Things will start to pick up from here ;u;

Disclaimer I do not own RWBY.

Chapter 7. Ambush

"What better way to get to her than by using her precious little friends?"

Cinder's sultry words still rung in Emerald's ears as she kept to the shadows the following morning, Mercury at her side.

Based on their observations in the forest yesterday, they had reported all they had seen to Cinder. She had then determined what they had described were indeed characteristics of a person who harbored the Dragon's Curse.

Every generation it was transferred to someone else, usually at random, and in more uncommon instances by blood. It was entirely arbitrary, but they had found the new host; if they killed her now, the curse would be transferred to someone else, possibly in another kingdom or some other part of Remnant.

Had it been a random villager, it would have been easy to kill her. But being as she resided within the royal castle, they needed to work a bit harder.

The way Cinder saw it, they would be doing Vale a favor by disposing of one girl.

And Emerald agreed with her, body and soul – whatever Cinder believed, she would make a reality, even if it meant offering up her own life.

Which was precisely why she was enacting the plan the very next morning, in hopes to satisfy the woman's wishes.

Cinder believed that if the one who had the Dragon's Curse was slain, not only would the curse transfer to a new host, but the Grimm's attacks would cease for a while.

"And what is one girl's life in lieu of such benefit?" she had wondered.

Although, it was quite possible that more than one of them might end up dying.

Behind Mercury walked three hooded figures. They were all elite and physically powerful members of the White Fang, ears and tails concealed under brown cloaks. And beside them was one last, smaller form; a Faunus child who had been brought up under the wing of the organization. He had volunteered for this mission, and if all went well, he had been promised a fine meal after it was all over.

They walked the streets silently, save from the patter of their boots over the grit and pebbles.

The sun was just about to rise, and with it would rise the kingdom's royal family.

They halted when the castle plaza was in sight, keeping a good distance between themselves and the other citizens who were just starting to roam the streets.

Emerald pulled up her hood and turned back to her group, a wicked, eager spark in her eye.

"Now then, everyone remembers the plan?"

Silent nods all around.

She grinned, revealing sharp teeth that could hardly wait to sink in.

"Good. Now get into position."

Breakfast was had at the castle just the same as every other morning, with brief exchanges of news as Weiss went over Ruby's schedule for the day with her.

Once the meal was over, the two of them were bound for the town's main hospital.

Ruby loved visiting the sick people, as her presence had a way of naturally lifting spirits that no one could deny. She was bright and bubbly, positive and chipper, always willing to play games and tell stories.

Weiss would often offer her assistance to the staff, fetching medicine or refilling glasses of water as Ruby played games with the patients, bedridden or not.

It had been a few weeks since their last visit, and Ruby was eager to get going.

Weiss requested someone fetch their horses, and once they had saddled up outside the main entrance plaza, they headed out.

Yang waved at them as they disappeared down the crowded streets, smiling before her hand fell back to her side.

"Soooo," she hummed, tilting her head sideways to look at Blake beside her. "What's our agenda for the day?"

It was a joke; unlike Ruby, as a half-princess, Yang never had too many obligations.

Blake shrugged to convey her indifference.

"Whatever you'd like to do. Though, if you're asking for my input..." She glanced around at the bright faces that peered their way as they did every morning. "I think we should greet the people."

"Ahh right, right. Good call."

Without Ruby present, there were fewer people gathered to see them than usual, but Yang hardly minded.

Blake watched her from the side as the blonde girl dipped down to shake the gathering children's hands or accept their wildflowers.

The Faunus girl had seen over the years how well Yang had trained herself to act like she did not mind when they asked for Ruby instead. But Blake could discern it hurt her even now as their innocent voices rose up.

"Good morning, Miss Yang! But where's Princess Ruby?"

Just those few words implied so much - how they would call Ruby by her princess title, but addressed Yang like any other person older than themselves, how they would speak to the blonde first, and then quickly brush off her presence in favor of seeking Ruby's.

Yang seemed used to it and answered right away.

