A/N: EDIT: Not a lot of feedback this chapter. I genuinely don't know what to do anymore. T_T

Do folks not want this to be updated weekly anymore?

So bloody busy these days...

Still waiting for the shoe to drop on my transmissions costs; anxiety is eating me alive. All of my money has gone toward taking car of my sister while she recovers from surgery so unless parts and labor end up being cheap -unlikely- I don't know how I'm going to pay for it, even with all the crazy hours I'm working at bot jobs.

Rental car is a no go, those are too expensive, and I haven't the money to buy a new one. Terrified of taking a loan out from the bank.

But I'm also afraid to open a you know what or accept money from others. I've never done so before...

And of course, there are times when I look to the future and wonder what will become of things when I'm gone.

As ever, I own no references, quotes, themes or memes. They're tributes to legends far greater than little 'ol me.

I'm just a humble author trying to make his way in this wild world, one word at a time.

Time and feedback will determine if this remains a story. Simple as that.

In other words...its up to YOU, the reader. Do let me know~!

And now...in the words of an infamous man...

Here...

...we...

...gooooo~!

"Wake not the dragon.

Stir not the tempest.

Disturb him not."

~?

Mongrels and Madness

It was morning by the time they arrived in Mistral.

Things weren't simple, of course.

Nothing ever was.

From all he'd heard Raven and Qrow tell him of it, Naruto had thought Raven's precious Tribe would be bigger, somehow.

Reality was often disappointing and the Branwen Tribe was no exception.

In reality it was little more than a moderately-size encampment surrounded by rough wooden walls and manned by a great wooden gate affixed to some sort of crank near the base; one that likely opened from the bottom to better allow the defenders to keep intruders out. As much as one might expect from a place in the wilderness.

This place couldn't keep out a shinobi, much less a team of proper team of Huntsman. He could clear those "walls" in a single bound himself, to say nothing of those unsightly he sensed within. Really, there was only one or two souls in there that possessed anything more than middling strength. His kids could clear this place in their sleep. Which begged the question:

"Why'd you drag me all the way out here, Raven?"

She didn't answer him. Unsurprising, given that she hadn't spoken a word on the flight over, either. Her gaze remained fixed on the tribe's wooden gaze with a curious intensity, one he couldn't quite place. Something was bothering her, but if she had thoughts to share, she remained keen to keep them close to her chest.

"It had to be you." she said at last. "No one else would do."

He elbowed her. "Why not bring Tai then, or Qrow?"

"Because," she glanced at him with a growl, sounding like he'd all but dragged the word out of her, "My brother's busy with that bunny bitch of his and Tai's out on another date with Goodwitch."

"Glynda?" His brow shot into his hair and he couldn't quite keep the smile from his face. "That lucky bastard! Good for him! When did that happen? How did that happen?!"

She huffed. "I don't know and I don't care.

"Booo...

But she really did care, didn't see. He could feel the depth of her emotion simmering like a dying star; the absence of Team STRQ had her heart pounding and blood pumping, to say nothing of her stressl.

Comfort her.

The mark on his hand tingled again and annoyed, he clenched his hand into a fist. "What about Summer?"

"What about her?" She gave him a shove. "She's sick, alright. Leave her out of this."

Concern piqued within him. "Is she alright? I can run over to Vale and heal-

"This isn't nothing you can fix, dumbass. Gotta let it run its course.

He blinked, baffled. "Course...?"

"C'mon."

They approached the gate at a sedate pace; or rather, Raven did. He trailed after her, hands clasped behind his head, made mildly curious by her last remark.

Two sentries confronted them at the entrance, a pair of rough and tumble looking men clad in loose leather armor. They'd even gone so far as to shave their heads, completing the uniform look. The taller of the two looked their way and grinned; exposing missing, rotten, yellowed teeth.

"Well, well, well." he rasped in a voice made hoarse from gods-knew-what, "Look who the Beowolf dragged in. If ain't Branwen."

The younger of the duo sneered. "Hullo, traitor. Come skulking back after all these years?" his good eye strayed toward Naruto. "You brought us a nice prize. Nice suit, pal. Think I'll take it-

Alas, the older guard promptly thumped him over the head with his pistol before he could finish the digging that hole. "Quiet, you! Do you even know who that is?!"

"Some prick in a white suit?"

Another thump followed the first. "That's the freaking Schnee! The man who massacred Menagerie!"

Bloody rumors. Naruto winced. 'I didn't exactly massacre Menagerie ya, now...

Kurama sighed in his head. "No, but we did kill a lotta insane terrorists that day. Is it any wonder the tale took on a life of its own?"

