Chapter 1: Grim Beginnings

AN

(WOOO I'M EARLY FOR ONCE!)

This feels weird, and some of you may not know what's happening. (You don't read my ANs! How dare you ignore my yapping lol.) So allow me to explain. This is my newest story, based on the RWBY verse this time, following our favorite bird, Raven! (Joking, we all love Qrow more, right?) If you read DiA (Despite it All), this is a warning that this story will be markedly different. Different verse, different pacing, no POV hopping, no massive coverage of everyone's thoughts, we stick to our one gal. Well we will occasionally flip but never for long or too far from our MC.

Raven was one of the more interesting characters of RWBY, with direct ties to some of my other favorites. But, like much of RWBY, it needed to be explored and explained better. Now, can I do any better? Eh… maybe? But dammit, I'm gonna try! To do so I've tweaked some things, filled in some empty spaces, and gave it the Fro touch.

Some starting context: Raven and Qrow (Spoiler: a Raven fic will feature Qrow heavily.) will be young here, both 15. As such, the whole verse of TStC (The Strength to Change) starts much earlier than canon. That being said, this will be AN (Alternate Universe), as in I will be adjusting things to tell the story I intend to tell. These changes won't be as significant as DiA but will be noticeable. The stuff with Salem and Ozpin will be as expected for the most part, though I will fill in plenty of blanks as needed. But I'm not reworking whole-world systems like DiA. I will also use OCs when deemed necessary, but hopefully, they will not overstay their welcome.

Finally, I must warn you to keep our narrator in mind. Raven is the only speaker in this tale; we experience the world through goggles tinted by her bias. Things she says or thinks may not be honest, something to keep in mind. An unreliable narrator on deck.

Raven blinked as confusion echoed throughout her mind… where was she…

She blinked again, her vision seemingly coming into focus. She stood in front of a mirror that reflected Raven's current odd visage. She was seven, tall for her age, with long, unruly black hair tied loosely into a back ponytail. She wore a simple cloth dress covered in patches of various cloth used to repair the wear and tear of time. Her eyes stared seemingly lifelessly back at her. But she was disturbed by her examination of herself by the choked sobs of a boy.

It was her younger brother Qrow. The boy was also garbed in a matching, bare, and somewhat weathered cloth outfit. He was crying, hunched over; occasionally, the background noises of their home would startle him, making him flinch as he seemed to be desperately playing with a single-armed action figure. His favored toy was one he often held onto desperately. Attempting to block out the fear and racquet that disturbed him.

Their sibling nature was tellable at a mere glance. They shared the same thick dark hair, though he was much shorter, the same red eyes, though he was a shade lighter; they were twins, Raven the older by a mere matter of minutes. However, Qrow often made it seem to be a massive difference.

Raven glanced lazily at the walls, realizing the raised voices and crashing reverberating throughout the house. These are occurring more commonly now. Raven had learned to ignore it, but Qrow always seemed so bothered by it. It annoyed Raven to no end. Was he incapable of ignoring it like she was? However, his crying was more annoying than the racket that often went on in this home. And as such Raven moved to stop it. She debated striking her brother, but realizing it likely wouldn't achieve much, she kneeled down to him and covered his ears.

His head fearfully snapped up, thoroughly engrossed in despair, and his eyes met Raven's. She could see fear and anguish in him, but she saw rage and indifference deeper. She knew that similar to her, he could learn to adapt. Until then…

She hummed loudly as she tightly covered his ears. Even if her rudimentary ear muffs were ineffective, she was sure her tuneless hum would block out the racket around them. Qrow slightly relaxed, silent as he allowed her to block the sounds for him. It offered no protection for her, of course; if anything, doing this would be tiresome and only add to her growing headache. But she continued on all the same.

She was stronger than him, after all.

The cacophony of yells ended in a female scream and thuds. As the thuds drew close, a loud and menacing marching sounded throughout their tiny home. Raven did not flinch, but Qrow did as the sound of their father reaching the door sounded out.

