Anywhere

Nobody probably cares but this is Chapter 18 and 19 together. Chapter 18 just didn't feel like a full chapter on its own.

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Kiyay chittered and nudged Winter again, making her eyes flutter open. Huh? She’d fallen asleep again? She so rarely ever slept after such a hit of adrenaline.. She must still be utterly exhausted. Four o’clock, huh? Only a few hours until the Ace Ops meeting… And here she was, moping around. Then again, could losing everything count as moping? She was hard on herself, but even thatfelt too harsh. She was about to possibly lose all she’d worked for as well as force her little sister into a life of servitude and likely an early death. She still couldn’t trust him. He might offer her nice things, but she couldn’t trust them. He was a man. Men would alwaysuse whatever leverage they could in order to gain favor whether it be a father’s or the woman’s herself. They were just not to be trusted. Clover and the others were at least bound by duty and loyalty to the general. Hey Winter. She looked up and around, trying to locate Summer. All she knew was the woman was in the room. Ghosts were infuriating. Why couldn’t the world go back to being neat and orderly? Why had Qrow coming into her world been the end of sanity for her? I know you don’t have the energy for what Dove and I originally planned. But what do you think of an an alternate idea? She raised an eyebrow. “Another idea?” She really didn’t have the fortitude to survive the onslaught of powerful memories and emotions. What else could there be? She didn’t trust Qrow to talk to her. Words were only words. And actions could easily be manipulated. Where was she going with this? You’ve noticed how gentle the birds are and how Dove is, right? Do you know aura breeds absorb a part of their handler’s personality? “I’m quite aware of the connection, yes.” She’d seen it in the military dogs that worked alongside her men. The handlers raised the dogs from puppies to ensure loyalty and coordination between the pair. She had seen similar how they could be. Some dogs were big goofs. Some were deadly serious. Some were sweet and gentle. She’d seen the spectrum of personalities and the way aura breeds reflected their handlers. So now that she thought about it, she saw the connection between Dove and her birds—Kiyay mostly, but she could see it now. Okay good. The horse that Qrow trained in his teenage years is still alive. If you can put your trust in me, my idea is to have you meet her. That should give you a feel for who he was in his youth…and he still is today . Winter frowned. That…was a good idea, but at the same time, she’d never been away from Atlas before for too long. The only time was with Persia. And the thought of being so far without any way to contact the outside world… A coldshudder went through her body. But if there was anybody to trust…it was Summer. Her AI wasn’t beholden to Qrow and being dead… What could she possibly have to gain? But what if Raven decided she was worth a ransom? Not that she’d get anything from the SDC…but she could the military… The general would do anythingto get her back. Dove would kick Rae’s ass if she tried to do that. Summer snickered and Winter tilted her head. Oh well, it didn’t matter anyway. If Summer thought she would be safe… And the woman hadn’t lost her patience with her even at her worst. Winter gave several long, slow nods. “All right. As long as you can guarantee my safety.” She really wished James was there. He wouldn’t have let any harm come to her. Then again, none of this would have happened if he’d not been called away in the first place. Well, give me about twenty minutes to talk to Dove, then I’ll have Raven come get you, okay? It felt like an awfully long time to wait, but it wasn’t like she had a choice. She just had to abide by what other people could handle. Plus, wasn’t it late where Dove was…? “Won’t I be cutting into her sleep?” She could personally function on little, but not everyone could. She really didn’t want to inconvenience the woman further. If I know Dove half as well as I think I do, she’s probably not sleeping well anyway. And I know Raven’ll stick her nose into things with her brother the moment she gets wind of this. Summer snickered again, leaving Winter to sigh. What was it with her and finding things amusing? Breaching privacy like that was horrible. Or…did the twins have some sort of relationship she didn’t understand? She was starting to get the world wasn’t as black and white as she thought. But coming to terms with that… “Very well.” There was no point in stressing if the woman would likely agree anyway. So she curled around Kiyay. The room felt…emptier somehow. The woman had probably already left. Her eyes fell onto the laptop on her dresser. “Hey. Are you listening?” The screen booted up and the avatar pulled up a chair. Cheeky little thing. “Always