Darling's Diary · 5:26am May 19th, 2012
Wednesday. August 10th.
Whitetail Woods.
I am a coward. For this reason alone, I am alive.
My post was four miles inside Whitetail Woods. Three hours past midnight, I caught sight of something.
An eye. That was it. Staring at me from behind what seemed to be a thicket of branches.
I looked again, but it was gone. My post had been quiet for some time, and now was no exception, save for the sudden beating of my heart.
Fearing the worst, I made ready to sound the alarm. But I hesitated for just a moment. I'm sure whoever was watching me saw my reaction as well.
It was still completely quiet. Say what you will about the enemy, you can't bring an army through a forest without a bit of a stir. That left me to think. I was not alone, but it was not an army that I faced.
It was just one.
As I stared, looking again for that eye, I heard something through the silence. A slight rustling off to one side.
I stared ahead, fearing to move. The rustling was behind me now.
The rustling got closer.
Against all my better judgement, I stayed absolutely still.
It was nearly upon me. Quiet enough that I would have never considered such a noise before, no more than the buzzing of a fly or the fall of a leaf.
But in that, that softest of sounds, I was absolutely terrified.
I had many choices. I took the one that allowed me to live.
As carefully as I could, I cleared my throat, and announced to the world.. "All clear on the southern front!"
The rustling had stopped. It was the breath on the back of my neck that had my attention now.
I said it again.
"All clear on the southern front!"
While my lungs still held air, I said it one last time.
"All clear on the southern front!"
I do not know how long I stayed that way, eyes fixed ahead, not even daring to draw my next breath.
And I waited. I waited for what must have seemed like an eternity.
In the span of some twenty years, I had never known such terror as those two minutes.
But it worked. I lived.
I was relieved two hours later. Sodding lazy cunt of a guard asked me if I had a good nap while I was out here. His favorite part of this watch, apparently.
Poor bastard. I'm not sure if I’m going to miss him.
When I returned to the camp, there was nothing unusual or amiss.
It wasn't until the next morning that we discovered the Gryphon ambassador disemboweled from gullet to tailfeathers, and nailed around the central pole of his tent with the stakes pulled from outside. It was just before dawn when I caught sight of some sorry ass lieutenant bolting out of there with his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets, and his dinner not far from escaping his gullet. Just my luck I couldn't sleep after I finished my watch. I had to see for myself.
I wish I hadn't.
Maxim did a remarkable job at keeping the camp quiet. Sealed up the tent, and made it look like there was a long important meeting going on inside. Presumably there was, but I fear that the late ambassador of our soon-to-be former ally couldn't attend.
I had to write this. But now, I cannot show this to anyone. Not for that I am mortally ashamed of my own cowardice - but for that I now know something which leaves me as a marked pony.
I saw her.
The Herald of Legions, the Bloodwashed Terror, the Downfall of Nations.
I saw the Patchwork Princess.
~Darling.
122850
well, it's not just about slapstick humour and spaceships, ya know.
122862 I'm not criticizing. it's cool beans.
122864
heh. Glad you liked that part. More where that came from.
btw, do you remember what celestia said when twilight asked about the suit?
122875 Whoa. I think I see how this ties in. It's fair to say that I did not see that coming.
Right. So that was rather chilling. Rather chilling indeed. I'm just going to go and
AUUUUUUUUUUUUGH
Holy crap!!
Friday. August 12th.
Camp Spur
Whitetail Woods
Fires billow in the distance. The sapper teams seem to have done their part, as the eastern edge of Whitetail Woods is now ablaze. Yet, they should have returned hours ago. Captain Maxis has been quietly making his rounds, telling the others that we should be expecting them back any moment. I know that's a lie. Twelve brave soldiers, plus half that number of civilian colts from the nearby settlement.
They won't be forgotten.
There was a call put out for volunteers to patrol the river bank, just east of Whitetail Woods. The blaze will keep the bulk of their legion at bay. The few Pegasi we can afford from the detachment have already set out to scout that region.
The call for volunteers has ended. Now it’s just us getting picked. I should be thankful. I do not really think the Herald of Legions will drive her forces through a wildfire. Nor will she be likely to send them north, where they may fall prey to our emplacements on the open ground. What happens remains to be seen. However, I do not fear the Legion at this time.
I fear her.
~Darling
I am confused. Is this tying into the main story? Or is it a side story?
Maybe I should read the whole thing from the start again?
125331
Yes, and possibly also yes :)
Or just chapter 6 and 13, if you're in a hurry.
Oi... I've had time to read only through Chapter 5 so far.
This blog post tells me I need to catch up...
This just got real.
562083
There's more
http://www.fimfiction.net/blog/94826
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast
Count me as running! D: