Chapter 8

"...what the hell happened to you?" Vance had just finished saying goodbye to his friends after a fun day messing around the tribe. He was on his way back when he stumbled upon Robin.

"Nothing happened." Robin responded casually. His posture was straight with his hands crossed.

"Is… is that blood?" Robin scowled, he thought he had cleaned himself good enough.

"No."

"That looks like blood to m-"

"You're imagining things." Robin quickly interrupted but said nothing of the fact that he was rubbing sand to clean the parts where the "imaginary' blood was.

"And is that a scorpion tail coming out of your hair?" Vance asked, frightened and more than a little confused.

Robin's eyes snapped open and with a flurry of movements grabbed the tail, miraculously avoiding the stinger, and threw it towards the distant sand dunes. Vance could have sworn he heard some mutterings about "deranged abominations."

After recovering from his textbook baseball throw, Robin looked at Vance with a neutral face as if nothing unusual happened. Vance was at the same time weirded out and curious about what his potential love rival was doing.

"So, uh, what was a scorpion's tail doing in your hair?"

"I don't know what you're talking about Vance my boy."

"..."

"..."

"...right."

A few seconds passed in silence with Robin and Vance just staring at each other. Honestly, it was getting kind of awkward for both of them. Vance still didn't know what to feel about Robin. He went from kicking his ass to getting his ass kicked and to something like rivals? Robin on the other hand felt like he was finally setting foot on home soil after a tour in Vietnam.

"Anyway, I know our talks are such a riveting experience, but I have to go find you dad now."

Vance didn't know why the Faunus had to talk in such a weird way, but he couldn't care less. Still, he might as well go with him since he was also returning home.

"Whatever. Dad should be back by now and I might as well bring you with me."

Robin shrugged and made no objection. It was better if the man's son was there to make the conversation flow a little. There was also the fact that Robin didn't know the man's face or name. He knew where he lived, but that was about it. He didn't have the patience to stalk the place out for hours.

And so the two of them made their way through the camp. Robin received a few weird looks from people, but he didn't let it bother him.

They arrived quickly and Vance went inside the tent, telling him to wait outside. And so Robin waited for a few minutes, swinging his tail from left to right in a mind-numbing rhythm.

The tent's flap opened to reveal a tall man with a serious visage. He wore clothes Robin had now come to associate with the Yiaya's hunters. The sort of things he saw people wearing in those National Geographic documentaries about the American indigenous population.

"I am Crazy Horse from the Lakota tribe. What brings you to me, white devil?"

...he didn't actually say that, but the man looked so authentic Robin could swear he heard an eagle cry when he looked at him. He tried not to stare, or snicker at his own imagination. Thankfully the man's real words kept him focused.

"Hello there, you must be the one Vance talked about. I'm Rick, one of the tribe's hunters."

Robin fumbled a bit but still managed to wheeze out and answer. "Nice to meet you Cr-Rick. I'm Robin."

The man either didn't notice or completely ignored Robin's slip of the tongue. He nodded and looked at him with a bit of curiosity.

"Vance tells me you were interested in learning about my trade. Just so you know, don't expect me to take you out hunting. I'll tell you what I told Vance. The desert is dangerous. We hunters have to navigate, not only harsh terrain but other dangers as well, including the Grimm."

Robin was alright with that. Sure a normal kid might have been disappointed, but he had no illusion about his survival rate. There was no thought of adventure or acting cool.

"I don't want to go out hunting."

Rick raised an eyebrow. It was not the first time kids had come to him or the other hunters, asking them about their trade only to leave disappointed when they were denied the action. Rick was used to that, hell was like that when he was a kid too. Still, there was a reason there were no hunters younger than fifteen.

Robin's words were off-putting. "You don't want to go hunting? Then why did you come to me?"

"I want to learn."

Rick blinked. Once, twice, waiting for the other shoe to drop. A brat that actually wanted to learn? One that was so young even? That was something new for Rick. Not even Vance, who was older, had the patience to sit still and listen.

"You just want to learn, not to actually go on a hunting trip?"

"Yes."

Rick tried to test him a little. "You're sure? It's really cool you know. If you ask nicely I might make an exception."

Robin looked at him like he was a bigger idiot than his son. "Do I look like I have a death wish? I'm five, what could I possibly do besides getting myself killed?"

Rike stumbled a bit not expecting such strong...vocabulary from such a cute little kid. Then again, people's personalities often took a strange turn when growing up in Vacuo. Anyway, if he wanted to learn who was he to deny him? Rick smiled and answered him.

"Alright, I'll teach you. Normally this kind of thing would have to wait until you're around ten, but I can see that you're eager. The hunting party, myself included, comes back to the tribe in the evenings. Come here at sunset tomorrow and we'll see if we can stuff anything in that head of yours."

Robin was glad to have gained his approval. Now he had another avenue of self-improvement. Though he was a bit miffed that they won't be doing anything today.

Rick seemed to have read his thoughts. "Sorry kid, we had a bad run today and I'm exhausted. Save your energy for tomorrow."

Robin reluctantly nodded, wishing Crazy Horse a good night and walking off. He was already a distance away so he didn't hear Rick mutter to himself in bewilderment.

"...why the hell did he call me a crazy horse? Is this some hip talk the young ones are speaking nowadays?"

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