am.” It gave a small thumbs up and Winter sighed. Yes, it was definitely a carbon copy of Summer in most shapes, ways, and forms. “Whatcha need?” “I’m guessing Qrow consulted you about this? If so, will you share his thoughts or keep his confidence?” There really was no way to tell how this thing or Summer herself would act. But there were really only two choices here. Something told her that confidence wouldn’t be broken, though. It seemed like it would always favor Qrow. “Would you even believe me if I told you what his thoughts and intents were?” It folded its arms were judging her. Touche. It was a catch-22. She wouldn’t believe Qrow but she believed the AI. “Also I do have the answer to your question from yesterday along with some extra analysis based on all that’s happening.” Her…question? Oh right. If he’d get angry over her accessing the videos without his consent. The files had to be synced by now. Him being angry was the last thing she needed now… “Normally, he’d be a bit frustrated but understanding. He doesn’t like people being in his head without permission. But in this case… Okay, I’m going against my own question here, but I’ll just be honest. He’ll wantto be open and honest with you. I have access to all files here. I can show you anything from the STRQ days. So if you want to look things up before the Ace Ops meeting, I’m an open book. Summer should also be able to better help than I can with what to watch.” Would that really be okay? She wasn’t sure. She really didn’t have the fortitude to sit through Dove’s memories and the emotions associated with them. And that had been her original plan… “Let me think about it?” She really ought to talk to Qrow about it, but right now… She shuddered. All she could face him with was a yes or no. Anything else terrified her too much. She was already barely holding herself together. He wanted power over her as so many other people did, all the men in the upper class. How could he possibly be any different? He’d gain favor from the general over this and could force him to do somuch. Tears sprang to her eyes and she blinked when Kiyay bumped his head under her chin. Plus, what would this mean for him . Dove wanted them to work together, but she wouldn’t be able to. She’d be locked in the house all day. If they got married, Qrow’s hands would be on her the secondthey were alone… How long would it be until she had her first child…? They rolled down her cheeks and she wrapped her arms around the bird. What was she supposed to do? There would be no protecting herself. None. Despite all of her military training, she’d still frozen in place when that man had tired to get into her apartment. She’d completely lost it. How could she possibly cope if he were her husband—her new legal owner? She just… No matter what, she was trapped. She’d never be free of Gelé’s influence. In the end, he’d succeeded. She’d be married off to a man she didn’t know. A man that would only use her for his own ends. She would never be free.

α

It didn’t take long after that for that unnerving portal to open and Winter tensed in response. Raven walked through, motioning. “My mother is waiting on the other side with Summer. Go on through. You can leave Kiyay here.” She looked down at the cuddled, comfortable falcon before putting him to the side and getting up. She squared her shoulders. She was Major Schnee. She could do anything she put her mind to. Everything she did reflected on the Atlas military and she didn’t want to give anybody the wrong idea. No matter how far flung these people were, she didn’t want them to see her as weak. She stepped through the portal and met with Dove on the outskirts of a village. She had to squint through the trees by the light of the moon see at all. A small fire did burn, but it didn’t offer much light. Dove’s eyes seemed to glow in the firelight. She spoke in Valian. “Good evening, apoho. I’m sorry for it being so late, but Summer told me time was of great importance. I wish I could have waited until light but…” The woman rested her cheek in her hand and Winter shook her head. “It’s all right, Dove. Like you said, time is of the essence. Qrow offered me a…solution to the issue and Summer said this might help me understand your son better.” She glanced at the horse’s figure a little ways away. She’d only ridden a few times before. It was a proper Atlassian lady’s place to know sidesaddle, but her attempts at fleeing had quickly led to Gelé abandoning that particular avenue. It was all the more reason so many saw her unfit for marriage. But when there was no doubt a hefty financial incentive from Gelé behind it… She shook off the thoughts and felt a spectral hand on her shoulder. Winter, would you mind if we tried cohabbing? I can provide realtime translation from Kiroro then I could translate for her too. Kiroro? Oh, the horse, probably… It…would be good to have that language barrier minimised. They could actually