Pariah


Chapter 9

Secrets


Arriving in Atlas felt strange.

It always did.

It was the Kingdom she was born and raised in. It was her home, and yet she always felt restricted. As if unwelcomed eyes watched her every move, waiting for her to fail so that they may take delight in it. Perhaps it was the lingering memories of her upbringing. Their painful reminder reaching back twenty years.

The birth of her brother, Wolfe.

At the time she recounted how her father grew distant towards her and her mother. With Weiss's birth, their relationship seemed to take a turn for the better. But it was not to last. On her sister's eleventh birthday their father admitted he only married their mother because of the company and her name.

Their marriage began loveless, one-sided perhaps, and continued to be so until this very day.

The screaming.

The shouting.

The breaking of glass.

The drinking.

The carefully veiled threats.

She remembered everything.

While Weiss and Whitley were sheltered from the worst of their parent's outbursts, she recalled them as if they were burned into the back of her mind, to remember them for all eternity.

A marriage between two people she called mother and father. A facade to keep up the perfect image of the Schnee family. Some knew the truth, but many more did not. To the public's knowledge, her family was something all should aspire to. An image she wished to burn off the face of Remnant. The thought of her parents made her blood boil as if hot oil ran through her veins, masking her anger with a calm and cold exterior. How much she loathed those memories of her childhood and yet they always were there when she looked upon Atlas.

Her home.

As their bullhead approached the floating landmass Winter looked out of the cockpit window and observed their descent as snow fell from the sky. Spires stood tall at the edges of its mass. They were generators that produced a Hard-Light-Dust-Shield, to protect the Kingdom from the numerous Grimm incursions that plagued the continent of Solitas. And in turn, heavy AA weaponry fortified the surrounding generators and the surface of Atlas, protecting the shields and the people of the Kingdom from incoming Grimm attacks.

In the early days of human migration, their ancestors believed that the unforgiving cold of the region would keep the creatures of darkness away. And for a time they were right in their beliefs, that much did the records of the Kingdom show. But like humanity, the Grimm learned to adapt, infusing themselves with Ice Dust, making themselves impervious to the harsh climate of Remnants most northern continent. The concept of Grimm evolving and adapting to humanity's measures to combat them, troubled her and proved that those who swore to protect the people of Mantel and Atlas had to keep a constant vigil. The oaths they took upon graduating from the Huntsmen Academy were burned into her mind, binding them to their duties.

Looking farther into Atlas, rows of giant towers adorned its surface, with some being the homes of the Kingdoms citizens and others being office buildings, malls, shops, which included all other manners of entertainment. Its soil even produced the only form of grain Atlas and Mantle had, as fields, as wide as the eye could see, adorned the areas outside of the central city. Since Solitas mostly consisted of snowy mountains and icy tundras, it was their only supply of food. Thanks to their advancements in technology, the climate within the force-field could artificially be altered for plants to grow, in the otherwise freezing environment of Solitas. And then, on top of a mountain, overlooking the rest of the Kingdom, stood the Huntsman Academy. The pride and jewel of Atlas. The place where she once trained for three years to become a Huntress. How she wished those simpler times could return to her. Were she not from Atlas the view that presented itself to her might have been impressive, awe-inspiring even. But one can only look at it so many times before it loses its magic.

When their bullhead entered through the force-field, heavy rain fell onto the aircraft, making her aware of the higher temperatures inside of the Kingdoms dust-heated borders. Winter preferred the snow as it gave her a sense of calm whenever her thoughts preoccupied her.

"I spoke with the pilot." Qrow addressed her, pulling Winter out of her musings. "We will be arriving at the Greater Solitas Community Hospital in a few minutes."

She nodded her thanks before she continued to gaze back out towards the Kingdom of Atlas. Qrow came to a stop next to her, his red eyes following hers.

"By Oum," He muttered quietly, his voice carrying a note of wonder. "I've been to Atlas a couple of times but I'll never get used to that view."

Winter could only hum in agreement. The Kingdom of Atlas truly was a technological marvel. Their bullhead flew over the residential and commercial district, heading towards the upper class. Its district overlooking the rest due to its elevated position. Fitting she supposed. Just like the nobles and the rich living in it, they looked down on the middle class and they, in turn, looked down on the people living in Mantle. Upon closer inspection into the mindset of the people, one would be disappointed to find the marvelous first impression of the Kingdom to be tainted by its core. She was ashamed to admit that she once had the same mindset thanks to her parents. While there were still lingering prejudices, she tried her hardest to quell them when they arose.

Spotting the Greater Solitas Community Hospital, Qrow let out a whistle complementing its enormous size.

"Quite big even for a hospital don't you think?" he said with a raised eyebrow. "Or is it just another building to flaunt the wealth of the elites to the common folk?"

"No, Qrow." She answered with an exasperated sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. "The Greater Solitas Community Hospital functions like any other hospital. However, in recent years new wings and stations were added to the facility. Ironwood insisted that with the sudden increase in Grimm attacks in Solitas the hospital needed more space for Huntsmen and soldiers who suffer from them both mentally and physically."

"The General wanted the best treatment for those who have sworn to protect the Kingdom Atlas, its borders, and its citizens," Winter added. "The hospital produces its own prosthetics for those who lost their limbs while serving our. Kingdom and since the majority of our soldiers don't have Aura, hospitalizations have become more frequent among those stationed at the outer perimeters. Facing Grimm can also be mentally taxing for those who have not been accustomed to combating them. Even with our best simulations, there are still many who mentally break when faced with these horrid monsters. That is why military officials added a special psych ward to it."

Before she could continue listing all of the newly added additions to the hospital, Qrow interrupted her with a short laugh.

"Thanks, Dusty." He mockingly addressed her. "Know that your encyclopedic knowledge is greatly appreciated."

Being called after Remnants virtual assistant AI, Dusty, irritated Winter to no end, making her eyebrow twitch. It would seem that the Huntsman was back to his old self, teasing her every chance he got. Or was he putting on a façade? She did not know, but for now, Winter would not push the issue.

"But it's good to know that Jimmy is looking out after his own," Qrow said in a more solemn tone.

"It's General!" She shot him a disproving glare, before focusing back at the bullheads decent towards the hospital. "But you are right. The noble families wouldn't lift a finger for those that give their lives in order for them to live theirs in comfort and not worry about any Grimm."

"I wish I could have been there when Jimmy shot their protests down," Qrow said with a smirk on his face, choosing to ignore the General's title. "I bet they raised quite a fuss about it."

"Unfortunately, they did," Winter answered. "They even tried to bring the council in on their side, regarding the matter, with little to no success. Even the council members knew that backlash from the public would be too great for them to even consider going against General Ironwood."

"At least some people know when to use their brains from time to time and make actual good decisions for once." The Huntsman mused.

As their bullhead landed onto one of the platforms on top of the hospital, Qrow and Winter were greeted by one of its staff, standing under an umbrella while they were shielded from the rain, by one of their aircraft's wings. The woman in question had a dark complexion, black hair, and blue eyes.

"Good Evening Specialist Schnee and…" the woman dressed in a lab coat looked towards Qrow, not knowing the man's identity.

"Branwen."

"Mister Branwen." She finished. "My name is Doctor Mirella Fass. You requested a meeting with me. I must confess that I am confused as to why you would want to talk to me, Miss Schnee."

Winter shared a confused look with Qrow, expecting a different person to have answered her request.

"Apologies Doctor Fass," Winter said. "But I meant to speak with Doctor Richard Fass."

"I see." The woman answered, looking dejected. "My uncle sadly died sixteen years ago."

Dread suddenly flared within Winter as she slowly digested the information given to her. She hit a wall with her first lead into her brother. Richard Fass was the Doctor that was present when her mother gave birth to her twenty-two years ago. Since a different doctor was present at Whitley and Weiss's birth, she assumed that Doctor Fass was still present for Wolfe's. Given that he died sixteen years ago, he might as well have been assigned to his birth. Winter might still get her answers.

"Please," the woman addressed her once more. "Follow me into my office, we don't need to stand in the rain."

Following the woman into the building, they made their way through the different white medical wings which were illuminated by bright lights. Winter's eyes adjusted to the brightness of the hallways.

Reaching their destination, Doctor Fass beckoned them inside of her office, offering them coffee. While Winter would have preferred tea, she graciously accepted the offer.

As the doctor returned with three mugs, she sat down and addressed them both.

"Do you have something specific you wish to know?" she asked. "I may not be my uncle but maybe I can help with your endeavors."

"That is my hope," Winter said, glaring at Qrow as the Huntsman poured the alcohol contained in his flask into his coffee. Judging by Mirella's frown, she too, disapproved of the man's antics. Qrow was well aware of the looks he was receiving, simply shrugged, continuing as if nothing was amiss.

"I wanted to ask your uncle if he had any information on the birth of my, Wolfe Schnee," Winter explained. "From what my parents told me, he was born ill twenty years ago and your uncle was present. Could you look if he left behind any information on my brother?"

