Four feet skulked through the forest as one. They’ve been a team long enough to know how each other move, and trained hard enough to have a cadence down internally. It was second nature, and invaluable against an enemy as ruthless and sharp as the Grimm. Even they could not prepare against a team if they only ever thought there was one Hunter in their midst.
The morning chill was wearing off. The mist was wearing thin, and would only aid the team for so long. But the need for stealth would soon be gone, too. At the head of the team, a small gazelle-horned Faunus cloaked in dark azure robes methodically stalked his way along a set of wild tracks. They were hunting Beowolves, and this was his life’s work. Once Galu Hanzo was on their trail, there was simply no escape. And his team knew that, so follow they did.
Galu raised a fist abruptly, halting his team. Two fingers shot up, pointed right, and another pointed left. His hand formed a knife and chopped forward. The others knew what to do. Quietly, they surrounded the Grimm sniffing their way through the woods.
Their eyes locked across the opening. They had run this play many times before, and it always ended the same way: with dead Grimm.
Galu was the first to move, as always. His speed was unmatched, so no one ever tried to do so. Low and quick, like an eagle swooping for prey, he caught both Beowolves by their ankles with his hook swords, bringing them to the ground.
Suddenly, a great red blur rose from the bushes. One of the Grimm turned onto its back, just in time to see the glint from the golden arm that was now hurtling towards it like a gilded meteor. First her fist hit, as the Beowolf growled defiantly, followed by a loud thud and a yelp, when the pile driver mounted on her arm punctured the beast’s chest. One down, one to go.
The second Beofwolf scurried to its feet, part fury and part fear. Baring its teeth, it poised for a leaping attack. In that same instance, a series of purple flashes cracked against its back until a heavy kick smashed against the monster’s ribcage, sending it reeling to the side. As it recovered and prepared to retaliate, the Beowolf’s chin was shoved up, clamping it’s jaws shut. Underneath, the barrel of a small SMG was pressed against its fur.
One pull of the trigger sent a tar-like substance spraying skyward in a fountain of gore. As many of these creatures the team had killed, they still weren’t sure what it was they were filled with. They only knew that whatever it was, it wasn’t blood.
“These were pups,” proclaimed the trigger woman. “What happened to the big ones?”
“I’m not sure,” the one with the pile driver stated. “But these aren’t the first drones we’ve taken out recently. Seems the soldiers are being held back.”
“Maybe these guys were meant to be fodder,” the purple haze pointed out. “They could be using them to see how we hit them.”
He looked to the woman in the large red coat, as the pile locked back into place with a chunky click. “What do you think, Carmen?
“You might be right, V,” she replied. “They’re testing us just as we test them. Hunting us as we hunt them. And if they’re switching up their tactics, that means they’ve figured something about us out. It’s time to switch things up ourselves.”
Carmen looked over to Galu, who was watching the Grimm dissolve with sneering eyes. Where the mask hid is expressions and feelings, his eyes spoke loud and clear. These weren’t the Beowolves he’d hoped to find. Not even close. She walked up to him, putting a hand on his shoulder.
“Don’t worry, Galu,” she said, hoping to reassure him. “We won’t stop until we find the alpha.”
Galu closed his eyes and nodded.
