"So, we'll be learning about the cats like the Felynes and Melynx?" Ruby asked.
"Yes! I must know the Melynx's ways!" Neo declared.
"Don't think I won't be keeping an eye on you, Missy." Yang warned the former mute.
"I would like to hear more about them." Blake admitted.
"Well, your wish shall be granted. And prepare yourself, for now we have a new narrator. The other one, who we'll call 'Rage' from here on, hasn't done a video about them." Katana explained, everyone surprised, but open to the idea of a new narrator, settling in their seats, ready to watch.
A strange symbol suddenly appeared from the darkness, a large neon yellow triangle with a circle in the middle of it, four smaller triangles below it, the name "STRAWFOOT" appearing below it. All this was accompanied by mysterious, but calming music. "This New World we inhabit can be a strange and terrifying place to call home. It's dangerous outside the walls of Astera and no hunter should journey out into the wild lands unaccompanied. But thankfully, we didn't travel here alone." This new narrator explained as a split-screen showed three different Lynians, A Felyne with a headband dancing in a festival with a few others, a Melynx getting into mischief as it stood on a rolling Felyne head decoration and another Felyne in the desert, approaching a large skeleton with a bone pickaxe on its back.
"New World? Astera?" Weiss questioned.
"There was a phenomenon known as the Elder Crossing. Every 10 years, Elder Dragons would suddenly flock to this previously unexplored island far from their normal home. Hunters wanted to know why, so they started the Commission to follow the Elder Dragons and find out why they were making this journey. So, they came to this New World, but obviously, travelling back and forth between two landmasses by sea was costly and inefficient, so they had to make a stronghold in the New World, which they called Astera." Katana explained.
"That's awesome! Discovering whole new islands and landmasses! Going deep into dangerous, unexplored wilderness! That's totally what I wanna do as a Huntress!" Yang cheered.
"That Felyne at the party and that Melynx looked like they were having a good time. My kind of cats." Qrow chuckled.
"I prefer the one with the pickaxe. He seemed to be on a mission and he looked ready to see it through." Winter declared diligently.
"I believe it is important to find a healthy balance between work and relaxation!" Penny said.
"She's right, Winter. The mission is always important, but you have to slow down some time. I give you leaves and off-duty time for a reason. We saw the effects of being without that in the future. And I never want to see those effects again." Ironwood told his specialists, shivering at the thought of the dictator he would've become without the ice demon.
A white background was then shown with images of three hunters on the screen. The one to the left was an absolute juggernaut in bone-plated armor with fur around the edges. The second, an adorable young woman, likely around Winter's age in a large, fluffy dress and hat, furry boots as well, but with some bone plating on the front and mostly bone gloves on and finally, to the right, a man in striking white and pink Mistralian (oriental) robes and clothing, with a fox-like mask with bunny-like ears on it.
"Whoa! That armor looks so cool!" Ruby cried out excitedly, bouncing in her seat.
"I admit, I like the the white and pink one. Those aren't even my usual colors, but for that, I'd make an exception." Cinder said.
"You'd look great in those clothes, too, Renny!" Nora said excitedly, Ren appearing to consider the option.
Coco whistled. "Nice. Yatsuhashi's armor's got nothing on that tank's on the left. And that dress would look adorable on you, Velvet." She said.
"Y-you think?" Velvet said, blushing a bit.
"Maybe if I'd had armor like that, I wouldn't be half made of metal today." Ironwood noted, Qrow handing the general his old flask, who accepted it with a nod and took a swig.
"Behind every great hunter is a loyal Palico." The narrator declared as the image of three Felynes appeared in front of the hunters, a traditional knight-looking one in front of the tank-like hunter, one that looked like a mail man in front of the girl and one that looked like some kind of princess knight in front of the strikingly-dressed hunter. "But what exactly are these strange, bipedal cat creatures? And what is their relationship to the Hunter's Guild? My name is Strawfoot and these are the Lynians." The narrator announced as the images of the hunters turned gray and faded out of the picture, leaving their cat-like partners in the spotlight, before everything went white.
"They look adorable!" Pyrrha said.
"And super cool at the same time! I'd totally bring those cats into battle with me... Except maybe that mail man one." Jaune said.
"Hey, you never know! He could have letters of doom! Or worse... A jury duty summons." Neo said darkly, the adults actually shivering at the thought.
"So, then. I'm assuming a Palico is one of these Lynians?" Glynda asked.
"All shall be revealed." Katana assured her.
