Chapter Three
As Ruby and the other students gathered for the Intiation test to sort out which Huntsmen Teams that were going to be assigned, preparing her Crescent Rose for whatever Beacon had planned. Her sister Yang stood at her left, craning her neck from side to side, then smirked as she thumbed Amber Celica, making sure that they still functioned. about a dozen other students were also making their preparations, and to her immediate right, she saw a snake Faunus who was carrying a contraption that looked to be an LMG fused to a recoilless rifle. When she looked over past Yang to see Weiss, who glared at the teenager, Ruby turned back to the Snake Faunus.
"Uh, hi there. I'm Ruby, what is your name?" she asked. The Snake Faunus paused, then after looking back at Ruby with a raised eyebrow, answered back.
"Langley. Anything I can help you with?" he replied, eyes falling down to her Sniper-Scythe as he took a second at her. Ruby also noted that he stood a good several inches above her height, with musculature that was likely the result of exercising quite a bit.
Huh, no references to a color in his name, that's... the girl thought to herself. As she examined his weapon, she decided to ask him about it. After all, she noticed that he as curious about Crescent Rose as she was of his particular weapon.
"I was just curious about your... uh, creation there." she answered while faintly gesturing to it. Langley, smiled seemingly amused for some reason. He decided to lifted up his weapon, letting her see for herself how it was designed. Immediately Ruby noted that it resembled a Helican Arrow '75er' 50-cal LMG, with the recoilless rifle part actually having the back end being used to house some kind of mechanism.
"Well, this is Hi-Lo. Designed it while I was training in the Wind Path Combat School program at Mistral." Langley replied. Ruby nodded as he began to ramble off abit about the mechanisms which Hi-Lo worked with, when she noticed that the back end was blocked off with some form of device.
"Hold on, Langley, if Hi-Lo is part recoilless rifle, shouldn't the back end be open to allow exhaust out?" she asked. The Snake Faunus looked at it, then smiled lightly.
"Yeah, most don't usually notice that a standard recoilless rifle is supposed to be a tube open at both ends. That's the firing block for Hi-Lo, which-
"Ha, didn't know snakes were among the animals that make their own tools!" someone interrupted, and both Cadets turned to see one of their peers, a tall Human comparable to Langley in height with orange hair dressed in a suit of armor and carrying a mace. Before anyone can retort, Ozpin could be heard clearing his throat.
After a brief speech summarizing the conditions of the test, which was that whoever you made eye contact with first became your partner, and that you had to grab a relic after navigating the a maze within the time limit, everyone was launched into the testing grounds. Ruby, ever the most excitable one between her sisters, took to flying through the air easily, using Crescent Rose to catch a tree by its trunk and using it as a brake as she spun around it.
Once she landed safely on the ground, she detached the scythe, and inspected the blade. She preened as she saw it was still sharp despite her stunt, then looked at the spiral gouging pattern left on the bark of the tree.
Good, the blade is still holding up it looks like. Better get moving before any Grimm start coming. she thought, then took off to go find someone.
"RRRRUUUBYYY!" Weiss screamed from the top of her lungs, as both she and the red hood wearing teenager clung to the feathers of a Nevermore, a Grimm that resembles a raven which screamed in anger as it tried to shake the two aspiring Huntress' off of it. As Weiss took a look down at the ground, she saw the other students gathered around a vaguely ruined temple square of some kind, fighting off a scorpion Grimm called a Death Stalker and a small horde of Beowolves. Upon hearing a panicked cry, the Schnee heiress looked up to see Ruby slip and fall towards her.
"Ruby, no!" Weiss screamed, as the red hooded girl slammed into her, and knocked the two of them flying into the air towards the ground. While the girls were falling, Weiss grunted as she maneuvered a shrieking Ruby into the crook of her arm. Channeling her Aura, Weiss then created a glyph made of Gravity Dust, slowing the the two of them down just enough that when they hit the ground, Weiss collapsed to one knee, while Ruby, still screaming, finally processed that they were on the ground.
"YYYYAAA- eh?" Ruby exclaimed, looking around as she saw her surroundings. Weiss sighed.
"Finally..." she mumbled. Once she released Ruby from her grip, Weiss looked over and saw a Beowulf rushing towards her.
