Don't think I've mentioned it yet, but my bloodwork came back a few weeks ago indicating a very high gluten intolerance. Probably at celiac levels. So I've had to go gluten free for all of August and expect to be retested later to see if it affects anything (like my sky high triptase levels). Really miss things like pizza, but MrsTheGoose has been super supportive helping me find decent food and snacks. Can't say I'm thrilled with all the food I have to give up, but I'm surviving, even if the pizza my boss brought for a branch meeting this week nearly killed me. Sitting there watching everyone else eat while I had to abstain was brutal. Might have to start attending those remotely to spare my feelings.

Even after all this time, there was no mistaking who Adam was facing. He could still remember that horrible day so long ago, when the very possibility of her appearance had sent Jean into a panic. They'd survived a bandit attack, only to flee like their lives depended on it. Despite that, Raven had been waiting for them. Her very presence had them all cowering like scared children. Even Jean, the strongest man Adam knew, trembled before her.

And now he was facing her alone.

Fighting her was out of the question. No matter how much he'd grown since last time, he knew better than to assume she would go down easy. Raven Branwen wasn't some Huntress sent to track him down and bring him back alive. She didn't waste her days guarding villages or going out on Grimm hunts near the cities. This was the queen of the bandits. Chief of the most feared tribe in all of Anima. Someone who lived and breathed conflict, surrounded by men and women who would cut her down if they ever got the chance. That she still held that position after all these years only further cemented how powerful she must be.

"I'm not sure if I should be flattered or creeped out." As far as first words went, Adam didn't really know what to make of hers. "Nice try, but I wear it better."

She what? Adam looked down at himself, nearly dying of embarrassment as things finally clicked. The red and black outfit. The Grimm mask. Even a one-handed sword sheathed on the same hip. He looked like a cosplaying fanboy or something.

Admittedly, Adam had used her for inspiration. He'd wanted to look intimidating. Terrifying. One person came to mind at those words. While he had a lot less red and his mask only covered half his face instead of most of his head, the similarities would be hard to deny. No way would he admit he'd copied her. To be fair, he'd never expected to run into her again, so the thought of her being upset at his copying had never crossed his mind. In hindsight, he probably should've worried about her being offended at someone ripping her off like that.

Most people might lawyer up and sue him. Raven Branwen seemed more likely to hunt him down.

"Are you here for an autograph?" Raven stood as she mocked him, patting her sides before adding, "I should've brought a pen." Being taunted sucked, but if she was making fun of him, then she wasn't killing him.

"Why are you here?" Adam asked. Bandits didn't normally attack such hardened targets. Not when they could just raid villages and caravans instead. Paulownia had a lot of goods for them to steal, but hitting something this big would earn them more attention than they wanted. Taking out some merchants would have the authorities looking for you. A village might get a Huntsman response. But a supply depot? She was basically challenging the capital itself to come after her. Strong or not, she didn't honestly think she could take that kind of heat.

Did she?

"It's one of life's great mysteries isn't it? Why are we here?"

He could imagine her smirking behind her mask. "No, I mean, why are you here?"

"Fresh air, mostly," Raven hummed, nodding back to the open depot behind her. "Some of the men haven't bathed in weeks. A girl can only take so much."

Getting made fun of by Raven Branwen wasn't exactly on his to do list for today, but since when had anything gone to plan? At least she seemed to be enjoying herself. Was this part of her plan? Annoy and distract him while her men took care of the supplies? Or maybe she just wanted to throw him off before their inevitable fight. Make him lower his guard, then strike while he was distracted.

Then, he remembered exactly who he was dealing with. Raven didn't need to delay or distract him. If she wanted him dead, then she'd just kill him. Hopefully, her joking meant she didn't plan to kill him. Either that, or she was just playing with her food.