talk and she could ask questions about Qrow before he left. The hose couldn’t possibly have any ulterior motives. Dove…truly seemed to have none herself. Raven may, but that was a question for another day. Kiyay had only shown kindness to her, the same kindness Dove did. Even with the language barrier, it was the same action shown to her by James. How could an ancient horse, secluded from most of civilisation her entire life, have anything but pure intents? At least she’d had the good sense to put boots on. “We can try.” Hopefully she wouldn’t regret this. Coco listened in on her at almost all times, but this was sodifferent from that. To give up her bodily autonomy… Within a single moment, an extremely gentle warmth and awareness of another filled her. Gentle, kind, and patient yet fierce, unrelenting, and decisive. It felt like nothing could stop her and yet… “Tch, damn it. I didn’t miss fatigue.” Her head suddenly started to spin but she felt Summer slam up the same sort of walls she did. A counter to exhaustion through sheer will. But even that had its limits unfortunately. “But man, if this is what being tall is like, I could get used to it.” Hearing those tones come from her own voice and feeling her mouth turn up into a grin… How very bizarre. Thankfully, she returned to full control a moment later, Summer merely a bystander now. No words could describe what had just transpired. Now Winter, one thing to know is the tribe’s horses are trained in a combat of bitless and bridleless riding. Some use reins, some just use neck ropes. With as sensitive and responsive as aura breeds are, there’s no real need for bits . That made her furrow her brows. No bits…? The horse she’d rode had one and that had been an aura breed… She couldn’t recall anyhorses she’d seen in Atlas without bits. Just another way for them to torture beings deemed ‘lesser,’ she supposed. Yeah, you’re probably right there, unfortunately. Something twisted in Summer, likely a hatred of Atlas and she couldn’t blame her. It was just inequity built on inequity. But she shoved the thoughts aside and followed Dove to the shaggy little pony. “…Can I really ride her?” It really was a pony. Her near full six feet towered over the little creature. How had Qrowof all people ridden her? He was even taller than she was and to say nothing of Summer. “Aura breeds are much stronger than their normal counterparts. It’ll be fine.” Even though she couldn’t see the woman, she could hearthe smile in her voice. How could anybody be some inhumanly patient? How had she not lost her patience when she’d been so suspicious earlier? Winter nodded a bit before awkwardly climbing on the tiny horse. What? Where was the saddle? Her legs hung in the stirrups but the horse’s spine practically dug into her tailbone! How did this minimal padding count as anything close to a saddle?! Remember, Winter, they have to make do with what they have. They don’t have the same saddle-making technology as Atlas. Summer’s gentle tone reminded her. Right, not everyone had the same access she did… “So…how do I ride? I rode a few times as a child and we clucked—” She made the soft noise. “—to get their attention. Do I need to do that?” Best to get that out of the way. She really didn’t want to confuse the poor horse or do anything that might upset her. “All you have to do is lightly guide her head. She’s old and well trained. You don’t have to do much.” What an odd philosophy with horses. Let them do as they wanted more or less? Then again, this was a different way of life. It probably had something to do with that. “Be gentle and she will respond in kind. To get her to go, all you need to do is lightly tap her. No need to be rough. She also knows the forest, so let her guide you unless you really want to see something.” How would she know what to look for? It was a pitch-dark forest and it wasn’t like she knew where anything was… I have an idea, Winter. Would you like to see an unpolluted sight of the stars? Why did that sound familiar— Oh right. Qrow had mentioned disliking the sights of light-polluted cities the first night they met. It might give her some insight into him which was what all of this was about. That does sound enticing. This may very well be her only chance to see it. Plus, she’d never much paid attention to the sky. What was the point? It held nothing of value unlike the planet. A strange sensation came over her as settled into a half control of her body. It at least wasn’t the full control as earlier. The woman spoke in a stumbling tongue which her lips were not used to. “Hey, Kiroro, could you go to Mondum Tontek? Winter wants to see the stars there.” Summer’s knowledge bled to her—a place of peaceful authority. One of her their holy places. How could any place outside of a church be holy? Then again, this was another way of life… Kiroro snorted. “Have you asked the kamuy to bring an outsider there? We never allow outsiders