with me though… unlike the others. Still, I must've pulled up half the shakes on my side.

"Well, upside, I know which way a roof shake goes now… and the difference between a shake and a shingle." Ruby gave a soft huff of laughter to herself. Lord Cerbus was 'very' intent on drilling the difference into me, for some reason.

I didn't expect to be worked so hard after my trial, I guess this is probably going to be the norm. Honestly, I don't mind it. It's actually nice, knowing that I'm helping my family and community, but I am feeling exhausted. Despite her aching muscles and roughened hands, she was still smiling.

Training at Beacon wasn't this hard… but it wasn't this rewarding either. If I had stayed there, I never would have met Drei or Raven or Alan. I can't help but wonder if this is what life would have felt like if mom hadn't…

"It's good to see you up and about, Ruby." A tall man with soft hazel eyes and distinctive robes broke Ruby from her spiraling thoughts.

"Master Mica," Ruby bowed deeply. "It's good to be back. Lady Raven told me you checked on me while I was asleep. Thank you."

"Think nothing of it," He gestured for Ruby to rise. "It's a relief that you're okay, Calister was pacing back and forth in his room and raiding the library once it was clear your sleep was more significant than for the rest of us. He was a worried mess."

"I'm sorry I caused so much worry…" Ruby lowered her head, her voice saturated with regret. I really caused a lot of trouble, didn't I?

"It's okay to lighten up, I'd hate for you to end up with Raven's humorless demeanor." Mica snorted a hearty laugh at his adopted daughter's expense.

Just being near Mica, Ruby could feel her spirits being lifted. Without meaning to, she began to smile right along with him.

"There it is, that's what we like to see," He gently rested his hand atop Ruby's head. "Oh you're so much like your mother, especially when you smile, it's uncanny. You take after her so much."

"You knew my mom?!" Ruby's silver, crimson stained eyes grew wide as she gaped at him.

"She was a frequent guest of this village. We sent Raven and Qrow to beacon, but we had no idea they'd be teamed up with a Slayer, in fact, we thought slayers had gone extinct. Calister instructed Qrow and Raven to bring her here, extending an olive branch, as they say." Despite his very old age, his memory hadn't dulled a bit, a perk of being a Vassal.

Ruby just stared at him, wide eyed and eagerly listening.

"Heh, want more details ay?" He couldn't help but be amused by the look on her face. "The Vampires and the Slayers have a complicated history, it left many embittered towards each other, but there was a time when Vampires and Slayers worked together peacefully. Calister was young in those days and holds a nostalgia for them. So he wanted to try to rebuild bridges with Summer. She was sweet and strong, she earned his respect, along with Raven's, and he became quite fond of her. Though, no one was quite as fond of Summer as Qrow, I guess you can probably piece together what that means on your own."

"So… Qrow fell in love with my mom here, in this village?" Ruby tilted her head. I wonder if mom had trouble fitting in like I do… but I guess she wasn't really living here either.

"Oh yes, but I suppose that's a tale for another time," Still keeping his smile, he pulled his hand off her head. "Calister actually wants to see you, and I don't think he'd be happy with me giving you spoilers, as the kids say… that's what the kids say, right?"

"Ppff, yeah, that's what we say." Ruby giggled.

"You should hurry on, you know where Calister lives right? Oh, and please don't tell him I told you about his pacing or library raiding." Mica winked with a bright, playful smile.

"Heh-heh, my lips are sealed." She winked back, mimicking his expression.

"Thanks bunches." Mica gave an exaggerated sigh of relief.

Once more, Ruby bowed, before turning away and walking quickly towards Calister's home.

All around her, through the whole village, she saw it coming to life in a way she hadn't before. The streets were alive with stalls and games being set up, lights were hung from every building and the smell of many different foods permeated the air.

I can't believe all of this is for me… well, it's for everyone, but I can't believe it's because of me. The Skin Ceremony must be a really big deal.

Her brisk walk slowed in pace as she took in all the sights, sounds and smells. The scent of fresh meat from a successful day's hunt made her belly ache with mortal hunger despite the blood she had. Drei, come on, I'm sure we can have some after the ceremony, stop making my stomach growl!

She shook her head and carried on, following the beaten trails that connected everything in the village like the veins and arteries of a body. Soon enough, she found the heart of the village… the chief's house. It was large and ornate, painted with brilliant reds and purples and constructed with large, heavy timbers.

As she reached the wooden stair steps leading to the front door, a pang of anxiety gripped her heart, causing her to freeze mid step.

I haven't seen much of Master Calister since I arrived. I've been so busy just settling in. He seemed really nice, and Master Mica is his vassal… still, he has the final word on if I can stay here or not. If I do something wrong, will he send me away like he did Qrow? Mmm… I have to be careful.

Drawing in a slow, steadying breath, Ruby forced herself to take the next step, and the next. Within moments that seemed like hours, Ruby stood at the large front door, awkwardly hesitating in front of it. Do I knock or… Master Mica said they wanted to see me so it should be fine right?

Knock-knock.

The sound echoed through house, the wood conducting the vibrations through the whole of the structure loud and clear. The sound alone made Ruby flinch, hoping she didn't just do something disrespectful. Quickly looking around, a few faces were turned her way, drawn by the sound, but they all quickly looked away from her.

"Ruby, we've been expecting you." Another man, this one with blonde hair and cool blue eyes opened the door. He looked a little younger than Mica and had a much more reserved demeanor.

