"Land ho!" Ruby shouted from the bow. Weiss rolled her eyes.
"Ruby, we've been preparing to dock for literally half an hour. You don't have to keep announcing it." Weiss sighed.
"I know, but I'm so excited that we get to get off the boat this time!" Ruby ran circles around Weiss, who just sat there with an exasperated expression.
"Girls, come help us get everything ready." Winter summoned them.
"Are you sure this is safe Qrow?" Tai asked nervously, wringing his hands.
"Tai, look, you know I would never ever do anything to purposely put Ruby in harm's way. I'll have Winter with me to help keep the girls in line and you know she won't let anyone touch the girls. Besides, as long as you and Yang stay right here on the ship then we probably won't run into any issues." Qrow patted Tai's shoulder.
"Just, keep my girls safe." Tai sighed. Qrow smirked and went out to help "Tai's Girls" get ready to port.
Weiss and Ruby stood next to the jittery mule that had been stuck on the ship with them for the past four days. They tried to calm him with cooing and carrots as Winter and Doc loaded the south Mistralian children onto the cart. Qrow was loading supplies and taking requests for what to get in town. Yang sat beside the galley steps, her head in her hands.
"What's wrong?" A quiet voice asked. Yang looked up and saw a dark haired cat faunus.
"It's nothing, I'm just a little jealous I guess." Yang sighed.
"Jealous of the kidnapped and previously enslaved faunus children?" Blake quirked an eyebrow playfully. Yang rolled her eyes.
"They all get to reunite with their parents. Tonight they will likely be curled up with their mothers who missed them terribly, but I'm not even allowed to leave the ship this port." Yang sighed.
"I know it sucks but I'm sure we'll stop again before we get to Menagerie." Blake offered weakly.
"It's not that. I know dad thinks he's keeping it a big secret but I'm not stupid. I'm not allowed off the ship because we're close to bandit country." Yang frowned angrily, a spark forming in her hand.
"So? Your dad's just trying to protect you from bandits, right? To keep you away from them?"
"Blake, stop. Please, you don't understand." Yang looked at her friend with pain in her eyes. Blake went silent, she put a hand on Yang's shoulder for support but didn't speak. Yang wiped the tears from her eyes and looked away. Blake removed her mask and moved to look Yang in the eyes. She smiled sweetly at her friend.
"Then tell me. Let me understand."
Qrow looked away from his niece by the galley with a heavy heart. He half hoped that he would run into his bitch of a sister just to make her pay for all the pain she's caused. He leads the cart carefully down the gangplank and gets in the front seat. A little ball of energy rushes to his side before anyone else can, calling "shotgun" as she ran. He smiled at Ruby and ruffled her hair. At least some good came from Raven leaving after all. Tai deserved better anyway.
Winter climbed into the bench in the front of the wagon and sat back to back with Qrow. She told herself it was to prevent unnecessary conversation or eye contact, but when he leaned back into her she reciprocated quickly. It was more comfortable and they had a long ride ahead. Weiss mostly spent time talking to Ruby and some of the kids who knew they were getting closer. Doctor Oobleck sat near the back of the cart, his hand resting on something beneath the benches.
The cart slowed as they came to a sharp fork in the road. Winter felt Qrow grumble as they turned left towards the town of Kuroyuri. She could sense how tense he was getting and turned to look over his shoulder when they came to a stop. She could see what looked like a small farm, but it was a mess. Farming tools were strewn everywhere, dirt was upturned and produce was left rotting in the street. There was a trampled piece of cloth in the yard that was messy and torn.
"Doc," Qrow said quietly over his shoulder, not letting his eyes leave the farmyard carnage. "Something tells me you won't be able to get any supplies here after all."
Qrow stood and drew his weapon. The Doc stepped out of the cart, pulling the bat that he was holding out with him in a defensive stance. Winter took to the front of the cart, ready to bolt if commanded. Ruby tried to jump after her uncle but Winter held her back and shook her head sternly. Qrow looked around him then turned towards the cart.
"If I'm not back in 30 minutes you take that cart and get those kids to a safe haven. No turning back. They are our priority, you got me?" Oobleck nodded.
"Winter, come with me." Qrow ordered. Winter was surprised but jumped up and ran to his side.
