RWBY: The Child of Grimm. Volume 2 (complete)

Chapter 10: Picking sides

[Sol] "you seem happier now."
[Ryu] "what? Where'd that come from?"
[Sol] "The kids, Ruby, I haven't seen you... normal, for a while now, though after everything I doubt you'll ever really go back to the way you were before."
[Ryu] "must suck for you that I'm not a writhing pool of anger anymore."
[Sol] "Huh? No, I think it's great. You were really quite the downer."
[Ryu] "just shut up. We're here."

As the doors opened, a large, expansive, sparse forest came into view. The Forrest itself is considered a relative graveyard where even Grimm rarely enter. The towering trees are either dead or dying and even the air itself feels like it's trying to choke me.

[Pilot] "uh... you sure you wanna get out here?"
[Ryu] "I'll be fine. I've got a guide."
[Pilot] "if you say so."
[Sol] "guide? Who?...ohhhh. It's me, isn't it."
[Ryu] "do you have any idea where a Goliath would hide out around here?"
[Sol] "It's a giant elephant. Where could it possibly hide?"

It's a good point I guess, though I don't plan to admit it to him.

After walking for what seemed like a few hours I finally came across something I hadn't expected. I stood at the edge of a cliff face looking out over yet another massive forest. The difference now however, is that the towering trees surrounded by cliffs were alive and well. Nevermore could be seen flying through the air or perched atop the branches, groups of Beringels were just hanging out, some literally. This place...

[Sol] "A Grimm oasis..."
[Ryu] "yeah...the Goliath has to be down there."
[Sol] "it's as good an idea as any."

After looking for a clear patch of ground where I could land and failing to do so, I finally noticed a clearing a little further into the area where a few boarbatusks were casually drinking from a pond. I readied myself for the long descent and did something I hadn't done in quite a while for fear of losing control. I sprouted wings. As I leapt from atop the cliff face I used the two large, black wings to glide and slow myself down to the point that I only needed a few steps before I stopped. This is when I realised that these boarbatusk, aren't normal, far from normal, abnormal.

[Sol] "they're massive!"

I stood there abrasively for a moment, watching to see if they made a move. The large Grimm however, seemed to be doing the exact same thing.

[Ryu] "they're.. smart?"

I decided to try something and raised my hands above my head in an attempt to show that I was a non-hostile and as I did, the Boarbatusk simply went back to drinking from their now noticeably large pond.

[Sol] "I feel like we've stepped into the land of giants."
[Ryu] "how is it possible that they've been able able to grow to be so large?"
[Sol] "something in the water maybe?"
[Ryu] "seriously..."

After walking for a while and noticing the plethora of large eyes watching me carefully from a distance, a single, small Beowolf appeared in front of me, glaring at me angrily.

[Ryu] "it wants to fight?"
[Sol] Don't. They're testing us."
[Ryu] "what? How do you know that?"
[Sol] "They're smart and we're new. It just makes sense."
[Ryu] "alright, so what am I meant to do then?"
[Sol] "remember when you left mount Luna? In the town with the Beowolf?"
[Ryu] "ah! I haven't done that in so long I almost forgot!"
[Sol] "almost?"
[Ryu] "Sh."

I focused on remembering the day I left mount Luna. The feelings of loss resurfacing as I remembered my father, the feelings of hatred and malcontent for the townsfolk and finally the Beowolf that appeared. As the Beowolf in front of me crept closer, I slowly put my hand out in front of me and concentrated, giving off a calm and friendly yet fierce feeling towards it. The Beowolf noticeably began to reassess me, looking at me from multiple different angles and seemingly trying to figure out just who or what I was, like I imagine the other Grimm in the area are doing right at this moment.