...
The sound Raven's body made as it crashed into the ground was music to Yang's ears.
She hit it hard, the earth beneath her giving way as she carved through it and came to a stop almost like a ragdoll.
Oh yeah, very satisfying.
That did leave some issues though, one being that the camp around them suddenly came alive.
Men and woman yelled out in shock and panic, reaching for their weapons. The woman beside her, Vernal, actually snarled as she made to charge and try and lice her up.
Behind her, Yang's own group formed a circle, ready for things to get nasty.
The brawler's hand, a flame came to life as Ember Celica primed up.
"You coming at me?" she drawled. "How about you all form a line so I can save time beating you down?"
"You bitch," Vernal growled. "You think you can just come into our home and attack us?"
"Yeah actually, that's exactly what I think. So far, you haven't proven me wrong." She smirked nastily. "You wanna start? Bring it."
And then any notion of violence stopped when Raven raised a single hand.
The bandits froze as the dust around Raven cleared.
Slowly, the nevermore queen brought her other hand to her jaw, working it carefully.
"That was a good punch."
"Yeah?" Yang growled. "That's eighteen years' worth of missed birthdays. How about you give me a few more swings to really drive home the message?"
Blake took a step forward. "Yang, stop. This is isn't the place for this. Not… with all of these people around."
Yang didn't even turn to acknowledge the Faunus, but her tone was sharp. "You can shut up. This has nothing to do with you. This is between me and her."
The growls from the bandit tribe surrounding them seemed to disagree.
They hadn't moved however, not since Raven had raised her hand.
Speaking of, Vernal had moved to stand by her side, helping her to her fee.
Yang's eye narrowed. "What's with you anyway? I thought you were supposed to be some big-bad huntress but you couldn't even react in time."
"I'm…" Raven groaned. "Having a bad day."
Honestly, it looked like it. Yang's eyes scanned her… biological mother's form up and down.
She hadn't really been paying attention before her sight had gone red, but looking at her now Yang could see how… pale she looked, and not in a good way.
Her skin was clammy, there were bags under her eyes and her hair was a mess. It looked like she'd been put through the wringer. Had she been fighting recently?
No, that didn't make sense. The other bandits looked fresh.
Raven…
She looked sick.
"Boss," One of the bandits stepped forward, one with longish hair and a revolver. "You're not just gonna take that are you? I mean, she just walked in here and railed you!"
Another groan escaped Raven. "I think I deserved it… not like I could do much about it right now."
A look passed across his face, and his eyes flickered from one Branwen to the other.
Raven noticed and shot him a tried, raised eyebrow. "What? Do you want to fight for my honour here? Against her?"
He winced and took a step back. "I'm not that stupid boss. I know the rules. Nobody touches her."
It was Yang's turn to raise an eyebrow. So they knew about her… Raven had some sort of rule around her, she'd talked about her to the tribe then.
Cute.
The brawler cracked her knuckles. "So, are we getting back to the part where I knock your teeth in?"
"I'd rather you didn't," Raven murmured, leaning her wait on the wooden pillar holding the front of her tent up. "I need those for a number of things, like talking for one."
"Oh yeah?" Yang glared. "And why would I want to hear another word out of your deadbeat mouth?"
"…Well," Raven grimaced. "I guess my reputation isn't the best."
"Tch, you think? Was it the part where you walked out on your only daughter, abandoned your team or never came back that would have screwed that up? Go on, take a guess, hint, it's all of the above."
"…Is that the story you've been told?"
The brawler bared her teeth furiously. "Is this the part where you tell me all that shit's bull? That you're some poor, downtrodden sap who's been wronged by the world."
Raven's hand raised to palm the side of her face, as if she was fighting off some sort of headache. "I… you've pretty much lined out what happened, I know… but it… wasn't for the reasons you think okay? I'm not saying I deserve pity."
"Neither am I."
The huntress's pained face morphed into a scowl. "Look I know I'm a piece of shit, can you at least give me a moment to explain things?"
"You know what? I don't think I will!" Yang stalked forward, right into Raven's face and gripped her collar. The bandits around them were tense once again. "I don't care about why you did it. Just that you did. I need some catharsis, so I'm gonna take my fist and ram it down your-"
Yang' threats cut off as blood splashed onto her face.
For a moment, she froze, unable to comprehend what had just happened. She wasn't in any pain, her aura had been prepped to take a hit from behind and yet it hadn't tanked a blow.
It wasn't her blood.
It was Raven.
Yang's grip slipped in panic as Raven let out a hacking cough. Her form hunched over, stumbling against the beam for support as Vernal moved to hold her up, to keep her from falling.
She kept coughing, and Yang watched wide-eyed as blood sped from her lips.
The sounds she was making were nearly inhuman, it sounded as if her lungs were tearing themselves open as she wretched.
Raven's knees wobbled as she fell to one knee.
Her chest heaved as thick crimson liquid dripped onto the ground.
"W-wha-" Yang's eyes flickered back and forth between Raven and Vernal madly. "What is this? What's going on?!"
The bandit ignored her, preferring to hold Raven steady as she fought to get her breath under control. Her face was pulled tightly into a frown.
Yang's eyes narrowed. Vernal didn't look shocked or scared by the fact that her leader was throwing up her own lungs.
She looked resigned.
Her eyes sought out the rest of the camp, and found that while her own party looked horrified, as they should, the men and women around them… only looked upset, but not worried.
"Someone tell me what the fuck is going on!"
Vernal sneered. "How about you go walk off a-"
"Vernal…"
Her jaw clicked shit of a second before she turned to her leader. "But- Raven, you can't actually tell us you're going to give in to her threats when she treats you like- like this!" she waved a hand in Yang's direction. "She can't be allowed to walk in here and disrespect us!"
"She already has." Raven groaned, struggling to her feet. "And that's my fault. If I had done something sooner or just… I don't matter. It's my fault this is happening anyway…"
Raven's tired eyes found Yang's
Red on red.
One, confused and furious. The other exhausted and suffering.
"You need to calm down, at least for five minutes. You might be my daughter, but I can't let you act this way in the tribe."
"Doesn't look like you can stop me." Yang rumbled. "What, with you spittin' up your own blood."
"Even like this Yang, if I was serious, you wouldn't stand a chance."
The younger Branwen didn't respond.
Raven turned to her second. "Vernal, get things ready for tonight… this might take a while, so… if I'm not finished by the time the sun goes down you need to come and get me."
"Yes ma'am."
She sighed. "I'll admit this went slightly better in my head but…" she turned back to Yang. "You turned it down before but… I do want to give you answers."
The blonde's face twisted angrily for a moment fighting some burning feeling in her chest before she let out a breath. Ember Celica retracted and she crossed her arm. "Fine. I'll listen for as long as you don't try and bullshit me, but if I don't like what I hear, I'm going back to making you pay the old-fashioned way."
"Fair enough… come into the tent. We… can talk there." Raven's eye flickered over Yang's shoulder.
To Blake. "You, you're coming too."
The Faunus nearly jumped. "W-what?"
"I said get in here, don't ask questions."
With that Raven turned, hobbling into her tent and letting the flaps close behind her.
Blake swallowed, turning to the others.
Ilia sent her helpless look, while Sun and Neptune looked more than a little on edge. She could tell why.
Yang was not happy with Raven's decision to invite her to what Blake knew would be a… personal talk, and had practically stormed into the tent.
Vernal sighed when she saw the Faunus' trepidation. "Just get in there, kid. This is going to be enough of a headache without you pussyfooting around things. Raven's orders are absolute. You don't go in, I'll toss you in." With that, she turned to the other tribesmen. "Oi Brook, Shay, get the collar, the rest of you, gather up the chains and get to the clearing, clean out any Grimm that might be there!"
Well, that wasn't much help to Blake, but with no other idea, and, being sort of surrounded by bandits, she took the amnesty for what it was, following the other two women into the tent.
She met Yang's scowl a soon as she did so.
"So?" the blonde grunted. "Are you going to talk or what?"
Raven waved a hand. "In a minute… let me just… would you like some tea?"
