Chapter 5- Unfamiliar Places and New Faces
Snow gently fell to the ground, the only sound coming from the wind blowing around them, the quiet was definingly silent if someone were to drip a pin the sound would break the silence. Everyone's minds were plagued with questions about Ozma and Salem's story before a voice broke the silence with a question. "Salem can't be killed...You all heard her too right?" Yang Xiao-Long asked as everyone's attention was on the farmhand that Ozpin's soul resided in, he looked up with tears streaming down his cheeks as he tried to say something but the blonde brawler beat him to the punch. "There was so much you hadn't told any of us. Why and how would you think that was okay?" She demanded, Ozpin turned his sights back to the snow as Ruby called for his attention causing him to look at her. "Ozpin...What is your plan to defeat Salem?" The red huntress asked firmly. The headmaster was at a loss for words when his ears heard that question, he had tried for several of his lifetimes trying to come up with a plan to stop Salem, even plans to save her and bring back the woman he loved but in reality after so long but he had nothing to show for it. "I...don't have one." He hung his head in shame as a fresh wave of tears fell. This however did not last long as the sound of someone running towards him with a charging yell caused Ozpin to start lifting his gaze to find the source only for a fist to come colliding with his cheek and be flung back with such force he slammed into a nearby tree, hard. "No one wanted me. I was cursed and I gave my life to you because you gave me a place in this world. I thought I was finally doing some good." Qrow said solemnly, his hand slightly shaking from the adrenaline and anger. "But you are. Qrow please." Ozpin begged, tears falling once again. "Meeting you was the worst luck in my life." Ozpin just stood there leaning against the tree, his words now lost. "Maybe your right…" Oscar's hazel eyes briefly turned golden for a moment before wincing and placing a hand on his cheek, a rush of pain hitting him like a hammer. "What happened?" Ruby asked, worriedly. "He's gone." Oscar said rubbing his cheek.
"That bastard! Tell him we aren't done yet!" Yang said angrily. "No this is different, he's actually gone it's like he's locked himself away deep inside my head. Our head? Agh! I just want this to stop! I hate this!" Oscar cried, clutching his hair. "He just left us?" The white heiress asked. "What are we going to do now?" the cat faunus asked as Yang let out a soft growl of frustration. "Enough! Look we need to get a move on it's going to be dark soon and I for one don't want to become a snack for a big grimm especially since everyone except for me and Miss Maria are spewing nothing but negativity." Snowla said, momentarily silencing everyone as she walked over to Oscar and helped him to his feet, offering him a soft smile. "Look kid I don't know who you think you are but-" Yang started. "No buts about it. I get that your all upset I would be to if I were in your shoes and I'm honestly still trying to come to terms that not only is this the world's second time around but that my family might have a deeper connecting with Tick Tock than I ever thought possible. But if we don't high tail it out of here were all dead meat or frozen."
"I second that. I will be damned if I lived this long only to die in the cold." Maria chimed in, stamping her cane for emphasis. "No there both right we need to get out of this cold." Ruby said, as everyone began gathering a bag or two. Snowla sighed softly as she picked up her backpack and slung it over her shoulder, her mind still thinking back to the vision she saw of Ozpin, Salem and her family's first ancestor she had heard countless times from her grandfather and father's stories. The tiny lion faunus began to wonder what advice her other brother would say to her at a time like this as she followed the others, when her ears perked up and began flicking about listening for something when the distinct sound of an animal running through the snowy landscape filled her ears making Snowla stop and look around. "You coming pipsqueak? We can't stay out in this cold all day." Oscar asked, wondering why the lion eared child had stopped looking a tad confused. "I can hear something coming our way I don't know what it is but it might be a grimm. And I'm not a pipsqueak... Meanie." Snowla said with a slight pout as she looking around for the source when she noticed that a few snow covered bushes shook nearby. A small wolf pup leapt out from the shrubbery and ran in front of the lion faunus, growling and yapping fiercely, trying to look fierce though in reality it was just cute. It's light purple eyes had a protective look to them, its coat was mostly dark brown though the young canine's face and paws were a lighter shade of brown, age wise it looked around two or four months old. "Dawww what a cute puppy." Ruby squealed, using her semblance to rush over to the wolf pup, scratching it behind the ears much to the little one's delight.
