EDITED 1/6/2020

Word Count: 7,615

Chapter 8 — Gifts and Guidance

The next morning was clear and bright. It was the perfect weather for starting a new adventure, Ruby thought, although it seemed that neither of her companions agreed.

Yang had imbibed a bit too much ale the evening before, stating that since she couldn't bring the keg with them, she had to finish it while she could. It had been a small keg, but it was still a lot of ale for one person. She had tried challenging Weiss to a drinking contest, but the noble had taken one mouthful of the stuff and nearly spat it out.

Ruby had privately agreed, at least until Weiss started talking about how wine was a far more superior beverage. Ruby never quite understood why people liked alcohol so much. It smelled horrible, tasted worse, and on a bad day, it brought back unwanted memories. Yang was fine; even if she smelled of alcohol, she smelled like herself. Safety. Family. Someone Ruby could trust no matter what. Nonetheless, Ruby made an effort to steer clear of any heavy drinking establishments on the rare occasions she was in any town. That, or she stayed glued to Yang or Uncle Qrow's side from the moment they went in to the moment they came out, breathing through her mouth in an attempt to avoid the smells and keeping all her senses primed, ready for the first sign of danger. It was stressful, but sometimes Yang or Uncle Qrow didn't trust an area of town enough to let Ruby wait outside by herself as they gathered information or whatever it was they came to the place for.

Weiss, on the other hand, seemed to have something on her mind that morning and had withdrawn into herself. Ruby still didn't know why the noble had been crying the other night, but she wondered if that was what was making Weiss so quiet today. Maybe whatever it was was still on her mind? Ruby knew what that felt like. She knew all too well how a brief moment of clarity could easily grow cloudy again—how the darkness could creep back in without warning and send a shadow over everything despite having a good day.

It probably didn't help that Weiss was struggling to carry her knapsack either. Ruby and Yang had done their best to put all the heavier items in their own packs to lighten Weiss's load, but their knapsacks were only so big and they had a lot to carry. Yang wanted to avoid dropping by any towns or villages for as long as possible—at least until they got out of the immediate area where she and Ruby might be recognized—so that meant no supply runs for a while.

That was apparently why Yang had come to the cave so late the night before—she had been running around gathering supplies—but Ruby was sure something else had happened while she was away. Yang always smelled like a faint mixture of smoke and ash whenever she used her Semblance, and Ruby's sharp sense of smell picked up on it almost immediately. Yang had been angry enough at someone for her to trigger her Semblance. Worried, Ruby had asked her about it, but Yang just smiled and evaded the question, meaning whatever she had done was probably for Ruby's sake. The only time Yang was ever less than perfectly honest with Ruby was when Yang was trying to protect her, much to the latter's frustration. Ruby didn't want her sister to get into fights over her, but Yang was adamant that no one was allowed to hurt or insult Ruby in her presence. Period.

Still, at least it seemed like nothing particularly bad had happened. Ruby couldn't say her older sister was in a good mood when she got to the cave, but she didn't seem too upset either. That or she was doing a very good job at hiding whatever she was feeling.

Yang had returned late after sunset the day before and together, the three of them spent the evening reorganizing and packing their things for the journey. There had only been one brief moment of contention when Yang had pulled a wooden tube wrapped in oilcloth out from Weiss's pack. It looked like one of those document tubes—the ones that official messengers used to keep important documents safe and dry as they traveled from one place to another. Weiss had yanked it from Yang's grasp and cradled it protectively while stating in no uncertain terms that neither of the sisters were to touch it without her permission. Other than that, it had been a relatively peaceful evening.

And there had been strawberry preserves! Ruby wished she could drop by the mill to thank Grandma Lily—maybe even bring her a fresh rabbit or a basket of berries in return—but it just wasn't safe if there were people out looking for the "rogue" Faunus. It made her wish for the first time in a while that she had been born human like Yang. Then she remembered how nice ear rubs and head scratches felt and changed her mind. Sometimes sacrifices had to be made for the greater good, and both ear rubs and head scratches were definitely part of the greater good. They were almost as good as fresh, sun-ripened strawberries! Almost.

As expected, Yang had scolded Ruby for not eating anything that day, but at least she relented enough to let Ruby have some of the strawberry preserves, an acceptable substitution for when fresh strawberries were unavailable. Of course, that was only after extracting the promise that Ruby would try to eat everything Yang dished out for her at dinner. She had managed about half under Yang's watchful eye. It helped that Yang was back. The horrible clenching in her gut relaxed ever so slightly now that she had a buffer between her and their guest. She didn't have to worry about interacting with the noble anymore—at least for the rest of the night. Just that knowledge alone was enough to quell some of the anxiety that had been plaguing her since Yang had left her alone with Weiss.