Yang crossed her arms.
"I'm guessing that's a no?" Raven glanced tiredly Blake's way. "What about you? Are you a tea drinker?"
The Faunus swallowed. "I um… I'm sorry but, I don't think I should be here for something so personal."
"Is that a no on the tea as well? You know what? I'm having tea, I'll leave the stuff on the table if you change your mind. Go on, sit down."
For a moment, neither of them did, but eventually Yang made a noise of annoyance and moved to drop onto the mat.
Hesitantly, Blake did the same.
She didn't point out how obvious it was that Yang had put plenty of space between them.
"Good," Raven coughed, setting a teapot down on the table and letting out a small groan as she sat herself down. "Now we can start."
Yang didn't seem to agree. "Why is she here for this?"
"Huh?"
"Why," she repeated, pointing at the Faunus. "is she here for this?"
The bandit raised an eyebrow. "Why wouldn't she be? Even disregarding everything else, this sort of thing I think partners should share, I did with Summer."
Yang's teeth ground together. "She is not my partner!"
Raven's eye flickered.
Blake's face fell. That… hurt. She wasn't… entirely sure why. They were… only words, she knew that logically Yang had made her feelings clear, how she felt about her wasn't positive. They'd been separated almost for as long as they'd been partners anyway.
Still. Even I Yang had said already that they were done… It hurt to actually hear it like this.
Raven frowned. "Not sure I agree. I can't say I know how you feel Yang, but even I can tell the girl means something to you."
Wait, what?
"Why do you even care!" the brawler snapped. "Why have you got an interest in her all of a sudden?"
Raven's response was dry. "Because I want to get a measure of the kind of person my daughter's been with."
Yang blinked as Blake stiffened. "I- what?"
She rolled her eyes. "I can smell her scent off of you Yang. Clear as day. It's not hard to tell where that came from. My guess is that she can still smell herself on you too."
Yang recoiled in shock and her head whipped around suddenly to Blake. "Did you know about this?!"
"N-no!" Blake defended. "I- I didn't!"
"You did." Raven dismissed. "Maybe not consciously, actually no that I think about it you probably got so used to it with all the time you spent together that you forgot about it, but anyone who hadn't met you two together, say, your parents, would have gotten one whiff of you and known the deal. Or, at least caught an inkling."
Blake wasn't able to keep the mortification that she felt off of her face. Yang, in turn, looked horrified. "You mean I walked around Menagerie with a fucking sign above my head about-"
"How you slept with her?" a flash of emotion Blake couldn't trace passed over Raven's face. "Probably not. They'd have had to have known her personally for that beforehand. Her parents though? As soon as you showed up they would have recognised the new smell that came from their own daughter. It was probably the same for Taurus as well."
"What about you?" Yang snarled suddenly. "We're not- we're not like that, not anymore! How- how do you have any clue about this?"
Raven took a slow sip of her tea. "That's… complicated, part of the story, but even without that I have eyes. You don't think your own mother wouldn't know about who you were with?"
"Don't you dare!" Yang growled. "You don't get to call yourself that, not in front of me. Summer was my mom. All you did was spit me out and run off like a cowardly bitch!"
"… not inaccurate actually."
"Huh?"
Raven shook her head. "You think I'm scum, I know that, and if I'm honest, I agree with you, but… at least let me give you my side of the story first. Both of you, whatever thing there is going on between you, you're on the same side. However you feel shouldn't affect how you fight when your life is on the line or when things like this come up."
Yang grimaced as if the idea physically repulsed her, but she did look at Blake. Hesitantly, the Faunus did the same. A look passed over the blondes face.
In that way, it was easy to see how the two of them were related. They had the same tells, and both were just as hard to read.
Yang hadn't always been like that though. Not at Beacon.
That was another thing that hurt.
How had Yang changed so much in less than a single year? How was she so… different towards her?
It was as if she was a different person.
"Both of you should hear this because like it or not Yang, the two of you are going to be working together and… honestly I think you need someone to calm you down."
The sound Yang made was some mix between a scoff and a laugh. "And you think Blake is that someone? Have you not been paying attention?"
"I have," Raven hummed knowingly. "And that's why I'm positive she's the one."
"…what are you-"
Yang was cut off as Raven suddenly erupted into a coughing fit again, the older woman, covering her mouth as she struggled for breath.
Yang and Blake watched uncomfortably as her shoulders heaved, and when she pulled away, her hand was stained red.
"We… should start this story already."
"…Yeah," Yang agreed. "I think we should."
…
…
Raven yawned as she opened her bleary eyes.
Her body felts stiff, unused.
She'd… what had she been doing?
And why did her arms feel so numb?
A gurgling sound right beneath her chin gave her those answers and she looked down into bright lavender eyes and a chubby looking face.
"Sorry about that runt," Raven yawned again. "Guess I fell asleep. You okay?"
Another gurgling sound, so was the vocabulary range of a seven-month-old baby.
"Heh," Raven chuckled. "Course you are." She leaned back into the couch. Right, that was it. She'd been stilling watching TV with Yang while she waited for the others to come back.
They'd all gone out and taken a mission together.
And left her here.
Sure she was still technically on maternal leave but she was a huntress! Sitting around wasn't her style. If she stayed out of the action too long she'd get rusty, and nobody had use for a rusty huntsman.
"Tch!" she scoffed, looking back down again at the baby cradled in her arms. "You know, you're lucky I'm such a great mom, or I'd totally ditch you to go out on a mission right now."
Yang must have found what she said hilarious, because she giggled lie she'd told the funniest joke in the world.
Damn it. Must. Resist. The urge. To cuddle.
It would ruin her cred if she was caught by Qrow doing something like that.
Or worse, by Summer.
She'd never see an end to the photos.
Yang tilted ever so slightly, wide eyes looking up at her mother.
Raven's defences were obliterated in an instant.
"Come here you!"
Her daughter giggled madly as she stuck the tips of her fingers underneath her neck and tickled.
Gently, not enough to hurt.
Never enough to hurt.
Raven grinned as her daughter wiggled in her grip, seemingly content to endure the tickle torture. In the action, her bushy blonde hair came free, splayed out across Raven's arms.
It was coming along impressively.
It was a little strange that Yang was blonde, all things considered, but Raven guess that it was probably because for some reason those Xiao-Long genes were stupidly strong.
Tai was really blond after all.
Not that it bothered her. She'd imagined in her head a daughter with wild black hair all the while she'd been pregnant, but this was so much better. Yang was completely untouched by the Branwen tribe, a miracle all things considered.
Yang was perfect. Absolutely, positively perfect, better than anything she could have imagined.
And she was so squishy!
"You know I'm almost gonna be sad when you get older," Raven whispered into Yang's ear. "When you're finally old enough to train all that chub is going to be gone. You should stay like this, all cute and jiggly. It's a crime!"
Yang's giggling was almost definitely agreement.
Another yawn escaped the huntress suddenly.
"I must be getting lazy. I'm pretty much living a life of luxury here, I'm going to be going through the wringer when things go back to normal."
Raven hadn't planned how that would work yet, she'd have to ask Tai what the scheduling would be looking after Yang, no way she was going to leave her with some nanny, or worse, Qrow.
Her girl would be scared for life if that was to happen.
Speaking of, a tingle in the back of her neck let her know that her team was close by.
She grinned down at Yang, bouncing her slightly in her arms as she lifted herself into a better position on the couch. "Guess who's back!"
The next moment, the front door opened and three signatures pinged in her head, the signals bouncing around energetically.
Good, none of them had been hurt.
"Oi Rae!" Her brother called. "We're home."
She rolled her eyes, leaning back to tilt her head over the back of the couch, gazing at him upside down from her spot. "I know Qrow, I'm right here."
"Oh! Shi-" He blinked, pausing slightly when she sent him a warning glare. "Crud," He corrected himself. "Sorry, is the little squirt asleep?"
"No, at least I don't think so. I was though, woke up literally five minutes ago."
