A/N: hi everyone. I am sorry for the short chapter. I do have a bit of an announcement. No, it isn't a hiatus. But I won't be able to write short stories in The Aviary. It is a bit distracting so I hope to be able to continue this story without that distraction. Anyways, I am truly sorry for this lackluster chapter.

The forest was beautiful. Its leaves were slowly turning red, orange and yellow. The northern wind caused loose leaves to be released from the trees. The colorful foliage drifted down slowly. The Faunus walking through lifted his face to the sky to smell the fresh air. Robin was the one tasked with tracking down the two missing people. He kept his gaze lowered downward. The ground didn't hold any clues. Most tracks covered with fallen leaves. There wasn't a way to find any trace of the missing people. "Do you see anything?" Robin asked the girl beside him. Shiloh shook her head, her burgundy braid swinging at the motion. The crunching of leaves beneath their feet was quiet.

"No, I do not sense anyone else's aura other than our own," Shiloh responded. Her faded eyes looked through the trees. She pulled her poncho closer at a new breeze. Robin thought she said something about being from the desert region. He thought about offering his hood, but decided differently.

"May I ask a personal question?" Robin asked as they changed directions again. Shiloh nodded, her expression calm. That was one thing he could appreciate about the blind girl; she took things in stride without emotions getting in the way.

"What are the limitations of your 'sight'?" the hooded Faunus asked. The two trampled through the underbrush. Robin perked a bit at what sounded like the call they were waiting for. Shiloh froze as well before both figured that the others in their group wasn't calling them.

"I see people's auras. They left off a little bit of light that can reflect off of things that don't have a soul," Shiloh responded.

"So you can't see Grimm?" Robin asked. He knelt down to run his hand over what appeared to be a track. It was a deer hoofprint. The Faunus sighed and straightened up.

"No, they are just a dark space in my vision," Shiloh responded as she kept pace with him. "But that doesn't change my effectiveness against them."

"I do not doubt it. I am impressed that you volunteered to help Jay," Robin responded. "Or did you believe fate drew you two together."

" Fate did have a hand in it. But I suppose my main motive is that perhaps it brings me closer to a huntsmen guild," Shiloh responded. "I have been rejected enough and he was the first to accept my help."

Jay smiled at the response. "Why didn't you accept the rejection?"

There was the smallest form of a frown on her face. "Have you ever felt that you were meant for a certain destiny. That there was a task that is the reason for your existence?"

Robin chuckled, "Yes in fact I have. I have people who look to me to care for them. I found my purpose and not even fate can take that away."

Shiloh nodded, "or that mission is your fate." Robin shrugged, he could say honestly that either way he didn't mind. He couldn't imagine his life any other way. Whether fate took him down this path or not, it didn't matter.

"I prefer to think that I chose to take up my mantle. That I could have backed away," Robin replied. "Just like you chose to ignore what others told you. You're fighting against what the world gave you. And I find it admirable." Shiloh hummed thoughtfully. The two continued in comfortable silence.

Robin stopped as Shiloh reached out and grabbed his arm. She placed a finger to her lips in the universal way of asking for silence. Robin nodded his understanding. Following her other hand, Robin traced the Creeps that were stomping through the trees. Their black bodies standing out amongst the white bark of the trees. Their heads were close to the ground, sniffing the leaves.

"I'll provide you cover and you can take them out," he whispered. The Faunus loaded his crossbow with a singular bolt from his boot. He and Shiloh gave a silent nod. Robin pulled the trigger and the bolt shot forward. It sunk with a fleshy sound followed by a shriek. The grimm turned to Shiloh who had ran forward. It tried to chomp at her, but the girl brought her staff down across its head. The white boney plates cracked moments before another bolt sunk into the exposed flesh. The Grimm twitched and twisted. Shiloh though had moved on dancing away from the second Creep that charged her. She spun her staff the fire dust within glowing as balls of fire swirled around the Grimm. Roaring in anger the beast hopped toward the girl. A bolt struck its leg causing it to stumble and Shiloh ended its life.

Robin trotted to the blind girl surround by smoking Grimm corpses. "You don't think these two found the missing parents, do you?" Robin asked.

