: / / w w w . ? v = k

Oh my god. Finally an update. It would have been sooner but after hours of work and about 20,000 words little dumbbutt me lost the file, deleted it, moved it, did something with it and now it's gone. My pc crashed and I ended up working around on three other computers, fussing around like a tool. It was a painstaking labor of hatred rewriting this chapter, well, mini chapter. It felt like a burden just knowing all the work I did is sitting on one of my usbs and hiding because IT HATES ME.

But I still updated, and I'm proud of myself, less proud of the two weeks of sulking I did before I finally admitted it needed to be redone, but hey. Hope you all appreciate it anyway :3

On the up side, ya'll get to find out what Ruby is in the next chapter, you're going to love it, I hope, if you don't, well... You're a big poop. :)

Youtube is music I wrote the first bit to, not sure if it fits while reading but it's there just in case.

Weiss narrowed her eyes in a pointless attempt to shield them from the rage of winter. Wind pelted the landscape, sweeping the grasses flat against the earth and pushing the rains with such force it felt like needles against her flesh. The moon glowed red from behind the clouds, a silent spectator as the world bellow it stood in a tense hush and all the while tiny flecks of light peered out from the darkness beyond.

Her skin prickled in anticipation, her body ready for either fight or flight, whichever was called for in order to accomplish her task. In the distance a call sounded, like the voices of creatures in pain reverberating in the chest of a giant beast. The beating of war drums overhead as giant wings pounded the air, the stench of foul breath accompanied by the unmistakable smell that followed a bloody and lethal fight. Death, decay and disease.

Weiss shivered in anticipation, her hand moving instinctively to where Myrtenaster should have hung. Her breath hitched, her body tensed and the dread that had pooled in her stomach exploded outward like a grenade, filling her mind and soul with fear and dread. The beast above her screamed her name, demanded her to fight.

She stepped back, stumbling as her heel caught on the roots of an unknown plant, and with a gasp she fell, sprawled on her back staring up at the creature that hunted her. Her throat contracted and she could not scream, she could do nothing but stare at the silver eyes of a creature she could not name, could not place from any of her memories.

It was as long as a serpent with coal black scales, suspended in the air with wings that were not wings and thick arms that hung uselessly, ending in large webbed claws. Its face was narrow and gaunt, as though it were starving and its ribs protruded uncomfortably on either side. It watched her with great interest, not unlike an eagle. It tilted its head each which way, analysing her, before coiling through the air like an eel in water.

It circled her, studied her, before finally it descended, faster than anything Weiss had ever seen, and in a swirl of crimson petals it lurched forward, its jaws wide, and Weiss screamed.

"Weiss! Weiss!"

She blinked her eyes in shock, tiny hands gripped her tightly, shaking her from a restless and distressing sleep. Ruby searched her friend's expression for a sign of consciousness before smiling gently.

"It's okay" she whispered, swiping the back of her hand gently against Weiss' forehead. "It's okay, it was just another bad dream."

Weiss sat up unsteadily, her body shaking violently and her breath still catching in her throat as she struggled to calm herself. Yang was peering curiously over the edge of her bed and Blake had torn her gaze from her book, 'The importance of dreams'. Even before her nerves had properly calmed Weiss was rolling her eyes and pointing towards the offensive reading material.

"For the last time, Blake, you're not picking my dreams apart."

"Yes I am." She replied dully, turning away and sticking her nose in the pages.

Weiss' lip curled up in a growl before she pushed herself out of bed and immediately began dressing for the day, ignoring her friend's concerned gazes. She'd been having nightmares a lot lately, Blake had suggested it was because she was stressed over the upcoming test but Weiss wasn't so sure. She felt like there was something more to it, but she didn't want to say anything of the sort.

She got ready quickly, eager to be out of the dorms and into the warm sunshine outside, a brief reprise from the rain and hail winter had thrown at them almost constantly for the last two weeks. The teachers had decided it would be a most opportune time to grade the students on what they'd learnt so far, which meant another group mission that could easily lead to injury. Not that Weiss was complaining, she wanted to be here, really she did.

She wasn't ready for it, though. Of course she claimed she was, in fact she was pretty sure she seemed the most confident out of the lot of them, when in reality she was falling apart with nerves. Being so well know from such a young age meant she had to learn how to hide things like that, though, and at times she felt maybe she hid it just a little too well.