there until they’ve proven themselves to be true believers. Even Coya isn’t allowed there.” Kamuy? What was—were—the kamuy? Hadn’t Qrow mentioned them when they’d first met? Right, the kamuy yukara he’d shared with her. Their word for god maybe? The context seemed to imply it. But how could anybody even believe in more than one god? This world truly was one she absolutely couldn’t grasp. “Dove, can you tell me Kamuy Fuchi that we’ll be on our way and that we mean no harm?” She felt her lips smile and the woman nodded. “Given the circumstances, I can allow it. It was always one of Qrow’s favorite places.” Well at least that hadn’t devolved into an argument… Going to a holy site off limits to outsiders… Even if she couldn’t understand, she recognised the importance. She, of course, spoke in Valian unlike Summer. “Thank you for your kindness. I will treat the area with respect.” Religion was bullshit, but Dove clearly believed it. Many in Atlas were true believers in the Holy Father, so she’d long learned to at least respect it. Why try to destroy a belief so near and dear to somebody’s heart? Dove replied in her native tongue, translation courtesy of Summer. “Thank you, dear child. You may not understand but respect is more than many offer us.” That…was sad but something they shared. Nobody understood her. Respect only came because it was forced by her position. But with her on the precipice of an inevitable marriage…even that would be stripped from her. Summer took back over. “Let’s go, Kiroro.” Winter gave the horse a gentle squeeze and felt into a trot as they whisked into the darkness.

α

For a time, the symphony of the night mystified her. She’d never heard such silence before…or, perhaps, a bit more accurately, letherself hear. She’d been away from cities like this before on training missions. But she’d never taken even a moment to let the natural sounds wash over her. The occasional hoot of an owl, the crickets, distant water, the chorus of real wolves mingling with the unholy sounds of Beowulves, tree frogs… It felt almost…magical for lack of a better word. No wonder Qrow spoke of this place with such reverence. She’d never seen nature so truly be itself before. What must this place be like during the day? Only the occasional glimpse of moonlight through thick trees allowed her to guess. Maybe Dove would allow her to come back another time to see. She would enjoy being able to explore the area a bit… Even, though, Kiroro snorted and brought her attention back to the horse. Now how was this going to work…? She needed Summer to be her middle man since she couldn’t speak the language. It was rather stumbling and enunciated badly compared to Dove, but it was at least understandable. How about you tell me what to say then I will? It may not be phrased like you want, but it’ll be better than nothing. She didn’t want her words misrepresented, but Summer was…Summer. She obviously did as she pleased. Regards were taken but not in any sort of normal way. Very well. It was about all she could count on at the moment. Plus, Summer would likely be much more succinct. She could definitely get…verbose at times. She tried to be as concise as possible, but that often didn’t happen. “So where do you want to start ?” She could feel the mare crane her neck back to look at her for a brief moment. That…was a good question. Where shouldshe start? There were a million places and none of them feel great. Maybe Summer would have a better idea? She knew the man, after all. “What was training with him like?” That…was a good call on the other woman’s part. Nice and logical. Plus, she’d heard how people treated animals often reflected their souls. It It felt like a more Valian concept. But she had seen the gentler men handle their dogs were kinder to others while the ones rougher with their dogs were far more terrifying to her. Kiroro let out a gentle noise and Winter saw her ears prick in the moonlight. “In individual sessions, he was so gentle. I started to think at about two years old, but I can remember before that. I was really skittish but never once lost patience with me. He always offered me gentle words of encouragement when I was at my worst. “His patience was always welcome especially once group training started.” She snorted hard enough for Winter to feel it—not that it was hard with how she was basically riding bareback. Her behind and lower back hurt. The lack of proper support was killing her especially with her only muscle memory being sidesaddle. “Fallon was a cruel man that didn’t care. I saw many of my family die through simple training exercises. The old and weak simply died; the good people of the tribe had to start from scratch.” How horrible… Horses dying just because they couldn’t keep up? And here she thought selling them for that reason was cruel. How hard must it have been on the people? She’d only known Kiyay a little while, but to watch him die so horribly… She clutched her blouse over her heart. How much worse must it have been after having practically raised an animal oneself? “I would sometimes be injured—mentally or physically—Qrow would always be there to watch over me. If it was warm enough, he’d sleep outside with me. He wanted to make sure I wasn’t suffering.” “Could you let her think for a moment?” Summer’s reply was faint, obviously trying to give her space. Which she appreciated. Because all of this sounded exactly like how he’d treated her. The first night they’d met, he’d seen her suffering and had done everything he could to alleviate it. He’d gotten red of the alcohol. He’d spoken to her gently. He’d shared the stories of his people even if she couldn’t understand. He’d…tried to help her set up boundaries after that man had tried to get into her apartment. He kept himself open to questions. He’d never once lost patience with her despite her various breakdowns. Even with her suspicious at every turn, even with her belligerent toward him…he’d given her a tool to harm him should he harm her. And that had been him as a teenager with a horse and now heras an adult over fifteen years later. Could he really be as honest as genuine as he framed himself? She turned her attention to Summer and offered the question. “Was that everytime you were injured?” That felt like a good follow up. If it were seldom, what was the point in believing it? People could see so kind and caring. But if it weren’t consistent, she had every reason to doubt his seemingly genuine nature. “The only times he didn’t see to me was when he was physically or obligationally unable to. So if he were sick or injured or religious observances like the bear-sending ceremony went on. He’d still try to come take care of me if he could barely walk.” Kiroro snorted in amusement. Well, she was definitely seeing the links between Qrow and the mare. She was just as straightforward as he was with the same sense of humor. Then their lilt remained close too. Aura breeds truly were a reflection of their handlers. She could see the connection between how he’d acted toward her and Koro for certain. He always was trying to be there for her no matter how wretched she felt. Even when he was at his worst, he tried. She kept having the ‘panic attacks’ when triggered. He refused to leave her to suffer alone. About the only exception had been when he was so tired. Even then… This marriage proposal… But toward others… “How did he act toward the other people of the tribe?” He could be kind toward animals all he wanted. She personally wouldn’t treat one unkindly. Aura breeds were a bit of a different story. But, even then, they were generally limited by what their own allowed them to interact with. She had seen some aura breeds commit horrible atrocities because their handlers kept those particular morals. But that was neither here nor there at the moment. “Obviously, I couldn’t keep track of every interaction he had. I spent a lot of time away from him. But I can’t count the number of times I saw him stand up to his father. There were any number of reasons: the people were tired or injured, he was railing into somebody that was sensitive or vulnerable… He was never one to sit around and allow others to be abused or taken advantage of. ” If anythinggave her pause, that was it. The general…had said the same thing. He had gone off about how Atlas treated its citizens. Was he really that much of a natural protector? Winter, you have no idea how much of a bleeding heart he is. I probably should wait until we can access the videos. But he would do anything to protect those he cares about. I mean…look at what he gave you so you have an insurance policy against him. That…was true. Now that she could talk to the woman herself… No wonder Summer had left such an impact. She was strong—strong in a way Winter had never before encountered in a woman. Bold, hardheaded, and just crazy for lack of a better term. She truly did seem to be one of a kind. And to fall in love with her then to stay so completely loyal to her… Wait. “Isn’t this proposal a betrayal of his feelings toward you, Summer?” She couldn’t stop herself from speaking aloud. This was too important. Qrow would also be giving up so much himself if just emotionally. He kept Summer around as an AI. He hung onto a book meant for her but would never be delivered. He had given her a direct line to harming him in such a manner… Only nowdid she understand the gravity of what he had done. The only response she got from Summer was the impression of a sardonic smile. Why don’t you ask him that yourself?For once…she could agree. It would be best to let him speak his own piece. She trusted Summer but, for once, she believed he would tell the truth. His hurt was far too great for him to lie about it. And so the symphony of the night once again consumed her. The only thing that echoed louder than the hooting owls were her own thoughts.

