//------------------------------// // Blizzards and Enduring Spirit // Story: Where The Heart Lies // by Broman //------------------------------// Quicksilver was dreaming. He felt his body flying in the sky, the snow falling around him and covering his body in white. Yet, he strangely felt warm to it as he flew through it. He didn’t seem to care for the cold, he welcomed it. He allowed his body to glide through the cold wind and air. He saw a light ahead of him. It was pure and no darkness surrounded it, like a light at the end of the tunnel. A smile parted his lips; he wanted to go to the light. He flew through the sky, yet he drifted at the same time, like a leaf on the wind. He didn’t seem to care where he was flying, so long as he was nearing closer to the light. He looked around him and could see nothing but the cold winter. His wings continued to ice over, but they still functioned to keep him flying. “Quicksilver,” a faint voice called to him through the snow and wind. His ears perked up, wondering where the sound was or who said it. When he couldn’t find anypony, he continued to move forward. “Quicksilver.” The voice grew louder. Quicksilver halted his flight, stopping just short of the light’s threshold. He looked about him once more, seeing the snow that continued to fall around him. Yet the more he stared, the more he saw that the snow had slowed its descent. “Who’s there?” he called softly. The voice did not reply, and he was more confused than ever. He soon felt his wings begin to heat up, his body feeling pressure from putting in so much effort. “Come back, Quicksilver,” the voice spoke from underneath him. He looked down. His eyes widened when he saw his sister calling up to him from the ground below. She waved her hooves at him, trying to get his attention. He wanted to see her, he wanted so much to be with her, to hug his older sister and find comfort once again. He tried going to her, but the closer he moved toward her, the more the snow melted off of him and his body felt pain. He ignored it.The light behind him faded, but he paid no heed to it. He continued to descend at a rapid rate, getting closer to her. He didn’t care that he was falling; he would gladly give anything or pay any price if only he could be with her once again. He fell at a frightening rate, while a large hole grew bigger right in front of Silverwing. Quicksilver tried to fly and avoid the hole, yet his wings would not function. He fell through the hole, barely grasping the ledge before it broke apart. He starred up in horror as he lost sight of Silverwing, and he cried out her name as he tumbled into the darkness that surrounded him. *** “Silverwing… Silverwing,” Quicksilver muttered, his vision obscured by darkness. He moved his head from side to side, trying to get it up, but found that he couldn’t. Either the blanket was wrapped too tightly or he was just too weak to move. He did notice, however, that he felt much warmer than usual. He didn’t know if he was granted mercy and given an extra blanket, or if his body was buried by his own thin blanket and he just couldn’t get out. “Silverwing,” he muttered once again, raising his head again. This time, he was a little more successful, but soon found his head was blocked. He felt something wrap around the back of his head and he didn’t know what was holding him down. He turned his head to the side and found that whatever he was facing was quite warm to his face and cheeks. His eyes closed, and he tried to rest back into the soft surface, his cheek brushing up against the warmth of this mysterious surface. “Are you awake, fletching?” he heard Gretchen say. Guess she was awoken again by my mutterings or night frights, Quicksilver thought. He muttered a ‘yes’ that was barely audible, and he smothered himself back into the blanket. He then felt a talon poke him on the head. “That’s good. At least you’re not dead, so try not to get comfortable in my feathers,” she added. Quicksilver’s eyes opened in abject horror. His face was buried in Gretchen’s chest, and his body was hugged tightly against hers. (image here) His face turned a beet red as he eyed what he could see. Her wing had wrapped around him like a thick blanket, covering him from any chance of cold or the chill of winter. He felt her arms along his body, as well as her talons prickling the back of his head. One of his legs was also in between her feline legs, and he was tight as a prey to a boa constrictor. He had a very sudden urge to bolt from his resting place, but the sharp talons made him think twice on it. “Gretchen, what are you doing!?” he stammered, trying to make sense of it all. He tried to raise his head back up and away from her. “Hold still, you’re going to let the cold in,” she said, firmly holding him in place and removing any escape attempt. “I found you collapsed in the snow, Fletching. You would have been a frozen corpse by morning,” she said. “I fainted in the snow?” he said, his mind remembering the details of what occurred and how Sharp Beak had worked him to the bone. “Yes, and you’re lucky that I was there to pick your stupid body up and bring it inside. You were cold as a glacier when I was warming you up,” Gretchen said, belittling him like a child. His mind wandered for a moment, remembering how cold he was earlier. He could imagine being gifted at least a large and thicker blanket for his troubles. He then he turned his head up and was able to see directly into her eye, where she watched with an unamused expression. “So the reason you’re holding me this close is because-” “Because your body was cold, and you would have likely frozen to death if you slept on your side of the tent, regardless of what you had. Besides, it's easier to keep warm when you share heat,” she said. Quicksilver looked at her curiously, but with a small shade of red appearing on his face. She noticed this and gave a little sneer as she draped her left claw over his head. He cringed slightly from the impact. It was not enough to hurt, but just enough to keep him from staring. “Don’t get me wrong, Fletching. I hate this as much as the next gryphon, and I don’t want others thinking I’ve gone soft for you. So don’t get any funny ideas,” she said. He nodded. She was usually more reserved, being tough on him when it came to his care; the reason could be said that she didn't want to get ridiculed by her peers. He also knew from earlier that she did have a caring side to her, but that was with the Thestrals. Besides, he was not sure how this would be different from when she had cared for his wing and watched over him. He thought over this, then felt Gretchen shift in position and felt her tail around his back leg. “What are you doing