Fair enough. Rumors were a bitch. Might as well play into them; anything to get this over with quickly.

He quirked a brow at them, idly adopting a menacing scowl. "I have a name...

The older guard practically bowed and scraped as he wrung his hand. "Yessir, your Schneeness.

"Solas." Raven spoke up at last to address the older man; if she was at all amused by his ruse, she didn't show it. "Who leads the tribe these days?"

"Jade's dead." came the reply. "Vasir runs the joint now."

Raven blinked. "That little runt?"

"Not a runt anymore." Solas shook his head. "She's strong now, she's powerful, she's got a semblance unlike anything I've ever seen. Took the old boss down with one attack"

Naruto's right ear twitched, noticing the awe in the man's voice. Curious...

Raven outright ignored it. "Don't ask, didn't care. Open the gate."

"Now, hold on." The younger guard flung out an arm with a smirk. "We'll be needin' the Schnee's weapon. His lien, too." said smirk turned ugly. "Consider it a...contributation to the cause.

Naruto sighed through his nose. "Buddy, that's not even a word...

Raven gave the youngster all the respect he was owed, which s to say none at all. "Don't touch him. He's my prize.

He hawked and spat at her feet. "Why should I listen to some washed-up traitor?

Solas growled under his breath. "Leave it, Sean. You're in over your head."

Raven tutted. "Listen to your mentor, boy."

"Or what?. I heard you've gone soft."

Omen flew free from its sheathe, slashed the air once, and lid back in thrice as fast.

The bandits between them blinked among themselves, utterly baffled.

Sean sneered. "Was that supposed to do something?"

Raven held up a finger, tasting the wind.

"Wait for it."

And then:

The younger man's fingers fell to the floor with a wet thump. Alongside his hand, wrist, elbow, alongside a good bit of his shoulder besides, each. Seam screamed and crumpled to his knees clutching at what might well be a mortal wound. With that much bleeding, he'd likely be dead within minutes. Still, he might survive if he got medical attention.

Naruto stowed the instinctive urge to heal him and whistled instead. "You've been practicing...

Here at last, Raven preened beneath the praise. She turned to face the surviving guard. "Open the gate."

Solas looked back to his mortally wounded companion. "Don't need to tell me twice."

Pivoting, he turned and thumped his fist against the wood palisade.

It cracked open and together, they slipped through.

And still, the question nagged at him.

"Why are we here?" he asked again.

Raven didn't say a word. She kept walking, forcing him to follow her in.

Their arrival attracted no small amount of attention; rough-looking men, women, and even the occasional child glared their way. He pitied them; not just to have been raised in a lifestyle, but to never have been given a chance to be anything better. They weren't down on her luck like his kids had been when he'd found them; they'd willingly chosen to embrace the Tribe and all the wrongness that came with it, enabled by all those around them until any chance of them being better was well and truly swept away. A small part of him wept for what they could've been.

"You would do well here, if you like." Raven's sudden remark had him looking her way with a scowl. "The strong rule, and you're one of the strongest by far."

"Is that why we're here?" he couldn't quite keep the bitter note from his voice. "You showing me off to the the Family?"

Raven snorted. "Mum would've hated you. Might've gotten on with Dad, though."

"Trying to recruit me?"

She fell silent once more, guiding him through the throngs of bandits until they reached their destination.

Alas, said "destination" turned out to be nothing more than a great looming tent planted in the center of the camp, larger than all the others. Ugly thing too, there could no denying that; it was all blue and black and purple cloth mounted atop a wooden deck held together by chords of leather. The latter was even less impressive by the complete lack of care made evident on the outside; bits of half-eaten food and discarded drinks lay strewn across the boards; he could even see a rusty sword stabbed into one of the steps, and atop it a woman's severed head, left there to rot in the elements without a care in the world.

"Hundred lien says that's the last leader of the tribe."

Naruto scoffed at Kurama. "No bet."

Raen cupped both hands on either side of her face and hollered. "Vasir! Get your ass out here!"

The tent flap parted and a baleful blue bitch emerged, clad in dark blue-plated armor.

Vasir was...well, he could only assume she was a Faunus; her skin was certainly very blue, her eyes dark as black diamonds, and her scalp a close crop of strange tentacles that someone matched the writing tattoos on her face. He'd never quite seen someone quite like her before, and he wasn't sure that was a good thing. She radiated bloodlust and lazy disdain, quiet contempt for the world at large. Said emotions were only mirrored by the bandits gathering round her. His sixth sense shrilled a warning, but no attack came. What was he missing here?

And then she saw them.

