The Burning Rose

Chapter 6: The Silver Eyes Hunter

Summer raced through the forest. The footprints had been washed away by the rain that was now a downpour, but she could still track the girl's trail. She ran full speed knowing she couldn't slow down. There were Grimm in the forest, and Cinder was leaking negativity. She had to find her before she became a Grimm's dinner.

She had left Tai at the house to protect Ruby and Yang. He would take care of them, so she could focus on her job to find the runway girl. Brothers, where was Qrow when you needed him? Why had she recommended he get the power of flight?

The trees were thick, traversal was difficult, but she guessed Cinder had gone off the main roads to make it harder to follow her. But she was still new to the area, meaning she'd need the main road to navigate.

As for where she was going, Summer had no idea. She knew Cinder didn't know anyone well in town. Her best guess was to an airship to try to get somewhere Summer couldn't find her.

Why had she been such a jerk to her? If she had just listened then this would never had happened! Anything that happened to Cinder while she was out here was Summer's fault. She would never forgive herself if Cinder lost her life because she had been to stupid too listen to her side of the story.

Suddenly, gunfire tore through the woods. Summer gave a start. She didn't know anyone else was in the area. Qrow was on a mission for Oz, and Cinder didn't have a gun so it must be someone on a mission. But why would a huntsman be out this late?

More gunshots echoed from the same location. Whoever it was, they were in a prolonged fight. She would normally go to help, but she didn't have the time right now.

However, to her surprise, Cinder's trail led in the same direction of the gunfire. And each step brought her closer to their origin point. Summer's heart began to beat faster. Maybe they had found Cinder first and were helping get her to safety. Or the little gremlin had picked a fight with them. Cinder seemed to have a big problem with authority figures.

As she ran, the gunshots got fewer and fewer. The fight was starting to slow down. If she was quick, she could make it there before they left. If nothing else, they would have to have seen Cinder.

Soon she reached a small clearing where the sounds had come from. It was very small, not the kind of place she'd choose for a fight if her weapon of choice was a gun.

As she scanned the area, she quickly spotted the source of the sound. A man in the middle of the clearing with a black trench coat that flowed into long tailcoats. On the back of his belt was an ammo bag that was clearly fully stocked. He had messy black hair hidden under a cowboy hat and black boots with small blades sticking out them with the middle opened and the two edges running along either side. A bag with the SDC logo was hanging on his hip across from a leather holster embroidered with a snake. She could see raw dust crystals in the bag. His back was towards her, and he was looking down at something at his feet she couldn't see. So far he didn't seem aware of her presence at all.

She was about to call out to him when she heard a small groan. Shifting her position, she looked around him to see what was making the sound.

Then her heart stopped.

Cinder was laying at his feet. She was glaring up at him as he aimed his gun down at her. She didn't look hurt, so her aura must still be intact, but a shot from that range would break it if fatal. And he was aiming right in between her eyes.

"Get away from her!" Summer roared as we charged at the man. He looked up, but was too late as both of Summer's feet hit him square in the face, knocking him back as she used his body to do a graceful flip and land upright in between him and Cinder.