Reacting quickly, Weiss thrusted out with Myrtenaster, a MADR (Multi Action Dust Rapier) that stabbed into the paw of the Beowulf, and glowed red as Weiss activated a vial of Fire Dust which burned the Grimms' flesh. As it reared back its paw and roared in pain, Ruby snapped out of her shock and slashed out with Crescent Rose, chopping a second Beowulf in half while Weiss shot a fireball at the one she was fighting, killing it by blowing off its head. An explosion rang out which killed two more Beowolves, and the two saw Langley with Hi-Lo smoking from the recoilless rifle part, along with several more of their fellow Cadets engaged in the fight. A familiar sight in the form of Yang appeared from the group.
"Ruby! Are you ok?!" Yang exclaimed, making Weiss raise an eyebrow.
"You all know each other?" she asked while gesturing with Myrtenaster, when a shot rang out. She looked over and saw one of the other Huntsmen Cadets, like Langley, was a Faunus. In her case however, it was a Raccoon Faunus, carrying a bolt-action rifle studded with Water and Electric Dust gems as she shot another bullet in the direction of the forest, which struck an emerging Beringal in the eye, causing it to recoil and shriek. It was then finished off by Langley firing a burst from Hi-Lo's machine gun, slaying the Grimm.
"Nope. Eleanor Vandervelt. What's your name?" the Raccoon Faunus introduced herself, loading another bullet. Weiss was surprised by the casual air she had, dressed in a camouflaged hooded jacket, with grey fatigues that were tucked into a pair of matching combat boots reaching halfway to her knees.
"...Weiss Schnee. I am... pleased to meet you." the white haired teen introduced herself with clear hesitation, while Ruby coughed awkwardly. The Schnee family name was something that had a controversial history due to accusations regarding its practices with Faunus employees, something Ruby and her sister Yang knew as they watched how Langley and Eleanor react to realizing they were with one of the heiress' of the SDC. One of the other Cadets, a Human spoke up.
"...Well, If your introductions are done, the name's Stanton." The group then turned to look at him, who was a boy dressed in a similar manner to Eleanor with the exception of his hoodie being short sleeved and wearing bracers, carrying a sword which from what Ruby could see from the design, appeared to be able to shift into a grenade launcher of some kind... it helped that he was also wearing a bandolier with Dust grenades on it across his chest.
The fourth member of Langley's group, who was also a male Human, but with pale skin similar to Weiss, with hair that was a pale blonde. He wore a black long sleeve shirt with neon green piping, which was worn under a sky blue vest and a pair of black pants with the same neon green highlights around the waist and sides of the legs as his shirt. He was equipped with a SMG that was in a bullpup configuration, with several magazines of Fire and Ice Dust ammunition in pockets on his vest. The handle had a crystal of Gravity Dust built into it, and notably he was wearing a pair of gloves that matched his vest.
"Ted..." he said, shrinking back from everyone looking at him while looking around with a pair of dark brown eyes. It was then a girl dressed in what could be described as a cut-down maid outfit wearing a black bow tie arrived. and looking around a pair of golden eyes and a hard to read expression. She stared at Weiss in particular for a moment, then spoke up.
"If you're done chit-chatting, I am pretty sure we have bigger problems to worry about." she said, pointing out the Nevermore currently heading their way. Jaune, along with several more Cadets could be seen fighting off a scorpion-shaped Grimm called Death Stalker.
Langley, in response to seeing the raven-like Grimm flying down pointed Hi-Lo at it. When he pulled one of two triggers, the machine gun began firing, shooting out a volley of Electric Dust bullets into the sky, which the Nevermore flew up to avoid. Unfortunately for it, it's large size proved to be a hindrance, as he began getting consistent hits to its torso. Suddenly he pulled the second trigger, and the recoilless rifle tube the machine gun was attached to glowed with the signature purple light of Gravity Dust, and the bright red streaking light of a chunk of Fire Dust launched out, slamming into the Nevermores' chest.
The Grimm screeched in clear rage and pain, as its feathers were set alight from the resulting explosion. As it twisted around to come falling down towards them, Langley shouted.
"Nevermore grounding!" he called out, and the other Cadets broke up their group to avoid being crushed by it. It then fell slamming into the ground, screaming as it cast about its burning feathers in all directions, flinging them like flaming ballista bolts. Yang rolled to the side, one such missile flying out into a tree, the flames reaching up to the braches and leaves where the trunk was impaled by it.