"I heard about your brother's passing when I was still in school." The doctor said as she turned towards the monitor, typing away at the holographic keyboard. "Those damned animals killing seven-year-old children now. The madness of today's world."

From the corner of her eyes, Winter observed Qrow's free hand curl into a fist as the man hid his frown behind his mug of coffee, making his distaste of the comment known. When their eyes met, Winter signaled him to keep his tongue under control. The last thing she needed was for him to start making disparaging remarks about the person who was currently gathering information about her brother.

The doctor hummed in discontent, making Winters unease grow.

"Strange," Mirella murmured. "All records of your brother are… are simply gone."

"What?" Winter asked in disbelief.

"Let me check my uncle's private documents." She continued.

After a few minutes passed she regarded them both once more.

"It is as if he never existed and I know for a fact that my uncle kept his documents well-organized." Mirella mused.

A heavy feeling of nothingness set in her stomach. Her mind searching all possible avenues as to what actions she should take next. The stump connecting to her prosthetic burned anew, making her arm tremble slightly. The action made her set down her mug of coffee. Winter suddenly felt suffocated in her military uniform and sweat began to glisten on her forehead.

Something was greatly amiss, that much, Winter knew and it frustrated her that in her search for answers, she was confronted with more questions. No hospital would simply purge documents of its patients. Unless someone wanted them to disappear.

Taking deep breaths, she calmed her strained nerves. Her distress, while expertly masked by the untrained eye, did not go unnoticed by Qrow.

"Doctor Fass." She addressed Mirella. "If you don't mind me asking could you tell me how your uncle passed away?"

The Doctor was initially surprised by her request but found her composure soon after.

"He and his wife wanted to fly out into the northern reaches of Solitas to watch the polar lights." She recounted solemnly. "They boarded an Airship with one hundred other spectators. When they reached their destination, one of the engines exploded, making their Airship crash into the frozen tundra. Many survived the initial crash, my uncle and aunt among them, but… they stood no chance against the Grimm."

Silence reigned as the doctor took a few sips from her coffee.

"It was later established that the accident was supposedly caused by a mechanical error." She continued.

The person who diagnosed her brother's ailment, twenty years ago died by Grimm claws and teeth, following the airship's crash outside of the Kingdoms territory. How convenient. Too convenient for her tastes but there was no proof of sabotage as far as she was aware. But something about the tragedy did not sit right with her.

Now a dead-end presented itself. She felt as if the gods were laughing at the plights she faced.

But since doctors usually had a team of nurses maybe she could ask them if they remembered anything. Just maybe, someone might have answers to some of the questions.

"What of your uncle's colleagues?" Winter asked. "Do you know their names and their whereabouts?

"No, I don't." The Doctor said, rubbing her chin I thought. "Let me check."

As she was typing into the console, something inside the computer suddenly combusted, making the three of them flinch in surprise as they watched the screen die.

Looking in Qrow's direction Winter saw the man cringe as he nursed his temple.

"I'll be outside." The Huntsman said with a small amount of irritation. "I'm getting some fresh air."

Winter watched as the man quickly stepped out of the doctor's office. It would seem that her search will take even longer than initially expected.

"Oum dammit." Mirella cursed with a heavy sigh. "The wonders of technology, am I right? When I have access to the computer again, I will email you the information. Is that okay with you, Specialist Schnee?"

"Of course," Winter answered, standing up and shaking the woman's hand. "Thank you for everything, Doctor Fass."

Leaving Doctor Fass's office Winter made her way back to the landing platform where their bullhead had landed. She nursed the stump that connected with her prosthetic trying to quench the burning sensation that plagued her. Stepping outside, rain fell onto her face, making her savor the short-lived movement as she headed towards their aircraft where Qrow waited for her.

"What happened?" Winter demanded.

"Sorry." The Huntsman cringed once more. "My Semblance seems to be acting up more than usual these past few days." His voice was heavy.

A sigh escaped Winter as she nursed her forehead.

"Well, we just have to wait until Doctor Fass can send me the list of contacts I need."

"I think it's best we split up." Qrow finally said, making Winter regard the Huntsman. "Once you get those names I will search their whereabouts and should they have suffered unexpected deaths like the uncle, I will look into them."

Winter nodded to his words.

"We can cover more avenues if we do that." She agreed.

"Yeah. I suggest you visit your sister in the meantime. She seemed very happy under all that layer of ice." Qrow stated. "Looks like the Ice-Princess is giving a run for your money." He added with a chuckle.

"And what will you be doing?" She asked, hiding her annoyance at the jab directed not only at her but also Weiss.

"I still have unrelated business with Jimmy to discuss."

She did not know what that meant. But she assumed it had something to do with Beacon's Headmaster. As of now, that was none of her concern. What was her concern, however, was the secrecy surrounding her brother's death. And she would unearth every last one until she had her answers.


In the next morning, Wolfe donned his usual attire and armor, making himself ready to face a new day on Remnant. More snow lay on the ground than it did the day before. It was no hindrance, however. He started to mentally go over the things he wanted to do for today. While going to the village's doctor and meeting with Sienna Khan weren't much, Wolfe was fairly certain that they might occupy the better part of his afternoon. He was interested to learn how the White Fang wanted to include his… precarious presence. While Sienna seemed somewhat unbothered by the aura his gene emitted, Wolfe was unsure how he would fit into the organization. But would have knowledge of their further plans in due time.

What troubled him, however, was the information he received from Doctor Arthur Watts. The two people who would likely join him on his, what some might call, suicidal mission. While the motives of these individuals still remained a mystery to him, Wolfe knew their names. Roman Torchwick and Neopolitan.

The former's image displaying a man with orange hair and one visible dark-green eye as the other was covered by his bangs. According to the information he was a native Valean. From information Watts could gather, Torchwick was a former Huntsman that turned to crime after his three teammates died while repelling Grimm from a village. He had one arrest on his record after a failed heist in the Kingdom of Vale but soon enough found himself a free man once again. Authorities speculate that someone from their own ranks must have freed Torchwick from his cell. Most of his criminal history impressed Wolfe, though he questioned the validity of some of the reports, regarding his robberies as some of them read like fiction. And bad fiction at that. But then again, semblances existed and made things easier for those who had questionable intentions. His weapon was a cane, named Melodic Cudgel… which was also a gun? But of course, it had a name, Huntsman and Huntresses seemed to have this little ritual of naming their respective weapons. Wolfe never had an ounce of trust for any Huntsmen and still despised their existence. Given his records, he would be valuable for gaining entrance into Merlot's facility. What could possibly exist in those Oum forsaken walls, that would interest a Huntsman turned thief? Nothing came to mind. If he were to make the mistake of betraying him, Wolfe would make sure Torchwick would come to regret that decision. He would not be the first Huntsman to lose his head by the blade of his glaive.

His partner, Neopolitan, however, was a different story. The only records she had were those in connection with Roman Torchwick and nothing else. No birth certificate, no listed parents, no records of schools she attended. Nothing. It was as if she never existed at all and only emerged when Torchwick turned to crime. What Wolfe did note, were the bodies she left behind whenever she joined her partner's operations. The only image of her, Watts could retrieve, showed her having two different sets of eye and hair color which were brown and pink. The girl appeared to be much younger than Torchwick and seemed to be about Wolfe's age, early twenties if he had to guess. She also carried a parasol with her. Wolfe tried to figure out why she would carry something like this into heists but only found one answer to his question. It was her weapon. Judging by the bodies she left behind the girl was not to be underestimated. There were too many unknown variables with Neopolitan and that bothered him to no end.

Like everything that came before, he would learn in time. Watts already contacted them with the message that 'The Wandering Wolf will join you in your endeavors'. They most likely would try and find any information on him, not that there was much to find in the first place, except the bounty for his head. And the Lien on his was substantially higher than that of Torchwick and Neopolitan. Wolfe would have to prepare, should both of them decide to betray him in the end. In about two weeks' time, he would meet them in a village near the Kingdom of Mistral. He would have to buy a horse and ready his supplies for the long journey ahead. It would roughly take almost two weeks on horseback for him to arrive near the village. Once there he would also have to exercise caution. The last thing he needed were the combined forces of the Kingdom's police and military chasing him.

Walking out of his room he made his way to go into the kitchen but soon found himself in another situation that seemed awfully familiar to him. As he almost reached the flight of stairs, the door to his left opened and a figure bumped into him once more, making the person fall on their hind with a little startled yelp.

"Owie." Was the only thing Mai said when she hit the ground.

Crouching down Wolfe helped her to her feet, noting that the girl was still a bit sleepy as she rubbed her eyes with one hand while holding the stuffed bunny in the other.

"Good morning, Mai." He greeted her.

"Morning." She answered in a tone much quieter to his.

She would need time for her to feel any sort of comfort in their house, not that he could blame her for it. Wolfe ran his left, unarmored, hand through her messy blonde hair trying as best he could to straighten it. He observed as the girl watched his hand, stiffening whenever he got too close to her feathers but made no further protest to his actions. His attempts were not met with the results he had envisioned. He would have to grab a brush to help tame her hair later.

