Hired Help ((Qrow X Winter One Shot))

Hired Help

 A stranger cupped his hands together, the night air biting; chilling his fingers. Trees shaded away the light of the starry sky but gazing out into the bare trail beyond the woods, he could see the shining light of the moon and stars. "Cold night tonight." The stranger muttered to himself. It was so quiet around the area, speaking to himself made it feel less lonely.

It wasn't by his own choice he was here though. In fact, he would have preferred a nice beer, a warm bed, and a delicious meal if it were up to him. But this was a mission and that stuff was a luxury. He reached down to his belt, untying the canteen around his waist and raising it to his lips. The soft drink ran down his throat and he took his fill before lowering the drink, licking some stray drops from his lips; and returned the container to his belt.

Anytime now, his target would be here. And he'd be waiting. As the moon reached its peak, small fruit bats emerged from their hideout. The flock was deathly silent, gliding from the trees and out into the open. Their wings beat the air and as if rehearsed, moved into the sky in a breathtaking spiral. The soft squeaking of the animal's noises took up the silence quite nicely. The man crouched low to see the area below the cliff easier. All of the tracking he's done hasn't been for nothing since it was then that his target emerged from the trees below. He had no intention of interfering yet; soon, but for now it was only observing.

A young girl followed down the dirt trail, her hood over her head and a long cape flowing in the air behind her. She moved slowly, her feet dragged and she stretched her arms for a moment before turning back where others followed behind her. Three other girls, each more tired than the next. "Come on guys. We can rest soon." The first girl's voice barely audible from the distance. "Easy for you to say. You have enough energy for days!" Another girl with long pure white hair pulled into a side ponytail yelled out. She wore a short white skirt and her skin was porcelain pale. "But I need my beauty sleep Ruby. Why can't we stop now?"

"It's not safe in such an open area. There could be Grimm anywhere. It's a miracle we haven't met as many as we expected already. Let's keep walking until we already find a secluded place to set up camp." Another girl with long black hair spoke. Her voice was a little quieter than the others. She wore a bow atop her head and a backpack on her back. A miracle huh? The man almost laughed out loud at that. If only they knew he was following their every move, tossing away lurking Grimm like candy wrappers on Halloween to make sure the girls were safe. The fourth girl didn't speak but looked around curiously, examining her surroundings. The man backed up into the trees more to avoid detection.

He had the information he came here for. It was time to report back. In a split second, the man transformed into a jet black crow. His now piercing red eyes looked back once more before he took off, flying above the girls and into the night. Only one of the group noticed his presence. Her blonde hair tumbled down her back and her curious eyes examined the blackbird fly past. She wouldn't say anything but she knew who it was. She was smart like that. Most birds would be sleeping and hidden at this time of night. "Yang?" The first girl all dressed in red looked to her, confused. The blonde snapped her eyes away from the crow and turned her attention to the others instead. "Oh it's nothing." She chuckled, waving it off.

The crow flew over the valley, his sharp eyes pinned every Grimm in the trees. There was no need to bother with them though. He glided a few moments then flapped his wings again to keep afloat. The light of the city came into view. The high tower in the center glowed a gentle blue and small late-nights shops or night owl family homes still active. The crow swept across the town until a large white building took shape. It was completely dark besides garden lanterns and of course, the roof room. That's what he was looking for. The crow dived towards the ground and caught himself right before impact, raising his wings to catch the air and landing smoothly on two legs. He clenched his fists to bring feeling back into his arm and fingers. Then rolled his shoulders, procrastinating having to visit the one called Ozpin. In fact, he didn't want to see the man at all. "You." A woman spoke from behind. Her voice loud and confident and her heels clapping on the cement ground as she approached. "How long did you intend to keep us waiting? We don't have all day for you to-" The moment she came close, the man turned and put a finger to her lips. "Oh did you miss me?" He sneered, peering into her blue eyes. The woman grabbed his arm and pushed herself away, acting almost repulsed by being near him. "I would advise you don't touch or interrupt me again. You wouldn't want my guards going after you." She threatened, closing her eyes and crossing her arms, the woman shook her head. "You're such a bother, you know. Just tell me the result of your mission "