The Grimm Huntress

Alone in the Woods

Ruby stared at the moon through a window, sitting on the staircase. Snow was falling outside. Ruby checked on Blake, Eclipse, Weiss, and Yang, who were sitting on the rug and staring at the fire from the fireplace. Maria read a book while sitting on the sofa as Oscar paced back and forth.

After checking on the others, Ruby stood up and walked toward Qrow who was sitting nearby the window, looking outside with his feet propped on the drawer.

"Storm's cleared up for now. We should be able to leave by morning."

"That's good."

"No... I don't have a good feeling about this place, especially with me around..."

Ruby looked down at a wine bottle on the floor with Qrow's hand hovering near it, then looked at him.

"Are you... okay?"

Qrow scoffed. "Sure. Tell everyone to get some sleep. I'll wake you guys up just before sunrise."

Ruby walked away as Qrow drank from the wine bottle. Ruby paused and looked back at him before narrowing her eyes downward.

Back in the other room, the fire continued to burn. The book Maria was reading had a "III" on the cover, with the other two volumes on a nearby table.

"It's a diary?" Oscar asked.

"The head of this household, Bartleby. Apparently, he and several other families founded this little settlement to try and live on their own. It sounds like it worked, at least for a spell."

"Grimm?"

"Just one of many hardships. Slowed down their farming, made everything harder... It's a shame, really. He seemed like quite the ambitious fellow, always thinking of new schemes to overcome the odds."

Ruby walked back into the room. "Hey guys. Qrow said we should get some sleep. We're gonna head out early tomorrow."

"Thank goodness."

Everyone got up to get ready to sleep. Maria hopped off the couch.

"Hmph, the last thing you'll catch me doing is letting some kid tell me what to do." Maria said. "'Go to bed!'"

She scoffed and sat on an armchair, turning on the lamp next to it and continued reading from the book.

Ruby shrugged and smiled before going to sleep herself. The fire continued to burn in the fireplace.

By the next morning, the fire was out. Sunlight seeped through the curtained window while Team RWBEY and Oscar slept on the floor.

Maria rested on the armchair, still holding the book she was reading. Qrow slept on the chair by the window, still barely grasping the wine bottle in his hand. A couple other wine bottles were also on the floor. The bottle slipped from his hand and clattered on the floor, causing Ruby to wake with a start.

She looked around before rubbing her eyes and getting on her feet. She walked over to the window and opened the curtains.

"Close the window!" Weiss muttered in her sleep.

Eclipse groaned. "I's too bright!"

Ruby walked over to the entrance hall and picked up the empty bottle Qrow dropped before walking over to her uncle.

"Uncle Qrow. Come on, get up." She shook Qrow's shoulder.

He groaned. "Leave me alone..."

"We overslept."

Qrow, still groggy, just lightly shoved Ruby away. Ruby looked at the empty wine bottle, and after a moment, her hand started shaking. She angrily threw it against the wall, shattering it.
Qrow startled awake. "What?"