Author notes: I absolutely hate this chapter. I hate it so much but I'm way too tired and stressed to try and fix it right now. However, I wanted to at least give you guys something for the time being. I might edit and update this tomorrow but I seriously struggled with this so I doubt it. People have been asking that I work on the smut that I published so I might mess around with that for a while until I can clear my head.
Anyhow as per usual likes and comments are much appreciated and yeah I guess, enjoy?
Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing, all creditability and ownership of the following scenarios and characters goes to Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum.
Much to Blake's annoyance, it had taken her three days to secure safe transportation to Patch. Usually it should've only taken a day and a half at most, but now with heightened security and transportation between kingdoms being strictly forbidden without correct authorisation, Blake's mission had become unnecessarily difficult. Fortunately, she had somehow managed to slip past any border patrols at Vale and had snuck aboard a medical berg headed to the offshore island to provide basic supplies.
Once the airship had landed at what Blake presumed was a medical bay, Blake had ran out into the surrounding woods whilst the crew members unloaded heavy crates adorned with a familiar white, patterned family crest. It had been nearly five hours since then and frustratingly, Blake still had no idea where she was; the tightly compacted woods provided no indication of where to go and on more than one occasion she had seen the glimmer of a Grimm's eyes in the distance.
However, just as Blake had given up all hope of finding any signs of civilisation and was about to climb a tree in order to continue her search the next day, she saw the soft glow of artificial lights in the distance. Forcing herself to sprint until she reached cobbled pathways, Blake leaned against a rusted lamppost as she tried to catch her breath. She had been walking for too long, without breaks and without food or water. The lack of attention that she had paid to her body since leaving Vale had clearly taken its toll. A few people hurried past her as they walked past, clearly concerned about their safety around the Faunus but Blake paid them no attention, still trying to regulate her breathing and waiting for her muscles to stop screaming in pain.
After spending five minutes collecting herself, Blake stood up straight then started looking around at her surroundings; the village only contained a few wooden buildings and a stone well in the centre but it looked cosy enough. It was when Blake walked around and in between a few concealed houses, looking for shelter and a place to sleep down an alley, that she heard a loud outburst of laughter from the building opposite her. Turning around quickly to identify the noise, Blake saw that it was a pub that was filled with people…. People who could give her information…
Crossing the street and then entering the pub, Blake was immediately greeted with a mixture of inquisitive and concerned glances. Stepping up to the counter, Blake past a group of burly men who were leaning uncomfortably close towards her. Blake's thoughts to chastise them for their behaviour were, however interrupted by a deep, gruff voice. "What can I get you, young lady" Focusing her attention to the voice, Blake saw that it was a man who was standing behind the bar that had asked her the question. He was tall and well built, probably in his mid-twenties. A large variety of scars were peppered across his tan skin, the man clearly used to be a huntsman.
"How can I get to the Xiao Long residence?" Blake asked with confidence, not wanting to appear as timid and weak in front of these men. "What business do you have with them" The man suddenly grunted with hostility as he glared suspiciously at Blake while slowly picking up and drying a pint glass. "I'm here to see Yang. I'm her friend." The man stopped what he was doing and leaned against the bar tab, invading Blake's personal space. "Why would a supposed friend of Taiyang's daughter not know where they lived?" Blake paused for a second, he clearly knew the family and knew that something was off. "I didn't have the opportunity to go there before the fall of Beacon and I have been busy since then." "That's a nice story, but why should I disclose private information to a stranger who coincidently happens to suddenly show up not even two days after Taiyang heads out of town."
"What! He- He left her!" Blake screeched. She couldn't believe it, Taiyang had left Yang all alone… Yang was alone… Unprotected and Undefended…No… Blake grabbed the barkeeps shirt as she lost basic control over herself. "How could he do that? Where is she?" "Woah, Back off." He yelled as he tried pulling away from the grip Blake held on him to no avail. "He left to go get his youngest daughter. He'll be back any day now." "I don't care about that. All that matters is that you tell me right now where he lives. Tell me where Yang is." "No" "TELL ME WHERE SHE IS! SHE'S IN DANGER. I NEED TO KNOW WHERE SHE IS SO I CAN SAVE HER! TELL ME!" Blake yelled as she started shaking the now terrified man. "Dust, Okay, Okay! North East, follow the dirt trail till you reach the sign post then go right, if you keep to that path it'll be there."
Letting go of the man as soon as she got the information she needed, Blake turned on her heels and ran outside the pub, ignoring all of the shocked and angry stares she left behind her. She needed to get to Yang right now.
It was roughly four in the morning before Blake started running down the right path past the signpost. What if the man had lied to her? What if she was going the wrong way? Doubt began creeping into her system as she hadn't seen a single building ever since she had left the town. Why would they live secluded from the main town? Surely that wasn't right? Blake swallowed her negative thoughts with little success as her paranoia pushed her too continue despite the fact that every motion and breathe she took burned; she was exhausted and malnourished but the fear pushed her past that. She needed to know that Yang was safe. What was the hell was Taiyang thinking when he left?
Eventually the trees began to thin down and Blake saw the outline of a small hut in the distance. Crouching low and creeping towards to the house, Blake stayed within the outer tree line. This had to be the place…Please let Yang be safe and inside… She circled the building twice, every time approaching closer and closer, trying to get a glimpse of life through the windows but found none. It was suspicious to say the least.
After her third time circling the perimeter Blake straightened herself up and cautiously approached the front door. Her instincts screamed at her to leave... To run… But she put them at the back of her mind. She needed to see Yang. She would've just called for the blonde, but she didn't want to risk Yang knowing that it was her and locking her out before she had a chance to explain everything. So with tentative breaths Blake raised her right hand and knocked on the door three times.
Nothing. Nothing happened. Blake immediately tensed into a fighting stance. She didn't even hear the rustle of footsteps or the echo of closing of doors. Something wasn't right. Changing her stance so that she faced the door sideways, she slammed her shoulder against the front door with all of her strength. Barraging the door open after four strikes, she stepped inside.
The first thing that Blake noticed was the eerie silence. There wasn't so much as a peep, not a clock chime or a bark from Zwei…Nothing. Closing the door behind her as quietly as she could Blake proceeded further inside the house.
Entering the main living space Blake noticed the first promising yet worrying sign, a plate with a half-eaten slice of bread on it. The fact that someone had been here recently was the optimistic sign, however, why they hadn't finished their meal was what concerned Blake. Unsheathing Gambol Shroud, Blake was just about to investigate the kitchen until she heard a loud rustling of sheets from behind a closed door from the corridor.
Gripping her weapon firmly in her hands, Blake slowly proceeded down the hall and stood before the door the noise came from. Taking deep breaths, Blake steadied herself before reaching out with her hand towards the doorknob and slowly twisting it, opening the door with an unnerving squeak.
The room was small; only housing a small desk, a pot of sunflowers which sat above it, a window and a bed. Atop of that bed was a rather large, odd shaped lump beneath the covers. Holding her breath, Blake slowly stepped forwards, Gambol Shroud in her right hand as her left reached out, just about to pull away the blanket as she felt a hot, sticky breath brush against the back of her neck, sending sickening chills down her spine. "Hello again, my love"