"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure that fishes don't have fingers."

"Then why are they called fish fingers?"

"I don't know, but not because they are made from fish's fingers."

"Hmm, what about hot dogs?"

Jaune sighed. It was in the afternoon when Thana's timid persona had disappeared and started bombing him with questions.

"Thana," Jaune began, trying to keep his tone patient as he sidestepped a low-hanging branch, "you know that hot dogs aren't made from dogs, right?"

Thana giggled. "I know that! But who comes up with these names? It's like they want to confuse us."

"I think their inventors just wanted more creative names than just describe them what they are."

"That's silly."

Jaune couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, it is a bit silly when you think about it."

Their journey so far was uneventful fortunately, they had an hour break to eat at noon but besides that, they had stopped a handful of times for a few minutes. The forest had got thicker, meaning they were truly out in the wild.

The weather so far was kind to them, but they were on the road less than ten hours, which was not much compared to how long the journey would take. He tried to pay attention to the sky to watch out for signs that would indicate a storm but thanks to the dense canopy, he could only see what was directly above them. During late spring this wasn't so fortunate when storms could arrive in minutes.

The road that they followed had changed too. It was less wide and less obvious than hours earlier, the grass and wilder bushes had almost claimed it in a few places which made it obvious that this road was rarely used. This was both a blessing and a curse.

A blessing because they didn't have to worry about bandits because they would choose a road with more traffic.

A curse because if something happened to them, they had no hope for help to arrive in time, they were on their own completely. Luckily, only a handful of a thing would be dangerous to their group: a large number of grimms or bandits, running out of food or a serious accident. The latter was easily avoidable with some common sense and Aura. Running out of food was not a serious concern if they rationed what they had brought with them properly, it should be enough for their next stop. But to prepare for the worst, Jaune had bought a book that listed every edible plant and animal that one could find in Vale - where to find them, when, and how not to mix them up with something similar, all in one book.

The former two meant more dangers for them. Given the desolated road, the grimms had a bigger probability of showing up. Jaune was confident that he could deal with most of them alone, his fight with the Manticore was proof of this, the more exotic grimms which were rare and dangerous mostly lived in the mountains in the centre of the continent which he planned to avoid completely.

The only threat their number meant. Fighting a horde was extremely dangerous, a horde could contain anything from common Beowolves to ancient Goliaths. As much he had heard from Qrow, every sensible Huntsman avoided them like a plague because they were like ordering more shots after twenty – you never knew which one would end your night. Of course, the kingdoms didn't allow them to exist for long, usually, two or three airships solved this problem with their cannons.

But with his new… associate, dealing with that many Grimm would be easier. Cinder had some serious firepower – quite literally. Jaune had the misfortune to see what the Fall Maiden was capable of, and he sincerely hoped he wouldn't see it again in the near future.

The raven-haired woman was on the other side of Thana, giving the little girl protection on both sides. She didn't say a word to him since their departure from Antlers, no remarks, no insults, nothing. Jaune wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not. It could have meant that she was busy thinking about something. He highly doubted she was thinking about why fish fingers were named fish fingers. He had been keeping an eye on her since yesterday, their little disagreement hadn't ended in her favour, and she didn't seem like a person who would let this slide.

" – can do?"

Jaune blinked a few times as he emerged from his thoughts. "Sorry, what did you say?" Jaune asked Thana.

"What your sword can do?" she asked eyeing Crocea Mors in his hip. "Everyone says that huntsman weapons can change into guns and a bunch of other things."

"Uh, mine is not like that, it can only cut and sometimes stab."

"Why?" she asked with a puzzled look.

"Because it's very old, over a hundred years old. My great-great-grandfather used it to fight in the Great War, and back then transforming weapons didn't exist yet."

"So, it can't change?" the disappointment was clear in her voice.

"Well, the sheath can turn into a shield."

"Really! Can I see it?"

"Maybe later."

She looked at him slightly disappointed. "Okay."

The trees began to thin out as they went and Jaune could hear the trickling of water not so far from them. Moments later he saw it, a clear watered stream flowed amidst rocks in its bed. As far as he could see, the road followed the stream and a few hundred meters ahead there was a bright spot where the trees let the sunlight through among themselves which could be a good place to rest.