"Master Cirrus," Ruby bowed again. "I- um… Master Mica told me to come over."

"Well, no need to be standing outside. Come in, I've prepared some tea. Calister is waiting for you, I'll show you the way." With that, he turned around and Ruby followed, closing the door very softly behind her.

Calister's residence looked very much like Raven and hers on the inside, just with more rooms. It was a very nice place, with ornaments and trinkets of all kinds hung up on the walls, she recognized a few of them from her history classes back at Beacon, but others she couldn't figure out.

"Ruby's here, I'll bring you both some tea." Cirrus causally called into a well lit room off from the hallway.

"Send her in, thank you!" Calister's deep voice echoed from the room, it was soft and loving as he spoke to his vassal.

"You can go on in, I'll be back with you tea," Cirrus stepped away before immediately stopping and turning back around. "Do you like sugar in yours?"

"Um… yes?" Ruby sounded less sure in her answer than Cirrus did in his question.

"I'll bring you a bowl of sugar so you can add to taste." He gave her a warm smile and then departed to the kitchen.

With a brisk shake of her head, Ruby pulled herself together and steeled herself for whatever was ahead… as she stepped into the clan leader's room.

"You look well, I'm happy to see that your ordeal has left you unharmed." Calister sat with his legs folded under him in front of a large wooden table.

"Thank you, Master Calister." She bowed once again, hoping that she was still doing the right thing. It's worked so far, right?

"Come," Calister patted a soft mat at the table beside him. "Have a seat."

Ruby nodded silently, forcing her body to move as she took a seat beside him. She did her best to copy how he was sitting, but her legs almost immediately became uncomfortable.

"I heard from Raven that your trial was a particularly intense one. Those, in my experience, forge the strongest bonds and the wisest souls." His smile was much less bright than Mica's, but still, as subtle as it was, Ruby found it comforting.

"I…" She hesitated, opting to gather her words carefully. "I don't know if I'm more wise, but I know I miss Drei, my familiar."

"Oh, yes, I understand exactly what you mean," He nodded. "It's hard, transitioning from them being there for you physically, to them being with you spiritually. That's partly why the skin ceremony exists, to keep you physically bonded as well."

"I'm looking forward to it," Ruby's words were so gentle, matching the wistful smile she wore. "I wouldn't be alive without him. I keep thinking I can hear him, I guess I can, in a way, it's just-"

"Not the same?" He finished her sentence, looking at the girl with empathetic eyes.

"Yeah." Ruby relented with a quiet sigh.

"I know it may be hard to believe, but in time, you'll feel closer to Drei than you ever did before. It just takes a little time." His words were somehow so strong and affirming that even Ruby's dejection couldn't fight back against them.

"That… helps. I just hope that day comes sooner rather than later." Gave him a thankful smile. I wonder if he ever talked with my mom this way?

"I wouldn't worry, you have lots of time. The hardest thing to learn will be patience." Calister spoke with the confidence of experience.

"Excuse me, the tea is ready." Cirrus popped in carrying a tray with two ceramic teacups and a bowl of sugar in one hand… and something long and thin wrapped in gold and white cloth.

"Good timing, I'm thirsty." Calister gave a bright smile as Cirrus approached the table, placing down their respective cups in front of them.

Calister brought the cup up to his face, smelling the fine herbal notes of the fresh tea, savoring the aroma for a long moment. Finally, he brought the cup to his lips, ready to enjoy the painstakingly crafted drink.

"Eh-hem," Cirrus coughed, glaring at the vampire. "You're really going to start drinking before our guest has even finished putting in her sugar?"

"Oh… yes, right… manners." Calister immediately composed himself, setting the tiny cup dwarfed by his large hands back on the table, looking at Ruby as she put in a spoonful of sugar.

"Oh! Um, thank you for the tea." Ruby bowed to both of them before blowing on the surface of the liquid to cool it down.

"See, the girl knows how to be polite." Cirrus playfully chastised the clan leader.

"Thank you, Cirrus, for the tea." Calister scowled at Cirrus before taking a sip following Ruby's.

"This is really good!" Ruby blurted out with a contented grin.

"I'm glad you like it, I actually made it with ingredients from my own personal tea garden." Cirrus casually took a seat, leaning his back against Calister's side.

"No wonder it's so good! The care you put in your garden definitely comes through in the tea." Normally, tea wasn't Ruby's favorite, but the herbs and subtle notes in it plus the sugar made it taste like no tea she ever had before.

"That's so sweet of you to say." Cirrus beamed with pride.

"Hey… I like it too and I didn't even put sugar in it." Calister frowned, swirling his cup while he pouted.

"She's a child, children like sweets! Serving her tea without sugar would be poor hospitality," He pressed his back harder against Calister's. "We wouldn't want to be bad hosts, would we?"

"No…" Calister conceded, taking another sip of tea in defeat.

"I um… I'm sorry." Ruby mumbled bashfully behind her cup, not knowing what else to say.

"Now that I have a good look, you really do look so much like Summer. She liked sugar in her tea too." Cirrus watched Ruby drink with a nostalgic smile.

"So you knew my mom too?" She figured it was a stupid question the moment it left her mouth. If Mica knew Mom, then Cirrus probably did too.

