Pawprints (ch6)

2-DAY EARLY RELEASE FOR ALL MY PATRONS!

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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													Chapter 6. The Secret

Blake continued to wipe Weiss' face and shoulder clean of blood, hoping the cool water was soothing.

Eventually, Blake set the blood-caked cloth to the side. Leaning down, she pressed another kiss to Weiss' forehead. The other girl was slowly starting to fall asleep and Blake was happy to help her get some much-needed rest.

She continued her humming while she ran her fingers through Weiss' hair in slow, calming motions. She could hear the white-haired huntress' breathing deepen as she finally fell asleep.

The cave was now bright with sunlight, Blake judged that it must be getting close to noon. Looking at their pack of supplies, Blake could see that they had a little bit of the rabbit from last night.

When she wakes up I'll have her eat some more.

. . .

When her conscious came back to her, Weiss was first aware of the dull throbbing all throughout her left side, pulsing up at her shoulder and neck. The events of the morning were still fresh in her mind, but she was more than glad to open her eyes and find Blake still there beside her.

She panted a few times before she could manage to find her voice, raspy as it may be, and speak.

"Blake…"

Weiss propped herself up on her elbows, scrambling until she had sat herself up, her right hand going to her opposite shoulder to apply pressure onto the ache.

"Oh thank goodness... I woke up..."

Her voice broke on a sob and she wrapped her arms around Blake's neck, burying her face into the girl's bare shoulder, covered only by a thin layer of black fur. Weiss clung to her back, fingers curling into her hair as hiccups popped up from her stomach.

"Thank goodness…"

. . .

Blake had been watching the cave entrance, on guard for any intruders or threats, when shaking arms wrapped around shoulders. Weiss sobbed into her neck, slender fingers curled into long black hair.

"I'm glad you're all right."

Blake wrapped her arms around Weiss to reciprocate. She let Weiss cry for as long as she needed. Eventually, she gently pulled away to look her over, concern in her golden eyes as she saw how pale Weiss was.

"Do you think you can eat?"

. . .

Weiss inhaled a few more open-mouthed gasps as she breathed in Blake's familiar scent, and all she could feel was relief. She was happy to be alive, she was happy Blake was with her and willingly holding her in return.

She was still for a while, just wanting to feel Blake's body against hers, supporting her, breathing against her.

After a moment, they parted, and Weiss wiped her eyes, inhaling shakily.

"I think if I do it slowly, I can eat," she murmured. "Did you catch anything this morning?" She started to fret as she looked up at Blake, not wanting any of the Panther girl's efforts or energy to have gone to waste on Weiss' account. "I can… start the fire again. There's… still some plants from last night we can use."

. . .

Blake was unimaginably happy that Weiss was alive - the fear of her potential death had left Blake drained and dismayed. She'd never felt this strongly about anyone before - not even her own pack mates. Not quite in the same way, anyway.

Blake nodded as she reached over for the rest of the rabbit meat from their dinner, taking the smallest piece and holding it out to Weiss.

"I caught a deer, though I had to leave it behind to come get you," Blake replied before seeing the look in Weiss' eyes. "Hey, I can catch another. You just worry about getting better. I'll start the fire. Just wait here."

Blake stood up to go and start the fire. She set up the branches and plants in the ring of stones Weiss had made the night before. With sparse use of the lighter, Blake got the fire roaring to life. Immediately, the cave was thrown into sharp relief from the dancing flames.

"Do you want to be closer to the fire?" Blake asked.

. . .

Dismay crashed over Weiss as Blake placed the rabbit meat into her lap and went to start the fire. Weiss felt tears drip down onto her thighs as she picked up the meat, fiddling with it in her fingers.

"I'm sorry, Blake. I'm sorry your catch went to waste…" She placed the small square of meat into her mouth and forced herself to swallow it down.

The warmth of the fire was making her realize how much she was still shivering, the terror of her traumatic attack making her entire body feel cold and numb. She did want to be warm, but she didn't want to get any closer to the flames.