"He likes you." Snowla said with a grin as the group continued their trek through the forest. They walked for what felt like hours, the snow bombarding everyone with flakes of white that clung to their clothes as the icy winds blew. "We need to find a place to rest. This snow isn't gonna let up anytime soon." The older huntsman said watching the snow being to pile up. "I thought you said trails led somewhere." yang said, looking over to Maria who rode atop the blonde's motorcycle. "Do you have anything better to do than harass a defenseless old lady?" She countered. "I just want to get this stupid relic to Atlas." The black haired cat faunus sighed tiredly. "Let's just hope we don't have to walk all the way there." The white heiress chimed in. Ruby perked up hearing a creaking sound. "Everyone quiet. Do you all hear that?" The red huntress asked, listening to the noise. Everyone paused to listen before following the creaking to find a large rusty gate that led into a farm. "Woahh." Snowla said marveling at the large farm, taking notice were slightly old but still standing. "Well atleast something good came out of all of this." The cat faunus said with a light shrug. "It looks abandoned." The heiress said, glancing around the empty homes and sheds. "It's still better than freezing." Ruby said, trying to lift the mood. "Come one I think we could all use some rest." The older huntsman said as everyone made their way into the farm, the sign above them revealing it belonged to the Brunswick Family. The snow was coming down much harder making it impossible to see as the group arrived at the large doorstep. "I don't get it… the villages and town I pasted through were usually damaged or unfinished but this place looks perfectly fine." Ruby said slightly confused as she set the puppy down. "Maybe everyone left in hurry… before things took a bad turn?" The white heiress suggested with a shiver. The older huntsman tried to open the front door to find it was locked. "Stay on guard." He stated before kicking the door in drawing his weapon alongside the other huntresses and farmhand. They looked around for any possible threats before Maria spoke. "Close the door already! It's cold enough as it is." She hobbled inside with Snowla and the pup right behind her, the others stood aside letting the old woman and tiny lion faunus entry.
"We should light the fireplace." The cat faunus said as she, the heiress and Oscar all pushed the old worn down dresser in front of the door that refused to stay shut. "Please do. I'll look for some blankets." The heiress said, enjoying the idea of finally warming up after being out in the cold most of the day. "Yang go with her." The older huntsman instructed as everyone else began exploring the house. Oscar started the fireplace finding a few dry logs, Ruby examined a few of the photos that hung on the walls. "What do you think happened to them?" The cat faunus asked, looking to the leader. "I'm not sure but something doesn't feel right at all." Ruby said. The cat faunus was about to say something to the red clad huntress but was cut off by the sound of the heiress screaming in terror. "Weiss!" The two said racing up the stairs with the older huntsman bringing up the rear as they found both the heiress and Yang both sitting on the floor staring at the bed in horror. Lying down on the soft mattress was a slightly older couple only they looked starved and malnourished. A few minutes later everyone was in the study, the heiress sitting in front of the crackling fire trying to warm up though her eyes told a different tale as the huntress still felt very shaken up and afraid of what she had seen, something that the wolf pup noticed as it walked over to her and rested its head on her lap, looking up at her. She smiled at this pick the wolf pup petting it soft fur feeling a bit calmer as the cat faunus draped a blanket over them. "Looks like the ice queen's made a new friend." She said with a light smile before taking a seat beside Yang on the couch. Suddenly the front door opened and closed as the older huntsman walked in dusting snow off his arm and shoulders. "It's the same in every house, bodies in every bed in every home. It's like the entire estate went to sleep and never woke up." He said grimly, walking over to the fireplace and taking a seat beside the heiress. "Were not staying here right?" She asked. "What choice do we have? The storm outside is getting worse, we'd freeze to death long before getting to Atlas if we kept walking." He rubbed his hands together trying to generate some heat. "Welp we might as well get comfortable." Maria said getting up from her spot on the second couch and browsing the bookshelf. Snowla got up from her place on the carpet and went over to the heiress and took a seat beside her. "Okami is usually a little guard dog trying to keep me safe and wary around strangers but now he's literally melted in your arms." The lion faunus said with a giggle at the sight of the normally feisty and protective wolf pup growling happily as the white huntress gave him a belly rub.