"Hey Jaune." called Thana.

"Yes?"

"What about butterflies?"

He groaned which felt like came from his soul.

"Why not you ask Cinder about this? She could know more about this than me and bet she has a cooler weapon than me." Jaune purposefully was looking away, avoiding the Maiden's gaze but he could feel her death glare that she was sending in his way. Throwing Cinder under the bus felt nice.

"Don't get me involved in this. The last time was excruciating enough." said Cinder.

"Really?" He turned to the little girl who was nodding, "What did you find out?" He doubted that Cinder had revealed something important to a kid, but this was a good opportunity to fish for some information about her. Jaune took a brief glance at Cinder who was looking at him with narrowed eye.

"She likes vanilla ice cream. Oh, and her favourite colour is red." said Thana with excitement. Who had thought that Cinder Fall's favourite colour was red, what a shock.

"Really? Anything else?"

"She began to learn how to fight at fourteen to become a Huntress."

"Aha." said Jaune as he thought about it. This was interesting. Most hunters start their training at young age, around nine, in combat schools. So, this implied that Cinder didn't attend any of them, rather she started to learn later. But how? Someone had trained her?

For a moment it felt to Jaune that he was thinking about himself, he quickly pushed away this thought. He wasnothinglike her! And he doubted that she ever wanted to be a Huntress.

"That sounds interesting. She had to be a talented student to get through initiation in the academies with a few years of training." Maybe Cinder mentioned something to Thana that explained it.

Jaune stole a quick glance at the woman who looked less than pleased with his query about her. She didn't look in his direction, but he had a view of her scowling face.

"I don't know. She promised that she would tell me more about Huntress stuff, Mira's parents used to tell us a lot of cool things." she told him, smiling. She seemed interested in hunters, like most children. Jaune was surprised that she knew Mira and her parents.

They were from the last village that was attacked, and so was Thana. This could have meant that she might have seen something on that night.

"Thana," started Jaune gently, "do you remember when the Grimm attacked your village?" His sudden change of topic didn't go overly well.

Her smile disappeared and her movement became rigid. She stared at the ground as they walked, then answered, "Yes." she said quietly, still looking down.

"What happened that night?"

"W-We went to sleep at nine as always. After everyone fell asleep, me and J-Jenny sneaked out from the bedroom." said Thana as they slowed down, "We wanted to steal some cookies from the kitchen. Matt told Jenny how he did it last time and Jenny wanted to try it, she asked me to be her lookout because she was afraid that Mrs. Norris would notice her. She said that she would get me some too. She was still in the kitchen when it started."

"How?" Jaune asked.

"I… I heard gunshots from outside, then the bells started to ring. Mrs. Norris always told us when the bells start to ring, we must run to the bunker, no matter what. Jenny came out of the kitchen, and we started to run to the bunker. T-The p-people were screaming, there was fire everywhere. We ran, b-but t-they were already t-there."

"Who?"

"The Grimm, they were already there. Everyone started to run into the forest, we did too. I… We lost each other, it was too dark. And there was that horn sound." she looked ahead but her eyes were unfocused.

"What horn?"

"Arc."

Tears began to form. "I-I haven't seen her in the camp." her breath hitched.

"Thana, what horn did you hear?" Jaune pressed.

"Arc!"

"She asked me to be her lookout, and I lost her. S-She was my b-best friend" she whimpered.

"Thana, did you see who –"

"ARC!" yelled Cinder as she moved between him and Thana, blocking his line of vision to the girl. The Maiden glared furiously at him, making Jaune take a step back. He blinked a few times before realising what he had just done.

He looked over Cinder's shoulder. Tears steadily flew from Thana's eye as she stood there and cried.

He did this.

"Thana, I… I'm so – '' he tried to apologize but Cinder once again blocked his vision.

''It's getting late." she stated, "We should start to make the camp for the night. Go and gather firewood." she ordered. Looking into her amber iris felt like looking into glowing lava. This was an ultimatum that promised violence if he refused. Jaune knew that he was on thin ice, she uncharacteristically cared about the girl.

"I just –"

"Now!" she hissed.

He remained silent then gave her a nod, he put down his backpack at the nearest tree and walked away, ashamed.