"A Schnee?" she quirked a blue brow at him, leering like he was some fine jewel to be plucked. "In my camp? Seems this is my lucky day."

Raven coughed.

"Oh, you're here too, Branwen." the self-proclaimed leader of the tribe flicked an errant glance her way and dismissed her in the same instant. "Didn't notice you over there, weakling. Is your weakass bother with you?"

Raven rolled her eyes, refusing to rise to the bait. "You always did enjoy your insults."

"The only insult I see here is you." her lower lip curled in disdain. "You left."

"I did," she granted her a nod, "But I'm back now."

"So you are." Vasir considered her for a long moment, then tilted her head. "Why are you here, Raven? Come to beg our forgiveness and rejoin the Tribe?" a low chuckle passed through those assembled behind them. "I might just grant your wish if you give me the Schnee, get down on your knees and kiss my boot."

Naruto stilled.

Raven wouldn't return to these monsters, would she?

No, surely not. She was better than that. She'd changed...hadn't she?

"You attacked the city of Mistral." Raven's retort had him zeroing in on her again. "Why?"

Had she? That was news to him. Then again, he'd been focused on his family and Atlas of late. Anima was an entire continent away...

"Lionheart is weak." Vasir scoffed. "His people don't respect him. More die under him every year. Is it any wonder his Huntsmen and Huntresses abandon him in droves?

Raven exhaled slowly, a quiet sigh of naked attempt that idly drew his eye her way. "You're going to get the tribe killed, Vasir."

The faunus scoffed and crossed both arms over her bosom. "The Tribe is mine to do with as I please."

"Not anymore."

"Is that why you're here after all these years?" She planted a fist on her hip. "To challenge me for leadership?"

Raven didn't rise to the bait; Naruto wasn't sure if that was a good thing.

"You know, I heard all about you." Vasir leaned forward, teeth flashing in the light. "You and Qrow were the best the Tribe had back then; that's why you were sent away, to learn the tricks of the Academies and bring them back to us. But you've gone native in Beacon. Soft." she hawked at the ground and spat. "Weak. Yet now you bring a Schnee to my camp. What the hell are you up to?"

Raven laughed abruptly.

It wasn't soft or pleasant, like Willow and Summer; more a sharp, savage snarl of brutal derision. But it ended as quickly as it began; she threw her head back, shook it once, and snapped her gaze back down with a sneer that would've made a Grimm cry.

"Look at you." she crooned darkly. "Big bad Vasir. How far you've come." her arms spread wide as she turned to face the bandits behind them, slowly circling in place. "I remember how you used to follow me and Qrow around like a lost puppy. I remember how afraid you were of fighting. I remember the day you wet your pants at the sight of your own blood during that first raid...

The Tribe rumbled. None dared laugh. But the whispers began.

Vasir snarled. "You dare?"

"I'll do a whole lot more than dare." Raven reached for Omen's hilt. "Unlike you, I actually back up my word and don't get off on attacking the defenseless."

"You've really gone and lost it, haven't you?" the faunus woman clicked her tongue in open scorn. "Is the Schnee that good in bed?"

Naruto damn near choked on his own spit.

Raven's reaction was worse; a fierce flush shot up her neck and she could've sworn he saw her hair lift for a second. Then she recovered, tilted her head to one side and smiled at her. The sight of it chilled him to his core in more ways than one. Aren't you a brave bitch today? Where did that weak little crybaby go?

The tribe shuffled around them.

Naturally, Vasir went with the only avenue of attack left to her, the quick recourse. "So you admit it, then. You're in bed with him."

Naruto felt he really should say something here, but he was just too fascinated by the byplay here; Raven was ready to erupt, and he was curious to see how she would react.

Right. She blew out a breath of annoyance, a long, shuddering sigh. "You had your chance."

Vasir sneered, ignorant of the landmine she'd trod upon. "Whatcha gonna do?"

Something that should've been done a long time ago.

Omen burst free from its sheathe hilt-first and burst forward like a missile. It struck Vasir in the gut, blasting the air from her lungs before could think, could even conceive of mustering her aura. The startled faunus wasn't a huntress, after all. She doubled over with a gasp, left clutching at her stomach for air that would never came.

Raven sauntered -stalked!- up the steps after her, grabbed her by the hair tentacles and yanked her close. "Whose the wealking now?

She didn't give her a chance to answer. Omen punched through her gut and burst out her back in a shower of blood.

Vasir gurgled wetly; she was still choking for air when Raven kicked her of the deck and down into her fellows. The impact was devastating; sending many a man and woman flying.

Only then did Raven deign to face him at long last.

"Oi, whiskers. You gonna stand around there and smirk all day, or are ya gonna help me beat these bastards down?"