"She's visiting the hospital today! But that doesn't mean you guys should go getting yourselves hurt just to go see her, okay?"

It was no exaggeration; some of these kids were so smitten with Ruby that they might really attempt it.

Blake's eyes caught sight of every weary smile on Yang's lips, every small flinch of her body as the children dismissed her through no conscious ill-intent of their own.

Yang knew her title in their kingdom was only half of what Ruby's was, and she could not bring herself to blame these children for brushing her off, nor could she ever blame Ruby for being born as she was.

Yang did not have the heart to place the blame on anyone, but hearing those comments day after day made her seem as though she held more years than just twenty.

It was hard for Blake to watch on a normal day as Yang was all but ignored in favor of her younger sister, but today the attention she was receiving was probably worse.

Blake had once envied Ruby for her status, for the fact that she had been Summer's daughter and Yang had not. But she had realized very quickly that no one deserved blame, especially not Ruby over something she had no control over.

Still, Blake could tell Yang was hurting now, and it was only so early in the day.

She stepped up and took her princess' hand, rubbing her knuckles gently.

"Alright. I think that's enough for now, don't you?"

Yang gave her a smile - a small, genuine one rather than the wide one she had kept plastered on for the past fifteen minutes.

Blake kindly asked the children to go back to their parents and covered Yang with her own body. She ushered the girl back toward the castle; perhaps they could get some training done on the private property today.

But before they could advance more than a few steps, Blake heard the patter of rushing footsteps coming from behind her. She could tell they were of a small person, and while likely not the discreet footfalls of an assassin, her ears still flattened as she whipped around with frightening speed, a defensive snarl forming on her lips.

Before her, a child came skidding to a halt, his hood sliding off to reveal Faunus ears like a puppy's. His voice trembled as he looked up at her.

"M-Miss Belladonna!"

Blake shared a curious glance with Yang behind her before the blonde gave a nod. Blake knelt down in front of the child, keeping a short distance between them, ever cautious, and spoke in a softened voice.

"I'm sorry for scaring you. What's going on?"

Rarely did children come to Blake, and even more rare was receiving a child who seemed frightened out of his wits.

The boy's Faunus ears were drooping as he took a step back.

"Th-The White Fang!" he hissed so only Blake could hear, and her ears flattened instantly. "The White Fang are t-trying to take my parents! Please help them..." He started to sob, and at the sight of the tears, Yang could not keep herself away. She bent down and murmured to her aide.

"What's going on?"

Blake bit her lip, conflicted. She could not afford to simply go off saving every single one of the White Fang's potential victims. She had to protect Yang above all else.

But they were already close to the castle grounds; Yang would be safe here without her for a few moments. It would take too long to notify the guards or authorities to send help; by the time they got to the boy's parents, it could be too late.

Blake looked the boy in the eye and spoke firmly.

"How many are there?"

"J-Just two..."

Two. It would be a nice warm up for Blake.

After yesterday's somewhat disappointing Grimm battle, she felt she was getting a little rusty.

She stood and turned to Yang, golden eyes stern.

"Please go back to the castle. I'll only be five minutes."

"But, Blake-"

Yang paused, holding Blake's gaze. She knew the Faunus girl hated leaving her more than anything; she had made a vow to always stay by Yang's side.

Yang knew the guilt of making this decision now was gnawing at her partner from the inside out, but the only reason Blake was doing this was because she knew Yang would be safe in the heavily-guarded castle.

Blake was only asking for five minutes.

The half-princess sighed before showing her a grin.

"You got it. But please, Blake..." She took her hands and squeezed gently. "Be careful."

"Don't worry. I'll be home before you know it."

Yang nodded, kissed her cheek, and hurried back to the castle. Blake kept her gaze trained on the blonde until she was safely behind the doors.

Then she turned back to the crying child.

"Lead the way."

With a nod, the boy took off through the crowds, and Blake followed close behind, her shoes never leaving his shadow. He led her past the congested market streets and to more isolated alleyways, where the tall building structures blocked out most of the sunlight.

