A/N: A big thank you to cleo0421 for following! Now onto the 6th Chapter.


The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

Chapter 6: A Simple Race


"Are you sure you are fine sitting on top?" Taiyang asked for the fifth time at Tara, eyebrows raised until they disappeared behind his bangs. His hand was on the door to the driver's seat, while the rest squeezed at the back passenger seat, all of them staring at the ceiling as though they could see her through solid metal.

"We do have an empty seat," Taiyang stated to the quiet Huntress, who was currently sitting in lotus position on top of their small rented car, her weapons connected to her waist with a double strip of cloths, were lay bare on the surface. "And it's called a shotgun."

Tara merely blinked her tri-colored eyes and nodded.

"Is there anything I could do to change your mind?"

The Huntress smiled. "No."

Her tone made it clear the discussion was over.

The Hunter sighed before shaking his head. He is worried for her health, and more importantly her psyche. She has exhibited extreme distrust of people, and not just humans, also Faunus – as if the term discriminate is out of her dictionary.

The contradiction is the scene he saw just minutes before they left the building.

She entertained his hyperactive daughters – which puzzled the Huntsman named Taiyang Xiao Long.

Maybe she just trusts kids more…

Taiyang glanced at the supposedly drunk man. "Qrow, a little help?"

Qrow snickered. "Leave the woman to her own devices. Besides," Qrow tapped the side of his head. "Tara just needs time to sort out. It must be a drastic change in environment."

Tara visibly flinched and frowned – which caused Taiyang to give her a curious look before opening the door and start the car engine. His daughters were still staring at the ceiling as if it would grant them answers.

"But it's not safe," emphasized Taiyang with a wave of his hand. Qrow scratched the back of his neck and yawned.

"Taiyang, how 'bout this…" And with a nod from the older Xiao Long, Qrow explained his proposal.


Fifteen minutes after the driver alone left the airport, Qrow and Tara began their walk and hunt for stable horses for renting. Ruby and Yang looked excited with their body language as they had a little skip in their every step.

Tara is grateful for Qrow's proposal. She normally adapts fast, but this time around, it is hard.

Her current environment is a loving and caring one. A 180 degree change from her life of mercenary and making hard choices.

"I have never ride a horse before!" Ruby said with infectious enthusiasm. Qrow smiled at the girls before glancing at the hooded Huntress. She snapped her fingers at the old man as she pointed at the sign indicating the price of renting.

"2000 Lien for one horsey ride!"

"That is the lamest sign I have ever read," Yang remarked. Tara tapped her sheathed katana, the pungent smell of horse assaulted her nose.

She quickly pinched her nose and approached the bored-looking renter who was staring at the modernized road – black road instead of worn down cobblestones. Thankfully, the wind shifted downwind, allowing Tara's sensitive nose to breathe more easily.

"Here for directions?" The rancher asked. Tara stared at him and immediately, the poor rancher felt uncomfortable. He looked at the group behind her, and his jaws dropped, but quickly nod in understanding as he walked to the stables, where a white horse and a black horse were resting.

While waiting, Tara glanced at the hopeful Ruby and the crossed-arms Yang. Qrow mouthed without their notice: Ruby.

Leading them by the reins, the horses snorted at the rancher, and his straw hat flew away, revealing his bald spot much to the group's amusement. For a moment, Tara found herself in another place, a wheat field as the moon shone above them.

In the rancher's place, was a younger looking man, clearly dressed in another era. He tipped his hat to her, laughing when the horses nuzzled him affectionately.

The wheat swayed along with the breeze, some of them, unnatural as if a beast prowled between them.

"Tara!" cried someone.

She blinked. All of the sudden, reality crashed down to her.

Shaken, she glanced around her surroundings, a hand on the hilt of Amun.

No wheat fields.

No young man.

"Can you help me up?" Ruby asked childishly, tugging the sleeve of her cloak. Apparently, Qrow and Yang were on the white horse, and ready to hit the road. Did she daze off?

With a shuddered breath, Tara nodded and approached the black horse. It blinked its beady eyes at her, and stomp the cobblestone road with its hoof. Ruby yelped and hid behind Tara's back.

In the back of Tara's mind, she noted Qrow, that old drunk, must've paid the rental fees.

"Relax…little red-riding hood, relax," Tara muttered in a low voice. She held out a free hand to the horse, palm up. Her hand was only a few inches apart from the horse's shiny coat, but she stopped, waiting for its acceptance with baited breath.

