Chapter 1: Yang's Shadow

Major Characters because I can't add them all: Yang, Ruby Weiss, Blake, Jaune, Pyrrha, Ren, Nora, Summer, Taiyang, Raven, Qrow, Winter

Birds chirped as the warm rays of a morning sun shone through the blinders of the log cabin window. What a good day to sleep in and not do anything.

"Yang." A gentle, sweet voice whispered.

Or so the blonde eighteen-year-old thought.

"Yang.." the sweet voice soured slightly.

Yet she wasn't going to have any of it, "Five more minutes…" The blonde girl murmured into her pillow as she pulled her blankets over her head.

Yet, it wasn't to be.

The contrast between her soft, cozy bed and the frigid wooden floor was pretty significant. With a loud thud, the blonde girl now found herself on the floor looking into two crimson eyes of a rather large raven staring down at her. "You aren't going to make us miss breakfast" The bird warned.

Yang sighed as she sat up, one hand rubbing her head. "Sheesh… five minutes won't make us miss it.."

The large black bird shuddered and shifted; the wings shifted; the legs into human legs; the feathers into a proud, if not spiky, wild mane of black hair; the beak into human lips. Within the blink of an eye, Yang was now looking a near similar, if not an older version of herself.

"Your sister is practically a vacuum cleaner… not to mention her mother." the women countered from the bed, her hand propping her smirking head up.

"Get off my bed!" Yang protested, "If I can't be in it, neither can you."

"Buzzkill." Her like image countered as she jumped off the bed.

"You love me…" The blonde girl countered as she grabbed her blankets off the floor. With little effort, her room looked less like a cannonball came in and demolished everything. Though that didn't say anything for the rather large bird cage that sat in the corner of the room. "You chew me out for being a slob… look at your cage."

The woman rolled her crimson eyes, "Do as I say, not as I do."

"Shouldn't it be the other way around?" Yang countered with her arms crossed.

"Already making you a better daughter." The woman puffed out her chest with a sense of pride. She placed an arm around her daughter, "Come on, I'm starving."

Mother and daughter walked down the stairs. "You still haven't explained how that even works...You don't even need to eat."

The older woman scowled, "Listen, don't ruin it for me. I still enjoy the taste."

"BREAKFAST IS READY!" A man's voice boomed up from upstairs.

The smell of scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, and biscuits filled the kitchen. Her dad always go full out for breakfast, not that she minded. Making their way through the living room and into the kitchen, she found her dad putting the finishing touches on their family meal.

"Gosh where are they-" he murmured to himself.

*THUDTHUDTHUDTHUD*

A small girl with black hair, tips that turned red, sped into the kitchen with a white circling the child's feet causing the woman huff an annoyance.

"Now, now Raven. Don't be so peckish." A tall, rather muscular blonde man with matching goatee countered as he placed a pitcher of orange juice on the counter.

"Zing!" Yang high-fived her father.

"Shut it, Tai." Raven scowled as she set her crossed arms down on the table.

The blonde man only smiled as he grabbed everyone plates. "Ruby… you don't have to race down here every morning…"

The girl sank into her chair until the slender white fox leapt onto the chair next to the girl. Ruby couldn't help but tell in surprise when the fox nuzzled right up to Ruby cheek. The girl immediately latched onto the fox as if she were a lifeboat.

"Summer, you know the rules, no animals at the table."

The fox whined slightly as the fox dissipated from Ruby's arms. From an almost white shadow, formed a white cloaked, near duplicate of Ruby, only slightly taller and older.

"Sorry…" the woman frowned apologetically. "It's hard to control, still."

"You'll get used to it." Raven gave a sympathetic look as she bit down on some toast.

"Nothing to apologize for, Summer." Tai said as he untied his apron that had 'Sugar Daddy' embroidered on it.

A surprised Tai smiled towards Raven, "I see Yang is rubbing off on you."

Raven stuck her chin up at him, "As if.." Yet she looked from the corner of her eye down at her daughter while a small smile crept up on her lips

"Her heart grew three times larger." Yang joked causing everyone to laugh. "She's just too proud to admit it."

"Dawwww" Ruby and Summer coed.

"I knew Aunt Rae was a softie at heart." Ruby quipped causing Summer snicker.

"If only Qrow were here to see that," Summer added.

"I hate everyone." Raven growled, "If you tell him anything, I'll make sure to peck your eyes out."