"Blake…?" She asked tentatively, looking up as if she were expecting a rejection. "Could you… just for a moment… sit with me again?"

. . .

"Hey, hey no crying," Blake begged softly. "I chose to leave the deer behind to save you. It was my decision, and I would make the same choice again, Weiss." Blake replied firmly, looking the other girl in the eye as she spoke.

Weiss was shivering, a look of worry in her eyes. Blake felt her heart flutter slightly at Weiss' suggestion; she had already sat with her, but knowing that Weiss was conscious and asking made it different.

"And of course I'll sit with you," she replied after a moment, a moment spent trying and failing to calm her increasing heart rate. She took her spot next to Weiss, careful not to jostle the huntress too much. She put one arm around Weiss' shoulders and wrapped her tail around the smaller girl's waist. "Are you warm enough?"

. . .

It felt indescribably better to have Blake beside her again, closer this time, and Weiss released a sigh as she leaned into the girl's side.

"Yes. Thank you, Blake…"

She closed her eyes for a moment, pulling the blanket up to her lap, covering Blake as well. The Panther girl's tail curled around Weiss, and the huntress dared to press closer to her, resting her head sideways on Blake's shoulder, draping an arm across her slim stomach.

Weiss indulged herself in Blake's closeness, adjusting to her warmth until the huntress herself stopped shaking. She listened to Blake's quiet breathing, felt her steady pulse. Once she was reassured this was reality, Weiss pulled away before she could get too comfortable.

"All right. I'm sorry about that. You can go now, Blake. I'm fine."

There was still something she needed to ask Blake, but it could wait until they had refilled their bellies.

. . .

Blake enjoyed having Weiss close to her. But she resisted the urge to pull Weiss even closer to her - there was no way Weiss felt the same way about her.

A pang of sadness passed through Blake when Weiss pulled away - Blake knew she had to catch more food, but she had been content like that. Blake thought that she saw something in Weiss' eyes, some question or thought she had not vocalized, but Blake couldn't be sure.

"No need to apologize. Are you sure you'll be fine? I won't be too long, but if you need any help just shout and I'll come running."

Blake fretted internally as she stood up, afraid to leave Weiss alone after what had happened.

. . .

She reluctantly peeled herself away from Blake, knowing she needed to put distance between them before she changed her mind about letting her leave.

She thought it would be better to be alone for a few moments anyway; she needed to think things through, try to sort out her emotions and think of an appropriate way to ask Blake what she needed to know.

"I'll be fine," she promised, watching as Blake moved across the cave, preparing to transform again. "I don't think anything like that will happen, not in here. The cave's covered in panther scent, and the burning from the fire should deter rather than attract other animals from coming in."

Before Blake could head off, Weiss needed to say one last thing.

"Blake? Be careful, okay?"

Weiss found she couldn't bear the thought of Blake not coming back; it struck a deep fear in her like no other.

. . .

Blake didn't like the thought of leaving Weiss alone, but they needed food and Blake was the only one in any condition to get it.

Weiss' final request was one that warmed Blake's heart - she had no intention of leaving Weiss behind.

Transforming back into a panther, Blake ran out of the cave, knowing that if she stayed any longer she might not leave. She pelted through the forest as quickly as she could, wanting to make it back as soon as possible. She was on alert for any signs of prey in the area - anything would do for food as long as she could find it soon.

She slowed her pace when she caught the pungent scent of wild pigs, carefully hiding in the tall grass and shadows as she inched her way closer. The boars were rutting in the dirt looking for food and didn't suspect a thing.

. . .

Weiss watched her go, and when she could no longer see the familiar black tip of Blake's tail, she was suddenly very aware of just how alone she was. The fire was crackling nearby, and the wind rustled the leaves to make for a comforting combination, but Weiss couldn't find it within herself to relax. Without Blake, she was just anxious.

