Pet Quartet (ch23)

2-DAY EARLY RELEASE FOR ALL MY PATRONS! THANK YOU!

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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												Chapter 23. A Strong Friendship

Blake had only been a kitten when Adam had started teaching her how to kill.

It had started with prey, the essentials, the killing that came naturally to her instincts for survival.

But then, it had turned into a different kind.

Killing because he could. Because he wanted to. That was why Adam killed.

And it began to outweigh the essential kind, before long.

He'd shown her how to do it all different ways, breaking a limb so they couldn't run, pushing down on their throats to suffocate them, aiming for non-vital areas so they would suffer slowly…

It had all horrified Blake. She'd tended to look for scraps in the humans' trash cans before anything else. Whatever small creatures she'd had to kill for food, she'd done so with a quick bite to the throat so there would be no agony.

But Adam was different. He'd always been different. He'd always been more cruel and violent than any predator she'd ever known.

He wasn't above killing his own kind, either.

And that was why she'd left him, and also why she'd never stopped looking back over her shoulder.

She had never been like him. She still wasn't…

The memories flashed through her mind, and it jolted her back into the terrifying reality. Her mind nearly faded again, but somehow she managed to suck in a good-enough breath to stay alive a moment longer.

Her friends were all there in the yard before her, wounded and surrounded. Adam prowled across her vision as the cat holding her tightened his grip on her collar. Blake let out a strangled mewl. Adam's ears perked up in delight as he looked back to her.

"You always were weak, Blake. I wasn't surprised you ran away to live with humans. They've made you even weaker. All your little friends have. Making friends is the most devastating thing you can possibly do to yourself. Because look what happens when they're on their last legs. All thanks to you."

The animals around them hissed with laughter. Blake's blurring vision scanned the eyes of her friends, which were only barely still open.

She looked to Ruby, the first of the bunch Blake had met. She'd never expected to befriend one of the animals Adam had always told her she should be slaughtering. She'd never expected such a tiny little creature to be so unafraid of her, of what was supposed to be her biggest natural enemy. She'd befriended a skunk like Penny, who most animals would avoid, and she'd even tried to befriend the rats in the basement. She'd always tried to see the good in others. Ruby was the bravest animal she'd ever known, and the cutest.

She looked next to Weiss, that feisty little bird she and Ruby had encountered and saved from Adam's jaws once. In spite of her size and the fact that she'd had a broken wing for quite some time, Weiss had always been a fighter, if not in a physical sense, than in an emotional one. When she'd finally been healed and presented with the option to go back to her life of freedom and flight, she'd chosen to stay and bless them with her righteous heart and her beautiful songs. She was the fiercest and smartest little thing Blake had ever met.

Finally, Blake looked to Yang. The big, hyperactive dog who had plowed her way into their lives and shared her energy with them. Being the biggest of the group, she'd been so careful with the rest of them, putting in the time and effort to learn from Blake how to best groom Weiss and Ruby properly. Most of their fun had only really started after Yang had arrived. They'd gone to the park and played so many new games together, gone on walks and explored the neighborhood. Yang was the most gentle and supportive animal Blake had ever met.

They were all so precious to her. They were her flock. Her pack. Her family.

She wasn't about to lose any of them. Not while she still had life left in her.

As she watched Adam crouch over Weiss' motionless form, and the snake slither up to begin wrapping Ruby in her coils, and the other animals baring their teeth and moving in on Yang, Blake made a choice. It was the most dangerous option for someone in her position, but it was the only risk left she could take.

She pulled forward against the cat who was pulling her back, which tightened the grip of her noose instantly. But she held out, just for one second longer.

For them.

For my family!

And then she heard a yowl of pain as she yanked her collar against the backs of the other cat's teeth. He shrieked and let go of her, and Blake tumbled headlong into the grass, sputtering and gasping. The commotion made Adam and the others pause and look up. He snarled.

"I guess you really were my apprentice after all. Fine. I'll finish you myself. But rest assured, your friends won't be far behind you."

Blake staggered to find her footing as he turned away from Weiss and began charging her instead. She panted, stirring up a growl from the bottom of her stomach.

"You're wrong, Adam-" she rasped. "My friends… don't make me weaker-"

Blake began running straight at him, throwing all of her remaining strength into it. He hissed and flung himself forward. And at the same second, Blake leapt high with a screech and flashed out her claws.

"They make me stronger!"

And as she collided with him, she felt his weight knock into her. But she dug her claws into the dirt and shoved back with all her might, feeling a spray of blood as she sliced his other ear. He howled in fury and reared back.

But just before either of them could make the next move, Blake caught a whiff of something on the wind.

Something stinky and oh so wonderfully familiar.

Hisses and growls suddenly rose up from the rest of Adam's army. Both he and Blake whirled around.

And there, charging from across the street, was a pack of familiar animals - Pyrrha, Jaune, Ren, Nora, Velvet, Coco, Zwei, Sun, Neptune, and an entire flock of white birds - all led by a single fluffy little skunk.

"Never fear!" Penny called out. "We are all combat-ready!"

And chaos ensued.

The house pets met the strays with their full energy, biting and clawing and scratching as they broke through the formation. Even the stray dogs cowered at the sight of Pyrrha as she raced across the yard and chased them off with snapping teeth.

She and Ren handled the K-9s, while Zwei, Nora and Jaune handled the cats, including the ones who were guarding the porch and door. Velvet, Coco, and Penny fended off Emerald and the two lizards that skittered away after only a few seconds of tussling.

