Another chapter? So soon! Why yes, random person who may or may not have wondered that! Yang was ready to go and I couldn't tell her no. Mostly because she'd kick my butt.

I didn't plan to upload this early, but I'm so stressed over what's going to happen in the show this episode (no spoilers!) and I couldn't sleep. It's still winter break and I don't have classes to stress about. Don't judge me!

Yang, save me from rambling!

Yang hated the forest.

Maybe that wasn't fair to say. The forest was beautiful and peaceful. Wandering in the deepest recesses enabled one to forget the world for a time. A brief time, but Yang welcomed whatever respite she could get.

Mother Nature provided everything for the weary traveler if one knew where to look. She had long since learned to discern edible plants from poisonous ones - mostly through education, though some had come from painful experimentation. Nowadays she simply learned to avoid a plant if she was unfamiliar with it, deciding to go a bit longer without food was preferable to constipation. Or worse.

To say Yang hated the forest wasn't fair. She loved the forest for a myriad of reasons. Yet as she felt a twig tickle her back, the sharp end of it prodding her through her coat. Tugging on it yanked at a few strands of hair, and after yanking it free she winced, nursing her scalp. Glowering at the offending wood she snapped it between her fingers, then set it aflame for good measure.

"Stupid woods…" the Dimuran growled, flicking her fingers as ash fluttered away on the wind. One nuisance was gone, and another replaced it. Her stomach growled, echoing another disgruntled groan from Yang herself. She probably hadn't eaten in… What was it now. Two days? Possibly three?

The forest provided for you, but only if you had the time to look. Yang didn't have the time. Aside from resting inside of a tree or in a cave she hadn't time for anything besides traveling. Her last luxury had been a bath in the river, a luxury that, despite being only a few days removed, already felt like ages ago.

Her feet ached and a sore on her left sole throbbed whenever her foot struck the earth. A blister, and only that if she was lucky. Try as she might to ignore it the incessant, stabbing pain was beginning to irritate her. It was why she set the twig alight, why the woods, for all its majesty, was stupid and stinky and other words she couldn't bother to think of. I really should have stolen a horse from that farm. Woulda been quicker than walking…

Yang huffed and found a fallen log to sit on, testing its strength with the toe of her boot before collapsing. The wood creaked, and bark chipped away. Crossing her left leg over her right, ankle at the knee, she unwound the purple cloth binding it at the shin, undid leather straps and slid it off. Turning her foot over she winced seeing the sore, fingers tracing around the reddened spot.

"Yeah… Guess that's about right…" She should count her blessings that a bad blister was all she had to show for her travels. After her encounter with the three idiots it had been a peaceful journey, if a painstakingly slow one. Yang let her foot rest and reached back for her pack, a small, worn pouch fastened to her waist. Digging inside of it she produced a vial of green mush, viscous to the point that shaking the container did nothing.

The mixture stunk when she uncorked it and she turned away to cough. "Can't they make medicine smell good?" she grumbled, complaining to no one but herself. Resigning herself to it with a sigh Yang stuck a finger in and scooped out a sampling. Then, examining her popped blister, she rubbed the salve over the wound. Instantly her skin felt cooler for it, a pleasant tingling dancing across her foot.

All it would do is stave off infection. Having an infected foot while traveling would be miserable, so Yang decided that was good enough. Lathering on a thin film she wiped the remaining mixture off on a leaf, corking the vial and placing it back in her pack.

How far was she now? She had to be getting close at this point. Though she lacked a map she had a general idea of the area around her, and she knew she had been traveling east. Craning her neck skyward her lilac eyes caught the rays piercing through treetops, streaks of gold striking through a forest of green. Its warmth caught her skin and splashed her face and for a moment Yang simply sat as she was, closing her eyes and enjoying the peace and solitude.

Wind caused branches to sway and leaves to rustle, no louder than a gentle whisper. One branch creaked, and Yang popped open one eye, glancing at a squirrel nearby. Clutching an acorn in its paws it stopped and stared back, black, beady eyes curious and wary. Yang felt her stomach growl again and she bit her lip as she watched the animal scurry off, disappearing inside. "Drat…" She could have eaten that. Maybe she still could.

"Eh… Not worth the effort."

The dull throb in her foot had begun to cease thanks to the salve. It looked gross as hell, Yang decided, staring at the mixture slathered across her foot. Kind of like puss. "Well, if it's any con-sole-ation…" She snickered at her joke as she slipped her boot back on. "We're almost out of the woods!"

And not a moment too soon. Not only was she hungry and tired, and sore and once again filthy, but she was talking to herself. Not in a crazy, 'I'm hearing colors and smelling sounds' kind of way, but in a 'I'm bored and need something to do' manner. It was a distinction Yang felt the need to make, if for nothing else other than to assure herself she was still sane.