Wolfe withdrew his hand taking note in Mai's change iif expression as he retreated it to his side. She seemed saddened and her eyes were filled with a sense of longing. Recalling what little he knew about her family it would seem that she was even deprived of any sort of affection.

"Come on." He said, holding an inviting hand out to her. "I will make us some breakfast."

Her emerald eyes went wide at the prospect of having food again and laid her small hand into his. As Wolfe took her into his arm, he made his way downstairs.

Reaching the dining table her put her in the same chair as the evening before and went into the kitchen. To his surprise, Mai stood back up and followed him. While she still held some distance from him, it most certainly decreased since the day before.

Looking towards the clock, Wolfe took note of the time. His mother would not wake up for another hour or two. It would give him the time to take Mai to the village's doctor and have her examined.

Returning his focus back to the at hand, Wolfe washed his hands before he placed a pan on the stove and began to make scrambled eggs for the both of them.

"Wolfe?" the small voice gave him pause for a moment, contemplating if it was even there. Was it perhaps too early and his mind was playing tricks on him?

"Wolfe?" the voice was louder this time and he knew it belonged to Mai. He regarded her questioningly.

"I'm thirsty." She said. He didn't need to be told twice and made her a glass of water. A small smile appeared on the girl's face once he handed her her beverage.

"Thank you."

"No problem." He said with a chuckle, ruffling her hair. "You only have to ask if you need anything, okay?"

She nodded to his question, taking small sips from her glass.

After making them their breakfast and eating it at the dinner table, Wolfe told Mai to get herself dressed so they can go to the village. When she came back dressed in some of the clothes he bought her, Wolfe gave her the only two missing things she still needed. A pair of shoes and her winter jacket.

As he took his glaive in his one hand, they stepped outside of the house. Mai observed how Nacht and Licht also ran out of the house and into the forest that surrounded them. Gently pressing the back of his index finger against her shoulder, he brought her attention back to him.

"They are going hunting." He explained to her. "Once they had their breakfast too, they will come back."

She looked in the direction in which his two companions disappeared before making her way to follow Wolfe again. Even now she still held onto the bunny, clutching the stuffed animal close to her chest.

When he saw the walls of their village, Wolfe noticed that Mai was not by his side anymore. Looking back she came to a stop a few meters behind. Her breathing was quicker and a sense of dread filled the young girl's eyes. Was his aura starting to affect her now of all times? He closed the distance and bent down onto his knees making sure he held eye contact.

"Mai?" he softly called out to her. "What's wrong?"

His eyes went wide in surprise when she rushed him and threw her arms around his neck, almost losing his balance by the unforeseen impact. At the sound of quiet sobs, he started to question if he had done anything wrong? Wolfe searched his mind as to what he could have done to upset her but he was found wanting by his memory.

With his unarmored hand, Wolfe soothed her back, trying his best to calm her down. This is what people did to calm children down, right? He was never confronted with a situation like this.

"I want to stay!" she sobbed, only adding to his confusion. "Please don't give me away. I want to stay with you and Julia. I promise I'll be good. Please don't give me away."

Wolfe was still as the statues adorning the walls of Mistral. He did fail to tell her that they were just going to see a doctor. Now Mai was having a panic attack over being discarded by the only two people who showed her kindness.

"I'll be good." She repeated desperately. "I promise."

"Mai, I need you to look at me."

She reluctantly let go of her hold around him, her hand clinging to the olive fabric of his coat on his left arm. Teary emerald-green eyes met his blue and ruined one.

"We are not going to give you away, okay?" Relief spread through her as Wolfe quelled her fears. "I am only taking you to the doctor."

"Really?"

"Yes, really." He reassured her. "And when we're finished, we're going to go back home together."

Mai smiled and cried a few tears of joy. She threw her arms around him once more which he reciprocated.

"Why did you think I would have given you away?" he asked her to which she looked at the ground avoiding his eyes.

"I heard you and Julia talk about the orpei… orphaina…"

"The orphanage?"

She nodded to his question. While it would seem that Mai misunderstood their conversation, it explained her fear of being abandoned by him.

"And you thought I would have given you away as soon as you saw the village?"

Mai nodded again.

"Well," he said calmly. "You don't have to be afraid of that, okay?"

"Okay."

After wiping away her tears, Wolfe picked her up and made for their destination, the few people that were already enjoying the early hours of the day, gave him a wide berth.

The building of his interest was one of the older ones standing in the little community he has been loosely part of for four years. It stood three stories high with a slightly elevated dark-wooden structure which was painted over many times, in an effort to conceal the many ages that have passed. Like all the other buildings and houses in the Kingdom of Mistral it also consisted of a tiled roof and a sliding door as a point of entry.

Entering the village's doctor, Wolfe was greeted by the myriad of supplies that idly stood along the walls. The major of the village had requested aid and supplies from Kingdom officials many times and received no answer for his efforts. These were most likely brought in by the White Fang. As the familiar scent of herbs and sanitizer made their way into his nostrils a familiar face appeared from the second floor.

"Good morning, Wolfe!" He was greeted by the young woman who stood in front of his house with Sienna Khan the day before.

"Good morning, Avelinn." He echoed her greeting albeit with less cheer. Now that the woman before him was not wearing the Grimm mask and the black hood of the White Fang, Wolfe could make out more facial features than her scales. The sleeves of Avelinn's sweatshirt were pulled up to her elbows, revealing more scales on her forearms. Her gray eyes, like her mood, radiated cheer and warmth as if not even the creatures of Grimm could diminish it. Her black hair that ended in velvet tips reached down to her shoulders.

She bristled as she got closer to him. There were worse reactions to his presence. Like the doctor who was no doubt delaying their meeting as best he could.

"You have kind eyes." She said absentmindedly, staring into his with fascination.

Did he? His eyes have been many things. But having them complimented felt… strange.

"And who's this little one?" her focus shifted towards the girl in his arm who made herself smaller from the attention she was receiving.

"Mai." She responded shyly.

"It's a beautiful name." Avelinn smiled brightly at her, receiving a small smile from Mai herself.

"I am here to see Doctor Ito." Wolfe brought her attention back to him. "Is he here?"

"Well… yes, but…" she grew a bit uncomfortable, trying to find the right words.

"He doesn't want to see me." He said more as a statement than a question.

"He doesn't want to see you." The woman cringed while echoing his words.

Wolfe felt his eyebrow twitch in irritation. His eyes were focused straight ahead, staring into emptiness as he went over his options. Threats and violence were out of the question. Unfortunately. He wanted for them to stay as long as they could and the people would definitely have a problem should he decide to take action against the Doctor's unwillingness to see him.

"But that's why he sent me!" Avelinn followed enthusiastically, breaking his train of thought. "Since I'm a former medical professional-"

"Former?" He interrupted her.

"Y-yes well," she began to stutter under his questioning gaze. "I worked in one of Mistral's hospitals for a time and started getting complaints from our patients. Human patients. Saying I would shed my skin whenever I was near them. Which didn't even make sense since I'm not a reptilian Faunus but management obviously didn't care. So I was terminated and now I'm here."

She finished her brief history with a smile outstretched arms in a voilà gesture. The smile, however, had a note of sadness hidden within it.

"So Sienna recruited you?"

"That she did," Avelinn answered with a grin.

"But enough about me." She continued gesturing for him to follow her into one of the patient rooms. "What can I do for you?"

"I need someone to perform a check-up on Mai," Wolfe said as he placed the aforementioned girl onto the examination bench.

"Any particular reason?" Avelinn asked, making her way towards the young girl.

Mai started to shift uncomfortably the closer Avelinn got. Laying a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder, Wolfe drew her eyes to him.

"It's okay." He said. "She's not going to hurt you." He finished by ruffling her hair for a bit, making Mai more at ease.

Avelinn curiously watched the interaction between the two before continuing with the check-up. She was pleasantly surprised by how quickly Wolfe could calm her down.

"Just a check-up," Wolfe answered her question. "She only lived with us for three days now."

"She lived in the SDC mines her entire life and I took her with me when I decided to pay them a visit." He further elaborated when he saw Avelinn's questioning look.

"And her-" With the shaking of Wolfe's head the unspoken question of Mai's family was answered.

Avelinn continued to perform various checks on Mai when she realized that the feathers in her blond hair seemed to grow disproportionately. The small girl clutched the small stuffed bunny tighter and her small body became stiff once the doctor of the White Fang examined the area of her Faunus trait, making her hum grimly. Wolfe stepped closer and observed her findings, taking note of the scarring on Mai's head.

"There used to be a feather at each point that as now formed a scar," Avelinn informed him, her voice missing her usual joy. "Someone forcefully pulled them out."

She watched as Wolfe silently stared into nothingness, his jaw clenched and a myriad of emotions passed through his one good eye as he, no doubt, digested the information relayed to him.