Absentmindedly, Ruby raised her nose to sniff the air and caught the familiar scent of earth, wind, and oddly enough, crows. It was a scent she knew almost as well as Yang's. She perked up excitedly. Uncle Qrow was back! She hadn't seen him in almost a month.

Ruby spun around and got Yang's attention. She signed, Uncle Qrow is here!

"He is?" Yang blinked somewhat blearily as she brought her water canteen to her mouth again, still trying to mitigate the effects of last night's drinking.

Ruby heard Weiss ask, "Who is what?"—but Ruby was already darting up the trail in excitement, leaving her slower companions behind. She raced through the trees until she broke into a familiar clearing at the edge of a grass covered cliff. It was a beautiful place that oversaw a sparkling river that weaved its way far below like a shimmering ribbon of light.

A man with short black hair stood before two graves that had been placed about forty feet away from the cliff's edge. He turned to reveal a scruffy, unshaven visage with sharp crimson eyes. A sword—no, two swords—hung at his side, and he wore a tattered red cloak over his Rider uniform.

Two swords? Huh, that was unusual. But that was a mystery to be solved later. Uncle Qrow was back!

Ruby didn't bother slowing down and slammed into him. She brought her arms around his middle and hugged him hard. He didn't move an inch, but she did succeed in knocking some of the air out of him. Knowing it would be a few minutes before Yang and—more importantly—Weiss caught up, Ruby let her tail fly, wagging so excitedly that she created a mini whirlwind at their feet.

"Hey, Kiddo," Uncle Qrow said with a grin as he reached under her hood to ruffle her hair.

Ruby pulled back to free up her hands. Hi, Uncle Qrow! Ruby signed excitedly. When did you get back?

"The other night. I was getting ready to visit 'cept Yang came by first. Told me what you two were up to. You're going on a trip, she said?"

Ruby nodded, signing, We met someone who needs help. We're going to help them.

"Yeah? Sure you can handle it? You're still kinda tiny."

Ruby pouted beneath her hood. She moved her hands, I'm still growing!

"'Course ya are," he drawled, smirking when Ruby crossed her arms with a huff. "Glad I could catch you two before ya left. Where's Yang?"

Ruby didn't have to bother answering because just then, both of them heard the sound of movement from the forest. Ruby turned just in time to see Yang, and then Weiss, emerge from the trees. She waved at them exuberantly, still excited at seeing Uncle Qrow.

"Uncle Qrow, what are you doing here?" Yang asked.

"Gotta see my nieces off, don't I? And make sure you've got everything ya need." His eyes trailed to the third member of their party, and they widened ever so slightly. "Well now, there's a sight ya don't see everyday. A Schnee, in the flesh." He glanced back at Yang, ignoring the way Weiss jerked in surprise. "You know there's a bounty out for your client?"

"Yep," Yang answered, popping that final 'p' in a way that Ruby was kind of envious of.

"And that every provincial official and soldier will be on the lookout for her?"

"Uh-huh."

"And that you could get thrown in jail and accused of kidnapping or worse by any noble who catches you with her?"

"They'd have to catch us first. And then I'd just break us out. Easy-shmeezy."

"Well," Uncle Qrow said, "alright then."

There was a brief moment of silence. And then...

"That's it?" came the high-pitched exclamation of the person in question.

Uncle Qrow raised an eyebrow. "What's it?"

"You're not going to talk your nieces out of a fool's errand? Warn them that they're in over their heads?"

He blinked. "Do you want me to?"

Weiss's cheeks turned pink. "Of course not! B-but I was certain that...well...that you were going to warn them against helping me."

The man waved his hand lazily. "I know my nieces. They've got skills. They're still green, but they've more experience than most. Truth be told, either of them could probably pass the practical exams for becoming Huntresses without a sweat." —Ruby perked up at that. Really? He thought they were that good?— "If they wanna help ya, then it's not my place to stand in their way."

His eyes softened. "Your sister would be glad to hear you made it out."

Shock and then badly disguised desperation mixed with longing crossed Weiss's face. "You know my sister? Is she well? Where…?"

"Whoa, easy there, Princess," Uncle Qrow said as he held up his hands, ignoring the glare the noble gave him at the nickname. "I've had the unfortunate pleasure of knowing General Ironwood, so I've met your sister in the passing. We've exchanged a few words, nothing more. She was worried about you, though. Asked me to see how you were if I ever found myself in the northern-most area of central Atlas."