Not that he was eager to hasten his demise, but if she planned to kill him, he might as well skip the taunting and get it over with. "In Paulownia! Why are you in Paulownia?" Attacking it, specifically at the same time as the White Fang. He knew fate had a sense of humor, but this was far too coincidental.

To the point it felt more intentional. "The same as you, Adam Taurus." She knew his name? "Don't look so surprised. I like to know who my competition is. Though I guess I should thank you."

"Thank me?" What had Adam, or even the White Fang, ever done for her? He couldn't think of a single thing.

She could. "I was a little insulted when Mistral started worrying about you more than me. Wondered if I was losing my touch. But then I realized what a lovely gift you'd given me. With the Kingdoms so focused on their new favorite threat, I didn't have to worry about those pesky, little Huntsman raids as much." Pesky? He'd never heard someone be so dismissive of Huntsmen before. Just how strong was this woman? "Admittedly, it was a little boring at first, but the men haven't complained as much. You've been a real boon to their morale."

"You're welcome." The last thing on his mind had been helping the local bandits. "But you still haven't answered my question."

"Haven't I?" Raven kicked the crate she'd been sitting on. He could hear glass bumping around inside. "I'm here for the loot. Same as you."

That's what he was afraid of. There would be plenty to go around, but he doubted Raven would be overly interested in sharing. She'd gotten to the vault first and already had men inside securing the supplies. If he was lucky, she might leave something behind, but the best of the loot - the stuff the White Fang really needed - would be the first to go. They weren't the only ones who needed dust and weapons.

Which brought them to a bit of a problem. They'd gone through a lot of trouble to take Paulownia. The Kingdom would be on high alert, making a repeat performance much more difficult. They'd reinforce the other two depots before Adam could strike, making victory all but impossible. He'd lose too many men to an operation like that. They'd be back to square one with nothing to show for it.

Their resource problem wouldn't go away anytime soon. For now, they were okay, but time was ticking down until they'd start feeling the pain of shortages. The longer he waited, the more desperate they'd become, forcing him to take bigger risks to fix the problem. Meanwhile, Mistral would have all the time in the world to prepare, but with one less place to split their defenders. They'd also come a lot better prepared. Paulownia was practically covered in cameras, meaning Mistral would've seen the Atlas tech they'd been saving. No one would underestimate the White Fang again. He needed the supplies from Paulownia.

Which meant he had to do something insane and possibly a little suicidal - he had to oppose Raven.

"The White Fang needs those supplies." He somehow got that out without his voice cracking, but brave words meant little in the face of raw power.

"So do we," Raven answered, ignoring the rather obvious issue between them.

She was going to make him say it, wasn't she? Force him to challenge her for them. He knew it was a fool's errand. Even ignoring how deadly she was, Adam was still recovering from his fight with Rauch, while Raven looked unbothered by the fight before. Had she let her men handle everything, or had she taken everyone down without breaking a sweat? He had a feeling it was more the second option than the first. Which didn't bode well for their chances of success.

Direct combat wasn't an option, but neither was leaving empty handed. That pretty much left him only one choice - negotiation. "Our attack split the defenders. Your fight was easier thanks to us."

"And yours was easier thanks to me," Raven countered. "Unless you wanted to take on three Huntsmen instead of just one."

Crap. She had him there. Still, he couldn't give up so easily. "You said you wanted to thank me." Before she could offer a sarcastic thanks, he made sure to add, "Sharing the spoils would be a good start."

Raven paused, though he couldn't decide if she was sizing him up or just laughing at his gutsiness. "You make a fair point." Really? That easy? He should've known better than to get his hopes up as Raven kicked the crate over, the top popping open to let cases of dust topple out. "For your troubles."

"I think I deserve a little more than that."

"I think you overestimate my gratitude." He'd had a feeling, but you couldn't blame a guy for trying.

"One crate?" It was a decent amount of dust, but nowhere near what lay behind her.