The rambunctious din of the town died away behind them, and Blake focused her senses ahead, angling her ears as her hands went to the hidden pockets on the insides of her dress' sleeves, where some of her small knives were kept hidden.

She expected to hear sounds of a struggle, but instead all she could hear were the boy's sobs, the sounds of their footsteps over the grit, and her own labored breathing.

Were they too late...?

The boy came to a sudden halt, and Blake did the same. She narrowed her eyes and spoke in a growl.

"So where are they?"

Suspicion boiled within her, only seconds away from turning into rage at having been tricked.

The boy was still for a moment-

-and then there was blood gushing down Blake's leg.

The child drew a knife on her from within the rags of his clothing, slashing her right shin wide open. Blake hissed as she leapt back, activating her aura as quickly as possible to start healing the wound.

"You little cur!" she snarled.

"Well now..." A new voice echoed from behind her, and Blake tensed. "Not the kind of vocabulary I'd expect from someone raised at the royal castle."

Blake took a step back, only to find herself completely surrounded.

Five other hooded figures blocked off all escape routes, even two on the rooftops. She assessed their positions, but at the sound of footsteps rushing her from behind, she quickly leapt to one side, avoiding the child's dagger once more.

In that instant - even before she had the chance to activate her semblance - the others were all upon her, blades slashing her everywhere they could reach.

Knives plunged deep into her flesh – her sides, her back, her shoulder – and the cold metal pulsed within her blood.

She barely managed to draw her own weapons past the searing pain that shot through her in aching throbs. Empowered by fury and adrenaline, she channeled her pain into power as she spun, satisfied when she felt her blades pierce flesh and draw blood.

Her attackers stepped back, several of them bleeding, though most of the crimson in the dust was coming from Blake herself.

They charged her again, but Blake was faster this time, calling upon her semblance to create shadows of herself. Their blades met thin air as Blake evaded her perpetrators, slipping through an impossibly-narrow space between two of them. She stabbed the nearest one in the back, feeling a warm spray of blood as he howled and fell to his knees.

In the confusion, the others were intent on finding their real target, but Blake was intent on escape.

She fled as quickly as she could, given the dire wounds she had sustained. There was a shout from behind her as they caught on.

"Get her, you idiots! Or else the boss'll have our heads!"

Blake never looked back, but she left a clear trail of dark blood behind her. She kept using her semblance to boost her speed, sending out her shadows in different directions to delay her attackers.

If she could just make it back to the marketplace...

Surely they would not follow her there and start attacking innocents?

She was starting to have second thoughts, but she kept going, praying that they were only after her and her alone, that if they lost her for now, they would give up altogether.

The crowds were in sight, and she slipped her knives back into their hiding spots in her sleeves.

There was an enraged shout from behind her, and she knew her perusers had given up. But not without one last shout at her back:

"Consider this a warning! A warning that she who bears the Dragon's Curse shan't live to see the new spring! She'll be dead by the end of winter!"

With one final push, Blake burst through the crowds of bustling people and collapsed to her knees. Cries of surprise rose up all around her.

"Hey! Watch-"

"Oh my! Isn't that-"

"Miss Long's aide? Miss Belladonna?"

"She's bleeding! What's happened here?"

Many of them turned to look in the direction from which she had come, but the alleyways were empty once more.

Blake scrambled to her feet and bolted for the castle, being jostled through the crowds of people until she broke free.

One final sprint, and her semblance could take her no further than the main doors. She collapsed once more and the nearest guards rushed to her, shouting orders to fetch doctors immediately.

They brought her into the foyer, but her legs could not hold her up and she collapsed again, her blood spilling onto the white tile, deep and dark and warm.

It was not even a full minute before a girl pushed her way through the guards.

"Blake!" Yang fell to her knees, her partner's blood seeping quickly into her pale yellow dress. "My god, oh my god... what the hell happened?" She was choked by sobs already, pulling Blake into her lap to look her over. Her right leg was coated in blood, as was her entire torso and her left shoulder.

