CHAPTER ELEVEN
THE GOD OF THE MOUNTAIN
Golden adjusted the straps to snug herself down for the journey and nodded to the pilot. The worst part she’d found about flying was the initial lurch into the air that felt as though you’d left half your stomach behind. She’d only ever flown twice in her life, so maybe it did get easier over time – but she doubted it. Earth ponies were creatures of the land, and in some corner of her mind her natural instincts were screaming at her that hurtling through the sky in a chariot was going against every rule of nature that made her what she was. She shrugged it off; it was probably little more than simply being unused to it. After all, wearing armour and waving swords around was something that was likely to have been just as alien to her ancestors as this. Come to think of it, wearing armour and waving swords around was something alien to most ponies – most normal ponies at any rate. Golden smiled wryly to herself; she was who she was, and nothing could change that now. Besides, although she’d had her reservations early on in her career she’d eventually come to discover that she actually liked soldiering: it gave her drive, purpose, and sore hips too – all that bloody armour…
“You okay in there?” Vane shouted. He drew alongside, his wings beating in what looked to be a leisurely fashion, but judging by the speed they were travelling, Golden doubted it was anything but.
She gave him a wink, “Ready when you are Flight Captain.”
“That’s what I like to hear! We’re a few minutes out, so get yourself set.” Vane’s armour, light and cut to allow ease of movement, flexed as he snapped off a salute, “Who wants to live forever anyway?” And with a single stroke of his wings, he shot ahead like a bolt from a catapult.
Golden was still in mid-salute by the time the enigmatic captain was little more than a rapidly diminishing speck in the distance. Checking her armour one last time, Golden adjusted the straps, buckles, her sword and helmet. It was a habit she’d developed to the point where it was all automatic, but a good one to have nonetheless; poorly maintained or fitting gear could mean the difference between life, and a very messy end on the battlefield. The goggles she’d borrowed from Vane though didn’t quite fit as well as they could, but at least they kept most of the wind out of her eyes. From what she’d seen, pegasi habitually wore them, and their helmets even had them built in in some cases. At first she’d thought they were simply for show – the flying ponies were already notable for being flamboyant, but now that she thought about it, having something as small as a bee hitting you at the speeds pegasi could fly didn’t bear thinking about. Taking a breath, she ran her hoof idly over the throwing spears in the rack beside her. Each one was surprisingly heavy, with a sleek steel tip designed for maximum penetration when thrown from above. A long cylinder looked to have been wrapped around the shaft to add more weight to the spear and would, Golden thought with a shiver, go through armour like a hot knife through butter. Today however, the creature they were hunting had no armour, but were, according to what she’d been able to determine, more than big enough to deter predators without it. From what she’d read, even dragons avoided the things. What chance had her troop had? Golden felt a change in the direction of the chariot and looked up to see a flight of pegasi directing them down towards a clearing – a very familiar looking clearing. She closed her eyes and tried her best to clear her head; even from this distance it gripped her heart with fear, fear and...anger. They’d been taught in class about the dangers of leading through emotion, about how allowing your feelings to influence your decisions could potentially bring about a disaster of your own making. Now was the time for her to keep her mind empty of emotions. What had happened had happened, she had no control over that, but what she did have control of was herself, and as the leader of Epsilon troop, she would do her duty to her friends.
“Golden?” It was Zephyr, “Skipper says we’re going to take a look round the clearing before the recovery team get here.”
Golden nodded. Vane had told her earlier that the pegasi were providing aerial cover as well as leading the hunt for the ursan while the ground troops, flown in by other pegasi, cleared away the bodies and equipment. Now that the fog had cleared the mountain no longer looked like the terrifying and dread place it had when she had been there, tramping through the cloying fog with water dripping off her fur while mud sucked at her hooves. No, now it looked like a place of peace, replete with the majestic gentleness of nature, and all the deceptive grace of a sleeping cobra. The weather could change here in minutes, and she had developed a healthy respect for this place of death, if for no other reason than to mourn her friends. Just below her, the trees skimmed by, the chariot banking into an increasingly tighter downward spiral until they landed in a rush of wind from the pilot’s wings.
“You okay?” Vane trotted up and gave her a nod, “If you want, you can go and join the scouting teams and-”
“No...” Golden shook her head, “I have to do this, Vane. Please.”
The cream coated stallion paused, watching her with those big bronze eyes of his and then nodded, “I wouldn’t have expected anything else.”
Golden went to look away but turned back to face the pegasus captain levelly. Just for a moment, just for the tiniest sliver of a second, she thought she saw a ghost of a smile cross his face. She blinked and tried to shake off the tingling feeling running through her body. It may be warm in the sunlight, but there was still a chill in the air here, a hint of winter and damp that felt as though it were seeping into her very bones. Speaking of which…
Several pegasi had already dragged the stiff and soaking bodies of her fallen comrades to the edge of the clearing and were busy covering them in sheets ready for transport back to the academy and from there...home. The sun warming the ground, the bright light and serenity of the mountains made a mockery of what Golden saw before her: death. Mare after mare, their armour rent and their carcases stiffened from rigour mortise, no longer looked like the trainee officers she once knew. Now, theylooked like little more than…things. Nameless, shapeless things. Golden lifted her head and gritted her teeth; these empty vessels were nothing, her friends had gone, they were with the herd now and safe from the horror and cruelty of this world. But she, their commanding officer, would remember them...remember them as they were: full of hope for the future and looking forward to a rewarding career in the armed forces of Equestria, to be able to answer the call of the princesses to defend their home and loved ones should the need ever arise. Some were prideful, some wilful, all of them without exception… friends. She walked over to the remains of the supply cart to stare at the torn canvas panniers, ripped almost beyond recognition. And there, embroidered on them in black thread, the army letters ‘E.Q’. Golden turned them over and shook her head in disbelief. None of this seemed real. None of it.
“Yours?” Vane asked.
“No.” Golden put the panniers back on the cart – they were useless now anyway, “No, these belong to a pony who survived what happened here. Thank Celestia she wasn’t wearing them when that damned thing attacked – at least one of my troop made it back.”
Vane moved closer and lifted the torn and ragged remains curiously, “Why would her panniers be here then?”
Golden huffed, “There’s an easy answer to that. She was feeling sick and we put her packs and panniers on the supply cart. If it hadn’t been for her falling behind we’d probably be just another pair of corpses for you to collect today.” She looked about at the ponies working nearby, “That ursan certainly did a number on that pack. The damned thing was probably after the emergency rations.”
“I don’t know...” Vane lifted up the remains of the panniers and sniffed them, “Ursans don’t usually go for pony food – they’re carnivorous.” He motioned towards the supply crates that his troops had stacked to one side, “It hasn’t touched the main supplies here.”
Golden stared across the clearing at the bodies – there were only twelve. That left twenty seven unaccounted for from the original forty one in the troop when she counted herself and Lacy. She shook her head and slammed her hoof down to stop herself fidgeting with her sword hilt. That figure kept running through her mind over and over again: twenty seven...twenty seven lives...no doubt sitting in that damned things belly, or scattered across this mountain. Where there survivors? Did some run and simply get lost in the fog and the unfamiliar surroundings? Vane’s ponies, with their incredible eyesight, had been out searching and hadn’t found any. The horrible truth of it all though was as clear as day in the cold mountain air: the ursan had...eaten them. Golden felt a shiver run through her and turned to the captain, “Vane? I want to find them. Whether that monster has eaten them or not, I don’t want them listed as missing. They need to come home.”
Vane cocked his head to one side, staring at the ground as if he could read something there Golden couldn’t. Eventually, he looked up at her and smiled gently, “I understand.”
There was something in Vane’s manner that made Golden’s mane twitch, “You think they’re dead, don’t you” she said levelly.
“Would it stop you wanting to find out for yourself if I did?” he asked.
Golden shook her head, “No.”
“Well then,” Vane replied calmly, “no time like the present.” He motioned towards the chariot, “We’ve still got scouts out looking – if they find anypony, they’ll send up a flare.”
“What about the ursan?” Golden asked as she took her place back in the chariot. She pulled the straps tight and raised an eyebrow, “Your boys found it, right?”
Vane nodded, “We’ve got our best scouts out there now. Something that big won’t be hard to track though.”
Golden followed where the cream coated stallion was pointing. There, at the edge of the forest clearing, was what could only be described as a ‘gap’, a gap where branches had been snapped off by something that...dear goddesses...it must have been - “Oop!”
“Hold on!” Vane laughed, leaping into the air beside the chariot “You okay, First Lieutenant?”
“You rotter!” Golden gasped, “You two did that deliberately!”
The pilot peered back at her over his shoulder and winked at his captain. “Oh, come on, Golden,”
Vane chuckled, “You don’t have to be so stuffy all the time you know.”
“Vane, this is serious!” Golden snorted, “We’re officers, we’ve got a duty to our troops and-”
“And we do them a disservice by moping around and being negative” Vane cut in, “Confidence and trust in each other is vital, First Lieutenant Golden. Didn’t they teach you that?”
“They didn’t teach me to be flippant or arse around when there’s a job to be done, no” Golden snapped back. She cringed at her own words. She liked Vane, despite him being infuriatingly childish one minute and serious the next. He was just so… unpredictable.
Vane’s eyes went wide in surprise. For a moment Golden thought she’d gone too far and opened her mouth to apologise, but the pegasi Captain just shrugged it off, “You’re not a pegasi, First Lieutenant. I wouldn’t expect you to understand us, being an earth pony.” He bobbed his head, “My apologies.”