"Ohhhh. So that's why we're here."

"We are." she flicked Omen outward, shedding Vasir's blood from it in a bloody arc. "Qrow and I will never return to the Tribe...and so they must die. All things must die."

So they must.

His cheeks creased in a smile. "Well, alright then...

Raven launched herself off the deck and into the thick of the Tribe. Omen cut a bloody swathe through everyone.

He let her have her fun and turned to face the nearest bandit with a warm, sunny smile.

Credit where it was due, they were quick on the draw and shot him in the head.

He even lowered his aura and let the bullet land, though he could've dodged.

You see, he had a point to make.

Time to terrify.

"The path of the righteous man and defender is beset on all sides by the iniquity of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men." Naruto shook his head, grunted now as the wound closed, the bullet fell out his head and landed at his feet. "Its different when you're on the receiving end. When you're the little guy. Lets see how you handle someone who can fight back.

Smiling, he grabbed the man by the arms.

Snap.

Crunch.

Thud.

"Bones take a while to mend, ya know?" he smiled down at the fellow he'd just felled before looking to the next. "Even longer than muscle. But the mind...oh, that's a fragile thing indeed. Lemme show ya...

He flared Kurama's cloak -overkill, really- and waded in.

A mace slammed into his head and shattered. Annoyed, he drove a rasengan backward and eviscerated its owner. Then another. And another. From there, the world dissolved into a glorious red blender of violence and he found himself at the center of it all, ripping and tearing, shredding and slaying with reckless abandon. Anyone who came close suffered the same fate. He tore them apart.

Something slammed into him. Flames seared his back, drawing his ire and an annoyed growl as a score of bandits went down screaming, engulfed in the inferno.

He glimpsed Vasir rising out the corner of his gaze, still alive somehow, utterly uncaring for the collateral damage she'd inflicted.

Clutching her wound, she was wobbly on her feet, but her eyes were banked by baleful flames. Familiar flames.

His eyes widened. "Another Maiden?! Are you kidding me?! Am I a magnet for these?!"

She flung a hand at him.

No, past him, he realized. She had found another target.

Her gaze roved past him and found Raven in the thick of things, cutting another bandit down.

Pressing two fingers together, she took aim. In her wrath, her rage, her hate, she unleashed hell. "BRANWEN!"

There was no time; no choice.

"Raven! Move!"

(.0.0.0.)

Someone shouted at her.

Raven scarcely heard in the chaos.

Her blood was up, she gloried in the slaughter and all it entailed...

.

..

...right up until an awful crack of sound filled the air.

Lightning flashed. Thunder rolled. She felt someone shove her aside, but foolishly, she resisted and dug her heels in.

Mistakes were made. Blood spattered her face, and with it came a curious numb sensation, then weightlessness.

She looked down, eyes wide, unable to comprehend what she found there.

There was a gaping, burnt, sizzling hole the size of a fist in her chest.

Right where her left lung should be.

Her legs buckled beneath her.

Everything went dark.

The last thing she heard was Naruto's scream.

A/N: Did I just...?

Thad said, would you like weekly updates? Do let me know!

As ever the Embers rule persists, reviews are my fuel, my fire, my life. Without them, I lose all inspiration, all hope, all ability to write.

That's no joke. I have so little time to write these days with two jobs, scarcely one day off a week, and silence hurts. So by all means, speak up! Make yourselves heard! Every bit of feedback, no matter how small or large, matters! Really, it helps a lot. Its a joy to talk with you all and bandy ideas back and forth; it really is. Sorry if this seems shorter than usual, working on a tight schedule here.

Reviews are the fuel that keeps me writing. That's no joke. I really am sorry that the chapters are shorter these days, and the updates slower, but I'm trying my best. Silence hurts more than any flame...without feedback, I can't write a single world. Seriously! So speak up! Every word -and every review!- really does matter!

So in the Immortal Words of Atlas... ...Review, Would You Kindly?

Here, have some previews. Lemme know what you think!

And as ever: Possible spoilers! Seriously!

Mostly the same previews here.

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!

SPOILERS AWAIT AHEAD!

YOU WERE WARNED~!

(Previews are condensed to save space!

All hell broke loose.

Tyrian tittered. "Riddle me this! what do you get when a Maiden and a Shinobi have a child together?

The answer might surprise you! Shall I give you the answer?

You get a goddess."

Qrow was really starting to hate Mistral.

Bad enough that they had their crime syndicates, but this drug...no one had paid attention to it for the longest time. They'd known about it, even seen hints down in Menagerie, but this...

A drug that boosted semblances. Sounded great on paper, right?