"Oh cool," he grinned, walking to plot down on the couch beside her and poking at Yang's back playfully. The little blondie giggled yet again. "So did you miss us?"
"Hah! You? Not a chance."
"Ouch, cold Rae."
Yeah, yeah, where are the other two punks."
Another voice came from the doorway. "Uh, one of these punks is your husband – the love of your life – and is currently carrying groceries."
"Really?" Raven fiend surprise. "Hey Sum, when did we get married? And when did you change parts down there?"
"Har, har." Her husband responded flatly, moving past with a stack of bags in his arms and into the kitchen.
"You guys made a stop before coming back?"
"Just into town." Her brother shrugged. "We had a good run this week,, Sum decided we were going to celebrate it with a big feast for the five of us."
Raven raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Something happen on your mission?"
He shook his head. "My lips are sealed. Summer said she wanted to be the one to tell you the story. She's still pretty pumped about it."
"Yeah?" the older twin laughed. "Where is the scatterbrain anyway?"
"Here!" a cheery voice sounded as a pair of arms draped over Raven's shoulders and a weight leaned against her gently. "And don't call me scatter-brained, I thought we dropped that nickname in second year?"
"I've decided to bring it back for nostalgia's sake." Raven hummed, tilting her head to peer back into silver eyes and match her team leaders wide grin with her own. "Good to see you Summer."
"What? It was only a week." Summer laughed, resting her chin on Raven's shoulder as she let Yang wrap her hands around one of her fingers. "Did you miss me that badly?"
"Yes!" She groaned. "I'm going stir crazy here Sum! I need you goofballs to entertain me."
"Oi!" Qrow cried in mock offence, Summer just shook her head.
"Well don't worry Rae, you're spectacular partner's back and ready to keep you entertained!"
"Good, then you can start by being the great auntie Summer you are and taking Yang for a minute."
"H-hey!" Her partner squeaked as she handed her daughter to her. The silver eyed warrior dipped slightly as she worked to get the proper hold on the baby and shot Raven a desperate look. "Come on Rae don't do this to me!"
Raven rolled her eyes and smiled as she got up, turning her back as Summer quickly took her place on the couch. "You're going to have to get over your fear of babies sooner rather than later Sum!"
"I'm not afraid of babies!" her partner cried back. "I just can't hold them!"
"You're doing fine right now!"
"Anything could go wrong, what if I drop her? Qrow's here!"
"Hey! Why am I always the one who gets thrown under the bus?!"
Raven chuckled and tuned out their bickering as she stepped into the kitchen and wrapped her arms around her husband's back. "I heard you've got a story to tell."
She felt the vibrations in Taiyangs back as he laughed. "Yep, and you've heard how Sum's ordered us to not spoil it."
"Oh it must be a good one then."
"You'll get nothing from me!"
"Oh really?" she smirked, squeezing tighter and letting her hands trail over Tai's abs. "You sure I can't convince you to spill a few secrets?"
"No you can't!" Summer's voice called out from the living room. "Don't try it feathers, try handling one child before you go making another one."
"Ugh!" Raven spluttered, glaring back through the doorframe. "I can't even see you! How do you know what we're doing?!"
"I always know!"
Taiyang just laughed, and turned to pull Raven in for a quick kiss.
She hummed, accepting it gladly. It only lasted for a few seconds, and when they pulled away, Raven wasn't entirely satisfied. "It's a start. You can finish the rest later."
He rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Yes ma'am. You should probably get back in there before something does happen and our little girl is corrupted by Qrow."
She laughed. "He lives here, sad to say it'll happen sooner or later."
"I'm hoping Summer will be the balancing force."
"Well you can live in hope then, Summer's already been corrupted."
"Darn, I knew having a Branwen as a partner changed her honest soul."
Raven hand fell to her hip as she smirked. "Oh really? I think she turned out all right, if anything, I should be worried about you dear husband, you and my little brother together is a recipe for bad news."
"What makes you say that?"
"Entire team?"
"Oh come on!" he groaned, throwing his hands up in the air. "Do we have to bring up jokes from graduation?"
"I don't know." Raven shrugged. "I'm just feeling like it's throwback season right now, must be all this pent up energy I've got. You'll have to do something about that later."
"Raven! No!"
"Summer seriously!? Are you sure your semblance isn't super hearing?"
"The magnificent leader of team STRQ knows all!"
"The magnificent leader is about to get her butt kicked!"
Laugher echoed through the door. "You can't scare me when you censor yourself Rae."
"It's called being a responsible parent you brat!" Raven yelled as she stormed back into the living room. "And who said I needed to be scary to see it through?"
"Eep!" seeing the wrath of Raven coming for her, Summer handed the giggling child over to Qrow and leapt off the couch in a desperate escape.
The younger Branwen watched as her sister tackled their leader to the ground, and raised Yang so she could get a better look.
"Take a look firecracker, this is what you'll be dealing with for the rest of your life. Oh yeah, team STRQ is going to mess you up."
Yang's laugh seemed to say she was excited for that possibility.
…
…
About two hours later, the four members of Team STRQ plus a baby in a highchair sat around the dinner table, laughter filling the room as Summer recounted the tale of their latest mission to Raven.
"How!" Raven choked out through her mirth. "How do you even manage to set four criminal families against each other and then somehow get them all to suddenly unite against you while Grimm are attacking the walls?"
"Eh," Summer waved it off. "I wanted to blame Qrow."
"Oh no you don't," the younger Branwen smirked. "My Semblance may suck, but even it's not as bad as you with several pounds of explosives Sum."
"It was my backup ammunition! It wasn't meant to explode."
Qrow grinned, leaning over the table as he did so he could get right in his leaders pouting face. "And yet, it did, and all of a sudden you manage to get families that had declared blood feuds against each other to drop all of it you make you pay."
"Well I mean," Tai laughed. "Cooperation is a part of a Huntsman's job right? It still technically counts if we manage it for the bad guys too doesn't it?"
"Shut uuuuup! Summer whined dejectedly.
"She's right boys, no more talk about the crims."
"Yes! Rae coming to my rescue!"
"Besides, I want to hear about how she managed to drop a goliath on top of the town hall."
"My partner has abandoned me!"
Raven rolled her eyes, but couldn't keep the grin off her face. "Seriously Summer, how?"
The silver eyed warrior would not be discouraged and held her head high. "I blame the construction workers shady management practice, there was no reason to have a public office in the path of a giant lumbering Grimm."
"And I'm sure the Grimm wasn't led by you over there accidentally."
"Thank you for your confidence in me."
"So," Raven raised an eyebrow her brother's way. "You guys have to pay for collateral?"
"Nope." Tai said. "Oz got in touch and offered to pay off the damages."
"Really?" she blinked. "That was cool of the old guy. Did he tell you why he did that, you know, again?"
"Why do you think?" Summer grinned. "Team STRQ is obviously his favourite team."
"Uh-huh." Raven nodded sarcastically. "And I'm sure he loves us after reading all the collateral damage reports he gets from you guys."
"Really Rae?" her brother stared. "You're not free from the messes we make you know."
The Branwen twin flicked her hair back as she smirked. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm a responsible mother now, I don't have time to break buildings and cause rampant public disorder."
"Wouldn't that mean Tai would be just as responsible?"
"No because he's Tai," she said. "And thus, a massive doofus."
"Hey!" her husband yelped. "How is that fair? What happened to couple's solidarity?"
"Are you telling me I'm wrong? You're a total doofus, right Yang?"
The toddler raised a chubby fist in agreement.
Summer, as expected, nearly had an aneurysm from the cuteness, as did Qrow, though he did a whole lot better job at hiding it, having resolved ages ago to build his rep as the 'cool' uncle.
Taiyang just stared. "Just… what? Did you teach her that?"
Raven smiled proudly. "Yep! Yang and I had plenty of downtime to learn a few tricks."
"You weaponised our daughter against me?!"
"The strong must use all advantages at their disposal! Yang will be my greatest weapon! Right Yang?"
Again, the toddler raised a fist high into the hair in agreement, before it flopped back down and she dug back into her food.
