Weiss woke the next morning to find herself comfortably in her bed, cuddling her stuffed wolf. It had been the protector of her dreams since she was but a child, the reasoning for the purchase of the strange toy stemmed from the dreams. She shook her head, "Best not think about those." She said out loud as she grabbed her clothing and headed to the showers. She said her good mornings to Jaune and Ren as they passes and chuckled to herself at the complete mess that is Yang Xiao Long every morning. "Morning, Yang. Sleep well?" The blonde yawned loudly, "Just fine." She grunted and turned to Weiss with a strange look, "You?" Weiss nodded, "Just as well."

"Hey, Snow!" The two turned to see Catalaya jogging up to them with a small book in hand, "I found this in the hallway, is it yours?" Cat glanced to her right to see Yang looking at her with what was either anger or contempt, she couldn't tell. Weiss practically snatched the book away, "Thanks." She muttered and sped off to the showers. Cat shrugged and was going to turn back when the brawler grabbed her shoulder, "We need to talk." Yang shoved Cat into her room and locked the door, "Explain."

Catalaya had no clue what it was about but decided to test the waters, "Explain what?" She could feel Yang's frustration slowly rising. "Explain why you and General Ironwood were talking about protecting Weiss from." Cat sighed deeply and sat on the messed up bed behind her, "Do you really want to know what's going on? Can you handle knowing the truth of what lay behind curtain?"

Yang stopped for a second then blinked, "Probably not. But that won't stop me from trying." The Phantom Beast did not doubt what the blonde said, she merely hoped she would pull through as she began to tell her everything she'd told Ozpin.

When Catalaya looked up Yang looked like she was regretting ever asking. She ran her hands through her hair in frustration and mumbled to herself. "So, basically Weiss is the protector of this Nexus, you're supposed to be her bodyguard, and there's a doomsday weapon scattered across Remnant." Cat nodded, "Not only that, Weiss can't protect anything until she accesses her abilities." Yang frowned at that, "Can't you do something about that?"

"Unfortunately,"Catalaya grumbled,"I can't do anything but wait. She must come into her abilities naturally, somehow. Although, I fear there isn't enough time for that." Cat rested her head in her hands as Yang scratched her skull in thought. The only sound was the overhead fan's creaking before Yang snapped her fingers. "I have a plan that just might work." Catalaya tilted her head like a confused puppy, "But we need to tell the rest of them for it to work."

"Fine." Catalaya stood and streched, "I'm going to do my stretches, see you at breakfast." With that she left the blonde to mull over the finer points of the first part of her plan.

At Breafast

Everyone gathered around as Ruby finished up breafast with Ren's help. They'd originally made extra, as they thought Ozpin, Gylnda and Ironwood would eat with them but they left, saying work must be done and kindly declined. Simple stuff was served to the group, some eggs, bacon, toast, pancakes, and cereal with enough sugar to rot a grown man's teeth. Yang looked around the table to an empty seat next to Coco, Catalaya hadn't come down.

As per agreement, more like demands to beret wearer, Coco was to be responsible for Cat until something was available. The fact that she'd not come down yet, despite being called repeatedly, worried the commander. She was getting up to forcibly bring her when she came down the stairs looking half dead. "You alright there,Cat?" Nora asked when she saw the girl. She grumbled something, dat down, and slammed her head on the table. "What'd she say?" Weiss asked.

Velvet looked confused,"She said she needs to feed." Ren placed a premade plate in front of the giant,"Eat this then." Another round of mumbles,"She says, "I can't eat that, I need meat."

"How bout some bacon?" Ruby asked. Cat mubled again, Velvet translated,"I would need at least a whole pig at this point." Another mumble,"Raw." Yang gave her BLT a strange look, then put it down.