Strapped back into place Yang pat her boot and hopped back to her feet. The day was young and the sun not even overhead quite yet. If she was going in the right direction, then the next town should only be a few miles away. Hopefully by late afternoon she'd arrive. There she could resupply, maybe get a real meal at a tavern and…

A prickling pain brought her musings to a halt. What felt like half a dozen mosquitos biting at her neck made Yang's lips draw a thin line and her jaw tighten. She didn't bother to swat, knowing full well there were no insects. Her eyes drifted around the forest and she stared at every shadow she saw. None of them moved save for a branch causing them to shift. She remained rigid as the trees around her, muscles tensed, ears straining for the faintest, out of place noise. When nothing came, and the sensation subsided she released a breath and clicked her tongue.

The sooner she was rid of the forests the better.

After sating her thirst and stretching Yang continued her along her way. There were no paths and so she only had the sun and a vague sense of direction to navigate by. Thank gods for that otherwise she would be utterly lost.

Woods were funny like that. Spend long enough traveling in them and you might become disoriented. You could pass by the same tree twice without realizing it, and before you knew what happened you'd be walking in a circle. It hadn't happened to her before, she knew her way around, but it happened enough to be a cautionary tale. Though Yang wondered what idiot traveled without such basic knowledge of how to use the sun as a guide.

Oaks, spruce and birch melded together around her, strips of white bark clashing with dark, ashen browns. The crunch of leaves underfoot became softened as she trodded over clumps of pine needles, the two sounds trading out occasionally. Birds sang without a care for the lone girl walking in their midst, and Yang watched as a yellow and black… Something, she wasn't a bird expert, hopped along a branch before taking flight. Small wings beat furiously and ferried it away, disappearing behind a cluster of trees to her right.

Yang envied the wildlife. All they had to worry about was survival. Animals weren't burdened by knowledge or duty. If they ate once a day it was considered a success and they could slumber for the rest. She clicked her tongue in annoyance as a chipmunk darted across the ground in front of her. Stringier than a squirrel and not worth the effort of chasing.

By the time the sun was overhead the landscape had at long last begun to shift. Trees became sparser, spruce vanishing in favor of birch. Occasionally Yang would encounter a stump and a sign, and even a trail now and again. She had moved on from the middle of nowhere and into a still middle of nowhere, but now slightly populated nowhere. Another hour and perhaps she'd be to town, or at the very least, out of the forest.

Knowing she was so close put a pep in her step and despite the ache in her legs Yang moved with a renewed fervor. Freed from her hood long voluminous locks bounced with each step, cascading down her back like a waterfall of gold. On instinct she reached back and plucked a leaf from her hair, holding it in her palm before blowing on it, watching it flutter away soundlessly.

Her stomach growled again, an unpleasant gnaw accompanying it this time. Nursing her abdominals and slowing her pace Yang looked around for food. As if she'd find any so easily. A handful of birch trees, patches of poison oak, their red and green leaves glistening dangerously. She wouldn't get it, but that didn't mean she wanted to tread through it regardless.

Unless she wanted to eat rocks or random leaves there was nothing for her to munch on, so she continued. The throb in her foot returned but was little more than an annoying feeling, one devoid of any real pain. The salve, as dreadful as it smelled, had done its trick. And soon she would be in town, off her feet and able to relax.

Yang rolled her neck and groaned hearing joints pop. Her shoulders did the same, and she was sure if she tried, her back would sound off like crackling fire. Taking her canteen out again she chased away the desert in her throat, forcing herself to stop and save what little water remained. Her lips, dry as the leaves crunching beneath her feet, were licked and moistened. She needed more water. Maybe she could find a river nearby? Yang had a general direction but not an exact idea of the area so finding anything at this point would rely on dumb luck.

Slowing to a stop Yang's brow furrowed as she looked through the tree line. Unless she was delirious from hunger, and she knew she wasn't, there was a pillar of black smoke. Not large enough to suggest a forest fire, though the color of the smoke suggested wood burning. It was a purposeful burn and, Yang hoped as she changed direction, a sign that someone was close by. People meant food, and a chance to chat with someone other than herself. She wasn't sure which she welcomed more.

As Yang drew closer to the plumes she could make out the exterior of a building. Not overly large, large logs lay stacked atop one another, cross sections held in place by little else than gravity. The logs were cut to fit and little more, leaving ends jutting out at the corners in a haphazard manner.

She slowed her approach and lowered herself, using a bush of pokeberries as cover. Appetizing as the plant seemed, their plump, deep purple fruits she knew just a handful would kill her in hours. Besides, she'd made a discovery about the smoke. The wind blew and a puff of smoke wafted towards her. Her mouth watered, the telltale scent of meat sizzling over an open flame filling her nostrils and making her stomach grumble.

Someone lived here, that much was plain. Someone was also cooking. She could easily go up and steal the food, probably. It wasn't like some random hermit was going to stop her. She wasn't a thief though, and she wasn't going to condemn someone else to hunger just so she could satiate her own. Other people might, but not her.