"I sure hope not. Most civilians cannot fight Grimm," the blind girl responded. "I won't be able to corpses, so do tell me if you find them." Robin answered that he would as he searched. He scrunched his nose in disgust when the smell of decay reached his sensitive nose.

"This way," Robin directed, hurrying forward careful not to trip in the forest. He only stopped when he found the source of the smell. A female deer laid on its side, the corpse had its head missing. Robin growled, poachers. He hated people who hunted for trophies.

"Is it the parents?" Shiloh asked, looking blindly at the deer corpse. Her nose also wrinkled at the smell.

"No, lucky for us. Let's leave this place. We have to find them before nightfall. I would not let two children become orphans," Robin said, his voice becoming firm. Shiloh looked to drift off, her dull eyes becoming more distant. Robin could ask her what she was thinking, but he chose not to. Instead he gently urged her to follow him.

…

Harriet had to admit she was a bit shy or maybe she just had a small problem talking to people. She was fine when everyone was together. It didn't felt like everything was too quiet, with everyone talking or moving there was something else to focus on. Harriet could hear birds in the trees and their own footsteps. It was too quiet; it made her a bit nervous. She lowered herself to the ground so she could see the pressed ground. She could just feel her partner's eyes on her while she looked for clues. "I think that this was a good idea, Jay," she said to the prince beside her who had been silent for a while. Her voice was a bit too quiet. She had to look up from her kneeling position to see him. His blue eyes looked down on her. "You know, splitting us up to search more ground. I am sure that each group is a good combination."

"Are you nervous?" Jay asked, the girl as he walked to a tree to examine its bark. "Your voice is very soft." The girl wrung her hands together. She felt her face warm up. "You don't have to be. I don't bite." Jay responded, easing his regal posture. "Tell me what is on your mind," the prince said. He tried to smile softly.

"Oh, it is nothing. Really just a small thing. But Robin and I were talking about the thieves in the village and …" Jay was waiting patiently for her to finish. "Well, I was wondering. How did you get all your money. I defended that good people like you deserve to keep the money you have, but what if your family got it through illegal means or by abusing others or-"

"Harriet," Jay replied calmly. "My father is the ruler of Dale. We got our money through the taxes that each citizen pays to keep Dale running. There isn't any underhanded deals as far as I know." Jay didn't seem upset, he kept his cool. "Now that it is settled let's find these people and get back to my sister." The prince stomped loudly, crushing the fallen leaves under his feet. Harriet scanned the forest as well. She was sure that every living thing could hear them approach.

"So, um. This may not be an appropriate question to ask, but. Um. You're not going to change when you become king, right? I mean, your father isn't bad, but he isn't the best. Faunus are still not allowed in the same buildings as us and… um. Well, you are a fairly nice person, so.." Harriet felt like she just overstepped her welcome and perhaps the prince's good nature. Jay froze, turning to face the huntress. His blue eyes confused perhaps even a little hurt.

"The Faunus in Dale have freedom to work anywhere they choose to and they receive a wage," Jay responded.

"A fair one?" Harriet interrupted. Her mind drifted to Robin and the green wolf ears on his head. He he had a reason to keep hiding his ears.

Jay stopped walking forward, crossing his arms across his chest. "A fair one for a Faunus. You know they lack the same mental capacity as we do. I do not want to think about this. The time for me to ascend to the throne is still years away." The prince's blue eyebrows furrowed and he stomped ahead. His footfalls a bit heavier than necessary.

Harriet flinched at those words. They were hard to hear and even hard to see Jay say. Robin was smart and from what she knew, he was just like them. She hurried forward to catch up with him, "Have you even talk to a Faunus? Actually getting to know them?" Harriet asked, her voice came out more forceful than she expected.

"Have you?" Jay asked.

"I have. And he is a good guy. And just as human as us," Harriet claimed, straightening her stance. She squared her shoulders, trying to stand straight. Jay laughed, turning away.

"Very well. So you know Faunus and I don't. Either way. This isn't important, we can speak more of this after I get my sister back," Jay said, he walked away from her. She stood there, frozen. She frowned at the prince. If he only knew that Robin was a Faunus, he would change his mind. He would see that his views were wrong.

….