"We've got some raw porkchops and sausages in there, you want 'em?" Blake asked. Catalaya's stomach growled loudly as she let out a weak "Yes, please." Blake quickly got the items and handed them to her. The group watched in both disgust and awe as she used her fangs and claws to tear open the package then wolfed them down like a starving child. All that was left were the shredded packages and a barely sated beast. "Good now?" Jaune questioned. Cat looked at him then fell back onto the table in pain. "Shit, what's wrong?" Coco asked as Ruby rubbed soothing circles into Cat's violently shifting back. It looked like the bones and muscle beneath her skin was trying to make a break for it. Her claws dug into the table's surface and fangs peirced her bottom lip as she fought to speak,"Need. More. Now." she gasped out.

A series of dings sent Jaune running from the situation to the door. A man with a rolling cart full of packages stood there,"Delivery for Adel." He said in a monotone voice, bored out of his mind. Jaune tensed when a loud crash, proceeding and even louder roar came from behind him. "What was th-" Jaune took the crates and shoved the man into his cart and sprinted back into the house. Catalaya was being held down by Yang and Yatsuhashi, growling and grunting in pain. "What the fuck, Jaune! Whyd2 you leave?!" Nora shouted as she jumped onto Cat's left to help Yang,"Man came with a delivery for Coco. Thing says it's from Ozpin, of utmost importance."

Coco angrily smashed open the first crate to find exactly what she needed at the moment-meat. Lots of raw meat. She picked up the first package, it was a large pig and whistled at Catalaya,"Hey!" The half wolf looked menacingly at the interruption of its escape then changed to its look to want as the girl held a large pig in both hands. "Want it?" She tossed the item to the other side of the room,"Go get it." Yatsu, Yang, and Nora were flung off as she bounded for it and proceeded to eat the entire thing in under 5 minutes. Her body changed back to the original and she sat there, unwilling to show her face. Some of the group were just disgusted, others indifferent-they'd seen worse. Weiss, was compassionate.

She grabbed a towel, draped it over the silently crying woman, and rubbed her back gently as she, accompanied by Ruby, took her to the showers.

An Hour Later

After apologizing profusely, and helping to clean up, Cat was back to normal. She explained that each time she uses alot of her abilities she gets an immense hunger and must sate it unless she is to revert to her beastial form. No one cared, they'd seen plenty worse things. Catalaya smiled widely when Nora claimed that she challenged her to an eating contest the next weekend. A look from Yang set her back on track, back to their original plan.

After quieting down the group and explaining the things she told the Director, Yang, and General, answering any questions, and Nora waiting for the Schnee to freak out, the room was scarily silent. Weiss was stiff as a board, she closed her eyes, and let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Smirking she said, "So, you've been dreaming about me?" Cat turned rosy red and sputtered out random responses while the rest laughed. "Your okay with this, though?" She asked once her face was the normal color.

"I figured that something odd was going on, when my recurring dreams geared themselves toward a wolf in armor." Weiss said shrugging. "So what's this plan of yours going to include, Yang?" The table looked at Yang who had the most serious expression she could muster, seeing as there was a peice of lettuce hanging out her mouth. "I think we should look for the peices to the armor. Keep it away from the ones who wanna use it to kill." Catalaya facepalmed, "That's it?" A nod. "Okay then."

At the strange looks Cat recieved she said, "Do any of you have a plan?" Silence. "Didn't think so." Velvet raised a shy hand, "Well, what about Ozpin? Shouldn't he know?" Everyone looked to Yang,"No. He'll contact Ironwood, and there is just something about him that doesn't feel right." Coco groaned, "That aside, what about Catalaya, she doesn't have gear." Yang's browed furrowed, "Actually," Cat interjected, "I've got gear, its just hidden away." The others nodded their agreement and started planning their secret roadtrip.

10:45pm Same Day

After gathering the resources they would need and resting some more, they headed out to where Catalaya had hidden her gear. It was an abandoned apartment complex, 5th floor. Team RWBY had been there before, on of their jobs went awry, a pyro spirit had gotten loose and destroyed most of the 9th to 6th floors. Team CFVY kept gaurd on the first floor and JNPR went with RWBY to the stash. When Catalaya took out her gear they were suprised.

