Chapter 4: A Jaded Forest Part I

It was 6:00am when the alarm of Qrow's scroll (and many others) pierced through his dreams. At first he wondered where the hell he was, then he remembered. He was at Beacon Academy. As Qrow came to, he heard the grumbled expletives of the other students as they awoke as well. He hunched forward and yawned. It wasn't the most comfortable night's sleep he'd had but better than nothing. Not wanting to be the first one to get up he waited till few other people had started to get out of their sleeping bags and then proceeded to do the same. He rolled up his sleeping bag and put it back in the small covering it was in before. Qrow could barely hold in his excitement as he packed his sleeping bag, as he was finished he started swaying the bag slightly just to try and keep him distracted. As he was clearing his space he spied Raven who was doing the same, packing her sleeping bag, not as neatly as Qrow but it was Raven, Raven did what Raven wanted. He then spotted Summer who was, just like him, struggling to hide her excitement. The night before they had talked and enthused about all the things that could happen today, the possibilities and all the 'geeky' and 'nerdy' things about becoming a hunter and huntress. Peter and Bart had then started talking about Grimm and all the different kinds of them that inhabited each continent.

"Morning Qrow!" He felt someone slap him on the back. He turned to scowl at the person but it was his new found friend Peter. Peter all ready and dressed to take on whatever today's assignment threw at him. Qrow on the other hand hadn't had any other clothes apart from his fighting attire so he had slept in that. Probably the reason why his night sleep was so uncomfortable.

"Hey Pete." Qrow rasped groggily. He picked up his weapon and fastened it to his back. Peters blunder bust weapon strapped in its holster on his back.

"Not a morning person I take it?" He chuckled awkwardly. Peter put Qrow's sleeping bag in his suitcase for ease of travelling and went over to Bartholomew. As Qrow turned around he saw Raven stood silently next to him like she had been stood there all along. Back in her usual battle gear and weapon by her side.

"So, how's the new puppy?" Qrow teased. Raven's eye brows creased and she folded her arms. Just as she was about to unleash her repertoire of curse words onto him.

"Can all initiates please make their way down the corridor and turn right into the sign posted training area. If any students see any lost initiates please guide them in right direction as it would be much appreciated."

All initiates found the lecturers room with ease, as it was practically as it was signposted almost every step you took. Everybody settled down into their little friendship groups they'd made in the last twenty four hours. Raven was to the right of Qrow and Peter, Bartholomew and Summer, in that order, were to his right. The stand was in a horse shoe shape with big cushioned oak benches with the desks in front of them. Qrow looked over his future class mates and potentially, depending on what the imitation would bring, future competitors. Just as he was looking, he saw a familiar blonde haired lost puppy.

"Hey, Ray?"

"What?" she snapped quietly. She hated that nickname, he kinda liked it for no reason other than that.

"I found your little lost pupp-" Raven smacked him over the head, causing his face to nearly land on the desk. "Let me point him out for you." He smirked. The pointed to the part of the stand opposite and waved to the boy. He waved back and winked towards Raven.

"I hate you so much right now…" Raven hissed.

"What's new?" The door then opened and the professor who found the twins their sleeping bags and spare clothes, walked into the middle of the floor. He held a note pad and pen. He coughed.

"Can Bartholomew Oobleck, Patrick Port, Qrow Branwen, TaiYang Xiao Long, Lorcan Eastward, Michael Waterstone, Maxwell Poppyfall, Summer Rose, Raven Branwen, Glynda Goodwitch, Julia Proxy, Roxanne Scarlatina, Nessa Kingstone, Tulip Mason, Bailey Kingstone and Lucy Harington, please make their way this way." All of sixteen names that were called out, got up and walked towards the professor. The professor then walked to the door and held it open all of them. They all walked through the door into a large hallway. The initiates waited for the professor to lead the way, after he'd closed the door behind them.

As the professor took the lead the students followed in a tense, nervous silence. The only sound present was the steps of their shoes. This is the part no one knew about. The initiation. He'd heard people had actually died from the initiation, which wasn't like any other academy. Yes, the other academy's had tough initiations but the worst a person could leave it with was a broken leg or two, not their life. Even Raven looked a little nervous even for her. Qrow glanced to his friends behind him and they too all looked just as nervous. Summer looked around at them all and nodded, a determined smile now plastered on her face, not that of a nervous wreck. Her confidence filled them with courage. He could survive this. They could survive this. The professor pressed a button on the wall of the corridor and two huge dark oak doors creaked open. The blinding light of the sun dividing the hall in two. As the initiates walked through the door they saw an enormous jade forest spread before them. The forest itself below the sheer cliff face they stood upon. Ozpin stood in front of them as they made their way out of the hallway onto the grass. There were sixteen marble plates imbedded into the grass.

"Can each of you please stand on one of these plates." Ozpin gestured to the plates on the ground. All did as asked in eerie silence. Ozpin smiled slightly. "Now, now no need to be too scared. But of course a little fear is good…"

"Sir. Please stay to the task at hand." The professor muttered next to him, his face solemn. The students all did as asked and stood on the marble plates. Qrow was two from the end, then to his left was Peter, then Summer, then Raven, then Bartholomew and then Ravens lost puppy.