"Ah!" Yang growled, checking her hair for a moment, and then calmed down slightly upon confirmed it was both unsinged and still clean despite the maneuver she made. The Nevermore, meanwhile, snarled as it snapped at Langley and Eleanor, the later of the two tossing her rifle into the air and grabbing it by the stock. Her rifle then transformed into a club, which sparked and lit up with yellow lightning when she struck the Grimm attacking her on the beak. Ruby, meanwhile, jumped unto a pillar, then leapt off it onto the back of the Nevermore, slicing into an exposed part of it with Crescent Rose, causing the Grimm to shriek.
It batted at her with one of its wings, and struck nothing but air as Ruby fired off a Dust Bullet, launching herself out of reach of the attack, then fired another into the eye of the Nevermore. A pack of Beowolves were then spotted charging Weiss from behind, who was fighting off an Ursa using her Glyphs Semblance with Burn Dust to create and fire a volley of fireballs at it. Stanton and Ted, meanwhile, were fighting said Grimm pack together.
"Where did Cat Ears run off to?!" Ted cried out as he gunned down two of the Beowolves.
"Who?!" Weiss cried out, and Stanton elbowed Ted, glaring at him. The Ursa had fallen dead, and she had turned around to join the fight.
"That one girl with the bowtie! It looked cat ears! Where did she go?!" the SMG-toting Cadet yelled above the din of gunfire, reloading another clip while Stanton stabbed a Beowulf in the stomach, and then cleaved off one of its arms before slicing open its stomach further from where he wounded it.
The answer came when the Cadet in question flew overhead, firing off several rounds from her weapon, turning it into a cleaver, and then hacking apart multiple Grimm at once before proceeding to the Nevermore. As she charged it, she proceeded to slice into its neck, but not enough to cut off its head. She looked over, and saw the Nevermore rearing up its head as it cried out. It then turned its attention to her, only for a hail of Dust bullets from both Langley and Yang pelted it.
"Ruby! Finish it off!" Yang cried out, and the Scythe-wielder used her Semblance to charge and slip under the Nevermore's neck. Ruby then flipped up into the air, and delivered a strike which into the wound, finishing off the Grimm by taking advantage of the injury 'Cat Ears' as Ted called her left on its neck.
As the others looked over to where the others that Jaune was with were fighting the Death Stalker, they saw that it was just now being finished off by Cardin hammering its own stinger into its head with his mace alongside a girl with a hammer. The two Beacon Cadet groups then all got together, and waited after Ruby and Weiss grabbed a relic shaped like a chess piece for them to be retrieved by Ozpin and Glynda.
During this time, the girl that Yang was partnered with, now identified as Blake, walked by Ted while she listened to Yang idle on about various topics as he was sitting on a rock, examining something on his Scroll as she did so. Ted sniffed, and then looked up at Blake, whose eyes were observing him as he did so, causing her eyes to narrow.
"...Yang, I got something to check on." she said to the blonde brawler.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure." Yang replied, letting Blake walk away and up to Ted. Upon seeing her approach him, Teds' eyes widened, and he quickly typed something into his Scroll, possibly a message based on what looked like a social group chat app, and then quickly slipping on his pair of blue gloves. Blake raised an eyebrow at this, but seeing how nervous and... agitated he seemed even before she approached him, she assumed it to just be how he is.
"Hello, I am Blake Cawlson." she introduced herself, offering her hand. Ted stared at it, looked off to the side at something, then shook it.
"T-T-T- Ted. Renzo." he stuttered for a moment, arm robotically lifting up and down before he and Blake released their grip on the others hand.
"So, I heard that you had referred to me as 'Cat Ears' from Yang. Any particular reason why?" she asked, getting to the point and examining how he responded to her question.
"Uh..." Ted mumbled, looking up at what Blake quickly assessed was her bowtie. "...it was because your ribbon reminded me of a pet cat my family owned!" he said, to which Blake raised an eyebrow. She saw the way he shuddered and looked hyper-focused on her face, clearly hoping she bought it.
Obviously not the case... she thought, and it was just then that Eleanor Vandervelt interrupted the conversation.
"Yoo Ted, how has it been?! Already making new friends?!" she exclaimed, placing an arm around the shaking boy as she turned to Blake.
"Hey!" she offered to her, smiling at Blake lightly. Even so, her eyes examined the other girl with a seriousness that showed that she was tense.
Hmm... Ted must've sent a text when he saw me coming? Why is he more comfortable with Eleanor? Blake thought to herself, noting how he relaxed and withdrew from the conversation.