A large book was then shown on a table, titled "Strawfoot's Monstrous Compilation. "There are five known species of Lynians recorded in the history of our world. These are Felynes, Melynxes, Grimalkynes, Shakalaka and Uruki." Strawfoot explained as a white background was shown again, an image of each creature he explained was shown: a white and tan Felyne, a black and white Melynx, multi-colored Grimalkynes, the masked Shakalaka and the primate-like Uruki. [1]
"Impressive. There were certainly more than I was expecting at first. But cats come in a variety of breeds and species, so it shouldn't be too surprising." Ozpin said.
"And they seem to very greatly in terms of culture and behavior." Ren noted.
"Makes sense. Dogs are all basically the same, but cats actually have minds and personality." Blake said with a smirk, causing Zwei to bark indignantly.
"You did not just say that! You've brought a war upon yourself, Blake Belladonna!" Ruby cried out.
"Felynes are the most well-known species of Lynian, they are small, bipedal cats, typically tan in color with brown paw print markings, although a great variety of colors and patterns are possible." Strawfoot explained as a blue Felyne was seen blowing on a horn, a strange green energy swirling around and rejuvenating its hunting partner. "Originally, they lived only in the wilds of the Old World, in primitive hunter-gatherer tribes. However, some time during the second age, small numbers of these creatures began integrating themselves into human and Wyverian society." He went on as a Felyne was seen delivering a huge platter of food to a table of hunters. Shortly after, manga art was then shown of these creatures.
"Oh, that food looks delicious!" Nora said.
"Yep. Those chefs are capable of making the most delicious meals you've ever seen." Katana said.
"I would normally consider cats making food for humans a health hazard, but... it simply looks too delicious to deny." Winter said.
Katana smirked and erased anything the group had in their stomachs or that would make them anything less than starving, before having the Grandmeowster Chef's meal appear before them. They all looked in awe at it and dug in.
"It's the most delicious thing I've had in my life! I'd give up villainy for this." Cinder declared, crying tears of joy.
"Felynes living in human society most commonly find employment as cooks, farmers, or housekeepers. They often take up these services in exchange for food or felvine. Some very brave Felyne are chosen by hunters to become Palicos. Palicos accompany hunters into the field and support them in battle against monsters. A well-trained Palico is even capable of bringing down large monsters by itself." Strawfoot explained as several images of Felynes in various clothing, even with armor and weapons, were shown.
"Quite impressive. These Felyne seem as capable as humans. Maybe more so." Pyrrha said in awe.
"But what is felvine?" Ren asked.
"Basically catnip for Lynians." Katana explained.
Blake shuddered in fear at this, remembering a time she had fallen face first into a bush in the Emerald Forest, which turned out to the plant that makes Catnip. "Oh, no! Giant flying sheep!" Weiss cried out dramatically, pointing to the sky.
"Those are clouds." Ruby said in her best impression of Weiss, the girls laughing as Blake turned redder than Ruby's hood.
"You know we don't mean it, Blake. But you gotta admit, it was pretty funny." Yang told her.
"No, I don't..." Blake muttered, barely audible.
"There is a common misconception surrounding our Lynian companions, more specifically Felynes, which I feel needs further explanation. Many hunters I've spoken to worry that the Felynes who serve them have been somehow enslaved by the human race, or exist within our communities as a sort of lower cast. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. While it is true that Felynes are not paid in Zenny for their services, this is because in Lynian culture, there is no real concept of currency. The Felyne has no real use for Zenny. According to the laws of the Hunter's Guild, Felynes are considered equal citizens of the realm and as such hold all the same rights and privileges as a human or Wyverian. In fact, some Felynes have even risen to positions of great power in our society." Strawfoot explained as the images of shining gold coins with a Z on them were shown, along with more images of Felynes.
Blake and Velvet were worried at first when the idea of Lynians being second-class citizens came up, but sighed in relief when that wasn't the case. "That's good. People really are able to learn and change." Velvet said.
"And yet, even our world still holds some rights and privileges from Faunus." Ironwood said somewhat guiltily. Despite the fact that some of his best students and even a member of his elite ace-ops were Faunus, some places still refused to serve Faunus and discriminated against them. (I'll change that when we get back. It will be mandatory for all shops and businesses to serve Faunus.) He thought.
"Change takes time, James, but we will get there. And the younger generation is ready to lead the way." Ozpin told him, pointing to Weiss and Blake laughing together.