Taiyang shook his head and smiled. "What else did I expect?"
Raven threw back her head. "Just you wait, Yang's going to be the best you've ever seen."
"At what exactly?"
"Doesn't matter, she'll just be the best. Period."
"Probably, knowing how much you'll put her through the grinder," Qrow hummed. "You gonna use the ol'Branwen training method?"
"What, hit her until she learns to dodge? Not a chance. I'd rather not have any part of the tribe in Yang."
He nodded. "Yeah, that's fair. I was thinking of saying something before, but then I decided I didn't need to. Glad you agreed."
Raven yawned. "Yeah, We can use the city folk method of raising kids, we'll be fine, especially with the two of you are here to help. I mean, provided Sum don't shack up with someone first."
"Eh?"
The silver eyed warrior blinked as three pairs of faces turned her way, and, Yang seeing the grownups all doing it, decided to copy them.
"Hey, hey, hey wait a minute." Summer gulped. "What's this collusion?"
"Come on Sum," Raven smiled. "I've been asking for years. When are you going to finally go out with someone? I don't even remember the last time you went on a date."
"Second year." Qrow supplied helpfully. "With you, at the movies in downtown Vale, yikes, maybe that's the reason she hasn't dated anyone. You probably turned her off romance Rae."
"Ah shut up Qrow." She grumbled, there was a pause. "I didn't, did I?"
"No Rae, you didn't." Summer rolled her eyes. "Romance just isn't my thing. I'm not really interested in that sort of stuff."
"You positive? I could share Tai with you if you wanted to be sure?"
"W-what?!"
"Rae are you serious?!"
"No." Raven narrowed her eyes menacingly. "That was a joke oh dearly beloved husband of mine. Don't sound so excited."
"I-I wasn't!"
"Good, if anyone's getting Summer into bed, it's going to be me."
"Raven!"
The older Branwen couldn't help how she burst out laughing, and it only rose to even greater volumes as Summer pelted her side, red-faced and mortified.
Yeah, this was the good life, something Raven hadn't ever even thought possible.
It was perfect.
"Seriously though," she grinned once Summer had calmed down. "If you do find someone, you need to let me vet them fist, and interview them, and test them for any deseas-"
"I get it Rae!" Her partner groaned.
She blinked suddenly, reaching into her pocket and fishing out her scroll.
"Hello?"
"Who is it?" Qrow whispered, only to be shushed by Taiyang.
"Uh-uh." Summer murmured, her face pinched in concentration. "That's fine. Yeah… yes I'll be there as soon as I can."
The scroll beeped as she hung up. "It was Ozpin." She let her three curious teammates know. "He wants to talk to me, asked if I could head straight over to Beacon now."
"What for?"
She shrugged. "Dunno, he sounded serious though."
"You want me to come with you?" Raven offered. "I could fly over there and open a portal to save time."
Her leader just shook her head and smiled. "Nah it's fine. I'm sure it's nothing. I'll be back soon anyway. Keep a light on for me yeah?"
She nodded. "Sure, say hi to the old man for us alright?"
The boys waved her off, and a minute later, she'd taken her cloak and headed out.
Raven turned back to them. "So what do you two want to do?"
…
…
Of all the things to wake Raven up, a dry throat was one of the most annoying ones.
All the same, that was what it was, and she sighed as her eyes fluttered open in the dark and she stared at the ceiling. Beside her, Tai was asleep, one arm over her and pulling her close. At the foot of the bed was a cot, Yang sleeping soundly in it.
With a sigh at the effort, Raven carefully squirmed her way out of her husband's hold and slipped out of bed.
She shivered slightly at the chilly air. In a nightshirt and shorts, her bare feet were exposed to the cold wooden cold.
She snuck downstairs, into the kitchen and reached for a glass.
Raven yawned blearily, laying against the kitchen counter as she flicked the tap on and took a long gulp of water.
And then her Semblance pinged.
Raven only had time to blink as the back door connected to the kitchen burst open, and Summer stumbled in.
The silver eyed warrior went right past her, practically falling against the kitchen table and sagged. Her breath was laboured and her clothes wet.
And one hand was stained red with blood.
"Holy shit Summer!" Raven hissed, dashing to her side.
Her partner jumped. "Rae? Oh… sorry. I... didn't mean to wake you. my bad."
"I was already awake you idiot." Raven scowled. "Come here, now."
Whether it was because she was fine with it, or because she was too weak to resist, Summer allowed Raven to lead her to the living room and set her on the couch. The silver eyed woman let out a breath, leaning back tiredly as Raven knelt down and searched for the source of the blood.
"My side." Summer supplied. "It's not deep but… it stings."
Raven nodded, moving her partner's hands away to get a better look. When she did, she hissed through her teeth.
Claw marks.
Three, gnarly claw marks just above her waist. They'd torn through her clothes and into flesh. Which meant that Summer had run out of Aura.
She'd been fighting.
And judging from the marks…
"Why were you fighting Beowolves?" Raven questioned as she hurried back and forth, taking a first aid kit from under the stairs.
"I was… on a mission."
"You were what?!"
"For Oz," Summer breathed, biting back a groan as Raven began swabbing at her wound. "He wanted me to look into something down south of Vale. It got a little… hectic."
"That's one word for it. Sum I know you. A few Grimm wouldn't be enough to even make you sweat. What happened?"
Nothing. She looked up, only to see her partner avert her eyes.
Raven's eyes narrowed.
"Summer…"
"…I had a run in… with one of Salem's."
And just like that Raven felt her blood run cold. "Did they-"
"They're dead. I made sure of it… but they got a lot of good hits in, enough that I wasn't ready for the Grimm. I managed, obviously but uh… got this."
Raven was silent. The information racing through her head. The fact was, if Summer had run into one of Salem's goons, it was because Ozpin had sent her on a mission directly linked to their movements.
He's sent her in alone.
And she'd gotten hurt.
"I'm going to go talk to Oz."
"Wait, Raven don't."
"Don't try it Sum," she warned. "He sent you out somewhere dangerous without telling us. You didn't tell us."
"I-I know." She whimpered miserably. "And I'm sorry, just, please don't be mad at him."
And just like that Raven's shoulders sagged. "I'm not going to get mad at him Sum, but he still has some explaining to do. I'll go talk to him and… see what I can do."
"What do I tell Tai then?"
She rolled her eyes. "I dunno, tell him I went out for cigarettes or something."
"You don't smoke Rae."
"It was a joke Sum."
"Oh, right, sorry. I uh… think I need a rest if I'm not catching your humour."
She nodded. "You do that. Don't worry about it, I'll fly over and be back soon."
"Alright… bye Rae."
"You too."
A few minutes later after changing stealthily into her combat gear, Raven slipped out of her house and transformed, spreading her wings as she flew high into the air, over Patch, across the sea and towards the city lights of Vale.
It didn't take too long to get to Beacon, but when she did, the moon was high in the sky.
She came to a stop in the courtyard, transforming back into her human form without worry.
Beacon was full of students, but if they weren't idiots, they wouldn't try and bring Glynda' wrath and break curfew.
It worked for her either way, and made it all the easier to walk up to her destination.
Ozpins tower.
One elevator ride later, the doors opened, and she was greeted with the sight of the Headmaster and his deputy.
Glynda blinked in surprise when she saw her.
"Raven!"
The woman in question smiled. "Hey Glynda. Good to see you."
"Likewise," The usually terrifying woman said. "How are you. I don't believe we've spoken since your pregnancy ended."
"I'm good, doing great actually. A little bored with no missions but Yang's keeping me all the busier for it."
"I can imagine."
"How is the young Xiao-Long?" came the voice from behind the deputy.
Raven peeked over Glynda's shoulder and grinned. "Amazing. Little ball of energy and so goddamn giggly."
The headmaster chuckled. "Sounds exciting. Let's hope that energy lasts, I would like to see her here at Beacon."
"Slow down there Oz," Raven rolled her eyed good-naturedly, strolling up and taking a seat at the other side of his desk. "I'd like to savour my time. Seventeen years is a long way off."