“No, Vane, I-” Golden’s words were lost in a sudden gust of wind from the pilot’s wings as he pulled them up short,
“Sir! Flare to the northeast!”
The Captain nodded, “Let’s go, but keep your distance, Canard, and her out of the way.”
“Hey! Now, just a minute!” Golden lifted her hoof in protest, but once again, the pegasus officer shot off into the distance without answering. A moment later the chariot rocketed after him, shoving her back in her harness. Adjusting her goggles, Golden felt her heart tighten; she’d caused this. Her words had been uncalled for, unfair, and she’d insulted his professionalism as an officer in front of one of his own ponies. Celestia’s arse; how would she feel if Vane had said that to her? Fantastic! It wasn’t like she could afford to lose any more friends, was it? No, now she was actively chasing them away! “Damn it all...” she hissed. He was only trying to cheer her up and she’d thrown his kindness back in his face like a petulant school foal! Angrily, Golden snatched one of the throwing spears from the rack and tucked it under her foreleg. It wouldn’t be long now…
In the distance the purple flare fell lazily from the sky, it’s work complete. Circling around the marked location, a number of pegasi soldiers waved hoof signals to one another as more began to arrive. Golden could no longer see Captain Vane, only the distant figures that darted here and there like odd shaped birds. She supposed that to a pegasus, who were well know for their incredible eyesight and speed, this was probably routine for them. For an earth pony however, high above her natural element, she was acutely aware of being… ‘different’.
“Look there!” Her pegasus pilot pointed to a shadowed area beside a small mountain stream that stood out against the greys and greens of the surrounding landscape. Beside it, a large pile of moss covered rocks and bracken helped cover what looked like the entrance to some sort of cave. Golden strained her eyes to make out details: yes… definitely a cave entrance, and the closer they flew the greater the sheer scale of it became more and more apparent. So...that was where the beast lived was it? Suddenly a bellowing noise ripped through the chill mountain air, sending birds squawking in alarm into the sky. It was a sound unlike anything she had ever heard, a sound as of a thousand horns blowing at once and followed by a resonating rumble of thunder that blew out from the dark hole in the mountainside like an orchestra from Tartarus itself. As if expecting the deafening roar, the pegasi immediately began to form up, moving into formations of three – the arrowheads that would, at the officers command, be unleashed upon their foe. So far however, their ‘foe’ wasn’t playing the game.
“Can’t you smoke him out somehow?” Golden called to her pilot.
Canard nodded, “Sure, just watch!”
Sure enough, Golden spotted several of the pegasus warriors dropping down beside the cave and lighting what looked like balls of some sort of material suspended from chain or ropes – she wasn’t sure at this distance, but whatever they were they gave off increasingly thick black plumes of smoke. Even up here, Golden caught a whiff of the acrid black cloud, but it must have been far worse up close. Next, the two pegasi shot into the air, banked, and then hurtled down towards the entrance, throwing their smoking payloads in through the cave’s entrance. The effect was almost instantaneous: the ground around the cave shook violently, the air around it vibrating with unseen power. The ursan, its eyes stinging from the smoke and saliva drooling from its maw, charged into the daylight.
“Dear goddesses protect us...” Golden muttered under her breath. The beast was...unimaginable. Unfolding itself, rising onto it’s hind legs, the ursan towered above the trees like some god of legend. She’d heard of them before of course, she’d read stories about them as a filly, but now, seeing one this close, hearing it’s roar, smelling its foul breath, she knew...the stories hadn’t been exaggerated at all. If anything they had downplayed the sheer enormity of these monsters and who could blame them? Enormous eyes, yellow and red orbs of uncontrollable animal rage, stared at those who had dared to disturb its slumber. The creatures’ hide, if you could even call it that, was no normal fur coat either. It was made of what looked like the night sky itself – a bare outline of stars, planets and constellations, and upon it’s forehead, a large bright blue star. Golden had owned a teddybear as a foal, and she’d adored him. Small, cuddly, and warm on a cold night, to call him a ‘bear’ after seeing this thing was like saying a drop of water was comparable to the ocean. She watched in horror as one the beast’s paws, tipped with claws the length of a hoofball field, howled through the air trying to catch the ursan’s attackers. Even so, the ponies dove in, shooting their crossbow bolts into the immense creature.
They may as well have been shooting toothpicks.
“Bugger me, he’s a big boy!” Canard shouted over the din, “Doesn’t look like we’re having much impact.”
“Much impact? We’re not making any!” Golden snapped, “Take us in, Canard, I’m not sitting here while you guys do all the work.”
“No can do, First Lieutenant” Canard replied with a shake of his head, “Skipper’s orders.”
“Yeah? Well bugger that is what I say.” Golden’s mane bristled, “I outrank you, private, so do as you’re damned well told. Take us in, and that’s an order!”
“Sorry, First Lieutenant, but-”
“LOOK OUT!” Golden’s cry came too late. The ursan swiped at a passing flight of pegasi, tearing a gouge out of the mountainside. In the blink of an eye, tree’s, rocks and earth were ripped free and flung threw the air in a deadly plume that engulfed the tiny chariot. Golden’s vision turned black, her hearing replaced by a dull, muffled sound that drowned out her cries. Golden’s stomach dropped for the third time today, only this time in the opposite direction – up. Gravity clawed at her. Orientation was nigh on impossible; with no sight, no hearing, the heavy yet weightless sensation was terrifying. Ponies had told her that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die – to Golden, that seemed to involve trees – lots and lots of trees. Snapping and crashing sounds accompanied impacts both dull and sharp, while images of green and brown burst all around her like fireworks. And then, finally, with a heavy impact and sliding sensation, it stopped.
Golden tried to take a breath, but her mouth was choked with earth, stones and roots. Desperately she’d tried to move, but something was pinning her down, crushing her side and pinning her legs. Moving herself back and forth, the armoured mare heaved for all she was worth, her efforts spurred on by a rising sense of panic and need for air. Her lungs were aching, already having the wind forced from them by the impact with the ground. Damn it all, she wasn’t going to die here! She wasn’t! How bloody stupid, how bloody, damned STUPID! Golden snorted, grunted and shoved, keeping her body moving. She would fight until her last breath, her last ounce of strength. That damned Vane, that bloody horses cock of a nag! This was his fault, he’d stuck her in that damned chariot when she should have been on the ground fighting like the rest of them! Now she was buried alive, dying, suffocating on the same mountain where all her friends had died. Something else pressed down on her now, shoving at her, pushing her and-
“Lieutenant!” The pony’s face stared into hers from inches away, “Oh, thank Celestia!”
Golden coughed out dirt, drawing in huge blessed lungfuls of earth scented air while the other pony dug down, clearing away the debris that encased her body.
“Can you move?”
Golden nodded, “Just...” She coughed and wheezed horribly, dragging her legs free from the earthy grip of the debris. For a moment, she stood there, trying to get her bearings, to make sure this wasn’t some final trick of her mind before sending her to the herd. But then that roar came again, that sound that made the tree’s vibrate and the ground shudder. She checked her legs and nodded to herself, “Are you alright, Canard?”
The pony shook his head, “I’m Gust. Canard...” he hung his head, “he didn’t make it.” Gust push a canteen of water into Golden’s hooves, “Re-enforcements are on the way, ma’am. I’ve been ordered to get you out of here.”
Another bellowing roar spilled out from the battle happening just beyond Golden’s sight. She couldn’t see it, but the visceral sensation of unimaginable rage reverberated through her bones. And yet...no Vane. So, he didn’t come to help her then... Golden shook her head and spat the soiled water from her mouth, took another rinse and then swallowed. Huffing, she adjusted her battered helmet and gave Gust a wink, “Get back to your unit, Gust, I’m going in for a closer look.”
“Are you nuts?!” Gust’s eyes went wide in surprise, “You were nearly killed! Skipper wants me to get you-”
“-And I don’t care” Golden snorted, “I have a job to do, so thanks for helping me and everything, Gust, but frankly old stick, be a dear and sod off will you?” She turned to walked away.
“But…!” Gust sat back on his haunches and faced hoofed. “Buck me, Skipper’s going to have my wings for this” he muttered and hurried off after the now rapidly disappearing mare.
Twigs, leaves and pine needles showered down from above, covering Golden’s mud and dent covered armour. Several of the buckled plates were causing problems with movement but not enough to slow her down significantly. One of the things she’d always insisted upon, following her grandfathers advice, had been to have the edges of the plates reinforced and angled in such a way that a heavy blow wouldn’t cause it to lock up with the adjacent plate. ‘If you can’t run, the battle’s already over’ as Grandfather would say, and by the goddesses, the old buggers advice had come through. A combination of the cushioning, the soil, and the angle she’d hit the ground at had saved her from being killed outright, but her armour – it was rapidly becoming like an old friend. One of downsides to wearing armour that the army didn’t tell you about when you signed yourself into service to your country however, was how unfathomably loud it was to move about in. She’d done what she could with it of course, many of the mares who’d bought their own sets rather than the academy supplied rubbish had had theirs altered, but unlike the others she’d done the work herself. It was a little more comfortable as a result, but mainly she’d done it so she didn’t sound like a tinkers wagon trundling along a country road. Even so it was far from what you’d call ‘stealthy’. In fact, ‘stealth’ was something the army didn’t teach at all. Golden had always had this semi-romantic image in her mind of slipping through the night and dispatching enemy sentries, silent as death itself, before snatching the enemy intelligence and returning as the hero of the hour. It was silly of course, and more the sort of thing you’d read about in a light novel, but now that she thought about it, why not? The army’s idea of stealth was moving several thousand troops across hills, fields, rivers and streams to a position of high ground for a commanding view of the battlefield to come. How they’d managed to convince themselves that the enemy wouldn’t notice the inevitable clouds of dust from maneuvering that many troops or that they didn’t have fliers of their own, was a masterpiece of cognitive dissonance. She thought for a moment and furrowed her brow, brushing a fallen leaf from her muzzle. “Cognitive dissonance...” she muttered to herself. Luna’s arse, what had happened to her since starting at the academy? Since when did she start using terms like that? There had to be a better, simpler term to use...a word that covered everything: the army’s stubborn attitude to change, it’s unwillingness to accept any form of – Celestia forbid - ‘modern thinking’ or ‘modernization’ that could interfere with their exceptionally narrow view of ‘how things should be’. She thought for a moment, rolling the possibilities around in her mind until finally the seas of trees gave way to more open and rocky ground. She had her answer.
