Hello, beauties! It is Werewolf Friday again! I hope you're excited, because this chapter features some more early Arkos cuteness. Enjoy!
The following day saw Weiss, Jaune, and Nora venturing into the woods to meet the werewolves. Weiss had filled her bag with paper and a few rough sketches that the group had made of their plan. She had wanted to bring clothes for Ruby, but that idea was struck down, as the pack would likely wonder where the new clothes had come from.
Jaune, as the most tactical of the group, had decided that it would be preferable if he could be at most of the meetings. He was still going over what they had decided in his head. He didn't like it, as it exposed Ruby to a lot of danger, but it was the best that they could come up with that didn't involve risking the town or Pyrrha's pack.
It started with the humans patrolling into Adam's territory and finding out what they could about the borders. If they didn't find out what they wanted to the first night, more patrols would be necessary. Once they found out which parts of the territory were more or less guarded than the others, they'd start launching small attacks on the more guarded areas. This would theoretically cause Adam to post more guards in those places, further neglecting the less guarded parts. Then, on a night decided in advance, the humans would stage an attack on the point furthest away from the least guarded point. During this time, Ruby, who has never been seen by Adam's pack in her wolf form and was less likely to be recognized, would disguise her scent and enter the territory to search for Blake.
It was not a perfect plan by any means, and a lot depended on luck. There was no telling where Blake would be or how long Ruby would have to sneak through an unfamiliar area. Still, it was the best they could do with their limited resources and need for secrecy.
When they reached the meeting place, Ruby and Pyrrha were already there. They were sitting against a tree, Ruby leaning into Pyrrha, looking like she was half-dozing.
Weiss stopped short, a frown coming to her face. When Ruby looked up, however, she quickly forced a smile. "I hope we're not late."
"Not at all," Pyrrha said, giving Ruby a fond look as the younger girl immediately sprang up and rushed toward the white-haired human. So, this is the famous Weiss. She felt a rush of joy when she saw that her human had returned again. Another small human was also with them. Ruby had described a very excitable friend who was borderline maniacal. What had her name been?
"Hiya, Pyrrha! Nice to see you again!" Nora chirped, bounding over and holding out her hand. "I'm Nora. No hard feelings if I ever swung my hammer at you, right?"
Pyrrha couldn't help but laugh at the girl's cheery manner. "Of course not. Forgive me if I ever bared my fangs at you." She gladly shook Nora's hand, noting how strong and forceful the small Huntress's grip was. I like her already!
Ruby, meanwhile, was tightly hugging Weiss. "Oh, Weiss! I'm so happy you came this time! I missed you! I mean, I missed everyone of course, but I really, really wanted to see you today!"
Weiss's face was red, partially due to Ruby's close proximity, partially due to the fact that she was rapidly losing air. "Hrk! I'm happy to see you too, Ruby." She returned the hug, not complaining about the thorough squeezing she was being subjected to. Those small, strong arms felt the same as they always had.
She took a moment to appreciate the fact that she was with Ruby again. There were some minor differences, like the fact that she smelled more like spring water and grass than the rose-scented soap she had always used. Her clothes and cloak were tattered and held some grass stains. There was also a slight feral edge to her silver eyes that hadn't been present before. Still, she was there and she was alive.
A slight stinging sensation behind her eyes made Weiss blink a few times. She held Ruby closer, hoping that the feeling would go away in a few seconds.
Pyrrha patiently waited for Ruby and Weiss to have their reunion. She turned to Jaune with a smile. "Hello again!"
"Hi, Pyrrha," Jaune replied. "How are you? Were you guys able to get back to the dens without them suspecting anything?"
"Oh, yes. It was a simple matter of running toward one of the borders and then returning from that direction." Pyrrha waved a hand dismissively. "The pack has no reason to suspect us of anything, much less fraternizing with Huntsmen."
"That's good," Jaune said. "I guess it's the same with us. As long as we bring game back, we're fine."
"I hunted a deer this morning, if that helps," Pyrrha said. "It's about a mile to the west. I can fetch it after our meeting."
"Thanks! I'll help with that, if you want," Jaune offered, before realizing that this werewolf probably carried deer over one shoulder on a regular basis. His cheeks flushed. "I mean, if you need any help."
"I wouldn't mind the company. Besides, it'll allow Ruby to spend more time with Weiss and Nora, since they weren't here yesterday." Pyrrha tried to sound nonchalant, though the prospect of being able to have a long conversation with her human was very appealing.
