Happy Werewolf Friday, everyone. Here's a chapter I'm sure you've all been waiting for. Enjoy!
The group was silent for a few minutes after their initial gathering. Ruby sat between Weiss and Yang, wiping a few trace tears from her cheeks. Jaune sat between Flynt and Pyrrha, hands folded, staring at the ground. Ren and Nora were absent for the moment, as they had volunteered to leave a note to Blake at the drop site.
Pyrrha was counting the seconds until their return, tugging fitfully at the tunic Yang had just given her. A few days ago, she would have said that there was no way for Cinder to know the location of the drop site. Of course, she hadn't thought that Cinder would find out about them so soon either. What if she had her pack scouring the woods? What if Ren and Nora got captured or killed? Pyrrha didn't think she'd be able to live with herself if any of her new friends were hurt.
Jaune glanced at her, noticing the worry on her face. "They'll be fine," he assured her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Remember, Ren went right into Adam's territory and came out just fine. And Nora's the toughest fighter I know."
"Hey!" Yang looked up. Her eyes were red, but the playful smirk on her face showed that she wasn't actually angry.
"Uh, I mean tied with you, of course," Jaune said, grinning as he shielded his face. "Please don't hurt me!"
The tension in the air faded a little as the others started laughing.
Ruby giggled, wiping away the last of her tears. She glanced at Weiss. Her friend seemed a bit more troubled than the others. Her face flushed. Is it because I kissed her? "Are you okay, Weiss?" she asked aloud.
Weiss blinked, then shook her head. "I don't think any of us are right now." She rubbed her best friend's back soothingly. "I just…had a talk with my father before coming here."
"Oh." Ruby's nose wrinkled. Talks with Weiss's father were never good. "What about?"
"He wants me to go to Atlas to get married to some boy I've never met." She said it brusquely, even with a trace of a laugh. The more she thought about it, the more absurd the whole idea felt.
Everyone in the clearing turned and gaped at Weiss. Ruby made an involuntary noise in the back of her throat.
Weiss rolled her eyes, though her heart warmed at Ruby's obvious concern. "I'm not going to, of course. It would mean leaving Vale, and likely giving up on being a Huntress. Rich men don't tend to marry women because they want strong fighters in the family." She chuckled at the thought of herself as a housewife. It was a fine and respectable life for some, but definitely not for her.
Yang snorted. "Well, good. I'd have to personally drag you home and beat some sense into you otherwise." She lightly punched Weiss's arm. "Don't worry. If your dad has a fit, you can stay with me."
"Thank you." A pang went through Weiss's chest. A little while ago, that would have been her dream: living with Ruby's family and building a life with her. Now, they only had a few days left together. The small pack would likely leave either during or right after the next full moon, which was rapidly approaching. Her arm tightened around Ruby, though she didn't realize it until she felt her friend snuggling closer into her side.
Pyrrha watched the Weiss and Ruby silently. It didn't take an omega to see the sadness, loss, and repressed feelings of love that were dominating the two young women. Before, Pyrrha had been content to be quietly encouraging and let things play out. Now, however, there was no time. Part of her wondered if it would be best if the two never shared their true feelings. They'd move on and maybe find different mates later in life.
No, she thought as soon as the idea surfaced. If I were in their stead, I'd want closure. Even if they move on in the future, they should know. That way, they won't second-guess anything further down the road or cling to their never-confessed affections.
With that decided, Pyrrha spoke up. "Weiss, I was wondering if I could have a word with you."
Weiss blinked in surprise. "Oh. Yes, of course." She stood up, glancing quickly at Ruby before following Pyrrha into the woods.
Pyrrha felt the puzzled glances of the others as well as Weiss. She walked a good distance away, then turned to look at the human. "Weiss, I wanted to talk to you about Ruby."
Weiss's face darkened and her heart thumped loudly. Was Pyrrha mad at her for being so close to Ruby just then? "I apologize," she said quickly. "I know I was holding her very close just now, but she's my best friend. I have no intention of getting between you two."
"Getting between…" Pyrrha stared at her for a long moment. Then, she realized what Weiss was talking about. She couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Weiss immediately switched from nervous to indignant. "What exactly is so funny?" She put her hands on her hips, eyes flashing.
"I-I'm sorry," Pyrrha chuckled, shaking her head as she thought back. So, this is why she was so hesitant and seemed so put off whenever Ruby and I were together. How did I not realize? "It's just that you're very mistaken. Ruby and I aren't mates. First of all, she's a whelp and I would never approach a whelp during the spring. Second of all, there are no romantic feelings between us."
"You…huh?" Weiss blinked a few times, her mouth hanging open in a way her father would have scolded her for. "You're not…?"
"Ruby is a dear friend," Pyrrha explained. "I'd even go so far as to say she's become like a sister to me, even though we haven't known each other for very long. In fact, I knew of the feelings between you two ever since she started talking about Vale."