Ruby's wolf ears twitched as she picked up Weiss murmur so softly that she doubted anyone else heard it. "Winter…"

Then the noble straightened, looking just as regal as ever even in Yang's old clothes. (It had taken most of the previous afternoon, but Ruby had helped Weiss alter Yang's old things so that the much smaller-figured noble wasn't positively swimming in them. Once Ruby had undone all the seams, Weiss had even helped by trimming the excess cloth while Ruby sewed the pieces back together.) "I thank you for telling me. I'd ask you to pass on a message for me, but I suspect I'll be seeing her sooner than yourself."

"Most likely. I'll be stuck in Atlas for a while. Otherwise I'd be tempted to come along with you to keep my nieces out of trouble." He dropped a hand on Ruby's shoulder to get her attention. "Why don't you take the princess over to meet Tai and Summer? I want to talk routes with Yang a bit—make sure she knows where to go and how best to get there."

"Shouldn't we all be part of that discussion?" Weiss asked pointedly.

He waved a hand lazily. "Probably. But I got some other stuff I wanna discuss with her—stuff that has nothing to do with you. Get going, Princess. Ruby'll need a couple of extra hands anyway."

Weiss was clearly dissatisfied by his answer, but eventually dropped her pack down next to where Ruby had just set hers down and motioned for Ruby to lead the way.

Ruby was initially nervous about making Weiss help, but when the young noble made it abundantly clear that she was waiting for Ruby to do something, the hooded girl shrugged inwardly and started walking. Three minutes later, Ruby had led Weiss to a small meadow of wildflowers the two sisters had planted once long ago. For a while, Ruby and Yang had come nearly every other day to pull weeds and water the seeds they had planted. Even after the sisters stopped visiting as often, the flowers bloomed, released seeds, and sprouted anew all on their own, eventually spreading and covering this section of the cliff with a blanket of soft petals and vibrant colors that returned every spring.

Ruby gestured to the flowers to let her white-haired companion know that she was allowed to pick them and started gathering her own bouquet, making sure not to pick too many flowers from a single area. Evidently, Weiss had taken her gesture to mean do as she did because after a moment of hesitation, the noble followed after Ruby, picking the same flowers that she did. Well, no matter. At least she didn't seem so out of place now that she was doing something; in fact, if Ruby didn't know better she'd say that her companion was actually a little in awe of all the flowers. The older girl kept pausing to look around her at the sight, and Ruby caught her bringing the flowers to her face once or twice, clearly savoring their sweet scent.

Soon enough, both of them had a sizable bouquet in their hands. Ruby then plucked a strand of long grass to tie the flowers together, an action which Weiss mirrored once she saw what the smaller girl was doing. Afterwards, Ruby led them back to the two graves. Yang and Uncle Qrow were still there, quietly conversing near the trees, but Ruby didn't bother eavesdropping though she probably could have if she wanted to. If Uncle Qrow said anything important, she knew Yang would tell her later.

Ruby set her bouquet of flowers on her mother's grave, taking a brief moment to trace the letters carved onto the headstone. She couldn't read them, but she knew what they said. "Summer Rose / Thus kindly I scatter." She then took the other bouquet from Weiss and placed it on the other grave, her father's grave. His headstone said, "Taiyang Xiao Long, beloved father, husband, and friend," or at least that's what Uncle Qrow told her.

She wished she could remember them. Her mother she couldn't remember at all except for her white cloak. Her face, figure, voice, and even scent had long faded from Ruby's memories. All she had left were the stories that Yang and Uncle Qrow told her. Ruby still remembered bits and pieces of her father though. Strong, muscular arms. Blond hair like his oldest daughter. Large hands hardened with callouses. But he, too, was fading from memory.

Ruby knelt before the two graves, quietly gathering her thoughts.

Hi Mom, Dad. Sorry it's been a while since I've visited.

I've been doing better. I was doing really good, actually, until a couple days ago. I...had a flashback.

Her hands trembled just thinking about it, and her pulse quickened. She gripped one forearm with the opposite hand and focused on breathing steadily, counting each breath until she was calmer. When she had brought herself back under control, she continued her silent communion.

I had a couple of nightmares since then. Couldn't really sleep after them either, but I couldn't even remember last night's nightmare, so I think they might be going away again. I hope so. Yang's been worried because I haven't been sleeping.

Oh! Yang's doing good. She's always so amazing—so strong, brave and confident...she's the best sister I could ever hope for. I just wish I wasn't always dragging her down with my problems. I think she got into another fight over me. She wouldn't tell me anything, like usual, but she smelled like she had used her Semblance. I wish she wouldn't. I'm...not worth that.

As always, the slight crack in her consciousness opened the floodgates to the thoughts she usually tried so hard not to let into the forefront of her mind.