Tanya just had to watch in confusion as Salken darted from left to right. She looked around more leisurely. "Tanya," his voice called out. She jumped slightly, her hands hurrying to her new sword. Her chestnut eyes narrowed in frustration at the excitable teen. "Look at this do you think this a fossil of a dragon? Maybe a hatchling. There might be a nest nearby," Salken said his eyes were sparkling with excitement. The girl looked at the object that he lovingly cradled in his hand. It was a small skull, reptilian in nature. The bone was clean and white.

Tanya looked up from the object. She felt her face twist into a confused look. The other looked so chipper. "That's a snake skull," Tanya responded, flatly. Salken blinked once, lowering his hand.

"Oh, well. I will go back to looking for the missing people," Salken said putting down the skull gently. Tanya and he separated, looking once again. Tanya shrugged and went back to looking around. She sighed to herself, looking over her shoulder to Salken. He seemed to kick the dirt a little as he walked. He kept his head down as he looked toward the ground. Tanya turned around quickly. She didn't care that his feelings were hurt. She looked back once again. The robed huntsmen still looked dispontant. Tanya looked back to the trees. She heard a sigh from behind her.

The girl slouched a little and padded toward the other. "Salken," she called out to the slouching teen.

"Yes, Tanya," he responded perking up like he wasn't moping seconds before.

"I am sorry that.. I understand that magic things are important for you. But that skull wasn't a dragon. Dragons don't exist. Dragon-like grimm maybe," Tanya stated.

"You don't know that. Maybe we haven't seen them yet. Just because you don't see something doesn't mean it doesn't exist," Salken said. "Do you believe in the Brothers?"

"No, no I don't," she said shaking her head. "I haven't seen him nor anything that could prove Their existence."

Salken nodded, "That is a shame. I feel like I see clues for a bigger picture. Ruins of ancient cities that shouldn't exist. The Grimm and our Aura. I believe that they didn't form by chance."

Tanya mussed over it. She could see where he was coming from. There was plenty that couldn't be explain. "If they existed, why did they abandon us. Why do we all suffer; Faunus and humans alike. We are on a quest to save an innocent person. Why didn't they intervene?" Tanya asked. There were plenty of instances that she could pull out of her head. Her voice though stopped.

Salken gave her a softer expression. "I understand that things aren't great and I don't know the answers for those questions. Maybe we all disappointed them and they decided to let us make our own choices and they would judge us later." The two grew quiet.

A shrill whistle broke the awkward silent. Salken perked up. "Sounds like someone found the people we were looking for." Tanya nodded looking in the trees to see a small bird drop down and fly around the pair. The two watched and followed after the small bird.

Tanya flinched at the sound of foliage crunching to their far right. Her chestnut eyes caught sight of blue and pink between the trunks. The shapes cleared up as she focused on the movement. A taller male and shorter female were following something. She could point out the male's blue hair. She relaxed a little as the pair came a bit closer.

"Tanya, Salken," Jay greeted as the pair got closer. Harriet had her lips pressed as she looked between them.

"Jay," Tanya responded with a nod. The four teens followed the two birds that chirped impatient. They jogged behind the birds. Their two feathered guides landed on low branches. The four stopped looking up at the birds.

"Why did they bring us here? Is this a trap?" Tanya asked. She turned around to look through the trees. Her hand was reaching for her sword. Jay placed his hand on her, pushing it away from her sword.

"Its Ivy," he responded as he pointed to the older woman coming closer. Asher was on her heels. His green eyes were narrowed. Ivy paused by the birds. The two dove down and landed on her shoulders. "Ivy," Jay called out, interrupting the two who was stroking the birds' feathers. "Did you find anything?"

"Yeah, we did," Asher interrupted, his tone was firm and arms crossed. "We found a group of huntsmen. They had this symbol on them." The long-haired teen held out a sheet of paper. Tanya looked at the Nevermore shape holding a spear in its claws.

"That's the Bennet family crest," Robin responded, his tone a little harsh.

"Yes, they are a noble family in Dale," Jay responded, "The patriarch is an advisor of my father." The prince frowned a little. "Where did they go?" Jay asked. "We will talk with them. They are not bad people. I am sure they can be reasoned with." The prince allowed Ivy and Asher to lead the way.