"Blake Cawlson."
"Eleanor Vandervelt."
"So you two know each other?"
"Yeah, he and I were in the same preparatory school before we came here to Beacon. Don't worry about Ted, he is usually not used to making friends easily."
"Uh, y-yeah." Ted mumbled. Blake watched the two with a raised eyebrow, then nodded. After some time passed, she decided it would be best to walk away for now.
There is something off about them... Blake thought to herself.
Beacon, Evaluation Assessment Room
Five hours after end of Evaluation and Cadet retrieval
"Hmm..." Ozpin hummed, examining the footage for the first years. He was especially focused on examining the footage captured by the cameras that followed them throughout testing, with several particularly intriguing ones having his attention. Glynda spoke up.
"Ozpin... you have been staring at those screens for a good while now. Is there anything that you consider worth the attention?" she asked, to which the man looked at her. She saw him stare into her face for a moment, his gaze the one that she has long since learned was him remembering a far off past, but then he mentally shrugged it off to answer.
"Sorry, but yes, I do think a few of our students this year are worth keeping an extra eye on." he said, presenting four portrait photos, along with the names of the ones assigned to them;
Eleanor Vandervelt.
Langley Smith.
Ted Renzo.
Stanton Egurd.
"What about them?" Glynda asked.
"These four Cadets have managed to excel in the field... but they were too successful, not to mention how quickly they found and paired off with one of the other three, and definitely have been trained to work together before coming here." Ozpin replied, showing Glynda clips of the combat footage that of the four Cadets in question.
One of the things she focused on was the timestamps of when they met with each other, and her eyes widened upon seeing that Langley paired up with Stanton, and Eleanor with Ted... within less then five minutes, and at around eight they got together as one group before they went to the Chess Relics which decided what the Huntsmen Teams were going to be. The time for a Cadet to find their partner was typically at the ten minute mark, and they almost never grouped up until after they were at the ruins.
"That's not all." Ozpin said, showing a still shot of Langley firing Hi-Lo at an Ursa, while Eleanor and Ted was defending him by fighting a second one that was behind Langley. The two were in a type of pseudo-formation, with Ted standing straight and firing his SMG, registered on his Cadet papers as Bar Claw into the Ursas' chest, while Eleanor using her weapon, registered as Night Iron in its club form to strike and deflect one of its paws, raising up from the ground in what was implied to be a kneeling position. Stanton was using Spring-Blade to stab into the Ursa Langley was engaged with, striking at its legs while the Snake Faunus focused on shooting along the Bear Grimm in its upper torso and head.
Such a position is highly ill-advised... one wrong move and Miss Vandervelt and Mr. Egurd would've been leaving Beacon in body bags. Glynda thought concerning Ted and Eleanor, wincing as she also saw the casings Bar Claw was ejecting could've potentially fallen onto Vandervelt, burning her back if it weren't for her cloak.
"That is... indeed concerning, but not indicative of anything. Their combat forms, while clearly something they have trained in, is really dangerous and reckless by inviting friendly fire." she commented, and then sighed upon her realizing what she just said.
"So you figured it out? And in regards to your comment, neither of these Cadets went to any of the same combat schools before coming to Beacon, yet all four of them worked together as though they were from the same class." Ozpin said, clarifing his suspicions.
"I see... so are you suspecting that like that Cadet Jaune Arc who didn't even have any Aura, they have entered with fake transcripts?"
"Yes. However, considering that Jaune managed to show some talent for leading a few times, I am willing to let his false entry slide to see how he performs. These four... I am going to keep as well."
"Headmaster?" Glynda questioned, an eyebrow raised as she looked at her superior.
"Simply put, we found them early enough that I am willing to let them stay in order to keep an eye on who they are, and what they are doing here." Ozpin explained. After a short time passed, he nodded.
"Well, it is time for me to organize the first year Huntsmen Teams for this year, and have the announcement made tomorrow."
Beacon Amphitheatre
As the the entire student body of Beacon gathered together, Ozpin was giving his speech about what it means to be a Huntsmen, his eyes moving about between the various first year Cadets now waiting for their assignments. Once Ozpin finished, he began calling forth the different teams together.
"Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Cawlson, Yang Xiao Long... You will be Team RWBY, with Ruby as your Captain." Ozpin announced, subtly watching their reactions to this, to gauge how each member of their Team reacted to this reveal. Ruby looked around as the audience clapped, surprised at the fact she was declared the Captain of Team RWBY, while Yang wrapped an arm around her younger sister's shoulders, congratulating her for getting the position.
Weiss, on the other hand, looked over with a slightly opened mouth, clearly having expected to be chosen as Captain, but maintaining her composure. Blake blinked, but remained unfazed it seems, instead watching the other girls as they walked back to their seats. Ozpin knew Weiss felt she should be the leader, but as she was clearly upset, he knew it was best to curb her ambitions so she should learn self-restraint as he observed how she berated Ruby. The red hood wearing girl herself, meanwhile, he sensed would play an important future role, and thus has a need to develop her self-confidence, while Yang and Blake would need to learn how to work together under a superior and with people that they don't see eye to eye with... especially Blake who he immediately recognized the true identity of.
She may have hidden her family name well, but she clearly underestimated how well-connected the Headmaster of Beacon was, and she couldn't hide the resemblance to her mother from him even if he wasn't able to see past her bow. Moving on, he called forth the next team.
"Jaune Arc, Nora Valkyrie, Pyrrha Nikos, Lie Ren... you will be Team JNPR, with Jaune as your Captain." Jaune was surprised by Ozpins' decision, while Nora, Pyrrha and Lie gathered around him and praised him. The Headmaster, after seeing how Jaune kept the others along with Cardin and his particular band organized enough to fight and beat a Death Stalker, saw then that Jaune could become a decent leader... if he can get the right amount of support from the rest of JNPR and is nudged in just the right way, not to mention having someone train him how to properly fight with his sword and shield to at least protect himself.
Pyrrha was also clearly drawn to Jaune not knowing who she was, so Ozpin considered it not unreasonable to predict she would become her Team Captain's closest confidant. Nora and Lie Ren would also pair well with each other, and no doubt prove to be great assets together. Ozpin, when he moved on to the next group, swallowed the bitter knot that formed as he recalled how the one he chose as Team Captain clearly viewed Faunus.
"Cardin Winchester, Russel Thrush, Dove Bronzewing, Sky Lark... you will be Team CRDL, with Cardin as your Captain." he announced. He was going to have to keep an eye on Team CRDL, as despite their keeping an appearance of professionalism, it was clear Cardin viewed himself as entitled to his position, and would be problematic towards his classmates here in Beacon, especially the Faunus Cadets. Speaking of which... he prepared to address the next Team to be formed.
"Stanton Egurd, Ted Renzo, Eleanor Vandervelt, Langley Smith... Team STEL..." he announced, looking over at Langley. The Snake Faunus, from the recorded footage of how he and the other members of the now newly formed Team STEL acted in battle, was the one in charge, but like Cardin developed an air of arrogance when he badgered Ted Renzo for needing help to be saved from an Ursa. Eleanor and Stanton seemed to have been used to this being the case with Langley, as a result...
"...With Stanton as your Team Captain." Ozpin announced. He saw that Stanton and Eleanor were both willing to stand up to Langley, and thus after some deliberation, he decided to go with the former of the two. Langley slightly tensed up, eyebrows furrowing while the others looked confused, and even glanced at Langley, clear concern about how he would respond. Ozpin stared back, the Headmaster unfazed by the sheer intense hate Langley glared at him with behind his calm expression. Ozpin only sighed, and then made his final lines in his speech to all the new first year Teams.
"I hereby congratulate all of who have taken the initiation test, and passed with flying colors, may this day mark the beginning of your future careers as the Huntsmen and Huntress' who will serve and protect the peoples of Remnant from the forces of darkness which threaten them. May the Brothers guide us well." he said, watching as the audience gathered began to clap to give their congratulations to the new Teams.
Ozpin also noted that Langley pulled out his Scroll, typing something furiously as he walked around a corner with the rest of Team STEL for privacy together. He drank for his mug of hot chocolate as he observed them.
FaunAhroGlaWal3Langley42: That son of a bitch!
MissConDeltaGreen: Langley, what's going on?
MetiThurGlaWal1Ted: We passed Beacon's Intiation, but Stanton got chosen as the Team Captain by Headmaster Ozpin.
HomAhroGlaWal1Stanton: I can confirm that as well. So what does that mean for us? BTW, we're now Team STEL.
FaunAhroGlaWal3Langley42: Is there anyway we can get a different Captain chosen at least?