Yang took a deep breath and put a smile on as she climbed through the bush, slowly approaching the house. Devoid of glass the windows were wide open, and from a distance she could see inside. A shelf with numerous pots and pans as well as various odds and ends stood against the wall. Stacks of hide piled beneath the window told her the person who lived here had to be a hunter of sorts. Made sense, because who else would live in the middle of the woods?

The house couldn't be much taller than a Beowolf. Some of the logs that comprised the walls were gnarled, with tufts of moss clung to the exterior, pale patches of green staining dark wood. A natural path led up to the front door, signs of a well and often traveled route. The door itself seemed to be the one thing not taken from the woods, the sleek, strangely polished slab of wood too finely crafted to be the work of a hunter. Yang stopped short of the door and lifted her head, watching puffs of black smoke peter out of the chimney. Inside she heard metal shift, probably the sound of a guard being moved.

And there was the smell of freshly seared meat again. Yang nearly drooled as the smell wafted out the front window, teasing her. Anticipating a hearty meal, she rubbed her hands together and grinned, approaching the door and rasping her knuckles against it.

"One moment!"

Huh, a woman's voice. Not that women couldn't be hunters, Yang noted. She just didn't see many of them. It tended to be one of those jobs that men felt the need to fill. Something about fragile masculinity or some nonsense. Yang shifted her weight and felt the urge to slip off her boot and itch at her sore foot. That was good. Itching meant healing.

The door opened, and Yang flashed her winningest smile at the woman on the other side. She was small, smaller than Yang anyways. A slender figure donned in loose fitting clothing, a deep brown tunic fastened to her waist by a leather belt, and green trousers wrapped around her ankles with bandages. Mud encrusted boots, the laces frayed, told Yang they were a bit old and probably in need of replacing soon.

"Can I help you…?"

Yang's eyes drifted up the woman and she widened her smile, incidentally flashing her sharp canines. The woman didn't seem to mind. "Yeah, uh… I know this is gonna sound weird, but bear with me, 'kay?" The woman blinked and stared, not saying anything. Neat, she wasn't chasing her off yet. "See, I'm traveling, and it's been a while since I last ate. I'm kinda wondering if uh… You got anything to spare?"

The woman arched a thin brow and Yang felt her smile waver slightly. Gray eyes searched her and she had to wonder what she looked like. A few days removed from a bath and probably dirty, at least she looked the part of a traveler if nothing else. The woman's eyes drifted over Yang and she glanced at the woman's nose, a small scar stretching horizontally over the bridge. Besides that and a fresh cut on her left cheek the woman's skin looked flawless. A good hunter then. Good hunters knew how to keep out of trouble.

"I don't make a habit of giving food away for free," the woman commented. "Certainly not to strangers anyways. Got anything to trade?"

"Sure do! Lemme see…" With all the grace of a knight in armor Yang plopped down onto path, opening her bag and skimming through it. She produced the knife she'd taken from the idiots, holding it out.

The woman took it and turned it over in her hands, face expressionless. The frayed leather around the handle peeled away as she ran a finger over it, and in the sunlight, Yang could finally appreciate just how rusted the blade was. Chipped too. Not exactly her best first offering.

"If this is your knife then no wonder you're hungry. This thing's awful." You don't know the half of it lady, Yang mused humorlessly. She accepted the knife back and dug through her bag's innards again. Not her canteen, not the medicine, she needed that. She doubted the woman could make use of some tinder, but she offered it anyways, shrugging when she shook her head.

"I could give ya some Lien? I don't have much, but I don't really need it either," Yang said, smiling hopefully.

The woman looked to consider it until Yang's stomach growled loud enough for both to hear. Both sets of brows raised at once and a sheepish smile from Yang along with it. She could play off her hunger all she wanted but her belly was keeping her honest. She was starving. Not actually starving, but hungry enough she'd considered, however briefly, robbing this woman of her meal.

A sigh passed through rosy red lips and the woman smiled, shaking her head. "It would be easy enough to simply rob me blind. The fact you're decent enough to offer to trade says a lot," she mused. Pushing open her door she stepped further inside, waving Yang along. "I've got a bit of an excess anyways. Come on, you can help me finish it."

That was all the incentive Yang needed. Bright as her golden hair catching the sunlight she grinned, hopping to her feet and nodding eagerly. Fastening her bag to her belt as she went she stepped into the house, glancing around as she entered. It was just as small as it had looked outside. A fireplace still radiated heat nearby, smoldering embers sizzling away inside. The shelf of pots and pans stood immediately beside it, and the third shelf from the top was crooked, held up just barely by a handful of skewed nails.

"I don't have a spare seat so you'll either need to sit or stand." the woman explained, gesturing to empty space as she sat at a small round table.

"No problem! And thanks, by the way!" Yang flashed another grin and readily accepted her meal, dropping into a cross-legged position in the middle of the floor. It was a small helping of venison, flesh lightly seared, a tantalizing caramel brown crust that crunched as Yang bit into it. Practically moaning as the food melted in her mouth she took another bite before blinking, realizing the woman was watching her, lips curled in an amused smile. "Oh, uh… Sorry!"