The man yelled in fury as he discovered Raven's work. It had only been a matter of time before he turned on them; Raven had done her best to barricade her bedroom door. But the violent sound of the wooden door and frame cracked and creaked as the man did his best to bash them in. Knowing him, it wouldn't take too long…

Raven looked down at Qrow with a finger on her lips. The boy, seemingly foolish enough to trust her, nodded, and she led him to her closet. She brought him to a shelf inside, where the minor boy hid behind a box. Once confident her father would miss him she turned to face the threat. Staring at the door with a bored gaze. She knew would not be stopped until someone paid. It was somewhat wasteful for Raven to protect Qrow; however, the man always enjoyed beating him more. It made him feel powerful to beat a male. And that dark pride was something much worse than his anger…

The man smashed in the door with ease, a violent and wild look in his eye, his long dark and gray shaggy hair making him look like a beast. The sickening smell of liquor seemed to drift off him and make her eyes water. The man scanned the room hatefully, obviously seeking out Qrow. With a triumphant growl, he narrowed onto the closet and marched forth, ripping it open. Qrow was weak but not foolish and did not cry out as the man stupefied at not finding him, left the closet and scanned the room again. The man's eyes seemed to narrow onto Raven as if he had just noticed her.

"Where the fuck is he? Where is that little shit hiding!" The man roared as he slowly marched toward Raven.

The little girl fearlessly held her ground as she stared lazily back at the man. He growled as he lifted her up by her dress and screamed into her face.

Raven felt some fear but was quickly eclipsed by her hatred for this man. It wasn't for Qrow, Raven lied to the man as she shook her head. But for herself! Raven refused to submit to the man, and saving Qrow was an excellent way to spite him.

"RAVEN YOU LITTLE BITCH I AM YOUR FATHER ANSWER ME!" The man roared. His fury growing with his excitement as he realized he now had a new target.

"RAVEN! RAVEN! DEAR GOD, PLEASE WAKE UP!" He raved, almost sounding concerned; the sudden tone switch startled her…

His voice seemed different… almost like Qrow's, but he sounded older… oh…

It was a dream… with her realization, the around her fell apart. As Raven was dragged out of her intense dreams…

Despite the vivid experiences of her dream, she still awoke sluggishly. Her mind felt slow and painful as she slowly opened her eyes. Her mind whirled as she tried to recollect where she was and why she had been woken up. Raven had always been fond of her sleep and hated being disturbed. Qrow knew better…

It wasn't morning yet; Raven rarely felt well-rested these days, but she felt especially dead now. Before a shocking sensation sharpened her mind, a slow, creeping sensation crawled its way through her thick sleeping bag. A freezing cold seeped in; it was water!

The harsh and unwelcomed sensation felt much too like an attack to be the start of her day. Her somewhat lagging mind demanded she escape the cold, but forgetting to account for her being twisted into a cheap thick sleeping bag, she was restrained and began to roll and flail, trying to get free. Raven was sure a certain would've found the sight of a teenage girl trapped within a sleeping bag amusing. But her addled mind barely realized her problem nor the humor of it.

Raven was fully awakened by the scratchy voice of her brother. As she was cursing and grunting as she tried to get free, he was doing the same. "Ray, get your ass up and help!" Qrow swore, his voice full of desperation and frustration. He rarely bothered cursing nor yelling at her, and the clear panic in her tone allowed her clarity.

The cold and embarrassment sped her up as Raven crawled out of her bag and whipped her head toward her brother on the other side of their small tent. The problem and reason for the cold were apparent now; their tent had been cut open, nearly the whole tent wall flapping in the wind. Considering it was winter and a stormy night, it meant that now the harsh, freezing, cold wind blew in unaided. Bringing with it a shocking amount of snow. Quickly, the heat of the tent was sapped out; with the size of the hole and the amount of snow coming in, it was likely the tent would be flooded with snow soon…

Raven awkwardly climbed to a stooped stand, racing forward to join Qrow. Her brother nodded at her as he grabbed one flayed side as she attempted to catch another. But so great was the breeze the wind pulled both flaps apart with great force; it was a miracle their stakes were holding in the ground, and the twins struggled to pull the flayed tent together.

