Everything I do... I hate myself for.

"Well... shit." Mercury said.

"You don't think that... Cinder wouldn't have sent us in here to die, would she?" Emerald asked.

"Ugh! You're such a lapdog! Did you really think she cared? Even I wasn't dumb enough to believe that. I can't believe I was dumb enough to come down here! I should have known when she destroyed our only way out." Mercury said, angrily hitting the coffee table.

Emerald grew even more pale as she sat down on the couch, still clutching the journal. I have a feeling the boy was lying. I think he really thought Cinder cared for them. I felt Ruby's hand on my fur grip tightly, her other hand over her mouth because of the shock. They sat there for awhile as it all sank in for them. Emerald decided to ask a question since she was curious.

"So why did you follow her anyway?" Emerald asked.

Mercury chuckled at the question. Funny how'd she ask right now.

"I wanted to see the world burn. I just killed my own father not even five minutes before you guys found me. My life before all this wasn't much better but now I can say my life is worse... I just... I thought anything would have been better than staying home and facing what I did and what I went through. What about you? Why did you join?" He asked.

"You know the story already. I had nothing. No family, no friends, and even the foster family I had didn't care about me. They were just looking after me because they were being paid to. So I ran away and lived out on the streets, stealing things to make my way. It was kill or be killed. I did all I could just to survive. When Cinder hired me, I finally had something to do with myself: an actual life, a drive. And someone to help. I guess... I got too attached to her because she was the one who brought me out of that mess. If it wasn't for her, I'd have nothing. I really loved her for that. I guess I was so blinded by how thankful and attached I was that I didn't see what I really was to her." Emerald said.

I felt my heart ache for these kids. These poor things didn't deserve this. Ruby leaned in next to me to say something.

"We need to help them. I think, if I explained things to Ozpin, he'll understand." Ruby whispered to me.

Ozpin would recruit these kids in a heartbeat. He'd probably say something like 'Now is your chance to redeem yourselves'. Not to mention he'd sympathize with their plight. These two had a chance no doubt and if Ozpin could give them the opportunity to redeem themselves, he'd gladly do it. But, I know that is the only way he'd let them get away with their past actions. Even if they had hard upbringings, they still helped cause the death and destruction of thousands. That much I knew.

"Keep reading... maybe they wrote something recently." Mercury said.

"It's pointless. Ruby is probably dead even if this person found her." Emerald said.

"This person may be our way out of here." Mercury said.

"Even if we did escape, where would we go? If they catch wind that we survived, we'll be killed." Emerald said.

"We don't know that for sure." Mercury said.

"Face it, Merc! She shut us in here with no way out! We were sent in here to die." Emerald said, hot tears welling up in her eyes.

"These cave systems are huge. Chances are that wasn't the only way out." he told her.

"Those grimm will get us before we even have a chance. It could take us days to leave!" She said, her voice breaking.

Mercury let out a sigh, knowing that she was right. But, if there was one thing he was good at, it was doing the necessary thing. However, I could feel my hunger getting stronger. Please don't give up. If these two sink into despair, I won't be able to control myself.

"Just read the next page. We need to find some way out." Mercury said firmly.

So she continued.

"Entry seven. This is the deepest part of the caverns. My hunger is at it's dullest at this spot. I can go for days on end without eating and not lose any weight. Regular food can help me feel full but it still doesn't stop the hunger. Not entirely. It's becoming pointless for me to write anymore. I can only spend a few minutes in my human form. The closest entrance to this place leads out to a forest. The other ways out lead to more pockets of grimm before leading out of here. Luckily they think I'm one of them so none of them consider me food. I'll still fight them sometimes but these things are smarter than you'd think. If I don't kill all of them, some of them will come after me later with more friends. If they smell blood in one area, they'll search everywhere and then come back later. I'm getting tired. I can't hold this form much longer." Emerald read.

She flipped the page and saw another entry. I forgot I wrote another one... what was it about again? I think it was the reason why I never picked it up again? Why is apart of me afraid to hear this entry?

"Entry 8. I have a son. I forgot about him. Then again, I know I made myself do so deliberately. I had been pregnant with him during the whole thing. Salem decided to make me hunger for him even more than anyone else. I only remember him because I just ate a child that would have been his age. I hate myself for this. I gave birth to him and ran. I wrapped him up in a portion of my hood that I ripped off but after that, I ran. He looked just like my husband... but he had silvery blue eyes like a husky. I finally get to see a child with a mix of my eye color with my husband's and... I had to leave him before I myself ate him. He's safe... this I know. I ran into him once. But I've conditioned myself to run the moment I even catch his scent. I just wish my husband knew about him... I wonder what Ruby would have thought of him? Ironically, the family who took him in named him Thorin but, at first, I heard it as Thorn. I wish I knew why that was ironic though. I think I kept my pregnancy secret because I was hoping surprise my family when I got home. Ozpin needed me for the mission, too. If I didn't go... I don't even want to think of what could have happened. But, I sometimes wonder if it's worth the price I paid." Emerald read.

Emerald flipped through more pages but there was nothing more. I stopped because I couldn't hold my form long enough to write anymore. I also didn't want to remember my son. Because, every time I think about him, my hunger gets worse and it targets him

"Anymore?" Mercury asked.

"No... now what?" Emerald asked.

"We find a way out." He said.

"Now?" She said.

"You saw what she wrote: they'll come back later. We need to move." He said.

Ruby suddenly sneezed and everyone froze. Shit! I quickly put Ruby behind me while the pair scanned the area.

"Did you hear that?" Emerald asked.

"Yeah. Sounded like it came from behind the wall." Mercury said, carefully scanning the wall.

