At last, after 4 or 5 months of waiting, this is my Fairytale AU! The idea behind this was to use all the girls in team RWBY, and each chapter is based somewhat off their respective fairytales, some more loosely than others, as you'll see.

Each chapter is for a different pairing as well, and each of the four girls are in two chapters each. There is no Monochrome chapter though, because I gave them their own entire fairytale fic with Ocean Treasures (no Ruby/Yang either).

Also, each chapter is its own complete story, and chapters are unrelated.

This is the "spring" chapter.

This chapter is Ruby and Blake, based loosely off Little Red Riding Hood's tale. Blake's speech is intended to read a bit awkwardly, and you'll understand why.

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

Chapter 1.

The Huntress And The Hunted

Beams of milky morning sunlight stretched their fingertips through the window, illuminating the rosy cheeks of a slumbering girl.

The brightness was what soon woke her, but she never groaned or complained to herself about needing to wake. The light compelled her to move, and the darkness to rest, as was the case with all human beings.

She pushed herself up slowly, stretching as her messy brown bangs hung down over her eyes, and she pushed them aside with a warm palm.

As she roused herself, her silver eyes traveled around the humble room where she spent the nights. Shelves of books lined the walls, among a few trinkets and paintings that had been donated by family and hung up herself.

After seventeen years of living under the supervision of others, her freedom had come to her at the age of eighteen for a small price of coins she'd obtained from her profession.

The little cabin she dwelled in was several miles from the nearest marketplace, and she often hunted for her own meat, or sold the pelts of wolves for profit with which she would purchase seasonings and other necessities.

It always baffled her fellow villagers how she could manage to hunt wolves alone - and more often than not - successfully. Not only because she was a small, young girl, but because of the glaring red cloak she always adorned when entering the woods.

They wondered how the beasts never saw her coming, but every time, she simply replied with a wide, toothy grin:

"I'm too fast for them!"

A small vegetable garden she'd planted behind the cabin produced a bountiful harvest for a single young girl, and various fencing and wires ensured straying deer and rabbits would keep out.

A nearby creek gave her all the water she required free of charge. She'd always favored the taste of creek-water, anyway. She could taste the wild minerals in it, unfiltered and untainted by mankind.

She'd always been somewhat of a free spirit – her father and sister had told her as much, hence why they had agreed to let her live her chosen lifestyle, though they reminded her they were only half a day's journey away should she ever need them for anything.

Ruby Rose was her name, a title appropriate for a girl who wore a crimson cloak by day and red blankets at night.

Always red with her.

Presently, she pried herself from the mattress and stretched her legs, shaking her head and pulling her longish hair over one shoulder.

She then sauntered into the small kitchen area where she lit the stove aflame and began preparing a meal.

She carved up some leftover deer meat and started to cook it, munching on a pear she'd purchased on her last visit to market as she did so. She added a few seasonings onto the bit of meat, and when it was finished, sat down at the little table.

She often wondered why they had bothered putting two chairs in her cabin. On occasion, her elder sister would stop by to visit, but the blonde had since become busy with her own work.

The vacant chair always served to make her feel more than a little lonely.

But she only ever had a few seconds to spare for self-pity.

Ruby ate quickly and heartily, scarfing down meat not unlike the very animals she hunted. She wiped her mouth on her sleeve when she was finished, placing the dishes in the sink to tend to later.

Today was a good day for hunting.

Heading to her quarters, Ruby shed her sleepwear dress and exchanged it for attire she'd purchased in town - a simple white corset and dress lined with red frills that covered down to her knees and wrists. Black leggings and brown boots were pulled on next, and she crouched to tie the laces into little bows.

At last, the infamous red cloak was secured around her shoulders. Even her rifle had been painted red by her own hand.

She ran a hand through her hair and chanted for good fortune on today's hunt.

And yet, Ruby knew that luck or no luck, there was little chance she wouldn't be successful.

Rifle in hand, she slipped out the cabin door and into the lush green forest.

Mournful howls rose up on the air, grieving cries carried by the silent wind.

The Red Huntress had claimed another life.

But not the life of just any other wolf – she'd killed one of Blake's own.

Abandoned by her human parents as a baby, Blake had been left on the streets of the village until someone else would take her.

But not a single human who'd noticed her had shown a shred of compassion or pity on the wailing infant. They'd all passed on, calming their guilty consciouses by assuming that someone else would soon take her in.

But after two days, still no one had.

Blake had very nearly perished before her first month of life had even finished.

But the nearby forest had been particularly interested in her, it seemed.

The deer and rabbits had all been too frightened by her loud cries, but the wolves hadn't minded the sounds.

Rather than take an easy meal, the alpha female of the pack made the snap decision to take the baby in as her own. She was unable to bear pups, and a maternal instinct that transcended species had smitten her.

Blake had been raised by that pack until she could walk how her two legs naturally allowed.

She'd been encouraged to play with the village children at a young age, so she may learn their speech and mannerisms. It was those children who had given Blake her name, due to her long, shaggy black hair.

Despite her life with the wolves, her interactions with humans had not been entirely severed, as she still frequented the market to purchase clothes with money she'd made from selling herbs and wild vegetables.

There was still a human sense of bashfulness that begged her to cover herself with vestments and hold a conversation with one of the humans from time to time.

But for the most part – as it always had been – her life belonged to the wolves.

And yet, the life of one of her own now belonged to the Red Huntress.

Blake crouched upon a hillside with the rest of her howling pack. Through the thicket of brambles and branches, she could just make out a splash of red making its merry way through the trees a mile away.

The huntress had shot and killed a young male of Blake's pack who'd gone by the name of Gray Tooth.

He'd always preached and boasted about how he'd slay the notorious huntress himself if she ever ventured into their part of the forests. But despite the other wolves' orders to flee rather than fight her when she'd ventured in that morning, Gray Tooth had foolishly tried his luck and lost his life to the huntress' lethal skill.

Blake had seen the whole thing as she'd been fleeing with the others.

Her first priority in any hunting attack was to get her aging mother – the alpha female – to safety. She couldn't run as fast as the other wolves anymore, but neither could Blake; even after living in the forest most of her life, her human body still hindered her in certain ways.

She'd glanced over her shoulder at the sound of the bullet being fired, just in time to see it shoot into Gray Tooth's jaws and leave him lifeless and leaking crimson.

Now, the huntress was skipping away with his corpse on her shoulder as though the weight of a full-grown wolf was nothing to her, twirling her rifle in her free hand.

Blake was left to crumple in the grass and tear at it with her nails. The rest of her pack paced around her, whimpering and howling their grief.

Blake herself cried like any other human.

Her mother treaded slowly over to where Blake knelt with her face in her hands. The old she-wolf curled around Blake and nuzzled her cheek by means of comfort.

Blake clung to her matted fur and sobbed freely.

She lifted her head only to watch the tip of the huntress' red cloak disappear into the undergrowth beyond.

Always red with her.

Red like the blood of Blake's adoptive kin, all the blood she'd spilled senselessly.

And yet, in the months since the huntress had arrived here, Blake had recognized something about the girl.

She never hunted docile wolves, only ones who attacked her first.

In a way, she was only defending her own life.

And Blake hated that.

She hated that because it made it impossible to hate the huntress or blame her for her actions. Blake wanted to hate her, but she simply couldn't.

Yet it was clear the others could.

While the majority of the pack continued their mourning, Blake and her mother looked up as a large male lumbered over to them. He bore a long scar down the right side of his body, a battle wound from previous hunters – unsuccessful ones.

He'd sensed right away the skill of this Red Huntress, and vowed never to engage her.

His name was Night Scar, and he was in fact the alpha of the pack, their leader and protector.

And yet, he had failed to protect them all today.

Blake saw the sorrow in his dark eyes and she whimpered, reaching out to him and bumping her head softly against his neck. He grunted in return, a sign of having accepted her gesture.

Thanks to her visits to the village, Blake was fluent with her native human tongue, but was even more so with wolf language. She could only speak in human tongue to them, but they understood her.

Blake deciphered everything Night Scar was communicating to her mother, his lifelong mate named Aurora.

"It was my fault," he growled. "I should have stopped him. I should have sunk my teeth in that scrawny scruff of his and dragged him away myself."

Blake's mother whined in response.

"It isn't your fault. That pup was set to fight her one way or another. He would've found a way sooner or later, and met the same fate. At least this way it was a swift death."

Blake nodded at her mother's words.

"Yes..." she sniffed. "The huntress is always merciful with her kills, if nothing else. She never needs to fire more than one bullet, and always makes her mark. The ones she's killed never suffered at least..."

"Which is more than can be said for other hunters," her father agreed. "But I fear it won't be long before the hot-headed members of the packs have all been flushed out. What happens when there are no wolves left in the forest who will attack her? Will she start killing innocents?"

"I'd like to think she'd move on," his mate offered. "Migrate to a new forest."

"So she can kill more wolves?" Blake snapped. She was rarely curt – especially with her mother – but the grief wasn't helping her emotions right now. "Mother, if she stays or goes, she'll still be hunting wolves. She uses our pelts for money because they fetch a good price. She's doing what she needs to survive."

"As should we," the alpha growled. "I fear the only chance we may have would be to charge her all at once. There's no way she could possibly shoot an entire pack. One of us would get close enough to-"

"What are you saying?" Blake shrieked. "Are you saying you... that you're going to have the pack attack her next time?"

"...Not all of us," he grunted. "The old, the queens, and the pups stay behind. But I'll round up every able and willing wolf in the forest if I have to devise such a scheme."

His mate snarled in defiance.

"You can't be serious. You'll only get yourselves killed. You've seen how quickly she moves! Even if one of you does managed to reach her, she'll still end up killing most of you!"

"And wouldn't that be for the better?" he barked. "To make sacrifices now so our offspring won't have to live in fear?"

"There will always be hunters, Night Scar."

"Yes, but none like this one." He threw his head back and shook himself off.

Blake could see in his eyes that he'd made up his mind on this matter. She was just as horrified by his proposal as her mother was, and Blake wasn't about to let him go through with it.

He gathered a breath and prepared to make a booming howl, one to signal all wolves in the area to gather.

But before he could part his jaws, Blake stopped him.

"Wait! We don't have to do this!"

Her father lowered his head and shook it.

"Unfortunately I can't see any other way, Blake. You have always been too kind to live the life of a wolf."

"Or maybe you've always been too cruel to live the life of a human."

"It seems you've forgotten that I am not a human. You are."

Blake's jaw dropped in dismay, her eyes a mixture of outrage and hurt.

But she knew he was right; though she'd always considered herself a wolf first and foremost, she couldn't deny the form she'd been born with and the tongue that she spoke.

She was arranging her thoughts to address Night Scar again, but he cut her off first.

"Perhaps... it is time you go back to them. Back to the humans. You will be safest there, Blake."

"No!" she snarled instantly. "Even if you drive me away, I won't go to them! I can't – not after all this time..." She bit her lip and shook her head. "Listen to me, Father. Don't risk the carnage of your plan. Let me... go to the huntress."

Both of her parents growled instantly.

"Have you gone mad?" Night Scar snorted. "She'll kill you."

"Not if I don't attack her. As you said, I'm a human, Father. I can speak to her."

Her mother looked at Blake with scared eyes.

"Blake..."

"I won't let you," her father snapped.

Blake raised her head and met his eyes levelly.

"I'm not asking you to."

His ears went flat, and his eyes wide.

Blake bowed her head and got to her feet, so her father's height only reached her elbows.

"The next time she ventures into the forest, I'll go to her. I can speak to her. It's better than coming to more deaths. The soil is already getting used to drinking our blood. I'll be sure to put an end to all of this."

She looked down into her parents' eyes. This was why she had stood to her full height, to look down at them, to convey that she was in charge of this decision now, whether they accepted it or not.

Night Scar and Aurora shared a solemn glance before releasing a collective sigh.

"Very well," her father agreed. "I'll keep the pack nearby in case-"

"No," Blake said firmly. "You must keep them in hiding a good distance away. If the huntress feels threatened, she might attack."

He growled again, clawing the earth in frustration when he saw the truth in her words.

Blake smiled a little and knelt down, wrapping her arms around his broad, muscular shoulders.

"I'll be fine. I promise."

Night Scar rested his chin on her shoulder for a moment, and Blake's mother rose to her paws and pressed gently to the girl's back.

Then, her father pulled away.

"I'll tell the pack we'll rest here for tonight."

Blake watched him trot away, tail drooping in defeat.

Blake was intent to keep her promise to him at any cost.

It was a few days after Ruby had sold the wolf pelt and meat in the marketplace.

It had earned her enough money to buy some fresh fruits and clothing, and she still had plenty left over to spend on her next trip.

Due to her success, she'd decided to treat herself today.

It was a misty morning of hissing drizzles, shrouding the forest outside in a grey haze. She could hear water dripping from the edges of the roof of her cabin, and the crows were cawing more than the other birds were.

Despite the fact that it was a rainy day, Ruby wasn't about to let the poor weather intrude on her plans.

She dressed herself as per usual, in her red and white dress, pulling her cloak on over herself. She ate an apple for breakfast, but didn't satiate herself; she needed to save some room for the picnic.

Skipping over to the single closet beside the kitchen, Ruby opened the small doors and rummaged around for a moment until she found what she was looking for - a hand-woven picnic basket that her sister had constructed for her.

It had been a parting gift to her when she'd struck out on her own, and Ruby only used it on special occasions like today.

She dusted it off a bit, heading back to the kitchen with the handle on her arm.

She made herself some sandwiches with meat and various vegetables on them, and packed them away along with a canteen of water.

Next was a vine of grapes, as Ruby was a connoisseur of sugar in every form, even fruit.

Finally, she went to her special cupboard, where she kept a small stash of treats. She only purchased the little chocolates when she went into the village, and she rationed the sweets as best as her stomach would allow her to.

Normally, she kept to eating two or three per week, but today she was spoiling herself. She packed two of them into her basket, wrapping them in napkins to ensure they wouldn't fall out or get crushed.

Once she was set, she skipped out the door, pulling up her hood and starting out into the lush, green forest, humming to herself all the while.

In recent months, hunters – mainly the little red one – had more or less driven Blake's pack to become nocturnal, more so than nature had ever demanded of them.

They slept when the huntress was awake, and hunted for themselves when she slept, going to extreme measures to avoid her. Blake had grown very used to moving about in the dark shadows, in contrast to the huntress who preferred bright daylight.

Today was a misty day somewhere between the two, and Blake took it as a sign that it would be the ideal time for their two worlds to collide.

Presently, she crouched with her pack on a tall hill, her keen vision cutting through the trees to stay trained on the red hood bobbing through the woods below.

The huntress had entered the forest again today, but despite her pack's unease, Blake could tell right away that the girl wasn't carrying her rifle this time.

They watched from afar, tracking her for a while until the girl came to a stop in the middle of a small clearing.

It was then Blake nodded to her father, indicating that he should lead the pack away. He held her gaze for a long moment.

"Be careful."

"I will."

She hugged him briefly and then did the same for her mother.

Then, Night Scar signaled to the rest of the pack to retreat.

Blake watched the mass of gray bodies disappear into the underbrush, until the last tail tip had vanished.

Then, she gave her full attention to the huntress below.

Blake inhaled a steadying breath, and then began to make her way down the cliff.

Ruby set up for her picnic in a small open space, where little yellow and purple flowers bloomed in the grass.

She laid out her red-and-white checkered blanket and crossed her legs as she sat down on top of it, reaching into her basket to pull out its contents.

She started by eating her sandwiches first; better to get the scent of meat off the wind as soon as possible, after all. She hummed while she ate, sometimes tunes that she knew well and sometimes simply whatever fit her fancy.

In a matter of minutes, the sandwiches were gone, and she reached for some of the fruit, choosing a pear. She laid down onto her back and took a bite, fixating her eyes on the vast grey sky above, dappled in some spots with patches of blue.

Wisps of cottony clouds passed lazily by overhead, and Ruby soon forgot to eat her pear. She was transfixed by the tranquility of the scene above her, and the prospect of a nap was starting to sound appealing.

However, a rustling among the nearby bushes put her on alert immediately. She sat up swiftly, dropping her fruit and reaching to her boot, bracing her fingers over a small, hidden dagger she kept there.

But she didn't draw it yet. Instead she waited, eyes cast in the direction of the noise. It sounded like a large creature, perhaps a deer or even a wolf, and depending on which it turned out to be, she may or may not need the knife.

But then, what stepped out before her wasn't anything close to what she'd been expecting.

A human girl emerged from behind the trees, revealing only half of herself at first before taking another cautious step forward.

She had long, scraggly black hair, and her clothes were a bit tattered and dusty. The garments she wore were merely a common wool shirt and pants Ruby herself had seen being sold cheaply on various marketplace shelves here and there. The girl's hands clung to the bark of a nearby tree, and her golden eyes were set directly on Ruby.

The huntress relaxed a little when she realized she wasn't in danger.

But she knew this girl might be.

"Hey!" Ruby called out softly to her. "Are you okay? Do you need help? These woods aren't exactly safe for a normal person to be walking around in."

The girl didn't budge, but merely continued to stare.

Ruby waited for a moment before trying again to speak to her.

"I can help you if you need it. I know my way around these woods. I can lead you back to town, if you'd like."

Another moment of silence passed, and neither of them moved. Ruby frowned, at a loss for what she could do for this strange girl.

But before she could call out to her again, the dark-haired girl finally stepped away from the tree. She moved very slowly, like a deer walking onto a field of land mines, as though she were hesitant about leaving the cover of the trees and venturing out into the clearing that exposed her.

Ruby said nothing as she waited patiently for the girl to move closer.

In the end, she halted about a dozen feet from Ruby's picnic area. She seemed to straighten up a bit, as if resolving herself.

Ruby waited, watching the girl part her trembling lips.

"I want... to talk to you," she said.

Ruby recognized right away that she had a bit of an awkward accent, as though she wasn't used to speaking all that much.

"To me?" Ruby parroted. "Do we know each other? Maybe you've seen me in town?"

But the dark-haired girl shook her head, her expression unreadable.

"No. I've seen you here. In the forest. Many times."

Ruby fell silent, rendered speechless. The other girl took her chance to continue.

"I... live here. In the forest. With my pack. I live with the wolves." Here, her eyes narrowed. "And you've been killing us."

Baffled, Ruby felt her jaw drop a little.

Clearly, this girl didn't spend too much time around humans, as her facial features lacked many expressions and idiosyncrasies.

But the anguish in her eyes was real – Ruby could tell that much right away.

The huntress swallowed, clearing her throat a little.

"You... live with the wolves?"

"...Yes," the other growled. "And yesterday, you killed one of my brothers. He won't come back to us. But you always do. You come back every time."

Ruby flinched at the accusation. A little twinge of guilt traveled through her, but she wasn't about to let it consume her. She met the other girl's eyes levelly.

"I'm sorry, but I did what I had to," she stated. "Your brother attacked me first. Every time I come out here, I'm only defending myself. I'm trying to make a living and survive. Isn't that what you're all doing? Trying to survive?"

The dark-haired girl snorted and opened her mouth as though she longed to scream, but refused to. Instead, she took a deep breath, but kept her eyes focused on Ruby.

"I understand," she muttered. "I understand... that you're only doing, what you must to live. That is why, I'm also doing what I must to live, and for my pack to live. That is why I came to speak to you."

Another moment passed, and both girls scoured the other from head to boots. The only weapons the dark-haired girl had on her were ten sharp nails, but that couldn't be helped. If something were to occur that warranted Ruby's escape, she had her uncanny speed on her side.

The huntress reached slowly for her knife, but her eyes remained on the other. The girl followed the motion of Ruby's hand. The instant she saw the blade, she snarled and stepped back quickly.

"No! It's okay..." Ruby lifted the knife into plain sight before tossing it across the clearing behind her.

The dark-haired girl watched her, her fury soon melting into confusion as her gaze met silver once more.

Ruby offered a pacifying smile to her.

"If you've come here to talk then please, sit with me, ah...?"

The dark-haired girl was still, rigid for a moment as she surveyed Ruby's picnic area, but could locate no other weapons. Cautiously, she took one more step forward, just to the edge of the blanket, and sat down.

"Blake," she grunted. "I'm called Blake."

"Blake..." Ruby heard the name in her own voice for the first time. "It seems very fitting for you. My name's Ruby."

"Ruby..." Blake tried the name out for herself as well. "Fitting."

Ruby chuckled a little. Then, she was sure to get back to the matter at hand.

"So, Blake... you live with the wolves?" She leaned forward, like a child eager to hear a story read to her.

Blake met her eyes and nodded once.

"Yes. The only things, humans gave me were my name, my clothes, and a bit of speech. The wolves are the ones who raised me. They are my life. And that is why I must protect them at all costs. That is why I have come to talk."

"I get it," Ruby said. "I... only started hunting because I'd heard of others who did the same. After I struck out on my own, I wanted a bit of action in my life, and hunting seemed like the best way to have that. And wolves... well wolves are the killers, so they're valuable. But..."

Her eyes traveled to Blake's, but she couldn't hold the other girl's gaze this time. Ashamed, Ruby looked away again.

"But I never... never thought of them like you do. I never really considered the fact that... they have brothers and sisters and parents. That they have relationships and could love each other."

That had been upsetting her since Blake had said it earlier, that Ruby had killed her brother yesterday. Ruby swallowed, sniffling a little, but when she next lifted her head, her eyes were watering.

"Blake... you mean... all this time... I've been killing someone's friends and family?"

The gravity of her words then rushed over her all at once. Her lip trembled and she bit it as Blake nodded to her solemnly.

"Until now, you've killed members of other packs," she explained. "But yesterday you started on mine. And I can't let you continue." She took a breath, one they both needed, and went on. "I realize I am a human, not a wolf. When they try to speak to you, you can't understand them... But you can understand me. And I realized, that I am the only one who can speak to you... I should have done it sooner... but I was scared..."

Ruby was still fighting back bitter tears.

"I... I wish you'd come to me sooner, too," she sniffed. "It seemed... like I'd been doing a good thing in hunting wolves. People always say that wolves are just... mindless killers..."

"Funny," Blake murmured. "The wolves say the same about you."

Ruby couldn't hold back the tears any longer. She put a hand to her face and sobbed softly. It hurt to think about the dozen or so wolves she'd killed since moving into her cabin.

What families had she broken apart with her bullets? Whose parents had she murdered? How many children's lives had she cut short?

She'd never thought of wolves like that. She'd never thought of any species other than humans like that.

"I know..." she hiccuped. "I have no right to say it... and that it won't bring them back... but I'm s-sorry..."

Blake couldn't believe it, that she'd actually been successful in speaking to the Red Huntress – Ruby.

And the ruthless killer who'd plagued the forest for months had now been reduced to a blubbering mess in a matter of minutes.

The sight of Ruby's tears made Blake feel her own rising behind her eyes, and she wiped her arm over her face.

"They called you a mindless killer..." she repeated. "And now here you are, wailing like a newborn pup."

Ruby buried her face deeper into her hands.

"Because... I never thought-"

"I know you didn't," Blake said. "That's why I... decided to come speak to you. To make you see. To make you understand. I can't blame you for what you've been doing, because you are only trying to survive... But I believe there is a way for all of us to survive without the need for more bloodshed."

Ruby vigorously wiped her tears, looking up at Blake once more. The other girl's golden eyes had softened a little, and her lips had curled up into a slight smile, the first Ruby had seen on her since their encounter had begun.

Ruby sighed, finally having gotten ahold of herself.

"What... what do you mean?"

Blake nodded to her and stood.

"I have an idea. Come with me. I'll show you."

Though puzzled, Ruby quickly packed her things away into her basket, stuffing the blanket in on top. Blake watched her, clearing her throat as she looked over Ruby's shoulder.

"What about your blade?"

Ruby didn't even bother glancing behind her.

"I don't need it. I trust you, Blake."

And Blake knew she meant it. Huntress or not, Ruby was defenseless without any weapons - entirely vulnerable.

Blake opted to honor Ruby's trust in her, and put a bit of faith in her as well.

"Very well. Follow me."

Blake turned her back and began walking toward the groves of trees.

It was the first time she'd shown Ruby her back; the huntress easily could have pulled another concealed knife and charged Blake from behind. For Blake, turing her back was the greatest display of trust.

But Ruby never rushed her or tried to harm her, and Blake almost felt foolish for ever expecting her to.

She led Ruby into the woods, knowing exactly where she planned to take her.

Despite the fact that Ruby had put her trust in Blake, she was still a bit hesitant when she followed her through the trees; she'd never been this far in without her rifle before.

They trekked for several minutes, and it was made clear to Ruby just how long Blake had lived in this forest. Her old boots moved easily over every fallen log and twisted root, and Blake maneuvered through brambles and thorn bushes with ease.

Ruby followed a bit more slowly, and somewhat more clumsily, often struggling to find her footing. Blake waited for her before continuing onward.

After a few more minutes of movement, Ruby felt compelled to ask.

"Where are we going?"

"We're almost there," came the reply.

She hadn't wanted to doubt Blake's motives and intentions of taking her deeper into the forest unarmed.

But when Ruby heard the unmistakable sounds of snarls from up ahead, she froze in place.

"Wolves..." she muttered. "There are wolves up ahead! You're leading me into an ambush!"

"No!" Blake spun around to face her, eyes wide in dismay. "No, I'm not! I don't know why they're here. They shouldn't be." She paused for a moment and took a deep breath. "This isn't my pack," she determined. "Let me speak to them. I won't let them attack you."

Ruby stayed where she was, watching as Blake advanced.

A pair of wolves emerged to meet her. What Ruby inferred to be snarls of rage were evidently simple greetings, as Blake dipped her head to them calmly.

Ruby heard what she was saying to the wolves.

"Greetings. I'm looking to pass through here to get to the next clearing."

The response was more growls, and Ruby flinched, fearing they might jump on Blake or herself.

But it seemed they were communicating with her somehow. Ruby watched astounded as Blake continued to speak to them.

"Wow..." the huntress murmured. "She can understand them... and they can understand human language..."

Ruby perked up when she heard Blake's voice again, firm and decisive.

"I'm going to show her a way to end all of this. The Red Huntress has only been doing what she must to survive, as have we. She does not hunt for sport. Her methods may be different from ours, but her goal is the same. She obtains the necessary supplies in order to live. She hunts us just as we hunt deer and rabbits. She is the same as we are. Except she has an alternative to killing us. Please, let me show her."

Ruby looked to the pair of wolves. They grunted and snorted, claws retracting.

Their dark eyes then turned to look up at her. Ruby could tell they were calculating everything, considering the consequences of Blake's suggestion, and weighing the severity of the possible outcomes. There was a high level of intelligence and understanding in those eyes that Ruby had never recognized before.

She blinked levelly at them, as not to appear neither timid nor aggressive to them. They blinked slowly in return, and turned their attention back to Blake.

Then, they stepped aside and vanished into the undergrowth.

Blake turned back to Ruby and beckoned her forward. Adjusting the basket on her arm, Ruby followed.

"It's just beyond here," Blake informed her.

It was only another minute before Blake halted and inclined her head forward. Ruby paused beside her and look ahead.

There was a small clearing with very few trees here. The main foliage were bushes - countless bundles of them - and when Blake urged her closer, she showed Ruby what she'd brought her here to see.

Tiny red berries filled every bush with vivid, overflowing color. Of the dozens of bushes, each was full of berries.

Ruby actually thought it was a little odd.

"This is what you wanted to show me?"

Blake nodded, crouching down beside the nearest bush.

"You've probably noticed not a single berry has been removed or eaten," she said. "In a forest full of hungry animals, surely you think that must be strange?"

Puzzled, Ruby nodded slowly.

"Yes... I'm assuming they're poisoned somehow?"

"Not at all." Blake plucked several berries off the bush and let them roll into her palm. Tilting her head back, she swallowed them all in one go. "They aren't toxic. In fact, they're filled with nutrients. But for whatever reason, none of the animals like the taste." She wiped her mouth over her sleeve and gave Ruby a tentative smile. "But humans do."

She pulled another berry off the bush and offered it to the huntress. Ruby put her picnic basket down and slowly reached out her palm as Blake rolled the berry into it.

Ruby hesitated a moment, but reminded herself she was here in the first place because she'd chosen to trust Blake.

So she popped the berry into her mouth and gave a few chews.

Instantly, she tasted a sweetness like no other starting to coat her tongue. It was thin and liquidy, and Ruby almost felt it was akin to a small sip of juice.

Blake watched her quietly, waiting for a reaction.

Ruby licked her lips.

"Wow. They're really good. I mean... really good! But animals don't like them?"

"Only a few desperate birds or squirrels," Blake said. "But for the most part, these bushes are useless to the forest. The animals hate the smell of these berries. You'd be doing us a favor to use them, and surely the humans in the village would enjoy them as well. You could sell them for profit. Use them as a liquid, or as a paste-"

"Jam!" Ruby blurted out. "These would make a fantastic jam! Or juice! Or just simply taste good on their own! There are lots of possibilities."

Blake perked up at Ruby's enthusiasm and agreement to her proposal.

"And," she added. "They grow in every season, even winter."

Ruby's jaw dropped.

"Oh, wow. That's... that's incredible."

"I think the villagers will think so too," Blake agreed. "And... hopefully..." She trailed off, her eyes going to the grass.

Ruby smiled gently.

"Don't worry, Blake. I'm sure this will allow me to make a living. Even if I fall short, I'm giving you my word I'm giving up my life as a hunter. For good. I promise."

At those words, Blake lifted her head again.

That was all she'd wanted to hear.

The tears started falling, and Blake wiped them with a sigh.

"Thank you... Ruby."

"It's a promise," Ruby repeated. She extended her hand to Blake, chuckling a little when the other girl gave her a quizzical look.

"What's this?"

"A handshake!" Ruby declared. "It's one way we can seal the promise!"

Blake blinked, but now that she thought about it, she could recall seeing the gesture done between a pair of people in town a few times before.

She was about to raise her own hand when Ruby went on speaking.

"But..." she mumbled sadly. "I understand if you don't wanna touch me... after everything I've done." She lowered her hand remorsefully, her smile vanishing like sunlight at nightfall.

But Blake reached out and caught Ruby's hand, being careful not to dig her nails into the soft, white skin.

"No. Maybe you can't bring those wolves back... But you've amended, Ruby. Not many hunters would. Thank you for that."

Ruby straightened up a bit, relief spreading through her chest.

"No, thank you, Blake. You were really brave to come speak to me today. You were probably a little scared, right?"

"Terrified," she admitted.

"But I'm glad you came to me!" Ruby went on. "Without you, who knows what else I might've... how many more I would've..." She shook her head. "Thank you for everything." She squeezed Blake's hand a little bit before letting go. "I'll take some of these berries back home with me today and I'll sell them next time I go into town."

She began plucking berries off the branches, making sure to leave a few on each branch so they may regrow faster. Blake helped her as well, dropping handfuls into Ruby's basket, onto the blanket on top so they wouldn't be crushed.

"And," Blake added. "The next time you want to come back here, just call out for me," she offered. "I'll come find you and lead you back to this spot. And I'll be passing on the news to the others. They don't have to attack you anymore. They don't have to fear you anymore."

"Definitely not!" Ruby agreed.

Once they had gathered a good amount of berries, the two girls stood. Blake started back the way they had come, and Ruby followed suit.

The journey back to the clearing was peaceful, and the few times Ruby stumbled, Blake even reached out to catch her.

Before today, she'd never really touched another human before, not even when she'd been younger and often played with them. Ruby's soft, creamy skin felt strangely pleasant but... odd after so many years of only having touched the rough, dense fur of wolves.

Ruby thanked her every time with a smile.

When they eventually made it back to the clearing, evening was about to settle. Ruby scooped up her discarded knife and slid it back into her boot before going to Blake once more.

"Again, Blake. Thank you for coming to me today. All the wolves in the forest have you to thank, too. And..." Her eyes flashed downward again. "If it means anything at all... tell them I'm sorry."

Blake simply nodded, stepping forward and lightly brushing the side of her head to Ruby's, a display of affection amongst wolves.

"Thank you for hearing me out," she murmured.

It was then Ruby thought of something. She opened her basket once more and reached inside, careful not to disturb the berries they'd collected.

She wormed her fingers down to the bottom until she felt the napkin and pulled it up. Ruby unraveled it to reveal the two tiny chocolates she'd packed inside. She picked one up and held it out to Blake.

"Here! This will officially seal our promise."

Blake's eyes went wide, but she accepted the gift nonetheless.

"Thank you. But... what do you do with it?" She tossed the thing in the air a few times. "Is it a toy?"

Ruby laughed out loud.

"You eat it, silly!"

"A toy that you eat?"

"No, no!" she laughed again. "It's food! Chocolate!"

Blake tilted her head to one side curiously. The word sounded faintly familiar, and she realized that she must've heard it when in the village a few times prior.

Ruby held the other chocolate for herself and was about to remove the wrapper. But she paused when she saw that Blake had neglected to do so and was bringing the treat up to her lips.

"Wait, wait! You've gotta unwrap it first! You can't eat the crinkly part! Here, watch me."

Ruby demonstrated, unfurling the wrapping to reveal the treat inside.

Blake copied her, and Ruby took the trash and put it in her basket to dispose of later. Then she met Blake's eyes and smiled.

"To our promise!" she said.

Blake smiled back.

"Our promise."

They ate their chocolates in unison. Ruby hummed and squealed with delight at the taste, watching amusedly as Blake's eyes went round.

"Blake, pfft... is this the first time you've ever had chocolate?"

"Y-Yeah... I think it's even better than the berries..."

"Heehee, it is a rare delicacy! I'll buy some more with the money I make from the berries and I'll bring you a few pieces as thanks!"

She chuckled again when she saw the little spark of excitement in Blake's eyes.

Once they'd finished, the two girls stepped away from one another, back toward the directions of their respective homes.

"I'll come back after I've sold the berries," Ruby told her. "I'll call for you."

"Alright. I'll be waiting. And thank you again, Ruby."

Before the former huntress could repeat the words back to her, Blake had turned away and vanished into the shadows of the oncoming twilight.

Ruby bowed her head and took her leave, bound for home, a very different girl now than she'd been when she'd stepped out of her cabin door that morning.

Word traveled quickly around the village.

The Red Huntress had emptied her rifle and hung it up for good, selling her remaining rounds of bullets.

Instead of wolf pelts, she now brought jars of berries and jam to the market.

Many doubted that her change in product sales was a wise one, but one taste of those berries had them all asking for more.