Qrow had changed over the years. The pathetic kid he had been had turned into a somewhat dependable teen. He was one of the few people she held no contentment for in the world. After all they had been through, Raven and Qrow had become an effective team, surviving the worst together and becoming strong all the while. She would even admit she cared for him to an extent.

It was hard to remember their age these days; the harsh recent years had made birthdays, which had already been a rarity, impossible to track yet alone celebrate. Especially when they simply had more significant problems to deal with. Qrow had grown taller quickly, now nearly her own height, and his hair, once short and well kept, was now a longer disheveled, wavy mess. His voice had been cracking consistently as of late yet was deepening all the same. Raven had grown taller; her hair was still long, so long she kept it tied into a messy but tight single ponytail. Both were layers of frayed leather clothing looted from the bodies of some less fortunate teens. Both were skinnier than most from lack of food but healthy from the hard lives they lived.

Their struggle was earnest, but as the snow began to fill the bottom of the tent, Raven realized the foolishness of their attempt. She raced to the back of the tent, Qrow crying out as he attempted to force their tent together on his lonesome. Raven arrived at their large stolen backpacks used to keep their shoes and tools elevated. She roughly put hers on and stashed her small kitchen knife into the waistband of her leather trousers. Picking up Qrow's pack and screwdriver, she marched through the snow in their tent and called for her brother. Qrow, panting, let go of the tent and turned to barely catch his pack and screwdriver.

"We have to abandon it." Raven barked. "We have to seek new shelter."

"New shelter?" Qrow asked, confused. "You realize our neighbors won-"

"Then we need to find it elsewhere," Raven concluded simply and somewhat impatiently. "Our tent will be filled with snow in minutes and soak our paltry supplies if not outright kill us."

"I don't know if you realize this, sister," Qrow snarked back. "But we won't last long in a storm like this; even with our coats, we'll die within an hour."

"We will have to be strong." Raven spat back at him as she fished out a much too thin and patchy coat from her pack and secured it on herself. She struggled to prepare her shoes, but with the tent filling, they were quickly soaked regardless. She looked up to see Qrow had wisened up and done the same. The two nodded grimly at each other as they marched into the outdoors.

The cold and wind were much worse out in the open; the snow peaks around them and banks of snow made it seem like their massive campsite was surrounded. Their new home was nothing if not unforgiving and brutal. The community was one based on perceived worth. The lowest of the low, like themselves, were all but exiled. Not within the main camp, given the minimum supplies, and left out of clan matters. They marched along numbly, ignoring the tents around them. There would be no help.

In fact, as they marched, they heard open chuckles and mocking. A crueler man, even warning of their coming demise. Raven felt furious but could not seek revenge yet; every moment, a molecule of energy would be needed. All the same, as more and more mocked the two, Raven felt the growing impulse to throw caution to the wind. One that must've showed from Qrow's reaction.

"D-don't," Qrow spoke through chattering teeth. "They merely wish to have a reason to finish us themselves. They'd get out meager supplies with ease right now. Survival f-f-first, revenge after." Raven allowed him the verbal win. Qrow now wasn't a sniveling child anymore, but a logical and often shockingly composed teen. One she could trust to some extent.

Qrow was of course right, but hearing her logic unknowingly used against her stung. So, the two marched straight out of camp for the night in silence. Stumbling through the trees, looking for anywhere they could stay for the night.

Raven's life had never been great. However, it was with some hesitation that she could say her old one had been much physically easier. However, that had all changed one day. Raven could remember plenty of times, hoping someone would save her and Qrow. Yet she hadn't realized that even saviors could be demons themselves.