"Feelings…between…" Weiss was still having trouble forming coherent sentences.
Pyrrha smiled gently. "Ruby loves you every bit as much as you love her, and I think you should tell each other as soon as possible. Today, even."
"I…" Weiss shook her head to clear it. "That would be selfish," she finally managed. "You're leaving. It'll only cause more pain for both of us."
"Weiss," Pyrrha urged. "You've both done so much and endured so much during these past few weeks. I think you can afford to be a little selfish. Wouldn't you be happier knowing that everything has been said between you, rather than wondering what you should have said before parting ways? Besides, we may not leave forever. If we don't find a pack, or choose different paths once we find one, you may see us again."
"I don't know," Weiss murmured.
"Think of it this way: If one or both of you were to die tomorrow, what would you regret the most?"
For a minute or two, Weiss was silent. So, Ruby really does love me back. She shook her head, angry tears threatening to spill out. All that time, all those years I could have told her. Wasted! She thought about Pyrrha's words. She knew very well what she would regret if something were to happen to Ruby. After the raid, she had cursed herself day after day for not telling Ruby her feelings while she still could. Now, she was on the cusp of losing her again.
"You're right," she finally said. "I'll talk to her before we leave today."
Pyrrha pulled Weiss into a hug. "I know this can't be easy for you. Now, more than ever, I want to see my dream of an alliance become a reality."
Weiss hesitantly returned the hug, surprised at just how warm Pyrrha's arms were. "Well, my father always says to take things one step at a time. Maybe the friendship between you and us is the first step."
"Perhaps." Pyrrha led Weiss back toward the group. "Speaking of which, do you know of anyone in your family sparing a werewolf, before any of us were born?"
"Of course not!" Weiss exclaimed. "My family hates werewolves more than anyone in Vale. Even if a Schnee did do something like that, they'd never admit to it." She tilted her head. "Why do you ask?"
"No reason," Pyrrha sighed. "I was just curious."
They returned to the group, relieved to see Ren and Nora waiting for them. The trip to the drop site had gone without a hitch. Hopefully, Blake would see the note and come find them. If she needed help she was to put a scratch on the tree that was the drop site.
Pyrrha couldn't help but wonder if Sun and the others would also come along. Sun had become very fond of Blake during her brief time in Cinder's pack, and the others likely weren't being treated well due to their friendship with Pyrrha.
"Hey, Pyrrha," said Ruby. "You said you'd tell the story of how werewolves were made once Ren and Nora got here. Can you?"
Jaune nodded. "Yeah. I've never heard werewolf mythology before. Dust, I don't think anyone has."
Pyrrha smiled. "Okay, then. It's an old story, passed verbally through generations. It's said that the first werewolf was a young girl whose name is unknown. She lived alone with her family in the woods, and learned to fight from an early age, since the Grimm often wandered in the darkest parts of the forest."
"One night, when the full moon was high, a pack of Beowolves overran her home and slaughtered almost everyone. The girl was left with several scratches. Her baby brother lay in his cradle, miraculously untouched, but in danger of dying of starvation. She lay on the ground, bleeding and helpless.
"She crawled into a shaft of moonlight, wanting to die with some form of light touching her. As she lay there, she lamented the fact that the Grimm were so powerful, and wished that she could have some of that power for herself, so that she could protect her little brother."
"At that moment, her little brother cried out, and she crawled toward him. Despite her pain, she dragged herself across the snow, calling out to him. The moon saw all of this and took pity on the girl. Hearing her wish for strength, the moon let its light seep into the scratches on her body and changed her.
"By the time she reached her brother's cradle, she was a mighty creature, both like and unlike the Beowolves that had killed her parents. She picked up her brother and carried him into the woods. While in her arms, the boy's mouth opened and some of the blood from the moon-touched scratches went in. After that, he grew stronger, able to eat chewed meat that his sister provided. When the moon became full again, it went into him and turned him into a wolf pup.
"In the years that followed, the girl offered her gift to anyone who wanted to become stronger and fight the Grimm. For it is said that only a werewolf may live in a Grimm-infested forest without fearing for its life."
There was a moment of silence as everyone digested the story. Then, Weiss spoke up. "It's interesting. Humans and Faunus are convinced that werewolves are people cursed by the Grimm. I guess that's true, in a way. The girl definitely was cursed by those Beowolves. I wonder how the story became so warped over the years, and how the barrier between us and werewolves came about."
"Fear of the unknown, I suppose," Pyrrha sighed.
"Are there more stories like that?" Jaune wondered. "If so, you should have Blake write them down. Maybe a book could be made eventually."
"That would almost certainly be banned by the Church," Weiss pointed out.
"Yeah, and people will be even more tempted to read it," Yang said with a grin. "The Church doesn't exactly like Blake's special novels either, you know."
Weiss sniffed loudly. "Well, at least the reason for that is obvious."
