Chapter Seven: Until Dawn Breaks
Written by: JayEmEl
Edited by: Cowjump
NOTE: This chapter introduces plot details from RWBY Grimm Eclipse.
Enjoy!
Initiation into Beacon Academy took place at the very outskirts of the Emerald Forest. Students traveled northwards to the abandoned temple to collect relics and then returned to Beacon's cliffside to be updated on their next task before receiving their team assignations.
That hadn't been Team RWBY's last experience with the Emerald Forest, and their second adventure in the area had revealed just how vast it was and how very little ground they had covered during their initiation. Previously, RWBY's last end-of-year field exam had brought them around the western borders in an investigation closely monitored by Professor Port. On foot, they had been three days away from Beacon – and that was still only a fraction of the forest.
This year, it appeared Headmaster Ozpin was sending RWBY almost into the heart of the Emerald Forest, a whole two-hour flight from Beacon. Despite the location being somewhat unfamiliar, at least the nature of the mission was a continuation of what they had accomplished last year. This inspired more confidence in the members of Team RWBY.
"You remember your investigation of Merlot Industries," Headmaster Ozpin said calmly, looking at each of the four young women from above the rim of his small glasses. They were in his large clockwork of an office, at the top of the academy's tallest spire, being briefed on their mission as they stood at attention in front of his desk.
"Yeah. We learned Dr. Merlot might be behind the sabotage of the security network within the Emerald Forest," Ruby recalled in a serious tone of voice. "And we found crates that could have been used to capture Grimm."
Headmaster Ozpin nodded. "Indeed. Very good. Thanks to your efforts, we were able to reset most of that network grid and continue our monitoring of Grimm activity in the sector. However, there is still one area that failed to come online, and we are detecting an unnatural concentration of Grimm at the periphery of our radars. And we still don't know why technology from Merlot Industries was discovered there to begin with."
Blake was quick to put the pieces together. "You want us to find out why the network failed to reset in that particular area and clear out as many Grimm as we can while we're at it," she guessed, keeping her voice carefully composed.
"Which means this could, technically, take less than a week," Weiss added, thoughtful.
"You are both correct." Ozpin regarded them with his enigmatic, piercing stare. He took a sip of his coffee. "There is supposed to be an abandoned cabin near the blind sector where you can set up from. Unfortunately, the shuttle you will be embarking on cannot carry you that far – it's too dangerous to land. You will have to travel on foot for about a day before reaching your destination. Head east from the drop-off site."
Ruby tentatively raised her hand. "Uh, so, will Professor Port be the one communicating with us again, or…?"
"No. You are on your own for this mission. Our long-distance transmit signal is being scrambled by something in the area, but that is not for you to fix. Focus on eradicating the Grimm and being on the lookout for any abnormalities. Your shuttle will remain at the drop-off site, and should you need extraction, it will be ready to leave at a moment's notice. I assure you, though, that while the concentration of Grimm is high in numbers, as a team, you are capable of shouldering this." Professor Ozpin paused. "Any more questions?"
Yang spoke up next. "Yeah, I have one. What happens if there are too many Grimm and we can't collect any information after seven days?" she wondered curiously.
"Fall back and return to the shuttle. Do not extend your mission unnecessarily or risk running out of supplies. You are being graded on effort and teamwork more than on your success." Ozpin stood from his chair and circled his desk to stand before the four girls. "Your shuttle is leaving within the next hour. I suggest you make sure once more that you have everything you need before your departure." He took another sip of his coffee and then finalized the briefing with, "Godspeed, Team RWBY."
Blake shielded her eyes from the early morning sun as she stepped through the thick glass doors of the academy's entrance. She blinked a few times, quickly becoming accustomed to the bright light. A clear blue sky, a pleasant breeze and the warm touch of summer on her skin – it was an otherwise charming start to the mission.
After being briefed by Headmaster Ozpin, RWBY had returned to their dorm room to pick up their supplies and then get their weapons from the student lockers. They had crossed paths with JNPR, exchanging a few short farewells, before continuing on their way, knowing they didn't have much more time.
Ruby quickly emphasized that fact when she suddenly exclaimed, "Guys! The shuttle is already there!" She pointed towards the very end of the pathway outside, where there was, indeed, a small airship waiting against the ledge of the cliff. She was practically bouncing up and down, she was so full of energy. "I'm gonna go tell them we're coming!" With that, RWBY's leader bolted in a flurry of rose petals.
Blake glanced at Yang and Weiss. They had already discussed who would be carrying what while they traveled, so Yang looked a bit silly with four sleeping bags on her back and her own supply kit, but she insisted she was strong enough to take it. Nobody put it into question. Ruby had their food rations, Weiss a few of their toiletries and Dust rounds, and Blake the medical and survival items. They also each had one small luggage bag that would stay in the shuttle, just in case they became desperate – although they weren't supposed to need these extra items and would lose points if, for whatever reason, it came down to fetching them.
So, for all intents and purposes, Team RWBY was all set.
The modest airship they were traveling on had a hull where the girls could sit facing each other during the flight, but the seats were meant for practicality and not comfort. The back of the hull could open if there was a need to jump out. There was a (very) tiny bathroom. They could walk to the cockpit if they wanted, and next to the bulkhead was a small room that acted as a med bay.
RWBY was flying with a few officers who would stay with the shuttle to defend it once it was landed. They sat with the four girls in the hull, and Yang had struck up a conversation with them at the beginning of the flight to know their names – Grey, Gideon, Thornton, Schiefer, Dylan, and Claud. They were friendly enough, and talking with them further inspired a sense of trust among the group. They displayed a reassuring amount of professionalism without being inhuman, and Blake found herself thinking that should RWBY need extraction, the men would assuredly do their best to arrive as fast as possible.
She was sitting next to Yang, listening to the conversations but without participating in them. The golden girl had an arm casually slung along the back of Blake's seat and appeared completely at ease in this situation, chatting as if Team RWBY wasn't about to be put in a dangerous situation. Blake might have allowed herself to put her guard down, too, and would have leaned against Yang's side, but either the sitting arrangements were too uncomfortable or Blake was still experiencing reservations – whatever it was, it was making her a bit restless.
The constant dull droning of the shuttle as it flew was persistent in her ears. But that wasn't the only thing. They were supposed to be keeping an altitude of about one thousand five hundred feet above ground, and although the flight was free of disturbances, Blake could clearly feel the shifts in pressure when the small airship veered in the air. It wasn't enough to cause any vertigo or nausea, but she didn't like it.
In accordance with this, the landing was naturally even more disagreeable as the shuttle decelerated and their altitude dropped. Blake normally had no qualms with motion – when she, herself, was the one moving, that is. And even the large airships that carried students to and from Beacon didn't cause a problem since they were so slow. But this was her second time on a rather small, fast-flying corvette, and it was no different than the first. Inevitably, the too-quick changes and the fact that she wasn't the one causing them affected the balance in her inner ears.
She was happy to set foot on stable ground again, to say the least.