"Yes, she was a guest quite frequently here. Some of the more bitter vampires didn't approve, but we offer hospitality to visitors who come in peace, and the rivalry with the Slayers was long since over, most couldn't even remember what a Slayer was." He closed his eyes, getting lost in his memories.

"Cirrus, could you give the girl and I a moment? I don't think she'd want an audience for-"

"Of course of course," Cirrus stood up, cutting Calister off, stretching before he walked to the doorway. "It was nice to meet you, Ruby Rose."

"Nice to meet you too, and thank you again for the tea!" Ruby bowed once more and received a smile in turn, before she was left alone with Calister.

The room grew quiet… the sound of the clan's leader sipping his tea mingled with the noises of nature and the work of the town as they set up for the festival. Ruby didn't feel as uncomfortable as she did entering their home, Cirrus and Calister both made her feel welcome. Even so, Ruby felt an unease bordering on restlessness. Or maybe that's just my legs falling asleep.

"Now, there's a reason I summoned you here besides tea and pleasantries." He sounded more serious, much more like when they first met. Taking one last sip of his drink, he put his cup down and turned to face Ruby.

"So, your questions lead me to conclude that you don't know much about your mother, is that right?" His words still held a note of empathy, but she could feel a strong gravity to them as well.

"Yes," She nodded. "She… died when I was little."

"Summer was, in spite of what happened with Qrow, Summer was like family to me. Old laws of our kind bound me from protecting him after finding out about their relationship. Still, I told Summer that she would have a place here, if she needed it." Calister looked so tired as he spoke, the weight of grief dragging on his every word.

Ruby held her tongue and her questions. She just sat and listened.

"However, after your father- Qrow's banishment, she said that she didn't want to risk you being the target of the clan's mistrust growing up. I couldn't blame her for that. Still, I again reminded her that if she needed anything, she knew where to find us." He looked down at his tea, his reflection disturbed by the ripples in his cup.

"I hadn't heard from her in years… until one day she returned, alone," He forced himself to face the child of his lost friend. "You must've only been a few years old at the time. I took her in, asked her where her child was, where Qrow was. All she told me was that there was something she needed to do. I asked her if it was dangerous… and to that, she only responds by giving me this."

Calister picked up the long object wrapped in fine cloth that Cirrus had left at his side. Ruby stared, perplexed, as he began to slowly unravel it. Layer by layer, the fabric unfurled, growing longer and wider with each pass… until it's shape became clear.

It was a white cloak… emblazoned with the symbol of the rose on its back.

Ruby's eyes immediately widened and her vision blurred as she realized… That- that's my mother's cloak.

Calister didn't stop, unraveling it until it's final pass, when the hood slipped off, and revealed what was hidden within.

It was a sword and sheath.

The hilt was white and silver with the rose insignia at the pommel. The blade was shorter than Raven's and straight with an edge on both sides. Light and thin, it was a nimble weapon for precision cuts and fast strikes.

"Is- is that-"

"This is your mother's weapon, one of a pair of swords she would dual wield," He held the weapon and the cloak out to her, one in each hand. "She left it with me, in the hopes that it would be kept safe… for you."

"Did she… say why? What did she have to do? Why did- why did she leave me?" A wound created a lifetime ago opened up, the pain feeling as fresh as the day she was told her mother was gone. Her silvery, crimson eyes shimmered as tears pooled and fell down her cheeks. Ruby's breaths became unsteady and her voice broke with unhindered sobs.

"I'm sorry… she told me very little. All I know is that the partner to this blade was never found." He knew there was little he could do to comfort the child who was experiencing the greatest pain one could feel.

"Your life has been in a state of upheaval since your vampire side awakened. You've left behind the life you knew and started a new one here. You grew in the forest and you found a partner who will be with you for as long as you live. You're a strong girl, just like your mother. I know there's nothing that can take away the pain, but you can choose to be crushed by it… or keep fighting for your life. A life she nurtured and cared for, a life she brought into this world and a life she likely died protecting," Calister placed the sword and cloak on the table before her. "You can live your life to honor hers, to honor Drei's, to honor every time you fought to survive and be happy. That's how I handle my grief, and it's the only comfort I can offer you."

Ruby sniffled, blinking and wiping her tears from her eyes, feeling her heart ache in her chest like it was being crushed. Her hands were shaking and she wanted to curl up in a ball and go back to sleep just to feel some relief from the incredible chaos and pain in her mind. But… Master Calister is right… mom, she- she left these for me.

Slow and shaky breaths calmed her thundering pulse and through bleary eyes, she reached out and grabbed hold of her mother's cloak.

Ruby hugged the cloak, feeling so much like a lost little kid as she cried softly into the soft fabric. All trace of her mother's scent was gone, even with her enhanced senses thanks to Drei. Too many years had passed, but still… This is the first time I've felt close to my mom since she died.

---

The preparations for the ceremony and celebration were ramping up, every last minute detail being tended to as villagers, both human and vampire, rushed to get ready. As was customary, the whole tribe was involved… except the vampire who was the focus of the ceremony.

Ruby sat alone in the home that had become so familiar to her since she left Beacon. When she arrived on that first day, she was afraid, confused and lost. She was dropped into Raven's home, her aunt who she had never met. Now, turning her head in the dimly lit room, she saw two bed mats laid out side by side, one tucked in and made perfectly… the other a mess with blankets and pillows strewn about. Like Yang, Raven just can't keep her room clean.