“Bollocks.”
Gust trotted up beside her, flicking a twig out of his ear, “What is?”
Golden blew a pine needle from her nose, “This.” She waved a hoof encompassing pretty much everything around her, “All of it. The world, the goddesses, the army and this whole damned bucked up mess.” She checked her sword and took breath, “It’s all bollocks, Mister Gust.”
The pegasus shrugged, “Don’t think i’d disagree with you there ma’am.”
Golden grinned and treated him to a wink, “I like that - ‘ma’am’.” She felt a shiver run through her, not of fear, but of something else - excitement? Goddesses knew, but right then – it felt good. “Let’s move!”
Exhilarated to be moving once more under her own power, Golden hurried towards the sounds of battle. Earth ponies it was always said, had a connection with the earth beneath their hooves – the rocks, the trees, the plants and the soil – all the growing things. Theirs was a connection with nature and one that had manifested itself during the development of Equestrian society into trades such as blacksmithing, masonry, joinery and so on. Soldiering, now that was definitely the realm of the earth pony. Although it had often been said that stallions were the natural choice for a warrior due to the their larger size and natural strength, a lot of the ones Golden had met had been thick as bricks. Sure, she’d be the first to admit that she hadn’t exactly met too many of them, the academy frowned upon ‘fraternisation’ between the genders, but all her friends couldn’t be wrong...right? But, then there was Vane. He seemed different somehow; and no, it wasn’t just because he was different to the others due to him being a pegasus, it was more than that it was...he just seemed to...what was it? Was it respect? Well, yes, he seemed to respect her and he had those big eyes that looked like she could dive into them of course, that was nice, but it wasn’t everything was it? No...no, and it wasn’t his wings either – the wings that looked so soft, like down, and the way his mane streamed out when the wind caught it just so. No, no of course not. Well, the armour the pegasi wore was unusual, so you couldn’t really tell what was underneath could you? Right? Oh, wait...there was the ‘bed’ incident wasn’t there? When she’d woken up and he’d been there, looking at her with those big bronze eyes and...no armour.
“You sure you’re okay?” Gust called, “You’re very red.”
“All good here!” Golden coughed, “Bit sore after my trip south though, but i’ll survive.” She pulled up behind a rock and ducked beneath the bushes there, catching her breath. Damn it all, why was she thinking like that? Near death experiences – it had to be, and poor Canard – she’d hardly known him five minutes and his life had ended in the blink of an eye. She’d speak to Vane about him later when all this damnable nonsense was over. She closed her eyes, calming her beating heart and leaned against the rock while the pegasi flew overhead delivering volley after volley of bolts into the ursan. As she stared, she could see the almost transparent hide of the thing: the stars, moons, planets and galaxies, all moulded into the shape of a monstrous bear that was as insanely violent as it was inexplicably beautiful.
“Such a beautiful creature...” Golden whispered to herself. All this, all the death and suffering, it seemed so senseless – so unnecessary.
“Amazing, isn’t it?” Gust said quietly. He moved up beside her and peered over the rock, “Deadly, murderous, and yet most of the time they’re completely placid.” He shook his head, “Going to have our work cut out for us this time alright.”
“You’ve fought these giants before?” Golden asked in surprise.
Gust nodded, “Rarely, and none as big as this bugger. Most of the ones i’ve had dealings with, the ursa minors, are a lot smaller, but these guys? Nah, the ursa majors are few and far between. It’s not something I like doing either. My family are lunarians you see, and ursans are a sort of sacred animal to them.”
“You’re not a lunarian yourself then?” Golden asked.
Gust shrugged, “Nah, not really. I don’t get the whole ‘goddess’ angle thing, if you know what I mean. My folks are well into it, but me? I just like to fly and do my bit to keep them and the rest of Equestria safe. If it means having to piss off Luna by turning one of her bears into a pincushion then tough.” He gave his wings a shake and gave Golden an appraising look, “Seen enough?”
Golden shook her head hopelessly, “I’m not to going to make a bloody dent in that am I?”
Gust chuckled, “Nope!” Suddenly, his expression changed to one of surprise, “Did you...” He screwed his face up, “Hang on, did you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
“Sounded like somepony shouting” Gust muttered, “Must be hearing things...”
Golden shook her head. She couldn’t hear a...wait...she could hear something, but it was only every so often in between the shouting of the pegasi overhead and the roar of the ursan. It sounded like it was coming from… the rock? Quickly, Golden pulled off her helmet, covered one ear and pressed the other to the cold stone. Focussing all her efforts she tried to block out the overpowering roaring of the ursan and simply listen for… “There’s somepony there” she whispered, “It sounds like...” Golden jumped up, “Gust, help me get this off.”
“What?” The stallion looked up at her in surprise, “What are you doing?”
“I’m taking my armour off, what’s it look like i’m doing?” Golden clucked her tongue irritably, “Give me a hoof here will you?”
Gust grimaced and moved in to help her, but the scowl on his face belied his frustration with the incalcitrant mare, “You’re not to going to listen to anything I say, are you” he huffed, yanking off another of the bent metal plates, “Do you know what Skipper’s going to do to me after this?”
“If he tries to do anything to you, Gust, i’ll take your punishment for you.” Golden heaved on a strap that was hopeless locked and resorted to cutting it off with her sheath knife. The plate fell into Gust’s hooves, “This is my decision, Gust, not yours.”
The khaki coloured stallion tossed his head and huffed loudly, “You’re going to go into that bloody thing’s cave, aren’t you.”
There was no point in hiding it. Golden didn’t even look up as she replied succinctly, “I am, yes. You on the other hoof are going back to your team.”
“Oh, right, am I? Well bugger that then! If i’m not there and you end up getting hurt, then i’ll be busted so hard my arse will end up where my face was and it’ll be goodbye career for poor old Gust.” The stallion nickered and prodded Golden in the chest, “Report me for insubordination if you want ma’am, but right now you’ve got a wingstallion whether you like it or not.”
Golden shook her head in resignation. Maybe a flying pony could be useful… She nodded to herself, “Right then, Private, you’re on the team.”
Gust raised an eyebrow, “A team of two eh? Good, that makes things simpler.” The stallion took the last plate from the white mare’s hind quarters and shook his head at the dents, “No wonder you’re taking it off – that’s going to bruise.”
“A bruised arse is the least of my worries,” Golden replied stretching out her muscles. Goddesses that felt better! Without all that steel she felt lighter, faster, and although a little stiff, she had more than enough strength in her for a damned good run. She checked her sword was still free in its scabbard and smiled to herself in satisfaction. Quickly strapping her lighter equipment to her now bare hide, Golden let out a pent up breath and addressed her companion, “Okay, prick up those ears, Gust my boy, i’ve got a plan.”
Gust listened, taking in all the details of Golden’s carefully laid out plan for… “Just a minute…” He scrubbed his mane furiously, “I think I must have missed something there First Lieutenant.” Sinking onto his haunches he gave her a quizzical look, “You want us to what, just walk right in there? Like, right now?”
“Best time to go, Gust, especially while the ursan’s preoccupied.” Golden gave him a wink, “Oh, and I said ‘run’, not ‘walk’. We slip up to the cave entrance using the rocks for cover, and when we’re near enough we make a dash for it.”
“We make a dash for it...” Gust facehoofed, “I’ve seen how fast you earth ponies can run, ma’am and I can tell you it’s not that- Oomph!”
“Not. Another. Word.” Golden stared into Gust’s eyes, “If I hear another reference to being an ‘earth pony’, i’m going to put my earth pony hoof somewhere other than your mouth, understood?”
“Mm-hmm!”
“Good boy.” Carefully, Golden put her hoof down, all the while watching the khaki coated stallion who was now, mercifully, silent. “Now shut up, keep up, and we’ll get through this.”
Gust nodded.
A roar of pain and frustration shook the ground making the pebbles bounce as if they were alive. Hell fire, she hoped she knew what she was doing. Taking a deep breath, Golden peered around the edge of their makeshift cover and caught sight of the monstrous beast. The pegasi where still swooping in and loosing their bolts at the creature, but all that seemed to be doing was annoying it all the more. As for actually causing it injury, the thing was covered in bolts making it look like a bear shaped procupine, but everything so far seemed mostly ineffectual. The ursan wasn’t stupid either – it was well aware the pegasi were trying to shoot its eyes and covered its face every time it caught sight of its attackers swooping in. Golden’s heart was in her chest; all it would take would be one mistake, one swipe of the ursan’s gigantic paws, and it would be all over. Gust would be able to get away, but, as he liked to point out, she was an earth pony, and a hell of lot slower than her lightning fast comrades. She could feel Gust behind her, keeping low and close, using his wings to virtually float over the rocky ground. Goddesses, what she wouldn’t give for a pair of wings right now! Still, they were getting closer by the second and each breath, every single careful step, brought them closer to the entrance of the cave. Nearby, the ursan shrieked and suddenly slammed it’s forepaws into the ground. A barrage of crossbow bolts had caught it right in the ear, sending it into a lunging, swiping fury. Its hind leg kicked out, ploughing up a slew of rocks and stone which narrowly missed the rapidly ducking pair closing in unseen on its home. In the cloud of dust, Golden turned to her comrade and nodded quickly, “Now, come on.” The two of them dashed for the entrance of the cave and disappeared inside.