Their home had been a small shack built by their father near the center of the settlement. Their family had never been wealthy but had never honestly wanted much, financially speaking. Her father had been their single huntsman in the city. A well paying but dangerous job, Having served half his life as a huntsman for the country of Mistral and huntsman being ever low in supply, he was well received in their hometown. A well known local hero. A small recent settlement a short distance away from the larger cities, he was seen as a rare security resource. After all, huntsmen were the most effective method of Grimm's defense. Despite his status, however, their father had been a crude and impulsive man. Often reacting emotionally to even the smallest of perceived slights. Something that frequently bled into their home life. Mother had been mostly kind but never interfered with their father. Their mother had been much less present for them and seemed focused on their father. Yet none of that had mattered in the end.

A small settlement like theirs had little need for defenses. Being so small and poor and with the relative peace the world had enjoyed for years now, there had been no reason to. Besides, there needed to be more strategic value for an attack and a likelihood of a large Grimm hoard to be close was absurdly low. However, their safety assurances were shattered by the arrival of the Woodsman Tribe.

The group was nearly fifty solid and capable fighters, all armed to the teeth, and had surrounded their village. A man missing an arm, having replaced it with some kind of spike and carrying a revolver in his other hand, had approached their village. They were met by their mayor, their small force of Australian soldiers, and Raven's father.

They had demanded the settlement surrender ultimately. The tribe would take whoever or whatever they liked and kill anyone they saw fit. In exchange, the tribe would let some of them live after, and the survivors would go and it would spare many of their lives. However, he informed them he'd prefer it if they resisted. Assuring either way the Woodsman Tribe would succeed today.

Their homeland had been confident in their protection by her father and the Mistral government, and had denied their terms. Raven could still see the initial shots fired at their mayor and defenders. The leader, James Woodsman himself, had executed the mayor with a headshot as soon as he refused. His men behind them gunned the soldiers who bravely attempted to return fire. However, surrounded and outnumbered as they were, they didn't last long. Her father had survived the initial slaughter. Running from the wave of death, he ran from battle and their home. A few bloodthirsty warriors chasing after him. Their local hero and defender left the entire village and his family for dead…

James had chuckled at the sight before ordering his men to pillage.

The settlement had no chance to fight back or flee. Pure fear and panic filled them as the crowd surged. Raven and Qrow had barely escaped the mob, as they witnessed some other unfortunate souls being trampled by it. The twins had run to their home as their neighbors and strangers alike were robbed, beaten, and butchered. The older woman was dragged away by more savage men, and the men were either killed helplessly or the braver were bogged down in combat by either sheer numbers or more experienced killers.

The twins had managed to flee to their home, just barely finding their mother cowering inside. The three, propelled by fear, forgot their problems as they worked together to barricade their home and hide inside. However, their efforts were for naught, as their house was soon discovered and attacked. The men smashed in doors and windows alike as they broke into their homes. Some focused on looting, while others dragged their mother away. The final two of the attacks had simply stood over the frozen twins.

They had debated slaughtering the two before an older grizzled man had arrived and "saved" them. His words to this day echo in her mind constantly.

"They're too young to be fun, but it will be useful if they can prove their strength. Take them and give them dreg status; I believe they will serve the Woodsman Tribe well. If they realize the true value of strength that is." The man had said, his words followed, and the two were dragged off alive but screaming.

Raven had never seen her father or mother again. But Qrow and her had been much more occupied by their new life to care much. The Woodmans Tribe had decided to use them as dregs. And once all the loot was taken, the defenders slaughtered and survivors taken, had set about leaving the settlement.

Qrow and Raven, as well as the small number of other survivors, primarily women and children, but even a tiny number of beaten men. Had been forced to march with a large group of bandits. The bandits traveled by horseback and merrily caroled the captives as the large group traveled. Eventually, arriving at a large and well-set encampment. The main camp of the Woodsman Tribe.

Qrow's pants grew heavier as his march alongside his sister slowed down. Breaking her from her day dream. Raven attempted to motivate him, cursing at him to raise his frustration. However, they had been walking for ten minutes now. Every part of Raven's body ached from the cold, the coldest parts of her growing numb being a grim relief. She was more substantial than Qrow, and even she could feel hypothermia and exhaustion set in. It was no surprise he was weakening. Soon both of them would surely perish.