"Well, I finished her check-up," Avelinn told him. "Despite everything she's a healthy eight-year-old. But she does have a minor ear infection, so I'm going to give you some medicine for her."

"Thank you, Avelinn." He said picking the girl up again.

"You will be stopping by the major's house today, right?" She asked him as they stepped out of the room. Wolfe took note of the small amount of excitement in her voice. "Sienna already informed Ghira about you."

"Of course." He answered.

"Great!" She exclaimed with a smile. "Just stop by in the afternoon."

"See you then!" She waved. "Goodbye Mai."

"Goodbye." She whispered shyly which did not deter Avelinn from her mood in the slightest.

With their Doctor's visit over, Wolfe made his way back to their house.


The white halls of his family's mansion stood high, covered with pictures of his parents, sisters, his grandparents, and himself. Great statues of Grimm and armored knights were displayed to impress outside visitors once they walked these grand halls. They all were filled with them. To illude those that did not know any better. To mask the division within his own family.

Winter, who left the Schnee family years ago carved her own path within Remnant, serving as a Specialist in the Atlas Military. He hadn't spoken to her in three years. Not from his own doing, sadly. His sister decided to distance herself from the family. But could he blame her? No love was found here. Her subsequent disownment was the final proverbial nail in the coffin. And since his father took a greater interest in him than any of his sisters he felt isolated. They ignored him while his father showered him with attention. The only attention he received in this house.

Weiss returned from her visit to Winter only a few hours ago. He only found out about Winter's injuries through Klein. Not through his mother. Not through his father. Not through his sisters. But through the family butler. It seemed insulting to him. Worried for Winter he asked how their injured sister was fairing to which Weiss gave curt answers. Allowing no emotions to come through. Ever the perfect Schnee. He knew that his sisters conversed very often. He wondered why she chose to be so cold with him. Was it out of jealousy because their father devoted more time to him or was it perhaps something else entirely? He did not know.

His mother was held up in the opposite wing of the mansion to his father. Ever since the day, he proclaimed to not have loved her. He rarely if ever saw his mother without a drink and doubted that even she knew of Winter's current state. Did she even care?

With his back straight, eyes downcast, and his hands behind his back, Whitley aimlessly wandered the white halls of the Schnee mansion. He was not allowed to leave the families property and often found himself wandering the halls, losing himself in his musings.

But something always caught his eye when wandering these halls. For all the pictures adorning them, he could not help but notice something missing. Something that itched at the back of his mind. It took a while before he figured out how to scratch that itch. But now he knew what it was.

They were four siblings not three. So why is it that he could not see any pictures of his elder brother, Wolfe? Or family photos with him for that matter? It was as if he never even existed. It confused him. Should his memory not be displayed proudly by his parents?

What his brother would look like, Whitley wondered. Would they share a brotherly bond, like the bond his sisters shared? He would never know. His parents have forbidden them to even talk about their brother. None of them knew why and their questions were always met with scorn. So none were asked.

Whitley knew that his mother kept journals hidden in her private office. Hidden away even from their father. He once glimpsed upon those tombs. Maybe they held the answers towards their brother, Wolfe?


After he brought Mai back to the house, Wolfe made his way back to the village. At first, she wanted to come along once more and gave a small amount of resistance. He was confused. But before the both of them ran in never-ending circles his mother came to his rescue and guided Mai to the living room with the prospect of playing games. Wolfe alleviated her worries further, promising her that he would return later in the day.

When he arrived in the village once more the members of the White Fang were already moving supplies between their trucks and the respective houses. Some were even helping repair the damages inflicted to the walls by the last bandit incursion the community suffered. Wolfe made sure that that particular tribe could not commit any future raid on other settlements in the Grimmlands. With the resources the people desperately needed, courtesy of the White Fang, they could begin with their repairs. White clad figures wearing Grimm-like-masks watched as he made his way towards the major's house but stayed their distance.

The major's house was the largest building the village had to offer and stood in the town square. It's base and the lower halves of its walls were made of stone while the rest was the same wooden structure that was used in the Kingdom of Mistral. Two White Fang members stood in front of the two large, heavy, and dark-wooden doors seeing his approach. He recognized the two of them as Tucson and Avelinn. The former waving at him as he approached while the latter's discomfort seemed to grow the closer Wolfe got.

"See!" she addressed Tucson. "I told you he would come."

Her spirits were as high as ever, Wolfe noted.

"So you did." The nervousness in his voice was clear as day and judging by his rigid posture the man most certainly wished he could be anywhere else but here. Unfortunately for him, his discomfort did not matter Wolfe in the slightest.

"Well, it's... good that you are here then." Wolfe could tell that this statement was but a lie. "Didn't think a human would keep his word on the matter. No offense."

"None taken."

Avelinn smacked the man's chest in obvious disapproval.

"He has a name you know," she said, her gray eyes narrowing at the man but her tone was still friendly. "Maybe next time I should smack you in the back of the head to help your memory?"

"Please don't do that."

She gave him an expecting look, following his plea.

"I'm sorry... Wolfe." Tucson hurriedly added his name to his apology as he stared into his ruined eye. He would very much like a new helmet at this point.

"No harm done," Wolfe answered.

"As much as I would like to stand outside in the cold and watch the two of you have this uncomfortable conversation." Avelinn addressed them. "think it's time we get you inside. Sienna and Ghira are waiting."

Wolfe nodded to her words and waited for them to enter the major's house first. Tucson opened the large wooden double doors inward which creaked as the portal to the inside was opened. The floor of the interior was also made of dark wood while the walls were of lighter material. The ceiling was probably five meters high if he were to wager a guess. Pictures of majors who once held this office in the past adorned the walls. And since this was a settlement mostly comprised of one race, except for him, all of them were Faunus. The people had nothing against humans and welcomed anyone into their community with open arms. But since they rarely get any outside visitors and the dangerous roads leading to the village did not sound appealing to most. They were already few who dared to live outside the safety of the Kingdoms walls, even fewer who sought to live further into the Grimmlands, weeks away from any potential aid.

There were about a dozen of White Fang members inside various rooms, working on logistics and administration purposes. The moment he passed them they looked up from their duties to regard him, as his aura, no doubt, disturbing them from their work.

As they reached another set of twin doors, Wolfe could hear voices coming from the other side. One of the voices he recognized as Sienna's. Upon opening the doors, Wolfe followed Avelinn and Tucson into the major's office.

The office was spacious, papers cluttered one corner of the room. A large wooden desk stood at the far end of the room. Behind it, sat in an armchair, was the major of the village. He was a tall and muscular man, dressed in his dark grey formal attire. He had dark-brown slicked back hair, graying from age at his sides with antlers protruding from his skull. He, like Wolfe, had a beard, but his was much longer. The major's green eyes widened behind his glasses as he laid eyes on him. He, like all other occupants in the room, paused in their conversation to regard the newcomers.

Sitting opposite from him were Ghira and Sienna who also regarded him, seemingly being both unnerved and relieved by his presence.

The same, however, could not be said by the other two occupants in the room.

The first was a tall young man with red hair from which a set of horns protruded. He wore black clothing with red thorn sigils adorned with a white crest on his left shoulder. Like every other White Fang member, he also wore a Grimm-like mask. A sword rested on his waist where his hand rested firmly upon since his arrival

The second person was a young girl, her complexion a bit darker than her comrade, and her brown hair was tied back in a ponytail. Her attire consists of a black, what he would consider, stealth-suit with various gray tones. The fabric-covered her entire body to shelter her from the cold climate of Mistral's northern regions. She too wore a Grimm mask which had additional horns. Wolfe did not recognize any visible Faunus features on the girl.

Their angry and uneasy expressions turned to shock as they no doubt saw the ruined state of his left eye.

"Close your mouths, you two." Sienna addressed them. "Before you start catching flies."

Both of their jaws snapped shut immediately but Wolfe could still feel their eyes on him.

Sienna and Ghira both stood up from their chairs to greet him.

"Ghira," She addressed the tall man. "This is Wolfe, the young man we met at Liza's forge."

"Hello, Wolfe." He greeted him holding his hand out for him to shake which he took with his own. His grip was firm. "It's good to finally meet you."

"Likewise."

"I am Ghira Belladonna, one of the White Fang's leaders and Sienna has informed me that you accepted her invitation to join the White Fang and our goal to obtain equality between our people."

The heads of the other two occupants snapped in his direction.

"That is correct."

"Well," Ghira said with a smile. "We're glad to have you."

With the clearing of the major's throat, all eyes turned to him.

"While it is… good to see you Wolfe," The man tried to sound convincing. "But we should finish our business before the three of you get acquainted."

"Of course," Ghira said letting go of his hand. "You can wait here. It won't be long now."

Wolfe nodded and made his way towards Avelinn and Tucson, leaning his back against the wooden wall, listening in to the conversation.

"Like I said." The major began as he gestured to the three large stacks of documents that were placed on his desk. "All of these documents were sent to the council of Mistral. Requests for resources, medical aid, and most importantly Huntsmen were all sent in the last eight years. All of them went unanswered."