Gambol Shroud secured against her shoulder blades, medical supplies wrapped up tightly in a cylindrical casing against the small of her back and the survival kit tucked in a pouch strapped to her side, Blake took a few steps forward on the grass. She started by recovering from her vertigo, inhaling deeply and taking in their surroundings.
They were in a flat clearing in the forest, shrubbery around the edges fading into tall tree trunks and uneven terrain. Sunlight filtered in through the branches, a soft breeze rustling the leaves and playing with a few strands of Blake's hair. There was the distinct sound of birds chirping, too. It was surprisingly peaceful.
That said, this didn't last long. The relative silence was interrupted by the officers setting up a perimeter and unloading their equipment, as well as Weiss and Ruby, over by the ramp into the hull, having a bit of an argument over what to do, exactly, with their extra supplies – even if they had already determined what to do with them before the flight. Blake paid no heed, gazing further into the forest and wondering why it was so calm. She reached up and hesitantly undid her bow, freeing her cat ears, and as they flickered in various directions, searching for abnormalities, Blake wrapped the ribbon around her forearm.
Nothing. Just the soft murmur of nature. And also a creek nearby, guessing from the quiet trickle of water over rocks coming from somewhere to her right. It appeared the Grimm really were concentrated in one specific area – an area that wasn't anywhere near here.
Blake turned towards the shuttle and realized that Yang wasn't too far away, arranging the sleeping bags on her back in a manner that wouldn't hinder her. She caught the Faunus looking her way and grinned. Blake tentatively returned this with a small curve of her lips before allowing her gaze to carry on and continue searching the trees, just to be certain.
"We'll contact you once we've reached the cabin," Weiss was saying, speaking to the officers now. "And if we haven't arrived by tomorrow night, then you might have to come looking for us. Or fly back to –"
"Weisssss," Ruby let out in a long-suffering manner. "They have their orders already. We're going to be just fine. But we should go now. C'mon. Yang, are you all set?"
"You bet!" came the enthusiastic reply and the telling shclicks of Ember Celica unraveling from their bracelet forms. "And I think Blake is waiting for us, too."
"Cool! Let's go."
Blake took that as her cue to join her teammates and start heading into the trees with them, leaving the clearing, crew, and shuttle behind.
The first part of their trek through the forest proved to be pleasant and utterly Grimm-free. It was a little disconcerting for Blake, and Weiss did reveal a shared concern about it, but Ruby and Yang brushed it off with their characteristic carefreeness and insisted that they should just enjoy this walk in nature. The beauty and peacefulness that surrounded them made it next to impossible to stay tightly-strung, and so when RWBY took a break to have a brief lunch, they did so while chatting leisurely and taking advantage of the serenity.
They continued on their way afterwards, far from tired just yet. Soon, they lapsed into silence for a while, the sound of their steps on the forest bed the only thing interrupting nature's quiet.
Until Yang decided to speak, that is.
"So, what did the policeman say to his bellybutton?"
Immediately, Blake knew a terrible joke was on the horizon. Much like how the sun set and the sun rose, it was an inevitability. She narrowed her eyes at the back of her girlfriend's head, who only turned to glance and wink at her.
"Yang, I swear…" Weiss muttered from farther up ahead.
"He said…" Yang, completely ignoring the exasperation, paused for effect and then exclaimed, "You're under a vest!"
At the front of the line they formed, Ruby actually giggled. Blake surprisingly found herself trying not to smirk. That one had legitimately been just bad enough to be amusing.
"You should not be encouraging her!" Weiss huffed indignantly.
Yang was snickering now. "What do you call a cow with no arms and no legs?"
"Cows don't have arms, you dimwit!"
"Ground beef! Eh? Eh?"
At this point, both Ruby and Yang were laughing while Weiss grumbled unintelligibly under her breath. Blake realized she was smiling – not necessarily because the puns had been funny, but because the sisters' mirth was simply contagious. Also, the fact that they were blatantly ignoring Weiss was a bit comical in itself.
To think Blake was in love with that goofball…
But suddenly, her cat ears stood on high alert as she abruptly stopped walking, overcome by an imminent sense of danger. She had barely opened her mouth to warn her teammates when an alpha Beowolf jumped into her field of vision, sailing above their heads and landing just a few feet away, digging its claws into the ground to slow itself down and face them.
"Whoa! Where'd he come from?" With a series of heavy metal clicks, Ruby was quick to arm herself with Crescent Rose's scythe form.
"Aw, Weiss! Look what your bad mood attracted!" Yang teased, moving into a combat-ready position.
Weiss unsheathed Myrtenaster unhappily. "What my bad mood attracted? This is your fault thanks to your horrible jokes!"
The alpha didn't wait for them to finish their argument. It threw back its head and let out a long, chilling howl, the sound causing goose-bumps to crawl up Blake's spine. It was calling its pack. There could have been dozens of them. Her cat ears flickered in several directions, and dread settled in her stomach.
"They've surrounded us," she revealed, and no later had the words left her mouth that an uncountable number of glowing red eyes appeared, followed by the dark, armored shapes of the monsters they belonged to.
"I mean, we've handled worse," Ruby remarked. "Time for some butt-whooping! Weiss, glyphs! Yang, up!"
Blake immediately crouched and cupped her hands in front of her in time to receive Yang, who had rushed towards her and stepped up to jump. Blake propelled her further into the air, and, only a second later, Yang used Ember Celica to clear the treetops.
Weiss' glyphs appeared at several strategic locations, including in front of Ruby's rifle and Blake's pistol, and as the Grimm rushed towards them, Ruby and Blake fired their weapons with abandon through their glyphs. The ice bullets ricocheted through the portals, teleporting and creating a maze of deadly projectiles that turned RWB's surroundings into a deathtrap most of the Beowolves fell prey to in their attempt to attack.
Those who stayed behind were quickly caught in a rain of fire, Yang shooting Ember Celica relentlessly in a circle while she was airborne. She smashed her fist into the ground upon a perfect three-point landing, launching a shockwave that gave RWBY breathing room again.
There were only a few Beowolves left – all getting back to their feet now – along with the alpha, which had only planted its claws in the ground to remain stabilized. In a phenomenal display of her speed and upper body strength, Ruby charged the minor Grimm with her scythe, cutting through them before they even saw what happened.
The alpha ran at Yang, but Blake was quick to throw her pistol at Weiss, who caught it and pulled, tightening the ribbon and tripping the alpha at the last moment. Yang had time to turn and uppercut the monster so hard in the jaw that its momentum changed course. It reeled backwards and landed right back where it had been earlier.
"Checkmate! Now!" Ruby yelled, running in their direction.
Weiss threw the pistol back at Blake, who sheathed the katana part of Gambol Shroud and gripped the handle of her cleaver. Respective swords in hand, fierce expressions on their faces, Weiss and Blake dashed towards each side of the alpha just as it was raising itself and simultaneously slashed through its throat as they crossed paths over it, effectively decapitating the creature.
