Hey !
Volume 8 has started ! *fangirl crisis* The second I saw the episode was there, I was like "Food, drink, pillow to cry, lights off, full screen, "do not disturb" sign on my door" XD
Don't worry, I won't spoil anything, I'll just say, it's a very good start to me n_n
Anyway, yes, this is a bonus chapter to buy me some time, I got the idea talking with my sister who has two daugthers (3 and 1 yo, so cute) and I'm very proud of the last line so I hope you'll like it.
Also, I recently reread everything I wrote until now and ... did I really make that much mistakes in the translation ...? Really sorry for that, I now it can be disturbing or unpleasant when you read, it does me the same impression in french. I promise I do my best ...
Good reading n_n
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It was dark, it must have been around 1 a.m. Raven was slumped on her bed, her right leg and arm sticking out of the mattress, and she hadn't even taken the time to change before bed. It had been a particularly tiring day, and as soon as she had finished all she had to do, she collapsed heavily on her bed, falling asleep the second her head made contact with the pillow.
The tribe was sorely lacking in organization when she returned, and although she had a lot of fears and doubts, she didn't regret being able to help them live in better conditions. Even if some had left and new ones had come, the tribe was still her family, people with whom she had grown up, laughed, cried, and to whom she had broken a few teeth while laughing. It was something she had tried to explain to her team, without success. Tai and Summer may be very understanding people, but she had never been able to convince them that a group of thieves and killers could be good people that she might want to return to, people who relied on her to help them when she comes back and protect them with what she learned at Beacon, people she missed a lot during the years she passed far from her home.
Yes she was sad to abandon her team, her husband, but when she saw her tribe partying happily, with enough food that there were leftovers when everyone was already full, without fear for their lives because of the Grimm and the Huntsmen, like normal people, her guilt diminished, replaced by a desire to always do more for them, even if it meant having to do sleepless nights.
-GAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
Raven woke up with a start, falling off her bed in motion. She looked around frantically, until she realized where the cry was coming from. With a sigh that sounded a lot like a moan, she stood up and turned to the baby basket in which a few weeks old angel was wriggling in her blankets crying for food.
-GAAAHAHAHA!
-Okay okay Yang, mommy's awake…
Raven let out a long yawn before taking her daughter in her arms. Yang's cries subsided almost instantly, but she continued to whine to remind her she was hungry. Raven sighed and sat down on the edge of her bed, Yang sitting on her lap and held by her right arm, while the left opened her cleavage a little more and lowered the right part of her top to reveal her breast. Eyes half closed with sleep, she adjusted Yang's position, who immediately began to suck, finally stopping whining.
Raven relaxed and let out a deep sigh of relief when calm finally returned, almost falling asleep. She forced herself to stay awake anyway, and let out another long yawn, before opening her eyes. Her gaze then fell on a small, blond-haired doll, her eyes focused on her food, her two tiny hands trying to squeeze her breast for more milk. She was so small, so fragile, she couldn't even sit by herself, and anything made her burst out laughing, showing a toothless smile.
Raven smiled tenderly.
-Mommy ?
Raven sighed inwardly. She was too tired to even open her eyes …
-Mommy ?
Yang grabbed her blanket and pulled on it to get her attention.
-Mommy ? Mommy. Mommy. Mommy.
-I'm awake …
-So why don't you answer?
Raven moaned and popped her head off the pillow to check the time on the clock at the other end of her tent. 1 a.m. With a yawn, she then looked down at her daughter. A barely three-years-old Yang was standing in front of her bed, gripping the hem of her pajama top and swinging from one leg to the other.
-What's the matter ?
-I need to pee.
There was a moment of silence, before Raven let her head fall into her pillow again, moaning.
Raven could hardly sleep because of the storm. Wind and thunder roared outside, while it was still full sun this afternoon and they were going on a raid the next day. She hated when the weather decided to fuck her up …
A loud thunderclap sounded, followed by a shrill cry.
-AAAAAH!
Despite the racket, Raven clearly heard Yang stand up and run towards her.
-Mommy I'm scared!
Raven sighed and turned to face her four years old daughter.
-It's just the storm sweetie, it's fine …
-But … but …
Another thunderclap sounded and Yang's shrill little voice screamed again. Raven sighed and pushed her blanket back to stand. She wouldn't have the courage to take care of this every storm …
-M-Mommy…?
Still sleepy and in pajamas, Raven pulled on her rain coat without closing it, and took her daughter in her arms.
-Mommy will show you something.
She felt Yang sink her head into her chest as she walked out of the tent. Outside you could barely see more than a meter because of the rain. Raven sat down on the first step of the stairs leading to her tent, and wrapped her coat around Yang.
-Look.
-No I'm scared …
-Don't be, trust mommy.
Slowly, and a little reluctantly, Yang looked ahead. A lot of water was falling very hard, at an angle because of the strong wind which made a monstrous noise. A thud is heard, followed by a flash. Yang cried out again, burying her head in her mother's chest.
-Mommy I'm scared! I want to go home !