It seemed that, the more time she spent around the humans or hearing about them from Ruby, the more curious she became. With Jaune in particular, the meeting from a few nights ago felt like fate.
Her parents had always believed in destiny, as shown by their premonition that Pyrrha would one day lead the pack. Despite their misguided goals, they had managed to instill in their daughter the sense that things happened for a reason, and that coincidences usually had some meaning. What were the chances that the human who had spoken to and saved Pyrrha years ago was the same one who would save her charge from death? And now, they were cooperating in an effort to save another friend from danger. What would happen next? Pyrrha's recurring fantasy of friendship between the werewolves and the civilized towns suddenly seemed more plausible than ever before. When she looked at Jaune, she was convinced that he would play a large role in that dream, if it ever came to pass.
Once the greetings were out of the way, the group sat down and discussed the plan as it stood. Pyrrha and Ruby agreed to it, though Pyrrha had an extra suggestion. "Ruby has mentioned that you have a friend who is very skilled at sneaking. Ren, wasn't it? I think that, during your raids on the border, he should be sent in to tease the less guarded areas. If he gets in, he might be able to find where Blake is being held. Also, it might be beneficial to send him with some Dust vials after Ruby when she goes in to look for Blake. If Adam is as obsessed with Blake as we think, he will likely give chase once he realizes that she's missing."
Nora made a noise in the back of her throat. Though she had total faith in his skills, she didn't like the idea of Ren going into werewolf territory alone.
Pyrrha noticed the sound. "I know several methods of disguising scent. Talk to him about it, and see if he's willing. I honestly think it would help in the long run."
"Oh! I have another idea!" Ruby spoke up. "Pyrrha, remember when you used your alpha stare on the Grimm? What if, when I go in to rescue Blake, you use that to make some Grimm attack other parts of the border? That'll draw away even more of Adam's forces!"
Jaune's eyes lit up as he thought of something else. "Or, they could attack the border first. Then, we could follow the Grimm and it would look like we were chasing them. That'll keep Adam's pack from suspecting anything." He paused, brows furrowing. "Wait… You can control Grimm?! What's an alpha stare?"
Ruby quickly explained what she had learned about werewolf rankings, hesitantly adding that she was also an alpha wolf. She winced when Weiss shot her a sharp look.
"How did you figure something like that out?" It was hard for Weiss to not sound judgmental. The idea that these beasts can worm into your mind and force you to do things…
Ruby's face turned red and she stared at the ground. "Uh... Well, there was a guy in the pack who…" Mumble, mumble. "And he didn't take the hint, so…" Mumble.
It took a moment to realize what Ruby was saying. Then, Weiss gasped softly, her heart sinking. "Oh, Ruby! I'm so sorry. Did he hurt you?" She felt her blood boil at the thought of some uncivilized dog trying to force himself on her Ruby. Not my Ruby, she reminded herself. Stop that.
"No one in the pack would do that," Pyrrha said quickly, noticing the concerned looks on the humans' faces. Now that their town's religious beliefs weren't in the way, it was easy to see just how much they cared about each other. They were almost like a small pack, in a way. "Mercury is just slower at understanding certain things. I talked with Cinder and have been keeping Ruby with me at all times. Once the mating season is over, there shouldn't be an issue."
That's right. Jaune said it was the mating season for them. Weiss glanced at Ruby, her mouth going dry. Is that why she and Pyrrha became so close so quickly?
"So, what is this scent-disguising thingy? Does it work?" Nora asked anxiously. "I don't want Ren getting hurt. I mean, I don't want Ruby getting hurt when she goes in, but since she's a werewolf, she might not get attacked on sight, and-"
"And you're totally in love with Ren," Ruby cut in, giggling at Nora's stricken expression. "Don't give me that look. Basically everyone but Ren knows it."
"It's a simple procedure," Pyrrha said. "Though…I suggest that Ren wears clothes that he doesn't care about on the night he sneaks in. He'll probably want to burn them when he's done, actually."
Ruby made a face. "Wait, is this the same thing we're going to use to disguise my scent?" At Pyrrha's nod, she groaned. "I hope Blake appreciates what great friends we are!"
After discussing the plans for a few more minutes, Jaune and Pyrrha retired to fetch the deer. They walked in silence for a few minutes, Pyrrha frequently slowing down to allow her human companion to catch up.