What looked like four metal braces, for wrist and ankle, were actually emchanted. By knocking her fists together the braces spread out to become a lightweight armor that covered the legs, torso, and arms. Repeating the same action put them away. Within a sacthel beneath that were some books in her native tongue as well as what she identified as medical supplies. Finally, was a beautiful katana with a handle of obsidian and bone. She took the time to put them on before the group ran down to the others. The group had taken out a three of Weiss' cars from her father's garage, she wouldn't explain how she how to break into the cars.

They'd been driving on the highway, heading to Vacuo as Cat explained the legend of the armor. "While the armor was scattered, Inatrus had set guardians to each piece of it. If we're able to get past those, there's going to be a tablet that holds the code to open the prison-"

"Hold on." It was Blake interrupting from the wheel, "How do you know this?"

"My life so far has been to train and study relentlessly. I had to have all the knowledge necessary to complete my duty suceesfully." The cat faunus nodded, "That, and the few people who come back, bring their stories."

"So, the pieces are both gaurded and encoded so to speak?" Asked Pyrrha over the car speaker. "Yes. As well as wherever they're hidden being rigged with all manner of traps." The group quieted as she went over the rest of the information she had on the scattered armor as well as retelling the legend for everyone to hear.

They stopped only to rest and eat for the next 2 days. As well as switch out cars to keep Beacon on their toes if theyre tracking. At the moment, it was team JNPR at the front of the caravan in a Prius, much to Pyrrha's displeasure-it was a struggle with her being so tall. Next was team CFVY in a pick up, with their gear wrapped and hidden under a tarp.

Last was team RWBY plus Cat, in a Range Rover sitting through the hell that is Ruby controling the Aux cord. Yang didn't like half the songs on her playlist, Weiss didn't understand how her tastes fluctuate so quickly between genres, and Blake's urge to drive the car into a ditch increased for every Heavy Metal song Yang added to the queue. Catalaya, however, enjoyed it. In her home, to have so many songs at your disposal is unbeleivable, the Chieftain regulates and limits everything his clan can have. Weiss had enough and took away Ruby's IPod away and turnes on the radio, searching for anything to ens her suffering.

What she found put a smile on everyone's face. I Miss The Misery by Halestorm was the song that came on after the insurance commercial, setting Cat into the happiest state she'd been in since arriving. While everything was regulated back home, she loved to listen to the music from here, it had more emotion. The team watched with joy as she sung along with the radio, her voice was surprisingly amazing they found. Weiss watches the girl and realizes, she's just like her. Forced to grow too fast, missing out on the important things she should've had in a normal life.We could've been friends in another life.Weiss thought to herself and looked at Catalaya again,Perhaps we could be more in this one.

The next was Nightmare by Set It Off. Weiss decided she'd sing too and started off, leaving the other occupants with surprised looks as she sung.

They're coming creeping from the corner

And all I know is that I don't feel safe

I feel the tapping on my shoulder

I turn around in an alarming state

But am I losing my mind?

I really think so

Not a creature in sight

But, what you don't know

Is that my breathing gets faster and so does my heartbeat

I wish this was over, I wish that this was a dream but

Yang sang the chorus along with Ruby and Blake.

I created a monster, a hell within my head

Nowhere to go, I'm out on my own

Oh I'm so scared

I created a monster, a beast inside my brain

I've nowhere to go, I'm out on my own

My mind impaired

Awake me from my nightmare

Catalaya looked at Weiss with an adoring look and added a blush when the pale girl winked at her and motioned for her to join in as the second verse started. They nodded along with the Phantom Beast as she shyly sung the second verse with encouragement from Weiss.

Wait, something doesn't feel right

No, something seems wrong

And I've been feeling this way, for

Far too long

As my vision gets blurred, my skin's getting colder

Appearing young, while I'm growing older

I collapse to the floor and scream:

"Can anybody save me from myself?"

Blake, Yang, and Ruby joined for the chorus again as Weiss and Catalaya locked eyes.

I created a monster, a hell within my head

Nowhere to go, I'm out on my own

Oh I'm so scared (Oh I'm so scared)

I created a monster, a beast inside my brain

I've nowhere to go, I'm out on my own

My mind impaired

Awake me from my nightmare

Smiling to each other the two women belted out as one.