Yang pressed one hand over what seemed to be the deepest of the wounds, over Blake's stomach, trying to staunch the flow of blood. She could feel Blake's aura struggling to tend to all of the injuries, but it was simply impossible to do on her own. Yang activated her own aura and let it flow in a gentle current onto her partner.

The alarmed shouts of the guards around them faded into insignificant white noise as Yang focused entirely on Blake. Her breathing was ragged, shallow, clipped, and her heartbeat was growing fainter by the second. She was gasping for air, and Yang placed her free hand over her trembling Faunus ears.

"Shhh..." she soothed. "It's okay. You're gonna be okay, Blake. I promise..." She leaned down to kiss her cheek, just as she'd done before Blake had left her, strengthening the flow of her aura onto the girl.

At long last, the doctors arrived, and Yang was forced to move back, though she stayed close enough to continue holding Blake's hand.

They treated her there on the floor of the castle entranceway, in a pool of Blake's own blood. Everything was a chaotic blur of constant motion. They tore her dress and disinfected her wounds, placing a towel between her teeth to give her something to bite down on as she screamed in agony. They wrapped her stomach and abdomen, her shoulder and her leg, repeatedly pushing needles into her arms and chest to keep her heart beating.

Yang sobbed softly all the while, her hair slightly aglow, her eyes rimmed with scarlet as anger and fear mixed within her. She did not even notice when her father arrived, muttering to the guards and nurses, ordering them to fetch Ruby and bring her home immediately and to increase security around the castle.

It felt like a week before the doctors finally moved away from Blake. They lifted her carefully and carried her to her quarters as the King directed them. Yang tried to follow them, begging for answers.

The nurses who stayed behind informed her Blake was in unstable condition, but would likely live, and she could make a full recovery after several weeks of rest and recuperation.

The relief of that knowledge caused Yang's semblance to calm down, and eventually it receded, her eyes regaining their natural color.

She was about to follow them to Blake's quarters when a commotion at the main entrance of the castle caused her to turn around once more. Ruby burst in with Weiss at her heels, several guards accompanying them.

"Yang!" Ruby cried. "What-" She cut off with a yelp as her shoe slipped on a puddle of blood that had yet to be cleaned up. Weiss dove forward to catch her and steady her, but they both looked down to see the stains on the tile. "Oh god..." Ruby put a hand to her mouth before she looked back to her sister. "Yang, wh-where is she?"

"It's okay, Ruby." Yang went to her and wrapped her in a much-needed hug. "She's gonna be okay. She's resting now."

"Oh..." Ruby sniffled and buried her face in her sister's dress. "Oh god... okay, that's good."

Weiss too let out a breath she had failed to realized she had been holding until now. She met Yang's eyes solemnly.

"What happened?"

Yang shook her head as she ran her hands through Ruby's hair.

"I don't know. Some kid ran up to her, and she went with him. I think it was something with the White Fang... I don't know anything more than that. The next time I saw her, she was... like that..."

"But why Blake?" Weiss muttered. She had started to pace, a nervous habit of hers Yang had picked up on long ago.

"...It's obvious, isn't it?" Her voice was low and thin. "To make a statement. A threat."

"But why?!" Ruby wailed.

"I don't know," her sister went on. "Not everyone in Vale likes us, you know. And this... this was probably a warning... Damn, I shouldn't've let her go... damn it..." Yang bit her lip until a rustic tang trickled over her tongue. Ruby felt her tremble and she tightened her embrace on her sister.

"It's not your fault, Yang. You said she'll be okay. So believe in her," she murmured. "But even more than that..." She pulled away and lowered her voice to a whisper as she met her sister's eyes. "Shouldn't you be with her right now?"

Yang sniffed again and gave her one last squeeze before stepping back.

"You're right."

"And..." Ruby wiped her sleeve over her face. "If she wakes up... tell her we love her and we really, really wanna see her but..." She trailed off whimpering, and Weiss continued in her stead.

"But we don't want to overwhelm her all at once. We'll see her tomorrow if she's ready for it. But for today, I think we could all do with some rest."