And just like that, the fight was over. The dozens of Grimm corpses were already disintegrating in wispy curls of dark smoke, and the dead silence settled over Team RWBY in the wake of combat. Nature had held its breath in the presence of the fear these monsters impressed.
"That was really easy," Yang commented, rolling her shoulders. "Not even out of breath or anything."
"Agreed," Blake replied, but she didn't put Gambol Shroud against her shoulder blades again right away. Still wary, she looked around, senses on high alert, searching for anymore signs of the enemy. There were none, though. Still, for some reason or another, Blake felt…disquieted. And she couldn't blame being inside a shuttle this time.
"We've improved since our first mission, obviously," Weiss pointed out, sheathing Myrtenaster. "That we know how to coordinate just by Ruby shouting one-word orders speaks for it." She rolled her eyes.
Ruby giggled. "We're just awesome. Good going, Team RWBY!" She stepped over and high-fived her grinning sister.
"Alright, let's not get cocky," the Schnee heiress interrupted their mirth, imperious as she put her hands on her hips. "We should keep moving now, too. The faster we do this, the faster we can return to Beacon."
Weiss wasn't wrong about that. But Blake doubted rushing the mission because of mere impatience would bring any praise from the headmaster. She didn't voice her opinion, though. Ruby was competent enough to know that as well, and RWBY's young leader had demonstrated her title qualification often enough to earn the reserved girl's trust – even her respect and affection.
"Yeah, okay. Hey, Blake? Everything good?" Ruby stepped closer, concern etching her features. This made Weiss and Yang look in their direction, too.
Blake was prompt to put Gambol Shroud back against her shoulder blades. "Yes, I apologize – just being overly cautious, it seems. We can continue on our way." She nodded towards the direction they had been walking, hiding her unease. It was already fading, anyway, as if her nerves had been shot and she was just recovering from it. That's all it had to be.
Ruby beamed and then started walking again, Weiss, Yang, and Blake following suit. The Faunus kept her eyes on the ground in front of her, focusing on what both pairs of her ears were hearing. Little by little, the birdsongs began, first tentative and faraway but then drifting closer and more merrily as nature exhaled the breath of life it had earlier withheld. The ground was soft and slightly spongy, indicating it had probably rained the day previously. The group's footsteps were therefore mostly quiet.
Everything was back to normal, as if the creatures of Grimm had never disturbed the serenity in the first place. Blake sighed and slowly shook her head. This must have all been because she was hyper-aware of heading straight for a Grimm-infested area. It made sense for her to be wary and on the lookout for trouble. That was what they were here for, after all. RWBY was talented and capable of what was to come – it would be a lot of fighting and their endurance would surely be put to the test, and maybe that was all that was making Blake uncomfortable.
Yes, that had to be it. We're going to be fine. Blake tried to drill that thought into her instinctual senses.
And for the most part, it worked.
"Pheeeewwww," Yang exhaled unnecessarily loud, dropping the sleeping bags and stretching her arms out high above her head, arching her back in the process.
Blake found herself watching the show in amusement, golden eyes momentarily fixated on the exposed skin of her partner's slim but well-defined midriff, but then drifted to survey their current location once more. RWBY had chosen a spot to set up camp for the night before it became too dark. It was another clearing, but much smaller than the drop zone. It was also next to a cliff ledge, which allowed for much greater visibility. The drop down was steep and deadly, something RWBY would have to be careful about, but at least the probability of being attacked from that side was next to nonexistent. Unless a giant Nevermore decided to fly in. But based on how things had been progressing thus far, that seemed unlikely.
"Well, since I know I'm going to be asked anyway, I'm gonna go gather some wood," Yang announced, but there was a smirk on her face, betraying her good humor.
"Oh, yeah! Wait, sis, lemme go with you!" Ruby piped up. The brunette turned to look at Weiss and Blake. "Is it okay if we leave you two to preparing the campsite?"
"Go on," Weiss waved her hand dismissively, but it was devoid of any annoyance. "We can take care of ourselves."
Blake nodded in affirmation, giving Ruby a small, reassuring smile. "It's fine."
Yang had already walked and stopped further off, waiting for her sibling, and once Ruby had made sure the two other members of her team were alright, she immediately rushed to join the energetic young woman. They disappeared out of sight in their hunt for firewood, but Blake continued to hear their friendly chatter, even if it became just a murmur in the background. At least they hadn't strayed too far from camp.
Blake and Weiss weren't sociable by nature, and both understood that about each other, so they exchanged few words as they unrolled the sleeping bags and collected rocks to form a circle where they would light the fire. After listening to Yang and Ruby entertain conversations and jokes on and off throughout the day, the relative silence was now welcomed.
It went without saying that Blake didn't mind the talking. She had gotten used to it, even learned to enjoy it sometimes (and Yang's voice was never not pleasant), but when moments of calm presented themselves, Blake usually noticed them and took the opportunity to appreciate them. She had the impression Weiss felt similarly, too, so although they didn't say anything except to coordinate about the organization of the encampment, their quiet was comfortable and relaxed.
RWBY hadn't encountered anymore Grimm that day, strangely enough. Blake sometimes heard them, way out in the distance – packs of Beowolves or wandering Ursai – but they were never close enough to be worried about. Even Yang and Ruby had been forced to admit that it was unusual. The Emerald Forest was normally swarming with Grimm activity, but it truly did appear that for some reason or another, they had all gathered in one specific sector.
Blake was sitting cross-legged on her sleeping bag when Yang and Ruby returned to the campsite, both girls carrying about half their weight in fallen branches and dead wood. It looked excessive, but Blake would be the first to argue it was better safe than sorry when it came to warmth. They dropped their quarries near the stone circle, but then Weiss got on their cases about it and the three arranged the firewood into a single, neat pile.
"Hey, did we bring a lighter…?" Ruby wondered faintly, looking sheepish.
Yang was placing larger sticks where the campfire would be when she said, "Yeah, we had trouble finding dry wood. It must have rained yesterday or something. We're gonna need some real…firepower for this one." Yang waggled her eyebrows at Blake, grinning, and the Faunus only rolled her eyes as she allowed herself a small smile in response to Yang's.
That was always the best – Yang believing herself the epitome of hilarious.
"Utter gibberish," Weiss muttered, shaking her head. "Here, get out of the way, you oversized oaf. Let me do this. Also, Ruby, I'm blaming you for our lack of a lighter."
"Me?!" the girl in question whined. "Why me? Yang was in charge of that one!"
Yang scratched the back of her head as she moved out of Weiss' way. It was extraordinary how much the siblings resembled each other when they were sheepish. "Oops?" was all she offered as an apology. Blake distinctly remembered Yang failing to check her supplies thoroughly yesterday and that morning, so she wasn't entirely surprised the blonde had forgotten something. Still, Blake was partly accountable for that shortcoming, as she was Yang's partner and could have easily insisted that Yang be conscientious about her packing, especially because it was for a mission.
But Blake had chosen to trust Yang's judgment instead. It seemed Blake's own judgment had been faulty. At least it was just a lighter. It could have been worse.