Wolfe observed the frowns on all the White Fang members present. The major pulled out a ledger and handed it to Ghira.

"All of the names I have written down are from the people of our village." The major said solemnly. "People that could have been saved if Haven had sent their Huntsman. Grimm and Bandit attacks were almost a weekly occurrence."

"We had to dig so many graves." The major sighed as he recounted old memories. "And I have grown tired to see so many I knew die horrible deaths. I am but forty years old and my bones feel heavy from it all."

"You stopped writing those names down almost four years ago," Ghira noted as he reached the end of the ledger. "What happened?"

"Four years ago, Wolfe," the major gestured towards him. "and his mother came to live outside the safety of our walls. The presence of Grimm is nonexistent thanks to Wolfe's semblance. He also… got rid of our bandit problem. And he did not ask nicely. Since then I did not write down one single name. Because the only causes of death were natural ones. Thanks to Wolfe we can finally sleep safer now."

Wolfe had no semblance and he could never have one but the major did not need to know that detail. Even then, Pariah's were not particularly greeted with open arms. So he had to lie regarding the unnerving aura others felt while standing in his presence.

"And now?" the major let out a short incredulous laugh. "Since the Kingdom decided not to aid us we stopped paying the Huntsmen tax. Do you want to take a guess who decided to contact us regarding that decision?"

"Mistral's council." It was not a question but a statement by Sienna.

"Mistral's council." The major echoed. "It would seem the only purpose animals like us have is filling the pockets of the elites. They are demanding we continue with our payments."

"Maybe if we present the courts with these documents you showed us, we can find some justice." Ghira proposed.

"Be my guest." The major gestured towards the documents. "Make as many copies as you would like. But I have lost faith that anything significant will come of it."

A heavy sigh escaped him as he leaned back into his chair.

"We are grateful for the help the White Fang has provided us," he told Sienna and Ghira before he looked at his watch. "But you will have to excuse me. I have other matters to attend to."

All three of them stood from their seats and shook their hands, indicating that their meeting came to a close.

"You may have your discussion in my office."

"There is one small detail I left out." Sienna addressed Ghira who adopted a questioning look. "Wolfe here is also known within the Kingdoms as the Wandering Wolf."

Everyone except the major, Sienna, Avelinn, and Tucson looked shocked by the information. A look of disapproval crossed Ghira's face and looked towards the major.

"Did you know?" The Belladonna asked.

"Of course." He replied. "I chose… to look the other way. That much we owed him since he's the only person to actually give a shit about the people in this village."

"While I can't say I approve of your… methods," Ghira said slowly. "You have my thanks for helping those unfortunate enough who found themselves enslaved."

"Naturally."

"We can't give you some of our clothing since we're a bit short-" Sienna began before she was interrupted by Wolfe.

"With all due respect but I think that wearing White Fang insignia would be a bad idea," Wolfe interjected but the was no force behind it. "As you already know I am wanted in all four of Kingdoms. And I believe that by my association the White Fang will only suffer greater in the eyes of public opinion."

"Well," Sienna conceded. "You do make a valid point. But the media in Atlas and Mantel aren't portraying us in a good light to begin with, I'm afraid."

"And we should avoid further reasons for them to diminish our cause as best we can," Ghira said. "Wolfe is right… unfortunately. But you would help us nonetheless?"

"Absolutely." He said, the conviction in his voice unmistakable. "I strive to better the lives of those who need it most."

Mainly his mother and Mai.

"Very well," Ghira nodded with a small smile. "We will be leaving in a week towards Mistral."

Looks like he did not need to find a horse after all. And the journey would be even shorter due to the trucks the White Fang traveled with.

"May I join you in your travels to Mistral?" Wolfe asked. "I already wanted to make my way towards Mistral in the coming days."

Sienna and Ghira exchanged a brief glance between one another.

"Since we brought the supplies here we have enough room for you," Sienna said. "It should be no problem."

"Thank you." Wolfe voiced his gratitude. Saying his goodbyes to everyone present he made his way back home. But Avelinn quickly caught up to him.

"Ghira did not seem too enthusiastic having me onboard." He stated.

"Ghira believes in peaceful methods in achieving an equal status next to humanity," Avelinn answered him biting her lip. "So you can understand that your… reputation," she added with care. "doesn't really fit with his means of achieving his goals."

Wolfe could only let a hum in agreement. His methods were different and far more extreme than those of Ghira.

"But since you are one of the few humans who actively helps us fight to end slavery in the Grimmlands he tolerates it." She continued. "Thanks to Sienna's insistence on defending ourselves with force once we are met with violence, those that seek to oppress us have become a bit more wary within the Kingdoms jurisdictions."

"The only thing we can't do a thing about is the violence we are subjected to by police officers once they deem our protests to be unlawful," Tucson spoke up from behind them, shaking his head. "Too many of us have been severely injured thanks to the crackdowns in Mantel and Mistral."

Despite what the council of Mistral tells the public, Wolfe knew that they were actively trying to hinder the White Fang and any other groups who sought the same, from achieving their goals. It would only be a matter of time before relations soured between the two races and the discontent reached its boiling point once more. The Kingdoms never truly learned their lessons from the Great War.

"You sound like you agree with Sienna," Wolfe observed.

"I'm a nurse," Avelinn sighed, her eyes downcast. "Well… I used to be. My goal is to help people, not harm them. Be they human or Faunus, but… I have also seen the horrible things done to our people. The few times we resorted in the use of force, it actually produces results. I wish that our voices could be heard without the use of violence but… it would seem that the opposite is currently the case."

He understood her reluctance but made no argument against it. Wolfe felt that it was not his place to sway her, or the White Fang for that matter, to take any sort of action. That burden lay solely on their shoulders and they would have to decide in what direction they would want to proceed. Should threats arise however that directly put the lives of those around him or himself in jeopardy, he would not hesitate to dispatch them as swiftly as possible.

As soon as they stepped outside of the major's house, Wolfe said his goodbye's to Tucson and Avelinn and made his way back towards the house. He would have to gather his supplies in the week before the journey towards Mistral started.


The week leading up to his departure with the White Fang was shorter than he expected it to be. The only change he observed was with Mai as she became more lively and at ease within their home. While the girl was still reserved and shy, Mai made it a habit to play outside with Nacht and Licht.

So the evening leading up to the day before he left, Wolfe found himself sitting in his room, reading one of the many books his mother bought. Back then when he still lived with the people that gave birth to him, a man named Klein taught him how to read and write. The man did it out of the kindness of his heart because Wolfe doubted they would have hired an extra tutor to teach him anything. The man with two souls. It was an interesting read. He found a similar situation to his own but also different in its entirety. The biggest was that what he read was fiction and his predicament all too real.

He heard the door to his room open and watched as Mai made her way towards him, her emerald eyes shining pleadingly at him. Wolfe noticed how the girl spent most of her time in his presence, never straying away too far from him or his mother. Beckoning her over, Mai broke out into a sprint, covering the distance in an instant, and sat in his lap while she played with the stuffed animal. It's how he found himself the last couple of days during the late hours of the day. But tonight was different. He observed how Mai's eyes wandered the page of his book. Her eyes lingering onto words for long periods of time while a mix of confusion and frustration adorned her face.

"Mai." Wolfe gained her attention. He pointed to the word 'and' in the book he held in the other hand. "Do you know this word?"

He noted the girl's discomfort and how her eyes refused to meet his, the nails of her fingers digging into her left forearm. With a look of shame, Mai shook her head. So he was right with his suspicion.

"It's okay if you can't read," Wolfe said after he closed the book and tried to soothe her worries. "There is nothing to be ashamed of."

When he ruffled her hair, Mai became more at ease. He let out a small sigh, considering how he should proceed. He would depart tomorrow morning leaving her with his mother for a few weeks at least. Turning in his chair he procured a piece of paper and a pen, writing down the alphabet.

"Do you want me to teach you how to read?" He asked her, to which she instantly perked up.

"Yes!" She said enthusiastically.

"Okay," He laid out the piece of paper in front of her. "You have to learn the alphabet first."

"Do you know what this letter is?" She shook her head as she followed his finger.

"It's the letter A."

"A?"

"Yes, A."

She repeated the letter a few times more before they moved on to the next, repeating the last ones along the way, the further they progressed. Mai for her part was taking their little improvised lesson seriously and made things a little easier for him. After two hours Wolfe noticed that she had trouble keeping her eyelids open and was actively fighting against her tired mind. Calling it a night he brought her into her room and tucked her into bed. Licht was quick on their heels and jumped Mai's bed, making herself comfortable next to the girl.

After that he made his way back to his room, giving one last glance at the book he read. How nice it would be to have a soul.


"You?" Julia said with a small chuckle. "You were teaching her the alphabet?"

All three of them sat at the dinner table and were currently enjoying their breakfast. Mai intently listened to their conversation while she ate from her plate.

"Yes," Wolfe said with a raised eyebrow. "Am I going about this the wrong way?"