It wasn't.

Using the damn thing killed you eventually. Semblances were meant to grow and evolve naturally. This...whatever it was, forced that evolution.

"Well, shit. Oz ain't gonna like this...

"We still haven't tracked down that semblance booster yet?

Evidently its cropped up in Mistral now.

"Lovely."

Target in sight.

She'd been so careful these last few days, making sure no one saw her, that no one suspected. This was her time, this was her moment! Her day was now!

"Ruby Rose! You put that cookie down! No desert before dinner!"

Buuusted.

Mommy was best mom, but she really did keep a close eye on her cookie jar...

Daddy was better. He let her have sweets all the time!

"Again."

Winter climbed to her feet. Cinder waited her, golden eyes shining with flame. Roman knelt to retrieve his hat, dusted it off, and brandished his cane at her. Sienna cracked her knuckles.

"Pick up your sword. We're not done yet, little sister...

"What's gotten into you, Winter?"

She wouldn't look at him. She mustn't. She refused.

"I heard what you said to mother." Father arched an eyebrow at her, and in the absence of his words, child though she was, she found the strength to continue. "You think I'm weak because I'm not like you, like Cinder and Sienna, or even Roman." she stomped a foot and looked down, unwilling to meet his eyes. "I know I was never what you wanted, but I thought after all this time, maybe things were different.

His stoic gaze drilled into her. "When did you get the impression I didn't want you? You don't know everything kiddo...

"No, she sniffled, "but at least now I know the truth.

"The truth, eh?" he thumbed his chin. "Alright." a quick shove pushed his chair out from behind his desk. "You want the truth? C'mere." A metal hand patted his knee. "I'd wanted to wait another three years, but I suppose now's as good a time as any."

Her legs betrayed her and she found herself climbing into his lap. At the end of the day he was still her father and she was only five.

She tilted her head up to get a better look at him. As such she saw the moment his sapphire eyes snapped into scarlet.

Winter gasped despite her best efforts. "What did you do?! Is that a semblance or...?

"Nope. I'm a jinchuuriki, girl." she watched golden light dance across his face as he spoke, burning bright. "From another world, far from here. When I first met your mother I chose to be who I am now. To be more than a fight, but a leader as well. But the truth is, I'm far from perfect." he held up his false arm from her to see. "I killed my best friend. It wasn't something I wanted to do-that's how I got this arm. Even after that, I destroyed many who were deserving...and many who were not."

"That still doesn't explain why you think I'm weak-

"You think you're weak, Winter? No, no, no." he shook his head, setting his pale hair swaying. "You're strong; the only other person on this planet with chakra besides me. Hell, you're probably going to be even stronger than me, once you grow up. Which is why you must be BETTER. I didn't want to tell you any of this until you were ready."

"Why not tell me all this before?"

"Because it could go to your head. Because strength without experience can create a lifetime of tragedy if you're not careful. I also wanted you to have a normal childhood."

She scowled at him. "How is anything about my life even remotely normal?"

He granted her a small smile.

"Fair enough...

Winter wasn't cut out to be a big sister. Truly, she felt she wasn't. She'd been born broken. She only knew how to fight and kill. That was why she seldom spoke. Why she shunned others.

It was precisely why she was hesitating now, as the mewls of a newborn infant filled the hospital room.

"Oh, stop that. Come here and hold your baby sister. Weiss won't bite."

...you're gonna be a daddy again.

Naruto fell out his chair!

...why do I laugh, you ask? I laugh because you have no idea what you've unleashed. There are things far worse than death."

Something tore the roof clean off above them; the roar of a beast split the air.

"Ah, right on time."

Winter scowled. It was a very impressive scowl she felt, easily capable of causing even the mightiest of Grimm to quaver in its boots.

It had no effect whatsoever on Big Sister Cinder. Her sister was everything she wanted to be; poise, power, and perfection. It didn't matter if they weren't related by blood. They were sisters. Anyone who said otherwise was getting an ice spike through the eye.

Now, now, there's no need to make such a face. You're only four, after all. What troubles you?

Daddy is busy again.

Cinder's face lit up. Really? Then I suppose we'll have to change that.

EDIT: Good 'ol Jason Statham here...

I asked twice. He started it. He's a bully.

...maybe this is my fault. I taught her to defend herself.

You think its a good idea teaching a little girl to fight?

Fight, no. Defend herself though? Definitely.

"Naruto, stop! This isn't you! This isn't who you want to be! They need to face justice!

Rationally, yes. But he wasn't feeling very rational right now.

"They came for my family. This is justice."

He squeezed their neck harder.

CRACK.

R&R~!