Would...you be mad at me if I thought that? Because sometimes I feel that way. Not always!—but sometimes. Would...you be ashamed of me because I can't even go into town without my heart racing? I can't even talk to people anymore. Every time I try, the words die in my throat and I get all panicky. You were both strong and brave warriors, and I'm...well, I'm me.

Awkward. Weak. Always scared of people.

Yang always tells me that I'm amazing and that she's proud of me, but I don't feel amazing. I always feel like I'm not doing enough—that I'm falling short. I'm always making Yang pick up after me—making her get into fights over me when she shouldn't have to. If I was just more...more normal, maybe she could relax once in a while instead of worrying over me all the time.

Would you be upset if I thought that?

Yang does. She always gets this super sad look on her face, so I try not to let her know. More than anything else, I want her to smile and be happy.

Ruby glanced over at Weiss who was standing a little ways away from her. She frowned, and her sensitive nose wrinkled slightly. Such grief, sadness, and regret wafted off the noble. Ruby wondered if Weiss had lost someone dear to her as well. Ruby didn't really keep up with things outside the village, so even though the Schnees were important people, she didn't really know much about them. Maybe she'd ask Yang later. Yang might know.

Umm...we brought someone with us this time. This is Weiss. She came to us for help and I...I really want to help her.

Ruby shot another hidden glance at the noble as she tried to organize her thoughts.

The other night, she was crying really hard. I think she's hurting...a lot. I don't know if there's anything I can do about it but...I want to. I really want to. I'm not a hero like either of you, but maybe there's something even someone like me can do. Or at least I want to try. Would you be proud of me for thinking that?

I hope you're doing well, wherever you are. Wish us luck. Hopefully I'll have an amazing adventure to tell you about when I come back.

Ruby rose from where she had been kneeling and brushed off her knees. I love you, she added as a parting note before turning around to go back to Yang and Uncle Qrow. And she really did love them. She might not remember either of them that well, but what she did remember, she cherished as best she could. There might be a small empty place in her heart where they were supposed to be, but that was alright because Ruby had Yang and Uncle Qrow. As long as they were around, she had everything she'd ever need, now and forever.

Yang might have been feeling slightly hungover, but she had always been the high-functioning sort of drinker. Most of the time she acted drunker than she really was—a trick she learned from Uncle Qrow when he'd still been drinking. People stopped being as careful when they thought you were drunk, and you could end up learning things they didn't necessarily want you to know. In short, they underestimated you, and Yang loved being underestimated—if only so that she could see the expression on the other person's face when they realized there was more to her than met the eye.

Right now, that meant even though she was spending her morning lurching this way and that, drinking water and eating twice as much food as her companions to offset the whatever alcohol was left in her system, and blinking against the bright sunlight, she wasn't blind to the way Ruby was interacting with their new guest—well, as of the night before, their client.

Her socially avoidant, shy, reclusive, and often somewhat awkward baby sister was going out of her way to interact with someone more than she had to—and not only to be polite. Polite meant serving food and drink, and then fading away into the background so that people forgot she was there like she had done the first night Weiss had stayed with them. This time, however, Ruby was doing far more than that—from fetching a water basin and cloth so that the noble could wash her face in the morning to lending the older girl her comb. Summer's comb. Ruby barely used it, but Yang knew she treasured it just like she did with all the other things Summer had left behind—as few as they were—but here she was lending it to Weiss.

Yang had to blink twice and rub her eyes to make sure she wasn't imagining things. Sure, Yang had made a point to speak to Weiss before they parted the other day in hopes Weiss could help break Ruby out of her shell, but Yang didn't actually expect anything to come of it, at least not right away.

And there was Weiss to consider, too. It was subtle, but the young noble was also treating Ruby slightly differently than before. As soon as Yang had told Weiss that Ruby couldn't speak, that familiar wall had come up—the one that made people avert their eyes from Ruby and turn to Yang for any and all social interactions. The one that made them stop treating her like a person with her own mind. However, even though Yang had only been gone for a little over a day, that wall seemed lower than before. True, the noble was still a bit hesitant and awkward, but it was clear she was trying, judging by the murmured thanks and occasional soft questions.

And there was no way Yang missed the fact that the hand-me-downs she'd packed for Weiss now fit her almost perfectly. While it might have been possible that Weiss had altered the clothing herself, Yang had looked at the seams and recognized her little sister's simple but neat stitches—the same style of stitches that was on all their clothing since Yang was hopeless at that sort of thing. She doubted Weiss would have asked for help, so Ruby must have offered it. Her little sister had taken the initiative to approach a stranger without Yang. That had never happened before.

Something must have happened between the two of them while she had been gone, yet Yang couldn't imagine what.