-Why ? Nothing happened. See? It's just water, wind, and light … Just like magic …
They stayed outside for a while longer, and after a few more lightning bolts and thunderclaps, Yang finally calmed down, although she wasn't quite comfortable yet. Raven smiled tenderly as she saw her slowly pop her head out of the raincoat. Her brave little girl.
-Atchoum!
Yang sniffled and breathed heavily as Raven sat down next to her bed, and slipped a washcloth over her face.
-Mommy …
-Shhh … It's okay little bird, I'm here.
Yang blinked with a tired look, struggling to see because of the lack of light. She had been sick for two days, and for two days Raven had hardly slept, staying all night at her daughter's bedside, in case she needed anything. Several people, including Vernal, offered to replace her so that she could rest, but she refused. She was Yang's mother, it was up to her to take care of her daughter. And she was way too worried to leave her anyway.
-Mommy, my head's hurting …
Raven dipped a small towel in water and wrung it out before placing it on her forehead. It was just a fever and a stuffy nose, but it was the first time Yang was sick and Raven wasn't sure what to do. Most children get sick at school from being around other children, but Yang had never set foot in school. When she had turned five, Raven had considered the idea of putting her in a normal school, she would just have to come up with a false last name and make it clear to her that she was not allowed to mention the tribe in any way. But then she thought about the possibility of Ozpin spotting her somehow, and she immediately let it go. It might be paranoia, but after what he had done, it was justified.
Raven stood up and stuck her head out of Yang's room to look at the clock in their tent. It was past 1 a.m. Doesn't matter, as long as her little bird needed her, she would stay awake night and day.
-Mom ! Get up ! Quick !
Raven woke up with a start, her hand instinctively reaching for the knife hidden under her pillow. But before she could do anything with it, Yang grabbed the sleeve of her pajamas and pulled her out of bed, jumping in excitement, knocking her down on the floor in the process. Since the day she activated her Semblance, she had become even more untenable …
-Come on! Hurry !
-Yang, for God's sake, what's going on ?!
-Come outside! Now !
Raven sighed and stood up, Yang now pulling on her hand. Outside, many people were standing, and some were still coming out of their tents, all looking up to the sky. Raven did the same, curious to find out what her tribe was passionate about, and even she found her breath taken away.
Just above their heads, lost among the forests of Anima, far from the city's light pollution, was a magnificent shower of shooting stars.
-Ouaaaaah…
Raven stopped staring at the sky for a moment, only to see Yang standing next to her, with the same amazed look she had when she saw magic. Raven smiled and sat down on the first step of the stairs that led to her tent, leading Yang to sit next to her. Without taking her eyes off the spectacle that was occurring above them, the little blonde rested her head on her mother's shoulder. And as she looked up at the sky again, Raven couldn't stop smiling.
-Mom ?
Raven looked up from her papers, to see her daughter standing next to her.
-Yang, it's 1 a.m, go back to sleep.
-You're not sleeping.
-I wish I could, but I have work to do.
-Can I stay with you…?
Raven sighed as Yang squirmed from one foot to the other. She knew very well what was preventing her daughter from sleeping, the same morning she had learned that she would soon participate in her first raid, she who had been waiting for this for so long. Anyone would be just as stressed and excited as her.
-Alright, come sit down.
Yang smiled and practically jumped up on her appointed cushion. She reached for the teapot, a cup always out for her, but Raven was faster as she pushed the hot drink out of reach.
-Tea will prevent you from sleeping.
-I already can't sleep …
-Precisely, don't make it worse.
Yang pouted, crossing her arms. A few tens of seconds passed during which Raven could concentrate on her work, before a growl snapped her out of her thoughts.
-Boooooored …
-Then go to bed.
-Na …
Raven sighed again and put down her pen. She couldn't work until this matter was settled …
-What is it?
-Nothing …
-Yang …
Yang looked away for a moment, before finally huffing as she dropped her hands on her knees.
-I don't want to fuck u-…
-Language.
-… to mess up during the raid …
-It's a raid, Yang. What in Remnant could you mess up?
-I don't know, I …
A warm hand rested on her shoulder, making her look up at her mother.
-Listen sweetie, it's okay to be stressed, but you have no reason to be afraid. Because as long as the tribe remains united, nothing can stop us, not the Huntsmen, not a blizzard, and surely not a small mistake of one person during a raid. You mustn't be afraid of falling, the important is to get up afterwards.
Yang looked down for a moment, then nodded with a confident smile. Raven smiled back at her, and went back to her work.
-Hey mom …
Or at least she tried …
-Yes ?
-Do you often stay awake so late?
-When I'm planning a raid, yes. Why ?
-You look exhausted all the time …
-Don't worry about me little bird, and go to bed instead.
-You should go to bed.
-I would like to, but someone has the annoying habit of waking me up in the middle of the night when I manage to sleep early.
-What? I don't do it so often! Name me one time I woke you up.
At that, Raven froze, then slowly turned her head towards her daughter with the flattest look she ever gave her.
-Yang, you were born at 1 a.m.