Blake pushed the door open calmly, greeting the cool night air with a smile. It didn't feel like a day since she had last been here, as the surface had completely dried between then and now, a change from the drenched roof of yesterday. She seated herself cross-legged near the edge with her back to the beacon, using it to illuminate the tome she placed on her lap. She had a clear view of the Emerald forest, its brilliant green canopy stretching as far as she could see. Had the moon not hid behind the banks of cloud she would have been able to pinpoint the exact location their previous encounter had happened, just beyond her view rose the cliff-face, its bluff rising above the foliage in a grim display of grey.
Weiss crouched beside her, valuing her clothes far above comfort as she refused to dirty them on the stone. She watched as Blake flipped through the pages, searching for the specific section describing Umbra amongst the massive variety contained inside. Her finger stopped abruptly, resting on the weathered paper that depicted an immense shadowy beast. Weiss squinted as her vision adjusted to the green glow from behind, she could make out the massive head filled with teeth and the entire upper jaw covered in the bony mask that characterised all Grimm. Two small, muscular arms hung off its chest, following the massive legs that supported the immense body as it stood. A long tail, over twice the length of the creatures body flowed from its stomach, merging seamlessly into its back while its neck was thick, no doubt to emphasise the huge pressure it used as it bit into its prey.
Previously, Weiss had thought the Nevermore to be their biggest threat. Nothing short of an entire team coordinating their attacks would bring it down, and even then it was only due to Rubys somewhat suicidal decapitation plan working that they killed it at all. Something like that was plucked from the air and destroyed in a heartbeat, and that gave her the unmistakable feeling of dread in her stomach. Even despite Blakes explanation of its seemingly easy take-down, she was still highly unnerved by the ease it had killed the avian Grimm. Not to mention that it had pursued them miles through the forest, smashing trees aside even after herself, Ruby and Yang had fought it. Worse still, it faced off against a Deathstalker after all that, but Weiss knew that the outcome of that battle was beyond her knowledge. Her top priority had been her partner, the territorial dispute between the two titans was simply the distraction she was looking for.
"Can you show me where it stopped chasing you?" Blake asked, pulling Weiss from her thoughts. The heiress looked over the area in front of her and pointed, forming a mental diagram for Blake to follow.
"It was directly in front of the cliffside path, the clearing just before you start climbing." Came the reply, Weiss gesturing down towards the gap amongst the trees below, just visible over the edge of the rocks. She continued pointing to various places as she spoke, making an invisible map in the air.
"The Deathstalker came from there, hitting Ruby while she was there, and we came from here. Yang was carrying you in her arms as she circled in the bushes to the left; our right, while I stopped here as Ruby was hit." She finished her diagram, holding her finger at the spot she had halted in shock. Blake was impressed by her memory, but she quickly turned her focus back to the description.
"What happened after you stopped?" She inquired, glancing at Weiss's face. The green hue illuminated her skin just enough for Blake to make out the permanent scar she bore over her eye, something that Blake had always wondered about. She knew better than to even attempt to ask, but the answer tugged at her mind. Weiss continued unaware, absorbed in relaying accurate information to her teammate.
"It came behind me and stood there, shifting its attention to the Deathstalker - which had come out of hiding at this point, as Ruby landed over here. I ran as fast as I could to her side while they sized each-other up. Yang came right behind me as we hung at the edge of the plants here. Then when they started fighting we took out chance and moved as fast as we dared up the path. You were out cold and Ruby was barely hanging on... and the rest you know." She finished, a trace of sadness working its way into her voice. Blake inclined her head in respect, scanning the view before her.
"I take it this is where it came from?" She inquired, pointing at the noticeable trail of destruction that zigzagged across the trees, tearing across the canopy like a scar on the landscape. Something big had been through there, powerful enough to knock aside fully grown trees with trunks over a meter thick. It matched the depiction that Ruby had drawn, just not the Umbra that rested on the page in front of her. She turned over the possibilities in her head, debating what to ask her teammate next.
"Did you see anything that could hint to where it came from?"
"How do you mean?" Weiss asked, not fully understanding what Blake meant.
"The Deathstalker had moss growing on its armour, indicating it had been dormant for a long amount of time. Was there anything like that on the Umbra? A bleached mask from constant sun or old wounds from previous battles?" She watched with interest while Weiss ran through her memories, striving to find what Blake was looking for. The majority of her recollections were the brief flashes of lightning, but there were only the images of the vicious teeth slamming down inches from Rubys body or the tail swiping through wood in rage. She was about to shake her head, reminded as her mind kicked itself into gear.