"Sorry," Jaune said the third time she had to stop and wait for him. "I thought I was better at forest trekking than this."
"Don't be ashamed," Pyrrha said. "No human can hope to match a werewolf who's lived here her whole life. You seem to keep up with your friends just fine."
"Yeah," Jaune allowed. "I'm not really as much of a fighter, though. I mean, I'm good enough, but I'm more of a tactician and healer than anything."
"Those are very useful skills, and not as common as one would think," Pyrrha said, thinking back to all of the werewolves she had seen die of sickness in the past. "Basic knowledge of herbs can only get one so far. Being truly skilled in the art of healing saves lives."
"I'd be happier if I could heal the minds of some of the people in our town," Jaune admitted, breathing a sigh.
"Like those humans you mentioned who burned the Faunus homes?" Pyrrha asked, her lip curling with distaste. "I still can't believe how divisive humans can be. Why make more enemies than you already have?"
Jaune shrugged. "Blake used to say that people try to pick fights because they can't find any other purpose or meaning in their own lives. She always thought Cardin and his group were totally pathetic."
Talking about the quiet cat Faunus caused him to think about what she was potentially going through right then. A sick feeling rose in his stomach. "I'll be so glad when we finally get her back."
"Is she your mate?" Pyrrha asked, genuinely curious.
"Blake?" Jaune let out a short laugh. "Nah. Too quiet and stern for me. She's a good friend, though. I'm not as close to her as Ruby, Weiss, and Yang are, but I've always liked her. She was the best tracker in our hunting group. We all worked well together."
He paused to climb over a large fallen tree, feeling a mild blow to his pride as Pyrrha easily jumped over it. "So, what about you? You mentioned the werewolf mating season. Any nice guys in the pack?" As he spoke, he wondered at how easily he was asking about a topic that, in Vale, would be seen as totally improper in polite conversation. He supposed that the ease came mostly from how casually Pyrrha approached the subject. Werewolves seemed to be far more casual than humans and Faunus in many ways, yet incredibly traditional in others.
"There are a few kind males, but none I'm interested in," Pyrrha replied. "As I said the other day, being assigned the destiny of leading the pack comes with some social drawbacks. Even if I wanted to court someone, I feel that anyone in the pack would be too intimidated to approach me."
Jaune looked at Pyrrha sympathetically. "That sounds pretty lonely." He paused before adding: "You know, if we find Blake and she's okay, I guess you could say that things have worked out really well for all of us. You'll have Ruby and Blake to keep you company in the pack, and we know that werewolves aren't the monsters that stories portray you as. Maybe Ruby and Blake getting turned will end up being a good thing." He shook his head. "I can't believe I'm thinking that."
"I feel the same way!" Pyrrha said eagerly before pausing, her cheeks flushing a bit with embarrassment. "To be honest, I've thought of you frequently since you saved me years ago. I've entertained a fantasy of seeing you again and somehow bridging the gap between your people and mine. Imagine what we could learn if werewolves, humans, and Faunus could be friends!" Even as she spoke, she could hear how childish her words sounded. She averted her gaze.
Jaune, however, found himself getting caught up in the werewolf's enthusiasm. He imagined for a moment what it would be like if the werewolves could be allies with the people of Vale. Between the wolves and the Huntsmen, they'd almost never have to worry about the Grimm again. They could rely on the werewolves for hunting while focusing on other crafts within the town, and establish a trade relationship with the pack. It seemed so impossible.
And yet… "A few days ago, I would've thought that working together with werewolves like this was impossible," he said aloud. "But, now look at us. Maybe more can happen after we find Blake. I'm definitely okay with the idea of everyone being friends." He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, feeling his cheeks turning warm.. "I…I think I'd like to be your friend, Pyrrha."
A bright smile came to Pyrrha's face at those words. "Likewise." She turned to look at him, and their eyes met. There was no fear or mistrust in their gazes, despite the fact that they were natural enemies and had only known each other for a few days. There was only curiosity and anticipation for the future. The warmth that rose in her chest during that quick glance lasted until long after they had taken the deer back to the group and parted ways.
Several smaller plot points have been coming to me as the story develops, such as Weiss being jealous of Pyrrha. Other plot points, like something you'll see next week, literally came to me while I was in the process of typing a chapter. The next chapter will detail the first patrol along Adam's borders. Stay tuned! Peace out.