"Oh right." Ozpin stood up straighter. "So this is the initiation of Beacon Academy, as you guessed. This part of the academy is seen as top secret. Truth is, this is as much like the real world of Remnant as when you were training, many don't say much about how to prepare when you undergo initiation, because when you come here you should already be prepared to what the Remnant really is. If you fail this initiation you will not be walking out of this forest alive. Remnant gives you no second chances, so why should we? Now onto the initiation." Ozpin's looked to his colleague. His colleague then tapped on the Atlas manufactured tablet.

"Today you will be in the emerald forest. The forest is teeming with Grimm. Your task however is to grab the artefacts at the end of the path, once you have retrieved them you need to make your way back up the cliff to finish the assessment. Like Professor Ozpin said there are no second chances, but there are other academy professors watching. They will, however, not intervene if your life is threatened by the Grimm."

"Sounds simple." Qrow muttered under his breath.

"However…" The professor continued. 'Oh' Qrow thought. "Many of you have heard of the teaming system of the various academies. Well our system is very simple to start off with. The first person you make eye contact with is your partner for the next four years. After the assignment you will then be put into teams, that part is classified until you finish the assignment."

"Now landing strategies." Ozpin nodded to his colleague. "Simply bend your legs when approaching the ground and obviously angle yourself so your feet are towards the ground. Oh and use your weapons if needed. Any questions?" Silence. "Good."

At that the first person at the end of the row of plates was thrown into the air. The others all got ready as they were taught at their original academy. Each time the plate sounded off, the closer Qrow got to his goal. He did however may have just got a marginally closer to his death. He'd faced all Grimm known to world at one point or another. He heard Raven make a noise to him. She looked over and nodded to him as she was propelled through the air. He then looked straight ahead as Summer was the flung into the air. He readied himself. But he'd forgotten one thing, to remember where his friends and Raven had landed. No time to think of that now. Soon after Peter was thrown into the forest, Qrow was then finding himself flying above the forest. Raven had bound to have watched what direction he was heading and making a B-line for him. He looked beneath him and saw the forest fast approaching. He unsheathed his sword and flung it at a tree. The Sword struck the trunk about half way up from the ground. He then proceeded to land on the sword with the grace and precision of a bird landing on a branch. Qrow then firmly planted his feet on the tree trunk and hauled the blade out of the tree and landed on the ground in a crouch. Landing, done. His surroundings were that of a normal forest, apart from the slight shriek of a Nevermore and gargles of the Beowulf's. The trees were very tall in fact, which in the long run wouldn't benefit him, but some Grimm might be lurking right up at the top.

Now to get to the artefacts and find a partner along the way. He headed north, towards where the two professors motioned. As he ran through the forest he thought about the partners he may encounter. There was Pete to start, he would be the closest, though he had only just got to know him so it may an awkward trek to the artefacts. There was Summer, she was nice and kind. But she probably, considering her size, wouldn't be too good in a fight and an easy target for Grimm. There was Bart. From the get go he was very enthusiastic, a bit too enthusiastic about killing Grimm. Thinking of Grimm there was Raven, being partners with his sister sounded like hell, but she was the only one who he knew the most about.

As soon as those thoughts had finished something struck his left side sending him flying a couple of feet.

"What the?!" Qrow exclaimed. As he looked up, a huge Beowulf Grimm towered over him. With the way Qrow had landed he wouldn't be able to get his sword out in time to deflect the attack. It went to swipe its huge paw at him but it stopped mid swing and started to disintegrate as it collapsed limply to the ground. Its killer stood behind it and looked at Qrow in both shock and awkwardness. They both stayed like that for a while. The only sound present was the rustle of her white cloak. Her steel dual swords glinting in the sun as the Grimm's black blood sizzled away. "Guess we're partners then." Qrow smirked.

"I guess so." Summer smiled back. "Wanna head to the artefact thingy's?" Qrow nodded and they both continued to walk north.

"I could have totally taken that thing, just to clarify." Qrow shrugged his shoulders.

"Uh- huh, so you were just sat there gawking at it because…?" She smirked in knowing she'd already won this friendly disagreement.

"I knew you were there, wanted to give you the glory." He gesture to her.

"Ok, sure. You keep telling yourself that." Summer rolled her eyes in amusement.

The forest seemed to get greener and thicker and more vibrant as they proceeded through it. As they were walking through the forest however, Qrow felt a negative atmosphere enter the air. He pulled his sword out from his back and held it in his fighting stance, Summer doing the same with her dual swords. Whatever was coming must be big. The bushes ahead of the rustled. As they were ready to launch an attack, Raven's katana cleaved a way through the undergrowth. Her face that of pure rage and irritation. She stormed past both Summer and Qrow without uttering a word. Out from behind the undergrowth a blonde haired boy from before appeared. Raven then turned, a face of thunder and she proceeded to shout to Qrow and pointing at the boy.

"IT KEEPS FOLLOWING ME!"

Another chapter down and in the bag, of book in this case? I always thought of both Summer and Qrow as partners. (They are my RWBY OTP ;D). I did plan on writing a Raven P.O.V. but I found it better having her find Qrow with her little Golden Labrador and that's why it took a bit longer than planned. I may stick to Wednesday updates as it gives me a weekend to write a chapter, and not finish one and start another, if that makes sense.

AND the funniest thing about it is that, whilst I was writing Ravens entrance The Star Wars theme came up on my playlist which was perfect XD

Thanks so much for the Follow and Favourites :D Don't forget to review about what you like about the story and what I could add.

THANKS FOR READING!