"Don't mind me. Just enjoying the show."

Oh? Yang grinned again and winked, teasing the woman. When she frowned and tilted her head Yang mentally slapped herself. She was referring to her tearing apart the meat like an animal, not… The thing she was thinking of. Duh. Snickering to herself she nodded and resumed eating, savoring the taste of a hot, fresh meal.

They ate in a comfortable silence and Yang let her eyes wander, mostly over her gracious host. Long strawberry-blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail, though a long, stubborn bang hung over the woman's right temple, partially obscuring her eye. Her face, much like the rest of her, was tanned, devoid of freckles, and despite being outside so long, smooth. Yang assumed so because she'd seen plenty of leather faced farmers. You could always tell who the sun decided to really punish, and from the looks of things this girl had been given an easy pass.

Caught staring Yang diverted her eyes elsewhere. Four thick beams rose from the floor to the ceiling, supporting equally girthy logs that stretched across the width of the house. Angled lumber joined together at a shallow peak overhead and thin sheets of wood were nailed in place, supporting the shingles that covered the roof outside. Yang noticed a string hanging from one of the beams with cloves of garlic, lavender, and rosemary hanging from it, and idly wondered what the woman was using them for. Cooking most likely.

Feeling her fingers scrape against the empty plate Yang pouted, staring at the pooled juices and silently debating licking it clean. Probably not the best look for a stranger, so instead she politely handed her dish over when offered. She'd hoped the woman might take pity and give her more to eat but when her empty plate was set aside she gave up on such a notion.

"So… Swell place you got here!" Yang beamed and leaned back, her hands behind her and fingers splayed out across the cold wooden floor. Her fingertips grazed a sparse carpet and she felt grains of dirt kick up.

"It's a home," her hostess replied, shrugging noncommittally before resuming her meal. Yang watched her fingerless-gloved hands tear at her meal and cocked her head to the side, counting four fingers on the left hand. Her ring finger was missing, nothing but a slight stub poking out.

"I like it! Nice and cozy, away from all the hustle and bustle of things. Probably gets a bit drafty in the winter though…?"

"I don't live here year-round."

"You don't?" Yang asked, blinking. "Where do you go then?"

The woman regarded Yang with a puzzled look, chewing her meal. "To the city, of course. I wouldn't live out here in the winter," she answered matter-of-factly.

Oh. That made sense. Yang chuckled and nodded, as if the answer was the most obvious thing in the world. Because it was, and she hadn't considered it. "Oh neat. So, you're from… What, Vindemia? That's the closest place I can think of!"

"Galloway, actually."

Yang whistled and leaned forward, propping her arm on her knee and laying her chin in her palm. She grinned and raised her eyebrows in a show of surprise. "Big city girl then, huh? What're you doing all the way out here then?"

She didn't get an answer immediately as the woman busied herself with eating. Rather than pester her Yang took the silence as a note and stretched her arms overhead. Both shoulders popped, and she sighed in relief, rolling her neck for good measure. Maybe if she was lucky she could score a warm bath next time she went into town. Warm water would do wonders for her aches and pains.

"I'm not originally from there," the girl muttered, staring down at her now empty plate. Before Yang could ask her hostess moved across the room and dropped both plates in a bucket, water splashing out along the sides. Despite the girl's forlorn look, or perhaps because of it, Yang felt compelled to ask.

"So… Your original home then," the Dimuran began carefully, pausing to see if the woman would cut her off. She didn't and so Yang continued. "Where are you from?"

"A town that's not here anymore."

"Grimm?" Yang asked, even though she knew the answer.

Her hostess nodded and let a silence fall. Wind brushed through the house, a pleasantly warm breeze, and Yang understood better why she didn't live here year-round. There would be absolutely no blocking out the cold of winter. Somewhere outside a wind chime she hadn't seen sang, metal pipes filling the forest with an otherworldly tune.

The girl's case wasn't a unique one, not really. Besides the more well-established settlements and cities plenty of towns came and went by way of the Grimm. Yang had seen enough ruined villages to know that. She also knew that survivors of such places tended not to like to talk about it, so rather than press further she changed the subject.

"Thanks for the food, by the way! I'll tell ya, it's been days since I last had anywhere to really rest. I was this close to eating pine cones!" She snickered, then grinned up at the other girl. "I guess you could say I was… Pining for some food!"

Yang did a double take hearing the hunter snicker, then looked around to make sure someone else wasn't in the room. Someone laughed at her joke? Someone actually laughed? Holy crap! Mark your calendars! Except Yang didn't have a calendar, or even know what day it was for that matter. This was a momentous occasion though! Like… Like the crowning of a new king, only bigger!

"That was terrible," strawberry-blonde snickered. "Though I'm just as bad for laughing I guess."

