Dark Red

It has been six months since Vernal joined the Branwen bandit tribe, and things have been slow for the tribe since that raid on the mining settlement since it filled the tribe's coffers considerably. Vernal and I, Silva, have gotten closer. More often than not, Vernal sleeps with me and uses me as a body pillow, and more than one morning, I found Vernal sleeping on my fur-covered arms, and they turned numb from it. Raven has been shooting some looks of approval; she probably thinks I made Vernal more connected to the tribe through me, but overall, the tribe can rot for all I care.

Aside from Raven, most of the tribe discriminates against me for being a Faunus. Well, I guess Cookie, the tribe's head cook, does not care about my race so long as I don't mess with her kitchen but whatever. One day Raven called for Vernal and me to her tent, and as we entered, she told us neutrally.

" Have a seat. We have a lot to discuss."

As we took a seat at Raven's table, she brought up a map of the kingdom of Mistral, which displayed divided-up territories. Raven then started to explain.

" This map displays the raiding areas of all the bandit tribes, including our own, but there have been some... recent changes."

Raven frowned as she continued and told us what had happened.

" A bandit tribe from Solitas was chased out by the Atlesian military and have decided to settle here in Mistral. Ordinarily, this would not be a cause for concern for us, except they have allied with the Lindwurm tribe, which has some bad blood with the Branwen tribe."

I got a feeling what this was about, but I kept my mouth shut and listened to Raven continue telling us what was going on.

" I have reason to believe that the Lindwurm tribe and their new allies, the Hati tribe, are planning to attack us to give the Hati tribe some raiding territory, our territory."

Vernal then asked Raven while looking nervous at what this situation will likely lead to and what it means.

" How do you know they will attack us?"

Raven could already guess what was on Vernal's mind and sighed at the fact that she had all that power, and yet she was so pacifistic. Raven answered her question patiently.

" The Lindwurm tribe is acquiring a lot of Dust and weapons, plus they have a good relationship with the other nearby tribes, and they are always looking for an excuse to cause the Branwen tribe trouble. With all this in mind, it's all but guaranteed that they will attack us, plus form I could learn of the Hati tribe make things even more certain."

Raven grimaced and told us what she had learned about the Hati tribe.

" The Hati tribe has old military-grade airships and weaponry from Atlas. They are adept at using it, and what makes matters more concerning is that they seem to be highly organized and disciplined. I considered that they may have belonged to the Atlesian military."

I sighed and already guessed Raven's plan.

" I'm guessing we are going to attack them first before they attack us?"

" Correct. While I can handle the Lindwurm tribe's leaders, I need the Hati tribe preoccupied and focused away from me."

Raven then gave her orders to Vernal and me.

" Silva, Vernal, the two of you will be leading the attack on the Hati tribe's temporary camp and ground their airships at the very least."

I sighed once more and nodded in acknowledgment at Raven's orders. Vernal looked nervous at what was to come and asked.

" Raven, I can sort of understand putting me in charge, but why Silva? He's only ten years old!"

Raven and I shared a knowing look, and we chuckled at Vernal's concern. Raven then informed Vernal as to why I am being sent along with her.

" Vernal, Silva had stopped a child long before he met you, and he is bonded with me and my Semblance so sending him is imperative. Plus, while I am... impatient with your attitude towards fighting at times, Silva, however, is someone I can trust to do what is needed for the most part."

" But-."

" Vernal, I may have welcomed you to the tribe, but that does not mean you have any say in how it is run... at least not yet."

I could see Raven trying to motivate Vernal into becoming more willing to shed blood for the tribe in order to have more say in matters concerning it, but Raven is going too fast in trying to change Vernal. Vernal was initially just a civilian with no combat training whatsoever and was then dumped with immense power and responsibility. As she was trained, she lost her friends and family in Ozma and Salem's shadow war. Something this takes time to change with patience and gradually getting her comfortable with her new norm.

Not that I am going to enlighten Raven on the matter, as I do plan on leaving the tribe with Vernal along with me. As Vernal looked downcast and resigned to Raven's decision, the bandit chief dismissed us.

" Leave and make your preparations. We attack at the end of the week."

I got up and went to my tent. I entered it and grabbed my glaves to sharpen them with my whetstone. After a while, Vernal entered my tent as I honed my crude glaves; maybe I could get some decent material from the Hati tribe to make me a better set of weapons. Vernal walked up behind me and hugged me as she asked.

" How are you okay with this, Silva?"

I stopped using my whetstone and replied honestly.

" For a long time, Vernal, I knew I would have to kill people at some point, whether it because of my environment or my goals for the future. Better to let my first kill be a bandit that I feel no pity or remorse over than an innocent person during a raid."

Vernal hugged me tighter and then asked me quietly.

" What are your goals, Silva?"

" To be a Huntsman."

As I gave Vernal a half-truth, she then inquired.

" But, what does killing have to do with being a Huntsman?"

" Do you think criminals just give up when faced with a Huntsman? No, they do not, and sometimes to protect lives, you need to end lives."

" But, you can arrest or capture them instead."

I sighed at Vernal's naivety but pointed out my views.

" So are you saying you would spare a rapist that has harmed little kids?"

" I, a-."

I then told her something I believed to be an objective truth.

" Vernal, Grimm are not the only monsters in this world, and they can look no different from you or me, which makes them even more terrifying than Grimm because you don't know until it's too late to save anyone."

Vernal just hugged me tighter in silence, and I placed my paw over her hand. I then assured her with a promise.

" Vernal, I promise you that I will not become a bloodthirsty monster that kills for pleasure."

" Okay..."

We stayed with each other for the rest of the night, and I thought about the people that I would aim to kill in the future. I will kill Adam Taurus, Tyrian Callows, possibly James Ironwood if he goes off the deep end, and Cinder Fall. Getting rid of Adam will prevent Yang from losing her arm and taking over the White. Tyrian goes without saying. While General Ironwood has his faults, his heart is still in the right place, but there is no denying his capacity for insanity and extremes. Cinder will die, but I need to pick the right moment to kill her because there is one thing she is good for its being predictable. Even if things go off canon, she will most likely make the same selfish choices like she always has; it's in her nature.