"Yes, of course, my apologies." He said with that grandfatherly smile of his. "Sometimes I get a bit ahead of myself. Such a time isn't all too much when you've lived as long as I have."
"Yeah I get it, it's fine." She waved off. "Actually uh, there was something I wanted to talk to you about. With Summer."
At once, the headmaster got the hint. His eyebrows furrowed as Glynda perked up. "Is Miss Rose alright?"
Raven sighed, leaning back into her chair. "She is, I wouldn't be all calm if she'd been seriously hurt but… Oz, she ran into some trouble."
He sighed. "I guessed. That could be her only reason for going straight home instead of reporting to me. Worrying, I must say. How badly was she hurt may I ask?"
"Lost her aura, took a light slash to her side. She'll get better, but it could have been worse." She bit her lip. "Oz, she ran into one of Salem's"
That was what got Ozpin serious. "Glynda," he spoke in a level tone. "Can you give Raven and I a moment. Make sure that there are none who might accidentally walk in on us."
"Understood." The headmistress nodded, before looking Raven's way and nodding. "I never got the chance earlier, but congratulations Raven."
She grinned. "Thanks' Glyn."
With her piece said, Glynda stepped into the elevator, leaving the two of them alone. When Raven turned back, she was offered a mug of coffee.
"Thanks Oz" she said, talking it and taking a long sip, sighing contently as the caffeine entered her system. "So, should I start from the beginning?"
"In a moment. Salem's forces are obviously a major issue, but I suspect that if Summer emerged alive then the immediate threat has been dealt with."
"You'd be right."
"Good, then I have questions for you instead."
"What kind?"
"The kind to sate my curiosity. There are a few that I've had time to conjure up, given as Glynda said, it has been seven months since we last spoke."
"Yeah, sorry about that." Raven winced. "It must have been annoying being down one eye."
"Seven months in the grand scheme of things is not an issue, you are entitled to more I believe, and I would encourage you to take them."
"Alright," Raven hummed. "So what is it you wanted to ask?"
"Things about Yang actually, you've given a so far glowing review of her, but if I'm honest I'd never pegged you as one to do well with motherhood. No offence."
She laughed. "None taken, considering I felt the same way. I don't know what it is, Yang is just great. Heh, I probably sound like every other parent talking about their kind like they're some shining achievement."
The headmaster chuckled. "Considering your standards, I'm more inclined to believe you. I was wondering though, why Yang?"
"Huh?"
"The name I mean. What was the inspiration?" he smiled. "I was… thinking you might have been a little lazy with the naming honestly."
Raven rolled her eyes. "No it's not just the last part of Tai's name.
"I'm assuming I'm not the only one to bring it up then?"
"Qrow said the same."
"Ah."
"Yeah. There's some confusion there. I mean it to be a… I guess you could say reference to my name. You know, since Branwen means white and the whole Yin and Yang thing? I mean, if people think her name refers to Yellow instead of White that's fine, so long as I can explain that little bit of trivia when she gets older, I think she'll see it's cool."
"And… her vision?"
Raven sighed. "I'm not sure yet. Her eyes aren't red, not Branwen's. From the looks of it, I don't think she'll be seeing any spirits."
"I see." Ozpin hummed. "You don't sound too disappointed."
"Because I'm not." She shrugged. "I guess we miss out on me showing her the ropes of something special to our clan, but with how crazy and overwhelming it could be for her, I'm sort of relieved she doesn't have to deal with it. But who knows, she still might. Either way, Qrow and I will be there to help her through it."
"You are going to train her aren't you?"
Raven rolled her eyes. "Yes Oz, I'm gonna train her to be a huntress, you don't have to sound so worried. I'm not naïve enough to think she's not going to have to grow strong in this world."
"I'm glad you see it the way I do."
She snorted. "Course I do, you were bound to rub off on me eventually, no matter how hard I tried to resist."
They shared a chuckle at that, of a time when Raven was far more abrasive and rebellious.
More innocent times.
There was a pause. "Ozpin. I know what you're trying to do. I already said I wasn't here to cause trouble, I promised Sum I wouldn't, you don't need to get me to talk about Yang to mellow me out."
"…my apologies. I suppose I shouldn't." He stood up, turning to look out his window down to the city below. "You desire an explanation then."
"I do." She nodded. "I don't get it Oz, why send Summer on a mission out of nowhere? By herself? You don't even do that with me or Qrow. Always in pairs, even for recon. What changed?"
"I was hoping nothing. It had not been my intention to put her out like that Raven, but the need to investigate was a surprise."
"What exactly did she investigate?"
"A disturbance on the borders. Of the magical variety. It was meant to be nothing more than a look into what was happening, and if needs be, extermination… clearly, it didn't turn out that way. I do not know why Salem would suddenly act like this."
"It's not like her." Raven agreed as she crossed her arms. "She's usually more… discreet. And this doesn't make sense. There wasn't any big target out there was there?"
"There was not."
"Then I don't get why she'd actually send anyone with the Grimm. It just feels way too open. Not to mention it's a major loss for her now."
"I won't go that far." The headmaster sighed. "Salem's generals will come and go, the death of one won't harm her plans too much… whatever they may be."
"So? What do we do?" The Avatar of Huginn asked.
Ozpin hummed. From here, Raven couldn't see his face, but she knew well that the old wizard was conjuring up a plan even now "There… is something else that has come up. Another disturbance further north. I'm not sure what it might be, but I have suspicions it could be more of Salem's work… especially with this new information. I… would ask you if you would go."
Raven perked up. "You're asking me to go back on missions? I thought you said I should take a break."
"It is your choice either way." He assured her. "But Summer has been injured, and I wouldn't ask her to go out on another mission in such a condition."
There was a pause as Raven realised the implication.
"But she'd go out anyway if she knew about it. Damn it."
"Quite." He agreed. "Raven, I would not send you if I had another option, but Qrow is not the… stealthy kind, and this needs discretion in the event it becomes volatile. The best way to plan around the enemy is in secret."
"So… you want me to go on a solo mission? As me first one back on the job? That's a big ask Oz."
"I know."
Raven stared at him, searching for something.
After a long moment, she let out a breath. "Fine. Guess if Sum and my idiot brother are the only other options then I have to go."
Ozpin's shoulders relaxed as he fell back into his seat. "Thank you Raven, I appreciate this immensely."
"Yeah well, don't mention it. Just tell me what I need to know and I'll start right now."
"The information will be sent to your scroll of ease… and again Raven, thank you for this. Good luck."
…
…
Two days.
It was two days later that Raven stumbled back into the headmaster of Beacon's office.
It was filled with a team of students, no doubt being reprimanded as Glynda and the man himself stood before them.
All heads turned to her however as she leaned heavily against the wall.
Covered in mud, dirt, grime… and blood.
The look on the student's faces might have been funny, if Raven didn't feel like she was about to drop.
At once, Ozpin face became grave.
"Glynda, see to the students, detention should be enough. I must speak with-"
"I understand Headmaster." The blonde nodded. "Come." she motioned to the students, who still hadn't taken their eyes off of Raven. She couldn't blame them all that much; an actual huntress had just barrelled into their headmaster's office covered in the spoils of war. She would have been the same at their age.
All the same, Glynda was like steel, and corralled them out quickly, leaving only the two of them.
"What happened?"
"Come on Oz, just-just give me a minute."
He did so, as the Branwen twin dragged herself over to the desk, using it for support as she crashed onto the chair, breathing heavily and clutching her side.
Seeing the situation for what it was, Ozpin reached into a drawer on his desk.
Two glasses, and a bottle of whisky were taken out.
"Seriously Oz," Raven rasped. "You know I haven't drank since I got pregnant right?"
The offer wasn't rescinded, and after a groan, Raven took the glass, downing the drink in one.
The wizard's face was unchanged. "What happened Raven?"
"Some shit I wasn't prepared for is what happened." She hissed out. "Some recon. They were building crap."
"Building?"