"The most notable of these is the mysterious Felyne known as Felcote, who attained the rank of Guild Knight in the Hunter's Guild." Strawfoot explained as the image of a white and brown female Felyne wearing a furry white and orange cloak with a bell on the neck was shown. "If you're familiar with Guild Knights, then you know that they outrank hunters in the Guild and serve as elite guards, tasked not only with protecting major population centers, but also with the job of policing hunters and enforcing Guild policy and hunting restrictions." He explained as a male and female hunter in cowboy-esque armor were shown.
"Interesting. That's a position we never considered in Remnant." Winter noted.
"Wouldn't be a bad idea. I know more than my fair share of Huntsman that are... less than exemplary to say the least." Qrow admitted.
"It's a shame. Power corrupts. And absolutely power corrupts absolutely." Glynda agreed.
"Recent years have seen the creation of several Felyne villages, such as Cheeko Sands and Poka Poka Village. The cats from these villages have apparently take what they have learned living in human and Wyverian villages and cities and used the knowledge to build their own communities." Strawfoot elaborated as several cartoonish images were shown of Felynes living in their own villages and beating up monsters.
"Woohoo! Go Felynes!" Nora cheered.
"Wow. It's amazing how much they've taken from humans to make their own society." Jaune said.
"Felyne ingenuity may truly rival humans!" Penny happily agreed.
"I wonder if they have any of their own fashion?" Velvet asked.
Next, the familiar images of Melynx were shown. "Melynx appear very similar to Felynes, however they have only one possible fur coloration, which is a black-white paw print pattern. Like Felynes, Melynxes have integrated themselves into many human and Wyverian villages. They serve most often as cooks and housekeepers and are even chosen on occasion to become Palicos." Strawfoot told the story of the darker Lynians as a few images of them were shown, before a clip of Felynes and Melynxes at a festival, playing instruments. "All Melynxes are kleptomaniacs. They will steal anything they can get their adorable little paws on. They're also extremely sensitive to felvine and will attempt to steal this plant, even ignoring more valuable targets if it is available." Their narrator continued.
Neo smirked. "Just like me! Anything I get my adorable little paws on is mine!" She giggled.
"Well, then you better learn to keep your paws to yourself, or I'll have to bring my paws down on your adorable little butt!" Yang warned her, essentially threatening to spank the former mute.
"You're flirting needs some work." Neo told her, before raising her hands in surrender as Yang prepared to tackle her.
"Melynxes, like Felynes, don't seem to place much value in Zenny or other objects valuable to humans and Wyverians. All of the items they steal are left as offerings to small stone cat statues in their dens. It is unclear if this is a religious ritual or tradition, or if they just don't have anything better to do with the object." Strawfoot told the intricacies of Melynx tradition as images of a festival were shown, humans and Felynes alike dancing, a strange Lynian with a helmet made from what looked like a giant acorn with a strange sickle weapon observing numerous masks, or several food vendors being observed.
"It reminds me of the vital festival." Ruby said with a smile.
"I believe I would like to try the meat on the bone." Penny said.
"You may want to think of a better way to say that next time." Cinder told her.
"Those are well-done steaks, Penny. A general favorite bite on the go for hunters everywhere." Katana explained.
"That is NOT a steak." Weiss said.
"Different people have different names for things. They call those steaks." Katana told her.
"Grimalkynes are a more primitive relative of the Felyne and are found only in the New World. Unlike Felynes, Grimalkynes have never attempted to learn human language or made any effort to integrate themselves into human society. Although Grimalkynes are largely anti-social creatures, they have been known to assist human hunters and Palicos in the field and can communicate effectively with Felynes when necessary." The new narrator explained as the image of a pair of Grimalkynes were shown.
"A shame. They're limiting themselves by keeping themselves isolated." Glynda said.
"True, but it's their tradition. If it's what they think is best, who are we to judge?" Ozpin asked.
"At least they're still willing to help hunters and Palicos." Pyrrha said with a smile.
"Shakalakas are small, humanoid creatures who live in primitive tribal communities. Shakalakas in the wild are usually hostile to human hunters and will often attack on sight, throwing bombs and boomerangs and using primitive stone swords." Strawfoot explained as a red masked Gajalaka with green stripes on the mask was shown.
"Bombs?!" Blake cried out.
"And yet they still use stone swords? How can they be so primitive, yet advanced enough to understand and create explosives?!" Winter said in disbelief.
"And this is why Zwei is perfect. He doesn't need bombs in order to destroy his enemies, so the only time we need to worry about explosions around us is because of Ruby." Weiss said.
"Hey!" Ruby called indignantly.
"Weiss, everyone knows it was your fault. Leave Ruby alone." Blake told her.
