Disclaimer: Screw it. These are actually kinda fun to write. Don't own RWBY.

Road to the End, Volume 3

By: athrunzala

03: Stalker

"Well then. Look what the cat drug in from the cold."

"You. You hurt Yang. You caused all these problems."

"Me? Oh no. Not me."

-Two days earlier-

Dawn was breaking, the rising sun slowly melting the slight frost that had set in overnight. Jaune woke to find that Ren and Nora were already stowing gear in their backpacks.

"Good morning, sleepy head!"

Nora's bubbly persona was one that always confused him. How she could be that happy with everything that had happened confused the blonde. He just pushed the thoughts to the back of his head.

"Did you sleep any better this time?"

The swordsman thought for a bit before looking over to the source of the inquiry. He knew he could confide in his team, but he wasn't entirely ready to tell them about his dreams, which were still plagued by memories of Pyrrha. So he just shook his head.

"The dreams again?"

"NORA!"

"What!? It's not like he doesn't talk in his sleep!"

Ren sighed. Realizing that Nora was right, he turned to look at his leader again.

"Jaune, we all miss Pyrrha. I know Ruby probably spoke about this with you before. But if you need to talk to us about it, all you have to do is ask."

"I know, Ren. I just don't wanna discuss it right now. Besides, I think we're being followed."

"Uh... what?"

"He thinks somebody wants to talk to us?"

"Nora, not everybody who follows you wants to talk, you know."

"I know that, silly. I just... Oh."

The realization hit the Banhammer Queen like a truck. Immediately she started being more quiet.

"Do I need to break some legs?"

In a tree a few yards away, Mercury was holding on for dear life.

"Why did I accept this assignment? Oh yeah. Because they're easy targets without their precious magnetism controller."

Elsewhere in Atlas, Oobleck and Port were in the middle of a small fight with some local Grimm. Easily dispatching them, they turned to face each other.

"So, Peter, shall we get some rest for now?"

"Barty, I could easily go another few rounds."

"You aren't as young as you once were, old friend. Neither of us are."

The boisterous embellisher managed a hearty laugh before agreeing to head into the small village they had been at, having been sent up by Qrow to keep an eye on things in case his nieces did anything reckless. So, when they came in range of the town's local receiver, they weren't shocked to have a message from another Huntsman in the area.

~Sender: Dante Volcanus~

~Subject: Team JN_R~

~MSG:~

~They left to go find the target.~
~Please keep an eye on them.~

Putting his scroll down, Port looked at Oobleck.

"You don't think that they would seriously."

"I believe they just might, Peter. I believe that they just might. Especially given Mr. Arc's unstable mental condition right now."

"What do you think? One more hunt?"

"This may not be a hunt, Peter. This may be a retieval."

The two then headed into town to rest and resupply, preparing for another trip out into the Atlas wilds.