A tepid smile pulled at her lips for only a moment, before a cold ache in her heart snuffed it out. Outside, the sun had almost completely set, however small lights shined through her windows as lanterns were hung all around the village while shadows flickered along with the light of a growing bonfire. This was the most likely she had seen the village since she arrived, everyone seemed happy for reprieve from their daily work…

I wish I could feel the same. Ruby gave a soft sigh, looking down at the floor before her.

Her mother's sword lay in front of her, just centimeters away, but it still felt so out of reach. Why now? Why is all this happening now? Why did everyone keep all of this from me? How would it have hurt me to just tell me the truth? Why did Mom- why didn't she stay? Why was this village the last place she went? What did she risk her life for? Raven lied to Yang and hid away her Vampire nature and Dad- I mean Yang's dad, helped cover it up. Qrow never told me he was my father, he never told me about Slayers… why did everyone lie to us?

Her eyes squeezed shut, barely stemming the flow of tears that started every time she tried to confront her chaotic and painful feelings. In her lap, held tight in her grasp, her mother's cloak laid folded in a rough square.

It's not fair. Her teeth gritted against the pain, her jaw muscles bulging at the sides of her face. What else are they keeping from me? Do they really not know what happened to my mom? Do- they even care about me? Did any of them? If they did… how could they just stand by knowing everything while I didn't even know what questions to ask?

It was a strange sensation that embraced her, a comforting one, like being hugged from the inside. She could swear she felt a warm, fluffy tail rest over her hand in her lap. Ruby could feel a desperation inside herself, begging to let it soothe the pain she felt, and the memory of a gentle, loving lick on her cheek flooded her mind so vividly she could almost feel it.

Drei… She knew it was him, her partner, her familiar. They were one now; pain and joy, suffering and security… they shared it all. We both lost a lot before we found each other. The life you had in the forest, the life I had before coming here, we had hardships, loss and fear. I know how you felt the moment you saw me, how wary you were, how hungry, you could smell the same feelings in me too.

Her fist clenched tight around the soft cloak. You kept moving forward, even after your pack, your family, your parents and siblings and children were all gone. You saved my life because you didn't want to walk away, leaving behind someone else you cared about, just to be alone again.

Ruby's free hand slowly rose, fighting against the weight of her heartache and coming to rest tenderly on her cheek. She knew that the comforting gesture wasn't hers or his alone, only together could they overcome the heartbreak that they shared.

Thank you… we both needed that. Ruby's eyelids relaxed, now softly closed as a fragile, tiny smile brightened her face. I wish I got to meet your pack… but I know them through you. Your brother was a fierce leader, your mother was kind and strong, you fell in love with a wolf more wise than her years and you had beautiful puppies. You lost your father when you were young, you felt the same as I did when I lost my mom. We were both so small, and the world took something from us we could never get back.

We'll never be alone again. We'll live for a long, long time, carrying the memories of the ones we've lost with us. Her grip on the cloak relaxed to a gentle touch. The chaos in her heart crystallized into an unbreakable resolve as she reached down and took the hilt of her mother's- of her sword, into her grasp. As long as we live on, a part of them will live on with us.

Ruby's lip quivered, shaking with the overwhelming force of her emotions as she held the sword up. It was so light, like lifting a soft, white feather. She could imagine letting it go, and it would just float to the floor. It was nothing like the weapon she grew up with, her scythe she modeled after Qrow's. This was more elegant, lithe and agile than what she was used to. I wish I could have seen her fight with it.

A foot-step and the sound of creaking wood pulled Ruby from her thoughts, drawing her attention behind her. Ruby didn't turn around, even as the door slid softly open.

"The preparations are complete," Raven's voice was unusually warm, holding a note of pride as she stepped into their shared home. "Are you ready?"

The young girl sat alone in the middle of the floor, her back turned to her aunt even as she approached, greeting Raven only with silence and stillness. Though she was only steps away from the hybrid, Raven felt like an insurmountable chasm was spanning between the two of them. Without thinking… her hand reached out, though still out of reach.

"Ruby? Are you-" A single forced step forward in defiance of her instinct to back away, was all it took to bring the girl into full view. Her crimson eyes widening as she saw the sword held strong by the small figure, and the cloak resting in her lap.

"Raven… did- did you know?" Ruby's voice cracked with heartache. She felt frozen, her back turned to the person who she had become so close to since she arrived.

Her lips parted, but only breath escaped as her words died softly in her throat. Raven's arm fell weakly to her side and all she could do was cast her gaze to the floor, her head weighed down by memories and guilt.

"Did you know that my mom… that she came here just before she died?" Ruby's teeth were bared, her lips pulled back as the words left her chest feeling like fire.

Silence grew, but Raven saw the small body hunched over on the floor shake with anger and pain. She felt it, the compulsion to run, to lie, to bury the feelings welling up within her heart.

"I knew." It was barely a whisper, but it felt like the air had been knocked out of her lungs.

"Why…" A fragile whimper bled out, the last spark desperate sorry… before the fury overcame her.

"Why didn't you tell me!?" Ruby roared as she bolted up, clutching the cloak and as tightly against her chest as she could. The crimson of her eyes burned with a faint glow while the silver shined like liquid metal as tears poured down her cheeks once again. "How could you- how could you keep that from me!?"