"I just love animals but I was never allowed to have one as a kid." The heiress explained.
"Wait what? How is that fair? You totally seem like the kind of person who'd love your furry friend and maybe spoil it." Snowla said smiling at the white haired huntress.
"My mother's constantly drunk. Which means when she's not drunk she's hungover. And dogs are… Loud." The huntress said cringing. "Well if you want you could sort of have Okami here. He clearly likes you. Right bud?" Okami barked that he was no one's pet.. But don't stop the pets. Weiss laughed at this and resumed petting the pup. "My name is Weiss Schnee and you are?" She asked turning her gaze to the little lion beside her. "I'm Snowla Raion nice to meet you Weiss." The lion faunus said. "Same to you." Weiss replied smiling. Snowla looked around the room at everyone else finding Maria reading a book with Oscar and the cat faunus was sitting on the couch alongside the red huntress though the blonde brawler was missing. Snowla went out to look for her, trying to figure out where she had gone checking a few places downstairs before noticing there were snowy footprints going up and down the steps before leading outside.
"Hmmm." Walking out the door Snowla saw that the icy flakes had calmed down a bit along with the wind but what surprised her was that the huntress was placing something that was wrapped in a bed sheet into what looked to be a hole big enough for a body. The lion faunus watched as the older huntress began burying the wrapped object with several mounds of snow, afterwards placing a piece of old wood at the head of the hole as though it were a gravestone. Yang worked diligently, getting started on a second hole removing several mounds of snow with a shovel until the hole she dug was large enough for a full grown woman, she left the farm tool and made her way back to the farmhouse.
"Hello Miss Yang." Snowla said, causing the huntress to get into a fighting stance out of surprise before lowering her gauntlets. "Oh it's just you kid. Don't go scaring me like that okay and Hey there." The brawler greeted returning her gauntlets to safety mode. "Sorry about that." Snowla apologized. "So what are you doing out here?" Yang asked.
"Wondering where you went. After all that guy with the sword said no one was supposed to go anywhere alone." The lion faunus explained. "His name's Qrow actually plus he's my uncle and I'm alright out here. I was just giving the family a proper burial so they could rest and so no one would be afraid of sleeping in a house filled with dead farmers who may or may not haunt us." Yang said somewhat jokingly.
"Can I help?" Yang thought for a moment before smirking. "Sure I could use a helping… Paw. Eh? Get it? Paw?"
"I get it. I'm Snowla Raion by the way." Snowla said as she and Yang got to work on finishing the burial. Carrying the bodies together and burying them. Afterwards returning back inside the farmhouse for some much needed warmth.
"Gahh it's so cold out there…" Yang hissed as she rubbed her arms trying to warm up. "Tell me about it I bet the tip of my tail's already frozen." Snowla said in agreement.
"Where were you two?" A familiar well at least to Yang male voice asked, not sounding to pleased to find Yang and Snowla just now returning to the study. The tiny lion quickly hid behind Yang as the blonde's uncle waited for an answer.