"One crate and your life," Raven corrected, making it clear she was done negotiating. "Take it or leave it." Better than nothing, but not by much. He knew a losing battle when he saw one, especially when she went on. "You want more? Then you'll have to fight me for it." The sky darkened overhead ominously, even as the wind started to pick up around them, as if even nature itself was warning him of his impending doom. "Kill me and claim your prize, or take your pittance and leave with your life."

A better deal than he'd gotten the last time they met. She'd forced him to fight one of her men for her own amusement. He'd been lucky to survive and earn his safety at the cost of another's life. He could still remember just how little she or her bandits cared in the end. "Strength or death." Those were the words they'd chanted. Some sort of mantra the bandits lived by.

And the wrong thing to say.

"What was that?" Raven had started to turn away before those words, but her full attention was back on him now. "You've crossed paths with the Branwen clan before, haven't you?"

She'd been ready to let him go until he'd opened his big mouth. He'd been in the clear. A bored Raven was far less dangerous than a curious one. Three little words doomed him. "I have," Adam confirmed, knowing there was no point lying.

"And suddenly, the outfit makes sense." Yep. Fanboy status confirmed. Kill him now. "I must've made quite the impression. Still, I think I would've remembered crossing paths with someone so famous. Refresh my memory."

"I was part of a merchant caravan."

"You'll have to be a little more specific." She'd probably robbed dozens if not hundreds of caravans.

"You made me fight one of your men."

"You'll have to be a little more specific."

"I was just a kid!"

"Still have to be more specific." Wait, was she saying she'd made other children fight men twice their age to the death?

"I won."

Apparently, that set him apart. "Now that I remember." Which only made him sick to realize she'd probably sent plenty of kids to their death. "The little faunus boy that killed one of my men. What was his name again?"

"Tanner." She may have forgotten, but he certainly hadn't.

"Tanner?" Raven chewed on the name for a second. "Nope. Doesn't ring any bells." He'd been disposable, just like everyone else in her eyes. No one mattered to Raven but Raven. "I offered to let you join us, as I recall."

"You did, but I didn't."

"Not many men have turned me down before." For jobs or…other things he imagined. "Still, I'm glad to see I was right. I knew I sensed strength in you. A shame you chose to waste it elsewhere."

"I haven't wasted it." He'd forged his own path, taken on the Kingdoms, and become public enemy number one in just a few, short years. Even Raven and her bandits were less important in the eyes of Mistral's leaders. She might be stronger in a fight, but he'd shown the real strength of refusing to back down. While she preyed on the weak, he challenged the strong.

Of course, saying any of that out loud would earn him an early grave.

"So you say." She could lie to herself all she wanted. Merchants and villagers feared her. Whole Kingdoms trembled at his name. If this was some sort of competition, then he felt pretty confident his was longer.

Not long enough to challenge her directly, though. Angering her would only lead to bloodshed. His blood, that was. Even if he thought he stood a chance against her, which he didn't, who knew how many men she had lurking in the depot, ready to rush out and attack. It's be a whole army against just-

"Adam!"

No! Adam saw the moment Raven looked past him and knew everything had gone wrong. Reinforcements were the last thing he needed right now. A show of force might push Raven to do something, just to prove her own strength. Worse, that wasn't just anyone running up to support him.

"Stay back, Blake!" Adam ordered, keeping his eyes locked on the deadly woman before him. Outclassed or not, he'd die before he let Raven lay a finger on Blake.

Raven merely watched the new arrival, though Adam didn't miss how she tilted her scabbard forward, making her sword easier to draw should she need it. It would've been bad enough if Blake had come alone, but he could hear more footsteps behind her. Far more than he felt comfortable with at the moment, especially when one of them might mistake their numerical advantage and do something stupid.

Blake didn't listen. She never did. Instead, she came all the way to Adam's side, weapon at the ready. All she saw was a threat, and as far as she or anyone else in the White Fang was concerned, with Adam on their side, they couldn't lose. They'd seen him face impossible odds, only to pull himself and nearly everyone around him out of the fire time and time again.