"Never mind," Weiss huffed, kneeling by the piled-up branches and taking out a red Dust vial from one of the pouches on her belt. "This is such a waste of dangerous material." The girl in white sprinkled a tiny amount of the particles over the wood and then put the vial back into her pouch. She then stood, unsheathed Myrtenaster and struck the metal of its blade against the rocks. A hot spark wasn't even necessary. The dead branches caught fire in a red flash that caused Weiss to step away quickly.
Fortunately, it only lasted a few seconds. The flames died down in intensity until a comforting campfire was crackling healthily.
With that done, Blake took note of how much darker out it had gotten, the sun well below the horizon now. The glow of a few stars were beginning to be visible, and Blake's gaze was drawn towards the opening where the cliff ledge was. Her cat ears twitched. With a sigh, Blake stood from her sleeping bag and headed over towards the opening, leaving the warmth of the flames behind.
She stopped when her feet reached the rockier terrain, not daring to get too close to the sheer drop before her. But Blake's eyes took in the immensity of forest and sky that stretched out forever, a sea of green bathing in the dark blue hues of dusk. Wisps of clouds were out in the distance, maybe leftovers from yesterday's rain. Blake took a slow, deep breath in. She could smell the earth, the dust, the moss, and the freshness of the calm breeze. It touched her skin and played with wisps of her hair, murmuring sweet nothings in both pairs of her ears. It brought along the smoke from the fire, too, and she was hit with a strange mix of nostalgia and resentment.
Sometimes, it seemed like there were traces of Adam and the White Fang in even the smallest, unrelated things. This was not the forest of Forever Fall, but she had been encamped outside with her ex-partner like this before her final mission with him, the night before they planned to raid the Schnee freighter. It was disturbing, having such familiar peace ruined by flashes of regretful memories. And maybe this was part of the reason why Blake felt on edge about this mission, among other things.
She found her eyes wandering up to observe the darkening sky. Without Vale's city lights, the brave stars showing themselves seemed brighter and much more visible. And the sky was so vast, so magnificent, that Blake was forced to contemplate how insignificant she was – a fleeting speck of existence in the constantly evolving flow of time. It was all so relative. Her past was far behind her now, buried eight feet under.
Indeed, this was what Yang had compared her to – the night sky. A scattering of little beautiful lights against a canvas of infinite greatness, and although the moon was not out tonight, the sentiment remained. Yang believed in Blake's moral compass like nothing else. As if Blake was doing the right thing now, walking the right path – moving forward and refusing to run back, a creature capable of and already doing good.
And Blake, in kind, dared to believe it was true.
With a bit of a smile on her lips, Blake returned to the fire, once more sitting on her sleeping bag. Yang immediately moved from her own to plop down next to the Faunus.
"Hey, you alright?"
Blake's smile widened in affection. "Yes. Just took a moment to enjoy the view."
Yang's gaze drifted towards the opening where Blake had been standing, and she stared for a short while. Something in her regard shifted, and Blake knew that Yang knew what she meant now. The blonde gave her partner an appreciative glance. "I'm glad," she said, sincere. She then put something round in Blake's hands. "For you."
Blake took it and realized it was a small can of tuna. Yang then gave her a fork, beaming knowingly. Blake narrowed her eyes at the brawler but decided to not question her about it. Some inquiries were just better left unanswered. Plus, tuna was tuna, and Yang had just warmed Blake's heart again without even peeping a word.
RWBY proceeded to share a small meal in mostly silence, only interrupted by the snapping of the fire and the chirping of crickets in the distance. It was a surprisingly relaxing setting, considering how they were on a mission in a supposedly high-risk area. Blake felt like she was waiting for the other ball to drop at any moment.
"So, Weiss can take first watch, I'll take second, Yang third, and Blake fourth," Ruby announced after a while. Silver eyes glanced at each member of her team, the flames reflecting in her orbs like two little mirrors. "Everyone okay with that?"
Yang gave her sibling a thumbs up. "Totes."
After Weiss nodded her head in agreement, Blake started to get prepared to slip into her sleeping bag. "I should try to get some rest right away, in that case."
"We all should," Ruby conceded, and Blake listened to her teammates getting ready for the night as she laid on her side. She wasn't exactly comfortable, but it would do. All the walking they had done that day eventually caught up to her, though, and hard ground or not, Blake slowly but surely began drifting off into a light sleep, knowing she would be safe under her friends' watches until it was her turn.
Blake awoke in a bit of a start. She felt mildly disoriented as she took in her surroundings, and her heart only calmed once she realized where she was and that the encampment wasn't under attack. Nevertheless, something had caused her to wake, and the reason dawned on Blake when she saw the dying glow of the embers. She was chilly. Of course, she was also fully aware that the weather wasn't that cold – it was summer, after all, and her friends were probably fine – but the temperature had dropped enough to have the cat Faunus searching for more warmth.
Blake slowly sat up and raked her fingers through her hair, shaking out the longer strands at the back of her head. Ruby and Weiss were sound asleep across from the glowing coals, and this allowed Blake to presume it was sometime after midnight – Yang's watch. The night was quiet, and a soft breeze rustled the branches around the clearing. Blake flattened her cat ears.
She soundlessly slipped out of her sleeping bag, drowsy but unable to find slumber, and put more wood on the burning coals. She watched the flames start licking the dry wood and put her hands out to feel the warmth for a moment, but then a noise made her look somewhere further off behind herself. Through the darkness, thanks to her night vision, Blake took note of Yang sitting against a tree on the outskirts of the clearing, fiddling with Ember Celica.
In her sleep-addled mind, the only thing that registered to the raven-haired girl was that Yang usually repelled any coolness in the air around her. Plus, Blake's watch was probably in about an hour or so – she couldn't imagine getting much more rest if she went back to lying on the uneven ground.
Blake found herself sauntering over to Yang's location, steps quiet and undisturbed, and once she was close enough, she let herself slide down next to her girlfriend against the large tree trunk. It was then that lilac eyes noticed Blake.
"Hey," Yang greeted softly, raising her arm and wrapping it around the Faunus' shoulders. Blake immediately leaned into Yang's side, finding relief from the slight chill against the living heater's body. She sighed, tucking her nose into the collar of Yang's jacket and closing her eyes, comfortable and appeased by the familiar scent of vanilla and gunpowder.
"Hey…" she whispered in reply, already easing into a relaxed state of almost-unconsciousness. She could hear Yang's strong heartbeat thudding regularly against her human ear, and it was incredibly calming. She was practically enveloped with Yang. Somewhere far out in the distance, a Beowolf howled, long and eerie, but Blake didn't give it much thought.
Yang seemed to, though. "It's the same one since the end of Weiss' watch, according to Ruby. About every hour, it howls – and from roughly the same location." Her voice was soothing and quiet, though, so it seemed like the information wasn't anything that worried her.
"If it's not moving, then we don't have to be concerned by it here," Blake murmured, only half paying attention to the conversation. She felt like she could actually catch that last hour of sleep cuddled up to Yang like this.