However, it would annoy and potentially doom Raven if Qrow died. As such, she worked tirelessly to keep him going. However, Qrow grew more and more quiet and slowed down to crawl. Realizing both were nearing their limits, Raven had begun to push Qrow forward forcing him to continue moving. However, her brother began to mutter as they continued on. Literally dragging his feet as he lost his will.

"I- I just can't, I can't feel anything…" Qrow muttered quietly.

"We gotta- we gotta keep going." Raven barked, but it became a curse as Qrow fell into the snow face first. Raven dropped to her knees, roughly shook, and attempted to roll Qrow over. But her brother was unresponsive, and his limp body was heavy.

"Come on, shithead, we need to keep moving." There was no response, and Raven pelted off swear words as she scrambled to the front of Qrow. With a grunt of effort, she raised his arms and lifted his face from the snow. "Fine, I'll carry your ass like always," Raven told him as she began a slow crawl and attempted to drag Qrow to safety. As she did, she scanned her surroundings and saw a cave on the side of a hill still exposed to the snow. She couldn't be sure how fair it was. But all the same, she felt ope blossoming within her. Raven, now remotivated, continued her desperate struggle.

The survivors had been split up and organized into four groups, "slaves" (those who had attempted to flee), "candidates" (those impressive enough to be wanted for the tribe), "ransom" (those of wealth or note), and "dredges" (those too weak to be helpful or welcomed). Slaves were forced to do the majority of the manual labor of the clan. Candidates were taken away for initiation, which was a brutal group beating before they would be allowed to join the clan. Ransom was obviously sold to Mistral, and Dredges were given a tent and rough clothing and told to follow the camp and survive. If they fled, they were hunted and killed, and if they disobeyed, they were treated the same.

Since then, the two had struggled roughly to survive. Finding food in the dead of winter was difficult, and it was only luck that they hadn't starved to death so far. The other dredges often were antagonistic towards each other (proving oneself in combat was one way to become a candidate from dredge), and even stole or murdered each other if necessary. The two, being young and weak, often suffered from such. It even seemed one of the men had sabotaged their tent.

Raven stumbled as she drew close to the cave, falling in a heap with Qrow. The cold left her numb and made it difficult to breathe and focus. She knew she needed to stand, yet doing so seemed impossible. Desperation set into Raven, and she screamed in a fury. A weaker part of her said to scream for help, but her pride would not allow it. Instead, she vented her fury as the strength left her body. Qrow's own unconscious body serves to pin her and doom both to an icy death.

Exhaustion set in, and Raven struggled to stay awake. At the very least, she was warm…

Raven joined Qrow in unconsciousness just as a familiar grizzled old man happened upon the both of them.

"That girl." The man spoke to himself. "She was certain she was facing death and yet did not plead to live. James can never meet you." The man joked to himself. He then lowered himself and placed a twin on each shoulder. With a grunt, they stood with both and marched the three of them into the cave Raven had sought. "Lucky for you, we admire the strength of character as well as the body." The man informed the two. "Had you begged, I would've left the two of you for death?" He grimly informed the two of them as they entered the cave.

AN

It's exciting to start another story, not easy but exciting all the same. Not to mention I quite enjoy this as a first chapter. Came out nicely in my own unqualified opinion. So be sure to let me know what you think.

As previously discussed, keep in mind Raven is our only view into this world and as such will be affected by her own biases. That is to say anything she describes or says or even thinks isn't necessarily the truth. Unreliable narrators have always been a favorite device of mine and now I get to try my own hand at it.

Also updates for this story will be monthly. (Also chapters will be longer in the future, just felt perfect here.) So you can expect the next chapter on 9/15/24. It may be posted before then, but this is the date to expect.

Finally thanks for reading and if you liked it please support, and Peace~!