They'd never seen him face an unbeatable opponent before. None of them were there when he nearly died against Winter. None of them bothered to remember how many he'd failed to save. They'd passed bodies of those he'd failed to protect from Rauch, but in their mind, none of them could possibly meet the same fate. Not while Adam Taurus was around. Blake, Alpha Squad, and all the others had never met someone who could outclass the legendary Adam Taurus in almost every way.

They'd never met Raven.

Blake eyed their opponent warily, sensing Adam's unease. "Who's that?"

"Raven Branwen," Adam answered, forgetting that the name meant nothing to most of them. What reason would someone who spent their entire life on Menagerie have to fear a Mistralian bandit? Faunus that had spent their entire lives working in fields, farms, and mines were almost never in danger of being raided. The outcasts of society rarely had enough of value to make them targets.

Raven didn't seem too offended at the lack of reaction, though she did make sure to chime in with, "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Queen of the bandits." Talk about being full of herself. He doubted the legitimacy of the title. Chief, maybe, but something like a queen implied coordination between various tribes. Bandits didn't strike him as the type to have that much of a chain of command. "She's dangerous." Too dangerous for any of them to think of fighting.

Blake seemed to understand. At least, he hoped she did. At any rate, she didn't do anything stupid that might get them all killed. "We've taken the town. Paulownia's defenders have surrendered and are being gathered in a nearby warehouse." What's left of them, she didn't say. The casualty count was bound to be high, but they didn't need to kill everyone. Giving no quarter would just make things harder. Word would spread until every enemy fought to the death, knowing surrender wasn't an option.

"What about the bandits?" Raven asked. "How'd my men fare against your little army?"

Blake looked to Adam for guidance. No point lying when she'd find out later, and he needed the intel as much as Raven wanted it. Adam nodded for her to go on. "The…the bandits," Blake paused to double check before continuing. "They attacked us after we breached the walls. Hit us from behind. We managed to push them back and set up a perimeter." Good. While the clash itself worried him, the fact the White Fang had come out on top spoke well of them. The bandits must've backed off after a failed assault. "Nag's keeping an eye on things for now."

Along with a few others, by the looks of things. In fact, about half of Alpha Squad was missing. He trusted they were on guard duty and not bleeding out somewhere. Blake would've told him of any losses. Any major losses, at least.

"Pathetic." Raven snarled the word. "You just can't find good help these days." Raven finally removed her helmet, revealing a deceptively attractive face. Adam was glad he was prepared for it this time around. He wasn't prepared for the dangerous grin on Raven's face. "The tribe cannot abide weakness. I assume the cowards at least had the sense to die rather than run away?"

Cannot abide weakness? Why did that sound so familiar?

Oh no.

Before Adam could stop her, Blake confirmed it. "Some of them died, but so did some of ours." A safe, political answer that should've helped defuse the situation, except that she was talking to Raven Branwen.

"A fair exchange," Adam hurried to add, but the damage was already done.

"Lives were taken from the tribe!" Raven proudly announced, loud enough that a few bandits hurried out of the entrance. One of them ran back inside at the sight of the White Fang, yelling something until a few dozen poured out to back up Raven.

"And we lost lives as well." Maybe not the same number, but did that matter? Lives were given. Wasn't that how it worked?

Not according to Raven. "Not enough to cover your debt."

"How do you know that?" She hadn't even known if anyone died, so how could she know which side lost more? If the White Fang took greater losses, did that mean he could demand Raven sacrifice some of her men in return?

Raven's smirk said it all. "Because I place no value on the lives of our enemies." Her audience laughed at the cruel equation. The worst part was, he understood her logic. He didn't see any value in the lives of her bandits, so why should she care for his men? There'd be no proportional response, because no amount of worthless bandits would ever be enough to make up for the loss to his forces.