MissConDeltaGreen: It changes nothing about the mission. Stanton is officially and publicly going to remain as Captain of Team STEL, regardless of whether or not Beacon has a process for choosing a new Captain.
FaunAhroGlaWal3Langley42: Seriously?
MissConDeltaGreen: Yes.
FaunRagaGlaWal2Eleanor: Any particular rationale?
MissConDeltaGreen: Stanton could use the experience, and Langley, you have shown considerable skill in both leadership and combat, that much can't be denied. However, you are still just one of the Tribe, and thus others will need to be able to step up as leaders.
Therefore, Langley, I expect that while in public where you are known as Team STEL, you will follow Stanton's orders as though he was the Alpha of the Pack, and you will also act as mentor and advisor alongside Eleanor in such matters as well. Besides, you yourself never started as an Adren. Very few experience their First Change outside of puberty, let alone as young as four years old. This is not only a chance for you to learn how to operate in a Pack without being in a leadership position, but a case for showing you have also developed some form of wisdom that can benefit your comrades. Is that clear?
FaunAhroGlaWal3Langley42:FaunAhroGlaWal3Langley42: Crystal.
MissConDeltaGreen: Stanton, Eleanor, Ted?
FaunRagaGlaWal2Eleanor: Clear.
HomAhroGlaWal1Stanton: Clear.
MetiThurGlaWal1Ted: Clear.
MissConDeltaGreen: Alright. I shall be ending this communique now, unless there's anything else to report.
MetiThurGlaWal1Ted: Well... we might have a few problems with one Blake Cawlson possibly investigating me. She is a Faunus, judging by her scent.
MissConDeltaGreen: ...explain what happened.
HomAhroGlaWal1Stanton: Gaia's sakes, Ted.
MetiThurGlaWal1Ted: Simply put, I smelled her scent during a battle with some Grimm, and let it slip that I sensed her as such when I called to her as 'Cat Ears' despite the fact she wears a bow. There was no other feature she had that hid her status as a Faunus, so my conclusion was she had ears, and the bow was triangle tipped, so I guessed it was either cat or fox ears.
FaunRagaGlaWal2Eleanor: She later started privately interrogating him about it, so I jumped in and got him out of there. She was definitely close enough to pick up some hints of who and what we are via her sense of smell and general reading of body language from both of us.
MissConDeltaGreen: But she hasn't made any connections to your being Garou yet?
FaunRagaGlaWal2Eleanor: No.
MissConDeltaGreen: Alright, then while she hasn't learned enough to be considered a Veil Breach, she will have to be monitored while she is around you four. The Faunus having night vision and comparable senses to that of us Garou has always made blending in around them a pain, but not impossible. Avoid antagonizing her or giving her any reason to start investigating into us privately... we Glass Walkers have been well-established for awhile, but not even we can make the Cadets Huntsmen Academies disappear without their Headmasters and staff look into them. Be careful. Langley, as Alpha of the Pack, it's your responsibility to ensure the four of you return home safely. See to it that it is done.
FaunAhroGlaWal3Langley42: Will do.
Authors Note: Alright, next chapter completed. Time to answer some reviews, and if anyone else any other questions or comments, free feel to let me know what you think or have questions about.
Reviews:
AurielLor: Yep, especially with anything involving WoD lol.
Warpwind:
The Red Headed Scientist is lucky enough that I didn't have her get captured by the Black Spiral Dancers, so she doesn't have to be concerned about that.
In response to your questions about the Garou, how they ended up in RWBY and all that, that's something you will have to wait until the cast start investigating deep enough into their activities and history within Remnant... if they can survive long enough to learn said secrets of course.
As for how they interact with the Faunus, nah, they're not mutilated body horror/twisted-looking enough to register as Formori, though you will still get to enjoy the Garou making RWBY Humans look like saints when it comes to sheer bigotry towards the Faunus. Mainly because imo, the Garou would view the Faunus as an inferior copy of them and the other Changing Breeds, especially because of the fact they spent a significant part of their history more or less unofficially enslaved by the Humans of RWBY. IMO, Salem and Tyrian would probably be a good candidate for becoming a Nephandi.
The 'Gaea is Mother, Gaea is Father' bit is foreshadowing of what kind of culture that particular group of Garou developed, and was a reference to Babylon 5. Free Internet Cookies to anyone that gets the reference...