"Yeah, weapons I think, or machinery. No clue why, not like Grimm have any use for stuff like that but… I don't know. They might be selling them to… someone. Whatever they're doing, it's bad."
The headmaster steeped his fingers. "It sounds it. What did you do?"
She scoffed. "Destroyed it, obviously. That wasn't the hard part. The thing is, when I did, I drew a little too much attention and… they had people supervising it."
"By the look on your face, I assume it's a problem."
She sighed. "One of em' was a mage. The chick was crazy, lit herself on fire while she fought. Her aura must have been pumping the whole time to heal her because I could smell the damage."
"I'm assuming that is why you look so…. Battle damaged."
"Not even close," Raven grimaced. "She was a glass cannon at best. Taking her down was a done deal, it was the other guy that was the problem… Gretchen's brother was there."
And just like that the atmosphere grew even heavier.
The name brought back painful memories for Raven, old ones she'd buried deep.
Gretchen had been a… friend. She'd been smart, cheery and so incredibly stubborn that even Raven had eventually given in. Other than her own team, there weren't many Raven considered worthy of her time. Gretchen had been one of the exceptions.
And then in their third year, she'd died.
Raven wasn't sure how it happened, she'd only heard it was a freak accident, a routine patrol that all Huntsmen teams did as part of their work experience.
Her team had been crippled by something, Grimm most likely but some attributed it to an explosion or human error.
They'd lost their shots at becoming Huntsman.
And Gretchen had lost her life.
It had hurt all of them, to show up at her funeral and watch the empty box go down.
And of all that had been hit hard by it, her brother had been the worst.
Hazel Rainart, just an ordinary guy that had worried too much over his little sister and her dream to be a hero.
Even worse, was how Raven knew it affected him on an entirely different level.
Hansel and Gretel.
Twin Avatars, linked by some magical force that brought them closer than anything else rightly should have. In a way, they were literally two halves of a whole.
And that had been taken from him.
It would have been like if Raven had lost Qrow, the emptiness she'd feel wouldn't just be emotional, as much as that would break her.
But something much, much more intimate, something within her soul.
Raven had thought Hazel had been a broken man from it all.
And unfortunately, it looked like she'd been right.
"It saw it with my own eyes Ozpin." She murmured. "The Grimm listened to his words…. He's with Salem, somehow."
"Did you…"
The Huntress shook her head. "I managed to fight him off, but only by using the woman as a living bomb. I got out of there, but…"
Ozpin's eyes looked heavy, tired. "I see. That… is unfortunate."
"Tell me about it." She sighed. "I'm just… drained for this Oz. Maybe I shouldn't have come back so soon. Right now, I just want to go home."
He looked up at her sharply. "Raven, you know you can't do that."
She froze, and her eyes narrowed. "Why not?"
"You know why Raven. Hazel was involved in Gretchen's life, you'd met him even as students… he knows you. All of you."
Oh.
…oh.
Hazel knew her.
Hazel knew her team.
Hazel might know about her family. About Yang.
Which meant… Salem… might know about Yang.
"Raven," Ozpin spoke softly. "I need to you calm down."
The huntress blinked. Oh. She… she hadn't realised she'd been hyperventilating. Since when had… since when did she do that?
It didn't matter. None of that mattered. Hazel knew who she was. If he'd kept up on things he might know about what she'd been doing all these years. If- if he knew that then he could find out about her daughter. And then he'd tell Salem.
Her head snapped up to the headmaster, her eyes wide and desperate.
"What do I do?" she whimpered. "Ozpin what do I do?!"
He stood up, facing the window in contemplation.
"You know what you have to do... we both do."
She did.
But.
"I can't." she moaned. "I- I can't do that."
"It doesn't seem you have a choice." he sighed. "As much as it loathes me to admit, there isn't anything I can do in this situation, not when we don't know what information Hazel has on you… if they decided that the best way to me was through you, and ergo your daughter, then I fear the results could be catastrophic."
She knew that.
Fuck she knew that.
"My Semblance is made by bonds Ozpin," she hissed. One hand flying up to grip at her hair. "I can't just- I… I can't just break them."
The headmaster moved to stand before her, and rested a hand gently on her shoulder. "You don't need to, not truly. It will only be an act."
"And act?" she glared. "I doubt it'll feel like that, especially if the only way to do this is to…"
"Disappear." He finished. "Yes. You must leave, in truth, you mustn't drag them into this, not your family, and in connection, not Qrow or Summer… we will have to deceive them."
They would have to pretend that Raven had ran out on them.
The woman in question swallowed. "How am I supposed to do that? What kind of mother can just leave her own daughter behind?"
"The strong kind."
She stared at the man that had been her professor. "W-what?"
"You will be the mother that sacrifices her own happiness to protect eh ones you love, that is strength Raven. That is what a mother should always be willing to give up. I know you're strong enough for it."
Raven… wasn't sure she agreed.
But she didn't need to.
The facts were that if she acted like this wasn't happening, there was a danger Salem would target more than just her person.
Ozpin was right. There wasn't a choice.
"What do we do then?" she asked. "How…. How do we make this believable?"
He sighed wearily. "It starts here. We must make it seem like you broke off connections with everyone, including me. I will create a scenario where you decided you'd had enough, for our enemies, it will seem that you became disillusioned with my ways, as it will with your team."
She swallowed. "And then? How… what do I do?"
"You will continue taking missions for me." He said. "Doing nothing won't change anything. If you are to have a chance to return to your family soon, then the threat of Hazel and of others that may know of your connections must be dealt with…. Until then, I will do all I can to keep the others safe."
"You'll do more than that." Raven ordered. "If- If I'm doing this, then you have to make sure the others don't get involved. You- you have to promise me that they won't take any missions, not these kinds, not the kind involving Salem. I… Keep them safe. Tai, Qrow, Yang, Summer, all of them."
Ozpin's gaze hardened for a moment, so fast she almost missed it.
"Understood. You have my word, so long as you do this, I will protect them from her machinations."
Raven let out a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding. "Thank you…. Thank you Oz."
"It is a professor's duty to help his students, even more so for me, with the responsibilities I bestowed upon you."
"I only hope it's enough."
…
…
A year had passed almost like lightning.
The second, just as blindingly quick.
Then a third and a fourth.
Mission after mission, near-death experience after near-death experience, each and every time, Raven emerged alive and determined. In a morbidly curious way, Raven noted that with each mission, she'd improved.
She'd gotten stronger, faster, smarter, and, even more than that, she'd learn to be more brutal, more visions and scheming to win.
She'd gotten better, if she had to guess, she might have been able to take on her whole team at once.
It was understandable though, because they'd gotten to live the quiet life, the peaceful life.
One Raven watched now from her perch in the trees.
She watched Tai smile so brightly as he played with Yang, letting the four-year-old climb all over him with reckless abandon. She watched Qrow, watching it all with a grin as he egged his niece on.
And she watched Summer, with her own daughter, cheer from the sidelines.
Ruby.
Yang's half-sister.
It should have filled her with rage.
She was sure that any other woman would after seeing how… quickly their husband had moved on, how her partner, her best friend hand taken her place all of a sudden and gone as far as to have a child with him.
And yet…. All Raven felt was resignation.
Anger wasn't fair, not with what they'd been forced to believe, that she'd abandoned them. Even if she'd felt rage, or jealousy, she knew she would never have been able to hold it.
They…were happy.
They'd moved on in her absence, and made things work without her.
And in a twist of fate, or some godly force, Raven knew that she couldn't hate Summer's child, the one with silver eyes; not as she ran to Yang, not as she saw her jump into her arms and watched as her daughter swung her around, laughing without a care in the world.
Filled with joy.
One reserved for family.
For the love of a sister.
Raven was thankful she was in her corvid form, otherwise, she might have felt how her eyes burned with tears.
This was meant to be her life, one with a family.
It… it might have still happened like this. It could have, if things had worked out that way.
She just wanted to be a part of it.
She would be.
After all of this time she knew it would be hard, for all to them, and in some ways, it might not be fair on them.
But for once, Raven wanted to be selfish. She wanted to come back to this.