"Something wrong, Firecracker?" Uncle Qrow asked her. She turned and realized he'd been watching her watch Ruby and Weiss walk away to the flower field.

She hesitated and then shrugged. "I don't think I've ever seen Ruby so calm after being told to go off somewhere with a stranger before." The two of them shared a knowing look. It was too soon for them to be able to tell if this was going to be a good thing or bad thing but Yang, for one, hoped it was a sign that Ruby was starting to move forward.

Yang waited until Ruby and Weiss were well out of an earshot before she asked, "So you really know Weiss's sister?"

"Uh-huh. Not well, but yeah, I know her." Uncle Qrow ambled over to a tree and withdrew a heavy pack out from behind it.

Yang hummed for a moment before asking, "Do you think Weiss is who she seems? Is she trustworthy?" Could she trust the white-haired noble with her precious baby sister?

"Dunno. What do your instincts say?"

"When I first saw her? That she's in over her head and at the end of her rope. That she needs help."

"And so you decided to stick your neck out for her." Uncle Qrow glanced at his oldest niece, who shrugged, before bending down to rummage through his pack. "Well, if the girl is anything like her older sister, then you're doing the right thing. The Schnee patriarch...is not a good man. Wouldn't be surprised if that scar on her face is his fault somehow."

Yang's expression darkened at that. "Seriously?"

Uncle Qrow nodded. "Her older sister only shared a few stories with me, but they were enough. You're going to have to be careful. He's got eyes and ears everywhere and more influence than he should. Worst yet, it looks like he actually wants his youngest daughter back; and what Lord Schnee wants, Lord Schnee usually gets, one way or another."

He pulled out two rolls of parchment, one tied with a plain leather cord and the other with a black leather cord. He untied the first one and unrolled it on the ground for Yang to see. Yang crouched down for a better look.

Then she blinked. "This is…"

It was a map. A well drafted one at that.

"Yep. Atlas. And the other is of Vytal for when you get there. You're taking them both—no arguing."

"But Uncle Qrow, we can't take this." Maps, especially accurately rendered ones, were incredibly expensive. It was hard to survey the land to get accurate distances and mark every major landmark when the wilderness was often crawling with Grimm. It took a brave soul, lots of money to hire protection for that soul, and often weeks of travel to get even a fraction of a map completed—hence why it was near impossible for normal people to get them. Maps were things for military officers, wealthy merchants, Huntsmen, and nobles—not normal folk like her and Ruby.

"You can and will. Think of it as an early Midwinter present if you have to; now shut up and listen." He pointed to a spot on the map that had been marked with a small black star. "This is Patch. Normally it wouldn't be on a map like this—it's too small—but I added it just in case you two plan on coming back." He glanced up once into Yang's eyes, looking as serious as ever. "I personally don't recommend it, at least not until we can be sure that Faunus rights are moving in a positive direction. Dunno how you're going to convince Ruby, though."

Yang gave a weak smile. "I was sort of planning on crossing that bridge when I get there rather than worry about it now."

"Think she'll get mad at you?"

"I...can't see her getting mad. She'll be sad, for certain, that she didn't get a chance to say goodbye to the villagers, but I think she'd understand eventually. It helps that you'll be coming along after us. We're her world. If either one of us was staying behind, she'd come right back, but if neither of us were here anymore, I can't see her being nearly as attached to the place."

"Let's hope you're right." Uncle Qrow gestured for her to look at the map once more.

He traced his finger along a dotted line. "These are the main roads—specifically ones that are patrolled by the Riders."

He pointed at a horseshoe symbol. "These symbols indicate where the Riders are stationed. If you ever need to send word to me, you can probably pay them to send a message my way. It'll be quicker than trying to use the regular messenger service at any rate. Safer too. You never know who actually runs a proper messenger service and who's running a scam to pocket people's money and goods. Regulation has become nonexistent since the Atlas Council decided they care more about lining their own pockets than actually running the province.

"Dots with a ring around them indicate the largest of the walled cities. Regular dots indicate towns large enough and important enough to show up on a map. Most of them are major trade centers or at crossroads that see a lot of traffic. Now here's where it gets iffy."

Uncle Qrow pointed to three different spots that had been marked with red, yellow, and green dots. "I talked to as many Riders as I could, but a lot of them haven't done a lot of traveling outside the immediate area in a while. Red dots indicate towns that they remember being there years ago, but they might not be there anymore." It went unspoken that when there were monsters that preyed solely on humans wandering the lands outside of the walled cities, towns and villages could rise up and disappear with none the wiser. Remnant was littered with the ruins of failed cities and towns that had been wiped out by Grimm. "Yellow dots indicate towns that have been confirmed within the last five years, and green dots indicate towns that have been visited recently. It's not all of them, but I marked as many as I could."

