The Huntsman of Red V2

Chapter 13 Yellow and Black: Part 4

White Fang?

It was that name again. If Shirou was affected by the name, he didn't show it. Yang though was different. A trace of surprise and suspicion flashed across her eyes that was caught in the gaze of a cat-eared girl of similar age. No matter. He pushed Yang to stand behind him lest she act out or do something too unpredictable. In the times that he'd observed Yang while at Ruby's side, he already knew that she wasn't exactly the smoothest of individuals when it came to formalities.

Yang stared at him for a moment, but seemed to be too lost in thought to bother with anything.

There was a short silence before he inclined his head and shook Ghira's hand with his own. The man's hands were calloused and rough, denoting the kind of life and character Ghira must have had.

"A pleasure to meet you," he said politely, watching the way Ghira grinned in response.

"Likewise," Ghira released his grip before scratching lightly at his grown beard.

Shirou took the time to really look at the man. He was tall and well built, but rather than be intimidating, there was a gentleness in Ghira's demeanor.

Ghira was scrutinizing him if only out of precaution. "What brings you out into the forest? One would think that bringing a little girl along for back up would not bode well in Grimm infested lands?"

He stopped to consider the question, but he was beaten to the punch.

"I'm not little," Yang's outburst came far quicker than he could stop. She had always been brash and quick to raise her voice when she was being made light of. Presently, she was glaring from behind his back "I'm fifteen and will be attending a Huntsman school in a couple of years. I'm plenty capable for back up."

"Yang," he nudged her on the side, causing her to look up at him and cringe when she realized that she was making a scene. 'Sorry' she mouthed before stepping back behind him.

He only sighed before going back to address Ghira's question. After all, he could detect Ghira's underlying suspicion in his words. It wasn't normal to see random people wandering within Grimm infested lands.

"We're just trying to get back home," he explained honestly. "If you travel due east of here, you'll find a stopped train cart that Yang and I used to be riding before it derailed."

"Oh," Ghira looked surprised, but with his keen eye sight, he could still make out the sight of the derailed train-cart in the distance. "That's unfortunate." Much of Ghira's caution faded away to be replaced by a warm expression.

Shirou wasn't lying to begin with and Ghira could see that.

"Would you like to travel with us?" Ghira offered kindly. "We're currently on our way to Vermillion and it's safer to travel with numbers."

He considered the prospect.

Ghira didn't seem like a bad person. None of the other Faunus travelling with Ghira were all that bad either. If anything, they greatly reminded him of the Faunus that he and Ruby had first met in the early settlement of Vermillion: Cautious, weary, yet kind people.

Still, more than a few of them were showing open hostility, and perhaps that was why Yang seemed to be a tad on edge. It was true that Yang was young, but more often than not, it was the children and teenagers that could more easily pick up whether or not they were being liked in a group.

Right now, both he and Yang could definitely tell that they weren't being liked. The red-haired swordsman whom they'd met from the beginning was glowering, and another woman with orange eyes and a dark complexion was glaring at them.