"Terrible? That was my best one yet!" As if that was something to be proud of. "Seriously though, thanks. I'm super lucky to meat someone out here, and even luckier they're nice! It might not seem like much, but that meal was really deer to me."

"Oh gods, please stop…" The woman rolled her eyes as she visibly fought to contain a smile, making Yang grin wide. Settling back down in her chair she wiped her hands down on her pants, then adjusted a gray scarf wrapped around her neck. Yang caught another scar on the underside of the woman's jaw, one that disappeared beneath the scarf.

Being with a stranger might make many a person uncomfortable, but not Yang. What did make her uncomfortable were long periods of silence. When the other girl didn't say anything for a time she decided to spark up conversation, racking her brain for topics. "Hey, what's your name, by the way?"

"What…?"

"Your name, what is it?" Yang repeated with a smile. Seemed like a simple enough question. The girl regarded her with the curiosity one might a dancing guard, staring like Yang had sprouted another head. "Uh… If you don't wanna tell me…"

"No, no, I don't mind. I just didn't expect to be asked. Honestly I figured you'd be leaving the moment you finished your meal." She wouldn't do that! Not only was it kind of seedy, okay, really seedy, but she was having an actual conversation again. No way was Yang going to pass this up! "My name is Avery Thulian."

Name didn't ring a bell, not that Yang knew everyone in Vale. She was safe then! "Nice to meetcha, Avery! I'm Yang!" She beamed and extended a hand which Avery shook easily. No surprise or caution, that was good. The wanted poster flicked through her mind and Yang was grateful for finding someone so isolated they might as well be oblivious. Maybe she was. "So! Are you taking these furs back to Galloway?"

"That's the plan. It's difficult, finding a market in a place like that. It's always so busy and there's plenty of other people selling hides." Avery shrugged and looked across the room. A pile of furs - deer, beaver, and even a wolf pelt neatly stacked beneath a window. "People pay for quality though. I might not bring in as many, but I tend to fetch decent prices."

"My my, someone's a big shot hunter," Yang teased, laughing when Avery's cheeks flushed.

"I have the luxury of time, plus I don't have any tanner really nagging me." She grabbed a small canteen from the table, a copper and tin piece with a few dents, popping it open and taking a few swigs. Yang shook her head when offered and held up her own and frowned when she finished the last of it. "Need more water? There's a river nearby you can fill it from."

"Oh, no kidding? Yeah, I could use some! Where's it at?"

"Just take a right when you leave the house, cut through the trees, you can't miss it," Avery waved her hand in show. "It's deep enough if you want to wash up too."

Yang pulled a face of disgust before chuckling. "Nah, I'm close enough to town that I may as well wait," she shook her head. Rising to her feet she dusted her hands off on her pants, then tilted her head thoughtfully. "Speaking of which, what's the closest town anyway? Besides Galloway, obviously."

"That would be… Alabaster. It's maybe three hours' time north of here," Avery answered, tapping her knee with one finger, "I can point it out for you if you have a map. It's not too far."

"Nah, general direction's all I need! Don't really have a map anyways."

"You don't?" Avery looked at Yang incredulously. "How in the world do you find your way around then?"

"Asking for directions, mostly," Yang said with a shrug. She flashed a playful smile and opened the door, but not before adding. "Usually from awesome people like you!"

Snickering when Avery rolled her eyes she waved, jogging out of the house and towards the water. It wasn't hard to find, she could make out the sounds of rushing water long before she ever saw it. Trees receded, and patches of tall grass grew out of soppy, marshy earth. Yang managed to find rocks to walk across, though even then she sank into the earth a bit. Crystal clear and cold to the touch the water flowed from somewhere upstream, disappearing around a bend and a thick grove of reeds.

Dipping her canteen into the river and letting the water flow in Yang smiled to herself. What a stroke of luck that had been. Not only had she gotten food - more importantly, free food, but she'd met someone nice! After her encounter with the asshats a few days ago it was refreshing to meet a friendly face. Just as refreshing as the cold, brisk water that slipped through her lips. Yang's mouth greedily clung to the canteen and she polished off half of what she'd taken, refilling it again for good measure. Confident she had more than enough for the trip to Alabaster she fastened the canteen to her belt, washed her hands and face, and readied herself to return.

She'd barely made it back onto solid land when a sharp pain erupted from her neck. Like a flame engulfing wood, it spread, reaching the top of her skull and down to her shoulders, fanning out and drawing a pained gasp. Her head throbbed, and Yang clutched it, taking a deep breath to try and keep herself calm. With one eye open she looked back up in the direction of Avery's home, blood curdling hearing a telltale howl, then another.

"Shit."

Yang tore through the undergrowth and sped back into the woods. A slight incline meant nothing to her as her legs powered her forward, ducking and weaving beneath low hanging branches. Another chorus of howls, roars unbefitting of a normal wolf. Cursing herself for her ineptitude she barreled to the top of the hill and to the clearing. Avery's home was still standing, as was Avery. And about a dozen Beowolves to boot.