"Sorry Uncle Qrow. I was just out taking care of the Brunswick family giving them a burial when Snowla here came out to give me a hand." Yang explained, gently ruffling Snowla's head much to the shorter girl's surprise as she began to purr like a happy kitten whilst her tail swayed. Qrow nodded in understanding but told his niece and Snowla to next time tell someone where they were going before just walking out. "He doesn't seem to like me…"Snowla said quietly as her lion ears flicked downwards. "Oh come on Snowie that's not true at all. Uncle Qrow might look a bit mean but he's actually a fun guy, he was just worried." Yang said comfortingly as she began lightly scratched the lion faunus' furry ears a second time causing her to let out a squeak followed by a much louder purr than the first as she covered her face in embarrassment though her tail was telling a different story as it swayed about. "She's so cute! It like she's a tiny kitten!" Ruby squealed, wanting nothing more than to hug the lion eared girl. "I think Zwei has some cuteness competition Ruby." Weiss said in a playful tone. Blake simply smiled, a motherly instinct to keep the cub before her safe entering her thoughts. "If you ask me Snowie here along with the pup that Weiss is spoiling with tummy rubs would be no match for Zwei." Yang said with a chuckle. Qrow smiled watching the four older girls interact with the much younger lion faunus, his thoughts drifting back to when Yang and Ruby were little, Maria glanced up from the book she was reading and chuckled with amusement. Oscar smiled as Ruby, Weiss and Yang continued to make Snowla all flustered and embarrassed. 'Guess she's a bit shy about all the attention.' He thought as the three huntresses smiled. After a few more minutes of being the center of team RWBY's attention Snowla took a seat beside Oscar, her face still pink with embarrassment as she sighed. "Why is it I have to be so short… I wanna be taller at least that way everyone would stop seeing me as a kid…" Oscar looked at the annoyed little lion for a moment trying to think of how to cheer her up when he got an idea. "You know being small isn't a bad thing. Your able to be much more agile, run faster and use your height to your advantage. Besides I'm sure you won't be a pipsqueak forever. You might be a late bloomer." Oscar offered, giving Snowla a grin. The lion faunus' ears perked up at the P word as she tried to not start hissing or growling like an angry kitten getting a bath as she turned to the farm boy beside her. "Did you just call me a Pipsqueak? Again? You know that was a very bad idea.~" She said with a mischievous glint in her royal purple eyes. Oscar blinked in confusion wondering what the shorter girl had planned when she called for the puppy that Ruby and Weiss were both fawning over in a sing song manner as the canine bounded over to his master, panting happily. "Okami sic him!" Oscar looked to the pup for a moment before letting out a yelp of surprise as the young wolf leapt onto his lap and proceeded to cover his face in wet kisses, tail wagging a mile a minute. Snowla smiled triumphantly as Oscar began laughing, trying to get the energetic pup to stop licking him and failing to do so. "That's what you get for calling me a pipsqueak mister."
Later that night...
The snow was now falling much heavier as the snowstorm returned with full force as chilling winds caused the old farmhouse to creak and moan in protest at being bombarded with snow, snow and more snow. Everyone within the large home's walls slept soundly as the fire that had once brought light into the small study was beginning to turn into smoldering embers on the fire wood. Though not everyone was asleep Snowla who was unable to rest after the days events, opens her scroll and pressed an icon that was shaped like a book, pressing the icon the screen on her scroll and a old book appeared on screen. It's pages were old and yellow yet also neat the book was bound by green leather and had a red placeholder ribbon poking out from the bottom, on the cover was a black lion with a white mane, its eyes were covered by a white grimm mask but showed its crimson eyes and atop its head was a golden crown with white stars shaped jewels, the words beneath it were written in gold calligraphy, 'Raion Legacy'. The lion faunus smiled to herself as she opened the three dimensional book skipping the table of contents and going straight for her first ancestor. Flaye Raion. She looked to be around in her mid twenties in the sketch, she had long red hair that was styled into a single braid and her eyes were royal purple, she was dressed in silver knight armor that had a golden trim with a fiery red tunic underneath, in her