Of course, he's a smart boy, he figured out that the door was behind the book shelf. He moved it and pushed in the door only to see me, a giant wolf the same height as him. I growled at him threateningly as I tried to keep my hunger in check. Why am I hungry now of all times? It was dull earlier. I'm just trying to protect my daughter. Ruby put her hand on my side as she walked next to me.

"Summer, no." She said.

But Emerald took out one of her guns and glared in at both of us.

"Come out here, Ru-" She began.

I cut them both off by tackling Mercury to the ground and then grabbing Emerald by the arm and pinning them both under me. I growled at both of them menacingly. Ruby grabbed my tail and tried to pull me off of them. My fur started turning black again as I kept the two teens pinned underneath me.

"Summer! Please stop!" Ruby begged.

Drool from my snarling jaws dribbled down, almost dripping off onto them. I've never seen a more terrified pair in my life but I couldn't stop myself anymore. Oh no... not again. Why is this taking over me now? I'm so sorry about this. I then swung my head back and then down towards them to rip them to shreds only to feel my jaws close around something else. I stopped myself from using my full bite pressure as I tasted her blood. I only pierced her with a few of my teeth but it sure looked worse than it actually was. I had bitten down from her left shoulder down to her hip, my teeth only just punching holes through her skin. The taste of her blood made me feel sick and I backed away from her quickly after releasing her. What did I just do? I whimpered, burying my face in my paws in shame while Ruby flinched from the pain. She still helped the other two up as they gaped at her. Neither of them knew entirely what to do.

"Ruby... why did you? Are you... alright?" Emerald asked, concerned.

"I think I'm okay. It's not as bad as it looks." She said.

Mercury grabbed one of her arms and yanked her towards him. He wasn't trying to subdue her; he was checking her. He was being a bit too forcefully for Ruby's liking.

"Ow!" She said, as he looked at one of the wounds on her shoulder.

He then let go.

"You're fine. Her teeth only punched holes in you. But why can't she hurt you?" Mercury asked.

"I don't know. I feel like I've met her before though." Ruby said, walking up to me.

There was more silence as Ruby tried to get me to lift my head.

"So... you named her Summer?" Emerald asked.

"Yeah. I named her after my mom." Ruby said.

"Tch! Your mom? How will she feel about you bringing home a grimm dog thing named after her?" Mercury asked.

"Well, if she was alive, I'm guessing she would also think it's weird but then, I don't think I would have named her that if she was alive." Ruby said, trying to get me to lift my head.

"Oh... I'm sorry." Emerald said.

"It's fine. I'm the weird one who decided to name her after my mom after all. Come on, Summer. It's alright." Ruby said.

No it's not. I could have killed all three of you.

"Summer, please. You're all we got." Ruby said.

"You're still trying to get that thing to help? It nearly killed us. She's a monster!" Emerald said.

"She saved us. That thing that you tried shooting before the grimm came in was her covering up the blood trail. She's the reason why none of us became food. She's not a monster. She's one of Salem's victims. Please, Summer, it's okay." Ruby said.

She's right... I really am the only thing they got. Whether or not any of us like it, I'm the only one strong enough to fight. I turned into my human form suddenly and sat up. Everyone looked at me in shock. I needed to try holding my human form if I'm to be able to keep them safe from myself. I looked at Ruby, searching for any kind of recognition from her. Then again, I don't really look anything like the woman I used to be. My hair even had some silver strands in it from age and the grease from the lack of upkeep made my normal hair color look more black than the shade it usually is if clean. My hood was grey and half of it was missing. Hell! That's the best way I could describe myself right now: grey and half missing. The only way you could tell who I once was is by looking at my eyes.

"Who... are you?" Emerald asked.

"I... I don't know. But I like Summer. That name suits me fine." I lied, my voice a little hoarse from lack of use.

They all still stared at me like I grew a second head... but then again, I guess changing from a wolf the size of a horse into a human has the same shock factor.

"You look like shit." Mercury said.

"Don't be rude!" Emerald said, smacking him.

I chuckled.

"No, he's right. It's been ages since I've been able to even bathe properly. Even my clothes haven't been washed in ages." I said.

"Gross." Emerald said.

"It's kind of hard to bathe when your body forces itself into that form." I said.

"So... How do you know me?" Ruby asked, looking as if she's seeing a ghost.

"I'm not sure, sweetie." I lied again.

I didn't want to tell her the truth. If she didn't know, she didn't have to. I'd prefer it better if she remembered me as the woman I used to be.

"Do you know a way out?" Emerald asked.

"Yes." I said.

"Great, let's go." She said.

"I'm not letting you three leave this place in your condition. I might be strong but I'm not strong enough to keep all of the grimm at bay." I told them.

"But if we stay-" Mercury began.

"The grimm won't come in here as long as I'm here." I said.

Technically wasn't a lie: I wasn't going to let the grimm in.

"But they still came toward us." Emerald said.

"They didn't get in, did they?" I asked.

She opened her mouth to argue but then closed it. She shook her head.

"So what do we do now?" Mercury asked.

"Rest. Get some sleep. I'll keep watch. If either of you try to hurt Ruby, I'll have no qualms about making you grimm chow." I said, walking out of the cottage.

"I thought you couldn't stay in your human form." Mercury said.

"I can't. Not really. But I rather not be seconds away from ripping anymore children apart." I told them, closing the door behind me.

"Oh..." Mercury said, troubled by what she said.

There was a long silence. Mercury and Emerald looked at each other and then back at Ruby who was still staring at the door.

"Are you okay, Ruby? You look like you've seen a ghost?" Emerald asked.

"I think... I think that was my mom." She said, still shocked.

That ends it for chapter 4. We get to see how everyone fairs getting out together in the next chapter. But, I might do a chapter involving Thorin. He is based off of one of my favorite childhood tales, after all.