Walking to the ledge

I find myself looking down

Frozen still with fear

Now I'm plunging to the ground

If only I knew how to fly

Then I could convince myself this isn't my time to die

Instead, I'm rocketing faster and faster

I dive bomb to the floor

And when my body crashes to the pavement

I'm right back where I was before...

The group was going to sing the final chorus together when Coco called over the car's phone port. "Girls, we've got company." A coughing was heard as Blake turned off the stereo, "It smells awful" Grumbled Velvet. Team RWBY began quickly putting on their gear as Cat rolled down the window a smidge and sniffed only to pull back coughing and holding her nose. "Stay in the car." She said as she activated her armor and grabbed her katana. Obviously, the groups weren't going to listen, but it was worth the shot she told herself as she stared down one of the dangers she'd mentioned.

A Draugr.

An undead creature from Norse mythology. A being with superhuman strength, carrying the stench of death, that can change their size at will. An animated corpse that can drive its victims mad.This won't be good.She thought to herself.

The being was already at least 10 feet tall and carried a war axe on its back. The stench was so strong, the sound of Jaune retching was very clear. From her estimation, the only reason the group hadn't succumb to madness was the distance was too great for it to force its influence. "Cat, what the hell is that thing?" Yang said as she locked her sights. "A Draugr."

"A what?"

"No time for stories. Just keep your distance, it can make you die from insanity, it can also change its size at will." Velvet audibly gulped and gripped her weapon tighter. "Then you can't fight it, can you?" Her voice shook for every syllable. Catalaya gripped the katana tight and shouted, "What is your name, Draugr?"

Completely ignoring the question. In a sickly voice it said, "My name is Gunnbjorn, beast." Catalaya could feel his influence wash over her. "What do you seek?" She asked the decaying man, "The death of the Winter Knight." Gunnbjorn took his war axe from his back,"Stand aside and you shall live." Catalaya sighed and unsheathed her katana, the steel glistening in the afternoon sun.

"I cannot do that." She stated, and shifted her feet. "Oh," Gunnbjorn looked surprised,"why is that?" Cat pointed to the group behind her, "My duty is to protect the Winter Knight and her comrades, I would rather perish than do such a dishonorable thing." The giant with green skin chuckled and ran a rag on his axe,"A beast with honor, that is a sight. Tell me thy name so legend shall be written of such a honorable monster, who died at my hands." Gunnbjorn took on a fighting stance as his body grew 5 feet higher.

Catalaya's skin began to crawl, her bones shifted, and fangs emerged from her gums. "How does thy expect to fight me when I can simply make you mad as you distance closer?" The Draugr said in a cocky voice and brandished his axe. Catalaya spoke, although her words were rough and laced with darkness to the rotting man, "I'm already insane." She chuffed.

Turning to the group, "Stay. Put." She turned back and trudged over the man akin to a zombie, picking up speed as she journeyed. Gunnbjorn, in turn, did the same. They met in a clash of metal, the ground beneath the Draugr caved at the force of her blow, "Think you're stronger than me, do you?"

He pushed her backwards and swung his weapon in low arc from the ground. Cat dodged and hopped onto the axe, using it to push over his back, slashing diagonally as she fell. Gunnbjorn shouted in pain, and elbowed her in the face sending her skidding down the road. He slammed the blade of the axe into the ground with so much force the road shattered and rose up. Moving suddenly toward the Phantom Beast like a concrete tsunami.

Catalaya smirked, she cut vertically from above, the concrete split apart at the strength of the blow and explodes in a shower of debris. Using it as a smoke screen, she speed toward the monster with the tip of her katana aimed at his neck. He was faster, he grabbed the blade in his fist, pulled and hit her with a solid right hook. Catalaya impacted with a grove of trees across the road, headfirst, shattering the trunks as the branch laden tops fell to the ground. Gunnbjorn laughed heartily and ventured back toward his original target, before he could turn around fully a barrage of bullets hit his form. The undead creature staggered back as they kept firing, "How dare you pests attack me? I will devour your hearts!" He growled out and ran toward the firing squad, he lept over the pickup and smacked Yastu from in his way.