She stood shakily and went to her bag, disrobing from her bloodied hunting clothes and instead changing into the looser clothes she had slept in the night before. She prepared Blake's set of clothes and brought them back to the fire with her.

Weiss took the blanket and wrapped it around herself, sitting back against the wall of the cave for support, huddled against it as she looked toward the entrance, praying that the only creature to wander through would be Blake.

Please be safe…

. . .

Blake leapt from her hiding spot, pouncing on the unsuspecting pig who would be their meal. It didn't stand a chance; she hit it from the side and knocked it to the ground. She killed the animal quickly as the other pigs scattered.

Blake picked the carcass up in her jaws and started back to the cave as quickly as she could. Her worry for Weiss fueled her journey back, even though she knew Weiss would be all right.

The return was slower due to the extra weight, but the cave was in sight within minutes. She slunk inside and dropped the pig by the fire as she transformed.

"I tried to be quick. Are you all right?" she asked as soon as she could speak, looking Weiss up and down.

. . .

Weiss perked up as she heard rustling outside, but the fear of what it was didn't last long; she could decipher Blake's footfalls by now. Her companion dropped a boar at the front of the cave and Weiss recalled just how hungry she was.

"I'm just fine." She sighed, remembering to breathe, and Blake was unharmed as well. Weiss offered the girl her folded clothes. "My knives are in the bag. I can at least help you skin it. This should be enough to keep us fed for at least another day, so long as we don't let it get too stale. But we'll have to bury the leftovers or get rid of them in the forest somewhere so no other predators are lured here by the scent."

She shuddered at the thought of more wolves.

. . .

Blake put her clothes on, having to fiddle with the sleeves so they were comfortable on her. Dragging over the boar, she set it next to Weiss. Grabbing her bag, she pulled out two knives, handing one of them to Weiss.

"I'm glad you're all right," she said quietly, embarrassed at how happy it made her feel in spite of their general situation.

They started skinning the boar. Tt was a large one, so it took a lot of effort. Once they were about halfway done, Blake stood up, putting the knife down and wiping her forehead.

"I'm going to go get some branches so we can spit this, otherwise it'll take forever to cut it up." Blake started taking her shirt off, getting ready to transform again.

. . .

Weiss looked up as Blake stood.

"Okay." Her voice went low, heart sinking at the thought of being left once again. If she hadn't been so gravelly injured a few hours ago, Weiss would insist to go everywhere together with Blake.

But she still needed to think over exactly what she wanted to say to the girl later. Perhaps if she made a mental script of sorts, it would be a bit easier to convey.

"Be careful," she said again with a weak smile as Blake prepared to head out.

. . .

"I will. I need to come back, after all," Blake replied with a smile.

She placed her hands to the floor, letting her bones and muscles expand and shift to their new positions. She ran out of the cave - she had no plans to go far, only to the nearest trees.

The first tree she spotted was one with branches that would serve her purpose. Jumping up, Blake clawed her way to the branches at the middle height. Balancing her weight, she started shredding at a branch with her massive claws. The branch eventually snapped off of the tree and fell to the ground with a crash.

Blake jumped down and picked it up in her mouth. As she carried it back, she wondered what was bothering Weiss. Her stronger natural instincts told her the other girl was acting a bit strangely.

Could she be regretting her decision to stay with me?

The same old troubling thought resurfaced, and Blake tread quietly back into the cave, dropping the branch at Weiss' side.

. . .

Weiss was convinced she would never not be baffled by seeing Blake transform, making such a fundamentally-complicated act seem so effortless. Weiss had grown up in a life that was based on fact and rationality, so to her, this was undoubtedly magic.

They did all they needed to with the boar, Blake taking care of the meat as Weiss used the leftover herbs from last night to crush into a seasoning of sorts. Once the meat had been diced into small-enough pieces and skewered, they sat side-by-side as they roasted the food by the fire.

The first bite was scrumptious and succulent, and Weiss could taste the full flavors of such a fresh kill. The sprinkle of leaves added a bit of flare to it, and overall, she thought it was much better than the gruel she'd been given back in her Hunter's band.