If that meant getting down on her knees and beg for forgiveness, then so be it.
Soon.
After all of this time, Salem's forces hadn't found anything on her. She'd fought them without a threat or warning that her family would be in danger.
Four years. If they hadn't by now, it was likely they never would.
Soon, she'd be able to go back.
She was excited for it.
She' spoken to Ozpin, talking to him about this.
He'd agreed.
This was to be her last mission before he'd bring them all back together.
Just one more push.
With that future, that goal in mind, Raven spread her wings, taking off into the sky.
As she rose, she missed how three pairs of eyes followed her ascent.
As always, her journey to Beacon was a quick one, and as always, when she arrived, it was to see Ozpin sitting behind his desk.
It was the importance of this day however that had him stand upon her entry.
Despite herself, she grinned. "Hey professor, what's my homework this week?"
He chuckled. "Something a little bit different from the usual actually."
"Yeah?"
"Indeed, since this is your last mission for me, I thought of giving you something easy, to… wind down as it were."
Her shoulders relaxed a fraction.
"Really? Nothing life threatening? No do-or-die stakes this time?"
"Not for someone of your calibre. In all honesty this should be child's play, it may take some time however, I would say a few days, maybe a week to be safe."
She sat down at the desk. "Alright, so what's the deal then? Recon? Looking into some trouble with Ironwoods workings?"
"James has been doing fine. It was a little chaotic yes, but a year as General and he's finally got things under control, better than his predecessors if I am quite honest."
"Okay I get it, you like him." She rolled her eyes. So what am I doing then?"
He handed her over his scroll.
"There have been reports of a Grimm infestation near a frontier town by the name of Verttone, just near the borders of Vale's inhabited lands. It's a decently sized town, but all in all not to vital to the kingdoms expiation."
"Which makes it the perfect place to hide something." Raven summarised. "So you want me to get in there and, what? Take them out?"
"Indeed." The headmaster nodded. "From what I have gathered they are simple beowolves. This is but an extermination mission."
"Wow Oz," Raven laughed. "I know you said easy but come on, this is something for initiation students."
"All the more chance for you to simply have fun one last time. You'll be quite busy afterwards I assume."
She looked up and smiled. "Yeah…. This is it. One last time as your eye… then I'll get to see them again." She ignored the way her eyes watered. "You better throw a whole damn party Oz, I want it to go well, I need to do this right."
"Message received."
"Right then," she said, downloading the information onto her scroll. I better get going then, shouldn't I?
"It would be best." He agreed. "I will await your return, and do everything I can to help with the times ahead."
"Thanks Oz, I mean that."
…
…
Three days later, and Raven had found her target.
Or, well the evidence of it.
She'd spoken with some of the residents, nice people, but hard and stern, the kind that usually grew in conditions like this, so far out from the capital by themselves. Things were tougher, so people were tougher. They'd gotten in a few scrapes with Grimm before, managed it with their own militia, without the need for Huntsmen.
The fact that she'd been sent here then, had been her first warning.
That she didn't see it for more, was her first mistake.
She'd asked around for information and after convincing them she was genuine they'd done their best to help her clue together some stuff; frequency of attacks, the damage down, the sightings, what witnesses had said.
Ozpin had been right. There was some kind of nest, or t least the beginnings of one.
Grimm didn't create, they didn't build, not unless one of two conditions were met, first, they had an alpha, some older Grimm with the understanding of what a base of some kind would offer them, or two, they'd moved into a nest made by another creature. Goblins, trolls or any number of other things.
From the looks of it, and by the words of the residents of Verttone, it seemed to be a pack of beowolves terrorising people who travelled to and from. They were on the outskirts somewhere, rumours and suspicions thanks to howls at night that they had taken root in a grotto just east of the town.
The number of victims have been low, but the number of missing people was high, still, some believed that they could be alive - from the fact that no corpses had been recovered – filled people with at least a spark of hope.
For Raven, it did the same, because it meant that she'd be able to complete this mission quickly, and get home to her team.
A single pack of Beowolves would be nothing to her, like she'd told Ozpin, this was a task for brats that had just succeeded in passing their initiation.
In other words, child's play.
The Branwen woman strode through the treeline, tilting her head, listening out for any disturbances around her, anything that might have been unnatural.
Her eyes scanned the forest before her.
The magical energy in the air was weak here, there was no source but… something lingered.
It could have been that whatever wellspring of magic that had existed had dried out centuries ago, or something of suitable power may have passed through in the last few weeks.
If that was the case though, Raven suspected the town's folk would be a lot more panicked…
Or, you know, dead.
It showed other things of course, while the eyes of the blessed allowed Raven to see beings related magic, they could also be focused to fine the more… chaotic aspects, magic in a physically dangerous form.
In other words, Raven could track Grimm through their past interactions with the land, and how they seeped their magic into it.
Right now it was coming in hand, since she'd picked up a trail, recently made and straight ahead.
This was the direction of the grotto right?
Raven let her hands fall to the hilt of Bifrost. At the first sign of a fight, she'd need to be ready. Depending on how she played this, she might be able to end it quickly, stealthily. If not, she'd need crushing force.
Right now, the undergrowth was her friend.
From the sounds of it – that being growls ahead – she was close.
The Huntress kept low, sneaking deliberately closer as the trees ahead parted, and a drop appeared before her.
It wasn't much of one, maybe ten feet or so, with a flat grassland and lake at the other side, and the beginnings of a cliff face on her right.
And down below-
"What the…" Raven muttered. What… was she looking at?
The huntress unsheathed Bifrost, clicking a blue blade into place and hopped down. She landed soundlessly and looked around.
This was…
There were bodies, not of humans.
But Grimm. They'd been… torn apart. Claw and fang marks littered the dark corpses in brutally horrific fashion.
"No blade wounds." She murmured. "Whatever these things had been fighting had torn them, apart like an animal."
And so effectively that they'd died without killing it. There must have been twenty Grimm or so around her, a few fading away slowly before her eyes.
Raven stilled.
Wait.
If they hadn't dissolved yet, then that meant that whatever had killed them was still-
Raven's realisation was cut off as something crashed into her with the force of a bullhead.
And something cracked.
Raven cried out as the air was forced from her lungs in brutal fashion and she was lifted off her feet, soaring through the air and slamming down painfully.
Her ribs. Half a dozen ribs on her left side had been snapped in an instant. She hadn't activated her aura in time to block it and she was paying for it now as her insides ached. Her body groaned, desiring nothing more than to curl up into a ball.
In was the training drilled into her as a huntress that saved her as she forced her body to roll.
Just in time to avoid the massive claws that cleaved through the ground.
Raven pushed off the ground with her momentum, rolling to her feet and leaping back, clutching her side with one hand and holding her blade in front of her in an effort to ward off a follow-up attack.
It had no effect.
Raven's eyes widened as a massive figure lunged at her almost to fast for her to even register.
She swept her sword wide and felt the tip connect with flesh.
The beast yelped and hopped back, landing on all fours and baring its teeth, snarling at her.
In the brief second of respite, Raven finally got a look at what had attacked her.
A huge, hulking creature, as tall as she was even on all fours, fur back as Grimm and wild, slit eyes. It was ragged, decaying in some patches, sickly and played, rabid and mad.
And glaring savagely right at her.
"Werewolf." Raven hissed painfully. "You can't be serious."
Why was there a werewolf here?!
She didn't get an answer, especially not as the beast lunged at her again.
She dived to the side, slashing out as it passed her. Her blade hissed as it dug into its muscles, frosting over the wound with a freezing mist.
She grimaced however, as she watched the cut knit itself back together.
Shit.
This thing when it was human hadn't possessed aura, but a healing factor like this trumped even what that could give her.
No defence, but incredible healing.
It was definitely a piss-take considering her own aura was just barely welding her rips back together inside of her body.
Oh, and how painful that was.
Her vision was blurring from it.
This thing on the other hand looked as if it was ignoring the pain she inflicted on it!
