Independent Black

Blake Belladonna got up with the sun as it rose despite being awake most of the night reading, whether her novels or her parents' letters. She made her way to the tent where the current leader of the Vale Branch of the White Fang resided, and he was speaking with Adam.

" But Captain, if we hit the train full of Dust from the Schnee Dust Company, it would solve our current issue with supplies!"

" By the High Leader's order, Adam, the SDC is not to be attacked, and that's final!"

" Captain I-."

" Adam, you may be popular within our organization but do not let it go to your head! The White Fang's purpose is to achieve equal rights with humans, not satisfy our grudges against them and possibly cause another human-Faunus war!"

Adam Taurus glared at the captain of the Vale branch behind his mask but held his tongue, and the captain noticed Blake's presence and greeted her with a friendly tone.

" Blake, welcome. What brings you to my tent?"

" Sorry to interrupt, Captain. I can come back later."

" Nonsense Blake, I was done speaking with Adam anyway."

The captain sends a look to Adam, and the bull faunus grits his teeth silently as he stands aside but does not leave. The ninja cat girl felt awkward at the tension in the tent but pushed forward with the reason she came.

" Captain, last night I was visited by a stranger that I know wasn't from our camp and-."

" Are you alright, Blake!?"

Adam exclaimed with equal measures of concern and possessiveness, and Blake told her partner with a slight smile.

" I'm fine, Adam; he didn't hurt me."

" Blake, please continue with what you were saying."

The Captain requested/ordered, and the ninja cat girl continued her story.

" I was visited by a tall man that was a snow leopard faunus, with his animal trait being his entire arm from shoulder to palm being covered in fur. I was surprised, but he said he had a delivery for me and I got some letters from my parents. I was hoping that if you knew him that you could contact him because I wish to send a reply back home to let them know I am fine."

Adam gripped his sword tightly when he heard that Blake's visitor was a faunus with snow leopard arms but convinced himself it was merely a coincidence since a trait like that is not that unusual as he recalled Silva which made him silently seeth with rage. The leader of the Vale branch considered what he had just heard and told the ninja cat girl in a slightly grave tone.

" Blake Belladonna, no messenger came through with those traits that I know of, as it is one of my responsibilities to keep track of all who enter and leave the camp."

Blake was surprised by this information and asked the captain.

" Are you sure, captain? I mean, the letters I got were authentic as I recognized my parents' handwriting."

" I am sure, Blake Belladonna, for now, we move our camp and Blake."

" Yes, Captain?"

" If you see our uninvited guest again, please alert the camp immediately since we are not supposed to be so easily found, even by our fellow faunus for operational security."

Blake nodded in understanding, and the captain dismissed her as he worked out where to move the camp next before giving the order. As the ninja cat girl was getting ready to go on patrol, her bull-horned mentor came up to her and asked as gently as he could.

" My darling, are you truly alright?"

" Don't worry, Adam, I'm fine. More than anything, I am surprised to hear from my parents after leaving for almost a year after I decided to stick with the White Fang, especially since they disagreed with my decision."

Blake assures Adam, and the bull faunus relaxes as he says.

" My love, your parents, abandoned the cause, OUR cause, while you stayed because you understood what loyalty meant, and you continue to try to right the wrongs the humans continue to inflict on every faunus. Where they gave up, you persist and continue every day that you are here. They were wrong; look at the great work we are doing. After Atlas, all the kingdoms understood that the faunus would not be pushed around any longer, and we are now respected instead of being seen as simple animals."

" I know, Adam..."

The ninja cat girl replied, but she didn't see the respect the bull faunus talked about, only fear, which ominously matched the Grimm masks that most members of the White Fang now wear to be seen as the monsters human wants them to be. She wants to believe that she is doing the right thing, but Adam keeps on having "accidents" that only increase the body count that Blake knows about. The bull faunus then offered with a gentle smile.

"My darling, how about I move my tent next to yours just to be safe in case you get another visit from our intruder after we move camp?"