Cinder watched Arc's back until he was far enough away, making sure he wasn't going to change his mind and come back. He should consider himself incredibly lucky. She would have burned him until nothing remained but ash if it weren't for the current situation. She closed her eye, opened her fist and took a calming breath. She needed to calm down, or at least look calm.

She turned around to face Thana who was still weeping. Cinder cursed that moron for doing this and putting her in this situation – mainly because she had no experience comforting anyone, let alone a child

She went over to the girl and knelt down slowly in front of her, her movements deliberate as she forced herself to approach the situation with care she wasn't used to. She watched Thana's small frame trembling with sobs. Cinder cursed under her breath again. What in the world was she supposed to say?

For a moment, she just stared, trying to come up with anything that would make the crying stop. The girl before her reminded her how much she hated these kinds of moments. Vulnerability. Weakness.

Cinder extended her hand but hesitated halfway for a moment before she finally made contact with her shoulder. The touch was awkward and stiff. She wasn't sure if touching Thana was the right move.

"Thana," Cinder said, her voice low, gentle, "it's okay. Please stop crying."

Thana didn't respond at first, still trapped in her sorrow. Her face was red, tears mixing with sweat from their long journey. Cinder's discomfort deepened. She shouldn't care, like no one had cared about her. But for some reason, she couldn't leave her like this.

"I…" Cinder tried again, grasping for words. "What happened wasn't your fault. You know that, right?"

Thana sniffled but didn't look up. "But it was. I should've been faster. I should've stayed with Jenny. She was my best friend, and I lost her."

Cinder bit her lower lip. This wasn't her strong suit. Empathy was a skill she had no use for in her life, and yet here she was. "You didn't lose her. You got separated. There's a difference, it was out of your control." Her words slightly lost their gentleness as she tried to convince the girl.

Thana shook her head, more tears falling. "I was supposed to protect her. But I ran away."

Cinder felt a flicker of irritation. She wasn't good at this, never was, because she never had to. Because usually, she was the one who caused pain to others.

Arc was the one who was supposed to be here and help Thana, not Cinder.

"You didn't run away." Cinder said, her voice softening against her will. "You did what you had to do to survive."

Thana sniffled again and finally lifted her gaze, meeting Cinder's eyes. Her face was wet with tears, her expression raw with guilt and fear. "I just… I just want Jenny back." she whispered.

Cinder's chest tightened. She wasn't used to this, someone telling her about their greatest wish in hope that she somehow could make them come true. She had been alone for so long; she had learned to rely only on herself. She couldn't even remember when was the last time she had offered comfort – if she ever even had.

''We all want things we can't have.'' Cinder said eventually. A little girl wished her friend to be alive, and once upon a time, another girl wished she had someone like Thana. But these wishes never came true, the world was too cruel for that. ''But this doesn't mean that she is gone, not completely. Until you're here, there is someone to remember her. Would you have her be forgotten?''

Thana shook her head.

"Then you keep going. For her. Understand?"

Thana stared at her for a long moment, as if weighing Cinder's words. Then, slowly, she nodded, still sniffling but calmer than before. It wasn't much, but it was something.

"And if that blonde idiot will ask you again about this, then you will say no to him or you will come and find me, okay?"

"But he is a Huntsman. Mrs. Norris said that we have to help them when they ask."

Cinder almost scoffed. Of course, that matron had said that. She was very familiar with how the people viewed Huntsmen and Huntresses in the countryside, and what tales they told the children about them. She had heard them when she lived in Mistral.

"I know what kind of stories you've heard about the Huntsmen and Huntresses but let me tell you a secret. Not everyone who looks like a hero is a hero."

"But they help people." Thana argued. The naivety spoke from her, but Cinder didn't expect the girl to understand her, children only saw the world in black and white. Good and bad were two distinctly different notions for them which could never mix.

"Only for those who they think are worthy enough." Her words just further confused Thana who looked back puzzled.

"Come." said Cinder as she stood up. "I saw a few bushes with berries on the other side of the stream a little bit back. Let's check it out if it is something eatable, it'll be nice after dinner. I hope it's blackberry." The promise of sweetness did its trick. Thana wiped at her eyes with the back of her sleeve and gave Cinder a tiny smile, barely noticeable.

They put down their backpacks onto the grass and strode back on the road alongside the stream.