"No!" His mother hurriedly answered him. "Not at all. I just can't picture you teaching a child. You manage to surprise me again and again. It's sweet of you."

"Do you want to show me what you learned?" She regarded Mai curiously, to which the girl nodded.

"A," she started recounting what they learned in the last evening. "B, C, D, E, F, G-G… uhm… I?"

"Almost, sweety." His mother said, ruffling her hair as soon as she saw the dejected look when she realized she made a mistake. "If you like we can continue learning the alphabet after Wolfe leaves, okay?"

"Okay." She said relieved.

For the next few minutes, Wolfe listened intently to what his mother planned to do for the time when he was gone. Many even included their newest addition to their household and how to make her feel more at home, giving his own suggestions and ideas on the matter.

"Well, you always were a good listener, Wolfe." She said with a small. "Thanks for lending me your ear."

"Please don't go asking for my eye next," He said. "I only have so many to give."

"Was that a joke, Wolfe?" She let out a short laugh. "From you? Looks like someones having an increasingly good mood."

Her eyes wandered towards Mai who still followed their conversation. Understanding flashed in his mother's eyes and gave her a small smile, which Mai reciprocated.

After two hours, Wolfe packed everything he needed for the journey, donned his armor, and collected his gear. After all his supplies were in order he stood outside their door while his mother and Mai stood beneath the portal.

"When will you be back?" Mai asked, saddened by the prospect of him leaving.

"In a few weeks." He answered her. "But I promise you that we can continue learning when I get back."

"Promise?" She held out the small finger of her hand.

Wolfe crouched down and enveloped her small finger with his own.

"Promise." A smile worked itself on her lips and Mai jumped forward hugging him, an action he reciprocated. "Licht is going to stay here and keep you company."

Letting her go Mai slowly retreated back inside waving him goodbye, leaving his mother and him to themselves.

"Please be careful, Wolfe."

"Always," he said hugging her and giving her a kiss on top of her head, between her ears.

With their goodbyes said, he gestured for Nacht to follow him to the village. Reaching the center, Wolfe met with Avelinn and Sienna. He was to share a truck with four other White Fang members. Those included Avelinn, Tucson, Adam, and one more person he did not know and he has come to dislike the presence of their fifth companion.

He was a lot older than the rest of them and, like Adam, did not remove his mask. The moment Wolfe stepped foot into the truck the man avoided looking in his direction and obviously felt unnerved while in his presence. The reason behind his dislike was because of the man's singing. Not that he had anything against singing in general but he found his voice to be grating his ears and he preferred to leave his eardrums intact. Fortunately for him, it would seem the others were also bothered by the use of his vocal range. The song in question, Wolfe recognized as one that was created after a particular battle was fought during the Great War where the Faunus have come out as victors and the human forces have suffered grievous losses.

Adam let out an exasperated sigh.

"I know that song." He said, barely hiding his irritation. "You sang it weeks ago ten times in a row. You were drunk."

"Nothing wrong with singing or being drunk, lad." The man let out a hearty laugh. "We should always make sure to remember our past."

"Sounds like a… lovely song," Avelinn said, trying to be polite.

"Why indeed it is." He said not catching her tone. "It's about battles won and comradery forged between our ancestors who stood united under a common goal."

"I remember a mention of humans?" Adam asked who took great amusement from the way the man suddenly jerked upright as his attention suddenly snapped towards Wolfe.

"What?" He asked.

"I-i-i shall sing something else, shall I?" He stammered nervously looking outside towards the back of their vehicle. "And I shall do so somewhere else!"

And with the man's departure, they were now only four people in the back of the truck. The man's hasty retreat brought peace and quiet to their space which was soon broken by Tucson and Avelinn who shared stories of their youth with each other. The good parts at least. Wolfe only listened, for he did not have a childhood to talk about. And it would seem that Adam, whatever reasons he had, shared his sentiments.


Wolfe and Nacht shared the space of one of the White Fang's transport trucks with Avelinn, Tucson, and a teenage boy he has come to know as Adam Taurus. While the two former members seemed more at ease around him, the Adam observed him from behind his Grimm-like mask ever since they left the village four days ago. For almost five days they have been traveling through Mistral's untamed mountains and forests. It would take them another two days to reach their destination. While sleep already claimed Avelinn and Tucson, Adam chose to be far more cautious around him, untrusting even. Since their travels began he has not once exchanged a word with him and her hand did not stray too far from his weapon. But he did not care, for he was not here to make friends, nor did Wolfe expect for them to see him as such. He was only there to see their caravan reach its destination and for him to meet up with Roman Torchwick and Neopolitan. The journey to Mistral so far has gone without any major hiccups. He only hoped that lady luck would not abandon them prematurely.

Peering out through the open back of their transporter, his eyes lingered on the forest they were currently navigating through. Avelinn informed him that the Kingdoms Atlas and Mistral have dubbed this particular forest the 'Darkwald'. How a forest located in Mistral came to have a distinctly Atlesean name, did capture his interest. The history most likely predating the Great War. What had started as a clear and well-marked path, degenerated to overgrown shrubs and pushes who tried to reclaim the road, the only visible pathway to civilization, back to nature's embrace. During the day the thicket of trees denied them to gaze deeper into the forest which only served to be more ominous during the night. Even the guiding light of the moon was denied to them by the forest. Because of that Wolfe could tell that the members of the White Fang have grown in their state of unease. This time his gene was only partly to blame for it, as the forest was notorious for harboring bandits and Grimm in numbers uncounted.

Sienna was in a constant state of worry the moment they entered the Darkwald. He on the other hand did not worry about them encountering any Grimm. Her fears were not unfounded, however. Many who traveled through the Darkwald went missing, never to be heard or seen from again. Their unfortunate fate, unknown. Thanks to his gene the creature of the old night would keep their distance and wait for prey that would better suit their never-ending hunger.

Looking over to Nacht, Wolfe saw that his companion was also in deep slumber, his ears twitching from time to time. With his unarmored hand, he started to run through his black fur. A shame Licht was not here. But it was best for her to keep Mai company while he left for a few weeks. And since the white wolf stayed behind, Wolfe did not need to worry about their well-being too much and knew that someone would be there to defend them should the need arise.

A howl that echoed through the Darkwald brought his eyes back to the edges of the forest. He knew that the beast that howled into the night was no wolf, there was no mistake to that. Wolfe loathed the Beowulf in particular as it's very being mocked that of his companions, Nacht and Licht. Fortunately for them and unfortunately for him, Grimm could sense his very presence and chose to ignore him as best they could. It was hard to find joy in the pursuit of purging these tainted and wretched abominations from Remnant's surface.

Wolfe questioned if the Grimm truly feared him. The few scriptures, regarding the Pariah Gene he discovered, stated this to be a fact. But said scriptures also talked about the 'Two Brother Gods'. He was not the religious sort and simply discarded the tomes as the babbling of a madman.

"It's rude to stare, you know." He addressed the only other passenger within their transport that was awake at this current hour, slowly turning to regard him with his good eye.

Adam bristled under his gaze and her hand tightened around the hilt of her weapon.

"You should get some sleep." Wolfe continued.

"Don't tell me what to do, human!" the teenage boy spat through clenched teeth.

"I'm not telling you to do anything. I'm merely suggesting you rest."

Adam's lips formed into a thin line betraying no further emotions of contempt but did not remove his inquisitive eyes from him. A lengthy period of time passed between the only two passengers who were still awake, staring at each other. Wolfe concluded that he unknowingly must have offended the boy, that was when he addressed him once more.

"Why?" Adam asked in a hushed voice as to not wake the others. Upon seeing the questioning face he held, the young White Fang member elaborated further. "Why help us? Why help the Faunus when you yourself could live your life in the comforts of humanity's exploits against my people?"

"You believe me to have an ulterior motive to help the Faunus strive for equality?"

"Yes!" he snapped in irritation. "Humans don't simply make selfless sacrifices for us when the only thing they know is to take. You may have fooled Sienna and Ghira but I will not be so easily manipulated for I don't trust you."

"You or any other person not trusting my words is none of my concern," Wolfe replied, his eyes taking a harsher note. "What is my concern, however, is how the lives of the people I have come to cherish are worth less than that of an animal."

"The the little sham of a family you created, you mean?" Adam scoffed at the insinuation. "You believe me to take that seriously?"

"No." Wolfe replied calmly "Your opinion on the matter holds no substance to me, be it positive or negative."

"Their safety and well-being are my priority and I will see to it that those who wish harm onto them pay dearly for their transgressions."

His jaw clenched. While the Wandering Wolf didn't show any hostility towards him in body-language and tone, the seriousness with which he spoke made Adam question if he misjudged the man in front of him. He knew of the circumstances surrounding his family and as much as he disliked it, Adam could not argue against his reasoning.

"But if my words are not enough for you maybe my actions will speak louder," Wolfe said as his attention was brought back to the Darkwald.

"We will see."