They ate in silence until they were full, putting the leftovers aside for now. Weiss pulled her canteen out and drank a bit before offering it to Blake as well. When they'd finally finished everything, they sat comfortably back against the cave wall, and Weiss found herself gazing into the flickering flames before them, getting lost in fiery gold.

But there was another gold she sought now.

She needed to speak up. She was lousy when it came to timing, but she just needed to say something; she couldn't keep quiet about this any longer. Her heart started to pound, and she wondered how possible it was that Blake could hear it from here.

"…Blake?"

. . .

They ate in silence, which normally Blake had never minded back with her old pack. But for some reason it was nagging at her now with Weiss.

Out of the corner of her eye, she made sure that the other girl was eating. The boar tasted better than anything Blake had ever eaten in the forest before. Her pack didn't exactly have chefs; they typically just ate in their panther forms, and what mattered was the energy it provided, not flavors.

Blake accepted the canteen from Weiss and took a sip, saving most of the water they had left for the huntress. She screwed the cap back on and set it down carefully.

Blake stared into the fire, not sure what to say to her companion, realizing now that Weiss may have heard her confession earlier.

When her name was spoken, Blake's ears flicked.

"Yeah...?"

Glancing over, she saw Weiss looking at her, blue eyes hesitantly meeting her gaze. Blake could tell that Weiss wanted to talk about whatever was bothering her. She swallowed.

"Is something wrong, Weiss?"

. . .

Weiss stiffened when Blake encouraged her to speak, and the huntress suddenly felt she couldn't pull it off anymore. She swallowed hard, feeling as though there were a bone lodged in her throat, although she knew it was just a figment of her imagination. She had planned a bit of an outline of what she'd wanted to say and how she'd wanted to say it.

But as she looked over at Blake now, all of that was instantly forgotten with her next breath. And still, she knew it needed to be addressed, for both their sakes, lest the rest of the time they decided to spend together be laden with an awkward atmosphere.

"I…" Weiss looked away at first, her gaze traveling up over the cave wall before she forced it back to her companion. "I'm not sure I… heard what you said before." She lifted a hand to hold her injured shoulder to indicate what event she was referring to. "I wanted to… be sure…"

The silence that followed was deafening.

. . .

Blake waited patiently for Weiss to speak, unsure of what the huntress would say.

The minute Weiss spoke, Blake felt her blood run cold and a knot formed in her stomach.

She heard me. She heard what I said...

Silence louder than a gunshot sounded between them. Blake didn't know how to answer without ruining her relationship with Weiss.

"I-I…" Blake stammered, unable to vocalize her errant thoughts properly.

Eventually though, she decided that she needed to tell the truth; it was the only way to have a chance of staying with Weiss.

"I… I said I… I love you."

Words she'd never spoken before in her life; not to anyone in her pack other than her own parents, but even then it hadn't been the same kind of love. This was a foreign kind - a terrifying kind.

Her ears went flat and her tail drooped, but her eyes couldn't look away.

. . .

She jumped a bit and her heart skipped when she heard Blake say it again, clearly this time; there was no mistake about it.

She said it, she really…

And Weiss had known it all along. She was certain she'd been smitten with Blake as far back as the first time she'd met her as enemies before tumbling down the cliff. The fact that they longed to heal each other despite their warring species, the fact that they had both abandoned their old friends and lifestyles for one another, the fact that they had risked their lives for one another's sakes so many times within the past few days…

They were kindred spirits, sharing the same beliefs and having the same desires for one another and themselves.

Weiss knew she needed to respond quickly, lest Blake interpret her silence as a rejection. She reached out and took the other girl's hands in hers softly, preventing her from making any attempt at leaving her again. She looked up into Blake's eyes and held her gaze.

"I'm… really glad, Blake. I don't think you understand… how happy I am to hear that… Because I love you, too. A-And I know I shouldn't. I know we shouldn't, but we've come this far and we might as well just go all the way from here. Together."

