//------------------------------// // chapter 4 // Story: Equestrian/Griffon War: Season 1 Episode 1 // by BlackFeather //------------------------------// Chapter 4 Around eighty griffons were sent towards Ponyville to do a harassment skirmish and the sergeant loved the results. Nearly one hundred Equestrians where killed and he only lost seventeen. Not a bad take at all. Colonial Windger would be pleased. Maybe there was a promotion in his future. He and the rest of his men had fled to the southern border of the Everfree Forest to lie in wait until Windger gave his next orders. “that was too easy” said a Legionnaire who sat down next to some comrades by a fire. “Yeah, I thought they would at least put up more of a challenge” said a second Legionnaire. “Wonder if they will get wise and throw something more dangerous like horse shoes” a third joked. The group around the fire laughed. “Who knows if any of them can actually swing a sword correctly” said the first. “I’d wager that none of them can even shoot a bow” said a fourth. Just as the Griffon said that an arrow came out of nowhere and stuck the second Griffon in the neck. As he fell on his back it took a second for the other Legionnaires to understand what happened. They jumped up and raised the alarm. The third Legionnaire was then shot in the chest and fell to the ground next to his already dead comrade. The sergeant, hearing the commotion, rallied his men and formed a defensive line to meet the new enemy. Just before he could get organized. Several men came out of the forest armed with swords and shields. Some had lances and short spears. A small amount had bows and where shooting at the Griffon line. The ambushers whore purple painted armor with a light purple as the outline and a darker purple as the base color. The armor style and helmets used where totally Equestrian, no doubts there. What was doubtful was if this was who the Sergeant thought they were. The battle line was formed and split a second later as it was ramped into by the Equestrian attackers. Several Legionnaires were pushed over and the line immediately broke. Fighting then started as the Griffons to shocked and unprepared to fight quickly fell by sword or spear or by tripping on a rock as they tried to flee. Those who tried to flee were met with Pegasi in the air or by a shield on ground. The Legionnaires where surrounded with nowhere left to go but by fighting. The Sergeant and his most confident men held their line as best as they could but with the heavy charge plus arrows showing up instantly that moral fell. Less than half of the Sergeant’s men still fought or tried to escape. The majority were dead or surrendered. Seven men with him and a hoard of swords, spears, and arrows approaching the Sergeant saw one thing that stood out. A flag. The flag matched the color of armor with light purple background and a six pointed purple star in the center. The Sergeant knew that star. It was the same star as on the Princess of Friendships hand. This was her army. Not some lazy town militia, this was the true army she had gathered. Hidden all along. What a fool he had been. He stared at that flag till something hard hit his head knocking him out cold. Twilight stood a good couple of yards away from the fighting dressed in her purple painted Princess armor that Rarity showed them. She had her rapier at her side and Glass Horn by the other. Black Feather lead the charge on the ground and Cloud Kicker in the sky. After tallying up the count two of her militia were wounded but no deaths. Out of the sixty-three Griffons twenty-one where alive and captured. Some steal caged carriages came up the path and stopped to get Prisoners inside for the ride back to Ponyville. “Alright, lets load up the prisoners and get going” Black feather shouted as he took off his helmet. He walked back to Twilight who stood and smiled as he approached. “Well this armor looks good, follows my body movements, and is extremely comfortable” Black Feather said. “Rarity will be glad to hear that” Twilight said. “I’m just glad the charge worked. Our main force is full of militia who haven’t even been training that long” Glass Horn said. One hundred and ten was Twilights number and only half were used. Seventy-seven percent of the force was still untrained militia that wanted payback for Ponyville and everyone who died. Pinkie pie and Applejack walked up and joined the chat with the others. Pinkie still had her helmet on and her knifes on her belt. Applejack didn’t want a helmet and had a big hammer over her shoulder. “Well that’s done and over with” Applejack said. “I also managed to knock the leader out so we can talk to him later” Black Feather looked pleased. “Alright, let’s head back, Cloud Kicker can hold things up here” Back at Ponyville Rainbow Dash had been watching the new guys train some of the Militia that hadn’t gone with Twilight on the hunt for the Griffons. She was now walking around Sugercube Corner taking a load off from what had happened today. After a few minutes of walking later Rainbow Dash saw Scootaloo sitting on a bench. Dash went over to her to try to spark a conversation. “Hey squirt, how are you doing” Dash asked. Scootaloo looked at Rainbow Dash with teary eyes. “Rainbow Dash” She said with a rough throat. She grabbed Rainbow Dash and held her tight. “Hey whats wrong kid” Dash asked holding her to. “I-I just learned that both my parents died today” Dash looked horrified. She had meet both of Scootaloo’s parents before but now that they are dead means that either Scootaloo will have to go live in the Orphanage that Cherrilee put together or find someone to care for her. She was only starting in high school this year and didn’t know how to fend for herself completely. “Hey if you want, I could possibly adopt you if you have nowhere to go” Dash said. Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow Dash with some surprise. She always thought of Rainbow Dash as a big sister but this was something else. Scootaloo just cried some more and nodded her head to Rainbow Dash. “Don’t worry squirt, everything will get better in the end” Rainbow Dash said as she held a crying Scootaloo for the next while.