"That's a lie," Yang countered earning even more laughter.

"Stop it!"

"Yang, please stop provoking your mother…" Taiyang chuckled at the exchange, "I'd rather her not fly away."

Yang smirked, "She can only go so far. But fine…."

"Sheesh…. thank you," The raven-haired woman massaged her temples.

"I like this new you, Rae," Summer practically beamed, "Took you long enough to lighten up."

The woman sighed casting a dreary cloud over the table.

"Oh my god…" Ruby exhaled upon the realization. "Today was the day… wasn't it?" Her silver eyes flickered between Yang and her mother.

A silence fell upon the table as tension charged the air. The ticktock of the clock could be heard as no one moved. Finally, then Yang nodded, not able to maintain eye contact.

"We're sorry." Summer apologized for both herself and her own daughter.

Yet the apology did nothing to stifle the awkwardness. No one dared to make the first move, to break the silence, to end the tension. It wasn't until Tai cleared his throat lightly that broke the ice as all eyes to fell upon him

"Hey…. why don't we actually eat. Don't want these eggs to get cold." Tai suggested.

So the four ate their meals in relative quietness after that whole awkward realization. There was no way to lighten what the day meant to the bonded pair of mother and daughter.

It was a strange thing to Yang. How the day meant two separate things between her and her mother. Yet today they shared one common meaning. When one door shuts, new doors open in the most unexpected places.

"We'll be back!" Yang shouted over to her sister and her white fox who that in the garden.

"Alright!" Ruby waved enthusiastically as the white fox yelped in response.

After entering the woods, the human form of Raven quickly dissipated into a large, beautiful bird that was her namesake. The bird hopped on the ground looking up at the blonde bird questioningly.

"No pauldron? Glove?" The bird flapped her wings in surprise.

The blonde girl shrugged, "Nah, I'll be fine."

"You sure?" the bird cocked her head.

The arm held up was the only answer she needed.

The large bird flapped her wings and landed lightly on her daughter's arm. "I know…" Raven sighed as she locked onto her daughter's eyes. "I don't think we'll ever feel normal about any of this."

Yang kept her thoughts to herself. She knew she didn't have to say anything; there was no hiding anything from her. "I'm sorry Yang… For leaving you, for leaving your father." The raven hopped up on the blonde's arm.

Yang didn't even register the fact the bird was now on her shoulder. "It's not your fault, Mom. I get it."

The blonde yelped in pain "Don't try and lie, especially to me," The bird pecked.

Yang rubbed her forehead feeling the bump on her head. "Yeah… sorry." Yet the question was still in her mind. In reality, she didn't understand. How could she? Even after all this time, she was no closer to any of the answers.

"Even after all this time... I don't know what this is, I don't know if I'm being punished or being given a second chance." Her voice sank lower in sadness as the bird practically shrank away almost like a scared child. "I feel like I'm letting you down..."

Yang heart sank at the very emotions that were tearing her mother, and by extension, herself up. "Please…" Yang pleaded, "Don't be like that. We have time now, let's make the most of it. Yeah?"

Two rather impressive wings flapped in agreement causing Yang to her mother smile even though she was a bird. Suddenly the raven's head cocked forward as if it caught something in her field of vision. "Can't… resist…." The bird muttered.

Yang couldn't help but to laugh, "Go for it, but I don't want you to bring it back."

"I'll try and remember that." The bird countered as Yang watched the raven, her mother, flap her wings. The majestic bird struck out and dove into the bush, talons out first.

"Sorry… I couldn't resist." The bird flew back with a rather large squirrel in her talons.

"No!" Yang squealed in terror, "I don't want it!"

Raven immediately dropped her prize on the ground before landing next to the blonde. "Definitely more… primal today, huh?"

"When am I not?" The bird boasted.

Yang smiled as she held out her arm. On cue, the black raven flapped her wings and latched onto her daughter's arm, mindful that her talons didn't dig into her arm.

"Good?" Yang asked.

The raven nodded her head. It was a nice day. An unusually warm day during the fall, not that Yang could complain as she hiked through the forests. To the one spot.

"Are we going there?" Raven asked

Yang knew she already knew but decided to go along with it. "Yep." She popped the 'P,' as the blonde continued to traverse the forests, jumping from one large root to another.

"We don't have to go if you don't want to." The bird offered.