Ruby made twice as much profit with the berries on her first day as she ever had with even her biggest wolf.

And she was certain to buy a few extra chocolates with the spoils.

The next time she left her cabin called softly out for Blake, the dark-haired girl hurried to Ruby and found her grinning and vibrant.

As Blake led her back to the berry bushes, Ruby told her of her success, insisting it was all thanks to Blake and her ingenious plan.

In turn, Blake passed on the news to her pack, and soon all other wolves in the forest.

The Red Huntress was no more, and not a drop of blood had been spilled in the process of having her willingly step down from her crimson throne.

In the village, people waited in long lines to purchase Ruby's newest products. But she was sure to only bring a certain amount every time she visited the market, wanting to keep it a special treat, not a common item.

Eventually, she started calling for Blake not in order to have the dark-haired girl guide her to the berry bushes, but simply because Ruby wanted to see her and talk to her.

Ruby bought her a new set of clothes and boots, and always offered a piece of chocolate as well.

Blake accepted the gifts with gratitude.

But more than anything, she was grateful for the memorial Ruby had built.

It was located at the heart of the forest in front of a large tree. Ruby had cut the wood of several dead logs and constructed a grave of sorts in honor of all the wolves she had killed in the past, lining the memorial with rocks and flowers.

The two of them passed it every time they went to gather berries.

It was a constant reminder that Ruby would never go back to her old life style.

It was a silent promise.

Night Scar and Aurora watched the two girls from afar every day. They'd noticed Blake's eagerness as she waited for Ruby's call every morning, and they recognized her zeal to go meet her.

One morning, after Blake had taken off at the sound of Ruby's call, Night Scar turned to his mate.

"It's best if she lives the life of a human. It's who she is, though she'll always have a wolf's spirit."

His mate nodded and barked a small laugh.

"I never though I'd see the day my own daughter fell in love with a human. An ex-huntress, no less."

It was certainly a peculiar story.

Over time, Ruby began to invite Blake into her home.

Initially, Blake had been timid about venturing inside the cabin.

But Ruby had coaxed her with calming words, and had made her feel welcomed and safe enough to quickly shake off the nervousness.

Ruby was a kind hostess to Blake. She prepared little snacks in the kitchen for her, brushed her hair for her, let her take baths in the tub, cooked her meals, and even read stories to her.

Blake liked that this place smelled like Ruby, liked the touch of Ruby's soft skin on hers, and liked the gentleness of Ruby's hands in her hair.

Some nights, Blake didn't return to the forest nor her pack to sleep in their den. More often than not, Ruby's soft mattress and warm scent enticed her enough to have her falling asleep on the bed and pillow.

Whenever that happened, Ruby would curl up beside her, more content than ever before.

. . .

A few weeks later, the day came when Blake went to her parents.

Confused and conflicted, she told them of her feelings for Ruby - the longing to be with her that she'd never experienced before, the desire to be with her that was different from any instinctive urge. She wept to them, uncertain of what to do.

But they gently accepted everything she told them, everything they already knew.

And yet, Blake was distraught.

"Mother... Father... I love you, but... I love her, too..."

The two old wolves shared a grunt of a laugh.

"Go to her, Blake," her mother said. "It's where you belong. It's clear to us how strongly you care for her, and she you."

"Just be sure to visit the pack every so often," Night Scar reminded her. "Greet the new cubs in the spring. You'll always be a wolf at heart."

Blake whimpered, but nodded and threw her arms around them, sobbing loudly. Then, she kissed each of their heads and stood.

"Thank you both. For everything."

They dipped their heads.

They let her go.

Blake was free.

She hurried away, back to where she'd asked Ruby to wait for her. When she saw her, Blake rushed to her and threw her arms around the girl, nuzzling emotionally into the side of her neck.

Ruby held her tightly, smiled, and kissed her cheek.

She took Blake home, and held her gingerly in her arms all night long.

The two girls were soon known as the most peculiar pair in all the lands.

The girl who'd been raised by wolves, and the girl who'd been raised to kill those wolves – deeply in love.

Blake accompanied Ruby to market, and the former huntress happily introduced her to the people she knew. Blake was always very timid around the villagers, and she was sure to keep close to Ruby.

The smaller girl always maintained a firm hold on Blake's hand, never letting go for so much as a second, ensuring Blake always felt safe and secure amongst so many strangers.

She showed Blake many things, including shops and places they could go to get a small bite to eat, as well as the stores that sold the best chocolates.

Some of the dogs the village people walked would often stray toward Blake, and initially she growled, fearing they'd smell the wolf on her and start a fight. But rather than react viciously, the animals always laid down in front of her or were happy to see her.

Blake's popularity with the animals brought Ruby great entertainment as well, and some days, they spent hours simply playing with and petting the passing dogs.

Since Blake had been invited to explore Ruby's world further with her, the former huntress was intent to do the same.

Ruby often accompanied Blake into the woods to visit her old pack.

She met Blake's adoptive parents, and though she couldn't speak to them as well as Blake could, Ruby felt she understood them all the same.

She even knelt down before them and bowed her head humbly, entirely exposed and vulnerable to them as she murmured heartfelt apologies for the lives she had stolen as a huntress.

Blake was tense as she watched her parents in that moment, knowing that they easily could have shredded Ruby to ribbons if they had wanted to.

But the elderly pair merely mimicked the girl and bowed their heads to her.

Blake knelt beside Ruby then and took her hand, silently reassuring her that she was forgiven.

The two wolves stepped up to Ruby, and pressed their noses to her shoulders and arms to have her sit up once more. There were human emotions in their eyes - grief and pain - but also acceptance, and most of all forgiveness.

Ruby burst into tears and threw her arms around the alpha wolf, whimpering over and over again that she was sorry. Blake heard her father grunt and sigh.

"You've really changed her, Blake. You've made her understand our pain enough to share the burden. I couldn't be more proud of you."

Blake sniffled and wiped her eyes before draping an arm around Ruby's shivering shoulders.