α

The moonlight began to pool on the ground, making her squint. Her had had long adjusted to the pitch-dark forest so it hurt to see the more dappled ground. To her surprise, however, Kiroro stopped and shook her mane out. “I’ll wait for you here. My dark sight will spoil if I leave the forest.” That was a good point. Her own eyes hurt a bit and it would probably only hurt more after she got out of it. She quickly dismounted and made her way out to an exposed cliff that overlooked even more forest. The trees stood against the night sky, a breathtaking sight even without the sun. However, her breath caught in her chest a moment later. A herd of Goliath that dwarfed even the most massive trees appeared some distance away. The dull sound of the shaking ground still met her ears. And she was acutely aware of the fact that Hylocereus remained in her apartment. She’d completely forgotten it in her haste and emotional turmoil. Though one thing bothered her. The Grimm here won’t bother you. Huh? The tribe and the Grimm live in relative harmony here. They may be curious about you on your return, but you won’t be attacked. If you were an outsider wandering by yourself, it might be a different story. But given you’re riding one of their horses, you’re clearly an ally. Or at least acceptable to them . First living without electricity, now living withGrimm… What was next in this bizarro world? She would never understand so why bother trying? She walked out onto the cliff a bit more before sitting down with a wince. Yeah, she’d be feeling that ride and the return one for a few days. No proper padding was a nightmare and she was hot. She would need to invest in some cooler clothes if she ever came back here. The sticky humidity adhered the thick Atlassian cloth to her skin. But it was worth it to see this natural beauty. She hadn’t yet done the one thing she’d come to do. She lifted her eyes skyward and her jaw dropped open. How had she been robbed of this all her life?! A vast swathe of stars too numerous to count created a beautiful tapestry. It was like a rhinestone-embroidered dress. And to think she’d only ever seen a few weakly stars that bravely managed to struggle through the smog- and light-polluted skies of Atlas. No wonder Qrow complained about it… To be robbed of thisview after having it for close to twenty years… She’d likely be soured too… She let herself sit there for a while and just take in the sights and sounds. Nothing bothered her, not even her own mind. She simply…was for the first time in her life. Nothing mattered. Not Gelé, not Atlas, not the proposal, or even her fears of Qrow. She was simply…satisfied. Except for the pain of riding and humidity. She was aware of those though, oddly, they didn’t bother her. Normally the did but for now…she simply let the peace wash over her. At least that was until she heard a loud whinny from Kiroro. Summer seemed to go into her own stupor until then too. What was going on? Everything had been fine! Grimm. She gave us a warning but it’s nothing to worry about. Let me handle it, okay? Nothing to worry about?! Those Goliaths had been massive! How much larger were the other types?! But she relented to Summer. She had no means of defending herself. Conflict would only draw more Grimm in. She could do was hope Summer was right. Her body got up and headed toward the edge of the forest where Summer let out a low whistle then cursed in Valian. “Tch, not being able to communicate properly… Hopefully they got the message.” A whistle? What use did thathave? The woman’s thoughts flew so quickly she could barely grasp any of them. How had she gone from reasonable to…this?! It didn’t take long for a pack of six Beowulves to lumber out of the forest and Winter shrank away. They had to be at least forty feet tall! The tallest one towered over the the others by at least an additional five! How could Summer remain so calm and collected?! Even her men would struggle with so many this large at once! The tallest approached and Summer held Winter’s hand out, letting it sniff her. Seriously, how could anybody remain so calm?! The creature tilted its head to the side before Summer let out an amused noise then put her hand on its head. She felt the woman’s aura sharpen then push into the Beowulf. We mean you no harm, chief. As you can see, we bear no weapons. I am Summer Rose, friend of both Edai Dove and Edai Raven. I know we come in your time but the circumstances in Winter’s life causes need for travel at late hours. Edai Dove and Kamuy Fuchi grant us passage to this holy places. We respect the tribe as well as you . The Beowulf pulled back from her hand before actuallynodding. It extended a leg to lower its head and a strange mist flowed from its nose. Lady Rose, forgive our trespass and caution. We simply wanted to ensure this unknown outsider meant no harm to us or the Chiri-poho. We can pass her name and description