"Yes. There was a distinct trio of blood red markings across its back. Like claws, but perfectly aligned, the same patterning all Grimm have." Blake tilted her head to the side, looking into Weiss's eyes with slight scepticism.
"Back? This one has a sail." She pointed out, causing Weiss to lean in closer to the image that Blake had pulled up on her scroll.
"It may have been on the sail, I'm not sure...definitely a scar of some sort. It didn't look natural like the rest of them, which is why it stood out to me." Her brow raised slightly at her own uncertainty, something that didn't escape Blakes attention. She sighed silently to herself, accepting the knowledge.
"The forest doesn't seem like ideal habitat, too much competition for it to be here by choice. Usually, Umbra are naturally the top predators but here it seems that that position is challenged by at least one species, maybe more. There's no telling how other Nevermores would react to it if they haven't already, the same goes for Taijitus. The forest is far more dangerous and challenging than where they usually live. I'm thinking this one was forced here somehow, either by something else or on purpose." Blake stared into the night, unaware of Weiss's growing concern flaring up again. The words chilled her to the core, but she daren't show it.
"What could possibly force something as dangerous as that?" She asked, eyes wider than usual. The response that she received only opened them further.
"Something more dangerous." Blake said flatly, her expression blank. The thought uneased Weiss even further but it didn't seem to affect Blake in the slightest. It was as though it was nothing new to her, like she had done it before. All of these little things pointed to the theory that Weiss was trying so hard to disregard. 'What do I really know about her? What if she's nothing like anything I ever considered?' She once again let her eyes once fall on the mysterious shrouded girl, gazing out over the forest. She looked so lonely, so isolated. Weiss didn't care for her social preferences of course, but even she in her cold sarcasm and icy front almost felt sorry for Blake.
"Can I ask you something? Something personal?" Weiss asked after a moment of hesitation. She spoke gingerly, unsure about how guarded Blake would be about her personal feelings. Amber eyes met blue in the night air, lending a subtle feeling of tranquillity to the scene. They both kept their gazes steady, with Blake breaking the silence in a distinctly cold manner.
"That depends on what you ask." She answered, already disliking the way this conversation was heading. She would much rather concentrate on the memories locked away that taunted her with their knowledge, but she couldn't straight up drop her teammate like a stranger. She owed it to Weiss to at least be polite in her declinations, as much as she didn't care for it. Weiss's body loosened somewhat, but the apprehension was still visible in her body language. She wasn't entirely confident to continue, yet she was well aware of the rare opportunity she had at learning more about her teammate.
"Did something happen before you came here? Is that why you-"
"No."
The severity of Blakes voice halted Weiss dead in her tracks. The usually calm, observant eyes now brimmed with anger, forcefully burning away any intentions Weiss had left. She remained crouched as Blake closed the book hard, wearing a face that screamed of pain. It was not physical injuries that twisted her heart, or mental wounds that fuelled her words. This ran far deeper than that, to her very soul.
"We're done talking." She struggled to keep the rage inside, threatening to rise above her self-control. Blinded by fury that Weiss had unintentionally triggered, Blake swung open the door, leaving it to crash on its hinges and slam shut behind her. Weiss stood speechless, startled at the hostility she had received. Her mind raced with thoughts, running to wild conclusions and doubling back on themselves in a complete state of disarray. She couldn't quite believe nor accept the denial, not after Blakes harsh reaction. Something was not right, she could feel it, knowing that it would linger in her mind, reminding her of how she couldn't do anything about it. She despised herself on occasion, wishing she knew where the lines were. 'A detached life will do that to you...' She reflected for a second, casting the thoughts aside before they could take hold. Silently walking towards the door, she didn't look forward to the next meeting they would have.
Blake cleared the stairs three at a time, shifting her hand along the railing as she descended. She tried to ignore the pent up frustrations inside as best she could but they refused to leave her alone, fading from anger to regret as she ran. Her feelings rammed against her heart as she shoved the library door open, casting the book onto the nearest table in total disregard. She threw herself onto the wooden surface, caving in to the sorrow that darkened her life. She buried her head in her arms, temper subsided into misery as her whole body heaved with tears, running down her skin onto the table below. 'Why did everything have to be so difficult? Why can't I be normal like everybody else? Why do I have to carry the burden?' Despair flooded her mind, only intensifying her suffering. She could feel her lungs gasping for air through her sobs, her violent shaking accompanying the desperation that flooded her heart. She felt so pathetic, so worthless. Everyone else could control their emotions but she was too weak to even do that. She was just one insignificant person in this legendary place, she didn't deserve to be here.
The pitiful sounds carried long into the night.