hand was a lance, atop her head were a set of lion ears that matched her hair. Flaye was nicknamed Flaming Lion. Beside the drawing was her emblem which was a simple silhouette of a lion's head with a crown above its head, along with some writing from the first Raion herself about her 'Gift' which was being able to summon the spirits of lions and lioness made of a ghostly mist at her beck and call. She dubbed this gift 'Mist Pride'. Snowla continued reading thinking back to when she first saw the family book when the sound of whimpering grabbed her attention, looking up from her scroll Snowla saw Okami pawing at her leg before leaving the study letting out a soft bark. Knowing exactly what the canine wanted the lion faunus carefully stepped over the group's sleeping forms and went to the door with the wolf pup. Seeing Qrow leaning in a chair sound asleep with an empty alcohol bottle in hand, she opened the front door quietly and let Okami out and followed after him, shutting the door behind her. The snow was once again falling calmly as Snowla took a seat on the porch steps Snowla took her flute necklace off her neck and extended it to full length, the instrument glowing silver in the moonlight. "Ready bud?" Okami let out a happy bark raring to go as his tail wagged but just as Snowla was about to begin playing her flute she was startled by the sound of the front door opening as Oscar stepped out a confused yet also tired expression on his face. "Oh hey there...I'm sorry what was your name?" Snowla asked, having not properly met the farmboy. "My name's Oscar Pine and you little miss attack dog?" He asked playfully putting his hands on his hips. "Snowla Raion and the one who quote unquote attacked you earlier tonight is Okami over there." The lion faunus countered, her lion ears lightly twitching in amusement. Okami rushed over and ran around his feet. Oscar chuckled, taking a seat beside Snowla and petting the hyper wolf pup. "So what are you two doing out here? Taking Okami out to take care of business?" "Nah, just gonna play a song for him." Snowla explained showing off her flute. "I didn't you know you could play. Mind if I listen?" The lion faunus smiled. "Not at all! But… when I start playing I need you to keep your eyes closed and not I repeat not grab your weapon. Can you do that for me?" Oscar look at her confused. "Uhhhh okayyyyy?" He said shutting his eyes. Snowla looked over to Okami and nodded as the wolf pup ran off of the porch and onto the snow covered dirt road near the stone well. She began playing a soft melody that sounded as old as time itself as Okami's once happy go lucky expression shifted into one of a more mature canine than a puppy, his brown eyes becoming pupiless and glowing with an eerie light purple as his coat shifted from dark brown to black. Oscar kept his eyes closed as Snowla continued to play the unknown song on her flute, not realizing what was happening in front of him. Okami glowed silver like the instrument, the light starting out small around his puppy size and slowly began to grow and grow pausing once it was around the size of a young adolescent manticore grimm as a pair of black feathered wings unfurled and extended from within the light as it faded away revealing a large grimm. Its coat was covered with fur but looked feathery as well, its ears were upright and pointed, its chest and forelegs were covered with white bone plates that resembled armor, poking from its mouth were a set of ivory fangs and atop its head were a set of white ivory dragon horns that turned black halfway up, its pupiless purple eyes were covered with a bone mask that all grimm had though it looked much stronger, instead of the usual red markings on the beast's mask they were a light shade of purple, its paws were white like the snow and had black claws protruding from the paws.
"What did you think of my playing Oscar? Did you like it?" Snowla asked curiously. "It was amazing Snowla but why did you have me close my eyes? I'm kinda confused." Oscar said. "So you could focus on the song and you can open your eyes now just don't scream." The farmhand was now even more confused and opened his hazel eyes. "W-whaaa." His jaw hung open and it looked like he was gonna scream at the beast infront of him but his eyes flashed gold. "We won't have any of that." A familiar voice said cooly.
A/N: I'm super duper sorry to all of you for having to wait for I think 10 days for this chapter :( With Christmas and New Years and Work being both a blessing and a curse this week working on this chap gave me some trouble but it's finally finished. I hope you all enjoy it and are ready for the new year. Please Read, Review and Happy 2019! :D See you next chap!