"This is going to be so useful, Uncle Qrow," Yang breathed as she examined the map from top to bottom, "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome. Just be careful that it doesn't fall into the wrong hands, alright? There are bandits and thieves that would kill for something like this."

"I promise."

"Good; now one more thing." He pointed to a small circle with three black pine trees inside it. "This is where I've been getting Ruby's medicine." Yang felt her hangover burn away in an instant as she stared intently at that little circle.

Uncle Qrow continued, ignoring the wash of heat that suddenly hit him. "It's a medium-large town by the name of Black Rock. Fairly good people, but unfortunately very anti-Faunus. The people there are mostly miners, and you can guess that they were less than pleased when the Atlas Council started offering 'free' food, jobs, and homes to the Faunus, while they're struggling to make a living." He ignored Yang's annoyed grumble about humans who were too stupid to realize they were being fed lies.

"You'll be looking for a place called 'Black Pines Apothecary,' and this is their storefront symbol, three pines in a circle. It's owned by a crotchety old man from Mistral. Goes by the name Kuromatsu, Kuro for short. I hear his name literally means 'black pine' in one of Mistral's old tongues. Just tell him I sent you, and he'll know what you want." He glanced over at his niece as he rolled up the map. "I'm serious about the place being anti-Faunus. Keep Ruby out of town and make sure she knows to stay out of sight even in the surrounding area. No use asking for trouble when you can avoid it."

"I will," Yang promised as she accepted the two maps almost reverently. Uncle Qrow tossed her an oilcloth-wrapped case to slide the rolled-up maps into to protect them from the elements. It reminded her of the small tube Weiss had been so protective of the night before, and she briefly wondered what the noble was hiding. A small part of Yang was worried that whatever it was would put her and Ruby in danger in the not too distant future, but the more practical side of her knew that short of an army of Grimm or a team of rogue Huntsmen gone mercenary, she and Ruby were well prepared to take on most threats.

Yang slipped the case into her pack just as Ruby and Weiss walked back into view. Yang watched as her little sister knelt before the two graves. She used to do the same, but that was a long time ago. She didn't know if the dead really hung around or visited to check up on the living, but she had never gotten the feeling that any otherworldly beings were there. Even if they were, Yang had nothing good to say to Taiyang, and Summer...Yang had let Summer down. Yang was the big sister. It was her job to keep Ruby, Summer's real daughter, safe. Deep inside, Yang knew that Summer probably would never have blamed her—that she had considered Yang her daughter as well, regardless of blood—but Yang would always blame herself. If the dead truly were around to offer comfort to the living, she didn't deserve any of it, at least not from Summer.

Uncle Qrow's voice broke into her thoughts. "Got something else for you. Ruby's already got that whistle around her neck so it only makes sense for you to hold onto this." He unlatched the pendant he had worn around his neck for as long as Yang could remember and put it around her neck. It featured the profile of a silver crow etched out of metal with a single red gemstone to serve as the crow's only visible eye. Yang could only gape in shock as her uncle gave her one of his most valuable possessions—the other being his sword.

"It's only on loan," he added, correctly anticipating the argument that had been about to spill from Yang's lips. "Keep it safe, and give it back to me when we meet up again. It's not much, and it'll probably be downright useless unless you meet the right people, but I know quite a few people in Vytal. Pretty important people at that. Can't tell you who they are, but if you encounter one of them and they mention a dusty old crow after seeing that pendant, you'll know they're someone you can trust and they'll know you're connected to me. If you ever run into trouble, don't be afraid to use my connections."

Yang blinked. "Umm...thanks? But you're being...really vague."

He grimaced. "I know, but sometimes secrets exist to keep people safe. This here's one of them. I'm sorry I can't tell you much more than that. I'm already breaking a ton of rules by telling you this much. Just tell whoever it is that 'Qrow's calling in a favor' and they ought to lend you a hand." His eyes slid away and when Yang followed his gaze, she realized Ruby and Weiss were coming back over to them.

She wished she could question him more, but she figured there was a reason he told her all this while Weiss had been otherwise occupied. He did that a lot—tell her important things right before something else happened so that she couldn't ask too many questions, probably because he knew how stubborn she could be about getting answers. She grumbled inwardly before turning her attention to Ruby whose own attention was riveted on the pendant around her neck. Even though she couldn't see the girl's expression, she knew Ruby's eyes were probably wide open with surprise much like Yang's had been earlier when she'd first received the precious piece of jewelry.