" Sure, Adam."

The ninja cat girl said with a slight smile at being closer to the charismatic young man next to her.

***

A few days went by after I delivered Kali and Ghira's letters to Blake, and I decided to hold off on seeing them until I checked to see if Blake wanted to reply back. During that time, I gathered some information on how the Vale Branch of the White Fang was acting to see if Adam was the leader already. Thankfully that wasn't the case since there had not been a single attack on the SDC, which the bull faunus would never pass up because of his personal vendetta against the company despite its changes. I was tempted to arrange an accident for him but held off because I wanted Blake to see his true nature and leave him first, as he would become a martyr in her mind otherwise, if he died.

I waited for nightfall and opened a portal to Blake, and peeked through it to see the camp change locations. I wondered if it was because of my unexpected visit but decided I didn't really care because the White Fang was practically a terrorist organization after they attacked Atlas. I understood their reasons but was disgusted with their disregard for attacking people that did nothing, at least directly, to them. A lot of innocent people died during their attack, even kids because they grouped all humans.

All they succeed in doing is demonizing all faunus, and there is a terrifyingly thin line between fear and hatred. Enough hatred would mean many old laws that discriminated against the faunus would come back, but I doubt legalizing faunus slavery would happen if Ozpin had anything to say about it; at least, I hope. I might need to pay a visit to Sienna Kahn later but first, let's see if Blake wants to send a reply to her parents. There was a light in her tent, and I entered to find a blade pointed at me.

I see the ninja cat girl look at me with a guarded look as she demands in a whisper.

" Who are you? And why are you here?"

I decided to be truthful as I answered.

" My name is Silva, and I am an acquaintance of your parents. As for why I am here, I wanted to see if you wanted me to send a reply back to your parents."

" Give me one good reason I shouldn't alert the whole camp to your presence."

Blake did not lower her guard, and I gave her a reasonable compromise.

" Rather than wake the whole camp, why not have me face your leader instead, since I am unarmed and not resisting?"

She considered my offer for a few moments and then said as she pulled back her Gambol Shroud but didn't sheath it.

" Fine, let's go."

" Lead the way."

The ninja cat girl gently pushed me from behind with her free hand to the largest tent in the camp. I saw what I assumed to be the leader of the Vale Branch of the White Fang in a standard uniform with ram horns adorning his head. He saw me and was on guard, as Blake explained.

" Captain, the messenger came back."

" I see Blake; excellent work. Now identify yourself, brother. While you may be a fellow faunus, you should not be at our camp unless you are part of the White Fang, which you are not since I know everyone in the Vale Branch."

I shrugged as I decided to play nice for now.

" My name is Silva Branwen, and I am here to see if Blake here wants to send a reply to her folks back on Menagerie. As for how I found your camp, that's thanks to my Semblance. So long as I know where to look in the general area, I can find anyone I want easily. Speaking of which, Blake, do you have a reply that you would like me to deliver? Kali and Ghira would at least like to know if you're still alive at least."

" I guess..."

The ninja cat girl said with a bit of wariness, and the captain offered.

" Blake, feel free to use my stationery to send a letter back to your family while I chat with our... guest."

" Thank you, captain."

I focused on the captain, and he asked me.

" Are you the same Silva Branwen as the High Leader mentioned after the Atlas campaign?"

" If you mean am I the one that fought against the White Fang during your attack, then yes."

" I see... The High Leader has wanted to meet you again for a while."

I could roughly guess why Sienna wanted to see me, and I informed the Captain.

" You tell Sienna Kahn I will be seeing her soon enough, and I don't need a guide or escort to find her."

" I will pass along your message to the High Leader."

Blake then appeared in front of me with a letter in hand and gave it to me without a word. I opened a portal before them and told the ninja cat girl before I left.

" It was a pleasure to meet you, Blake. I hope we meet again soon."

Blake nodded slowly in acknowledgment and I went through the portal back to my home near Vale.