They entered the farmhouse and looked around. There was certainly a struggled, there was no doubt about that. Furniture was strewn about the place and dishes were shattered on the floor. There didn't appear to be anything of value in the house, at least any more. Winter found it odd that there was a large amount of feathers on the ground. Qrow bristled and told her to stay behind him.
Once they determined that the house was clear they turned to search the barn. It was a disaster but other than that they didn't find anything out of the ordinary other than feathers. Qrow saw some movement in a far stall and headed towards it. Suddenly they heard a loud BANG and several screams. They ran out of the barn and looked towards the walled city. They saw smoke and ran towards the town.
Once they entered the gates they found the town in ruins. Buildings were on fire and the streets were strewn with debris and bodies. The Mistralian flag was replaced by a flag bearing a red and black symbol that resembled a sideway eye. Qrow blanched and turned to run, grabbing Winter's hand to pull her away.
"You'd leave me so soon, brother? And here I thought you missed me." a voice crooned.
Winter watched as a raven dived at them from a tree before transforming into a woman in a burst of feathers. Winter gasped, the woman looked exactly like Yang...and also Qrow. The woman looked at their hands and smirked.
"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realise I was ruining a date. You chose a bad day to come here, you just missed my boss. She would have loved to see you two." Raven teased.
"What would your boss want with us?" Winter asked.
"Well seeing as you are worth a princess' ransom and he is killing her slave trade…"
"I can't believe you would stoop so low as to join her." Qrow spat. Raven frowned.
"What was I supposed to do Qrow. With you gone I didn't have much choice. I'll do whatever it take to protect my family." Raven crossed her arms.
"Is that why you abandoned Tai? ME? Why you abandoned your own daughter." Qrow shouted.
"They're not my real family, not where I really belong. You could've joined me but noooo, you had to stay with them. You abandoned me Qrow, not the other way around. If you would've stayed then none of this," She gestured to the destroyed town, "would have happened."
"You never needed Salem's command to be a ruthless bitch." Qrow drew his weapon.
"Oh, so it's like that then." Raven sighed. She signaled something and they were immediately surrounded.
No one moved a muscle. Winter tried to calm her breathing but she could feel her adrenaline beginning to spread across her body. Raven turned away and transformed into a bird before flying away. Two of her bandits lunged at Winter. She ducked and dodged out of the way and Qrow spun and drove his swords through both of them. Winter was in shock, she had never seen anyone die before and see see it at Qrow's hands floored her in fear, knowing how many times he had harmlessly thrown such an attack at her.
She shook out of her stupor as a bandit tried to lunge at Qrow from behind. She sprung off of the ground and tackled the man, pushing his knife out of his hand. She took the knife off of the ground punched the man beneath her until he stopped fighting against her. Qrow took a handful of bandits pouring in from the alleys and Winter plunged her knife into the leg of a woman that sprung at her from the right, not yet ready to take a life but not willing to let anyone hurt them.
They fought for what felt like an hour but could only be a few moments. Finally they had at least incapacitated enough bandits to flee. Qrow reached for Winter and they ran towards the gate. Suddenly a man dropped in from the gate, his long braid swinging behind him. He breathed in deeply, seemingly relishing in the scent of so much blood.
"Why as I live and breath, could this be the great Qrow Branwen?" The stranger leered.
"Who's asking?" Qrow gripped his weapon tighter.
"Tis I, Tyrian, Salem's right hand man and greatest captain." The man crooned.
He moved forward and circled them, studying them. Winter held as tightly to her knife as her bloody hands would allow but didn't move an inch. Qrow lunged at the man but the man dodged his block effortlessly. This continued until Tyrian gained the upper hand. He knocked Qrow's sword from his hand and Qrow tried to dodge his blows.
Winter grabbed Qrow's sword to leap in and help him when suddenly her attention was drawn up. A blue glyph appear right above Tyrian, with an unfamiliar ginger girl on top. Winter spun around and saw Weiss focusing hard on the girl. A small boy was holding onto Weiss' arm and was also focusing on the girl. Winter looked again and gasped as the glyph disappeared and the girl fell from a height. Winter ran towards Qrow and Tyrian, arms outstretched to catch her.
There was a crash and a crackling of electricity. Winter flew backwards, still gripping Qrow's sword. There was no storm, but there was now a crater where Tyrian once stood. The girl stood up, still crackling with energy. Tyrian also stood, ready to strike the girl with her stinger, but she disappeared in a flash of red petals. Tyrian shook his head then turned his attention back to Qrow, who was prone on the ground.