"Yeah..." Yang sighed, her eyes meeting with solemn blue. "And thanks, Weiss."

A puzzled and slightly-shocked look from the knight had Yang chuckling a little.

"For always looking after Ruby, I mean. When I can't be there, you always are. So thanks."

"Don't mention it..." Weiss grumbled. "It's my duty."

"Yeaaah," Yang hummed. "But we all know that's not the only reason, huh?"

Weiss stiffened and looked away. Ruby quickly jumped in between them, shooing her sister away.

"Go to Blake, you dummy."

"Right."

"And let us know if anything happens."

"You got it."

Yang wrapped them both in one last hug before hurrying off.

Blake's quarters were down the hall from Yang's, but the room was mostly unused as of recent years. The people of Vale may have cared about who entered Ruby's room, but no one particularly cared who shared Yang's bed.

As she walked briskly down the hall, Yang realized just how long it had been since she had come this way; usually, she and Blake simply stopped at her room, never having reason to go further.

She paused at the designated door, hearing murmurs from within. She knocked lightly, waited in apprehension as footsteps approached to let her in. Yang thanked the doctors inside, asking them if there was anything she needed to do for Blake. All she was asked to do was let the girl rest and notify medics if something went amiss. Then, they took their leave respectfully, and left the room.

Even though it was only a guest room, it still felt too big to Yang. The shelves within were stuffed with books, and save from a desk, some drawers, and the bed, there was not much else inside.

Yang flicked off the main light, instead turning on a smaller lamp that gave off a much gentler glow.

She crossed the room slowly, quietly, not wanting to wake her if she could help it.

Blake seemed so much smaller, the shadows and blankets swallowing her where she lie still. It had only been a little less than an hour since the attack, but she looked so much paler than when Yang had last seen her, fragile, like a withering flower.

It scared Yang, because Blake had always been strong, dependable, and more than capable of taking care of herself and her charge. But all of this only served to remind Yang that the girl before her was a person just like anyone else, someone who bled, cried, and felt pain-

-someone who had almost lost her life today.

The thought had Yang crumbling, sinking down onto the bed like her legs could no longer hold her up. Blake's eyes were closed, but her brow was understandably furrowed in pain. Her breath came uneasily, and the covers seemed to suffocate her.

Yang reached out to her, brushing the backs of her fingers over her cheekbone, following the delicate contours of her face. She trailed her touch up to Blake's temple, curled through her bangs and over the crown of her head until at last she came to a stop at her drooping ears. They were trembling, much like the rest of her was, and Yang caressed them softly.

Her other hand ventured down to Blake's side, carefully extracting one of her arms from beneath the blankets so she may hold her hand.

Yang had never felt so helpless.

Even when Summer had vanished and left behind a young and confused Ruby, Yang knew how to provide comfort for a child.

But ever since then, tending to Ruby had been mostly Weiss' job, and it has been years since Yang had needed to relearn.

And yet, it was a skill a big sister never truly forgot.

She parted her lips and began to sing softly, a familiar lullaby the late Queen herself had often sung to the two princesses. Yang was no singer, at least not one like Weiss was in secrecy anyway, but her voice slipped quietly over the words:

"Don't you worry about the dark..."

It had been years since she had last heard or sang the song, but the words came naturally and without hesitation. She made sure it was soft, as Blake's Faunus ears were highly perceptive. They flicked a little now, indicating to Yang that Blake could hear her to some degree.

When she finished, Yang bent down and pressed a soft kiss to each of the girl's ears, then to her forehead.

Straightening herself up again, she noticed movement and watched as the Faunus girl's eyes flickered tiredly open, fluttering like a tattered butterfly's wings. Her eyelids lifted to reveal deep gold, more beautiful than the rare mineral itself, and so much more valuable.

Yang released a breath she felt she had been holding in for a year, and she brought her hand down to cup Blake's cheek.