The flock of white birds - and now Blake thought she could see a raven or crow or two amongst them - dived in unison on the hawk, pecking and clawing at his face and back and wings, forcing him to take off as they gave chase. Sun and Neptune swooped at Cinder, squawking as they hooked their talons on her body and flung her off of Ruby. She hissed and tried to strike them, but they were too high up and too quick.

Noise erupted and filled the air ten times louder than before as the animals clashed. Blake noticed several lights come on in the houses, including her own. She caught her breath and looked to Adam once more. He was rooted to the spot, frozen in rage and dismay, fur bristling.

"No…" He watched his army get chased off and split apart, watched everything he'd built come crumbling down. "No… No-!" He rounded on Blake, spitting furiously. "This is all your fault! I'll kill you myself if it's the last thing I do!"

He leapt, and Blake braced herself, ready to take the hit and send him flying.

But he never even reached her.

There was a bark, and then a rush of air.

Blake's eyes went wide as a flash of yellow filled her vision. With what was no doubt her last surge of strength, Yang bowled straight into Adam, barking as loudly as she could.

"Get away from her!"

Adam tumbled into the grass and rolled a few times. And then Ruby popped up from the grass, gnawing hard on his tail.

"Leave! Us! Alone! Meanie!"

Adam screeched and tried to round on her. But before he could touch her, there were wings beating across his eyes and talons poking at his nose.

"Don't you dare!" Weiss yelled. "You're not hurting anyone else, you mangey flea-bag!"

Blake's heart lifted, and she mewled like a kitten.

"Yang! Ruby! Weiss!"

She ran up to stand between them, bumping against each of them in turn and purring hard. They each touched noses or beaks with her in return.

Adam lay on his side in the grass, spitting and wheezing. Now it was him who shrunk in Blake's shadows. He trembled there, and he was alone.

But aching as she was, Blake stood tall and proud with her friends at her side. She looked down at him with unwavering eyes.

"It's over, Adam."

He didn't say anything. He just scrambled up and tried to run.

But by then, plenty of the humans had already come out of their homes to see what all the fuss was about.

It was Blake's own humans who came to them. The woman dropped to her knees and threw her arms around all four of them, crying.

And Blake watched as the man picked up Adam. And he didn't grab him by the scruff or hold him with a crushing, cruel grip. Instead, he cradled him gently, speaking to him with pity.

And for all his hatred and loathing of humans, Adam retracted his claws and curled up against him as he lost consciousness.

All of the humans of the neighborhood came to collect their pets, and they helped Adam's defeated army as well. They gave the strays bowls of food and dishes of water, and laid out pillows and beds for them to sleep on, or put them in spare cages lined with cushions. The vet was going to be very busy tomorrow.

But for tonight, Blake could only thank Penny and the others who had come to their aid and wave her tail at them as they were all brought back to their homes.

As the woman took Ruby and Weiss in her hands to bring them inside first, Blake saw the man put Adam into a little cage on the porch. He gave him food and water and a blanket, and pressed a cloth over his wounds.

Blake purred a rumbly sound as the woman came back for her and scooped her up. She brought Blake into the bathroom and laid her on the floor, while Ruby and Weiss were curled up together in the sink. A moment later, the woman came back with Yang in her arms, who she put into the tub. She washed them all off in turn, cleaning up their wounds and bandaging them up as best she could.

"We're going to the vet first thing in the morning, though."

All four of them whimpered a little, but they actually thought they might like the vet this time around.

When they were all patched up and given a little something to eat, Blake overheard the humans talking about Adam.

"Poor thing. Must've been a stray his whole life."

"Once he heals up, I'm sure he'll get adopted right away."

Blake's heart felt warm. Warmer than it had ever felt when thinking about Adam before.

Their humans stayed up with them for another hour or so. They fixed Blake's tattered collar and Weiss' dented ring around her foot, then sewed up Ruby's cape and Yang's bandana until everything was as good as new.

All four of them were brought up to the humans' bedroom that night. They were given kisses and hugs goodnight and told to get some rest.

Yang flopped down at the foot of the bed, utterly exhausted. Blake curled up against her belly and licked her shoulder. Yang licked her head in return. Ruby limped over to curl up at Blake's paws, and Weiss made her nightly nest on Yang's bandana. They all shared licks and nudges and kisses as their humans fell asleep.

"I'm so glad you're all okay," Blake sighed.

"Us, too," Ruby squeaked. "That was crazy."

"I'll say," Weiss whistled. "I'm glad no one got hurt too badly."

"We're lucky," Yang said. "We have much more and much better friends than Adam."

"I'd say we're even more than friends," Weiss said.

"Right," Blake smiled. "We're family."

Everyone hummed in agreement.

"Well…" Ruby yawned. "I'm all family-ed out. It's past my bedtime."

"It absolutely is," Weiss agreed.

"We're gonna have a fun day tomorrow…" Yang muttered. "But at least we'll get through it together."

Blake leaned her head back to bump her shoulder again, then nudged Weiss, and finally Ruby.

"Yeah. Together."

There was a big, mutual, four-way yawn, and then everyone lowered their heads.

"G'night.

"Goodnight."

"Night."

"Night, you guys."

And for the first time, every animal of the neighborhood, indoors or out, slept soundly.

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A/N: And yes, as you all expected, backup arrived just in time! Just wanted to keep it another quick, simple chapter. And I wanted to pay homage to the show with Yang saving Blake with the "get away from her!" line.

We are almost finished, after all this time!