Winter sprung to her feet and ran out in front of Qrow, catch the blow with his broadsword and forcing herself to remain upright. The sword was heavy and awkward but damn it, she had come this far. She swung clumsily at Tyrian, and he blocked easily. Of course, hitting him wasn't her goal. Tyrian caught the sword and threw it, and her. He laughed with glee and she screamed and landed with a heavy thud.
Qrow got to his feet and turned to Tyrian who was still watching the elder Schnee struggle. His foot struck some debris and Tyrian spun around to face him. Qrow looked around, no weapons. Well, no metal weapons. He did wear rings for a reason. He closed his fist and socked Tyrian in the face. The scorpion man was stunned and Qrow took the opportunity to get a few more punches in.
Ice formed around Tyrian's feet and he could no longer move his feet. A flash of red darted by and lashed at him with a scythe. A blue glyph appeared and rakes and shovels landed on him from above. Ruby tried to attack Tyrian from with the scythe and Tyrian lunges at her, knocking her back. Qrow caught her and rolled forward, out of range of Tyrian's blades. Ruby gripped the scythe.
"Why are you here?" Qrow demanded. "You could get hurt?"
"We had to help Uncle Qrow!" Ruby argued.
Tyrian broke free of the ice at his feet and turned to lunge at them. Qrow pushed Ruby back and grabbed for his sword. Winter caught Ruby and held her up and leapt up to help Qrow. Qrow attacked with a flurry of blade swinging. Winter no longer had a decent weapon, so she knew she would have to keep helping from the sidelines. Oh well, she didn't need to care about disappointing her father anymore anyway.
Qrow attacked with great force, but Ruby had speed on her side. She tripped Tyrian up and Qrow plunged his sword towards him but Tyrian dodged at the last minute, leaving Qrow's sword plunged deeply into the ground. As he tried to free his sword he saw Ruby lunging with her scythe, just for Tyrian to grab it with his tail and throw it and her to the ground. He primed himself to strike the girl with his stinger.
Winter threw up her hands and a wall of ice formed between Tyrian's stinger and the girl. Qrow ran forward to help Ruby up. She was bruised and cut but clinging to her makeshift weapon, not ready to give up the fight. He picked her up and dusted her off, not hearing the tapping. Winter rushed forward to stop it, trying to throw up another ice wall but she couldn't. She ran forward and tackled Ruby to the ground as Tyrian's stinger burst through the ice.
The girls rolled but stood up, ready to attack. There was a sickening yelp of pain. Winter gasped. Tyrian grinned sadistically as his stinger dug itself into Qrow's stomach. Ruby ran forward with the scythe and slashed. Tyrian shrieked as his stinger separated from his tail. He clumsily spun around to disembowel the child, hurling obscenities at her.
Winter looks from Qrow to Ruby and feels her blood begin to freeze. She can vaguely see the glow of magic but she barely registers what is happening. She lunges at Tyrian with her bare hands and summons icicles in each hand. Tyrian is literally frozen to the spot and can't break free without his tail. Winter attacks him with a flurry of ice, small birds and fists.
Weiss watches in fear as her sister viciously attacks the scorpion man, screaming unintelligibly. She had never seen her sister use magic. She wasn't even sure if her sister could. She turned to Ren, who was still protecting her and Nora from being sensed by Tyrian, and told him to get the doctor. Qrow fell to the ground with a thud and Ruby rushed to his side, shielding him from Winter's attacks.
Winter summoned a dagger-like icicle and plunged it into Tyrian's chest. Such a sadistic, poisonous man. Caring only for himself, his title, his friends in high places. Damned toxic creature. He was just as bad as her father, if not worse. Winter snapped out of her frenzy and looked down, suddenly hyper aware of the whole situation. She was covered in blood, she had fought well over a dozen people with nothing but a knife, her fists and some ice.
Qrow was hurt. She scrambled over to where he and Ruby sat and sighed in relief as she saw Oobleck hurrying towards them. Winter's head felt heavy and all of her energy was drained. She laid down beside Qrow, gripping his wrist tightly to feel for a pulse. It was faint, but there. Tears leaked from her eyes and she felt herself beginning to fade. She heard Oobleck mentioning something about gathering supplies but she could focus on nothing else but the faint heartbeat under her fingertips.