If the outside could be described as cool, then the iterior of the ursan’s home would be best described as little more than freezing. Even just a few feet inside the sunlight vanished, replaced with darkness and bitter cold that misted the ponies breath as they moved ever deeper. Now, taking her dented armour off didn’t seem like such a clever idea after all; at least it had been padded. Damn it all, she’d even left her bloody cloak rolled up there too! Gritting her teeth, Golden pushed on. Cold was the least of her problems now, and there was every possibility there were more of these things further inside the cave. A sudden though struck her; what if this was a female? A mother, and she was defending her cubs? What if the bloody things were back here waiting, and...hungry? She shook the thought from her head and readied her sword and the few short throwing spears she’d managed to salvage from the wrecked chariot. Golden checked Gust was behind her and moved onward. The cave seemed to go on forever, although in truth they probably weren’t more than a hundred or so yards in when the stench hit them. Gust snorted behind her, lifting his hoof in apology. Dear Celestia, she couldn’t blame him either – the acrid stink was making her eyes water so much she had to keep wiping them. Something tapped her on the behind. Looking round, Gust hoofed her a cloth soaked in water while another one was wrapped around his muzzle. Nodding her thanks, Golden followed suit. It helped, not much, but at least it took the edge off the evil stink just enough to allow her to keep her senses at least partially keen.
They kept low, slipping from rock to rock as they had outside. In here though, there were no lights, they had no torch nor lantern and no magic either. Only the peculiar ambient glow from some of the cave mosses added anything approaching illumination and even then it only barely- Golden froze… “Gust?”
The pegasus moved closer, “Ma’am?”
Golden’s stomach felt like emptying itself. She swallowed, keeping her voice to a whisper, “Watch where you’re stepping.”
“What is it?”
Golden closed her eyes, lifting her hoof off the crunching white rib cage beneath her, “Bones...”
Gust looked closer, his eyes a lot keener than hers. “Deer” he whispered.
Thank the goddesses. It was bad enough in here as it was without standing in…that. She knew what had happened here, or at least had an idea. That thing would have hauled her slaughtered comrades back to its lair – those it hadn’t gulped down like sweets when it butchered the others at the camp. She gave herself a shake and carefully moved past the bones, but the damned things were everywhere, along with piles of...dung. Golden could remember the old adage: ‘Does a bear crap in the woods?’ Oh hell no, it craps in its own bloody home apparently! Goddesses above, that smell! There was more than just turd in here though, there was...oh, Celestia, she didn’t want to know!
Roaring echoed through the cave, muffled yet still deafening enough to cause her to look over her shoulder at the small point of light that was the cave entrance. Damn it all, finding anything in the darkness was a near impossible task. Had she been hearing things? Gust had thought he’d…
Something moved.
Golden froze, but Gust moved up, laying a hoof on her rump, “There” he whispered, “Come on.”
“Wait!” Golden hissed, but Gust was already moving ahead, waving her to follow him. He stopped by what looked like a rock fall. It was hard to see much more than rocks and darkness, but there was something, something that-
“Is somepony there?” A voice, weak, but instantly recognisable.
“Winter Song?” Golden pushed up to the gap in the rocks, scrabbling to get nearer on the loose footing, “Is that you?”
“Trips..?!” A pale blue and white mare appeared, her large navy dark blue eyes glinting, “Oh….Oh, Celestia…!” Tears began to well up in her eyes, “Please, for the goddesses sake, get us out of here!”
Gust put a hoof on Goldens’ shoulder, “Ma’am, we can’t. If we start trying to dig them out now that thing could come in and we’d have our rumps to the wall. Best if we let the boys kill that damned ursan and come back with a proper crew.”
“No!” Winter Song started digging frantically at the rocks, her eyes wild with fear, “You don’t know! Good goddesses, that thing, it...it’s been keeping us here like a…like a larder, feeding us to its…its young!”
“Its….young?” Gust froze, “First Lieutenant?”
Golden swallowed, catching the whiff of fetid breath behind her, “Oh, no...”
Winter Song screamed and fell away into the darkness beyond the rockfall as Gust leaped into the air, drawing his sword in his forehooves and twisted, bringing the blade around. The ursan reared, batting the flying stallion effortlessly into the rock wall where he ended up in a crumpled heap. It all happened in less than a heartbeat. The ursan cub turned back to the white mare. Food didn’t do this! Food didn’t try to hurt it and…
Light burst in the ursan’s head, and then darkness as the spear drove down, cracking through its still developing skull into its brain. Staggering, the cubs body took a step before dropping like a stone to the ground. Golden was already at her friend’s side, “Gust? Gust!”
“Oh...damn it all...” he gasped faintly, “I knew you’d be the death of me.”
“Where are you hurt?” Golden said, quickly checking him over.
“Everywhere!” he hissed. Gust pulled himself shakily to his hooves and winced in pain, “There goes my bloody wing! Buck it!”
“Can you still run?” Golden asked.
“I can do everything you can do, ma’am, just not bloody well fly!” He pulled out a length of cloth from his pack and quickly bound his wing to his side. Judging by the way he tied it off with such practiced ease, breaking a wing apparently wasn’t uncommon. He nodded to Golden, “Orders?”
Golden pushed up to the hole in rockfall, “Winter! How many of you are there?”
“Fourteen” the voice called back frantically, “Get us out of here, Trips!”
“I will, just try and keep calm.” Golden took a breath. It was easy enough to say that, but she had no idea what hell these girls had been through and she was scared half to death herself as it was. She gave herself a shake, “Are there more of these things in here?”
“I don’t know!” Winter replied, “I think...maybe…?” She pressed her muzzle up to the gap in the rock, “Some of the girls are hurt, some pretty bad. Please….”
Golden reached through and gently touched her muzzle, “Help’s coming, Winter. Be strong, we won’t leave you.”
“Lieutenant we’ve got company!” Gust grabbed one of his short spears and brought it up, ready to strike, but the ursan...it just...stared at them in wonder.
“Come on, you bastard!” Golden snarled, “Come get some!” She yanked the spear from the dead cubs head and leaped away, keeping low and coiled like a spring ready to strike. From what she could see, the star on the things head was a good aim point. Whether it was the ubiquitous ‘weak spot’ that some beasts allegedly had, she wasn’t sure. What she was sure of though was that a length of steel rammed into any living beings brain box was likely to yield results, and this cursed damned thing was next. She watched it, carefully readying herself while the ursan cub, the white mare forgotten, shuffled over to its dead sibling and sniffed at the still warm and steaming corpse. Golden’s heart was in her mouth; the ursan was snuffling the dead one, emitting a plaintive whine and...tears? What light there was in the terrible place glinted off the droplets leaking from the great bear’s eyes as it nuzzled its lost family member. It was…touching, but at any moment, when grief turned to hate and revenge, Golden knew she would have to be ready, she would have to be quick. But the attack never came. Slowly, the ursan stood back up and ignoring Golden, moved to the rock fall where to her amazement it began pulling at the rocks. Incredibly, rock after rock fell away with effortless ease, revealing the terrified creatures huddled beyond. And then, just like that, the ursan turned and walked away into the darkness at the other side of the cave, disappearing from view.
Gust walked up to Golden and shook his head, “If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes...”
“Never mind that now, Gust, let’s get these mares out of here in case it changes its mind.” Golden scrambled over the last of the pile of rocks and reached the sorry mass of ponies, “Winter, get the girls together quickly, we’re moving out.” She motioned to some of the worst injured and sick, “Get those who can’t walk onto your backs whatever way you can, but we can’t tarry, the ursan may come back.” The ponies stared at her in shock, their protection, as transient as it may have been, was now a gaping hole – with the light of freedom in the distance. Winter nodded and swiftly began kicking the others into motion. Most were already up; the arrival of Golden giving them hope after what must have been the ordeal from hell. Helping one another, the ponies were all too ready to escape. Sick, weak and hurt, such concerns paled into insignificance at the thought of being eaten alive.
Shambling and unsteady on their hooves, the last of Epsilon Troop moved out.
High above, Flight Captain Vane’s pegasi criss-crossed the blue sky, raining down bolts on the ursa major, trying to do what they could to take the beast down. He’d seen them before, fought them before, but none of them had been like this one. It was bigger than any ursan he’d ever seen before and smart too…very smart. Whether or not the creature had intended to do what it had to the sky chariot was irrelevant, the monster had attacked a mare under his care, and it was only by the grace of Celestia that she was still alive. Poor Canard though...poor sod, he didn’t deserve to go out like that. The ursan roared out in pain, snatching a tree from the ground in its enormous jaws and flung it effortlessly towards the incoming flight who were forced to quickly bank away to avoid being hit. Vane narrowed his eyes; yes...very clever indeed.
One of his flight pulled up beside him, his chest heaving, “Skipper, the boys are down to their last few bolts.”
