It started out simple enough, if only it had stayed that way.
Yang looked around the living room of their small home, her eyes brim with nostalgia and joy at the welcoming sight. With a relaxed sigh, she strolled forward, her fingertips brushing the edge of a shelf as she walked towards the stairs.
In the back of her mind, she recognized that her wrists both still had their respective portions of Ember Celica on them, but it wasn't any odd thing to her; not as important as the fact that she was home for once. Everything was exactly as she remembered, just as warm and welcoming as it had always been.
The sound of footsteps rang out, pounding down the stairwell straight towards Yang. She turned to see Ruby flashing her a radiant smile.
"Hey Rubes." Yang greeted, returning the smile.
"I have to go somewhere real fast, I'll be right back." Ruby breezed by Yang, even without her semblance to aid her, making it to the door before Yang could even respond.
As Yang moved forward to try and catch Ruby before she was out the door, she noticed the suspicious bulge that stuck out of Ruby's back, barely concealed by the red cloak.
"Where're you going?" Yang asked, her eyes narrowing.
"Nowhere important." Ruby signed back, opening the door without a second glance.
Yang's eyes widened as she glimpsed the edge of the backpack, the thick, square one that Ruby only reserved for long trips. And it was strapped onto Ruby's back now.
"Ruby! Wait!" Yang bolted, slamming the door back open. As she stepped out into the sunshine, she reached a hand forward, hoping to snag a bit of Ruby's cape before she was gone completely.
Yang stumbled over the door frame, catching herself with her hands as she scanned the area frantically.
She didn't know where she was anymore. She was in a forest, barren tree's surrounding her, their ashen limbs reaching out to cover the sky in a spider web of decay. Birds flocked the branches, silent as their beady eyes pierced through her. Their raven feathers littered the ground, shedding in a bizarre downpour.
She pushed herself to her feet, crying out "Ruby! Where are you!?"
She took a step forwards, and she was suddenly staring up at an all too familiar shack.
She activated her weapon, spinning slowly as she checked for grimm. She knew what happened the last time she had come here, a sleeping Ruby in tow. She would never forget the soulless eyes of the beowolves as they had stared her down, easy prey for the picking.
"Ruby!" Yang couldn't tell if she was screaming yet or not, her unshed tears hitching her voice. "Come back!"
The forest stayed silent, the same disinterested eyes of bird's staring down at her.
"Please." Yang whispered, falling to her knees as her despairing eyes looked blankly upwards.
"Why should she?" The chilling snarl snapped Yang out of her trance, and she scrambled away from the black pool that was spreading before her.
Her horrified gaze could only widen as an enormous paw shot up out of the liquid, its sickle claws sinking into the earth. One paw was followed by another, and Yang jumped to her feet as the head came next. It was a beowolf, although in a proportion Yang would have never thought possible. Its form towered over her, and with a sweep of its newly emerged tail, the shack sitting behind was laid waste to easily.
"What in…" Yang muttered as she backed away, her trembling hands searching for a purchase.
The beast shook itself off, then turned to give Yang a twisted smile, with far too many teeth, far too much space for its abnormal maw.
"Who are you to them?" The beast grinned as it spoke, its voice coming out in a haunting whisper, one that reverberated in the forest surrounding them. It seeped into her ears, worming its way to her mind and her heart as she stood heaving for air.
"You think your special? That you deserve to have friends, family?" The beast thrusted its head downwards, leveling its smoldering eyes with Yang's. "You think that they won't leave you?"
"They, they wouldn't do that. They wouldn't just-" Her rebuttal got caught in the back of her throat, crumbling to bits under the beast's intense gaze and cruel smirk.
"Haven't they?" The beast questioned, its eyes flickering to the forest. "Aren't you alone?"
"I'm not alone." Yang argued weakly, sinking back down to her knees as her eyes swelled up once more.
"You will be." The beast opened its jaws, blood pooling over and creeping across the forest floor. With a snap, the jaws encased her, her vision flashing black and red before it all faded to nothing.
Yang woke with a yelp, her breath coming out in violent bursts. She threw off her covers and leapt from her bed, running over to where Ruby slept. She sighed in relief as she saw Ruby's peaceful form resting. She ran a hand over Ruby's forehead, just to make sure she wasn't imagining it, before marching back to her own bed.
She only made it halfway, pausing to stare out the window that sat in between the two beds. Leaning onto the small ledge, Yang let out the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding.
It was just a dream. That's all it was. Just a dream. Yang gave a quick glance to make sure Blake and Weiss were still there as well, another relieved sigh coming forth when she realized they too, were still sleeping calmly.
She hated the nightmares. The ones that started out innocently, then turned into something much more warped as her subconscious released all her terrors without stopping.
She was still here. As was her team. As was her family.
She should be just fine.
I just love writing about dreams don't I? Also, no one can convince me that Yang doesn't have abandonment issues. She lost both her mothers. That poor girl is probably wondering who's next, well, after Blake and Ruby.