Avery had somehow clambered onto the roof of her home and had a bow in hand, aiming at whichever beast came nearest. A fresh gash bled on her arm, but she seemed otherwise unharmed. Her home was not overly tall, the Grimm nearly able to reach up and grab hold of her just by standing. One tried to do just that and was rewarded for its efforts with an arrow to the eye. Yang could hear the wet squelch as the arrowhead drove into its skull, quickly drowned out by the creature's pained howls.

Yang's screams joined in as she charged the nearest Grimm. Fixated on Avery it never saw her coming, and after yanking the beast by the arm she pulled it from the house, down to her level. Red met lilac and spittle flung from its maw as it roared in her face. A fist to the jaw fixed that, the sound of bone shattering as its head was caved in. Yang's knuckles stung, and she ignored it, pushing the already fading corpse aside to go after another. Sensing the newcomer several of the Grimm backed away from the building, focused on the wild Dimuran instead.

"Yang! Help!" Avery cried, yelping and leaping back. She let another arrow fly and struck a Beowolf in the shoulder, doing little more than agitating the beast.

"What's it look like I'm doing?!"

A claw soared over her head and the beast's own weight carried it forward. Grimm ran on simple instincts, on hatred and little else. Unless it was an Alpha variant most of their kind were dumb and often overextended on their attacks.

Yang loved that about them. With a taunting grin she swept the Beowolf's leg, grabbing the other. Her teeth grit and her muscles strained as she pulled with all her might and swung the black wolf through the air, slamming it into another leaping at her. The pair collided, and she watched with satisfaction as they tumbled away, crashing into a nearby tree.

Her bracer caught another blow and Yang sneered as an unpleasant tingle rippled through her arm. Brushing aside the Beowolf's limb she grabbed its snapping jaw and pulled, twisting and rotating her body. A deathly crack came from the beast and she pulled, feeling resistance give way and the body of the Beowolf fall limp. It was a brief victory as another landed behind her, fangs and claws bearing down. An errant arrow struck the nape of its neck and Yang drove a fist into its throat, a punch to the side of its skull snapping its spine and turning its head counterclockwise.

Normal people wouldn't be tearing apart Grimm with their bare hands. Nor would they be grinning and laughing as they wove between three of them, taunting and demanding they try harder. Yang wasn't normal. She ducked beneath another claw, sidestepped a second, and pushed against a Beowolf that charged her, sending it stumbling and crashing to the dirt.

Yang pressed a hand into the chest of a Beowolf, then another at its throat. Her eyes flashed, and she grinned, jaw clenched. Her calves tensed, and her biceps and triceps flexed as she hoisted the beast overhead, slamming it down into the ground and burying its skull beneath her boot, crushing it like a nut. Wind rushed from her lungs as a claw slammed into her back and threw her into the air, causing the ground and sky to switch places. Somehow, she landed on her feet and crouched, reaching back and digging into her pouch. A Beowolf lunged and she raised the rusted knife, driving it up to the handle into its throat. With a twist and pull she dragged the blade all the way through, slicing it open and pushing the fading beast off herself.

Three remained and she'd barely broken a sweat. Okay, she was breathing a bit heavier, not to mention her back hurt like a bitch. Injuries? Yang made a show of checking her back and smiled as the Grimm howled furiously at her. No blood, just bruises. That's a relief. "Hey Avery? Got any arrows left?"

"Wh-what? Don't talk to me!"

Yang raised an eyebrow and almost asked why until she realized the Grimm all turned back to the house. Oops. Her skin began to swelter, and her palms glowed as she broke into a dead run, grabbing for the closest Grimm. As soon as her fingers curled around the limb a black smoke began to pour between her fingers and the beast howled, equal parts fury and pain. Yang smirked and pulled the pained Beowolf closer, grabbing its snapping jaw and holding it shut. An orange flame sparked in her hand and fire crept up its writhing face, engulfing its head. She pushed it aside and ignored the flailing creature, grabbing the second as it pounced.

"Oh, poochy… You ought not to have done that," she cooed, grinning and driving her fist into, and then through the Grimm's chest cavity. "Burn." Flame swirled around her shoulder and shot down her arm, spreading over the entirety of the Beowolf in the blink of an eye. It thrashed furiously, limbs flailing and managing to land an errant strike or two that Yang ignored. From its chest out the body vanished, a black, soot tinged mist parting as Yang walked through it.

If Yang didn't know any better she would say the last Beowolf was afraid. It sure looked that way, backing away from her. Maybe it was an effort to save face but it snarled at her, lowering itself and flexing its claws. "Aww… Is someone angwy?" She chuckled and placed a hand on her hip, curling her finger at the hulking creature. "Come on, let's kiss and make up."

Yang laughed as the Beowolf soared over her, skipping away from the house. From the corner of her eye she saw Avery take aim and held her hand up, shaking her head. "I've got it, just sit there and enjoy the show!"