“What about the supply wagon?” Vane asked through gritted teeth.
“Nearly exhausted there too, Skip.”
“Damn.” Vane looked up at the sun and checked his pocket watch; they should be here any time now. Bloody hell, couldn’t somepony ever turn up early for once?
“Skip!” The stallion pointed down to the entrance to the cave, “Ponies coming out! Look like we’ve found out lost troop.”
“Zephyr, get the reserve, pull those mares out of there now!” Vane turned to his Lieutenant, “Efrit, pour everything we’ve got into that thing. Keep it’s attention on us and only us, understand?”
“Aye, aye, Skipper!”
The cream coated stallion gave his goggles a quick wipe; the cold up here in the mountains was bitter despite the sunshine, and his breath was making his vision fog up whenever he stopped moving for even just a few seconds. The way they’d been flying non-stop wasn’t helping either. Conventional attacks on the ursan were proving to be totally ineffectual, except for making the monstrous beast furious. He’d seen Canard go down... He’d flown with the boy for the last year and he’d showed so much promise too. He’d miss him. Watching Gust pull Golden from the ground had been heart wrenching too, and for a moment, until he saw her surging up from the earth like some bizarre subterranean monster he thought he’d lost her too. Burying one friend was bad enough, but two? He’d quickly shaken the thought off and gone back to coordinating the attacks. Rather naievely he’d actually thought that Gust would take the mare to safety, back to the clearing, but no...Damn it all, he should have known what she was going to do, shouldn’t he! When one of his troops told him Golden had been seen sneaking into the cave, with Gust in tow no less, he wasn’t so much surprised as...resigned. What he hadn’t expected was a whole procession of earth ponies trundling out as if they been out on a bloody field trip! “Keep up the attack! Pour it in, boys!” Vane swept around and shot a bolt right into the ursan’s nose eliciting a shriek and a swipe of a paw that sent him tumbling through the air with just its passing. Damn it to tartarus, where was-
“Skipper!” Lieutenant Drag Line pulled up beside him and pointed, “Heavy teams are here.”
“Took their bloody time about it” Vane spat, trying to catch his breath. He looked out to see the mares dashing through the trees towards the camp and away from the ursan, away from those crushing teeth and slashing claws. Now, he could concentrate on his job. “Drag, get them into position and signal our boys.” He saluted the Lieutenant and turned back to observe the ursan. He’d made a mistake – he should have waited until the heavy teams were here before launching the attack, but he hadn’t had he? Why? Was that filly turning his head? Damn it all, this was why he didn’t have anything to do with mares! Now he had one of his team down and in a way...no, not ‘in a way’, it was his fault. He’d lost one of his boys because of a stupid damned mare! And an earth pony at that! Vane let out a loud neigh and gave himself a shake; when he got back to the barracks he was going to get well and truly hammered. By the looks of it, at least his request for help had been approved thank the goddesses.
“Captain Vane? Major Fleder sends his regards, sir.” The junior pegasus flight sergeant saluted smartly.
Vane raised an eyebrow, “Your boys know what to do?”
“Yes, sir.”
Vane nodded and gave the young warrior a salute, “No heroics out there sergeant. I’ve already lost one of my team and I don’t want any more to bury tonight, understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good lad. You have your orders.” Vane gave him a clop on the shoulder, “Let’s get this over with so we can go home, eh?” He watched the sergeant, his face so serious and dedicated to his work it reminded him of the look on Golden’s face when he’d first met her. Bloody hell, was this something they were doing with all the cadets these days? Turning them into these hard faced emotionless...automatons? He sighed; there was no time for that now - now it was time for the work to really begin. The pegasus warriors of Vane’s flight were tired, their attacks having caused little physical damage to the ursan, but now that was all about to change. The creature was tiring, its movements noticeably slower than they had been earlier which would give his ponies the advantage they needed. He watched the large sky carriages, pulled by teams of four pegasi, moving into position high above the ursan while the catapulta operators in the rear cocked and loaded their heavy iron and wood machines. Vane took off his goggles and wiped his muzzle; he’d never liked this part of the job. Smaller ursans could usually be taken down with regular crossbows, and fighting even those things was a rarity in itself, but to see one so large and to turn the thing into a porcupine – there was little honour in this. Still, at least it was a story the boys could reminisce over in the bar when they drank the health of Canard and their success.
The first of the carriages lumbered down keeping well of reach of the ursan, and seconds later unleashed its deadly payload. With a whoosh of air the enormous iron bolt flew, striking the ursan squarely in the forehead. The loud thwack of the catapulta was almost as loud at its impact with the beasts skull - the ursan’s bellow of pain a deafening counterpoint to what came next. One after another the carriages, each fitted with what were really little more than modified siege engines, shot again and again. They couldn’t miss; the ursan howled horribly, trying desperately to cover its head only to have one of the bolts hit it in the throat or muzzle. Vane had to cover his ears, as did his ponies as they looked on in horror. Goddesses forgive them; he knew this had to be done, but wasn’t there a quicker was of doing this? Damn it all, that noise! Howling and thrashing the ursan reared up onto it hind legs and tried to swipe at one of the carriages, but it was simply too far
away and only made the bear like creature present itself for one final barrage of bolts. Captain Vane and his flight watched in silence as the heavy projectiles thudded into the top of the ursan’s skull, right into the red star shaped marking that was so distinctive and made the perfect aiming point for the deadly weapons. What happened next was all too horribly familiar, and yet...a relief too: Silence. For a moment the ursan seemed to hang there, balanced on its hind legs while its body finally caught up with the fact that the gigantic creature was already dead. In a final act of defiance, the ursa major let out one final bellowing roar and pitched forward to slam into the ground, uprooting and crushing trees as it went. Rocks, dust and water from the stream plumed up into the air only to slowly fall back down, coating the creature like some ephemeral shroud.
It was over.
Vane and his flight took station in case the ursan wasn’t as dead as it appeared. It wouldn’t be the first time they’d been caught out like that, but this time, he was sure. There was a feeling in the air here now, as though the world was holding its breath, as though nature itself couldn’t comprehend the enormity of what they’d done. The ursan, an ursa major, the god of the mountain, was slain. It felt almost sacrilegious, although he doubted those mares he saw running for freedom would agree. Now ponies from the academy, and probably some of the researchers too, would come up here and study the beast before it was disposed of. How in Celestia’s name they would manage that would be anyponies guess.
The Captain landed next to the stream and splashed some water onto his face before trotting up to the ursan’s corpse, joined by some of his flight. There was no rejoicing, no cheering – it was simply a job that had needed doing. There was no honour to be had here this day.
“A hard fight, Skipper” Drag Line said, passing his Captain a hip flask, “I don’t think i’ve ever seen one as big as this before.”
Vane shook his head, “No. It never gets any easier though, Drag.” He sank to his haunches and stretched, “You know, I sometimes wonder if we didn’t intrude into their homes we wouldn’t have to do thing like this.”
“Can’t argue with you there, Skipper.” Drag nodded as he took his flask back, “S’pose it’ll be reported, filed and forgotten like always.”
The cream coated officer shrugged, “Same crap, different day, eh?” He lifted his head up at the shout of alarm, “Heads up, Drag, it’s not over yet!”
In a blast of air the pegasi leaped into the sky as the ursan cub barrelled out of the darkness of the cave. The speed of the beast was impressive, but not enough to catch a pegasus. Still, the beast didn’t seem interested in the winged ponies at all – no, instead it headed straight for the fallen ursa major. Vane’s heart sank as he watched the cub run up to its mother. The cries of loss, of pain and grief gripped his heart, making him shiver involuntarily.
Drag Line looked at his officer and suddenly peered past him to the tree line, “Skip...”
“Oh, no...” Vane turned to follow his Lieutenant’s gaze and closed his eyes as a familiar white coated earth pony mare emerged from the trees. Goddesses, he could have screamed!
“Vane! VANE!” She was yelling up at him now, her blue mane flying in the breeze and standing on her hind legs, waving her fore hooves in the air as if he couldn’t see her!
“I think she wants something” Drag Line said with a sarcastic smirk on his face.
Vane rolled his eyes, “Oh...Shut up!”
Sweaty, tired, bruised, but very much alive, Golden trotted up to the pegasus officer, sporting a look of determination that Vane had come to recognise all too easily recently. He nodded his head, “First Lieutenant. I’m glad to see you’re unharmed, I’d thought you would have evacuated with the others.”
“What are you going to do with that cub?” Golden demanded.
The question came out of nowhere. Vane blinked in surprise but gathered his wits quickly, “You don’t need to worry about that, Golden. Please, let’s get you back to the clearing and with your ponies. You’ve been through hell today and-”
Golden snorted loudly, stomping a hoof for emphasis, “I asked what are you doing with that cub!”
Vane closed his eyes and groaned inwardly.
“Vane?” Golden looked up and saw the pegasi crew loading their siege bow. “Vane… what are they doing? Vane!”
“Sir?” Lieutenant Drag Line tapped him on the shoulder, “Sir, the crew are waiting for you to give the order.”
“Damn it, Captain, you’ve killed that cub’s mother already, what need is there to kill it too?” Golden took a step forward angrily, “For Celestia’s sake, It helped us escape!”
Vane shook his head, “We can’t let it go, Golden. If we do, it’ll just be a matter of time before it starts hunting ponies like its mother.”
“You don’t know that!” Golden shouted, “For bucks sake, Vane, don’t do this!”
Vane lifted a hoof, “Get out of the way, First Lieutenant.”