With the abrupt halt of their truck, Adam was violently thrust out of his dream. His mood immediately soured. The first time in a while he dreamt of his mother and his father. Of times where his family was whole and not ripped away from him by the humans at the young age of eight. A time where he could view the world with both of his eyes in all it's splendor. Something that was taken from him by the humans too.

The shouting of a few White Fang members could be heard and he recognized Sienna's among them. Avelinn and Tucson it seemed were also thurst out of their slumber just like he was and judging by their confused looks they too did not know what was going on.

The human stood from where he lingered and jumped out of their shared space.

"What's going on?" Avelinn asked him.

"Looks like they found something," Wolfe said, gesturing further ahead of their convoy and made his way to investigate.

The other three White Fang members shared short glances with each other before following in Wolfe's footsteps. From afar Adam noticed the gathering of his comrades, some even had their weapons trained into the forest, keeping an eye out for any unwelcome visitors.

Reaching the other members, Adam's skin grew paler in color by the sight that greeted him. Three Faunus laid dead in the dirt road they traveled on. Limbs ripped from their bodies, rib cages savaged by massive claws, bite-marks adorning their penetrated skin. The entrails of two of their fallen comrades lay strewn across the road. Their faces contorted into a silent scream as they met their final moments.

From the corner of his eye, Adam noticed the Wandering Wolfe take in the butchery with an unnerving calm while he observed the ruined bodies. He could already feel his anger rising and wanted to vent his frustrations at the human's indifference.

"Dammit," Ghira muttered solemnly a heavy sigh escaping him.

"Gather their remains," Sienna told the group. "We will give them a proper burial. That is the least we can do."

Sienna looked towards Ilia who grew paler than anyone else in the group. While she wasn't one of the newer White Fang recruits, this was the first time she traveled beyond the safety of walls. The first encounter of the aftermath of a Grimm attack was always a stomach-churning experience. Sienna put a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder, squeezing it comfortably.

"You don't have to see this." She said in understanding to the grizzly sight, gesturing towards the convoy. "No one will fault you."

"No," Ilia said in defiance, looking at Sienna. "I'll help. I need to do this."

Sienna nodded and sighed tiredly. The Grimmlands, the uncharted territories of Remnant were still as hostile as ever. The Darkwald was no exception to that rule. Many unfortunate souls met their ends in these woods.

"Watch out for anymore Grimm." She told the guards. "I don't want any more nasty surprises."

"Then I have to apologize when I have to be the bearer of bad news." All eyes were now on the Wandering Wolf as he addressed Sienna and Ghira.

He placed a piece of blood-soaked rope in Sienna's hands, her expression contorting from shock to anger in a matter of moments.

"All three bodies have signs of bruising on their wrists and ankles," Wolfe stated.

Shock and disgust made their way through everyone present. These people were left to be slaughtered by the creatures of Grimm without a second thought.

"Who would do this?" Ilia asked in disbelief.

"The Hand most likely." Adam spat the name as if he had taken a bite out of a rotting apple.

The Hand, a group of human extremists hell-bent on the subjugation of the Faunus race and subsequent execution of those who opposed them in their goals. Wolfe has heard of them and has met them a few times in his travels. Unpleasant people they all were and their meetings always ended in blood. Not that he was sorry about the outcomes.

"It would fit with what they've been doing in the past." Sienna groused. "But there nothing we can do since they're most likely long gone. Judging by the state of the bodies they are days old."

"That they have and they will face justice in due time." Ghira said "But for now let us lay the dead to rest. Look for any form of identification. We should inform their loved ones of their passing."

Wolfe knew that tension within the group was heightened by the discovery, few White Fang members even shot looks of anger in his direction.

Looking around, Wolfe found two people missing from the group. Leaving Adam, Sienna, and Ghira and their current discussion, he could not find the others and made his way towards one of the guards.

"Have you seen where Tucson and Avelinn went?"

Wolfe could tell that the woman wanted him gone and pointed to an opening of the Darkwald where a trail of blood from the dismembered corpses led from.

"Thanks." He said while he heard her mutter something under her breath. He chose to ignore it and started his search for the two missing Faunus.

When he entered the opening into the forest he continued to follow the tracks of long dried blood. From the low growls emitted from Nacht who stayed by his side, Wolfe could tell something was not right. He reached a point where a struggle has occurred and the tracks were still fresh. Minutes old he deduced. Wolfe's worry increased exponentially. His grip around his glaive tightened as he motioned Nacht to pick up the scent of Tucson and Avelinn. The black wolf broke out into a sprit soon after and Wolfe followed his companion's lead.

The thicket of the Darkwald seemed impenetrable to him as his eyes could hardly see past a certain point. It was as if the forest mocked his senses and dared him to enter any further. Wolfe had to rely on Nacht if he wanted to find them.

When they reached a small clearing, Wolfe was met with the sight of six people sporting all kinds of weaponry from axes, revolvers, swords, and a shotgun. He did not fail to notice a particular white armband around their right arm displaying a crude black hand and their dark-gray clothing. It would seem as if Adam's hunch was right as their presence indicated their involvement with the savaged bodies on the road. Now this group of human extremists held Tucson and Avelinn captive, their hands bound behind their backs with rope while they were forced to their knees. Their White Fang masks lay shattered in front of them.

Behind them stood a bald man who's appetite certainly got the better of him with a revolver and a black-haired woman with a distinct facial scar on her cheek carrying a shotgun.

Four of the five of those that stood in front of their captives wore black ballistic masks, obscuring their faces. The fifth person, however, seemed to be the leader of this little rabble of human waste. He stood tall with his back straight and his hands behind his back, trying to maintain an air of superiority as his brown eyes glared at Tucson and Avelinn with an open display of revulsion. Their mere existence offending the man.

"You animals will know your place as soon as we sell you to the slave market." The man said with no little amount of cruelty. "Order will once again be restored when all of your filth learn their place in this world."

Wolfe gestured Nacht to stalk between the shadows of the Darkwald and make his way to the side of the woman who held the shotgun.

"Fuck you, you-" The fist of the leader connected with Tucson's stomach not giving him the chance to finish his sentence. The air in his lungs violently left his lungs as he doubled over in pain.

Grabbing a fistful of the Faunus's black hair, the leader lifted Tucson's face so he could look him into his eyes.

"It would seem that this animal doesn't know how to address his betters." He said, eliciting laughs from the others. "I'll be sure to train you well."

His gaze wandered towards Avelinn and his face contorted into immediate disgust as their eyes met. He knelt down in front of her face.

"You," He spat, barely containing his hatred for the Faunus woman. "You are a halfling. An abomination. An affront to nature."

Grabbing her hair, he pulled her closer, making her cry out in pain.

"Let her go you bastard," Tucson said. His protest was short-lived as the revolver of the man that stood behind connected with the back of his head.

"You're not even worth selling." He continued, ignoring Tucson's outburst and drew a small rusted dagger, and placed it under Avelinn's scales that were on her cheek. The woman started to panic but the leader had a firm grip on her.

"What say you if I remove those hideous scales from you?" The voice of the man was playful. "Maybe then you might be human enough for someone to fuck you. What do you say?"

Avelinn responded by spitting the man in the face, glaring daggers in defiance at him. He wiped the saliva from his face, clenching his teeth.

"That wasn't very civilized now was it?" He said backhanding Avelinn, making her fall to the ground.

The woman standing behind Avelinn put the end of her shotgun on her knee. Wolfe realized what was about to happen and Nacht was still too far away from the woman to intervene. He immediately sprung into action rushing the gathered extremists of the Hand. But it was too late. The woman pulled the trigger ruining Avelinn's knee, blood exploding outward from the grievous wound, making the Faunus wail in agony.

Sienna and the others must have heard the shot. Wolfe certainly hoped so, not because of his chances against this filth. But because he, unfortunately, did not possess the medical knowledge to handle wounds as severe as that that was inflicted onto Avelinn's knee. Were they looking for a fight or did they not know that more members of the White Fang were close by. He perished the thought for it did not matter now.

"Shame." The man said, an arrogant smirk adorning his face. "Now you will have to serve as entertainment for us. And after? Well the Grimm certainly will-"

His crazed rant was interrupted as the blade of Wolfe's glaive tore through his spine as it cleaved his body from behind. The man did not scream, he did not utter a single word, he instead looked on in incomprehensible shock at the bloody blade protruding from the gory ruin of his stomach. His eyes glassed over once Wolfe withdrew his steel from the man's body, making him fall over like an overfilled sack of rice. He was fortunate as they had no Aura to speak of and this little distraction would reach its conclusion rather quickly.

The others watched as their leader fell limb to the ground. Wolfe could see that some of them began to panic whilst his actions only further enraged the others. Their pointed glares met his eyes and were not only unnerved by their cold nature, but an immense feeling of dread started to settle into them, thanks to Wolfe's aura. But it did not give them pause for long.

