Pawprints (ch14)

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

Apologies, but this week's is gonna be a short chapter, sort of a little rest/break almost (I just wanted the fic to be 15 chapters and also I didn't have a lot of time to edit this week, sorry).

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

-----------

													Chapter 14. The Chasm

Blake woke up feeling indescribably warm and was incredibly comfortable. Certainly not something she was too used to, considering her lifestyle.

Opening her eyes slowly, she looked around. The area they had stopped to rest at was only lightly covered in snow and as such wasn't as cold as it could've been.

Blake could feel something soft against her back and tilted her head up. She saw that Weiss had shifted forms to hold her, her white skin covered in whiter fur, her ears drooping slightly in comfort. She was still asleep, her breathing slow and even.

Blake felt the other girl's arms wrapped around her waist holding her snugly, along with her white tail. Turning around in Weiss' arms, she pressed her chest against hers and purred. Smiling, Blake pecked Weiss' lips, happy to feel that her aura had regenerated more while they had rested.

"Time to wake up, beautiful."

. . .

Weiss made a small sound as she was roused, eyes lifting slowly as her lips instantly curled into a smile. She hugged Blake tightly and nuzzled into her neck.

"I'm up, I'm up," she mumbled. "And you feel warmer, so that's good." She could sense the link in their auras, and was able to tell that Blake's had replenished.

She glanced up at the sky, deciding it was still early morning, just before sunrise. The blizzard was likely coming tonight, so she knew they needed to get a move on.

"But before we go, perhaps you could give me a few hunting tips?" she suggested. Her stomach felt a bit hollow, and surely there was a rabbit or two nearby. She was itching to discover what it felt like to hunt, what satisfaction would come from her first kill that didn't require ammunition and bullets.

She cast Blake a curious, patient look.

. . .

Blake yawned as Weiss nuzzled into her neck, perfectly content to just curl up again and go back to sleep if Weiss let her. She could feel the link to Weiss' aura and could sense that the other girl was feeling better, the wounds from yesterday not affecting her as much.

The notion of moving had Blake groaning, but when Weiss made a hunting lesson request, Blake's tail twitched. It had been a long time since she'd given hunting pointers. She stood up, stretched, and helped Weiss with her.

"Sure. I can give you some tips, though we'll have to make it fast." Blake lifted her chin to the sky to indicate the weather.

Placing a kiss on Weiss' cheek, Blake transformed into a panther and waited for Weiss to secure their bags and do the same. When ready, they continued through the woods.

We'll keep heading to the new forest and if we sense any animals we'll stop.

. . .

Once Blake started to transform, Weiss gathered their things and did so as well. The newfound heat that came with this form was very welcome after spending so long in her human body in the snow. She nodded to Blake's silent suggestion, and together, they continued on through the trees.

With her enhanced night vision, Weiss could see clearly in the darkness and snow, but was able to tell when morning was on its way. She could hear the birds chirping overhead, see the shift in lighting. But they had yet to seek out any sufficient prey, and padded on through the snow.

Weiss could sense that this forest was coming to an end. She didn't know how she knew - call it instinct - but she could tell the air was changing. The trees started to thin, and not long after that, they started to disappear.

And suddenly, Weiss knew why Yang had said none of the hunters ever went beyond this point.

A huge chasm yawned before them, the ground falling away into a rocky abyss. There were distant trees on the far side, but no visible bridge to get them across. Weiss cast her partner a helpless look.

I suppose we should hunt first, then try to find some way around this. Or else, we've got no choice but to climb down and then up the other side…

. . .

The woods around them started to thin out - and soon they ran out.

It was quickly apparent why hunters and humans avoided this area; the large chasm in front of Blake and Weiss made an excellent deterrent. Even with her enhanced vision Blake could only just make out the trees on the opposite side. The sharp, craggy rocks lining the pit were enough to draw blood with one wrong step, and a fall surely meant death.

She swished her tail at Weiss.

Sounds like a good idea. Hopefully there's a way across.

Blake turned around and made her way back to the woods when she was certain Weiss was behind her. Veering slightly to the side they reentered, and right away Blake could tell this area of the woods was inhabited by larger prey. They came across a small clearing with several small deer settling down for the night.