Cinder hadn't meant to care this much. She wasn't supposed to care at all. But somehow, in this small, insignificant girl, she saw herself fifteen years ago. Before things got worse, before the Madame.

She didn't wish the same fate for Thana, that's why she was so against this job. Cinder feared that Vale would hold the same thing for the orphan girl, this made her feel… anxious. She feared that she was like her monster of stepmother when she had taken her to Atlas. Even after all these years, she still hated her with all of her heart and thought that she died too quickly. She deserved a slower and more painful death.

The thought that she could become someone like the Madame for Thana made her angry. And what made her truly angry was that that buffoon was okay with completing this job, even after they had learned its true nature.

What Vale was doing was practically slavery with a few extra steps and sympathetic words which fooled the people. They're planning to train the children to become something that the city needs so the rich and powerful can continue their life like nothing had happened. The freedom of choice would be taken from them like from her, after all, orphans had no one who would step up for them, not even a Huntsman.

"It's over there." Thana pointed across the stream, bringing Cinder out of her thoughts.

The water didn't appear deep or fast – the early summer storms were yet to come. The whole thing was around five meters wide at this part, pocked by different size rocks which emerged out of the gently flowing water. They looked good enough to use them to avoid the shallow water.

She tested a few rocks near the bank to see if they were stable enough. ''Alright, they look adequate for use.''

"Adikit?"

"Adequate." corrected her Cinder, "It means good enough. I'll go first, follow my steps and be careful."

Crossing the stream was trivial for Cinder and it was not a big challenge for Thana either. When they arrived at the other bank, they had the chance to inspect closer the berries.

"Is this blackberry?" asked Than while she examined one closer.

"Yes. Yes, it is" she replied before she tasted one. "Have you ever tried one?"

"No, only strawberry. Is it better?"

"Pick one and tell me." said Cinder amused. She watched how Thana's face transformed from a curious impression into a happy one as she tested the fruit, she picked immediately two more berries. "I take that you like it."

"It's the best thing ever!" said the girl with a full mouth.

"Hmm, almost. If you praise blackberries this high, then you have to expand your vocabulary when you taste a mulberry."

"Really?"

"Really." Cinder confirmed.

They ate a few more berries before Thana asked, "How are we going to take them back to the camp?"

That was a good question. Indeed how? They had left their bags in the clearing and carrying them in their pockets was a foolish idea. As she was trying to solve this problem, Cinder's eye wandered to Thana.

"Come here." Thana looked at her confused for a moment before she stepped before Cinder. "Turn around." The solution for their transportation problem was right in front of her, on the back of the girl.

"We are going to use the hood of your hoodie." Cinder explained, "You'll have to be a bit mindful while we walk back but it would be good enough for now"

Thana looked back at her with a smile. "Adequate?"

She returned the smile. "Yes, adequate."

Cinder felt proud that she taught something.

"Now turn back and munch on the berries while I fill your hood."

Filling her hood took longer than Cinder had anticipated, picking blackberries with one hand was very time-consuming. She was almost finished when the black-haired girl spoke. "How did you recognise them? Mrs Norris said that we mustn't eat berries from the forest."

"How old are you?"

"Nine." answered puzzled.

"… When I was nine, I lived at a farm next to a village and the people often had bushes with different kinds of berries. I was a… picky eater," Not a term that Cinder would have used but Thana didn't need to know about her early childhood or any part of it. "but I always liked fruits- especially blackberry. But other berries were growing next to them, so I had to learn how to recognise them. It has thorny stems and five pale pink petals when its flowers, when you eat enough you can easily recognise the berries."

Thana hummed.

"Well, we're finished." declared Cinder, "I don't think we can put more in your hood."

Thana tried to turn his head to see how much berry rested in her hood, but Cinder stopped her. "Don't. You will spill them out."

"I could take off my hoodie and you could bring them, it would be safer." she offered sweetly, too sweetly.

"I'm a Huntress and my job is to protect you. How could I do that when my only hand is full of blackberry?" she gave the girl a knowing look, amused. "Or do you just want to eat them on the way back while I carry them?"

"No, of course not." Thana said quickly.

Cinder raised her eyebrow. "Aha." she replied in a tone that strongly implied that she didn't believe the girl.