The blonde appeared to realize Blake's drowsiness because she didn't reply. Instead, her fingers began to slowly comb through the Faunus' raven locks, never tugging, and, briefly, Blake wondered if paradise felt anything like this gentle treatment. She snuggled deeper into Yang's side and rested her hand on the golden girl's abdomen, lulling further back into dreamland as the reassuring caresses continued. Just when Blake supposed the ministrations couldn't get any better, Yang started to lightly scratch her, right at the base of Blake's cat ears. She never actually touched them, but it felt so good that Blake's insides seemed to melt, muscles relaxing blissfully. She dipped into sleep…
…and right back out when a noise was heard. Blake froze, immediately awake, and felt Yang's sudden tension by the brawler's similar lack of movement.
"Blake…did you hear that?" Yang whispered, tightening her hold on the raven-haired girl's shoulders.
Dread settled into Blake's stomach, her cat ears flattening against her skull. This was the absolute worst timing. Of all the moments, why did it have to be now?
Yang's voice was barely audible when she said, "We need to wake Ruby and Weiss." She then started to detach herself from Blake so she could stand.
Alarmed now, Blake gripped Yang's clothes and pulled her back down with unintended roughness before grabbing her shoulders to make sure she'd stay still. Quite a feat it was, considering the brawler's strength.
Yang stared at her with a mix of bewilderment and vehemence. "What are you – Blake! That Beowolf probably found us!" Her tone was hushed but urgent.
Blake shut her eyes tightly, knowing she was going to regret this. She took a deep breath in before exhaling slowly and looked her girlfriend in the eyes. "Yang, calm down… It wasn't the Grimm."
Now Yang appeared completely baffled. "What? But you heard it as well as I did –"
"Yes, Yang. I did hear it." Blake's gaze became intent, trying to convey the truth without actually saying it. "And it wasn't the Grimm." She wouldn't let Yang wake Ruby and Weiss from their much-needed rest unnecessarily over this. No matter how embarrassing.
"But…" Yang looked at her with utter confusion through the darkness, clearly torn between believing her partner and keeping their teammates safe. But then, finally, realization dawned on her. Her eyes first widened in surprise almost comically before quickly turning into excitement. "Oh, my God! Blake! You can p–"
Blake slammed her hands over Yang's mouth in panic and whispered fiercely, heart pounding, "Not so loud! God, I swear you're the worst." She glared at her girlfriend pointedly. The last thing she wanted was to have their teammates not only wake up but also know what happened. Blake wished she could crawl into a hole enough as it was.
Yang's lilac eyes betrayed her mirth, and Blake suddenly felt something wet and warm flick across the palm of her hand. She instantly recoiled in disgust, freeing Yang's mouth. "Did you just lick me? What is wrong with –"
Yang didn't let her finish, though. She laughed, quietly, and cupped Blake's face in her hands so the two could look at each other in the eyes. "But Blake, you can purr!"
"I'm aware," Blake replied dryly, not amused. She wiped her palm on her thigh. At least Yang wasn't being loud anymore, that absolute pain.
"But it's…it's amazing!" Yang giggled and rested her forehead against Blake's. Her voice, although still obviously delighted, became more gentle. She paused for a heartbeat. "You're amazing. You know that, right?"
Well, that was certainly unexpected. Blake blinked and felt the heat rising to her cheeks. Being able to purr was amazing? No, it really wasn't. It was…shameful. Just another thing that made her less human and more animal, nothing that deserved such flattery. How could Yang just say that with so much sincerity?
Blake couldn't bring herself to pull away, though. Somehow, Yang continued to show Blake the beauty in herself by the pure admiration and trust she demonstrated – now, and in every one of their interactions previously, no matter how undeserving Blake felt.
"It's rather embarrassing," she muttered, gazing down so she wouldn't see the unadulterated confidence in the affectionate extrovert's eyes. Part of her felt like she couldn't accept such favor – but knowing it was there anyway, genuine and caring, no matter what Blake thought of it, was enough to make her believe that maybe, just maybe, her cat-like traits weren't so wretched after all. She wanted to believe it, at least.
Yang pulled away, allowing her hands to trail down Blake's shoulders so she could clasp their fingers together. "Why'd you do it, then, if you don't like it?" Her tone was soft and curious now.
Blake stared at their intertwined fingers before meeting Yang's gaze again. She sighed. "It's been years since I've done that, actually." She creased her eyebrows. She remembered Adam, what seemed like centuries ago now – when he was still honest and gentle with her – letting her sleep with her head on his lap, his hands caressing her hair and her ears. Blake quickly banished the memory from her thoughts. "Only when I have my guard down, when I feel completely at ease, and the situation is right…I might…purr. I can't exactly control it."
Blake knew what she was admitting by revealing that information. Yet she also knew she wouldn't have uttered a word or even purred at all if it wasn't the truth: she trusted Yang that much on an instinctual level, it seemed. She had displayed a vulnerability next to no else had been permitted to witness.
Yang's eyes widened a little again, processing the statement. And then she smiled warmly, genially. "Blake, I'm honored. I really, really am. This is…well, I can't even describe it. I promise I won't peep a word about it. C'mere." She pulled Blake into a hug, probably her way of sealing the promise, and Blake closed her eyes contentedly. "Plus, I mean, I'm totally thrilled I get to enjoy it all to myself," Yang added in a murmur. "You're the best, Blake."
And Blake held Yang tighter, a rare, truly happy smile forming across her lips. Yes, Blake would do everything in her power to return this understanding and support Yang gave so willingly, and she would do it out of love. God knew how much this ray of sunshine deserved it.
The couple eventually separated, but Blake let her fingers linger on Yang's cheek. She leaned in and kissed her tenderly on the other before saying, "Thank you, Yang. You should probably catch the rest of your night now." She pulled away a bit, a soft smile still playing on her lips. "I can take over from here."
Yang grinned and hugged the Faunus one last time, briefly but just as tightly as before, and then got to her feet. "Stay sharp, partner." She winked, and then turned to head towards the campfire area.
Blake watched her go, admiring the blonde's form absentmindedly as she walked away – more captivated by Yang's mere presence than by her body. Although, that toned, hour-glass shape certainly didn't hurt. The girl in black brought one knee to her chest and rested her head on her hand, contemplative. "Goodnight, Yang," she murmured, knowing Yang wouldn't hear. It didn't matter to Blake at the moment, though. "Sleep well." She was feeling surprisingly lighthearted, and the smile floating on her lips refused to fade entirely.
I'm totally thrilled I get to enjoy it all to myself.
Oh, Yang. Somehow the social girl had made Blake happy she could share that part of herself alone with Yang, too. It had made Yang laugh and beam joyfully – and that was far more gratifying than it was embarrassing. And who better to let her guard down around with than the genuine altruist, after all?
Blake couldn't imagine or think of anyone else.