Four of the extremists rushed him simultaneously from the front. As their distance drew to a close, Wolfe sprung into action using his armored fist to punch the man nearest to him in his stomach, making him fall on his knees and lose his breakfast. Turning around he parried the incoming blow from the sword of his second assailant, throwing the man back from the swift collision of their weapons, making him crash into his fellow comrades. Wolfe capitalized on the breathing room he created for himself, turned and with an overhead strike, decapitated the man who still nursed his aching belly.

The others sneered at him in an animalistic fashion. The irony was not missed by him. He could tell that the last six remaining members of the extremist group felt unnerved by his cold and calculating eyes. Wolfe wanted to end this as fast as possible so he could tend to Avelinn's wounds.

As Wolfe rushed the man closest to him, he cut the man clean in half at the waist. Blood exploded from the wound, the dismembered halves falling to the dirt. A short pained scream escaped his lips before the afterlife claimed him. Sensing the incoming strike from the sword of the third member, he blocked the incoming attack which came down for his head. Kicking the man in the shin he fell forward and Wolfe repaid the attack that was meant for him in kind, splitting the man's skull in twain, leaving his gray matter to the wilderness of Mistral.

During the melee frenzy, the other woman raised her shotgun at Wolfe, aiming down the sights of her weapon after she recovered from the initial shock. As she placed her finger on the trigger a low deep growl emanated from behind her. When she spun around Nacht pounced, his sharp fangs burying themselves into her throat. She desperately tried to get out of the beast's massive jaws but found her protests dying quickly as Nacht tore her throat open, dying in a pool of her own blood.

The man who still held Tucson in his grip watched in fear as the wolf dispatched his comrade so easily. Aiming his revolver at the massive black beast he fired two rounds, both shots missing the hound. Nacht retreated back into the cover of the Darkwald, observing the rest of the battle from the shadows.

The last man of the group that decided to engage him shivered all over and his pants started to gain a darker color and the stench of bodily fluids assaulted his nostrils. Wolfe did not know if bravery or foolishness gripped the man's heart when he finally rushed him. Not that it mattered in the end. Lazily, Wolfe knocked the blade out of the fourth assailant's hand, and with the swift retrieval of his hunting knife, he pushed the small blade through the man's jugular, pinning his body against a nearby tree. Standing so close to the man, Wolfe could smell the urine that stained his clothes. Chocking on his own blood the terrified man looked into Wolfe's eyes, unable to properly process as to what had happened to him and his comrades who were cut down in swift murderous succession. When the light in his eyes died, Wolfe discarded his body to the side.

The man still holding on to Tucson, witnessed in horror how Wolfe disposed of his comrades. When he made the first step towards him, the man threw his prisoner in the dirt and stumbled over himself as he tried to escape for he knew he would be next. The man wasn't the most athletic of people and did not come too far as Wolfe's throwing ax embedded itself into his thigh. The extremist let out an ear-piercing howl as steel ate its way through his flesh. The wound bled profusely while he wailed in agony on the ground. He at least was wise enough to not engage him but considering all that has transpired, Wolfe was not in the mood to simply let him retreat in whatever hole he and his misbegotten kind crawled out of.

Drawing his hunting knife, he freed Tucson from his bindings, inclining his head towards Avelinn. The man understood his silent instruction and nodded in understanding. As he rushed to aid the woman who still writhed in agony, Wolfe made his way towards the last extremist that remained who desperately tried to crawl away from him.

The man noticed as Wolfe closed the distance between them, frantically trying to reach for his discarded revolver. Before he could reach his gun, the heel of Wolfe's boot came crashing down pining his hand against the ground. The satisfying sound of bones breaking reached his ears. Another bout of painful screams came out of the man's mouth. The glare that the man leveled in his direction was as pitiful as his bared teeth that were rotting slowly rotting away.

He could tell that this human waste understood that his death was a certainty he could not escape.

"You disgusting race-traitor!" He snarled furiously, spittle flowing down the sides of his mouth. Unfortunately for him, his voice betrayed more terror than hate to Wolfe. "My brothers will see to it that every animal and every animal-fucker like you is hanged from every tree on every road to Mistral!"

Before he made to speak any more of his senseless drivel, Wolfe struck the man's head with the pommel of his glaive. The extremist groaned from the strike and fell silent. Wolfe grew satisfied when he achieved the intended effect of his strike.

When Wolfe turned his head at the sound of multiple people approaching, he saw that Sienna, Adam, and multiple White Fang Members arrived at the scene. The sight that presented itself gave them pause as their eyes settled upon the carnage he committed. Sienna's focus was quickly brought to Tucson and Avelinn, the latter still writhing in agony from the shotgun blast that almost tore her lower leg off.

"Avelinn!" She shouted in distress at the sight of her injured friend. Sienna and one of their field-medics rushed to her side.

With a hand on the hilt of his sword, Adam made his way towards Wolfe and the last remaining member of the extremist group. The rest of the White Fang members followed suit, their weapons raised in alarm. Coming to a stop next to Wolfe, Adam sneered at the man who still laid on the ground. Wolfe tossed the revolver in the direction of one of the White Fang members, making sure he could not put his maggot-like fingers on it again. The extremist looked up from his position and glared at Adam.

"You fucking anima-" His sentence was cut short with the twist of Wolfe's heel, damaging his broken hand even further and eliciting another cry of pain from his teeth-rotten mouth.

Adams frown deepened and he made ready to draw his blade only to be halted by Wolfe's hand. The surprise that marred his face quickly turned to anger at the human's intervention.

"Don't bother." Wolfe addressed him, reaching down he pulled his ax out of the extremist's leg which resulted in another fit of agonized whimpers, savaging his wound further. "If the blood-loss won't kill him, the Grimm will."

The sentence uttered by the Wandering Wolf gave him pause at first but he understood his intent. Their eyes met for only the briefest of moments before Wolfe made his way back towards Sienna and Avelinn. The coldness in his eye with which he could have rivaled Solitas' icy tundras, unsettled Adam. That coldness wasn't present the last time he looked into them. A shiver ran down his spine combined with the additional aura Wolfe emitted. The bull Faunus spared the terrified man one last look and followed Wolfe back to the others.

As Wolfe closed the distance towards the group he watched how Sienna tried to comfort Avelinn who still writhed in pain while the field medics tried to stop the bleeding. Kneeling next to the injured woman he observed the ruin that was once her knee. Avelinn would live but she would never be able to walk normally again. Wolfe cursed under his breath, they would arrive in Mistral in two days' time. He would have to inform Watts to set up an operation table for her at one of the abandoned industrial buildings. A hand firmly grasped his armored one, bringing his attention to the unexpected contact. It was Avelinn's, her gray pain-stricken eyes looking into his. Two more White Fang members came into the clearing with a stretcher in hand and loaded Avelinn onto it and made their way back to the convoy. Before Sienna made to follow she took one last look around at the carnage Wolfe left behind and regarded the man.

"I'm glad you were here before worse could happen to her." She told him, Wolfe recognizing her concern. "We have to get her to one of Mistral's hospitals."

He nodded ate her urgency.

"I know someone who could help with the surgery." He said, making the woman pause before she could leave. "Off the books of course."

"Who?"

"An old… friend," Wolfe said, finding the term unfitting, leaving a weird aftertaste in his mouth. He knew too well that Watts viewed him as nothing more than guineapig. But their collaboration was born out of necessity.

"You seem to be unsure about this 'friend' of yours." She said eyes narrowing slightly.

"He's a Doctor and scientist," Wolfe elaborated, starting to take his leave with her. "We have come to a mutual understanding."

She gave it thought for a few seconds and agreed to it. Before they could completely leave a chuckle captured their attention and the heads of Wolfe, Sienna, Adam, and the rest of the White Fang members present turned towards the last surviving extremist of the Hand. Wolfe was surprised that the man was still alive with how profusely he was losing blood.

"Don't think you animals have achieved some victory today," The cruelty which he spoke and his amusement for Avelinn's suffering disgusted everyone. "My brothers and sisters will skin that bitch if she doesn't die today-"

Wolfe's patients ran out. He let out a sharp whistle and with an angry snarl, Nacht jumped out of the forest rushing the only other human. The Hand member let out a panicked scream, all cruelty was forgotten as the wolf buried his teeth into his throat. A round of shock made its way through the White Fang members at the sudden appearance of his companion. The man desperately fought back but his fate was sealed. With the next few seconds, the man died an agonizing death between Nacht's maw. And as he did so Nacht unceremoniously dropped his corpse to the ground and made his way back to Wolfe. Everyone also giving his loyal companion a wide berth.

"We should leave as soon as possible." Wolfe snapped Sienna out of her shock. "I will give my contact a heads up regarding Avelinn and her situation."

Not waiting for an answer Wolfe and Nacht made their way back to the convoy.


I hope you enjoyed this rather long chapter.

Since I'll be having exams and projects in the next couple of months, updates will come at a slower pace.

For those of you who are disappointed in that regard, I apologize. But my exams have a higher priority.

I have a general idea for the next two chapters and the tone will get darker in those. And I hope I can deliver on that.

Any feedback is welcomed.