"You are a meanie." she declared with a pout and crossed arms after she had realised that her plot hadn't worked.

"I am." agreed Cinder proudly with a smile. "Now let's go back and be careful with my blackberries, don't spill them out."

"Your blackberries?"

"Yes, they're my payment for protecting you from grimms and bears. I will be behind you so I can munch on my berries." She couldn't hold herself back from grinning when she saw Thana's incredulous expression. Thana muttered something under her nose, but all Cinder could hear was 'evil Huntress'.

Cute

The walk back took a bit longer because of the berries which Cinder raided a few times, she hummed delightfully at every berry to tease Thana who by now totally forgot what happened an hour before.

Cinder thought that she successfully comforted Thana. It felt strange for her because she had never done it before, and it felt… good.

"Do you think Jaune is back with the firewood?" Thana's question broke Cinder's line of thought. She had expected that Arc would come up in conversation at one point as they got closer to their hastily selected camp.

"An hour should have been enough for him." And he better come to his senses for his own sake. Even she had noticed that Thana was stressed from his questioning, but he hadn't stopped, not even when she started to cry.

He was different. She didn't want to admit but this bothered her. Not because she cared about him, but because this made him unpredictable. He had saved her for some reason. She had made some mocking comments about his dead partner in the hospital which should have made him furious.

But he hadn't.

Instead, he had remained calm to the point that he told her to stop trying to make him angry. He had played along with her cover and made himself her partner. He had finished their argument by practically challenging her in the middle of a town. And now, this incident with Thana.

He kept doing things that were the opposite of his nature.

This frustrated her. She had lost control over this whole thing for days which she hated. Where was that moron who blindly charged at her at Haven with laughable skill set? Or at Atlas. Killing that tin can shouldn't have changed him this much. She had to admit she had never thought that he would be capable of killing someone just to stop her, but he hadn't even mentioned it so far.

No. Something else had to have happened.

She knew that he alongside Team RWBY had been listed as K.I.A. for a few months, but what could have happened that changed him this much?

She was absolutely sure that he wouldn't tell her if she would ask. No, he would stop her and tell her that she has no right to know. Why would she have? She probably had something to do with his top three worst moments in his life.

Naturally, he didn't trust her which was mutual. She had seen how was looking in her direction every few minutes, the quick glances at her reactions. He was waiting when she would slip and give him a reason to end her, like he would be able to kill a Maiden that was not knocking on death's door. It was only a matter of time that he would try something stupid.

That was why she always ensured that he was on her right side, so she could too keep an eye on him.

"Do you think he will ask again about that night?" she asked quietly but Cinder could hear anxiety in her voice.

"No." she answered confidently, "Even if he tries again, I will stop him."

"Okay." her word was quiet but free of the previous anxiety.

Cinder reached into Thana's hood, grabbed three more berries, and stepped next to her. "Here." she offered the blackberries, "This will be all you get until dinner." Thana took them with a tiny smile.

A few more minutes later she could smell smoke, at first, she thought that there was a forest fire nearby but then she realised that they were almost back to their camp which meant that Arc was already back and had made himself useful.

Her deduction proved to be true when they arrived back and saw the burning campfire, and beside it Arc who looked ashamed when he saw Thana. This pleased Cinder because this meant that he wouldn't try again upsetting Thana who was avoiding his gaze and moving closer to Cinder.

While they're getting closer, Cinder noticed that Arc had kept his eyes on the girl with a flash of concern on his face, this confused her.

Then she realised, he was looking for injury. He had thought that she would hurt Thana, this set her little into a foul mood. After all, he was the one who had hurt her.

"You're back."

"Obviously." she replied dryly.

His eyes moved from Cinder to the girl next to her. "Thana, I'm sorry about what I did. You clearly didn't wish to speak about it, and I failed to notice it." he admitted it, "I promise it won't happen again. Can you forgive me?"

His words were sincere enough, she guessed. Although she expected more.

Thana didn't give an immediate answer which made him squirm a little. Cinder almost smiled at this.

Good girl.

A few moments later Thana spoke. "It's okay. I forgive you."

He looked relieved and gave a small smile to Thana.