Wasn't there a saying about it always being darkest before the dawn? It was a nice expression, all things considered, but on a starry night such this, Blake couldn't really affirm it as being entirely true. While her night vision might have granted her a superior sense of sight in the dark, Blake still thought that even her friends would have been able to navigate in the forest without too much trouble.
But they needed their rest, and Blake was fine with watching over them and using her more developed Faunus senses to better "stay sharp," as Yang had put it. She liked this calmness and beauty, anyway, and that was how Blake found herself standing near the ledge of the cliff, admiring nature's vast expanse again in silence and waiting to catch the first lights of dawn.
Somewhere very far out to her left, the Beowolf howled, starting low and rising into a long, chilling note for a few seconds before fading into the quiet once more. Blake's gaze gravitated to the creature's approximate location uneasily. It was her third time hearing it since she had awoken. And this time, she felt a familiar sense of dread clutch her guts. It wasn't normal for a Grimm creature, especially a Beowolf, to stay in the same place for hours upon end. And why was it howling anyway? Was it possible for Grimm to accidentally get injured?
Blake's ears flattened against her skull before flicking back up on high alert, twitching in several directions. She turned, observing her surroundings as her pulse accelerated.
Everything was calm. There wasn't even a breeze now to disturb the stillness.
She didn't know what was making her anxious. Her friends were sound asleep, the fire was crackling quietly, and there certainly weren't any glowing red eyes creeping closer through the darkness. Everything should have been fine. Yet her instincts continued to warn her of imminent danger.
And then the Beowolf began to howl again, and Blake froze. It had never howled twice in the same hour, much less within a few minutes. The Faunus listened, more attentive than ever before, as the howl continued, rose in pitch, wavered…
…and came to an abrupt halt. A few seconds later, Blake's acute hearing detected hundreds of growls and roars. She looked far out to the source, narrowing her eyes, and saw something she should not have seen. Light. And not the rays of the sun or the glow of the stars.
Heart pounding, Blake scrambled towards the encampment and kneeled by Ruby. She grabbed the younger girl's shoulder and urgently shook her. "Ruby! We have a problem!"
Ruby's eyes opened groggily. "Bla… Why are you…?" And then she seemed to realize Blake's expression. She sat up ramrod straight, fully awake as she looked around in a bit of a panic. "Blake? What's wrong? Are we under attack?"
"No, but we have a situation." Blake stood, looking towards where she could hear a lot of angry Grimm. "I can see light where that Beowolf kept howling from. And there's a lot of activity happening in the same area now."
Ruby jumped to her feet and tried to see what the girl in black was talking about. She shook her head. "It's too far away. I'll take your word for it, though. We should probably investigate."
If it were possible, Blake's unease grew. Still, she wouldn't advise against Ruby's wishes. If there was light, it probably meant – somehow, way out here – the presence of humans or Faunus. And they wouldn't be alive for long with the numbers of Grimm Blake was estimating. "Alright. I'll wake Yang."
Ruby immediately got to Weiss' side with similar intentions. It was unfortunate for everyone to miss out on needed sleep, but at least they'd all gotten six hours or so. It was better than no rest at all. Yang wasn't easy to wake up, but she was eventually alert enough to have the situation explained to her.
Rapidly afterwards, RWBY loaded their weapons, gathered only the necessary gear, and left their encampment roughly the same without bothering to pack up. They would have to return later. At least, that was part of the quickly fabricated plan.
"Blake, take the lead!" Ruby ordered as the four girls started their run through the forest.
The Faunus didn't hesitate. Ruby, Yang, and Weiss fell behind her as she accelerated, but Blake made sure to not lose her team in the darkness. It felt uncomfortably familiar to the raven-haired girl, dashing between trees and avoiding branches and shrubs as best she could. Her anxious mind made the leaves sometimes look dark crimson instead of green. She didn't like this at all.
"I can't believe we left the fire burning!" Weiss exclaimed, sounding both miffed and concerned.
Yang scoffed. "Of course you'd worry about that, Miss Set-The-Forest-On-Fire."
"Oh, save your breath for running!" came the heiress' snappy reply. The prankster snickered, and Blake thought Yang would say something to spite Weiss further, but it seemed she decided to take the girl in white's advice to heart. RWBY had a while to go still, and although they trained and kept an intensive cardio regiment, a sprint through such uneven and obstacle-filled terrain would take a toll on them if they didn't focus.
Blake didn't allow herself to become distracted, though. She kept moving, confident in what she was hearing and using her more developed senses to guide RWBY straight into the wolf's mouth. At least, that's what it felt like. She wanted to say this was a terrible idea, that they should have waited until the sun rose, but lives were possibly at stake. It didn't matter that her sixth sense of sorts forebode an incredible amount of danger, that somehow the whole situation felt wrong. They would just have to be careful. As ridiculous as that seemed.
"Well, there's the cabin!" Ruby pointed out, and then laughed. Did she not realize the seriousness of the situation? "We should have kept going just a little longer last night!"
Blake only spared the wooden shack a glance as they raced by it through a clearing. It was too late now, and in any case, Yang's thoughts apparently mirrored Blake's fleeting ones, guessing by her complained outrage of, "Are you kidding me? We could've had a cozy place to sleep?"
"Confound it," Weiss muttered. She also added something about Ruby laughing, but it was mostly unintelligible. The four girls were panting regularly now, anyway, and none of them spoke again after spotting the location of the cabin. At least it was their most useful find so far. It meant they were on the right track.
Much to Blake's increasing alarm.
She strained to keep tabs on what was happening, and it didn't take long before very human shouts were heard among the growling and roaring of the Grimm. A few moments of sprinting later, and the rest of RWBY could make out the commotion in the distance, too. It had the effect of sobering Ruby and Yang very fast. None of them said anything, too occupied as they were with keeping their footing and maintaining a steady breathing rhythm, but the dread that settled on the team as they approached was palpable.
Hundreds of Grimm against four huntresses in training? It would indeed put their skills and teamwork to the test. Had Ozpin put lives other than their own into the equation when he had said they could handle it? Had he even known? Somehow, Blake highly doubted it. And that raised the stakes so much higher. A retreat would be inevitable for RWBY if they hoped to make it.
The four girls slowed their pace as the forestry began to thin out unnaturally and their surroundings becoming more illuminated by the light of whatever lay ahead. The first lights of dawn were just cresting the horizon when they arrived. Hearts pounding, breaths heavy from running, Team RWBY was forced to come to a complete halt when they saw what was happening.
It was utter chaos. Within the huge clearing before them looked to be a facility of sorts, a couple blocks of buildings connected to each other at ground level surrounded by huge electric fences that had been torn down by Grimm. And scattered on the same ground everywhere were hundreds of carbon cages in varying sizes, some broken, others toppled over – but it was clear what they had contained.
The Grimm infested the place, dashing in every which direction and attacking everything that got in their way. They were furious. More distressingly, there were corpses on the ground – wearing lab coats – and huntsmen already on the scene. It was impossible to count their numbers, but they were there, about a dozen of them, shouting at each other and yelling at the Grimm they fought against.