“No!” Golden moved between the carriage and the ursan, “You’re not killing this cub, Vane. Please, you’re better than this. Don’t...please...”
The captain squeezed his eyes shut and lifted his muzzle, taking a deep breath, “Drag? Get her out of here.”
“What? NO! Vane! Damn you…get off me! I’ll kick your bastard...VANE!” Golden’s shouts of protest were muffled by the four stallions it took to drag her out of the line of fire.
He didn’t want to do this, he took no pleasure in it, but Golden didn’t know what they were like. He’d tried to tell her, to explain, but unless you’d been there and seen what they could do, it was impossible to truly comprehend what could happen when they went on the rampage. This thing’s mother had already eaten pony flesh, and no doubt the cub had too. It would only be a matter of time… He nodded,
“Loose.”
“VANE! Damn you! Damn you to hell you lousy rat!” Golden shoved and bucked at the stallions holding her back, but it was too late. The bolts slammed into the ursan cub and sent it in an instant to its knees.
Vane hung his head – at least it had been quick for the little one. He turned and walked over to the struggling white mare and stared into her blue eyes, “I’m sorry, Golden. Your ponies at least will be able to rest in peace now.”
The white mare stared at him in shock, “I… I thought you were better than this, Vane, I really did.” A tear rolled down Golden’s cheek, “There was no need to kill the cub. No need at all.”
“You don’t know them like I do, Golden” the captain replied quietly, “If you did, you wouldn’t be saying that.”
Golden bared her teeth, “Go to hell, Vane.”
The Captain waved them away, “Take her back to the academy, boys, and if she says another word, you have my permission to gag her.” For a moment Golden stared at him, her blue eyes brim full of fury and, no doubt...pain. She’d lost friends and comrades in the cruellest and most horrific manner he could imagine, and right now she needed to be with them, not acting hysterical over some damned ursan cub. He gritted his teeth and shook his head in resignation; Golden, Golden, Golden...you foolish mare. Vane looked to the relief teams flying towards them in formation and signalled his flight to assemble. They’d have to check the cave for any more ursans of course, or any more ‘remains’, but he knew the answer already. He pulled off his flight helmet and goggles and lifted his muzzle to the sky, letting the wind cool his face and neck as his mane streamed out behind him. Pegasi tended to have longer manes and tails than the earth ponies of the academy. Ostensibly it was to help with cooling in flight, but in practice it had become the mark of a seasoned flier. The longer your mane and tail, the more experienced you were – within reason of course. In the pegasi academy the term ‘short mane’ or ‘shave tail’ took on a derogatory tone, but it was used to push the cadets to drive themselves forward and gain the precious experience they needed to learn and develop. Time and experience were without doubt the best teachers a soldier could have, but what had happened to Golden Spoon could easily send any pony over the edge, let alone an untested troop of cadets. There was every chance that what had happened here could hamper her career, maybe even bring it to a grinding halt if she didn’t find some way to get past it and move on. Right then the angry white mare was acting like a short mane: all emotion, feelings and noise. She had to stop, clear her head, and think. Whether she would, could, or even wanted to was up to her now.
“Skipper? Flight Major Cumulus has sent word for us to return to base.” Drag Line’s voice was a scratch on the window, the faint sound just loud enough to draw Vane’s attention away from the line of thought he was pursuing right then. He smiled and huffed quietly under his breath, “Mares...”
“Skipper?”
“Assemble the flight, Lieutenant, let’s get the boys home.” Vane turned and clopped the young stallion on the shoulder, “I think we’ve done our bit for one day, don’t you?”
With a sweep of his wings, Drag Line leaped into the air. Vane watched him go. Fitting his flight helmet back on and adjusting his goggles, he took one last look at the still steaming corpse of the ursan. He loved his job, he loved flying, but sometimes...sometimes despite its beauty he hated the world, and its senseless and petty cruelty. The cream coated pegasus shook his head and whispered under his breath, “I never want to see this damned place again.” And with the cool mountain air beneath his wings, he shot up into the endless blue sky and back to an evening with a hot shower, hot food, and as much alcohol as he could get his hooves on.
*************************
The heavy old wall clock ticked away steadily just as it always had, slowly removing one second after the next as the dawn drew ever closer. In the silence of the room it was deafening.
Thunk...thunk...thunk.
The amber liquid in the glass was no longer inviting nor pleasant, it was now no more than simply...a necessity. Today, more so than ever. She hadn’t slept in days, or was that weeks? Dear goddesses, she couldn’t even remember that now. Golden sighed and knocked back the brandy in one slug; it burned going down but she didn’t care anymore. Nothing really mattered now anyway. Her career was over, or at least it would be come around mid afternoon by her reckoning. She poured another glass and snorted – yep! Another hour or two and she’d be ready to face those dung piles and tell them what she thought. And why the hell not? They’d gone out of their way to shaft her, to pin the blame on her and her alone. Yet she was the one who’d had to sit there for hour after bloody hour, writing letters to the parents of the dead mares explaining why their beloved daughters would never be going home again. Every dip into the ink well, every letter and word scratched into the parchment, felt like she was inscribing it into her own heart. Celestia help her, she’d never felt so much pain and loss in her life. This...this wasn’t for her, she was never meant to do this sort of thing! The army had been meant to have been a steady if rather boring career to take her until retirement so she could sit at home with the next generation of Spoons reminiscing about ‘the good old days’. Nopony had told her, nor ever suggested, that some day she may have to do anything so terrible as this – nor feel such dreadful heartache. Army service for young nobles was viewed as an obligation in some respects, a way of progressing your family’s name in court and so you could have a fancy oil painting of yourself in your best uniform up above the fireplace – not writing letters beginning ‘It is my sad duty to inform you’ and other such damned meaningless...CRAP! Golden slammed the quill down and snatched up her glass, refilling it almost as fast. Buck those miserable scum to hell! And that damned...what was his name? Mane? Pain? Huh! Pain was right! That little turd – some bloody friend he’d turned out to be: ‘I’ve got your back’? Bullcrap! But the biggest fool here was her; why had she believed him? Why? What an idiotic, stupid, dumb arsed fool she’d been. Golden got up from her chair, upsetting it in the process before kicking it into the wall. Damned thing, it was emblematic of everything in this stinking place: it was half knackered, half working, half… half... bloody half! Golden felt like screaming – screaming and screaming until she threw up everything: hate, love, anger, sadness, loss, everything she had inside her that did nothing but cause her to feel like…like this… Even outside the weather mirrored her mood. Her reflection in the window stared back at her from the rain soaked glass, and that was the last thing she wanted to see. Her blue eyes, white coat and blue hair had made many liken her to Celestia when she was younger. What a joke! She doubted the precious ‘virginal princess’ would be seen dead with bloodshot eyes and bags under her eyes from lack of sleep, let alone stinking of booze. She shook her mane and smiled bitterly; no rainbows and magic here. If Celestia was the goddess of the sun and Luna the goddess of the moon, maybe she was the goddess of the pissing rain? She nickered under her breath and wiped a stray tear from her eye. She hadn’t even been allowed to see Lacy since the incident in the mountains; nopony had. Oh, she’d tried, of course she had, but no – off bloody limits for some reason and the damned RIP’s standing outside like bloody statues with their ‘Off limit’s First Lieutenant’ mantra that never changed made her want to scream. The last visit had resulted in her being physically dragged, actually dragged, from the hospital wing kicking and howling like a banshee. She’d even been threatened with the bloody guard house if she didnt ‘calm herself down’! Those lousy rats! Okay, so she’d had a few drinks, so what? Who could blame her after everything she’d been through? She’d lost, what was it...twenty five? Yeah, twenty five of the original forty one of her troop. With her, that left only...only...oh, sod it! She couldn’t remember, she couldn’t even remember five bloody minutes ago, and it was just as well! Golden slugged back the brandy and poured another, spilling half of it in the process. Goddesses, why wouldn’t the pain go away? WHY?! The alcohol helped a little of course; it dulled it, numbing her senses to a point where she could handle the images of the half starved, half frozen mares. But the sight of those hideous wounds, the messages from the medical officers to tell her another had had to have limbs amputated and may never walk again, these were things she would never forget, never be able to purge from her waking mind – or her sleeping one. Now, sleep was something that was no more than a memory. So much for bloody Luna! Where was the magical alicorn princess to take her off to the land of fluffy clouds and gentle pillows? What a load of bull…
Thunk...thunk...thunk…
Damn it all, why wouldn’t that bloody clock stop? Why wouldn’t time stop? Golden’s legs ached, her head ached and that clock...that damned, cursed clock! In a few hours at least it would be over, and then...then it wouldn’t matter any more would it? She turned to the door and flung it open, walking out into the empty corridor. The rest of Epsilon Troop, the ‘cursed patrol’ as the rest of the damned horse cocking academy had taken to calling them, were either in the hospital, sent home on recuperative leave, or simply… gone. Goddesses, she didn’t know what to think anymore – it was like living in a cave like those bloody ursans. At least they hadn’t been effectively locked in. Oh, sure, they hadn’t actually locked the damned doors, but they didn’t need to did they? No, they relied on her ‘honour’ not to just up sticks and bugger off with her tail between her legs. That would be something they’d love too, wouldn’t it? Oh yes, a good flogging of one of the Spoon family would have had some of the other families salivating at the mere thought of it. Damn them!