She leaned forward and embraced Blake tightly, no longer having anything to hide about her affections. She held her for a long moment, feeling the girl's heartbeat and letting Blake feel hers, letting her body convey what her voice couldn't.

I love you a lot.

When Weiss finally dared to pull away, she met Blake's eyes again and asked cautiously:

"Then… could you… kiss me again?"

. . .

Blake could feel her own heart pounding as Weiss leaned in to hug her once again, and from there she could feel Weiss' pulse as well - slow and steady. Blake could sense the sincerity of Weiss' words through her actions, through the steady rhythm of that beat in her chest.

Weiss' words coaxed Blake's ears to lift up once again. They were kind, accepting, tender words. Not the harsh rejection Blake had been foolishly expecting. She almost couldn't believe it...

And then Weiss made her request.

Kiss her again...

Blake inhaled slowly.

"Of course I can."

There was nothing else she'd rather do.

Blake brought her hands up to cup Weiss' cheeks and leaned down to capture the girl's lips in a kiss. Without the taste of blood and fear of death, Blake could enjoy it this time, revel in the soft sensation of Weiss' lips, the cool contrast of her skin against Blake's.

. . .

"Mm…" Weiss hummed eagerly as Blake consented to the kiss, and the huntress didn't disappoint.

It started light and chaste, and Weiss positioned her hands on either side of Blake's hips, both to keep the girl close to her and help support herself. Her heart was soaring with elation, disbelief, and excitement all at once.

She then titled her head at a better angle, making the kiss deeper, moving her lips against Blake's. Even her human form was much warmer than a full human's like Weiss, but it felt so nice to have Blake pressed against her, wrapped around her. A tail curled around Weiss' hip and squeezed, and she could feel a warm wetness on her cheeks.

"Blake…" She panted her name like a prayer when they parted. Weiss looked longingly and lovingly up into her eyes before she lightly threw her arms around Blake, rolling them both on top of the blanket.

"Blake!" She chirped again, nuzzling into her collar. If Weiss had been a panther, she'd be purring louder than anything right now as she squeezed the girl beneath her and refused to let go.

. . .

Weiss tilted her head to deepen the kiss, and Blake smiled.

Weiss' hands were on her sides, the touch light and soft in a way Blake had never been touched before. Blake wrapped her tail around Weiss' waist, giving her a squeeze.

Weiss threw her arms around Blake's neck in a light hug as she knocked them back onto the blanket and nuzzled into Blake's collar. Her happy cries of Blake's name made Blake indescribably gleeful; Weiss was hugging her tight with no intention of letting her go.

For the first time she can remember, Blake giggled. She planted kisses everywhere she could reach on Weiss' face.

The stayed like that for a long time, holding each other close together as the fire danced in the background, keeping them both warm. Blake put her hands under Weiss' chin and tilted her head up to look into her eyes.

"I... I can't believe you feel the same way." A thrill went through Blake's chest, and she couldn't stop herself from kissing Weiss again.

. . .

She hummed into the kiss, cradling her hands at the back of Blake's head to ensure the girl didn't hurt herself on the hard cave floor. Her fingers curled through Blake's surprisingly-soft hair and then over the course fur of her ears, scratching the bases with gentle vigor.

Weiss pulled away. "Well, you'd better believe it. And if you can't, I'll have no choice but to keep reminding you." She dipped down again and pecked Blake's cheeks, the bridge of her nose, and then her lips once more. There was a heavy pulse between them, but Weiss couldn't tell whose it was; either way, she felt it in her entire body, strong and excited.

When she needed to replenish her air, Weiss rested her head sideways on Blake's collar, too bashful to look the Panther girl in the eyes right now.

"Blake…"

They stayed that way for a while, and Weiss listened to the rumbling purr in Blake's chest. Only when she was ready did Weiss prop herself up on her forearms on either side of the girl's head and meet her sparkling eyes again.