"I'm-" Yang started.

"Not fine." Raven finished.

The blonde shut her mouth. You would think she realized that by now. "But you're going to do what you want to do, regardless." the bird added causing Yang to perk up. They were getting close now. Real close now.

"We're here…" Yang whispered as they reached a circular clearing in the forest. A small island in the sea of trees. At the center of the small field was a great oak tree that towered over all of the other trees in the forest.

This one spot. This one island. This one tree was Yang's. She explored the forests as a kid and found the tree. She frequently took Ruby here and they used to play. Now, though, Yang only came here if she needed to think.

Just as she done this morning, the bird jumped off her arm and morphed into her human form. "Go ahead." Yang felt her mother's reassuring hand on her shoulder helping to give the blonde the resolve that she needed.

With a lump in her throat, she walked towards the tree with clenched fists. Now it was time for strength and resolve as she felt her renewed determination. Upon reaching the great oak, Yang looked up. "Hey buddy, been awhile huh…" She chuckled as she stared up at the large tree.

The only response she could possibly conceive of was a faint breeze rustling her long luscious blonde locks.

"Yeah… I know. I need to come out more often." She admitted with a frown.

A faint whistle could be heard in the same wind.

"I keep telling her that, but you know how she is." She heard her mother approaching behind her.

"Mind if we sit here?" Yang asked only to receive another, warm gust of wind. Taking that as her answer, she sat down, leaning up against the tree. Soon enough, her mother joined her.

Just a predicted, Yang felt a jolt that caused her to go rigid before she fell unconscious in the arms of her mother, "I'm not going anywhere," Raven whispered.

Ruby wiped brow of the sweat from the rigorous weeding that the garden needed. Thankfully, her trusted white fox aided in the task.

"We're almost-" Ruby looked up to see the wolf's head jerked upward, fur bristling.

"Mom?"

"Yang's hurting." The wolf growled.

"She's fine. You know it's normal."

"She's in pain." The fox slumped to the ground letting out a weak whine as she slumped to the ground, putting her paws over her eyes.

Ruby let out a sigh as she made her way over to the fox.

Yang was tired, cut up, and bruised. Another failed attempt. Another hope quickly crushed. She wasn't going to be able to get home. She was stuck out here, and the sun was going down.

The tired little girl pushed past a few bushes, letting out a hiss of pain. Her luck that they would be bushes covered in thorns.

Taking one shaky footstep, she found herself in a large field surrounded by the forest. At the center was a small little sapling. It rose a foot above the closely cut grass.

The exhausted child collapsed to the ground. She was done. She couldn't keep going. All of her tears were used, her energy spent. She collapsed on her knees before falling to the ground. "I'm sorry." She whispered hoarsely at the image of her dad. Of her sister.

She just wanted to get back home.

"Don't give up."

Yang perked up slightly though she was too tired to lift her head up.

"Yang," The voice called out again, only encouraging her.

No… she was too tired. She was beat. She wanted to close her eyes.

She flowed in an endless sea of time, losing all sense of time and place. Nothing was everything. Everything was nothing.

*Peck*

*Peck*

*Peck*

Something in Yang stirred causing Yang to open her eyes. Her sleep-deprived eyes locked on with a large black bird whose feathers were black at the base but as they went out, tinged slightly with crimson red, the same crimson red in the bird's eyes that were staring at her.

The bird nudged Yang's outstretched hand with its beak. "You aren't giving up." She heard the voice say again. The voice seemed annoyed with her. "Get up."

Two lilac eyes blinked. It couldn't have been the bird. Bird's don't talk. She was going crazy. "Yang, get up." The voice urged on.

"I.. can't."

The muscles in her arms were too weak for her to even lift up her arm off the ground. Her legs refused to budge. Her throat was parched. Her belly empty.

"You aren't going to die tonight. I'm not going to let you."

Just then the bird pecked her arm.

"You're the voice…?" She connected the dots.

The bird stretched out its wings in response while nodding its head. Two lilac eyes blinked as she tried to comprehend the fact that she was indeed talking to a bird.

The bird cocked its head up into the air stretching its wings letting pained screeched.

"CCCCCCAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWW"

Yang couldn't stand to see the majestic bird in pain as she tried to lift herself up.

"CCCCCAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!" It roared in pain.