The whole time, Raven's eyes stayed on Blake, causing a pit to open in Adam's stomach. Without thinking, he offered himself up in her place. "I accept your challenge! I'll fight." Even if it killed him. So long as everyone else lived. So long as Blake was safe. "They go free."

"Did he just challenge the boss?"

"Who's that?"

"Is that her kid? Didn't know she had a faunus."

His sudden outburst didn't faze Raven, but it sent a ripple of murmurs through her men. Raven lifted a hand to silence them, somehow latching onto the dumbest question of the group. "He's no child of mine." A scowl briefly crossed her face. "Though his strength is more befitting a Branwen." The moment passed as Raven returned to the matter at hand. "A life is owed, but not by your hand."

"But I-"

"I gave you your chance, but you refused." Wait, what? Raven called over her shoulder, "Their cowardly leader prefers to live."

Jean. She'd done the same to him, hadn't she? How had he been so stupid as to fall for the same trick? But if he didn't fight, then who…

"I take it you're his second-in-command?"

"I am." Dang it. Things were spiraling out of control. Whether Blake knew it or not - and he had a feeling she did and was just too prideful to back down - she'd just volunteered for a fight to the death.

Mercifully, as with his own fight years ago, it wouldn't be against Raven. "You there!" The bandits panicked and parted, leaving one man on his own. "Go find Finian. If he's not dead, bring him here."

Hopefully, this Finian guy wouldn't be anywhere near as strong as Raven. If he'd been with the ones that attacked the rear, then he must not have been too tough. Otherwise, they would've broken through. Besides, Blake was no slouch herself. In a one on one fight with someone other than Raven, she'd probably come out on top. He hadn't trained her all these years to get beaten by some random bandit.

That wasn't what he was worried about.

Thankfully, they had a few minutes while Raven summoned her fighter. Adam pulled Blake aside, much to her annoyance. "Don't do this, Blake."

"I don't have a choice." Raven had already removed Adam from contention, and Blake had been right there singling herself out.

"You always have a choice." He'd heard it said a million times before, but even now he didn't really believe it. Too many things in life seemed to be out of his control. "Don't fight."

"I have to fight. If I don't she'll just make someone else take my place." So? Let someone else do it. "Other than you, I'm the best fighter here. I've got the best chance of winning."

She was right, but since when did he let logic dictate his decisions? "It doesn't have to be you."

"Then who?" Blake demanded, frustrated with the conversation already. "Who takes my place? Bane? Ilia? Cerco? None of them can fight as well as I can."

"They'll be fine." They'd just send someone from Alpha Squad. Any of them would do. Maybe not Laurence. He was getting better, but direct combat still wasn't his forte. Nag did better long range, so a melee fight would be best suited for the others. Maybe Marcus. Yuma could get airborne and cause some trouble. Then again, Trifa was a solid choice with a level head. One of those three would be best.

Unfortunately, none of them were here yet. She'd brought Ilia, Azure, Azul, and Laurence. Nag was keeping an eye on their rear guard. Whether any of the others would show up was a mystery. Then again, if Raven was taking time to bring someone, then shouldn't he be able to? Especially if they hurried and got back before the bandit made it. That could work.

"Laurence, go find Yuma or Trifa," Adam ordered. "Tell them to get here as soon as they can."

"What?"

Adam ignored Blake's question as Laurence asked, "Which one?"

"Whichever you find first." Both were good choices, and he had every confidence they'd prove victorious. "And tell them to hurry." Laurence nodded and turned to leave.

"Stay here, Laurence." Laurence froze at the conflicting orders, unsure what to do despite Adam outranking Blake. Confusion stopped him more than a desire to see her take Adam's spot.

"What are you doing?"

"What are you doing?" Blake shot back. "I can do this, Adam. It's just some bandit. I'll be fine."

