Weiss would have sighed, but she was fairly certain that her mouth would freeze if she opened it. Even bundled in a cocoon of jumpers and winter jackets, she was shivering. The icy winds whipping past, unseen hands tugging her backwards, as if trying to turn her back the way she had come. Not that she hadn't considered doing so, but she couldn't leave her team, no matter how foolish they were. Yang was still wearing her t-shirt and shorts combo, steam drifting off her bare arms. Weiss envied her, Schnee had historically bad circulation, which meant she was colder than ever. Blake and Ruby had wormed their way into the warmth of yang's arms, their winter clothes doing as little as her own against the snowstorm, but at least clement had it as bad as her, if not worse. The poor boy was suffering from the accumulated hangover of his month long binge, and possibly a number of skull fractures. He had fought yang after all.
Regardless, she was happy to have someone at least moderately mature on the journey. Blake had been mature once, but now she was firmly on the barbarian's side. She had even agreed on this insane plan, concocted by none other than the human furnace herself. The Commanding Officer had offered them run of the base! They could have based their search from there, they didn't have to walk off into the woods with nothing but a months' worth of military rations and a few sleeping bags. But they had, and Weiss was cursing everything, why had she thought a suit would be a good idea, of course it was a beautiful suit, but it did very little against snow and hail.
Luckily ruby had brought her whole wardrobe, quite literally. Apparently gaining inspiration from beacons equipment lockers, her wardrobe was rocket propelled and could be sent to her location, though unlike the beacon lockers, it had landed upright and flown off smoothly, a welcome difference the artillery esque destruction caused by the other. The winter jacket was slightly too short on the arms, it was probably from before Ruby's growth spurt. 3 pairs of gloves and 5 jumpers had dealt with that. And, while they were dreadful both in looks and combat, two pairs of thermal trousers had replaced her slacks. Not her usual style, but who would she need to dress well for? The Grimm?
She cursed the Grimm, she cursed the snow, she cursed the stupid bellhop who had lost her luggage, she hadn't even been able to scold him properly, and he had laughed in her face then vanished into thin air. The gall! Weiss wondered why it was always the blondes that made her life miserable.
The Northern forest loomed before them, ancient trees with blackened bark and deep green pines. Blake felt as if she had stepped back into some prehistoric time, humanity and all its influence had fled south, now only the Grimm remained. It was so peaceful, and though she knew that they where following what had until recently been a supply road to one of the bases deeper into the forest, it felt like the forest had not been disturbed in thousands of years. Perhaps this was where the ancient Grimm had fled to, older than time and sicker than sin, Oobleck had had a queer fascination with them, and despite what it could mean for humanity, he was adamant they still lived. He had left one night to search some old cave or another, and had never returned. Blake's eyes turned up to the white sky, pierced by the arrow like treetops, perhaps Oobleck had gone north to look for his monsters?
As they neared the forests edge, a warmth spread through her hand. The ring the woman had pressed hurriedly into her hands in the tomb of heroes was shining with a golden light that seeming to grow ever stronger as the sun set, until it basked the five of them in its harsh glare. Now the others had noticed, they crowded around. Not quite knowing what to say.
Then clement leant forward, and warily Prodded the ring. Nothing happened, much to his apparent surprise. All in all the whole spectacle had taken five minutes or so. It had been both a let down and a waste of precious time. Only when the light of the ring suddenly died, did Blake realise it was warmer. Looking out into the darkness, the trees seemed higher, deeper, darker. The wise old sentinels she had seen earlier had transformed into gnarled beasts in the unforgiving darkness. Looking down, she saw they now stood at the edge of a clearing. At its centre was a strangely tall bonfire, and by it sat a man. The man smiled politely, then pointed up. Following his direction Blake raised her gaze, just in time for a boot to connect with her face.
The blunt end of the mans spear struck ruby square in the face, knocking her into the trees with a yelp, the flat of the spears head slapping mysentar from wiess' hand. He spun sharply, tripping blake as she tried to rise, before he rushed towards yang with an explosive force, spear head levelled to her heart, only to stop short.
"Did she fucking yelp?"
"I think so"
The other man stood nearby, leaning on a massive gilded hammer. His brown eyes flickering between the hunters, before settling on the untouched, but rather startled, Clement.
"They're not hostile"
"Little late for that isn't it?"
"As per usual"
"Eat a dick"
" ahh yes, so hurtful"
"Your mums so hurtful"
"she can be rather mean"
"OH BY GAD"
All head turned to ruby as she stumbled out of the wood, she was clutching her jaw, but her teary eyes glowed with awe.
"YUR REELY IM"
The blonde scratched his head with the tip of his spear, cocking his head to the recovering hunters.
"She alright?"
"Im sure shes just star struck" the other man interjected. There was a moments pause before the other man dropped his spear and started trying to clean himself up, slicking his mane back with a spittle covered hand and rubbing the dirt from his face. Finally he turned back to ruby with a wide smile.
"Why yes, i am, and your jaw is dislocated. Let me get that for you" he whipped forward and twisted her jaw sharply until it clicked, extracting another yelp from the wide eyed girl.
The man stepped back to view his handiwork, but was swiftly knocked off his feet by a flash of red.
"OH MY GOD IM YOUR BIGGEST FAN, BUT YOU HIT ME AND THATS OK BECAUSE YOU FIXED IT AND YOU'RE HERE AND YOU'RE AWESOME AND OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD"
The other man laughed as his friend was whipped around the clearing by the screaming girl, before he stooped down to pick up clement, who had fainted.
He spared a glance at the huntresses, or particularly at the Faunus girl, who looked the least angry with them.
"I hope you've brought some food, I'm fucking starved"
Not waiting for a reply, the man turned from them, and immediately vanished, reappearing seated at the bonfire. Blake looked questioningly to Yang, who shrugged in reply before they followed.
Weiss emerging from the trees moments later to see that she had missed whatever confrontation had occurred. Cursing everything she could think of for the second time that day, she raced after her teammates.