Chapter 4

Blake felt her Scroll buzz in her pocket, but she didn't really have time to check with the Alpha Beowulf stalking toward her. She was already tired from taking out the rest of its pack- it wasn't likely that she was going to win a straight-up fight. Zwei looked up at her, awaiting a command. Blake turned down to him and clapped her hands. "Come on, boy!" she called as she held out her arms. The Corgi jumped up into her hands as the Grimm grew tired of waiting and lunged forward.

Blake darted back the way she came, leaving a shadow behind to distract the creature. She ran like the wind as she fumbled to put Gambol Shroud's sheathe over her shoulder while carrying Zwei, hearing the Alpha howl as it gave chase.

Detaching the ribbon from the scabbard, she started wrapping it around the Corgi's midsection. He looked up at her inquisitively. "You ready?" Blake asked. Zwei barked in assent.

Just as the Grimm came close, it leapt forward at her. As soon as its feet left the ground, Blake made another clone, jumping off of it to propel herself forward and into the air. Spinning herself around as she flew, she put her whole body weight into snapping the ribbon behind her toward the Alpha. A loud cracking noise filled the air as the Corgi was launched toward the monster, which had just started to regain its bearings, fast enough to break the sound barrier.

Zwei slammed into the creature's chest with enough force to knock it backward into a tree, bouncing off practically unscathed. Blake landed and readied her sword, dashing forward to impale the point through the monster's neck. It gave out one final howl and tried to reach for Blake with its claws before slumping back.

Blake rested her hands on her knees and let out a loud sigh of relief. Zwei waddled over to her and barked happily. Blake reached down to pet him. "Good job, boy! Now come on, let's get out of here." He barked again as they turned around to walk back the way they came. As they walked, Blake remembered her Scroll buzzing and pulled it out to check it. A message from Weiss.

"How goes the walk?"

Blake thought for a moment and texted back, "Uneventful. We're heading back now." No need to get them worried.

Weiss felt her Scroll buzz. "Finally." she said, "I was getting a little worried." She checked the message. "She's heading back now, guys."

"See?" Yang turned to smirk at Weiss. "I told you she'd be fine. Come on, we should get back too- where's Ruby?" She turned around to see her sister pressed up against the window of yet another weapon store. "Oh boy, here we go."

Putting her hand on Ruby's shoulder, Yang gently pulled her back from the window. "Come on sis, we're going."

Ruby pouted. "But- but that glaive is so complex! How many different things can it turn into?" She held out her hands toward it, protesting in futility as Yang dragged her backwards by her hood.

Blake stumbled into the dorm room, putting Gambol Shroud away and taking off the bow that she had put back on to walk across campus. Immediately she staggered over to her bed and flopped into it with a yawn. Zwei jumped into the bed with her and curled up next to her, but she was to tired to protest, falling asleep almost immediately.

Midway through Blake's tuna dream, the door opened and her teammates walked in. "Hey Blake!" Ruby called. "Oh, did we wake you up? Sorry!"

Blake stretched. "No, it's fine."

Yang walked in and smiled at Zwei sleeping next to Blake as he woke up and let out a little Corgi yawn. "Aww, I take it the walk went well then?"

Blake grinned. "You could say that." Zwei turned and put his front paws on her lap and looked at her with pleading eyes. Blake looked back at him for a moment, then rolled her eyes. "Oh, all right. Go ahead."

Zwei barked and jumped up to Blake's face, licking her repeatedly. She reflexively leaned away from his slobbery affection, but she couldn't help laughing at the feeling.

Her teammates looked at the spectacle with bewildered expressions. "Um, Blake?" Weiss asked tentatively. "Are you OK?"

Blake turned back to the others and grinned. "Nope. So how was the mall?"