The door to the barracks creaked ominously in the silence while outside the weather seemed to be in collusion with it, adding that little bit more misery to the proceedings. Rain - steady, cold, and as empty as her heart… Golden shook her head and sank to her haunches in the mud, staring up at the night sky; if somepony had told her that there was even the remotest possibility that this sort of nightmare could happen she would never, never have agreed to join up in the first place. Instead, everypony had told how wonderful it all was, how her career and family would be showered in honour and glory – whatever the bollocking hell that damned tripe meant. Some honour! Where was the glory in killing a bear and staggering through the half digested remains of your friends? Friends who had trusted her, trusted her and she’d failed them. And where had she been? Hiding in a damned tree like a terrified squirrel, that’s where! While her friends were being…
“First Lieutenant Golden Spoon?”
Golden took a swig of the brandy and turned to face the black rain cape wearing pony. In the darkness, lit only by the occasional oil lamp, the stallion was nearly invisible. “You’ve found her, for what it’s worth.” She took another mouthful, “Now you can piss off back the way you came and leave me alone can’t you.”
The soldier didnt flinch, “Captain Vane sends his compliments and requests that you-”
“-And you can tell the good captain that his services are not required” Golden snorted, “For the umpteenth time, the answer is no! Celestia’s tits, can’t he understand Equestrian? Tell him to go buck himself.”
“Ma’am, I really don’t-”
“Gust?” Golden wiped the rain water from her eyes and stared at the stallion. She hadn’t noticed the bulges of his wings under his cape in the darkness, “Ah, he sent you this time did he?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Oh, very clever. Send somepony I know and i’ll just trot along like a good little filly, right?” Golden huffed, “And don’t think I haven’t forgotten how many times you fondled my arse either!” She advanced on him, her eyes narrowing, “I’m just an ‘earth pony’ mare, remember? Think i’m easy, is that it? Just put your bloody hooves all over me and i’ll stick my arse in the air so you can mount me like some cheap whore, am I right?”
Gust closed his eyes, “It wasn’t my intention to offend you, ma’am.”
“Oh, well that makes it alright then, doesn’t it?” Golden took another chug from her brandy bottle, “Well come on then, what are you waiting for? Why don’t you try and grab my arse again whilst you’re here, you little flying shit house? Come on! COME ON THEN!”
“Stand down, Lieutenant.”
Golden span round to face… “Vane?” Golden whinnied, “Ah, hail the conquering hero comes! Come to double team me now, eh? Sneaking up on me from behind is just the sort of thing you’d do, you dirty rat!” She drained the last of the brandy and stared at the empty bottle before throwing it at the cream stallion, “Couldn’t trust your feathered minions to do your dirty work for you so you came to stick the knife in yourself?” Golden sneered at him, “Don’t think i’ll lift my tail for you, you little twat! I’ll buck your damned-” Golden’s eyes went wide in shock. He’d...he’d hit her! Slapped her right across the muzzle and...and…
“Gust, go back to the barracks. I’ll take it from here.”
“Aye, aye Skipper.”
In a haze, Golden found herself being lead back into her room and sat on the bed. A towel hit her in the muzzle.
“You’re a mess, First Lieutenant. Clean yourself up.” Vane took off his rain cape and began turning the lamps up around the room, “You’re an officer of in the Equestrian Army, try acting like it.” He took off his panniers and began emptying them out. A few seconds later the smell of coffee – real coffee, wafted over to Golden’s nose invitingly. Captain Vane poured her a cup from his flask, “Get that down you. We haven’t got long until dawn, and you’ll need to be sober to face the court.”
“What’s the use...” Golden muttered, nursing her muzzle, “Just leave me be.”
“No.” Vane huffed irritably, “Now drink that or i’ll pour it down your stubborn throat.”
Golden stared at the empty cup and passed it back to the Captain in silence. Carefully, he poured her another, “I’ve spoken to the guard commander about Fair Lace” he said in his usual matter-of-fact manner, “If we’re quick, we can go and see her before the court martial begins.”
For a moment Golden couldn’t believe what she was hearing, “What did you say?”
“You heard what I said, First Lieutenant. There’s nothing wrong with your hearing.” Vane took out a sandwich and a bottle of faintly glowing blue liquid, “But you won’t be allowed in, in that state.” He put several items on the nightstand, “When you’ve finished the coffee, eat that and drink the contents of the bottle, it’ll help.”
Golden stared at the floor. Her head was such a mess right then all she wanted to do was throw the bed sheets over herself and hide, or cry, or scream...or something! Goddesses, anything other than having to sit here opposite that bloody self righteous...pegasus! She took a breath and wolfed down the sandwich, not even bothering to taste it. “You hit me.” she said quietly.
“And i’ll do it again if you don’t drink that” Vane replied, motioning to the bottle.
Golden uncorked it and drank the contents in one go. Mint, elderflower, and...something...prunes? “Oh...oh, goddesses…!” Vane had the bucket ready. “You...you bastard!” Golden’s stomach emptied itself in one huge surge. “Damn you Vane, damn you to...Urgh!” Golden’s stomach heaved again and again, emptying itself until finally there was nothing left but a hollow, aching emptiness in her chest and an aftertaste of mint. “Celestia’s hairy arse...you’ve poisoned me...”
“You can dispense with the amateur dramatics, Golden,” Vane huffed, “You got yourself into this state, nopony helped you.”
“Oh, piss off!” Golden spat the bile from her mouth and took the proffered cup of water, “I was quite happy being in the world of alcohol before you came along with your bloody great hooves and ruined everything.”
Vane rolled his eyes, “I think you’ll find your hooves are a lot bigger than mine.”
Golden glowered at him, “Was that another earth pony dig? It bloody well was wasn’t it? You...you feathered freak!”
“Aye, I probably am.” Vane shook his head, “A pony with wings – a hybrid of pony and bird, who’d have thought, eh?” He chuckled and lifted his hoof to hers, “See?”
Golden looked down at his hoof; it really was smaller than hers. Automatically, she reached out and touched it. The feeling made her jump back in alarm, her heart thundering in her chest and her ears burning, “What…?!”
Vane laughed, “Come on then, ‘earth pony’, let’s go and see this friend of yours.”
“But it’s...” Golden looked up at the clock, “Oh, goddesses, it’s two in the morning!”
“Well done!” Vane nodded enthusiastically, “I always knew earth ponies could tell the time!”
“Oh...shut up!” Golden shoved him away and walked to the door, “You coming?”
Vane smirked, “Right behind you, First Lieutenant.” He paused, “You know, I can see why Gust likes your rear so much. It’s so...firm looking.”
Golden shot him a look, “Do all pegasi sexually harass mares?” she grumbled, “What is it with you lot?”
“You haven’t met a pegasus mare, have you?” Vane said shrugging, “They’re insatiable.”
“Huh, I think the bloody stallions are bad enough.” Golden closed the door behind them, adjusting her rain cape, “Now belt up and let’s see if you’re not feeding me another crock of crap.”
“Perish the thought” Vane said, and followed her out into the night.
The medical block was silent other than for the occasional snort or cough from one of the patients. It was all horribly familiar, and yet despite that, Golden felt a thrill of excitement run through her. Her friend, Fair Lace, was just around the corner and she’d be able to see her – at least if Vane wasn’t pulling some stupid stunt that… She sighed and tossed her mane – he wouldn’t do that. She already knew he was a stallion of his word and would be...what? Honourable? She rubbed her muzzle and chuckled to herself; she probably deserved it, and besides, he hit like a little filly.
“Sir.” The guard saluted, and without another word nor even a challenge for identification, opened the door to let them through.
“How...” Golden began.
Vane shrugged, “Best not to ask” he said quietly, and stopped by the door that lead to the isolation room, “This is your time now. She’s expecting you.” He gave her a strangely sad smile and nodded towards the chair in the corner, “I’ll be here when you’re ready to go back.”
Golden nodded, a little unsure of what was happening here, but still… She opened the door and walked inside.
The room was sparsely appointed, but comfortable for a military hospital. The army didn’t go in for decoration, and blue and white walls were obviously in vogue. Sitting up in the bed, illuminated by the oil lanterns and reading a newspaper was a mare Golden knew all too well. She smiled at her, “Hello Lacy.”
“You took your time.” Fair Lace reached out and Golden all but fell into her outstretched hooves. Her tears, held back for so long, fell like a river bursting its banks as Fair Lace stroked her mane and held her as the white mare poured out her relief at seeing her friend for the first time since she’d seen her taken into this horribly sterile place. “Shhh...it’s alright now, Trips, it’s alright.” Lacy smiled gently, “Come on, that’s not the big girl I know. How about a smile, eh?”
Golden looked up at her friend through bloodshot eyes, “Oh, Lacy...I haven’t seen you for so long.”
“It’s only been a few days!” Fair Lace laughed, “At least, I think so.” She shrugged, “I lost track of time in here. Goddesses, it’s so boring!”
Golden sniffed a tear away, “Why are you still in here? They wouldn’t let me in to see you and every time I tried they chased me away. Lacy, there’s RIP’s on the door outside and they threatened to throw me in the guard house if I-”
Fair Lace bopped her playfully on the nose, “Stop that! Come on now, calm down and have a grape – they’re very good.” The amber coated mare waved towards the fruit bowl, “Ah...on second thoughts you may want an apple instead, apparently somepony’s already scoffed them all.”
Golden shook her head in a combination of amazement and delight, “What’s going on? Is it the baby?” A cold thought shot through her mind, “Theres….theres nothing wrong is there?”
Lacy shook her head, “Nope, all good here, Trips old girl.” She gave her friend a wink and ran a hoof over her swollen belly, “He’s kicking, you can feel for yourself If you’re careful.” She moved the covers away and guided Golden’s hoof to her enormous bump, “See?”