Dinner was a small, mostly quiet event, only the cracking fire and sometimes Thana interrupted the silence. Dinner itself was not much, instant noodles that Arc had bought yesterday. At least he got the ones with the beef flavour, which made the blackberries seem even better as a dessert.

The sun had disappeared hours ago, and the moon took its place, the air was cool, but the fire kept it away.

Cinder glanced at her two companions. Thana was already in her sleeping bag, sleeping. Arc, however, remained seated by the fire, staring into the flames with a somber expression, the dark circles under his eyes gave the impression that he hadn't slept in days. His eyes flicked toward her, catching her gaze. "What?"

"You look shit." she remarked bluntly. He broke their eye contact and sighed.

"I know." a curt answer.

"You should go to sleep; I take the first watch." she offered graciously in her opinion.

He glanced back at her; the distrust and suspicion were clear on his face. "I'm not tired enough to sleep."

Cinder raised an eyebrow, leaning back slightly as she studied him again but now closer. His posture was slouched, shoulders sagging, his hair a messy, tangled mass, and the bags under his eyes were more pronounced than in the morning. His eyes, though still sharp, held a dullness she was familiar with.

"Not tired enough, huh?" Cinder scoffed, "You look like you've been hit by a Bullhead."

"Feels that way sometimes." replied dryly, "But I'll be fine."

She resisted the urge to roll her eye. And here it was, his martyr complex. It was entertaining at first at Haven, but it was getting old fast. "But I'll be fine." she mimicked with mockery. "Don't expect me to carry you when you pass out of exhaustion. You have little use already."

Silence hung between them for a moment, the only sound was the crackling fire. He didn't respond immediately, he just stared into the flames. "And how useful are you? Because if I remember correctly less than a week ago you almost died and the only reason you're still alive is me."

Cinder was irritated by his words, her muscles tensed at his words, but she tried to not show it that his words affected her. "They got lucky; I was still asleep when they showed up. And don't pretend that was mercy that saved my life, you probably would have killed me if didn't possess the Maiden power."

Arc tore his eyes from the fire, glancing at her. "It might have helped. But someone else was also there to help me to decide."

This got her confused. Who was he referring to? Besides him, everyone was dead except…

Cinder turned to Thana's sleeping form who was curled up tightly in her bag. She felt a sense of gratitude and a bit of frustration that a nine-year-old girl saved her despite that she was the Fall Maiden.

"You just couldn't do it in front of a child." Her accusation met with silence. Turning back, her eye connected with his as he was watching her.

"Maybe." he admitted, "But I was also curious why the Grimm were attacking you. The last time we met you were on her side. What've changed?"

She had no desire to answer so she offered a deal.

"I'll tell you," She leaned closer, "if you read me up all of the texts that you got yesterday."

His jaw tightened; she could see the frustration building in his eyes.

"Or what are you doing here all alone while your friends remained in Vacuo where they might die shortly given Salem is focusing on Shade." This question had been on her mind for days, ever since she had seen him that night.

His face hardened at her words, anger flashing in his eyes, but he remained silent.

"If you don't want to answer it's fine by me." a faint smirk was playing at the corners of her lips, "But then don't expect one from me neither." In her opinion, it was a fair deal.

"Go to sleep Cinder. I will take the first watch." he said coldly. It appears that he had enough of her pushing his buttons.

She raised an eyebrow at his sudden dismissal. For a moment, she considered pressing him further, but then her eyes shifted to the sword by his side, its hilt catching the glow of the firelight. A brief thought flashed through her mind:What if he tries?It would be the easiest thing for him to strike while she was asleep, a quick slice through her throat, and it would be over.

He noticed her lingering look, his expression unreadable.

"I don't think –"

"If I want you to be dead you would be already." he interrupted her like he read her mind, "I could have left you there after I finished that manticore and tell Thana that you're already dead. This would have been the easiest, or in the hospital while you were unconscious. I had plenty of chances, and yet you're still here. I won't try to kill you tonight."

She stared at him for a moment, searching his face for any hint of deception.

"And tomorrow?"

"That remains to be seen."

His response only deepened her frustration. This fool's delusion was impressive. Even the old wizard fell to the Fall Maiden's fire and now he thought that he would be capable of killing her. Or maybe it was the exhaustion that spoke from him, sleep deprivation could cause decreases in brain activity – that would have explained alot. Either way, he was an idiot, but idiots could be dangerous when they get overconfident. She still remembered when he had almost stabbed her at Haven.