"It's okay," she whispered. "It's okay, Ruby. You're forgiven."

She kissed the girl's silky brown hair and turned her around. Ruby relinquished her hold on the wolf and clung to Blake instead, burying herself in her shirt as she wept.

The rest of the pack had gathered around and offered small yelps, both amazed and touched at the once-feared huntress' change in heart.

After that, they no longer ran in fear when Ruby entered the forest, nor did their hackles raise at the sight of her.

Ruby and Blake went for walks together - to roam the forests, to visit the graves, and to collect the berries. And often, there were wolves trotting beside them, or not too far away.

In the spring, the human pair met the newborn pups of Blake's pack as promised.

Blake took the liberty upon herself to teach Ruby how to play with them.

With the money Ruby received from selling the berries in town, she purchased meat for herself, but the leftovers she brought out for the pups as treats.

There were six of them this year, all scampering, healthy little things. They were naturally drawn to Blake, and once Ruby had earned their trust, they opted to play with her as well.

Blake taught them how to awkwardly crouch and pounce, and Ruby was often the target. Blake warned the pups to mind their claws and teeth while practicing on Ruby, but even the few times the girl received an accidental scratch or two, Blake made sure to kiss them better.

One particular day of pounce training left Ruby beneath a pile of six hyper puppies, yipping and barking as they got tangled in her cloak.

"Ahhh!" Ruby shouted playfully. "They got me! I'm down! So... vicious..." Dramatically, she flopped down into the grass as the pups rolled on top of her excitedly.

Blake chuckled and plucked them off one by one before sending them back to their parents.

She hovered over Ruby until the girl sensed her presence and opened her silver eyes.

"Those kids are getting good!" Ruby grinned.

"I'll say."

Blake didn't help her up just yet, but instead finished where the pups had left off.

She pinned Ruby down by the wrists and nuzzled into her chest affectionately. Ruby giggled and wiggled beneath her.

"Blake, that ti-tickles..."

Blake pulled back and stared down at her with mischievous golden eyes.

"Oh, really?"

She released Ruby's hands only to dive in with a full-on attack now, running her fingers all up and down the girl's body. Ruby squealed and shrieked, thrashing about in the grass and begging for mercy, shrieks that went in one of Blake's ears and out the other.

It reminded Blake of her own childhood, playing with the other pups in the pack.

Blake bent down and nipped Ruby's ear playfully, wrestling her to prevent her from reversing their positions. Blake kept herself in an advantageous pose, continuing her attack until Ruby was too weak to resist.

Only then did Blake settle down, resting on top of the smaller girl for a moment, peppering her face with sweet kisses. She then rolled over onto her back, keeping Ruby on top of her chest as they both caught their breath.

"No fair~" Ruby whined. "You've spent your whole life wrestling wolves, so of course you'd win!"

Blake simply smirked and strained up to kiss her nose.

As they calmed down, Ruby laid her head over Blake's heartbeat, listening quietly. It thumped consistently and at a slow, steady pace, matching Blake's deep, even breaths.

It was comforting beyond explanation to Ruby - to be able to hold Blake like this and to be held by her, to be so close to her heart, to know she herself had a part in its every beat.

She didn't see her sister much anymore, and until she'd met Blake, Ruby had spent every night alone, every day growing more and more distant from her own humanity without anyone to share it with.

Her simple interactions with the villagers hadn't been enough. Blake had been the one to stave off her descent into turning cold and distant from all others.

Blake might've been a wolf at heart, but she was who made Ruby human.

So Ruby listened to that heartbeat for a long while, quietly recording its sound and committing it to memory.

The spring evening was warm and the breeze was soft, and Blake's touch was tender against her back.

That night, they rested out under the stars together, listening to the songs of the wolves rise up to the crescent moon above.

Blake gave a small howl of her own, and though it came from a human throat, Ruby could hardly tell the difference from those of the wolves'. She too gave a little "Woooo~", playfully nuzzling Blake's neck before the mock howl died away into a giggle.

"Not bad," Blake chuckled, hugging the girl closer still.

They stared at the moon for a while, marveling at the winking stars.

Time meant nothing to them for a long while.

Once they started feeling a little sleepy, Blake gingerly rolled them both over, bracing her weight on her forearms as she gazed down at her once-forbidden lover. She kissed Ruby wholly, making sure not to nip as the life of a wolf might have wanted her too.

Ruby's hands slid up behind her neck, threading through her onyx hair as she sighed – sheer bliss.

Everything about their relationship seemed forbidden in one way or another, and yet here they were without a care in the world.

Blake pulled back and laid back down beside her lover, curling Ruby into her side. It was a little chilly, so Ruby shifted a bit and draped her red cloak around Blake's shoulders before kissing her softly once more.

The scent of velvety roses wreathed around Blake, filling her lungs and settling around her heartbeat. Ruby snuggled close to her to listen to that wonderful sound again. It was quiet but wild, not unlike Blake herself, a perfect contrast to Ruby's faster, louder pulse.

When they were pressed together like this, there was no better feeling in the world – they were certain of it.

"I love you, Blake," Ruby reminded her.

Blake kissed her hair.

"I love you, Ruby."

Once the quiet reminders had been brushed away by the nighttime breeze, the two girls peacefully drifted off into slumber beside one another, just as they had in past weeks, and would for countless weeks to come.

There had truly never been a more peculiar pair - two who had given up the only lives they'd ever known for one another.

And in wake of such sacrifice and change, they had found understanding, peace, and love.

A/N: Thus concludes Ruby's and Blake's fairytale! When I was first thinking up ideas for this AU, I thought of their's first and foremost. I just loved the idea of a 'ruthless' huntress like Ruby finding her humanity by falling in love with a girl raised by wolves. I hope you could understand my meaning with the events of this story.

This was Ruby's fairytale chapter, so going in order, next is Weiss'!

If you like my work, please support me on as Kiria Alice!

Please review!