"A Shakalaka's mask is a status symbol within the tribe. The more elaborate or outrageous the mask, the higher the status of the Shakalaka. When a Shakalaka is born, it is given a very simple mask. When a Shakalaka comes of age, it must undertake a journey to find its own mask as a sort of coming of age ritual." Strawfoot went on while golden mask was then shown as a pair of young Shakalaka raced up to it, looking at each other, before fighting over it.
"Aww, guys, don't fight! You're so cute!" Velvet told them.
"Who's the jerk that only left one mask for the two of them!?" Nora demanded.
"The Gajalakas are a tribe of Shakalakas found only living in the New World. On the surface, they appear very similar to Old World tribes, however research into their society and biology is ongoing and we still have much to learn about the Gajalaka. The most famous Shakalaka are Cha-Cha and Kayamba. These two young Shakalakas met a hunter outside of Moga Village while on their first mask quest. They joined the hunter and by using the First Age technology of an ancient mask, they ultimately helped the hunter defeat the massive Elder Dragon Ceadeus, saving Moga Village from certain destruction." Strawfoot finished the story of the Shakalaka.
As he told the story, the two Shakalaka, now identified as Cha-Cha and Kayamba were shown still fighting over the mask, which eventually slipped from both of their grasps, rolling out of the cave into a herd of stampeding aptonoth running on a narrow ledge of a cliff above the ocean, getting caught in one aptonoth's crest. The two Lynians jumped after it, Kayamba grabbing onto one of the aptonoth and Cha-Cha grabbing onto a jaggi, one of the raptor-like creatures chasing the aptonoth, which likely caused the stampede. A strange sea creature leapt up for a bite at the aptonoth and missed, then the jaggi singled out the exact aptonoth the Shakalaka needed, jumping on it and nearly sending themselves, the aptonoth and the two young Shakalaka into the ocean, but the aptonoth just managed to save itself from falling at the two Lynians retrieved the mask.
"We need cats like these." Cinder said.
"For huntsmen and huntresses, or Salem?" Ironwood questioned.
The faux maiden looked back and forth a bit, letting out a small shout of frustration. "For whoever wants them." Cinder said. "I am starting to understand that Salem's promises aren't what I was really promised, but it's not that easy to just let go." She said.
"Still, two of those little guys helping to bring down an Elder Dragon? That, I'd like to see." Coco said.
"So, will we see that Ceadeus thing at some point?" Jaune asked.
"Not for a while, but eventually." Katana confirmed.
Finally, the image of the last group of Lynians was shown. "The Uruki are a species of owl-like Lynians who live only in the wildest frontiers of the Old World, far from human civilization. Much like Grimalkynes, they live only in primitive tribal communities and appear to have little interest in human and Wyverian civilizations. Currently, very little is known about these strange tribal creatures. However, research is ongoing." Strawfoot finished.
"Wow! Those cats are so cool!" Ruby said, before picking up Zwei and hugging him close. "But they still can't compete with Zwei, isn't that right?" Ruby asked as she baby talked the corgi while giving him a tummy rub.
"Yeah. He could totally take on any monster just like a Palico. I bet he could survive a nuke!" Yang said, joining her sister in petting their pup. "Who can take a nuke? I'll bet you can! Yes, you can! You're such a cute little puppy!" Yang baby-talked, scratching behind Zwei's ears.
"Still, if two Shakalaka helped take down a giant Elder Dragon, they must be top notch, too." Blake said.
"Indeed. If only our Atlesian Knights were so capable." Ironwood said.
"But didn't they mention the Shakalaka had a mask of insanely advanced technology? Surely that's a large factor." Winter said, not wanting to believe Atlas' latest robot soldiers could be outdone by a pair of adolescent, primitive cats.
"The world is a strange and mysterious place, Winter. Anything can happen." Glynda told her.
"Yeah. Good thing we don't have those Melynxes. Raven's tribe would cause even more trouble than they are now." Qrow said.
"I wish I had my own Melynx." Neo complained.
"So, what's next?" Cinder asked, actually scratching Zwei's back a bit herself.
"Next is gonna be a treat, because it's gonna be four monsters in one! And three of them will be ideal monsters for three of you. Plus, it will introduce you to a term you'll need to be familiar with in the future." Katana declared as she started the fated video.
A/N: Thank you all so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know which monsters you'd like to see the group react to next.
[1] I know there was a title card there, not images of Felynes like I said, but it feels to me like big title cards would SERIOUSLY throw off the immersion Strawfoot otherwise does an AMAZING job of providing.