Probably, but he wasn't willing to take that chance. More than that, he didn't want her fighting at all. Not when Raven was in charge. This wasn't just some spar where they both got to walk away and have lunch together afterwards. Someone was going to die. Either Blake or this Finian that Raven was putting against her. Kill or be killed. Those were the only two options.

Adam didn't want either of them for Blake.

Obviously losing her was out of the question, but winning wasn't that great either. He'd been there. Taking a life like that was no small matter. That kind of stuff changed a person. Sure, she might've killed someone during the fighting earlier, but it was hard to feel much in a chaotic battle like that. Everything became a blur, and half the time, you weren't even close to your opponent. You couldn't see the look on their face as you struck a fatal blow. Didn't have to watch the light fade from their eyes. The kind of fight Raven wanted was far more personal.

He could still remember his first in vivid detail. Tanner. A man whose life meant nothing to those around him. He'd died to the sound of their cheers. No one mourned for his loss. His body hadn't even gone cold before they stole his few, meager possessions and left him in the middle of the trail, carrion for the scavengers that would come behind them. Raven hadn't even remembered his name.

Adam remembered. Even now, he could see the pain and shock in Tanner's eyes as he realized his life was ending. His voice, broken and trembling, begged Adam to end it. Kill him and put him out of his misery. Adam hadn't been strong enough to end his suffering. In a way, Raven's killing blow had been more mercy than anything Adam had done. A swift end. No more pain. In the blink of an eye, he was nothing.

That had been his first kill - his first time taking a human life - but it hadn't been his last. It had shaken him at the time, but it only got easier from there. The druggie in Mistral. The guards in Orostachys. The woman on Concordia Day. Each time, he felt less and less, as if each death killed a little of his humanity. Turned him more and more into the monster that lurked in his mirror.

He couldn't let that happen to Blake. She was too clean. Too pure. To someone as sullied by life as Adam, Blake was a shining beacon of hope. She'd made it this far in life unblemished by the filth of the world, and he intended to keep her that way as long as possible.

No matter what.

"About time." Raven's announcement ended their little aside early as a man not much taller than Blake arrived, following Raven's unwilling courier. "Finian." She managed to say his name so disdainfully that even Adam winced at the sound. "Why aren't you dead?"

"Ma'am?"

"Why. Aren't. You. Dead?" Raven repeated her question slowly. Emphasizing each word. "I put you in charge of keeping the White Fang busy, didn't I?"

"Y-yes, ma'am." He trembled as he answered, knowing where this was headed.

"Well don't look now, but I think you missed a few." Her men laughed as Raven pointed to Adam and Blake. "So tell me, Finian. Why are the White Fang here?"

"There were too many-"

Raven's sword was out in a flash, the sound making everyone jump, though not as much as Finian. "I asked for answers, not excuses." Raven looked ready to end him then and there, only to stop herself. "You've failed me, Finian. You know the punishment for failure."

To his credit, Finian didn't try to run. He didn't even try to defend himself. He knew he was doomed and awaited his fate with the resolve of someone far braver than his trembling knees claimed. "I do."

"Luckily for you, I'm feeling merciful today." Finian looked on the verge of collapse, keeping himself up by clinging to the tiny hope she'd just thrown him. "I'm going to give you one chance to fix your mistake." Raven turned to Blake. "Their commander has graciously stepped aside, so you get to fight his second instead. Lucky you."

More laughter from her men, who were in on the joke at this point. Raven certainly liked putting on a show. Probably a requirement of someone in her position. Strength would keep her men from opposing her, but it wouldn't make them loyal. Things like this, though, would feed their appetite for entertainment while also reminding them how she dealt with those that crossed her.

"Prove to us who the stronger fighter is. The weak die. The strong live. Those are the rules." Familiar rules. The rules of life. "Strength or death."

"Strength or death!" The call echoed from her men as they formed ranks, blocking off any hope of escape for Finian. The White Fang behind Adam didn't know what to do, bunching together instinctively to almost match the barrier opposite them.