All Raven could do was stand there as Ruby approached, her gaze never once faltering as stared down her aunt. Despite the hybrid's shorter stature, Raven felt so small in the face of the grief and pain directed towards her.

"All this time… everyone lied to me and Yang. Why? What was this all for? Dad, Qrow, you… even mom. Why- why couldn't you just tell me… all my life I wanted to know and- and you all knew something and didn't tell me." Ruby felt like every muscle in her body would give out at any moment, her stomach felt tight as waves of nausea swept over her and her head ached from crying so hard.

"I thought we were family…" Those last, barely audible words disintegrated Ruby's strength. Her arms fell weakly to her sides, barely able to hold onto the two mementos of her mother. All she could do was stare up at Raven, silently crying and barely able to see her aunt's face even less than a step away from her.

How could they… how could they all do this? My whole life and I never knew who my real dad was, I never knew what happened to my mom… Yang never knew why Raven left her. We- we were just kids… why did they-

The turbulence and pain, the storm within her heart… all of it was burned away… as she felt a warm pressure envelope her body. Through the chaos and the pain and her trembling muscles, it took a long moment before she recognized the sensation. A heart beat hard and fast, almost in time with her own, pressed tightly against her chest as she was pulled into a strong and unyielding embrace.

Ruby sputtered, words failing her before her body gave into the comfort of the hug. With a weak sob, Ruby's face pressed into Raven's shoulder, crying softly into her clothes. Drawing in shallow, trembling breaths, Ruby found an unexpected comfort as Raven's scent flooded her mind. Her eyes shut gently as focused on the warmth of her touch and the smell that had become so familiar and affirming in such a short time.

Raven just held on tighter, resting her chin atop Ruby's head. She could feel Ruby's muscles giving out, the girl's knees buckling as she struggled to stand. Carefully, Raven lowered both her and Ruby to the floor, keeping a tight grip on her as she brought them gently to rest.

"Family…" Raven muttered softly as she tenderly rubbed Ruby's back. "I have a complicated history with that concept. I'm not going to excuse anything I've done but I- I want you to know."

Giving Ruby another long moment pressed up against her, Raven slowly and gently pulled the two of them apart, but kept her hands firmly grasping the girl's shoulders.

"I wasn't born to this tribe, neither was your father, Qrow," Her thumbs softly rubbed up and down Ruby's arms, trying to comfort the child as she stared into her eyes. "We're both from a different vampire tribe, one that was destroyed in a fierce battle when we were very young. We were taken in; orphaned, blood starved, scared and lost, by Calister and this tribe after making our way here through the jungle on foot."

Ruby snuffled and blinked, trying to calm herself as she did her best to listen.

"I barely remember my parents, but this tribe became my family… Master Calister, Master Mica and Master Cirrus raised us as their own. Still, if I'm being honest, I always feared losing everything again. I kept everyone at a distance. When I was given the chance to go to Beacon, in my impulsive youth, I took it, if only to distance myself from everyone here." It was a secret she never told anyone, though she expected that Mica may have figured that out on his own.

"Then, I met Tai and your mom. We became a team… we became more than a team. Summer, she was like a sister to me. She was the kind of person you just followed because she could make you believe things would always be okay. I put up a lot of barriers and she knocked them all down. Eventually her charms got the better of my brother and he fell for her, while Tai's unabashed attempts at charming me eventually won me over." She gave a soft laugh, the memories as clear as day playing in her mind.

"Slayers were a distant memory, a myth from so long ago that only the oldest vampires even remembered them first hand. None of that matters to Qrow or I. We fought together, we lived together and eventually we graduated together. Qrow and I were supposed to return to the tribe but… I found out I was pregnant." Now, Raven's voice wavered, and Ruby could feel her hands holding tighter onto her.

"I was happy… but terrified. This wasn't supposed to happen, Vampires live so long that fertility isn't much of a concern. Getting pregnant can take decades of trying, sometimes much longer. I knew she had a high chance of being born a Vampire and I'd have to take her back here, to this village, and raise her as I had been raised." Her tone held a bitter note, a hint of spite directed solely at herself.

"I left this village because I was afraid of getting too close and I was supposed to become a mother? Tai he- he was so happy, he just never stopped smiling after he heard the news. He knew what I was but he didn't know what it meant, that I'd have to take her away with me. He was sure he wanted to be a dad but… I was scared. After I gave birth I had a choice to make; take Yang back to the village with me and hope that Tai would become an acolyte and eventually my vassal, or let my daughter live a normal life, one where she wouldn't have to face losing her home and family like I did. I knew separating Tai from his newborn daughter would break him. So, I did what I told myself was the best thing…"

"That's why you sealed her vampire side away?" Ruby sniffled, rubbing her eyes.

"Well, that's what I told myself. Really, I was just selfish. Just like I ran away from the village to avoid being part of a family, I ran away from Tai and my daughter for the same reason." Raven's strength failed her and her arms retreated back to her lap.

"Qrow didn't want to leave, he loved Summer and he wasn't afraid. I found out that he had gotten your mother pregnant some years later and he didn't intend to abandon her. Word got back through the village and because he wouldn't return, because he was with a Slayer and refused to leave his new family, he was summoned to a trial where his punishment would be decided. My brother has little patience and he had some choice words for the elders, burning every single bridge in the process." She forced herself to look the girl across from her in the eyes as she spoke.