She finally let out a sharp breath. "Fine," she huffed, "but don't be surprised when I draw something on your face with a permanent marker if you fall asleep."

"I won't." She swore she saw his lips almost twitch up.

Although she tried to appear unaffected by their conversation, she wasn't.

Cinder hated this feeling of uncertainty, of not knowing who would strike first. It wasn't like her. Usually, she was the one in control, the one pulling the strings. She swore that she would be the one who defined her destiny, no one else.

She clenched her jaw. The Maiden power should have made her unstoppable, yet here she was, wary of a man who was nothing special, barely an afterthought.

But now, he was a threat, a smoking volcano ready to erupt in any day. He was unknown which could cost Cinder her freedom. She couldn't allow that.

"Get some rest." Arc's voice broke her thoughts. "I'll wake you when it's your turn to take watch."

Cinder hesitated for a moment before standing up. She gave him one last glance, trying to read his expression, but his focus had returned to the fire as if she wasn't even there.

She moved to her prepared sleeping bag which, like Thana's, was comfortably close to the fire. She settled into her sleeping bag, but before she zipped it closed, Cinder placed her hand on the ground next to her and heated it up. Within seconds, the earth reached the necessary temperature, and she formed a simple glass dagger which she hid in her bag.

Just in case.

Where did she get a permanent marker?

Not like he was wary of her threat but curious. He was expecting something more serious from her after his own threat, but it wasn't the first time that she didn't take him seriously.

He turned his attention from the fire to her sleeping form.

It was unexpected from her that she didn't make a bigger fuss about who took the first watch, especially after how she looked at Crocea Mors. Thinking back maybe he had been harsher than it was recommended, but she got under his skin very fast.

Those messages were a touchy for him, mainly because he hadn't read them yet. He tried to not think about them, but now thanks to her they're on his mind. And the worst thing was that he was alone and had nothing else to do that could distract him.

He felt the scroll present in his pocket which felt heavier than it should be.

Jaune sighed then took it out and turned his attention to the black screen. He was thinking that now he had the time to read them, but he knew he did not have the courage for that. He already felt guilty enough to leave them, he didn't need more. And it would ruin his plan to exhaust himself enough that he wouldn't dream. He needed as much sleep as he could get, he dreaded to think how Cinder could use against him the fact that he couldn't sleep from the nightmares. She had already enough ammunition against him.

He slipped the scroll back into his pocket and buried his face in his hands. Today was a bad one thanks to him. He was so fixated on these Grimm attacks that he entirely ignored how traumatic it was for Thana to speak about it.

So much that Cinder had to stop him.

Huh, the end of the world was truly close.

The night was calm and warm enough near the fire, only the sound of the cracking fire and the nearby stream interrupted the stillness of the forest.

He spent his remaining hours attending the fire and keeping his eyes and ears on the forest. It was around two or three in the morning when he felt too tired and woke up Cinder who was already awake by the time he got near her. While she was getting out of her resting place, he was settling into his. He placed his sword in an arm reach next to himself and in the moment his head touched the pillow he fell asleep.

When he woke up in the morning, he was relieved that he had no nightmare.

Or at least that's what he thought.

Because when the world came into focus, he met with a familiar image. Cinder stood above him with a calculating look while she pressed an obsidian sword to his neck.

Welcome back, everyone! Thank you for the comments on the prev chapter. They are always appreciated, good or not. Your thoughts are always fascinating to read, so feel free to share them if you have any.

PSYCONIG: Yeah, it would be the best for Thana. We know Cinder can be a hypocritical and very judgy person.

TheSlySage: Then I suppose welcome among the voices, the rent is due, haha. Good ideas, we'll see what will happen these two and three. I know that Knightfall story from the anthology, it's kinda funny that we have an official Knightfall event which not part of the canon. I think it would be Cinder who takes the number of kids as a competition with Mama Arc. Jaune's semblance is not strictly a healing one but a buffing one, rapid healing is just a side effect. Painting Penance is a good one, but my absolute favourite is In His Kindness from Sunset Hunting, works from ficretus and Elegant_Necromancer on ao3are lovely as well. Thank you for reading it.