"There's my Blakey," she murmured, offering a smile. "How're you feelin'?" She blinked, and when she reopened her eyes, she found a drop of water on Blake's cheek. "Hey, hey. Don't cry, yeah? What's the matter? Does it still hurt? Damn, of course it does..."

"Yang..."

Her voice was a relief to hear; part of Yang realized it was because she had not been entirely certain if she would be privileged enough to hear it ever again.

Blake's eyes searched hers, her occupied hand curling beneath Yang's as she pulled her free one out from the covers and reached it up toward her princess' face.

"You're the one crying."

"H-Huh?" She put three fingers to her cheek to find them warm and wet, and Yang chuckled sheepishly. "Oh, hah. Guess I am." The smile wavered, showing clear signs it was about to fracture despite the effort she was putting in to keep it plastered into place. "Sorry..." she mumbled.

Blake's ears flicked once.

"Why are you sorry?"

"Because-!" Yang realized her voice had grown loud, and she quickly put a palm to her lips. When she continued, her words were almost inaudible, even for Blake. "Because... this is my fault. I let you-"

"Stop." Blake cut her off immediately. "Don't you dare blame yourself for this, Yang. I left you. I was the one who ran off on my own like an idiot. I guess... I'm still just blindsided and biased toward anything involving the White Fang. My obsession almost got me killed today..."

Yang flinched at the word "killed" and she felt more tears drip down her face.

"Blake..."

"I'm sorry, Yang," she went on. "I'm sorry for... for tossing you aside like that for my own stupid wishes, like I could make a difference if I took part in some misguided act of heroism. I hope I've learned my lesson; that nothing good comes from leaving you." She tried out a small smile. "I won't do it ever again. I promise you that."

Yang wiped her face on the back of her hand and made her voice clear.

"Okay."

She took Blake's hand again and rubbed her thumb over her knuckles, remembering they had been drenched with Blake's own blood only an hour ago.

Yang leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips, soft and easy, pulling back before long to let her breathe.

They enjoyed their moment of peace before the thoughts nagging at the back of Yang's mind finally won her over.

"Blake?"

At the sound of her name, the Faunus girl reopened her eyes.

Yang smiled guiltily. "I'm sorry. I'll let you sleep soon. But first I need to know... did they say anything? Do you know... why all of this happened?"

She waited as the injured girl collected her thoughts. Yang did not miss it when she flinched at the unpleasant memories, and she tightened her grip on her partner's hand in reassurance.

It was a moment more before Blake found her voice again.

"They said... to consider this a warning..." she began. "Though I'm not sure what they meant when they said to catch me or else someone would have their heads... I knew they wanted to kill me... and probably write out their warning in blood... But so long as their message got delivered, I guess what did happen would suffice..."

Her voice hitched and her breathing started to become erratic. Yang longed to comfort her, but she forced herself to hold back, not wanting to break the girl's train of thought.

Her eyes had taken on a crimson outlining – frustrated and furious – but her voice was calm.

"Was there... anything else?"

Silence.

Blake inhaled shakily and nodded.

"They said... 'She who bears the Dragon's Curse shan't live to see the end of winter.'"

The silence grew heavier, and Yang struggled to quell the anger brewing inside of her until her eyes returned to their natural color.

"'She who bears the Dragon's Curse'...?" she repeated. "I don't understand... They know...?"

The Dragon's Curse was something everyone knew of, but few dared speak of; the typical human and Faunus mindset was if it was ignored, it would simply it go away.

But the curse still dwelled in their midst, and there was no known way to break it, only transfer it - let the current host die and send the curse onto a new one. The curse could not be cured, only sent off to burden someone else.

Yang had heard of previous hosts trying to live with it for as long as possible so no one else would have to suffer it. But the curse never allowed its host to live a full life, always taking on some twist of misfortune and feeding off of it until the bearer had perished prematurely.

Like Summer's, most curses seemed to involve love – and never living long enough to see it flourish. Yang had heard some of the curses that had been in effect in past decades, recorded in the archives of scrolls in the hidden shelves of the old libraries. None of them had given any leeway.