"My transgressions were dwarfed by his insolence. Sometimes I wonder if he did that partly for my benefit, but I don't think he would ever admit it." Raven shrugged.

"Family is a concept I've struggled with my entire life. Now though," She reached out her hand, brushing aside a stray hair from her niece's face. "I've watched you grow and learn, I've comforted you, I've worried for you and I've been so proud. Never before in my life have I regretted my own cowardice more than I do now, knowing what I could have had."

Raven trembled, her deep crimson eyes overflowing as long repressed feelings bubbled up to the surface as searing hot as magma. Her heart pounded and her vision blurred, the image of a small blonde baby sleeping in her arms forced itself to the forefront of her mind. Then, a soft and shaky touch came to rest over her hand.

Ruby didn't say a word, instead just holding Raven's hand tight and looking at her with all the love and empathy she could muster.

"Thank you…" Raven whispered, relaxing under her niece' touch. "You're so much like Summer, you know that?"

"A few people have said that today, actually." Ruby blushed, smiling as she looked to the cloak in her lap.

"You deserve the truth about her, and the truth is…" She hesitated, but Ruby's touch compelled her forward, just as Summer had done for her so long ago. "The truth is, I was the last person to see Summer alive before she left the village."

Ruby's eyes widened as she just sat and listened.

"She had left one of her swords with Calister and then she came here, to my home. Summer looked scared, she told me that there was something she needed to do. She told me she never understood how I could have left my daughter, Tai and herself… until then. She had so much faith in me, she thought I did it to protect Yang, but I was just protecting myself." Raven's head softly shook.

"Summer told me that what she had to do was to protect all of us and you, Ruby," She forced herself back into focus, pushing aside the grief and guilt. "She told me that she wanted you to live a happy life, that she was going to make sure you could live in peace. Then, she told me that if she didn't return, that I couldn't tell anyone about what happened, because she didn't want you to follow the same path that she had to go down. She said if she didn't return that- that her sacrifice meant that you wouldn't need to sacrifice yourself to the same fate." Anger flared, burning her guilt and frustration as fuel.

"I'm sorry… I swear to you that's all I know." Raven hung her head in shame. "I wasn't strong enough to stop her from going and she wouldn't let me follow her. I kept waiting for her to return, I kept waiting for some word that she was safe. Qrow came here looking for her and I knew, I knew she didn't make it. Qrow was never the same after that, he left you with Tai and kept his distance. I don't know his reasons for keeping your heritage from you, but I can guess he felt it was his fault you lost your mother and he felt you deserved a better father."

Raven felt weak, the strength drained from her body as she just gave in to her repressed feelings until she was too burned out to feel much of anything other than exhaustion.

"That's the truth?" Ruby leaned forward, feeling as tired as Raven.

"It's everything I know." Raven bowed her head, only able to hope that Ruby could believe her Though I wouldn't blame her if she didn't.

"Hmm." Ruby hummed quietly… before almost tackling Raven!

The two women almost tumble to the floor and once again, Ruby's face was pressed against Raven's shoulder.

"Thank you." Ruby held tight to Raven but this time, a fragile smile like the tiniest light in the darkness brightened her face as she cried. I still want to know what happened to my Mom… but I won't neglect the family I have now. After hearing Raven's story, after experiencing Drei's life… after getting my mom's sword and cloak, I know what family means to me.

---

The sun was well behind the horizon now and only the night of the full moon, the many lanterns adorning every surface and the bonfire provided light.

Music played and drinks were poured, the acolytes indulged in a massive feast and many were well beyond intoxicated while vampires fed on anyone willing. People danced and sang and played games in the streets. It seemed like the whole village was present.

Ruby and Raven walked through the crowd, not partaking in the many festivities. Instead, the two women proceeded with purpose, navigating towards the edge of the village. Ruby had no idea where they were going, though she knew why, all she could do was follow.

I've never seen the village like this before, it's great to see everyone so happy and having a good time. Ruby looked around, feeling the energy of the night trickling into her and offsetting the turmoil from her conversation with her aunt. She's been pretty quiet since we left the house, I guess she's not used to being so open. Still, it was nice connecting with her like that.

Her stomach growled at the delicious scents of roasted meats and fresh herbs. Fine fine, we'll eat after the ceremony, then I want some blood, today was exhausting.

"Heeey Ruby!" A jubilant voice called out, drawing the girl's attention to a boy with a fluffy fox tail and a cup of hard ale in his hand.

"Alan, looks like you're having fun," Ruby broke off from Raven as she approached her friend. "Glad to see you recovered enough to join the party."

"Yeah but just barely," He winked at her, eliciting a chuckle from them both. "Today's your big day, you nervous?"

"Heh, just a little." She admitted, glancing back at Raven who was standing impatient where Ruby had left her. But honestly, Alan as a way of making me feel more relaxed just by being around him.

"Well don't worry, you'll do great! I can't wait to see your familiar!" Be beamed excitedly. "I'll be at the front of the crowd so if you get nervous, just picture everyone but me in their underwear."

"Ppff, why everyone but you?" She raised her eyebrow at him but she couldn't help but smile.

"Because then you'll feel awkward looking at anyone else and then you'll look at me and forget about being nervous."

"That doesn't make any sense." Ruby sighed, shaking her head.

"Well then try making it make sense, that'll keep your mind off being nervous too." He giggled with a shrug before holding up his cup. "Seriously, you'll be fine and I'll have some ale and blood waiting for you."