I'll tell you later, Yang mouthed, and Ruby nodded solemnly in return before slipping in close and wrapping an arm around Yang's waist. Yang automatically wrapped an arm around her little sister's shoulders, sensing how much she needed to feel someone close right now. She always did after visiting their parents, and Yang was more than happy to oblige. Anything to make Ruby feel better.

Weiss stood stiffly as she watched the three family members before her conversing with one another. Well, two family members conversing with one another with quiet pauses whenever the smallest of them started moving her hands.

It was all so foreign to her. She felt out of place here to the point where she could feel the tension coiling in her neck and shoulders.

Is this what family is supposed to be like? she wondered. Warm touches. Gentle gazes. Joking words. Soft smiles.

She couldn't help but compare it all to the cold, empty halls of the place she had come from. Her father's harsh gazes, cutting criticisms, calculating smiles, and dismissive attitude towards his youngest daughter came to mind almost instantly, sending a creeping chill through her heart. I don't think I've ever seen Father with the kind of affection this man has for his nieces, not even towards his favored son.

The sisters were so fortunate they had someone who cared for them so—so fortunate that they had each other.

Weiss couldn't help but stiffen as soon as the thought hit her. Wait. That sounds like...like I'm jealous. That couldn't be. She was a Schnee. There was no reason for her to be jealous and yet, she couldn't quite quell the sense of irritation she felt watching the close-knit family. Her crossed arms tightened, and a corner of her mouth turned downwards.

I'm just getting irritated that this is taking so long. We should have already been on the road by now. Satisfied that she had found a reasonable explanation for her sudden drop in mood, she opened her mouth to strongly hint that perhaps they should be on their way soon when the rather scruffy-looking uncle spoke.

"I'd be a piss-poor uncle if I didn't give you girls new toys before ya headed out. Firecracker?" He handed a small bag to Yang, who opened it curiously.

"Wow, Uncle Qrow! Fire Dust bombs!" Yang had an expression of pure glee on her face, causing a shiver to run down Weiss's spine. The man was giving the impulsive woman explosives? Was he mad?

"No blowing up the campfire this time," the man said. He must have noticed Weiss's face growing pale for he said to her, "There's a reason I call her Firecracker."

Yang rolled her eyes. "I only did that one time. Besides, it was all good. No one got hurt."

"Not for the lack of trying," he retorted. "Almost set the tents on fire, and we had to eat jerky that night since you burned what should've been our supper to a crisp."

He turned his attention to his other niece. "C'mere, Pipsqueak." He handed Ruby a leather bundle that was tied shut. Weiss craned her neck to look in spite of herself and felt her eyes widen a touch upon seeing the hooded girl pull back a corner of the leather and withdraw one of the items from within. A Dust arrow. Fire Dust, to be exact, judging by the red crystal in the arrowhead and the corresponding red-marked fletching.

Weiss shot a scrutinizing look at the man. Dust weapons were expensive. Who was this man that he could get such items on such short notice? He couldn't have known his nieces were leaving until yesterday afternoon at the very earliest after all. Or was it that Dust was a lot more prevalent among the lower classes than she had been taught all her life? She frowned inwardly, unhappy that even the one thing she should have been an expert in was thrown into question like everything thing else she had encountered since running away. A creeping sense of inferiority tried to rise up, but she stomped it down hard. Not now, and preferably not ever. She forced her attention away from her thoughts and turned it back to the others.

"And this," the girls' uncle added after Ruby had redone the ties and carefully placed the bundle of Dust arrows with her pack. He undid one of the swords at his side and passed it to his youngest niece who took it into her hands almost reverently. "I was gonna give this to you on your birthday but seeing as you're not gonna be here, I guess I just have to give it to you early. The blade you've got now is good for what you've done up until now—fighting in cramped quarters with lots of obstacles to avoid—but out in the southern hills where you're headed?—you're going to need something that gives you a little more distance in battle. It ain't the biggest sword out there, but it's the best I could find that suits your style of fighting."

Weiss watched as the hooded girl drew the new weapon and instantly noted several things. One, the new blade was noticeably longer than the one currently attached to Ruby's side by at least ten inches or so. Two, the blade was thinner and tapered off into a sharper point though it, too, was a single-edged blade rather than the growingly common double-edged blades she was used to seeing. Lastly, it had a slightly wider guard than the girl's old one, though not by much.

Ruby stepped back several feet, swished the sword through the air a few times, clearly testing its weight and balance, and then broke into movement. The blade sang as the hooded figure cut and parried invisible foes, smoothly moving from defense to offense and back again.

