Jaune followed Pyrrah to the cliff's edge and started out at the forest below. In the distance, he could hear a monster howl. On both sides of him stood the different first year teams, including Winchester. Cardin and him reached a peace, kind of. At least he didn't have to do Winchester's homework for him anymore.

"Ready, set, go!" the instructor yelled. Jaune and his team shot off the cliffs edge.

Jaune wished he could say his landing was better than the last time, but it wasn't. After falling through waht seemed like a million branches, he finaly came to a stop (on his ass, he may add) at the bottom.

"Need help?" Pyrrah said, walking over to Jaune, offering him a hand. He took it, standing up and brushing off his clothes. Ren and Nora watches them, already ready to go.

"Sorry," he apoligized to his teammates.

"Don't sweat it," replied Ren, who then followed Nora into the dense plot of trees.

"Should we follow them?" Jaune asked Pyrrah.

"It would be wise," Pyrrah replied, heading in the same direction. Jaune took a deep breath and followed her.

Throughout the walk, Jaune was on edge. He learned from expereance that monsters and other creatures of the night could smell him. Jaune's parents taught him to stay away from the woods, and things that would want to kill him.

He learned that this lesson applied to humans as well.

The point of todays challenge was much like the first one, but different, in a way. There was only one object needed recovered. Whoever won got something, but nobody knew exactly what.

A popular rumor was no classes for a week, but to honest, Jaune doubted It.

Ren, who was leading the small parade, held up a hand. The three stopped, running into eachother.

"Ow, watch it," Nora said, after Pyrrah stepped on her foot.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"Oh, its-" Ren turned around and pressed a finger to his lips, stopping them from talking.

What is it? Jaune mouthed. Ren pointed ahead to a monster as large as the trees around it, paused, sniffing the air.

"Go ahead, I can take him," Jaune said, softly. Pyrrah turned to him.

"Jaune," she said, softly, matching his volume from earlier.

"Quiet," Nora said, turning to them. The monster turned to them, pulling back his upper lip, baring his teeth. His mouth was full of fangs.

"Run!" Jaune yelled. His team listened to him, their focus was to get as much distance between them and the monster as possible. Jaune didn't follow. When they were gone, Jaune turned to the monster, still exactly where it was before.

It wanted Jaune alone.

"Just you and me," Jaune said, coming out from his haven of trees. The monster growled in reponse.

Jaune ran forward, using his extra stength to give himself a little boost. He charged at the monster, and at the very last second, jumped, landing on the monster's backside. It reared up, trying to buck him off, but Jaune held firmly to his fur. As the monster came down, Jaune stabbed it where it's neck met the beginning of it's back. Nothing happened. It didn't even leave a mark.

"What the hell?" Jaune growled, just as the monster managed to throw him off. Jaune rolled to the ground, feeling something snap. He prayed to whoever that would lsiten that he did not just break a rib.

He got back up off the ground, sucking in a harsh breath as his bones and ribs positivly screamed, bringing tears to his eyes.

The monster stood still, and if the monster laugh, Jaune was sure it would be laughing at him. Jaune looked over and saw his sword lying on the ground.

No,he told himself, the sword wouldn't do him much good here. Not now. But still, he felt like a part of him was missing.

Jaune could feel his eyes start to glow, meaning his aura was starting to surface. What if his friends came back? No, they can, they were probably a mile away by now.

"Come and get me," Jaune said. The monster rowred, causing the nearby birds to fly away from the trees they were so comfertably perched in.

The monster ran forward, making the ground shake beneath him. Jaune jumped, but instead of landing on his back, he grabbed the monster's neck spinning it around, causing the bones to snap. The sickening sound echoed throughout the forest.

With a large thump, the monster hit the forest floor. Jaune breathed heavly, trying to get some air flowing through his lung again.

"Holy shit," a voice said. Jaune looked up. Staring at Jaune and the broken corpse beside him was Cadin Winchester.

"Look, Cardin," Jaune began, taking a step forward. Cardin hurried away, tripping over his own feet and landing on the ground. As Jaune got closer, Jaune threw up his hands, sheilding his face.

"I'm sorry for what I did, Jaune. Just please, don't hurt me," Cardin pleaded, he actually pleaded. Jaune opened his mouth to say something, but didn't. It wouldn't help anyways. At least it never did in the past. Jaune shook his head, and walked away, leaving Cardin to stare at the corpse he left.


After Jaune came back to the school, he collapsed in bed. After he killed the beast, he soon found his friends, telling them that he got lost, that's why it took him so long.

Not soon after that, an annocment rang throughout the entire forest, stating Team RWBY won, getting to the artifact first. A helipad was soon coming to pick them up, so stay where they were.

Nora sat down on a rock.

"Well,.this sucks," she said after a while. Ren gave her a look and her frown deeped. Jaune didn't know what he meant.

"We did our best," Pyrrah said, trying to cheer the team up.

"No we didn't, 'cause if we did, I'm pretty sure we would have won," Nora said.

"We can' winners all the time, remember that," Jaune cut in. The team was silent for the rest of the way home and for much of the evening. Jaune decided he was going to make sure his team won next time, even if it meant he beat Ruby.

That night, he sat outside Ruby's dorm with her. Him drinking a small waterbottle fill with pigs blood (it wasn't his favorite, but at least it was fresh, unlike usual) as Ruby watch him.

"You mentioned you hand a deal with the kitchen." Ruby said, her voice like a knife through the silence. Jaune nodded.

"Yeah, I don't tell them what it's for, and they don't ask. It works out." She nodded.

"Do you have a favorite?"

"Yeah, human blood," Jaune said, Ruby rolled her eyes.

"Be serious," she said.

"Oh, but I am." She hit him on the arm.

"Alright, I don't mind fersh squirl blood, but after it gets old, yuck," Jaune said.

"Seriously?"

"Yep," Jaune said, cheerfully.

"No offence, Jaune, but you are the strangest person I have ever meant."

"So I've been told."


Thank you everyone who's resonded to the last chapter, or any before that, you make my day. Remember to review.