It howled madly, slashing at her and snapping its mangy maw towards her neck. She ducked, slamming an elbow underneath and clicking its fangs shut before thrusting Bifrost underneath and towards its hind legs.
It pierced through flesh, carved through bone and splintered as ice dug into its joint.
She disengaged the blade before she could be pulled along and rolled out from underneath.
Her sheath clicked as it rotated and she set a black blade into Bifrost's hilt.
Ice was ineffective, fire might be different but she didn't have time to test it out. Lightening, probably capable of at least slowing it down, but if it powered through the paralysis she was screwed, Wind? No, range would be useful, but not essential. What she needed was power, force.
Gravity Dust would do that.
This time, Raven went on the offensive, slashing wide and catching its shoulder. There was a spurt of blood as it dug deep.
The beast-like before, tried to push through.
Bifrost's blade shimmered however as the gravity Dust took effect.
And the force of the blow was magnified.
The werewolf hit the ground with the force of a boulder, cracking it as it skid across and underneath Raven as she herself leap over it.
She made sure to slash out at its back as she did so, and spun to deliver another slice to its legs again. Both threw the creature back.
The huntress hopped back, building the distance between them as the lycanthrope tilted its body and righted itself in the air.
When it faced her again, Raven raised her sword, guarding her stance as she aimed the tip towards the earth, waiting for it to lunge at her again.
When it didn't however…
Raven watched as its bestial eyes flickered between her and Bifrost. She grit her teeth. Damn it. Werewolves were creatura, they were human in some aspect, perhaps if they hadn't been too far corrupted, they still could be.
That meant they weren't Grimm. They had human-like intelligence.
Right now, that was coming into effect.
Slowly, the monster rose up.
Its body rippled as muscles rolled underneath its fur. It rose higher and higher as it stood, ow like a human, hunched menacingly, foam and spittle dripping from its fangs as the beast came to its full height.
Even as mangy, gnarled and sick as it looked, it still stood at some ten, maybe eleven feet, towering over her even from her distance away from it.
It was serious now.
That point was clarified as it moved.
Raven's eyes widened as it cleared the space between them in a single second as swiped at her throat.
She leaned back, nearly stumbling as it shaved her aura.
Its other claw came down and she had to throw herself out of the way as it tore up the earth beneath her feet, rubble and debris skittering out. It's showered her, and she had to raise an arm to shield her eyes. It blinded her for a moment.
That was her second mistake.
Raven cried out as the werewolf swung upwards and caught her dead centre in the stomach. Its claws sparked off her aura as if flared up. The claws weren't the most damaging factor however. I was the force.
The beast had thrown all of its strength into the attack, and it not only lifted Raven off of her feet again, but sent her flying upwards.
The wind rushed by as Raven careened and she choked as her body battered against the grotto's cliff face hard enough to crack the stone.
Her body seized up in agony as gravity peeled her off of the stone and she fell.
She didn't land though, because the beast and appeared in front of her and rammed its fist into her stomach, carving her through the cliff face again.
It had punched her.
The werewolf had punched her.
And it was still punching her.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Every shot felt like her insides were being obliterated, liquefied from every strike that tore pain through every nerve in her body.
Raven tried to scream, but it was as if her lungs weren't working. They… they might have been caved in. If so then she was already dead, everything else from here on out was just the epilogue.
She nearly missed the fact that the blows hand might have been because she'd blacked out once or itch between it.
Her aura… it was one, she was bleeding inside and out and lying face down in the dirt.
She felt something, press down on her head and push.
She groaned in agony.
That's right. Werewolves weren't Grimm. They didn't just kill their victims.
They were human. Savage, wild and unbridled, but still human.
And that meant all of their cruelness carried over.
It was going to make it hurt.
The monster howled into the sky as its foot pressed down on her, revelling in its victory.
It had beaten her.
After years of struggling tooth and nail to survive, fighting against the forces of Grimm, monsters and humans alike, single fucking werewolf had taken her down.
Right at the end.
On her last fucking mission!
That wasn't fair.
Through the torment, Raven ground her teeth together and pushed her arms beneath her.
This wasn't fucking fair!
She wasn't going to die, right before she got to see her family again, to some mangy-fucking-nobody!
The werewolf paused in its victory, sensing her struggle. It snarled angrily and Raven scratch as one of its clawed hands closed around her head and lifted her up.
Her teeth creaked as she dangled in the air and it roared in her face.
Raven's hand flew to her scabbard. She'd lose Bifrost hilt when she'd been hit, but the blades were still there. With nothing to hold them, she'd have to use her bare hands.
An ice blade shot out, and she caught it as it did, her fingers bleeding as it sliced them open but still she held on, she squeezed tighter and raised her arm.
And stabbed down with all of the power she could muster.
It pierced through its arm and the creatura yelped. By some divine miracle, it dropped her in shock. Raven lunged at the chance.
Her second blade shot out and she caught it again, fire Dust, it burned her fingers, boiled her blood with every second she held it.
She let out a howl of her own as she brought it down on the beast form.
It pierced just as the last had and made it flinch in pain.
She grabbed another blade.
And another.
Another and another and another.
Again and again and again.
Blade after blade after blade.
Fire, ice, lightning, gravity wind and every other type she had at her disposal she stabbed them into the monster.
There every joint, every opening, through flesh, muscle, bone and organs.
It was burned. It was frozen, it was paralysed. It was lacerated. It was torn open pieced by bloody, gory piece. A single moment had been what Raven needed to turn it around.
Because she was strong. Because she refused to die now, when she as so close to the end.
The werewolf wailed as it reared back.
One look at it now and she could see the damage. It was dead. It was going to die. Even its healing factor couldn't save it, as sick as it was it would likely bleed out, or die from other predators that it would be at the mercy of.
But standing before her as it was, Raven wanted to be the one to kill it. To finish it off.
That, was her third, and final mistake.
They say a rat is most dangerous when it is cornered, that when an animal was dying it was at its deadliest.
Raven learned the hard way the truth in that fact.
Faster than anything she'd experienced from it before, the werewolf dove forward, straight through her guard, through her range so close and so sudden she couldn't react.
She couldn't stop it.
Not when it bit down.
And sank its teeth into her shoulder.
"Noooooo!
Raven brought her final blade down in the next fraction of a second, carving straight through the top if it's head, though it's brain and out of its throat.
Still clinging onto her shoulder, the beast let out one final death rattle as its life was extinguished.
Raven fell back and the monster's corpse fell on top of her.
She cried out, hands flying to its maw and prizing it open.
The fang marks dripped red, blood flowing freely from the punctures.
Raven's hand clasped her shoulder as she began to hyperventilate.
"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!"
This wasn't happening.
This couldn't be happening!
She'd been bitten.
She'd been infected.
The fucker had spread his curse!
Lycanthropy.
She'd been afflicted with lycanthropy.
She could turn.
She could become one of them!
Raven grit her teeth, lying on her back as tears burned at her eyes and her mind raced with the realisation of what had just happened.
Right at the end.
Right at the very end and everything had been ruined!
What was she going to do now?
...
...
Well… damn Raven, what can I say to that? What can Yang say to that?
We'll have to wait and see.
I'm sure a few of you picked up on things in terms of references, like how Raven explained Yang's name. Before I watched the show I'd heard of Yang as a character and the colour rule, and the first thing that popped into my head was Yin and Yang. This is a reference to that I guess, which is interesting enough since Branwen means White, blessed or bird. Her name is literally Blake White… Yin and Yang.
Also, I gave a name to Raven's weapon, since at this time We've got nothing other than 'Raven's sword. That change eventually but for now I've gone with Bifrost. A reference to her Avatar as a Norse Legend, her ability to create portals and her multi-coloured swords.
Is that the rainbow bridge or what?
A few other things here and there that I'll expand upon, like naming rules for places and people. Verttone is a reference to the french word for green and much later, we'll have a few more characters to add with the same kind of rule.
So what do you think of Raven's story so far? How do you think Yang's going to react? How do you think Blake's going to react? Or others. Like Qrow if they ever find out?
I suppose we'll just have to wait.