RWBY: Black Cat

Prologue

"Hindsight is always 20/20."
~Anonymous

Sirens wailed as Grimm ran through the shadowed streets. A tall hunter with blonde hair and pale green highlights slipped quietly down a back-alley, a Grimm-like mask on his face. His hair was much shorter on the sides - from the top of his ears up, it was thick and feathery, swept back. The mask obscured everything from the nose up, and had two points on the top, reminicent of a cat or a fox's ears. It had minimal, but decrotive, thin, red swirling lines, and unlike most of the Grimm Masks around, had only one pair of eye slits, revealing his coal black eyes quite clearly. It was also marked with distinctive, thick black lines reminiscent of the tabby markings on a cat's face. He wore a loose white shirt with red patterns around the collar, black pants, and black shoes. A cheetah's tail potruded from his pants.

He turned the corner and saw a Beowolf, quite unaware of his presence.

This ought to be fun.

He pulled an incredibly large black blade out of it's sheath and the creature turned on him. As soon as he met it's eyes, his own turned pale green, and he leapt at it. The creature opened it's jaws to lash out at him, but the hunter landed squarley between it's ears and killed it quickly with a smooth arc of his sword.

Too easy.

He leapt off the beowolf's body and landed just behind it. He collapsed the blade of the sword and pulled at the hilt, revealing a rifle. He slung it over his shoulder and kept walking.

Eventually he reached his destination. Another two more figures, adorned in similar clothes and masks, were waiting for him.

The first one, a woman with long black hair looked at him accusingly. "You're late. Isn't the whole point of you to be quick?"

The blonde shrugged. "I got held up."

"By?"

"Grimm."

A second man, taller than them both, with brown hair streaked with red, stepped forward. "That is understandable. Argument will only delay us furthur."

The woman eyed him warily. "Adam. I did not expect you to be here. Had you not ditched us for the White Fang?" There was a distinct edge to her voice as she said this.

The bull faunus inclined his head slightly. "I have always been affiliated with the White Fang. On the contrary, you both ditched us." There was a slight edge to his voice as he glanced at the other hunter, who quickly averted his gaze.

"You gave them our idea with the masks," the huntress hissed accusingly.

He closed his eyes, and inclined his head again. The blonde rested a hand on the woman's shoulder. "We three broke up long ago," he pointed out calmly. "My alligances also lie elsewhere now. As do yours, I imagine, Raven."

The woman continued to glare at Adam. "At least I didn't become the monster he did."

"At least I didn't abandon my daughter," Adam snapped back.

"That's right, your apprentice abandoned you instead, didn't she?" Raven retorted, raising her voice.

"At least our parting didn't lead to her nearly dying looking for me! You were lucky Qrow was there!"

"Calm down, the pair of you," the Cheetah Faunus said quickly, his tail lashing. "We're wasting time."

"Some of which you lost us," Raven huffed, removing her mask. "I don't know why the pair of you insist on wearing these," she added. "I can hardly breathe under mine."

"It's symbolic. And ours don't cover our noses and mouths," the blonde pointed out mildly.

"Good for you," Raven muttered.

Adam's mask shifted on his face slightly, indicating his eyebrows shooting up. "I see she hasn't changed a bit," he remarked. The blonde told him quietly to leave it.

Adam sighed. "Ok, Leif. Tell us why we're here."

The blonde flicked his tail back and fourth. "It's about the White Fang. Adam, you've gone too far."

"Told you so," Raven said under her breath.

"We fought for equality for years. I'm not backing down now." Adam declared. "Especially since the new government."

"Violence isn't the answer," Raven said quietly.

"That's easy for you to say," Adam replied, almost snarling.

"I believe in equality as much as I ever did, even if I'm not a Faunus!" The raven-haired huntress said sharply. "But the White Fang has earnt itself a bad name and has become the centre of attention, because of you."

"That's a good thing. We're respected."

"You're feared, Adam," Leif hissed.

"We're treated well!" He snapped, losing his temper. "Well maybe not quite well, but better! Don't either of you see that! I'm making more of a differance than you ever did!"

All three of them fell silent. Leif's hands curled into fists, and Raven looked ready to tear him apart.

"Faunus are disappearing every night!" Leif snarled, showing his fangs. "No-one knows why, and all anyone can do is blame each other! The humans blame the White Fang and the White Fang blame the humans - yet I can't talk, I'm blaming you, as much as you blame me for not joining the White Fang!" The faunus took a step closer to his red-haired rival. "This needs to end, Adam."

Raven gave Leif a discreet nod. "Or we'll end it instead."

Adam took a step back. "Is that a threat? Are you both here to intimidate me?"

"No," Raven said evenly. "We're telling you to slow down."

"Adam." The Bull Faunus stopped scowling at the ground and looked at Leif. The blonde could just make out Adam's eyes through the slits in his former ally's mask.

"We played an important role in the Faunus Right's Revolution, the three of us. Please, don't destroy what the three of us created, together. The freedom we fought for for all Faunus. The White Fang is the reason why these laws have been imposed on all of us. Because people fear you, the government has put in place laws that mean to control all Faunus, to make ordinary citizens feel safe."

"You effectively created the laws you're fighting," Raven added. "Just...back off a bit."

"To back off is to show weakness." Adam said, turning his back on them both.

"You're too late, Leif. Raven. Everything's too late. We should have met long ago, but I've gone too far. I can't change what's happened, or what will happen. I know what I've done. I've passed the point of no return. There's no going back, though I wish I could. But as long as I live, the Faunus will not be controlled. That is the White Fang's aim." He swallowed.

I think.

Raven bit her lip, then slid her elaborate mask back onto her face, her head bowed. "Be careful, Adam."

Leif nodded, grimacing. They'd both always known, deep down, that it was too late. Adam was right. He couldn't change anything now without looking submissive. "Be careful."

"I will. Either of you can join me at any time. And..." He briefly removed his mask, so he could meet both of their eyes properly as he looked over his shoulder.

"I'm sorry."