Yang shuddered and bit her lip.

"I don't understand... how did they find out...?" She brought her hands to her face and shook her head. "Shit... we've been careless..." She quickly brought her hands back into her lap and looked down into the other girl's eyes. "Blake, we can't-"

But she stopped, talk of the Curse having made her forget the other issue at hand. Blake's forehead was covered in a thin veil of sweat now, her eyes glazing over and chest heaving.

Yang immediately kicked off her pesky shoes and drew her legs up onto the bed fully, draping an arm lightly across Blake's torso and lying down beside her.

"Hey, hey, shhhh..." she soothed, rubbing the girl's cheek. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stress you out by making you remember all of that. It's okay. Just calm down..." She peppered gentle kisses over Blake's cheek, pausing above her lips and holding one there before going up to her nose and forehead. "They're not gonna hurt you ever again, Blake. I swear it by Summer Rose's name."

Blake tensed; such an immense vow was not something to be made or taken lightly. She feared what might happen to Yang if she failed to keep it.

And yet, the fact that she thought – knew – she could, made Blake's heart swell with affection.

Slowly, she wrapped her sore arms around Yang's shoulders until the princess relaxed fully against her.

"We can... worry more in the morning..." she murmured into locks of blonde hair.

But for now, there was a sense of calm – perhaps it was only before an even greater storm – but the first wave had passed for now, and they were entitled to a brief period of peace, it seemed.

The night had already crept in long ago, and Yang had no intentions of leaving. She propped herself up above Blake to kiss her one more time, long and soulfully.

Then, she slid off to one side, not wanting to put weight or pressure on Blake's wounds. But although Yang had tucked her face into the crook of Blake's neck, the Faunus was no fool; she could hear her princess' sobs and feel her tears as if they were her own.

And she asked her what was wrong as if she did not already know the answer.

"I..." Yang's voice was broken and thin. "I almost lost you today, Blake... I don't wanna... I don't wanna keep seeing it when I sleep... all that blood..."

Yang's nightmares were nothing Blake was not used to, but if there was a way to prevent them, she would make sure to try it. She shifted and pulled Yang's head to her chest, but the blonde girl pulled back.

"Y-Your shoulder-"

"It's fine," Blake whispered. "Everything's already closed up thanks to my aura and the treatment the nurses gave me. It's fine, Yang. Just rest. Please."

She pulled her back down, and this time, Yang did not protest. She allowed Blake to position her in whatever way was most comfortable to the Faunus girl. The result was Yang finding her head tucked beneath Blake's chin, with arms wrapped around her back loosely. She really appreciated it when Blake attempted to give a gravelly purr to soothe her.

Like this, she could hear Blake's heartbeat where it pulsed strongest, the unmistakable proof that she was alive. Yang sobbed with relief, as if she had needed such confirmation to believe it was the truth and Blake had not somehow bled her life away today. Her arms slipped down to Blake's sides and held her gently, listening to the rhythm beneath her ear, allowing herself to believe in reality.

And with the knowledge she now held possession of - of the danger that lurked in Vale's shadows - she knew reality would not be so kind in future days.

But for now, she accepted what she was offered, and Blake did as well.

They kept firm holds on each other, defiant to let go.

That night, sleep was kind enough to take them to its realm together.

A/N: Sorry, this chapter seemed off to me but I don't think I fixed it properly even now ;u;

Chapter 8 preview: The four girls now walked slowly down the hallways as the setting sun illuminated their path in pale orange that bled into red. They were all unnaturally silent, lost in their own minds as they kept a slow pace to accommodate Blake's limping gait.

They only paused once they had reached Yang's room, and the blonde girl turned slowly to her younger sister.

"Try not to think about it too much," she whispered into Ruby's ear as she pulled her into a hug. "It'll be okay, sis. Everything's gonna be okay."

"Yang..." Ruby's voice was broken and wavering, such a dire contrast to what Weiss had heard that morning. It sent a pang through her chest.

Silently, the knight supported Yang's vow with one of her own.

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