Leaving Adam and Blake caught in the arena with Finian and Raven.

Blake made to step forward, but Adam caught her arm before she could. "Let go," she hissed, trying to yank her arm free.

Familiar words drifted into Adam's mind. "Promise me. Promise me you won't let them get to you." Fate was toying with him, putting him on the opposite side of those words this time around, but those words had stopped him from making a horrible mistake. He just hoped they'd save Blake the same way.

"We're waiting!" Raven called. Blake tore her arm free in a huff and stepped away from him, ready to get the fight over with. "Much better. Whenever you're ready. And do try to make it interesting." Raven smirked at the last bit. "It's been a little boring around here lately."

The bandits around them began cheering as they waited for blood. Some took bets on who would win or even how long it would take. It was a terrifying scene of depravity. Men and women who had given in to their true nature, fit for naught but violence. The world may have called the White Fang animals, but only one side contained any true beasts.

No official start. No rules. Nothing. Raven's fights were far more like real fights than anything he'd ever trained Blake for. There would be no learning opportunities. No second chances. Failure meant death. Any attack not meant to kill was wasted effort. At the end of the day, only one of them would leave here alive. Blake or Finian. One would walk out a hero, while the other stained the ground with their blood. Someone here was on borrowed time, and the debt was about to come due.

Blake tensed, prepared to charge in and face her opponent. Her finger found a trigger. The muscles in her legs tightened, ready to launch her into the fray at a moment's notice.

A shape shot by Blake, crossing the arena in a flash and nearly knocking her over.

Adam came to a stop behind Finian, sword glistening in the blazing sunlight. Dust kicked up in front of him as he calmly angled it back into his scabbard and resheathed his blade.

He heard a thud behind him but didn't bother to look. He knew what it was, especially when every single bandit went silent. He'd thought he'd used up everything in his fight against Rauch, but the moment he saw Blake in danger, his Semblance had surged forward, cutting across the field and through Finian with ease.

Finian was dead. Blake was safe. That's all that mattered.

Not to Raven. Not when he'd defied her in front of all her men. "I don't recall inviting you."

Adam's hand was still on his weapon as he stood between the Branwen tribe and Blake, ready to fight to the end to keep her safe. Not one of them would lay a finger on her as long as he drew breath. He'd cut each and every one of them down if he had to. He dared any of them to test him, his eyes shooting across the crowd of cannon fodder in a clear challenge that none accepted. Everywhere he turned, men shied away, some stumbling and bumping into each other to distance themselves from the killer before them.

The monster.

Raven held no such fear, her own sword out in a clear threat. "Cute, but mine's bigger." Her men found their confidence again, managing to straighten themselves and even sending nervous chuckles through their midst. Whatever fear they'd felt for Adam paled in comparison to the terror of Raven Branwen. "You interfered."

And probably doomed himself as a result. If it kept Blake safe, then so be it. "He was weak. The weak die. The strong live. Weren't those your rules?" Far from being angry, Raven looked almost amused at his defiance. "A life was owed. A life has been paid."

Raven considered him for an agonizingly long moment. She showed no fear at his challenge, and for good reason. Even fresh, Adam would struggle against someone like her. Like this, worn down by the fight with Rauch? He'd be lucky to last a minute against her. She could cut him down with ease and make an example out of him, removing the only true threat and proving herself once more to her men.

Instead, Raven laughed.

"Finian is dead," she agreed, sword still out but now held loosely at her side. The threat was still there, but with far less urgency. "You would have done well with us."

"I'm already where I belong," Adam replied, just as he had years ago.

"So it would seem." Maybe it was his defiance, or maybe she was just in a good mood, but it seemed he'd earned her respect for now. "Very well. The debt is paid. You may leave."

"And the spoils?" Blind bravado had gotten him this far. Might as well go for broke. Besides, they still needed those supplies. One measly little crate of dust wouldn't be enough.