Flirting with disaster was, for obvious reasons, a bad idea. Grimm weren't a plaything and should be treated like the threat they were. Should. A single Beowolf wasn't anything but a speck on the ass cheek of the world. If Avery wasn't present Yang might just as well have left it alone, that's how meaningless it was to her. Except she wouldn't because she'd lose out on free entertainment then.

"Aw, what's wrong, puppy? Are you mad?" Yang skipped backwards, her hands folded behind her back as she baited the Beowolf. It would never tire, Grimm never did. They didn't need to eat or rest like normal living creatures. Were Grimm alive…? The ones she'd pummeled and burned into dust certainly weren't.

The Beowolf snarled and snapped its jaw furiously, desperate to catch a mouthful. Yang obliged though stopped the mouth from closing, holding the two halves of the creature's jaw, one in each hand. Laughing as she pulled it down she leaned in and placed her head in the gap. "Hey Avery, lookie! I'm a Grimm tamer!"

Avery looked deathly pale and Yang wondered if it was because of blood loss or fright. Either way she shrugged it off, letting go of the Grimm and backhanding its jaw. Not hard enough to kill it, she wasn't done yet. The beast snarled, and its head snapped back as Yang punched it square in the snout, smirking as its bone plating cracked. Blood dripped down her knuckles and she shook her hand, licking it clean and winking. Red eyes stared back at red and she growled back playfully.

"Come on, can't you hit me at least once?" She held out her arms invitingly and lifted her chin, grinning toothily. The Beowolf's claw slammed into her bracer and failed to budge her even an inch. Clicking her tongue, Yang pulled the arm and trapped it beneath her own, twisting and snapping the limb at the joint. "You suck. You're boring me."

Howling in pain, the Beowolf reared back and tried to swipe again. Yang knocked aside its hand, then kicked out and shattered its knee. Catching its jaw before it could fall she smiled sweetly, a fresh heat surging from her breast, fanning out rapidly. "Alright, time for you to go bye bye, wolfy. Have fun in hell!" Or wherever dead Grimm went. She didn't know, nor did she really care. With a playful pucker of her lips she grabbed its throat and let her hand erupt in flame, silencing the howling instantly. She stared as her brilliant white fire ate away at black flesh, dissolving it as sugar in water. It only took a few seconds until all that remained was a blackened patch of earth at Yang's feet.

"Aw… I ran out of toys…" Yang uncurled her fingers and watched as black mist drifted from her palm, disappearing up into the blue sky.

A hush settled over Avery's land, the howls of Beowolves faded and replaced by nothing. Wildlife always seemed to flee whenever Grimm appeared and nothing, not even birds lingered. Yang listened to the rustling of leaves as a breeze pushed through, examining the split skin on her knuckles idly. She heard Avery shift on the roof and smiled, almost forgetting for a moment she was there.

"All taken care of! Don't have nothing to worry about…" Yang paused as she looked up and saw an arrow notched and trained on her. Avery hadn't come down from the roof, and moreover, she was taking aim… At her? "Hey, I'm not a Grimm, ya know!" she laughed, holding up her hands as she approached. An arrow was let loose and landed right where her foot had been just a second before.

"The n-next one won't miss…"

Yang's heart sank seeing the look of terror on her hostess' face. Despite having just drank her mouth felt dry, throat croaking when she tried to speak. Taking a deep breath, she smiled and spread her arms to her sides. "Come on, I'm not gonna hurt you! I just saved your butt, didn't I?"

"You… Why were Grimm here? What did you do?"

Yang blinked and looked around. Her? What did…

She'd burned the leaf earlier. It had been so insignificant, so minor she hadn't given it a second thought in the moment. Surely that hadn't triggered anything? Smiling nervously, she took another step forward only to halt as soon as Avery trained her bow on Yang's chest. Her arms shook, though it wasn't because she strained to hold the weapon. A hunter would be sorry if they couldn't even hold a bow.

"Your eyes…" Avery croaked. "What… What are you?"

Oh, that. Yang frowned and reached up, running her fingers along her eyelids, as if that would tell her anything. Without a window to use as a mirror she drew the rusted knife and adjusted it to catch the sun, staring down at pools of red under a thin blonde brow. Well, that sucks.

"You're… I know who you are..."

Hearing the tremor in the hunter's voice made Yang's already mounting guilt grow exponentially. Her fingers curled around the dagger and she managed a tight-lipped smile, stuffing the ruddy blade into her bag. "Yeah, and who am I?" Yang questioned.

Gods was it uncomfortable having an arrow trained on you like that. All things considered though Yang supposed she couldn't really blame Avery. Not many people could go hand to hand with Grimm, even ones as measly as Beowolves. Less still got the enjoyment that she did out of doing so. To an outsider she probably appeared insane during battles. Hell, maybe she was.

