Ghira Belladonna was not always chieftan; Blake did not live her whole life in a mansion.

I’ve actually noticed some people don’t realize that Ghira wasn’t always chieftan of Menagerie, and these people seem to think that Ghira being chieftan means Blake actually lived a really nice, comfortable life in Menagerie.

But I’m pretty sure that’s not the case.

Ghira used to be the leader of the White Fang, until he stepped down 5 years before Volume 1 and became the chieftan of Menagerie.

Corsac, talking to Ghira, in the episode Menagerie:

“The White Fang’s tactics are admittedly, more aggressive since you stepped down as High Leader and became Chieftain of Menagerie.”



The source for the “5 years” thing is that, in Black and White, Blake says the old leader stepped down 5 years ago. She also says that she was at every rally and participated in every boycott with the White Fang, and we were shown imagery of her as a child at a protest.

I’m pretty sure these rallies and boycotts did not take place in Menagerie, as there is no reason for them to.

And odds are, she never lived in the chieftan’s mansion.

From A Much Needed Talk:

Blake: (emotional) You were right. I shouted at you and yelled at you. (looking up at him) But you were right. I called you cowards! Remorsefully, she lowers her head closer to her father. He holds her. Ghira: It’s okay. Blake: (pulling back) I should have left the White Fang with you and Mom. I should’ve listened to you, and I’m sorry. (turning away) I’m so, so sorry.



Through this dialogue, we learn that, when Ghira stepped down and he and Kali left the White Fang, Blake called them cowards and chose to stay with the White Fang. So, when Ghira and Kali moved into the chieftan’s mansion in Menagerie about 5 years before Volume 1, Blake stopped living with them.

She was most likely 12 years old when this happened, since she was 17 in Volumes 1-3. She had been with the White Fang since childhood. The White Fang has always been her entire life. It seems like she didn’t even have a life outside of the White Fang until she went to Beacon.

Yeah, her parents would still have authority over her, but recall that kids younger than 17 attend combat school for years to learn what they need to apply to a Huntsman academy. Ruby was 15 and still had 2 years left before she was done with combat school. Assuming combat school is 4 years long, just like the Huntsman academies, that would mean that Ruby had begun her training at the age of 13.

And Ghira and Kali seem like they would have seen the futility in trying to force Blake to leave the White Fang with them, as she would have just run away and hated them even more. They had a choice:



Let her do what she believes is right, while believing she will survive and trusting in her to eventually realize her mistake.

Try to force her to leave behind the only world she ever knew, only for her to inevitably run away and be even angrier with them for, not only being “cowards”, but also trying to force her to leave behind the big fight.

Ghira said “Blake, it’s fine. We never held anything against you, and I never feared you would fail. The only thing I ever feared was that you would fall down the wrong path, and I am so proud to see you haven’t.” Judging by this line, I think they chose Option #1.

Besides, it’s possible that they were unaware of just how bad the White Fang had turned. They didn’t even know that the White Fang was involved in the Fall of Beacon and was killing innocent people. Ghira was having meetings with White Fang representatives…

… who are not trustworthy. While talking to Ghira, the Albain brothers spoke in a manner that condemned Adam. However, the moment they walked away from the mansion, they said they were going to tell Adam where Blake was. It’s likely that they had been lying to Ghira, sugarcoating and twisting things, to keep him from knowing how dark the White Fang had become since he stepped down.

As for how Blake knew where Ghira and Kali were living without having lived there with them… it’s not hard. She knew Ghira had become the chieftan, and all it would take is for her to have been to Menagerie before to know how to find the chieftan’s mansion. It kinda stands out.

So, yeah, even though Ghira is now the chieftan of Menagerie, that does not mean that Blake is some pampered princess who decided to go out and fight. She might never have lived that life, at all.