Raven could hardly contain her amusement. "I stand corrected. Maybe mine isn't bigger." She eyed him once more, studying the man who dared defy her so openly. He doubted many had ever tried so openly before and lived to tell about it. "You've entertained me, Adam Taurus. For that, you may have our leftovers."

Leftovers? For all he knew, that meant a bunch of clothes and books. Whatever her tribe didn't find valuable. "I want half."

"Half?"

"Half the dust and weapons," Adam specified. He didn't really care about the sellable goods. Priority number one was getting what they could use.

The problem was, Raven would place just as much value on those goods. "And just why do you think I should give you half?" she challenged.

"We attacked first. Split the defenders and drew most of the fighting away from you." Not on purpose, but that didn't matter here. "We shared in the victory. We should share in the spoils." Cold, vicious logic. The kind bandits should relate to.

"We got here first," Raven pointed out, the conversation starting to devolve into the territory of a schoolyard argument.

"Which is why you get first pick." Not that he could stop her. "Take the best for yourself, but leave us half. It's only fair."

He could see the gleam in her eye at his last words and knew he'd messed up, even as she started to agree. "Deal." Both sides were shocked at her acceptance, but none more than Adam. "We will take our portion and leave you yours. Is that acceptable?"

Acceptable? It was far more than acceptable. "Agreed." He tried to sound confident, but he knew she'd caught the surprised squeak at the start.

"Good. Men, finish gathering the supplies," she instructed, "but a third belongs to the White Fang."

"Wait, a third? But we agreed-"

"We agreed to give you your fair share," Raven interrupted. "There were three Huntsmen. You killed one. I killed two. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that means you get a third."

She was right, but her offer was more a threatening reminder of who he was dealing with than a math lesson. Raven had gone up against two people like Rauch and not only beaten them, but come out largely unscathed. Even if Rauch was their strongest, which he had no way to prove, the two others wouldn't be slouches themselves. Adam had a headstart, entering the town before Raven and her men even appeared, only for her to take out two of their three best defenders and the entire rear guard of Paulownia before he finished his fight with Rauch. That kind of power was not to be underestimated.

Nor was her generosity to be rejected. "A third," Adam conceded. She could've given them nothing, or even just killed them all. Walking away with a third of the supplies and their lives was a steal. He knew better than to look a gift horse in the mouth. "Thank you."

Raven ignored him, taking position at the entrance to the depot lest they foolishly try to go back on the deal. Her men toiled away unseen, dividing the supplies in secret. There was no way to know if they were really leaving a third or not, but despite being a bandit, Adam doubted Raven would lie. There was no reason to. In her eyes, lying was probably for the weak. Even her words had to be strong or something. Whatever her rationale, all he could do was wait and trust that they wouldn't leave empty handed.

The White Fang had won. They'd lost men along the way and would only claim a third of their planned haul, but Adam still felt victorious. The supplies would go a long way to alleviating their recent shortages and sent a message to Mistral that they could not be stopped. The Kingdom's plans had failed. Paulownia had fallen. He'd kept Alpha Squad safe, protected Blake, and even faced down Raven Branwen.

At the end of the day, that was all that mattered.

Not a perfect victory, but better than could be hoped for when Raven's involved. Adam tried to spoil Raven's fun, but she should've known better than to mess with Blake. Still, Raven does what Raven wants. The fun of Raven is that she's just dripping with power and confidence, which allows her to sort of do and say whatever she wants.

Not a lot to say here, since Raven's not exactly an unsubtle person. What you see is what you get. Rather enjoyed the callbacks to his first run-in with Raven, naturally. Also couldn't resist the RvB reference (why are we here?). Was looking at the DVDs for that show recently, but might have to wait on that until I find a better price. Finian's name is "little white one" simply because I like the whole black and white comparison. Feel free to read into that as you will.

Next chapter: Paulownia fallout (for everyone).