"I refuse to believe you didn't read the ones you got from Roman." Yang smirked.
"I'll have you know that I never looked at one single word!" Weiss snapped.
Ruby covered her mouth to hide a giggle. "They're really not so bad."
Weiss groaned. "I'll never forgive Blake for exposing you to that filth."
Another hour passed, and it was drawing close to when the Huntsmen would have to leave. It was then that Weiss took a deep breath and turned to Ruby.
"Ruby, can we talk alone for a moment?"
"Everyone wants to have private conversations today, huh?" Ruby said lightly, though she was mostly trying to cover up the nervousness rising in her chest. This is about me kissing her. I just know it! She followed Weiss silently, until they reached a clearing. When they stopped, she waited for her friend to talk, trying not to look too worried.
Weiss closed her eyes, steeling herself, and then looked fully at Ruby. "Ruby, there's something I've been meaning to tell you for…a long time. I hate that I waited this long, and that I'm telling you this right before you leave, but I have to. Otherwise, I'll regret it forever."
Even though Pyrrha had said that Ruby felt the same way, Weiss still found it difficult to get the next few words out.
"I…I love you, Ruby. I've been in love with you for years, and was too scared to tell you. When you became a werewolf, I thought that I wasn't good enough, since I was having trouble getting over my prejudices. Then, I thought that you and Pyrrha were together, and tried to back off." She shook her head. "I'm sorry I've been such a coward, and that I'm being so selfish now, but- Mmph!" She was abruptly cut off by a soft pair of lips touching her own.
Throughout Weiss's confession, Ruby had stared at her, too stunned to even cry. A warm surge of emotions rose and rose in her, until she just couldn't take it anymore. Throwing her arms around Weiss, she pressed their lips together and kissed her desperately. She felt and heard Weiss's muffled exclamation of surprise. Then, she felt those thin, gentle arms wrapping around her back and drawing her closer. One cool hand came up to play with her hair.
The kiss ended quickly, due to a lack of breath. They looked at each other, panting, their breaths caressing each other's faces. Ruby smiled shakily. "Don't you always tell me not to ramble?" she managed to gasp.
Weiss let out a breathless laugh before pulling Ruby close again. Their second kiss was much slower than the previous one, and Weiss was determined to enjoy it. She pushed all thoughts of the future from her mind, and focused only on that moment. She allowed her lips to part, so that Ruby's tongue could twine with hers. The taste of bitter dandelions, mixed with a sweetness that seemed to wholly encompass Ruby, danced on her tongue. Her cheeks felt like they were burning as small, gentle hands caressed them.
She combed her fingers through Ruby's messy hair. Her other hand moved in soothing circles on her friend's back.
Ruby whimpered at the pure, wonderful feelings running through her. She had never been so happy! Weiss tasted of peppermint and expensive coffee. She couldn't get enough. She held Weiss's face softly while clinging to her shoulder with her other hand. She didn't want this to ever, ever end.
Eventually, of course, the two parted, though only enough to breathe. Their foreheads rested against each other. It was then that the tears started to fall.
Ruby started crying first, sniffling loudly and even hiccupping a little. She buried her face in Weiss's shoulder and sobbed.
Weiss rested her head on top of Ruby's, crying just as hard, if a bit quieter. Never before had the temptation to just leave Vale been so prevalent and all-encompassing. If Ruby had asked her in that moment, she would have run away immediately, without even bothering to go home to pack.
Instead, she moved so she was facing Ruby, and started kissing the tears streaming down her face. This only made Ruby cry harder as she planted several kisses on the wet trails on Weiss's cheeks.
Once their tears were spent, they simply held each other for a few minutes. Then, Ruby spoke up in a choked voice: "I love you too, in case that wasn't obvious." She forced a joking smile.
Despite the sadness and regret that dominated Weiss's mind in that moment, she found herself laughing.
We finally got a White Rose kiss, but what's next? Will our favorite girls find a way to be together after all? Stay tuned for the answer.
On a more serious note, I'd like to say something to all of my readers, particularly my fellow Americans. The world isn't ending. It's going to be a bit suckier for a while, but it's not ending. Whether you're black, white, Latino, gay, straight, trans, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, atheist, or anything else, I want you to know that your life matters. You matter. It's now more important than ever that people like you and me stand ready to combat hate and bigotry with love and acceptance. This is not a time to be complacent, but it's also not a time to be stupid (I'm looking at the several riots going on around the country right now). Whether you're a writer, an artist, a bartender who sees various people every day, a teacher, or a college student who walks around campus with a free hugs sign, you are important. You can make a difference. Stand up against acts of anger and hatred. Love the people around you, not in spite of, but because of how different they are from you. We can get through this together. I have faith in that.
Anyway, my P/atreon is Solora Goldsun. Become a patron to see updates a day early, among other rewards. As always, praise Monty and peace out!