XCOM: Ranger

by Wanderer D

Chapter 74: Short

The rain had lasted overnight, but their camp had been set up properly and Fluttershy's people had very good instincts on where their caches would be stationed. Thus, the group had stayed up long enough to eat their meals, and decided on guard duty, with Angel taking the first turn, followed by Sunset, Mox and finally Elena.

The night had been uneventful, with a single possible sighting of a panther by Elena. The large cat had prowled around the camp, but soon decided it would be too much trouble to attack them and had retreated into the night, climbing up into the lower branches of a tree, and jumping from there to the next one.

Eventually the rain died and the usual noises of the jungle returned, with an overabundance of crickets and frogs this time and lasted deep into the night. At last, just as the sun started to lighten up the distant horizon, Elena woke up Mox and the pair went over to where Sunset and Angel were sleeping.

"It is time to resume our mission."

Mox's amused words woke Sunset up, wrapped in the warm coils of Angel. She grimaced and cuddled up into the Viper's embrace, resting her head on the alien's bossom. "Ten more minutes, Mox."

Angel hissed in agreement.

"As comfortable as you are, I must remind you we have a mission to accomplish."

Sunset groaned, but  slowly pushed up. She couldn't resist and nuzzled Angel much like she would another pony. "Thanks. You were right, you're very comfortable."

"Only you would be able to sleep comfortably while you have a predator wrapped around your body," Elena said, shaking her head.

"Hey, you're just jealous because you had to sleep on the floor," Sunset said, standing up and stretching. Angel, for her part, simply slithered around her until she was upright next to Sunset.

She hissed playfully at Elena with a rather smug look.

Elena raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't know how comfortable Vipers are as beds, but I know that they can be rather chewy if not cooked properly."

Angel reared back, her tongue flicking into the air as she gazed at Elena. Then she turned to hiss at Sunset.

"Yeah," Sunset said, nodding after a pause. "I'm sure she's not joking."

Another hiss.

"Nope, I never ate any alien when I was with them."

"A fact that disappointed Natter to no end," Elena said.

As the group started gathering their equipment and getting ready to set out again, Angel hissed another question at Sunset, who shrugged. "Well, I did promise to tell you about it…"

She spoke as she packed her things. "After living with the Skirmishers for close to seven months, it was decided that I should go back to "my people"," Sunset started to say, only for Mox to snort in amusement.

"If by that you mean being kicked out for attempting to take over the whole Faction, then you have a gift for understatement,' Mox said.

The other two gave Sunset a look.

"I…" Sunset sighed. "I was a very different person back then… with completely different objectives."

"I think I would like to hear that," Mox said.

"Maybe… some other time," Sunset said, pulling the strings that tied her sheets tight. She carefully loaded her backpack and secured all pieces. "It's just… personal, and reflects a side of myself I'm working to change."

Angel hissed, her clawed hand touching Sunset's arm comfortingly.

"Thanks," Sunset said with a smile. "Bradford taught me a lot, he… he wasn't at his best when I met him, but it didn't take him long to earn my respect. We went through a lot together, and I like to think, in a small way, I helped him too.

"He taught me more about this world's tactics. Got me a copy of The Art of War somehow... he walked me through missions, showed me what had gone wrong or right on each. When I went out with New Hope's guerillas to attack ADVENT, he was there to welcome me back and talk to me and go over the missions… anyway...

"After we set out to find the Avenger, we visited several places where acquaintances and allies of his had set up base, one of them being the Reapers. The first person I met there was Natter, who was just shy of 5 foot four, perky and entirely crazy.

"She volunteered me on a hunt and after how that went… well, I was now on their good graces, even if it was by virtue of comedy value. My pride had taken a hit with how that initial hunt had gone, and of course at the time, I only knew their skills as hunters through rumor, rather than experience.

"So I got it into my head that I wanted to earn their respect and eventually lead them…"

"I'm starting to see a pattern here," Elena muttered.

Sunset pretended she hadn't heard her. "...but I was really not that great at what they did, and their combat style didn't really fit my up-close and personal style. However, they had a lot of skills that would be useful, so, when I found out Natter and one of her friends were heading out to hunt, I decided to ask Bradford and Volk to let me go with them.

"It took some doing, but they let me go, although I had to learn as much as I could, how to think like a Reaper." Sunset chuckled. "I thought at the time I could do it… let's just say it takes more than being good at a couple of shared skills."

The alpine air was cold, but invigorating.

Sunset had never gone camping as a filly, and even her stay with the Skirmishers was a completely different experience from this.

They were up in the mountains—somewhere in Europe—several days away from the main Reaper camp, where Volk and Bradford had an ongoing discussion that for some reason would still take several days.

Sunset was wearing a less-bulky, but much warmer armor on loan from the Reapers, and currently was on the trail with her friend Natter, who had somewhat forced the friendship into happening and Vehoski. The latter's first name was Don, but he never answered to his name for some reason, preferring to be called by his last name only.

In fact, Don seldom spoke, but he added that sense of stability to the whole situation that, were it lacking, Sunset knew would drive her mad.

Even though she didn't have the patience to become a sniper, after the Elk incident, Sunset had insisted they help her learn stealth. Never again would she be tossed around, and become the unexpected rider of a panicked Elk in the middle of a forest.

Despite Natter's promise that she would never tell anyone about it, Sunset knew the reality was she was never going to live it down. Especially with the looks the shorter woman gave her from time to time just before giggling.

"So, what's the plan?" Sunset asked once they were ready to move on.

"Well, we still have a few days before we need to head back, and we've only managed to show you a few tricks. I think it's time we start tracking the big one."

"The big one."

"Yes! And I have the best idea—"

"No."

The pair turned to look at Don, who was looking down at Natter with a neutral expression.

"But, Don! I saw—"

"I know, I saw them too, we don't want to do that." He glanced at Sunset. "She's not experienced enough. She could get killed."
"What?" Sunset asked. "What is it? Was it the bear?"

"See, Don?" Natter insisted. "She's not useless! She noticed the bear trail!"

"You danced around the pawprints singing Let me be your Teddy Bear," Don pointed out. "It is hard to not clue into that."

"Look," Sunset spoke up, "Whatever it is, I'm up for the challenge."

"Really?" Natter asked, raising an eyebrow. And Sunset knew it was not a good idea to say yes.

"Yes," Sunset said. "Really."

Natter grinned and looked at Don, who sighed.

"Good! Then we go down south, past the river," Natter said, pointing down the slope of the mountain. "And pay attention as we go, because by the time we get there, you'd better be a ghost."

Sunset grimaced, but nodded. As the trio started trudging down the mountain, Sunset once again asked, "So, what are we hunting?"

"My favorite kind of sushi," Natter declared.

"What?" Sunset asked, bewildered. "We're hunting fish?"

"No," Don said, "we're hunting Sectoids."