At the corner of her eye, she could tell the old rancher was about to intervene. The horse neighed once before settling its long head onto her palm, and Tara caressed it.

The rancher's jaw dropped comically. "Mr, you have a way with animals! This stallion can be very temperamental, despite being broken in, it gave some of me customers some trouble…" added the rancher somberly, his eyes went dull. Tara nodded in understanding.

"How long has this…stallion been in the service?" Tara asked slowly, impersonating her voice like a grown man's voice. It was very convincing as Ruby whispered, "Aren't you a lady?"

Needless to say, Tara ignored the question.

"Twelve, sir. He is one of the younger horses me have."

"Good horse," Tara muttered, before nodding to the rancher's direction. She waited until he was out eavesdropping, and spoke kindly, "Ruby, relax. I will help you up."

She waited for Ruby to move in front of her, next to the saddle. The young red-riding hood gulped and cautiously approach the horse.

The horse merely flicked its ear to Ruby's direction – managed to look uninterested – much to Tara's mirth.

The Huntress held Ruby around the waist and hoisted the latter up. The Huntress gently settled Ruby on the leather saddle and advised, "Hold the pointy thing in front of you. It will help to keep you balance. Or if needed, hold the horse's mane."

Ruby nodded, inhaling and exhaling deeply in order to keep herself calm. Tara then placed Ruby's feet into the stirrups. "Extra precaution," informed Tara. "Remember, hold the pommel."

Ruby tilted her head cutely. The Huntress jabbed at the front of the saddle.

"It's the pointy thingy."

Almost immediately, Tara swung herself up, and straighten her back. "Ruby, if you need, lean back to me, it will help all three of us."

"Three?"

Tara patted the horse. "Yeap, three. Ready?"

The horse neighed and followed the light tug of the reins. It halted its movements beside its counterpart and huffed.

"Walk?" Qrow inquired before tapping Yang's leg behind him. She understood the unspoken message as she wrapped her arms around his waist for safety and grinned sheepishly at Ruby.

"Trot, then canter. I bet the girls are not used to riding horses," Tara reasoned. Qrow tilted his head to Tara and urged his steed to move forward at a trot.

"Ruby, lean back," Tara said in a hushed tone, a silver of mischief coloring it.

It was Ruby's only warning for what's next.

All at once, Tara slapped the stallion's sensitive spot and the horse rushed forward, galloping. Ruby yelped in surprise as she barely had the time to adjust and calm her pounding heart.

"Ruby, show me the way!" shouted Tara over the wind and the sound of the hooves hitting the cobblestones.

The poor startled girl nod, and soon cheered. "SO COOL!"

Tara laughed.

She understood the redhead's exhilaration before leaning slightly forward, at the same time craned her neck back and snickered.

Will Qrow accept her challenge?


"What the-" Qrow said as the other duo left them to dust. A smirk graced his lips.

She can be really rash if she wants to – the Huntsman filed the information away in his 'to-be-determined' brain.

"I see, so that's how we're going to play," He craned his neck to his beloved niece. "Firecracker, hold on as tight as you could. Sorry."

Qrow ankled the horse's sensitive spot and they went into full gallop. Despite the overwhelming distance, the white horse and its riders caught up, with a cost.

A large portion of its stamina was used up in that burst.

By then, Qrow noticed Tara had slowed her pace down, into a canter – the plan was easily read.

She intends to reserve her steed's stamina.

Qrow forced his horse into a trot, allowing the leading riders to be a little ahead of him. He patted the horse's neck encouragingly, and a moment of realization dawned on him.

Tara's hood was down, from the sudden speed from the beginning, and her hair flowed freely from the wind, its edge purplish. An extra pair of animal ears – that Qrow couldn't identify, were twitching.

"Wow," Yang gasped behind him. "A Faunus!"

The animal ears twisted in its axis before going slightly backwards as Tara's posture went rigid. From the back, they could easily observe her as she raised a hand to her head, patting it.

She craned her neck, her multicolored eyes narrowed in suspicion, almost similar to a cornered prey, while one hand reached for her weapon on her side.

Qrow forced himself to relax though his hands were itching for his compact weapon – which the old Huntsman remembered he placed it together with their luggage(s) and is currently being transported to the Rose-Xiao Long-Branwen house. The amount of danger felt surreal and yet, very real in front of his eyes.

"We're not your enemy," Qrow modulated his tone, hoping to ease the Faunus's fears. He saw it first-hand on how the Faunus were discriminated during his missions, especially on his almost lookalike cousin in his younger days. Tara didn't look convinced, and growled, sending cold shivers down the family's spines.