"There's just… one more thing I want to do."

. . .

Blake couldn't help the purr that rumbled through her body. She was just so happy and elated that Weiss cared for her in return.

Living her life with her pack in the forest as she had, constantly running from the Hunters, Blake had never even considered romance. And certainly not like this.

Weiss eventually propped herself on her forearms to look down at Blake, those deep blue eyes staring into her.

"What would you like to do?" Blake asked happily, leaning up to kiss Weiss on the cheek.

. . .

Weiss took a deep breath to prepare herself, nervous at the thought of actually going through with it.

"I just…" She looked away briefly, then back to Blake's eyes directly. "You've shared your aura with me so much already, especially today. And I've only done so little…"

She reached down to find Blake's hand, the one Weiss herself had once shot, and kissed the healing scar; it had almost disappeared by now.

"So… I want to give you more."

With that, Weiss slid her hands over Blake's collar and closed her eyes. She activated her aura and let it begin to flow willingly into Blake. Weiss wanted to share her life force with her; if they were soul mates like they both believed they were, Weiss wanted to prove it.

Weiss waited as she channeled her aura - not to heal, simply to share. She followed her own heartbeat until she found Blake's, willing the stream of energy to trickle there. She concentrated, panting with effort, wanting to give as much of herself to Blake as the Panther girl had shared with her.

. . .

Blake wasn't sure where Weiss was going with this. In her mind, the fact that she had healed Weiss was a granted fact - she would always save Weiss.

But when Weiss slid her hands over Blake's chest and began letting her aura flow, panic shot through Blake. Her ears stood on end and sweat beaded on her forehead as she felt a sensation like falling off a cliff again.

"Weiss, stop!" Blake shouted, gently pushing Weiss away enough that her hand lost contact. Immediately, Blake could see the hurt and questioning in Weiss' eyes. With a heavy sigh, Blake pulled her close against her as she started explaining.

"I'm sorry Weiss, but we can't share aura like that... If we do... there's the chance you might become a Panther if too much of my aura goes into your body, and I can't let that happen. It's incredibly dangerous for someone to become a Panther later in life, and I don't want to lose you."

. . .

When Blake pulled her down again and started to explain, Weiss felt she understood. She stopped trying to channel her aura into the girl and was still, listening to Blake's feelings; the only reason she didn't want to share more of their aura was for Weiss' own sake, and that in and of itself spoke volumes about just how deeply Blake cared for her.

"All right…" Weiss whispered, hiding her face. "I'm sorry. I didn't know." She was scared at the thought of turning, especially if it could result in her death; she knew now that if something happened to her, Blake would be in so much pain alone in life.

"I won't do it anymore, unless it's to heal you. I promise." She held Blake tightly, burrowing into the hollow of her throat and continued to murmur apologies.

. . .

Blake felt horrible for this. She wanted to share her aura with Weiss, but she couldn't look past the risk of it.

Weiss' quiet sobs broke Blake's heart. Gently, she started rubbing Weiss' back to soothe her. Blake could feel rather than hear the murmured apologies Weiss said as she nuzzled close.

Blake held her tightly and she circled her arms around Weiss. She pressed kisses everywhere she could reach on Weiss, wanting the girl to feel better about this.

Blake couldn't lie to herself and say she didn't like the idea of Weiss becoming a Panther, but there were too many potential problems and dangers. She was afraid of the risk of turning, afraid of other Panthers discovering she'd once been human, afraid of the humans finding out she'd turned Panther. She didn't want Weiss to suffer the prejudice that Blake had lived with, and most importantly she didn't want Weiss to feel like she had to change in any way for Blake.

Carefully, she tilted Weiss' chin up so she could look at her.

"It's all right. You have nothing to apologize for. I still love you Weiss, even if we can't share aura."

. . .

Blake's warm hands ran all up and down her back, and Weiss soon stopped crying. She knew Blake loved her - there was absolutely no doubt about that. She just wanted Blake to be sure it was the same for her.