Ozpin wanted Team RWBY to find any abnormalities? This definitely qualified.
"We gotta help them!" Ruby commanded, and immediately took out her scythe and sprinted into the clearing teeming with monsters.
Yang, Weiss, and Blake followed rapidly, unwilling to leave their leader alone in the midst of such an insane situation.
"Be careful! You stubborn –" Weiss never finished her insult. In an amazing set of acrobatics, she dodged and evaded several Creeps that had charged at her.
"We have huntresses, boss!"
Blake swiped through a Beowolf, and lunged across to another, eyes darting in search of who was speaking. She couldn't remain stationary, though, and trying to spot anything among the mass of armored dark shapes was next to impossible.
"You have your orders!" a female voice replied, stern and implacable.
What?
Blake heard Yang let out an angered cry, and by the rocking under her feet and the explosion that followed, the ninja assumed the brawler had just cleared her immediate surroundings of Grimm. Unfortunately, the shock also short-circuited the large post where the light was coming from. It sparked and then went out, plunging the whole area into partial obscurity. Worse, the luminary didn't stay out – it began to flicker on and off jarringly.
If the circumstances could get any less ideal, Blake didn't even want to know. She could see in the dark just fine, but this? Even this made fighting difficult.
And for the love of God, what was going on?
Blake jumped on the back of an Ursa and propelled herself into the air. She caught a glimpse of Yang, fighting…one of the huntsmen? Blake landed, decapitating a Beowolf, and danced around a few Creeps, slashing through them –
"Why are you attacking us?!" That was Weiss, somewhere to Blake's left.
"Just die already!"
And then Yang was screaming in fury. "Don't you dare leave! Arrghhh! Get out of my way!"
Blake swiveled, panicked, but couldn't intervene. Glowing red eyes rose before her, and she leaned back to avoid the deadly claws of the Ursa. The Grimm were swarming everywhere among the broken cages, and the noise of all the chilling growls and yells, coupled with the flashing light, made it extremely difficult to get her bearings.
The same female voice from earlier commanded from somewhere, "Change of plans! Never mind the equipment! Dispose of everything!"
"What are you doing?!"
The light continued to flicker, creating far more confusion and alarm in Blake's mind. How dizzying it must have been for her friends. She ran from the Ursa, using Gambol Shroud's pistol form to shoot at every dark figure before her, trying to get closer to Yang.
"Yang! I can take care of her!" Ruby exclaimed.
And then Blake saw. The huntsman was still giving Yang a hard time, and she was firing Ember Celica every time she could at someone who was yards away from her, closer to the building. Her hair was glowing, and she looked incensed. Blake caught a glimpse of an incredibly long, red sword slicing the air and creating a dark maelstrom of sorts.
"We need to work as a team, you reckless dolt!"
But Ruby appeared out of nowhere with Crescent Rose, using her semblance to reach the woman faster, apparently oblivious to Weiss' shriek. Time seemed to slow. Ruby raised her scythe, ready to strike. The woman turned…
"Ruby!" A fierce scream from Yang had Blake switching her attention from her leader to her partner, who grabbed the huntsman's face and shoved his head down at the ground – an impressive show of brute force, but it was dangerously concerning, too. With the flashing light, it looked like a scene straight out of a horror movie.
The woman had tacked to the side at the last moment, and much to Blake's alarm, stuck out her foot only slightly. Ruby didn't seem to notice, and she couldn't slow her momentum.
Yang didn't bother with the huntsman any longer. Enraged, she began to sprint, but she never made it in time. Ruby tripped and careened headfirst into the cement wall of the building. Yang's step faltered, but she continued towards the woman, firing Ember Celica relentlessly, decimating anything in her path. Blake finally reacted, jumping into motion and covering Yang's flank by swiping at the Grimm that ran directly at them.
The masked figure saw them approaching and barked, "Destroy the facility!" It was a final order to the other huntsmen. She walked into the portal she had created, and it immediately sealed behind her in a flash of red.
Yang yelled wordlessly, frustration and fury evident in her demeanor. Despite her worry, confusion and panic, Blake grabbed the brawler's arm firmly and forced Yang to look at her. Caustic crimson met golden. "Cover me," Blake urged. "I'm going to take care of Ruby."
The blonde didn't reply, but she seemed to understand. The duo separated, Blake running towards Ruby's inert body and Yang single-handedly taking on dozens of Grimm creatures at once.
"Weiss!" Blake shouted. "To us!" She kneeled by her leader's side and carefully turned Ruby onto her back. She was unconscious, and even more concerning, there was blood running down her temple. Her aura hadn't protected her. Why? Yang couldn't know this – not now. She was keeping a level enough head to focus and cover Blake from their enemies, and it had to stay that way.
Blake may not have understood everything that was happening – it was all a mess, and the huntsmen were attacking them, as if dealing with hundreds of Grimm wasn't hard enough – but she was aware that she was the only person on the scene who could actually see better than anyone else. And God knew how familiar she was with these sorts of chaotic situations. All things considered, she could still think rationally, and she knew what needed to be done.
But where was Weiss?
There wasn't time. Blake quickly retrieved the med kit from the small of her back. From the corner of her eye, she saw Yang physically assaulting a Beringel, but her back was turned and there were two Beowolves running towards her.
Oh, no you don't. Blake gripped her pistol and shot them one after the other in their heads. And then she fired at the light, destroying the bulb and putting an end to the dizzying flashing. The dim light of dawn would suffice. It had to.
To Blake's relief, Weiss finally came into view, jumping down from one of her glyphs and exclaiming, "It's one thing to fight Grimm, but other huntsmen, too? What's going on here?!"
"Doesn't matter!" Blake retorted sharply – and she found that it was true; right now, it really didn't. There were more pressing problems. "Take Yang's right, and contact extraction!"
"What's wrong with Ruby?!" Yang suddenly called out angrily. "Why isn't she up already?"
Weiss and Blake stared at each other for a heartbeat, another layer of dread settling on them. The heiress looked weary and stressed, and Blake knew they had to act fast.
"Blake?!" Yang screeched. The brawler didn't need an answer though – her team's silence had said enough. "I'm going to kill you all!" she furiously spat, flames beginning to lick across her brightly glowing hair as she charged one of the huntsmen further off.
"I've got you," Weiss huffed, and glyphs appeared around Blake and Ruby, creating a protective barrier. Weiss then took out her scroll but was forced to defend herself against a small, vicious swarm of mini Nevermores simultaneously.
Blake knew their time was limited. They were all fatigued, and the pressure was taking its toll. She, herself, was worried sick about Yang, but Ruby needed her attention as it was. Blake checked the younger girl's pulse and found her heart was beating too slowly. To assess the severity of the blow, Blake took the small flashlight from the kit and shined it into Ruby's eyes. Much to Blake's distress, the girl's pupils did not constrict. She probably suffered a concussion. There was very little Blake could do except stop the bleeding.