to others. Though she looks familiar . The Beowulf’s giant eye pressed closer to her and she trembled. Looked familiar? What did thatmean? She’d never been here in her life! She’d never really left Atlas before! And they wanted to make sure no harm came to the tribe?! What bizarre world had she stepped into?! Summer put her hand back on the creature’s head, a wry smile on her lps. You must have seen her mother and grandfather some decades back. The tales are held dear by them. Her name is Winter Schnee, daughter of Willow Schnee and granddaughter of Nicholas Schnee. She has not joined the Chiri-poho but Edai Dove accept her the same as myself. Send tidings around that she is to be left alone if any see her. The Beowulf gave another nod before it turned and disappeared into the inky blackness with the rest of the pack. Wnter collapsed into a heap on the ground, shaking. What…What in the hell had that been?! Fully sapient Grimm? Not wanting harm to come to humans?! She really didn’t know what to do. She wanted to go home rightnow…but she still had the long ride ahead… She forced herself to her feet, staggering through the forest to where she heard Kiroro stomping her feet. Summer gently pushed her out of the way and took over, her body no longer quivering. Just until you calm down, okay? You’re took shaky to be on a horse now. She couldn’t even argue the point for once. It was only through sheer will alone that let her get up. Her energy was returned a bit, but after that, she wanted to go back to sleep. She wanted to pretend none of that had happened.

α

Kiroro trotted up to the firelight where Winter saw Dove dozed off. She really was irredeemable. She cut into the woman’s rest when she no doubt had much business to attend to the following day. However, the woman roused and rubbed her eyes as she spoke in Valian. “Oh, welcome back. Do you feel you learned what you needed from Kiroro?” Winter slid off the horse and looked at her. There was so much more she could learn but…things remained congruent enough she could offer him a chance. She nodded. “Y-Yes… If things change, I may need to contact you again if that’s okay?” She could honestly see the connection between mother and son now too. Qrow was louder than his mother, but he’d been just a child. His father had forced his hand then, just like her own. But he had Dove’s inherent gentleness, patience, and understanding too. The birds reflected it. The horse reflected it. Everything was far too congruent to be a lie or act. There were far too many external factors pointing toward him being the real deal. The woman gave a stately nod before she felt Summer tap into her again. She spoke in her native tongue. “I would like to offer you something, dear child. I know it will mean nothing to you, but will you accept it?” And Winter, before you start freaking out, what did you just realise? Summer cut her off at the pass and she sighed. Yes, she was about to look for ulterior motives out of habit. But it was hard not to here. Offering something always meant somebody wanted something. How could she notsuspect something. With a sigh, Winter nodded but didn’t speak. Dove could read her aura. There was no point in upsetting the language balance. “Would you please kneel and bow your head?” Her heart froze in her chest but she capitulated. Dove would not harm her. The woman was kind and patient, almost inhumanly so. To no do such a small favor, let alone one that had opened up to outright physical attacks and death— No. Relax. Something fluttered over the back of her neck then fastened it in place in her hair. “Through the bluest skies, through the whitest snow, over greenest leaf, over darkest earth, the ancestors smile kindly upon you. May your blade rest easy and remain sharp the rest of your hears.” Dove’s hand entered her field of vision and she took it, standing, the other woman smiling. Winter’s free hand touched the mysterious cloth and she looked at the woman with owlish eyes. She spoke in Valian again. “It’s called orushpe. It’s the mark of our greatest warriors and is normally only given to those of high standing. But for the numbers of battle you’ve fought, both physical and mental, I thought you earned it.” Dove was right; she didn’t understand. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t respect the rite for what it was. She bowed her head and clasped her hands over her heart. “Thank you for the honor, Edai Dove.” She could see the importance of the gesture simply through how the woman’s eyes sparkled. The pride was genuine. She’d felt it herself all the times Weiss made breakthroughs. Even if she and Dove barely knew each other, they at least could share one thing together: mutual respect for the other. Are you ready to return? Summer’s question came from outside this time. Winter nodded. “Yes. I need to talk to Qrow.” She felt ready now. Ready to handle what may come from the discussion.