"Okay…" Weiss murmured, kissing Blake's collar as her tears began to dry. "Okay. I'm sorry, Blake." She lifted her head, blinking away the last of the water as she smiled affectionately down at her companion. Weiss kissed the Panther girl's lips again, holding it as her hands found the girl's cat ears and scratched.

The heavier atmosphere started to dissipate again into a much lighter and more comfortable one. Before long, they were laughing softly as kisses were placed on every open patch of skin available. The tail around her back tapped Weiss playfully, and the purring started up again.

"I love you, Blake," Weiss reminded her again and again. "I love you." She rested her head once more on Blake's chest, feeling the vibrations of her purr spreading throughout her body. She never wanted to move again.

. . .

Blake smiled into the kiss, happy that Weiss was feeling better about the situation. A purr rumbled in her chest when the Huntress started scratching her cat ears, the feeling combined with the kiss nothing short of blissful. Blake wrapped her tail around Weiss' back, playfully poking her.

"I love you too, Weiss," Blake repeated.

The atmosphere around them was loving and caring, the sun had set and now the cave was lit by the dancing light of the fire. Blake looked at Weiss in the light, her pale skin appearing to glow in the ever-shifting light.

I love this girl. I'll protect her. Blake kissed Weiss again as she circled her arms and tail a little more protectively around the white-haired girl.

. . .

At last, Weiss pushed herself back up into a sitting position, helping Blake up with her. The day had gone by so quickly, it seemed; so little had happened, and yet so much.

"I guess we can go collect moss and bedding in the morning," she decided. "There's… so much I want to do together tomorrow. I have a lot of things planned out. But…" a yawn interrupted her. "But now that I'm full and… gosh, you're just so warm and soft, Blake. I just want to sleep…" Her injury was throbbing a little bit, and she reached up to rub it.

Weiss moved the blanket again so it was laid down beneath them beside the fire. She shivered in the cool evening breeze even with the flames at her back.

"Blake? Could you… stay in your human form tonight? I just want to…" She reached up to cup Blake's face, brushing their noses together. "I'm a little cold," she confessed. "But I want to hold you, and I can't do that when you're so much bigger than I am."

. . .

Blake smiled at Weiss' cute little yawn, exhaustion sweeping through her as well. Blake leaned down and gingerly kissed the wounded shoulder.

She was about to stand up, prepared to transform, when Weiss made her request. A request that made Blake smile almost foolishly wide.

"Of course I can," she replied, settling back down on the blanket next to her. She wrapped her arms around Weiss' shoulders and pulled the girl close. Her tail draped itself over Weiss in a makeshift blanket as Blake positioned them so Weiss was closest to the warmth of the fire.

"Comfortable?"

. . .

Weiss snuggled up to her like an animal seeking shelter. She slipped her arms around Blake's back and squeezed, nuzzling into the other girl's shirt. Weiss shivered until she adjusted to the heat surrounding her, enveloping her in much-needed warmth.

"Yes…" she murmured.

She closed her eyes, kissing the hollow of Blake's throat again, breathing against her. The exhaustion of the day's events finally caught up to her, and Weiss whimpered sleepily in Blake's arms. She listened to the choppy purrs and the steady heartbeat beneath her ear. She felt safe.

"Goodnight, Blake," she breathed. "I love you…"

Weiss drifted off slowly, warmly, and more happily than ever before.

. . .

Blake smiled tiredly as she started rubbing slow circles up and down her companion's back. Weiss relaxed in her arms, whimpering sleepily as she started drifting off.

The purr started dying down as Blake herself started to succumb to sleep.

"Goodnight, Weiss. I love you," she replied in the same tone of voice.

Blake fell asleep with her arms wrapped tightly around her partner, sleeping more peacefully than she had in her entire life.

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A/N: So, a reveal that it is possible for full humans to be turned into Panthers, but it's an extremely dangerous process. And does it go both ways?