"Tara! What's wrong?!" Ruby asked, fear laced her voice like poison.

The Huntress became very still and silent, her eyes glazed over, as if she was somewhere else, anywhere but here. Eventually, she raised her hood above her head, and forced the steed to go slower, and the hand that settled on the weapon's hilt, reached for the loose rein.

"It's nothing. And relax, the horses can sense your negativity much better than you think," Tara said not all too kindly. There was a sharp edge to her voice now, like a sharpened blade ready to tear through flesh and bone.

Qrow curled his lips. If she ever hurts any of his nieces…

He will be damned.

"Let's settle this with this race, if I win, you tell us the truth. We can ask you three questions at least," Qrow wagered. There was a hint of a smile from Tara, and it was gone when he added the last part.

"One question each. No more, no less."

"Deal."

"Bye-bye old man," mocked Tara as she whipped the horse with its reins. It went to full gallop, and Qrow urged his horse to do the same by ankling it.

In unison, Tara and Qrow muttered, "Relax/Hold tight!"

They weaved from one cobblestone road to another – especially Qrow when he tried to overtake Tara. And once, the second rider suddenly spun around in a circle, forcing the grey-haired rider to slow down – and the horse recovered quickly, not even losing speed when it faced forward again. For some reason, Tara's steed obey her orders as if they had known each other for their entire life.

"I'm gonna win! Ruby can guide me there, you old, dusty crow!"

He had to laugh.

It is amazing how she hasn't bitten her own tongue yet.

AND they do not know this area as much as he does.

"Not under my watch!" yelled Qrow and flicked the reins. "C'mon gal! You can do this!" He encouraged his white steed. He made a sharp turn, into a shortcut to the forest with a single jump to the forest.

Laughter threatened to escape from his throat – but it soon died down when he heard the familiar sound of galloping, that wasn't his own. Now, Qrow turned the tables by using Tara's own tactic, forcing her to change direction or slow down.

It went on for a few minutes until…an order from Tara changed the flow.

"DUCK!"

Tara outwitted him by storming to the lower branched trees as she and Ruby lowered their bodies as close to the horse as possible. Qrow bit his lip. At this rate, the Huntress will fully control the flow.

"By the Remnant, please don't be so rash," he prayed under his breath and went to a common route to their home.

Qrow decided to concede the match and slowed their pace. He would be blind if he did not notice his horse's fatigue. The horse was significantly slower than their first burst of speed, and is stumbling, and gladly changed its gait to a slower one.

"Uncle Qrow?"

Qrow sighed. "We have to lose this match, Yang. It won't do the horse any good if we kept pushing it," Absentmindedly stroke its neck, he continued. "Sometimes, it is better to retreat, or surrender when it comes to it. For now, let's try to get back home before dinner."

He cracked his neck. "What do you think of Tara?"

The blonde placed her face on his back.

"I do think she's pretty cool…" Yang answered, but trailed off. "She won't take our mother's place, won't she?"

Qrow cringed inwardly, knowing Yang's fear. "She's not there as a replacement Yang. It will be temporary, and will take in one of the remaining guest rooms. Do you want to know her properly?"

There was a pregnant pause.

"I'm...just afraid. What is she hiding from us? I mean…I don't want her to harm Rubes…" Yang twisted his shirt. "She looked so afraid…so tired…"

Qrow was tempted to take a swig from his canteen, but he didn't want to drink in front of his nieces. "From what I know, she has worked alone for a year and a half. And her jobs are very, very nasty. It is a second-hand intel, but it should be enough. Just between two of us, Yang Xiao Long," He coughed into his hand.

Yang sat up a little straighter at her full name, understanding it is important.

"No matter what, Yang, be proud of who you are. Never doubt yourself, don't push your family away, or even friends. We will, and always will be there, in your heart, and whenever we can, pull you back up when you fall."

"Like I'm a toddler?" Yang said jokingly.

Qrow let out a husky laugh. "Sometimes we're all babies inside. And most of the time, you are one."

"HEY!"

"Kidding, Firecracker."


A/N: I include the uncle/niece relationship. Not sure if the dynamic is just right. I play with Yang's insecurity with the new addition to their house, since Tara is a young female. She is just afraid Tara will replace Summer as their mother (that will not happen).

Thank you for reading! Read and Review! Do follow/favorite the story to keep track~

Total words: 2517