The feathers of the wing shrank as if being absorbed into its body. Exhaustion must have taken hold in the girl's mind, but she could have sworn she saw a pale hand emerging from where the feathers should have been. The legs became more elongated and clad in the same pale white skin.

The raven's head slowly grew as its beaks and feathers and retracted to show a pained human face that nearly mirrored Yang's; the only difference was the wild mane of black hair that resembled bristling feathers that spiked down her back. And the red eyes… nearly the same crimson color as the raven.

"Whatttt….?" Yang questioned.

This person… this woman… was panting hard as she clutched her side with one hand, her crimson eye focused solely on Yang.

The pain in Yang slowly faded, her exhaustion lessening up. "Who…? What…?" Yang asked as she got on her knees, feeling strength slowly return.

That was when finally got a good image of the woman in her black and red kimono with a black skirt and thigh high boots. She was the same woman… the same woman in some of dad's all photos.

This is… was…

Her mom.

"You know who I am?" The woman asked.

The girl nodded hesitantly.

"Do you know what I am?" She asked.

Yang shook her head causing the woman to let out a defeated sigh. "Yeah… I figured as much…"

"M-m-mom…" Yang's lips quivered, her voice shaky.

Suddenly, Yang's heart turned cold, she felt… confusion, pain, and the strongest feeling to trump all of those, guilt.

Her mother couldn't keep eye contact as both stood on their knees.

It was an odd sensation. She had given up on her mother. She accepted the fact that she would never come home to see Yang. She would never be the mother Yang needed. That position was filled by Summer. Her Mom.

With renewed strength and newfound energy, Yang stood up as she took note that she was no longer covered in cuts and bruises. The footsteps felt like she crossing oceans. Upon reaching her mother, she looked down at her.

'Leave me.' The thought popped into her mind.

'I'm a failure.'

'I shouldn't be here.'

The last one stuck in young girl's head. That was the furthest thing from the truth, and Yang knew it. Every fiber of her being screamed it. She embraced the woman, her arms wrapping around tightly.

She could feel the woman stiffen from the contact. The grip tightened much more when she felt tear drops soaking into her muddied and cut up jacket.

'I don't deserve this.'

Yet Yang's own dam broke, "Mom…." She whispered while tears cascaded down her cheeks.

"Yang…"

Suddenly the ground started to shake as mother and daughter embraced each other. Still embraced, they looked towards the source. The small sapling started to expand as its roots expanded outward causing ruptures within the field. The trunk of the tree slowly expanded outward as the tree started to climb inch by inch, foot by foot, yard by yard, until it was the tallest tree in the forest.

A soft wind kissed their cheeks, drying the tears.

Deep down, they both knew they caused.

Raven wiped the water from her eyes as she looked down at her daughter. "We've got a lot to talk about." She said with a sad, yet ultimately happy smile.

A certain calm peace rushed over Yang as she opened her eyes slowly to find herself to see be staring up at her mom. "I saw everything, too." She confirmed causing Yang to smile as her mother leaned back, absentmindedly running her hand through her daughter's long blonde mane.

"How long have I been out?" Yang yawned as she closed her eyes with a content smile.

"Six hours, thirty-eight minutes and twenty-four seconds," Raven announced.

One lilac eye popped open, "Stop being super precise. It's weird."

Raven snorted, "And the fact all of this isn't weird?"

"Yeah, well I can accept that. But I don't want you to be some kind of atomic clock." Yang countered as she closed her eye.

"Fair enough."

Th two sat under the tree enjoying the warm breeze while staying under the pleasant shade. "I'm hungry…" They both announced causing both mother and daughter to stare at each other before laughing.

"I heard Qrow's coming over tonight for dinner."

The look on her mother's face was just priceless. "Sheesh… I doted on enough by your sister, father, and Summer. Why don't we just add another to the list?"

The blonde girl sat up from her mother's lap, shooting her a grin, "You better get the bird out of it before he shows up. You know he loves picking on you for that."

Without saying a word, the woman morphed back into her natural form and took flight. She had to get as much flying and bird time as she could get in. She'd rather be a bird now then later and deal withQrow's incessant teasing.

A/N

Needed a mix up. A huge shoutout for SecretlySilentEvil for helping! Couldn't do without him (check him out).

This will not be a "Harry Potter" fic

If you enjoyed the chapter, please leave fav, follow, and review. It means the world.

-Lordxsauron