Ready? She glanced to Weiss, who seemed eager. On my mark, you're going to pounce on one of these deer. Aim for the weak, injured, or old. Leave the young and mothers alone. Ready...and... go!

. . .

It seemed cowardly to Weiss to attack them when they were curling up to sleep, but she supposed there really was no better way; this was the wild, after all, and it was kill or be killed, if not by other predators, then by hunger.

She crouched low, eyes scanning the herd and immediately ignoring the ones she couldn't afford to tackle. There were bucks as well, and despite her enhance aura, she'd rather avoid the antlers at all costs.

There was a rickety doe that stumbled to get her legs bent to sleep, and Weiss thought it would be a favor to take her out sooner rather than later. She just hoped she could make the kill quickly.

Her panther instincts kicked into full gear as Blake gave the signal. With her white pelt and their position in the wind, none of the deer heard, saw, or smelled Weiss until it was too late. She pounced, back legs working like springs as she leapt with outstretched paws toward her target.

A few of the other deer shot to their feet with alarm calls before dashing off, but Weiss was focused on her doe. Her claws sank into the shoulders, and she let her body take over as her jaws cut into the throat and twisted sharply, snapping its neck before it knew what was happening. The body fell limp at her paws as the other deer ran off.

Weiss looked up as Blake emerged.

I hope that was okay. I didn't want her to suffer anymore than she already was. Her tail flicked nervously, eager for some form of approval or critique.

. . .

Emerging slowly from her hiding spot, Blake came to a stop next to Weiss, observing the catch. The doe was a small thing, her back left leg injured; Blake surmised she would have died no matter what with the injury.

She looked up to Weiss and flicked her tail.

That was good for your first hunt. Your form was good and you were right in finishing it quickly. We're doing this for food, not fun, so the least we can do is respect our prey.

Blake stepped a little closer and licked the side of Weiss' face, nuzzling the other panther affectionately.

You did fantastic, and I'm proud of you. Now where should we take this to eat?

. . .

We could drag it beneath those bushes so we're not in plain sight. Hopefully there aren't any other predators around to spot us.

She sunk her fangs into the carcass, and with Blake's help began dragging it into the shelter and cover of leaves. Once there, they crouched down before the kill, and Weiss looked down at it uncertainly. She'd never just… bitten into such raw meat before without cooking it first, and she wasn't sure if her stomach cold handle it now.

But as Blake began eating, Weiss tentatively leaned forward and bit into the soft, tender flesh of the belly. Her fangs sawed through the thick skin easily, tasting the warm blood drip down her chin. She quickly discovered that her body didn't require cooking or cutting up the meat when she was in this form, and her more animalistic instincts kicked in as she tore into the meal.

She hadn't realized how hungry she was until now, how much energy and aura the journey had taken since they'd set out, and she all but gorged herself on the fresh kill.

. . .

Once they were in the cover of the bushes, Blake started tearing flesh from the doe's flank. The meat and blood were still warm as they ate.

Blake could see the apprehension on Weiss' face as she cautiously leaned in to take a bite, and she rumbled a purr of amusement. After the first bite though, Weiss started to relax and eat more vigorously; between the two of them, they made quick work of the kill as they gorged themselves.

Once she had eaten her fill, Blake pulled away and waited for Weiss to finish. The other panther pulled away and her muzzle was red.

You have something on your face, Blake teased as she licked her. Now let's go look for a way around that chasm.

. . .

Weiss purred and gave a lick in return as Blake groomed her face for her. She then ducked her head to clamp down on a mouthful of snow to both quench her thirst and to clean her fur a bit more before she got to her paws.

Right. Let's go.

This time, Weiss took the liberty of slipping their bag onto her foreleg and then onto her back to carry it.

They treaded through the snow several feet away from the chasm, wary of any unsteady ground that could potentially fall away beneath their paws. She couldn't see any form of bridges or place where the two cliffs were close enough for them to cross over safely, and even if they used their claws and machetes to chop down a tree, none of them were close enough or big enough to be able to fall over the chasm and get them across.

After a while of walking, Weiss turned back to Blake.