Without warning, one part of the facility suddenly exploded, an infinitely huge percussion that shook the earth as debris flew in every which direction. Blake cried out, lowering herself over Ruby's body and covering her head. Something hard knocked her in the shoulder blade, but her aura took the brunt of it. She remained still, heart pounding and ears deafened by a loud, painful ringing.
Wincing, Blake slowly straightened, noticing the huge piece of cement lying on the ground beside them. Something else, far worse, caught her attention. The facility was ablaze, part of it entirely destroyed. The pieces were everywhere, and the fire was spreading fast. Blake could already feel the heat, and the smoke assaulted her finer sense of smell uncomfortably.
"Yang! Weiss!" she shouted, but she couldn't even hear her own voice, and the glyphs prevented her from properly seeing her surroundings.
She was isolated, she didn't know if her teammates were alright, and Ruby's life was in her hands. Blake did the only sensible thing at the moment – she focused on her leader. She rapidly opened her medical kit and wiped the blood from the wound on Ruby's head with a cotton pad, noticing that her hands were shaking, but she was unable to calm herself enough to control it. Blake disinfected the injury afterwards – and it was still bleeding. She was quick to take a bandage and apply it over the cut, before ever so gently wrapping gauze around Ruby's head.
The rotating glyphs around Blake suddenly flickered a few times before altogether disappearing. Blake grabbed Gambol Shroud and attempted to stand but fell back onto one knee as a wave of dizziness took her. She held her head, wishing she could just hear. Sweating from the heat and fear, Blake looked up and realized the inferno had spread to the trees, setting the sky on fire. The smoke was so thick that she could only see darker figures running all over the place – some Grimm, some human.
"…ake! Blake!" a muffled, faraway yell reached her, finally, and the Faunus tried to see where it was coming from, but it was impossible to tell.
The raven-haired girl began to cough, her eyes watering, but was glad that at least her auditory sense was gradually returning. "I'm here!" she called out, hoping her teammates would hear her. She raised her scarf over her mouth and nose to keep from inhaling too much smoke. "Yang! Weiss!" she tried again.
"Blake!" came the replied shout, and soon after, Yang and Weiss' shapes became more distinct not too far from her.
"Over here!" She coughed again and then turned towards Ruby to drape part of her cloak over the unconscious girl's nose. There was no way to tell when extraction would arrive, and Blake didn't want Ruby's state worsening.
Her teammates were by her side within moments. Blake experienced a wave of relief, knowing Yang and Weiss were alive and that they were reunited. She gazed up at Yang and saw the golden girl just standing there, staring in what seemed like horror at her younger sibling. Her lower face was concealed by her scarf, too, so it was difficult to guess her expression accurately.
"We can't stay near the building," Weiss urgently informed them. "The fire…"
"Ruby has a severe concussion," Blake replied woefully. "It would be dangerous to move her."
Yang collapsed to her knees next to Blake. "It's even more dangerous if we don't get out of here, though…" Her voice was hoarse, probably raw from screaming. She took Ruby's hand into her own. Blake only had an idea of what the older sister must have been feeling.
Blake's cat ears suddenly rose high on her head. "I hear it!" she exclaimed, gazing up at the sky in the direction that RWBY had originally come from. "The aircraft. It's coming!"
"I'll coordinate with them," Weiss declared, taking out her scroll again. She turned towards the clearing and froze.
Blake's gaze gravitated to what she was looking at, and her eyes widened. A King Taijitu, and several Boarbatusks approaching – close enough that their shapes were obvious. "Yang…"
But Yang didn't respond. She was fixated on Ruby, her regard absent. Blake tried to shake her, but Yang only slowly shook her head, tightening her hold on Ruby's hand. She'd lost all her will to fight, the fury from earlier snuffed out.
"Blake!" Weiss had just defended herself with one of her glyphs, a Boarbatusk smashing into it right in front of her.
Blake didn't have a choice. She had to leave Yang there with Ruby. She attempted to stand again, and this time she managed to stay on her feet. The Faunus gripped Gambol Shroud firmly and ran towards Weiss to help. Both of their auras were low, their breaths came as rasps and their eyes were so irritated it was difficult to see clearly, but they knew they had to hold on just a few minutes longer. Their leader – and Yang – depended on it.
A time-dilation glyph appeared beneath Blake, and the ninja felt the world slow down around her. The flames and the smoke and the growling Grimm became almost still, quieting everything to a low, muted hum, and Blake sprinted into motion, avoiding one Boarbatusk, jumping over another, and then ascending one of the Taijitu's necks, firing her pistol at the thing all the way up until she could stab her sword directly into the creature's brain.
Time sped back up, sound hitting the Faunus full force once more. The Taijitu's head snapped back, and Blake was airborne, sailing straight for the inferno. She created a shadow clone and propelled herself off of it, right back at the snake's damaged head. Blake used her sheath to cleave right through the weakened neck. The massive head thudded on the ground at the same time as Blake landed and rolled over her shoulder to diminish the hit on her aura.
Weiss was performing similar acrobatics as she dodged the Boarbatusks, managing to get two of them to collide into each other and get their tusks caught together. One of them flipped the other onto its back, and Weiss seized the opportunity to impale the creature with Myrtenaster. She rapidly got out of harm's way afterwards.
The loud droning of the shuttle was right above them now, and Blake and Weiss continued fighting, keeping the Grimm at bay as it began its descent. A machine gun was soon heard, the bullets completely undoing the Taijitu's other head. Blake began to believe they might actually make it.
The two huntresses covered the aircraft as it landed and continued to defend it as Dylan, Grey, and Claud came out of the hull to help load Ruby into the ship. Scheifer, Thornton, and Gideon stayed at the top of the ramp, shooting at the Grimm with their assault rifles to cover the rest of their squad.
It wasn't until the three men rescuing Ruby were back inside the shuttle and that it started to slowly take off again that Weiss and Blake retreated. They ran towards the closing ramp, pursued by still more Grimm, and vaulted into the hull when it was halfway shut. The two turned, Blake firing her pistol at the Beowolves that attempted to leap in and Weiss throwing her red Dust vial at the ground beneath them.
The hull closed, but the explosion shook the ship as the shockwave launched it higher into the air. Numerous metallic clanks followed, the surviving huntsmen shooting the corvette from below. Fortunately, the armor withstood the attack. The shuttle turned and finally took off, carrying its cargo safely. RWBY would be given oxygen masks and taken directly to the hospital.
In the meantime, Dylan and Claud monitored Ruby and administered what medical care they could. But Yang never left her sister's side, never let go of her hand. She continued to look absent, unresponsive to exterior stimuli, and Blake's unease did not relent. A single unspoken question seemed to run through all of their minds:
What if Ruby didn't wake up?
In case some of you new readers are feeling like this chapter came out of nowhere – know that it did not. Ruby getting injured was foreshadowed a few times in previous chapters. I just ask that you bear with me. There is a reason for this happening.
Also, for you Forlorn veterans, apart from some general touch-ups, I added a short moment to this chapter at the last minute, a couple paragraphs that weren't in the original version. Can you guess which scene?
See you all in chapter eight!