White Sheep

Chapter 1 - A Sheep's Dream

Birthday Special

Didn't watch the anime this came from.

So hope you like it.

The Beowolf's body drove him down to the ground, its teeth gnashing at his head. He pushed it back frantically, one arm held across his face as it snapped and snarled above him. Crimson eyes bore into his, the dark promise of a creature born to destroy all human life. Jaune grunted as it bit down, taking his arm in its powerful jaws and jerking him wildly from left to right. With a cry he was let loose, sliding across the dark ground to come to a defeated heap, face-down as the monstrous Grimm approached with a growl. Through one sapphire eye he watched it pad towards him. Watched it rear up, great gouts of steamy breath coming from its fang-filled maw as it brought its weight down atop him.

"Jaune!" a voice called, "Dinner time!"

"Coming mom!" Jaune shouted as he rolled over onto his back. The Beowolf's snout flashed down and instantly smothered him. Its huge head licked and nuzzled his face. "Get off," he laughed as he tried to push it away, "Come on. Quit it... mom's going to be angry if I'm late." That did the trick, as he'd known it would. The Beowolf whined and leaned back, sitting on its haunches as it waited for him. It wasn't the only one.

Other Grimm watched, their red eyes glowing in the darkness as the young man carefully picked his way past jagged rocks and steaming terrain. The Grimmlands was neither a kind nor beautiful place, unless you liked the colours purple and red, in which case it was fantastic. Jaune was more into greens and oranges himself, however. They were colours he'd only really seen on his scroll or in the books he read. No trees grew in this desolate place. The soil was as dead as everything else... a creeping miasma that threatened to kill any who entered.

Except for him, of course.

"There you are," his mother said as he entered the dark tower. Her pale face was etched with some unrecognisable expression, as it often was. Her red eyes softened when she saw him, the angry veins about her face receding just a little. "Look at you," she sighed, "You're covered in soot and grime. What have you been doing?" To his horror she drew forth a small scrap of cloth, spitting onto it and using the disgusting fabric to wipe his face.

"Mom..." he complained, though he knew better than to argue, "I was playing outside with Mannie."

"Playing?" the dread Queen of the Grimm asked, one brow raised high. Jaune swallowed but nodded, knowing that a lie would just land him in more trouble. "You should have been studying," she sighed. Jaune winced, but relaxed a moment later when a hand settled atop his blond hair. "But I will let it go this time. Come... we're going to have dinner together."

"Is dad back?" Jaune's head perked up, eyes shining, only to sigh as the woman shook her head.

"Your father's out hunting as usual... you know how he is."

"I know." He wasn't angry... not when he looked up to his father for just that, but at the same time there was a hint of disappointment. Nicholas was his only avenue to the outside world. The only person who would sit down and tell him grand stories of distant cities and incredible landscapes – of waterfalls and forests, filled with small Nevermore-like creatures that would actually sing beautiful melodies. It sounded incredible. It sounded unbelievable.

"Your sisters are all busy too," Salem Juniper Arc sighed, rubbing his head. "It's going to be me, you, your uncles and Cinder."

"Big sis?"

His mother cringed. "I really wish you wouldn't call her that. She's only a few years older than you, and not at all related. You know, the two of you might get on with one another really well. You used to say you'd grow up and marry her when you were younger. It was all I ever heard from you."