His axe was on a one way path for Fox's neck when a 3 foot long shard of ice appeared and severed his right arm from the shoulder. The arm and axe went spinning from the group as he roared in pain. Looking upwards from his hunched position, he saw Weiss standing right where he was before, a sword made of hardened ice in her hands. She looked as shocked as he felt, he'd been told that her powers hadn't yet manifested, that it would be an easy kill.

She eeped when he lurched to at least strangle her with his good arm when a sword of black flames collided with the center of his throat. It cut right through his solid flesh with sickening squelch. Leaving his head to roll away and his large body to fall forward with a thump. The flames of the blade were so hot, the wound was partially cauterized as it was made. The Hunter taskforce looked to see a bipedal, large black furred wolf in armor standing on two legs, wielding a sword of black flames, blood flowing from various wounds.

They snapped themselves out of a trance when the wolf fell forward and growled out, "Medic." before passing out and becoming Catalaya.

Velvet, the only trained medic, jumped into action. She cut open Cat's shirt to find all manner of cuts and bruises over her body. The worse one was the piece of wood the embedded in her shoulder, "Hold her down." Yang and Nora rushed to hold her as Velvet pulled the chunk from her flesh, Catalaya arched her back, "Merde!" Velvet tried to reduce her pain, only to watch her body reject the medication. Ruby ran to their transport and brought back a worn out satchel. "Cat said this had medical supplies in it. Maybe it can help?" Without any other option, the rabbit faunus took the bag and searched through it hastily.

She found wraps made out of cloth, herbs, a suture kit, an animal bone with teeth marks, and some kind of paste. They had labels, but she couldn't read them. Cat grabbed her arm and pointed to the one with the blue writing then gestures to the wound. Unsure whether it will work, Velvet hesitantly places some of the paste over the wound and watches in fascination as the the debris is drawn into it as the paste hardens. She removes it then puts the bone in Catalaya's mouth when she asks and begin sterilizing it with bottle of alcohol. She can hear the bone creak as Cat's fangs dig into it when she begins stiching the wound with some kind of thread she found in the bag. Twenty minutes later, Cat has finally calmed down and fallen asleep on Weiss' shoulder.

7 Hours Later

The Hunters were getting close to the Vacuoan borders. Drivers had switched with passengers and many were asleep, exept for Weiss and Blake. Blake, having switched with Yang, was driving again and watched curiously as Weiss soothingly rubbed Catalaya's arm when she twitches or stirs fitfully in her sleep. "So, Weiss."

She said after a bit of quiet. "I'm guessing youdohave a thing for her?"

Some color graced the pale girl's cheeks as she avoided Blake's gaze, "Don't tell Yang."

"I'll take that as a yes." She scratched her chin," What are you going to do then? Going to tell her?" Weiss sighed deeply at that.

"We haven't know each other more than two weeks. And as much as I would like to, what if she doesn't like me that way? What if this is just herdutyto protect me and nothing more?" The Schnee glanced at the slumbering beast and turned back. "It's obvious she cares for you, Weiss. I can tell it's more than just a job for her." Blake glanced at the two in the mirror, "Now get some rest." she smiled.

Weiss nodded and relaxed into Catalaya's side. The taller one reached around and gripped the other to her chest as she fidgeted. Weiss stiffened but fell asleep quickly as she listened to the soothing sounds of her heartbeat.

Blake watched them sleep out the corner of her eye for a while then chuckled. "I just hope you two can stay together during all this. Love doesn't always survive a war." She glanced at Yang and smiled softly when she saw the brawler's eyes open, "You heard that?"

Yang nodded and leaned over to kiss her girlfriend's cheek, "They'll be fine." She gripped their hands together, "We'll be fine." The blonde rested her head on the faunus' lap and allowed her to run her hands through her hair as she drove closer to the Vacuo borders.