“I can’t...OH!” Golden jumped back, a silly grin spreading across her muzzle, “I did! I could feel
it!”
“’He’” Lacy nodded, waving a hoof admonishingly, “Not ‘it’. ‘It’ is a ‘he’.”
“How do you know?” Golden asked, genuinely puzzled.
Fair Lace shrugged, “I just do. Mothers intuition and all that.”
Golden sat and stared at the swollen area that harboured a developing life that would soon emerge into the world and swallowed, “What about...you know, the father?”
“Smelt?” Lacy frowned, “What about him?”
Golden looked up at her friend, “He does know, right? I mean, he has come to visit you hasn’t he?”
“Has he?” Fair Lace sniffed bitterly, “Oh yeah, he’s fallen over himself to see me. Every day he’s here trying to get in to see his beloved mare and the child they made together. Have a look in the wardrobe, he’s probably there now.”
Golden covered her eyes, “Oh Lacy...”
“No, no, it’s fine, Golden, really. I don’t need that fancy arse anyway – sod him. In a couple of days I’ll be on my way home and this toilet will be nothing but a bloody awful memory.” Fair Lace nickered, “No more nights of listening to coughing, belching, snoring and farting.” She tapped her friend on the shoulder and gave her a cheeky wink, “You can have all of that for yourself now, dear.”
Golden smiled, “You’re still the same.”
“Bloody hell, it’s not like i’ve been away is it?!” Lacy laughed out loud, shifting herself round so she was more comfortable, “Look, Trips, I know what happened out there.” She lifted a hoof to stop her friend jumping in, “Shush! Now listen, I know what’s going to happen tomorrow, and all I can tell you is to trust Weather, alright?”
“Weather?” Golden frowned, “Oh, you mean Captain Vane?”
“Ah, pooh!” Lacy waved a hoof dismissively, “He doesn’t like his first name, big deal.” She grinned, “And that’s exactly why I like to call him it.” The two beamed at each other and began to giggle.
For the first time in days, maybe even weeks, Golden did something she thought she’d never do again: she laughed.
Outside the room, Vane smiled – it was all he wanted to hear. Golden needed to see her friend, and it was simply a matter of a word in the right ear to reunite the two mares. Quietly, he got up, took out his hip flask and took a pull. Whiskey wasn’t really to his taste, but it did the job. He smacked his lips and stared at the pewter flask engraved with his name. It had been a gift from his grandfather upon passing his entrance exams. Poor bugger, he was long gone now – most of them were. Pegasi just didn’t seem to have that same endurance and longevity that earth ponies had. They lived fast, lived free, and before you knew it you were pulling three g’s in front of the gates to the herd. He closed his eyes and smiled absently; it wouldn’t be long now, and then that bloody court martial business would begin. It was times like this, as rare as they were, that he hated the army with a passion. Goddesses, it was so warm in here…
“Hey!” Something was pulling him, “Hey! Wake up, sleepy.”
“Mmm…? Golden?” Vane blinked and then yawned expansively, “Oh goddesses, I must have nodded off.” He looked at his pocket watch and yawned again, “It’s four in the morning.”
“Time to get back, don’t you think?” Golden gave him a nudge, “Come on, you can sleep at my
place.”
Vane didn’t argue. He’d been up for hours dealing with various items of correspondence, laboratory reports, and just...so...so many…
“Hoy!”
“Huh? Sorry...” Vane smiled and wearily pulled himself to his hooves, “After you ma’am.”
“Age before beauty eh?” Golden quipped.
“Mmm...very...”
The white mare looked back over shoulder, “Sorry?”
Vane blinked in confusion, “Hmm? Sorry Golden, I don’t know whether I’m coming or going. Luna’s arse, I’m absolutely knackered...”
“Well if we can all stop saying ‘sorry’ to each other for more than five minutes we might actually get a few hours sleep before my execution, won’t we darling?” Golden grabbed Vane’s rain cape and threw it over his back, fussing it into place.
“You’re like my mother” Vane grumbled.
Golden clucked her tongue, “Well somepony needs to be. Look at you, you can’t even get yourself dressed.”
“Are you going to put me to bed too?” he asked.
Golden frowned, “I’ll spank your arse raw for being so bloody cheeky if you don’t shut up!”
“Mmm….sounds good” Vane muttered under his breath. A little unsteadily he followed Golden into the night, his fatigue in check, but only just. Something about this mare seemed to be...infectious, but if he didn’t get some sleep then soon he’d be no use to her when he needed all his faculties the most. He shivered; outside the cold air and damp hit him full force, whipping around his rain cape and felt like it was soaking into his very bones. Whinnying, he gave himself a hard shake and surged ahead, quickly followed by a surprised First Lieutenant. Despite the dark, despite the rain and cold, the two ran – through puddles that splashed up their legs and soaked their tails. A lilting, yet throaty sound tickled his ears and he glanced at the mare running beside him. For some reason, Golden started laughing, her gaze catching Vane’s, her eyes glinting in the moonlight as it passed between the thick black clouds. Up the wooden steps and through the door, the two charged into the shelter of the mares barracks. With surprising dexterity, Golden pulled off her rain cape and hung it up before dashing through the door into her quarters. Vane was hot on her hooves, his breathing heavier than usual and- “Mmph!”
Golden pulled away, her deep blue mane hanging wildly about her, “I still hate you” she whispered.
Vane, his whole body tingling from the surprise attack, rallied, “I know” he said heavily, “But I can take anything you can throw at me Lieutenant.” He moved closer, brushing his lips against hers.
Golden chuckled lustily, her blue eyes burning into his, “I don’t know, shall we find out?” She paused and glanced at the clock, “Pointless going to bed now, don’t you think?”
Vane raised an eyebrow, “To sleep?”
“Oh, I wasn’t thinking of sleeping.” Golden suddenly shoved the cream stallion onto the bed, “Now, I believe I owe somepony a damned good spanking...”
**************************
“I think that’s enough about that!” Twilight snapped the diary shut and shook the last vestiges of magic from the spell. Goodness, her heart was racing away like a steam train!
“That seemed a bit harsh” Spike said curiously, peering at the diary with a wary expression, “I mean, why would she want to start spanking him? He hadn’t done anything wrong after all and-”
“SPIKE!” Twilight squeaked, “Please!”
The little dragon clucked his tongue and collected the empty cocoa mugs, “I don’t know what you’re getting all aerated about anyway. From I read, that Vane chappie wanted her to spank him. I mean, honestly, who wants to be punish?!”
“Spike, please!” Twilight’s voice was low and painfully strained, “The girls could hear you and-”
“Miss Sparkle?” Silver Spoon was peering over the banister railing rubbing her eyes sleepily, “Can I have a drink of water, please?”
“Oh, well done big mouth!” Twilight hissed at Spike, “Coming, Silver! Spike will bring one up for you.” She turned to the dragon, “Won’t you, Spike dearest?”
Spike huffed, “Huh! So much for your magic shield thingy, I thought you said they wouldn’t hear anything?”
“Well, I didn’t expect...” Twilight’s words tailed off and she facehoofed, “Oh, no, I completely overlooked the fundamentals! Oh, Twilight you stupid, stupid filly!”
“Care to share?” Spike said, returning with a glass and pitcher, “What fundamentals?”
“That Silver has a connection with the diary already” Twilight explained, “We may have cleansed the spell from it, but that doesn’t mean the magic in her isn’t connected still. Good grief, how did I overlook that?!”
“Buggered If I know” Spike muttered.
“SPIKE! Where did you hear language like that?!” Twilight sputtered.
“Same place you did” Spike replied, heading up the stairs, “The book, remember?”
“It’s a diary!”
Spike let out a sigh and passed the water to Silver who took it gratefully. Sometimes Twi could be a major pain in the...tail. Ha, ha, ha! Spanking! He suddenly flushed red as the curious filly watched him while she drank. “Hey, um, Silver Spoon, do you...y’know, have dreams about Golden Spoon?” he asked.
Silver nodded, “Uh-huh.” She took a mouthful of the water and swallowed it before asking, “You did too, didn’t you?” Spike nodded. “I couldn’t believe how big that bear was” she said wiping her muzzle – it was huge! I was so scared, but I knew that really, it’s only a story.” She paused for a moment in thought, “Mmm… well, not a story really, but...” She shrugged, “A way of recording what you did.” Nodding to herself, Silver grinned, “I like Captain Vane, I think he’s really cool! I don’t think Golden likes him though.”
“You don’t?” Spike asked in surprise.
Silver shook her head, making her pale silver-grey mane fly out, “Nope.” She took another sip of her water, “He must have been very naughty because Golden spanked him until his bottom was bright red! And do you know what? After that, he spanked her bottom too! And then-”
“I don’t want to know!” Spike squeaked, “That’s not for fillies! Celestia’s ears, that’s not for dragons either!” Unless...mind you, if it was Rarity punishing him, he might be willing to-
“Spike? Are the girls alright?” Twilight’s voice called from below.
Spike hurried to the balustrade, “Silver’s alright, Twi, and Diamond Tiara’s still asleep.”
“I’m surprised she is with all that racket” Twilight huffed. She turned back to her chalk board and missed the dark scowl from the dragon. Now, back to some proper science! Since Silver was up, she could run a few more tests and see if there was any correlation between the diary and this ‘taint’ as Erin had put it. All she needed now was an extra cup of cocoa and, so long as Spike had left some, an extra packet of biscuits.