"Mmff, thanks, that sounds good." As weird as it was, she somehow felt even more relaxed.

"Ruby." Raven called out bluntly.

"Gotta go! I'll um… I'll catch you after I'm finished." Ruby's cheeks glowed a warm pink as blood rushed to her face.

"Sounds good, I'll be waiting." He gave his friend one more reassuring smile before diving back into the party crowd.

Ruby quickly caught back up with Raven, sparing one last glance at Alan before proceeding. The whole village was glowing, it was a stunning sight. Even as they walked, the young hybrid couldn't help but take in all the sights, sounds and smells around her.

Soon however, the music and laughter and lights faded behind them, not gone but distant, as they reached the edge of the village. The warm glow of the flames was taken over by the cool shining moon overhead, and Ruby felt a primal urge to run into the forest as the approached its edge.

Raven kept glancing back, ensuring her niece was still close behind. The smooth, earthen streets gave way to a bumpy beaten path where dense undergrowth tickled her legs as she struggled to keep up. There were no lights now, the jubilations of the party were distant whispers. As the pair proceeded into the wilderness, the canopy above snuffed out the light from the moon and stars.

Ruby couldn't even see her hand in front of her face and Raven's silhouette had melted away in the sea of shadows. All Ruby could do was lean on her other heightened senses; the air moving around her, the sound of her aunt's footsteps and most of all… her scent.

"We're here." Raven's voice came out of nowhere as her footsteps suddenly stopped.

Ruby instinctively sniffed the air with her eyes closed. "A cave."

"That's right," Raven's tone was cool, but held a note of pride. "I can't come with you. It's a straight path to where you need to go, follow your instincts and then return."

"Okay." Ruby drew in a slow, steadying breath, following the musty smell of the cavern, brushing her aunt as she made her way inside.

Almost immediately, the soft breeze flowing through the leaves and branches of the forest were gone. The silence was unnerving, her own breathing and footsteps the only thing keeping her from feeling as though she lost her sense of hearing.

The stone floor was smooth and she could feel the humidity in the air was higher than outside. Holding Raven's words in mind, Ruby walked straight through the cave in small and steady steps.

It was cold and getting colder with each and every step. It was summer outside, but it felt like the dead of winter within the confines of the cavern. If she could see, she imagined she would be able to see her breath. She knew by the pressure in the air and the orientation of her body that she was descending, going down into the earth, though she wasn't sure how far down she had gone.

A new scent filled her mind, dampened by the cold but still completely unmistakable. She knew she was close, letting this scent guide her deeper. Ruby's steps became more certain, more confident, following her nose without hesitation or fear.

I made it…

…

…

…

Above ground, Raven stood patiently at the entrance to the cavern. The vampire stared up at the dark canopy, taking in the small glimpses of moonlight that broke through when the wind shook the trees.

"Any moment." Raven reassured herself, feeling an itch of impatience and worry begin to bubble up in her chest.

Then, the sound of footsteps clapping against stone drew her attention behind her… as Ruby stepped out from the cave carrying something on her back.

"Are you ready?" She said softly without turning, knowing she couldn't see if she tried.

"I am..." Ruby's every syllable was weighed down with an intense gravity.

"I know this is hard, but that's why we have this tradition," Raven reached out, only touching air once before trying again and gently touching Ruby's shoulder. "Come, everyone is waiting."

Ruby didn't say a word, her throat was already sore from crying. The mental fatigue was wearing on her. All she could do was follow Raven once more through the forest.

It wasn't long before she could again hear the music and soon enough she could see the hanging lanterns and the bonfire. Indistinguishable chatter became distinct voices, most of which she recognized. It's amazing how quickly this place has become home to me, how quickly these people have come to mean so much to me. I feel like I'm a part of something bigger, and that means a lot to me too.

The roughed out path faded and the familiar streets returned. As Ruby and Raven walked through the village, the raucous partying subsided. Everyone they passed went quiet and started following behind the two women as they made their way to the village square.

Ruby felt everyone's eyes on her, this time it wasn't uncomfortable or anxiety inducing. She felt seen, she felt heard, she felt at home. Drawing in a soft breath, she adjusted the heavy weight on her shoulders and walked onward.

She could hear the steps of her fellow villagers behind her, the whole tribe at her back. The music died down and the songs of the forest took their place; the croaking of frogs, the wind in the trees, the chirping of birds and insects all played along to the crackle of the large fire in the centre of the village.

They came to stop and Raven stepped aside. Every villager; vampire, faunus and human, acolyte and vassal… all of them gathered around her.

"Ruby Rose," Calister spoke loudly, his deep voice booming over the entire crowd as he stepped forward. "You've completed your trial and found your familiar, as tradition dictates, we've celebrated your growth and your new bond."

Ruby stayed quiet but her eyes couldn't help but wander. Almost immediately, she saw Alan right in the front of the crowd that had formed a circle around her. He gave her a smile of both reassurance and of warmth, before subtly and silently raising his mug to her.

"You haven't been with us long, but it warms my heart to see my tribe grow," Calister beamed with pride, Raven stepping back as he approached her niece. "It's my sincerest hope that you feel at home here, Ruby."

"I…" Her words failed her, the magnitude of everything hitting her all at once, her wide eyes reflecting the flickering red flames before her, and the silvery moon above. Home… a real home… Master Calister said it's my home.'

Her vision blurred once more with tears, but now they were tears of a deep and permeating contentment.

"I- I am home." Ruby felt like she would break down, but the upwelling of happiness that filled her every vein pushed her forward. I've never felt like this before. I love the family I made at Beacon, I love Yang and Dad and Qrow but here… here I feel like I have the home I've always wished for since the day I lost my mom.

"I'm happy to hear it," Calister placed his large, rough hand on Ruby's shoulder, leaning in close as he softly spoke. "As long as I'm alive, you have a place here, I promise."

"Now," He stepped back, loudly addressing both her and the village. "Take up the altar and complete the ceremony."

As he stepped back, Ruby saw a large carved stone platform protruding from the ground.

With a firm nod, Ruby made her way to the altar… and placed down the body of Drei that she had carried on her back from the depths of the cave.

The frigid temperatures of the cave had preserved his body and kept it safe from scavengers. He looked so peaceful, just as he did back in the forest just after they bonded.

Without a word, Ruby tenderly placed her hand on his fur. His soft, fine hairs gave under her touch, a comforting and familiar sensation that stirred an indescribable feeling deep within her.

A sharp stone knife lay on the altar, it was old and well worn but still held a fine edge. She didn't look away and she didn't hesitate, the blade effortlessly pierced his pelt. She heard his skin give under the knife, a sound almost like paper tearing as she cut along his length, carefully separating fur and flesh.

It was a long process, he was a massive wolf. Still, time felt irrelevant and even the crowd around her faded away from her senses as she focused on making sure not to damage his pelt.

With every cut and pull, she felt Drei with her, guiding her movements and compelling her forward. It wasn't her or him… it was both, together.

The last of his pelt was pried from his body, Ruby stepped away, shaking as her blood slicked hands carefully placed the knife on the altar. It was done.

"What do you want done with his skin?" Raven approached her, tenderly resting her hand against Ruby's back. "Remember, this will be a physical piece of your familiar that you'll always have."

"I- I already know what I want," She had thought long and hard about it all night, and there was only one thing that felt right. "I want his fur to be combined with my mother's cloak."

"Very well." Raven's soft voice was brimming with love. You'd be so proud of her, Summer.

Ruby brought Drei's fur up to her nose, drawing a deep, slow breath and taking in his scent one last time. Drei's blood is in my veins, he's a part of me for as long as I live… just my Mom is.

"You did well." Calister spoke with an affirming tone. "Our craftsmen will handle your mother's cloak and your familiar's pelt with the utmost care and respect, you don't need to worry about a thing."

"Thank you, Master Calister." Ruby bowed to him, giving him a thankful look as she rose.

"We have a vessel to wash your hands off in. You've had a very trying day, as your chief, I order you to try to have fun, okay," Calister nodded to the girl and then glanced over to Alan. "I have no doubt trying times are still ahead of you. Take the opportunity to be happy when you can."

"I- I will!" Ruby followed the chief's gaze, landing on the faunus boy still waiting for her in the front of the crowd.

Ruby handed the skin of her familiar over to Calister and almost immediately, the music began to play once again and the party roared back to life like a wildfire!

On her way, many congratulated her and some even shouted her name. Some still avoided her, and she caught more than a couple unhappy glares… but nothing is going to ruin this night for me now.

"Hey, you did awesome!" Alan rushed up to her, nearly spilling his drink in the process. "Your familiar is amazing, a wolf definitely suits you, if I'm being honest."

"Thanks!" Ruby puffed up with pride. "He is amazing."

"You both are." With that, he stepped close and raised his cup once more.

"Do you… want to have this dance with me?" Ruby reached out her hand to him, feeling her heart racing and her senses on overdrive.

"I um…" Alan looked back and forth from her hand to her eyes in disbelief… before throwing down his drink and quickly taking her hand. "I'd love to."

All around them, the village was alive with music and cheers and dancing. Ruby and Alan melted into the crowd of bodies moving in time to the songs. All the heartache and pain behind her, and all the anxiety and unknowns in front of her… All of it can wait, because I want to enjoy right now.

---

Tooooooot!

The loud horn of the train shook the sleeping girl from her nap, soft bleary purple eyes blinked open as her muscles jerked from the sudden jolt of alertness. Wiping the drool from her cheek, she looked out the window to the dark, moonlit sky above.

"About time, you were drooling all over my sleeve." A familiar, teasing voice drew her attention beside her to a young man with red hair tied in a single side braid.

"Vitali… what time is it?" Thistle shook head, dispelling the last of her sleepiness.

"We've still got a long train ride ahead of us. We should be there by morning, then it's a long ass truck through the woods." Vitali shrugged.

"If you were gonna complain the whole time you could have stayed behind." She gave a long stretch and yawn, propping herself against her brother's side again.

"What at Castle Creepy with the angry vampire, Ebony Grey, the silver eyed kids and the maniac in charge? Yeah, I'd rather be lost in the woods," He shuddered just at the thought of it all. "Besides, you really think you're gonna fight your way through an entire vampire village on your own?"

"Maybe, but I'm hoping we won't have to fight anyone. Besides, better us than any of those other psychopaths." The tiny girl curled up in a little ball.

"Unless we die." He said nonchalantly.

"Don't worry… I'll… protect you." Thistle yawned once more, her mind pulling her back into the comfortable embrace of sleep. I wish it didn't have to be like this.