"I know you're nervous," Ruby started, making Weiss feel suddenly like an open book, "But you shouldn't be, you're probably the best for this, I've got no idea what I'm doing." She shrugged casually.

Weiss turned with an expression of guilt, having just pushed herself out of bed grumpily though Ruby had been the one to save her from her own subconscious, but that guilt was gone in a moment, replaced with false pride. "Of course I'm the best for this." She said with a huff, packing her back with more determination than before.

"When you say it like that you should believe it." Ruby replied innocently, tilting her head in a puppy-like manner before smiling widely. Ruby's smiles were always so perfect, and so ridiculously sincere. When Ruby was happy it made everything else seem meaningless, because her being happy was the only thing that mattered to Weiss.

Weiss smiled back awkwardly at the odd but frighteningly true thought, hoping Ruby would miss the uncertainty, which she didn't. She stopped smiling and watched Weiss suspiciously, forcing her to avoid contact with the silvery orbs as she tossed her bag over her shoulder and made for the door. Thankfully no one followed as she slipped out into the hall and after taking a moment to just stop and breathe Weiss grinned to herself and set off down the hall in her familiar, confident stride.

The sun gleamed merrily through the windows as Weiss looked out over the grounds. Students were gathering by the fountain with their bags, chatting among themselves excitedly, some of them waving their weapons around haphazardly. Weiss idled on the thought of going down there and reminding them of the appropriate conduct in regards to their very sharp and potentially lethal killing machines but decided she'd much rather wait for them to figure it out on their own, which they did surprisingly fast.

A girl with short grey hair had just been hit in the back of the head by an over enthusiastic… Weiss stood to peer more intently at the other girl involved before, with a roll of her eyes and a palm to her face, she recognized it to be Ruby. Of course it would be, who else would wave around a giant gun-scythe and not expect any comeuppance.

By now there were tears, mostly from an excessively guilty looking Ruby, and laughter from the far too cheerful Yang. For sisters, the two were very different. Weiss suspected they were only partially related, probably on the father's side as she'd heard them both make comments towards their dad, though she wasn't too sure who their dad was. She really needed to pay more attention. Nevertheless she slung her back over her shoulder and made her way downstairs and outside.

By the looks of it she'd missed most of the drama and Ruby was now standing in the back cuddling her weapon, looking like she'd just been scolded and hit with a newspaper, which probably wasn't a bad thing considering how terrible an outcome it could have been. Either way Weiss didn't hesitate as she wove her way through the crowd and took a place by Ruby's side.

"You really should have known better." Weiss scolded

"You saw that!" Ruby whined, withdrawing in on herself and cradling her weapon that much closer.

"Ruby, everyone saw it."

"Aww."

With the students gathered the teachers began to call attention, listing off names and waiting for the appropriate catcalls and wails to let them know their students were there and highly excitable. Even Blake waved her arm in the air eagerly, only to be distracted by her book 'where to find a doom hound' only seconds later. Weiss rolled her eyes before turning to Ruby with a very pointed look.

"You'd better not mess this up." She snorted, but Ruby was used to her fake-snide attitude by now and simply turned an honest grin before winking and slinging Crescent Rose over her shoulder, almost knocking another boy unconscious. Weiss acknowledged his remarkable dodge with a nod of her head and he blushed shyly, itching the back of his neck and shrugging.

"You're walking behind me." Weiss said dully, forcing the smile of Ruby's face as she glanced over her shoulder and quickly began apologizing, again. As charming as the girl was, she was a bit of a spaz sometimes. Weiss smirked but quickly drew her focus to the teachers, who had started talking to each group individually.

An elderly teacher approached Ruby, a smile on her face but a scowl in her eye. She regarded the team with a sinister gaze before turning her nose up and speaking in a crackling voice.

"Team Rwby, you've been assigned to the Boarbatusk tunnels, you have three days to clear them of all Grimm, should any of your teammates find themselves wounded you will automatically lose one grade point. Fail to eliminate all beasts within the tunnels and you will forfeit your grade. Understood?"

Ruby nodded confidently and the woman scowled in disgust before moving on to the next team.

"Bitch." Yang whispered in Weiss' ear before being scolded by Blake for her foul language.

The teams lined up behind one another as they approached the four Launch pads that would send them to their allotted locations. They rotated and aligned themselves with grinding gears and Weiss momentarily wondered how long it had been since they were maintained. Nevertheless when it came for team Rwby to step up and prepare for their landing Weiss didn't hesitate and in a few seconds they were angling for their landing.