Avery licked her lips and let the bowstring go lax, though she kept the arrow notched and ready. "You're Wildfire, aren't you…?"

Yang cringed and laughed, running her unbloodied hand back through her hair. "I really don't dig that nickname, ya know. It makes me sound like I'm a maniac or something." Considering what she'd just done maybe it wasn't so far off the mark.

"You need to leave." Avery's voice trembled along with the rest of her and she took aim once more. This time though her arm wavered, perhaps fear finally taking place and adrenaline spent.

"I'm not a bad guy despite what the rumors say!" Yang argued, taking a step forward. The arrow flew, and her eyes widened as the edge of the arrowhead grazed her cheek. Feeling warmth trickle from the wound she reached up and wiped blood away, rubbing her fingertips together before sighing.

"Please, just go," Avery pleaded. She tried to notch another arrow and dropped it, shaking too hard to properly prepare.

Just when she thought she'd finally caught a break. She had said she was from Galloway, hadn't she? A place as busy as that would have posters of her everywhere. That probably meant Alabaster would be no better, then. Yang sighed, nodding and reaching into her bag. Holding the vial of salve up for Avery to see she placed it on the ground, smiling sadly as the other girl stared at her in confusion.

"It's a healing ointment. Won't hasten the process, but it'll stave off infection. I didn't see any medicine inside, so… Use that on your arm."

As if she'd forgotten about it Avery did a double take before clasping a hand over her wound. It didn't look too deep from where Yang stood, any blood loss likely having already slowed by now. If Avery was quick and cleaned it up she wouldn't have to worry about anything. With a bitter smile Yang flipped her hair back and drew up her hood, turning and heading back the way she had come. She'd almost hoped Avery would change her mind and call her back, apologize and perhaps even ask her to stay. Yet as her boots crunched against fallen leaves and she looked back the hunter hadn't moved an inch, watching Yang the entire way.

"Grimm won't bother ya anymore, promise! Just be sure to get back home soon, 'kay? The cities are a lot safer for folks!"

The reply she didn't expect to get never came and Yang departed in silence. Coming down from her battle high she listened to her heartbeat steady itself, a frantic hammering reduced to the usual, muted thudding. The heat that had spread through her body died back and a comfortable, unremarkable warmth replaced it. She couldn't be certain, but she assumed her eyes had returned to their usual color as well.

It had been a fool's errand thinking she'd found a friend, hadn't it? That just went to show the extent to which the Church was going to discredit her. To demonize her. A bitter swill filled Yang's mouth and she paused, bracing herself against a tree and leaning forward just as the recently eaten meal resurfaced, splashing messily against the roots of the tree. Her eyes watered, and she gagged, coughing and spitting until her mouth was clean. Mostly clean.

"Damn it!" She slammed a fist into a tree trunk repeatedly, breaking bark and skin both. Fresh scrapes appeared on her hand and she growled, splitting the tree itself before staggering forward. "Damn it…" she mumbled, squeezing her eyes shut as they stung.

It would be so easy to go lie down somewhere and die. Throw herself of a cliff or let a horde of Grimm tear her apart. But that wasn't her style, now was it? No matter how shitty things got she kept going. Why? Hell if she knew. Except Yang did know why she persevered even when in moments like these when the world's scrutiny crushed her. She had reasons for going on, even if they were selfish. Even if everything she did nowadays was self-serving.

Helping people? She wanted to erase her guilt, or more unrealistically, to make a friend. Fight Grimm? She wasn't protecting towns, she was losing herself in the bloodlust, something just as bad as her loneliness. Yang bit down on her lip and swallowed a whine that tried to slip free. Add the split lip to the list of self-inflicted wounds she had.

Yang blinked blearily and stopped, having somehow ended up along a trail. A road sign pointed to her right, left and behind her. She'd come from Lyne, so no sense in going back that way. Galloway was an obvious no, she'd probably be grabbed before she could even pass through the gates. That left Alabaster, and though she dreaded going into town and being near anyone it wasn't something she could keep putting off.

She needed information, and the birds and bees weren't going to give her anything. Neither would the toadstools sprouting out of the fallen log to her right, or the bunny rabbit that hopped along in a frantic endeavor to get away from her. Even nature didn't want anything to do with her right now.

"Welp…" Yang mumbled, enunciating the last syllable. She smiled, exercising more energy to do so than she had during her entire fight with the Grimm. Her hands trembled at her sides and she sniffed, rubbing her face before forcing her smile into a wide grin. "Onto Alabaster!"

And whatever disaster awaited her there.

All Yang wanted to do was has a friend. She got one! Kind of? If friends exile you from their home and shoot arrows at you!

And before anyone might comment, yes, Yang is VERY strong, physically. She was in the show and so she is here, albeit that's also a racial thing for Dimurans, as you'll see.

And not to tease anything upcoming - I'm totally teasing it - but I've fashioned a new, I suppose "OC" Grimm for an upcoming chapter. Hint: It's based off a Lovecraftian horror.