Weiss couldn't help but stare hungrily at some of the techniques, her mind instantly churning to see which techniques could be adapted for her rapier and trying to work out how she would react to and counter each strike herself. The noble was almost disappointed when Ruby eventually ground to a halt, and her fingers were still itching to draw her own weapon and try her hand at some of the techniques she just witnessed. She barely managed to restrain herself and only managed to do so by reminding herself that they still had at least half a day's worth of traveling to do and the more time wasted here was less time spent on the road and getting farther away from her pursuers.

At least the demonstration proved that Weiss had made a wise decision in hiring the young woman even if it meant having to put up with that aggravating older sister of hers. It restored a thread of confidence that had been absent since that morning. She could do this. She would do this. Her future and destiny were hers now, not her father's or—Dust forbid—her future husband's, assuming one of those many suitors of hers managed to win enough of her father's approval that he'd be willing to hand her over to form a marriage alliance. Weiss shuddered just thinking about it. Many of those men were twice, even three times her age!

Thankfully, her attention was drawn back to the trio before her, though it did bring back that uncomfortable feeling of being out of place. Still, it was better than contemplating whatever her father had in store for her had she not gathered the courage to leave.

"Alright, you two," the girls' uncle said, "what are the rules?"

Rules? What rules?

Yang rolled her eyes as she said, "Uncle Qrow, don't you think we know them by heart by now?"

"Humor me, Firecracker. For old time's sake."

The golden-haired woman huffed, but it was clear she wasn't nearly as opposed to it as she pretended to be. "Rule number one: Trust each other."

"That's right. When you're off in strange lands, the best thing you can do is always trust your team. Rely on them, and be reliable. Next."

Ruby made some hand motions and tapped the spot over her heart. The black-haired man caught Weiss's eye and translated for her. "Right, trust your instincts and your heart. If something doesn't feel right, get out of there. It's better to run and live to fight another day than to take chances and get yourself in a mess that you can't get out of."

Yang gave the next one. "Rule number three: Take care of your body." For some reason she bent down and stared hard into her little sister's hood as she spoke.

"Good. Better to take a few extra days to rest and heal up if you need to than to push yourself only to have your body collapse on you when you really need it. Last one. Ruby?"

Again, Ruby made a few hand signs and then reached out to take Yang's hand in hers.

"That's right. Take care of each other," the man said softly. "Take care of each other so that you can all come back at the end of the day." To Weiss's surprise, the somewhat gruff man wrapped an arm around each of his nieces, both of whom returned the display of affection almost instantly. He might have whispered something to them as well for when the three of them broke apart, Yang's eyes were looking somewhat misty, and Ruby was rubbing her eyes beneath her hood.

There wasn't much talk after that. Yang and the girls' uncle, Qrow, broke off to spend a few moments standing before the two graves while Ruby took the time to pack away her new arrows and sword. Then after one more exchange of goodbyes from both sides, Qrow grabbed his pack and started making his way back to the Riders' Keep. The remaining three shrugged on their packs once more and left, leaving behind only the flowers on the graves to show any sign that anyone had been there.

Author's Ramblings and Ruminations:

And that's the end of Act I of this story. I'm not 100% satisfied with this chapter, but I wanted to make sure I released something before the end of this month. My main goal for this chapter was to show where each of our characters' heads are at the moment as they start the next chapter of their lives. Did I do okay?

Also, now that most of the world-building and character introductions are out of the way, the plot can really start moving forward. In other words, if all goes to plan, the story should start picking up after this. No more spending 60K worth of words just to cover the span of 3 days in-story...yeah...I just noticed that I did that. o_o ...At least it was mostly an enjoyable read, judging by the handful of reviews I've gotten? I'll work on pacing, I promise! Just please be patient with me.

And again, I'm terribly sorry it took so long for me to get this out. Real-life hit and was quickly followed by writer's block. Add to that the fact that I've never been a fast writer...yeah.

As much as I'd like to commit to a release schedule, I don't think I can. I tried, I really tried, but it backfired rather than helped me stay focused. I got so anxious about releasing on time that it affected my ability to write, whereas I was writing fairly steadily before I tried to lock myself into a schedule. Anxiety really sucks. :(

For now, I'll try to get at least one chapter out every month and you can treat any other releases that month as lucky bonuses. That way I'm free to release new chapters if I have them, but I don't have to stress about sticking to a deadline. Thank you again to all of you who've stuck with me up until this point. If you have a spare moment, please leave a comment or review? After reading what was essentially an overly long introduction to this story, how are you feeling? Were you starting to lose interest because it was too slow? Are you excited for what's to come? Did any scenes stand out to you, for reasons good or bad? Do the characters seem alive to you? Is there anything you think I need to work on? Let me know and as long as you have an account on this site, I'll try to respond to any and all messages, if only to let you know I read them.