We could shift forms and climb down, then back up the other side. We don't know what could be down there, but at least it's a surefire way to get across. It's a matter of if we want to take that risk or search a bit longer up here. She sniffed again and looked skyward. But we've got to move quickly now. So what do you want to do?

. . .

Blake considered what Weiss said and weighed their options. It would be safer to find a way across, but it would be more time-consuming and possibly wouldn't bear any results before the snow came.

Climbing down would take time and would be more dangerous, but they could start right away. Transforming back into a human, Blake scratched behind Weiss' ears.

"Let's climb down. It'll take time, but at least we can get started right away."

. . .

Weiss nodded, leaning briefly into the fingers on her ear.

She then shifted forms as well, feeling her stomach that was full of deer meat now shrinking. She thought she might feel too full to move, but somehow, her body accommodated to the change, and she only felt pleasantly full, not painfully satiated.

But it was colder now without the thick layers of fur to protect her, and she quickly went to their bag to retrieve clothes for the both of them.

Once they'd changed, Weiss slipped the straps of the bag over her shoulders and supported the weight on her back as she walked with Blake to the edge of the cliff. She got onto her hands and knees and turned around, lowering herself feet first as she tried to find a grip on the snow-covered rocks. Her foot finally got a sturdy hold and she began to slide down, bit by bit, keeping an eye on Blake as well.

. . .

She had to admit the clothes were a welcome layer now that most of her fur had receded, and Blake changed quickly.

Sitting down with her legs dangling over the edge, Blake turned around and held onto the edge as she searched for a sturdy spot. Her foot caught in a crevice and she put her weight in carefully to test it. When she was certain it was safe she started climbing down, making sure Weiss was doing well.

They made their way down the face of the cliff slowly but surely. Wind would pick up and die off as they descended. Blake played it safe, and when the breeze got strong she would stop and cling to the cliff.

She and Weiss looked out for one another and gave advice of where to step and grab. The shadows below yawned up and them and grew darker.

. . .

They continued making their way down very slowly, testing every foothold and pausing when the wind got too strong. Weiss kept glancing down, trying to make out the bottom past the gray hazy mist. For all they knew, there could be any kind of creatures living down there.

At one point, her foot slipped and she skidded down a few feet, yelping aloud as she tried desperately to find a hold. "I-I'm fine!" she called over to Blake once she'd gotten herself situated again. "Gosh, how much further…"

They kept going, and it started to flurry lightly. Weiss cursed under her breath.

Suddenly, a heavy gust of wind shook them both, and there was a foreboding clanking sound as rocks gave way beneath their weight. Weiss shrieked her partner's name, but it was already too late.

She felt herself slipping off, her hands too stiff from the cold to keep a good grip anymore. She caught sight of Blake slipping as well as they both began to plummet.

At the very last second, Weiss thought quickly enough to shift forms, her clothes slipping off her body as she landed hard on her side in her panther form, sinking deep into the bed of snow beneath. Her jaws parted in an agonized roar as the snow closed over her, pain throbbing in her side, terror shooting through her that she didn't know where Blake was.

She didn't know if Blake had changed forms or not, and called desperately to her:

Blake! Blake, can you hear me? Are you okay? She roared out as well, feeling snow fill her mouth as she thrashed, trying to burrow out of the layers that covered her now.

. . .

The heavy gust caught Blake by surprise, and she could feel her grip slipping. A loud cracking noise reverberated through the canyon, and Blake felt the earth disappear beneath her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Weiss slipping too as snow and rocks fell around them. She called out, but the avalanche was far louder than her voice.

Blake instinctively transformed to try and protect herself. When she landed, it was just shy of a pile of rocks, but she came out remarkably unharmed.

Her legs her aching and her heart was throbbing, but she gather her bearings and started searching for her partner.

But as she was about to call out for her, one of the falling rocks collided with the top of her head. The world exploded in searing pain as Blake collapsed on her side - she could feel the blood matting her fur. She could hear Weiss' thoughts and roars of panic echoing.

Weiss…

Blake called out the thought dizzily as she felt her consciousness turning black.

----------

A/N: What kind of finale chapters would these be without some more drama?