On a trip to a small town, team RWBY comes across something unexpected.

Blake trailed behind the other members of her team, taking in the quiet village they had just entered. They had gone in hopes of having a peaceful day off from school, away from the crowded streets that surrounded Beacon.

Blake admitted the town was nice. Yang had chosen the location, saying that some friends had told her about the place.

Knowing just exactly who Yang closest "friends" were, at least outside of school, she had been more than doubtful about the truthfulness of that statement.

The air was silent, the noises of machinery replaced by the quiet buzz of people and nature around them. Only a few people milled about, chatting amicably amongst themselves in little groups.

Looking back at her teammates, she smiled at Yang and Ruby's obvious enthusiasm simply from being here, and scowled when she saw Weiss grimacing. Weiss would be the only that couldn't see the beauty in a mundane scene like this. Comes with the territory of being a spoiled rich girl for all her life.

Whatever. Blake had better things she could be focusing on. Like-

"Hey guys, look!" Yang called out, pointing to something in the distance. "It's a cat!"

"Unlikely." Weiss replied immediately. "Cats are pretty rare, really only wealthy families have them now."

Ruby sped ahead, leaving her teammates to try and not choke on the rose petals she sent swirling around them.

"Wait a sec Ruby!" Yang tied to call her back in vain, sighing lightly as Ruby waved to them excitedly, gesturing wildly at the ground in front of her.

"So, are we going after her or…?" Blake asked, walking up to stand next to Yang.

"Might as well." Yang smirked, jogging towards Ruby.

Blake hummed and followed, not bothering to see if Weiss came with them or not.

As they got nearer, Blake was able to discern what Ruby was frantically pointing at. It was indeed, a cat. It was had gray fur, streaked with delicate black stripes that encased its entire body besides for the legs and muzzle.

As they finally caught up to Ruby, Yang bent down and extended a hand towards the feline greeting it with, "Hey there little guy."

The cat promptly ignored Yang's outstretched hand, marching straight past her and right to…Blake's foot. With a purr, it rubbed its cheek against her leg, sitting back up to stare at her expectantly.

Blake reached down to scratch it behind the ears, smiling when it leaned into her touch and purred even louder than before.

Blake felt a rumble grow in her chest, her eyes widening as she coughed violently to get rid of it.

"Something got in my throat." Blake answered Ruby and Yang's question before they could ask it. "I'm fine."

What she didn't tell them was that she had almost instinctively reciprocated the cat's purr with one of her own. Stupid faunus cat traits. She swore if she was ever found out, it would be because of them.

Her ears were threatening to expose her too, trying to lean themselves closer to the cat against her wishes. Instead of continuing to fight the internal battle, she simply picked the cat up from under its arms and held it up near her face, where her ears could lean towards it all they wanted an It wouldn't look suspicious.

The cat gave a questioning "Mrrow" before relaxing once more in her arms.

"I didn't know you were such a cat person." Yang's casual remark nearly made Blake jump out of her skin, and the cat with it. Thankfully she didn't end up dropping it, but her thoughts were still in such shambles that all she could do was shrug in response.

Ruby stared at the two of them, stars in her eyes as her grin widened.

Blake hoped that the cat would change its mind and just hiss at her or something. Anything to get the spotlight off her.

"There really was a cat, huh." Weiss provided the much needed distraction that Blake needed, turning the sister's attention away from the cat. She quickly set it down, still praying that it would just leave her alone now.

Sadly, the cat didn't seem to have the same goals, as it simply layed itself across her feet, again rubbing it's head against her ankle.

Ruby was making excited hand gestures at Weiss,seemingly a mix of sign language and the game of charades rolled into one, pointing to Blake and the cat repeatedly.

Blake watched as Weiss slid her gaze over to the cat, and was startled when she thought she saw something eerily similar to long flicker in the girl's eyes.

It left as quickly as it came though, Weiss turning back to Ruby and Yang as the three struck up a loose conversation.

Blake kept her focus on where Weiss' gaze went, counting the increasing number of side glances Weiss sent towards the feline draped across her feet.

"Here." Blake held out the cat to Weiss, whose face only twisted in confusion at the sight.

"What?"

"If you want to pet it, here." Blake pushed the cat towards her more, causing Weiss to lean back for a moment. Before realizing her position and straightening herself back up.

For an instant, Blake thought she had assumed wrong by the flabbergasted stare Weiss was giving her, until Weiss muttered back.

"Might as well." Weiss reached out a tentative hand towards the cats nose, stopping to let it sniff her hand. When it rubbed it cheek against her hand she started, snapping her hand back by her side.

Determined to get the cat to focus on someone else, Blake lowered it the ground and unceremoniously shoved it over to Weiss.

Surprisingly, it stayed by Weiss, choosing to sit at her feet and stare up at her. With a slow hand, Weiss reached down and gently pat it behind the ears. She nearly started again when it returned the contact, but kept her hand where it was as her unsure pats became confident scratches.

Blake nearly smiled at the sight, Weiss' eyes filled with an almost childlike delight, lips parted in a tiny "o." Ruby and Yang soon joined her, the cat accepting the extra attention gratefully.

Who would have thought? A Schnee genuinely enjoying something like this, something that should have been easy for her to have her entire life. It made a faunus wonder.

I don't know if I've ever mentioned this before specifically, but thank all of you so much for feedback! I may not answer your comments most of the time (mostly because I never know what to say) but they honestly give me an extra inspiration boost to keep on writing this. Just, thank you, a lot.