RWBY: Child of Grimm - Reloaded

4: A Dusty Old Qrow

"So how long have you and your dad lived here, kid?" Qrow asked the boy with genuine concern and curiosity. "My Father and I have lived here for as long as I remember." Ryu answered truthfully, brushing a particularly low hanging branch out of his face. The boy glanced at the man every so often, making sure that he still held the sack of items he had found safely over his shoulder. The stranger had convinced Ryu to let him carry it with difficulty, though Ryu refused to hand him his spear, even if the white weapon was cracked and nearly useless after his battle with the animalistic grimm.

Qrow gazed around, curious about many things to do with the black haired child and his lifestyle. "You and your dad hunt?" "I do." Qrow raised his brow, confused. "Your dad doesn't help?" The boy glanced up at the man with a monotone expression. "Not during the hunt, no." "Okay...?" Qrow hung on the word, urging the boy to explain. "He taught me what to do but he cannot leave the cavern." This only served to confuse Qrow further. "And why not?" The boy stopped in his tracks, looking to towards the trees to his left. "You talk a lot."

Qrow watched on as Ryu tightened his grip on his spear and slowly crept towards one of the many trees. "What are you doing?" Qrow couldn't stop himself from asking. It looked to him like the boy was hunting some small animal but as far as he could see, there was nothing there. Qrow's eyes widened in surprise when the boy thrust his spear towards the tree, pinning an insect-like grimm covered in bark. It screeched and writhed for a moment before vanishing, leaving the bark on its body to fall to the ground.

"That's new..." Qrow muttered, bewildered by the grimm's strange appearance. "Father calls them 'Barklings'. Their bodies are covered in a layer of sticky fluid that they use to stick bark, grass and other things to their own backs to hide themselves." Qrow listened to the boy, shocked by his textbook explanation. "They tend to use greater numbers when attacking, so if you see one, it is better to deal with it before they group up." The boy looked back at the man, taking note of his intrigue. "This one seemed strangely active... perhaps the reason you have not had to deal with them is because they do not fancy the smell of fireball?" The boy questioned no one in particular, earnestly wondering if he could use that possible fact to his advantage in the future.

"My drinking keeps the grimm away?" Qrow smirked, letting out a short, amused chuckle. "Take that, Tai." Ryu ignored the strange drunk's nonsensical mumbling, collecting the bark left behind and carefully placing it inside the near-full sack. "Wait, you're keeping that?" Qrow asked the boy with a modicum of disgust. "Most grimm leave nothing behind when they die. The bark and leaves from Barklings are different. Their fluid is useful." The huntsman watches the boy with an impresses gaze, taking note of the ingenuity born from his life in the forest.

The two soon arrived at the entrance to the cavern's entrance. "Wait here." Ryu spoke sternly, wishing for Qrow to remain outside for a moment. The huntsman shrugged and acquiesced to the demand. A few moments later, a faint, purple light shone from within the cave and the boy's voice called out. "You can come in now." Qrow cautiously stepped inside, eventually meeting the boy again and walking through the passageway into the massive cavern that awaited within.

The first thing that Qrow noticed was the ornate altar in front of them and the flowers laid out before it. "What-" "A Grave." Ryu interrupted, knowing what he was about to ask. "For the children who came before me." Qrow took note of the sombre tone of Ryu's voice and decided against asking the boy for more details.

"Fath-!" The boy winced, feeling the strain on his muscles after the attempted shout. Qrow watches for a moment as the boy struggles. The huntsman then raised one hand to cup his mouth. "H-" "I am here." Qrow's lackadaisical expression twisted into one of surprise as the deep, booming voice filled their minds. "Was that...?" Qrow's words faded as his question was once again answered before he could ask it.