now?” he asked. She grunted in reply. “It’s late, and I’m tired. Just get some sleep, Fletchling; you’ll need it for tomorrow,” she said, lowering her head just over his own. “Kind of hard to go to sleep knowing an apex predator is clutching me close in her talons,” he said softly. She chuckled at his remark, her chest reverberating next to his cheek. He then felt the back of his head grabbed by her claw, and he was lifted up to see her face to face. “Oh, a predator am I?” she said, almost sounding serious as she gave off a authoritative attitude. “You will be lucky enough to survive the night without my help. I have the power here, and you are right in the palm of my claws,” she said, leaning closer until her beak was close to one of his eyes. He gave a nervous laugh as she drew closer, her beak opening up and seeming to chatter next to his face. After a tense few seconds, she lowered his head back down rather roughly and chuckled once again. “You know, Fletching, you are so easy to tease. A predator unleashes his fangs, and you’re already a quivering mess,” she said as she lowered her head back down to his head. He was lucky enough that she couldn’t see him turning cherry red by her antics. “Now I’ll never get to sleep,” he stated. He felt another firm hit on the head by her claw. “Ow.” Gretchen soon draped her left arm over him as Quicksilver lowered his head back down, resting (albeit reluctantly) next to her chest. He felt the warmth hit him instantly as he pressed himself further into her feathers. A small realization crossed his mind as he pressed his cheek further in. He found that on the surface her feathers were a little cold, but deeper in it was as warm as a small furnace. Almost equivalent to a feathery blanket, in a literal sense of the word. He laid still next to her body, trying his best not to freak out that he was in the position, but it was hard not to ignore. He turned his head slightly and found his cheek and ear were sitting next to her chest. It was then he heard a distinct heartbeat from her, beating in a rhythm that was slow and relaxed. He focused on that heartbeat, using the tempo as means to lull him sleep. As he tried to drift off, one of his ears flickered toward Gretchen. He opened his eye and tried to look at her, but was held tight and couldn’t lift his head off her chest. Clearing his mind, he spoke softly enough for her to hear. “Thank you, Gretchen. For helping me,” he said. He heard her grunt in response. “You’re welcome, Fletchling. Now sleep,” she said bluntly as she resumed resting. Quicksilver returned to his position, his head placed right next to her chest. As he tried to go back to sleep, another thought came to his mind, a thought that kept him up for another hour before he was able to get back to sleep. Why did you save me? *** Quicksilver woke up and found that Gretchen was nowhere to be found. He heard the hustle and bustle from the camp outside his tent; nothing new or out of the ordinary. He stood up from his position, his muscles straining from overuse. No doubt he would spurn the colonel if he didn’t show up. He moved weakly, but was slowly getting motion into his legs. He stopped at the entrance of the tent and gave a look back at the loft of hay on the bed. He had a niggling thought if what he experienced last night was real or some vivid dream. As he exited the tent, he saw a guard stationed nearby. The guard took a good look at him and motioned him to move out. “Sharp Beak is waiting for you, scum,” he said before forcing Quicksilver to move down the hill. Already he missed Warden being here and having a silent guard by his side. He made his way down the hill, taking in the cold morning air (if it was morning; he personally felt it was more around noon). After walking for a time, he soon found himself near the barracks and saw many gryphons standing in front of the entrance. Quicksilver looked up and saw the whole building’s foundation and walls had finally been completed. His escort moved him towards the front of the barracks. That is where he saw Sharp Beak at the front, addressing his soldiers. Quicksilver rolled his eyes as the pompous colonel spoke, giving off bravado that without his ‘leadership’, then this barrack would not have been possible. It was a whole bunch of horse shit to him. Sharp Beak was in the middle of his grandeur when he noticed Quicksilver approaching. “Ah, there is the prodigal pony we’ve all been waiting for,” he said as he ushered Quicksilver to come forward. He did as he was told, moving closer to the colonel’s side and seeing that smug face that he was bearing. As he drew closer, he noticed the Thestrals were all packed together, Nightshade being at the head of his flock. The leader was weary and drained from the days’ events, and he could see the bags under his eyes from the lack of sleep. They were nocturnal creatures, after all. Once Quicksilver was close to his side, Sharp Beak garnered the crowd's attention by holding his right claw outward. “My brothers, we have much to celebrate for what has been done this past week. This all was the culmination of the work that we have set for this fort and what it shall be aspired to.” He stopped, turning to take a few steps to his left. “With these barracks finally complete, we shall be ready to train for the long war to come. As you all might have heard, there is an army consisting of two divisions, each with five regiments of our finest has to offer.” Twenty thousand soldiers!? Quicksilver thought while Sharp Beak continued on. “They are marching towards Prancy, with the intention of recapturing the city and driving out the invaders from the lands which are rightfully ours!” he proclaimed. The Nomad gryphons cheered in jubilation to this. Quicksilver noticed that all of the Royal Gryphons were silent, and saw a few young blood Nomads not joining in with the news. Sharp Beak turned around and walked towards him, still keeping his attention to the crowd. “We have come together, in this bastion, were we will be the heroes of the Gryphon Empire. We will be the future vanguard of King Bronzeclaw’s armies! We will be the swordwind that will cut out the resistance of the foolish equines! After all these years, we will be the ones that will turn this around, for the greatness of the gryphon empire. We shall smite the equines from our lands!” he yelled out. He turned his attention to Quicksilver as his comrades cheered him once again. “Never again will they trample over our lands. Never again will there flags be upon our monuments of our cities. We shall strike as one claw, one raging fire and one almighty soul!” he yelled, getting ever closer to Quicksilver. “Never again will our children need fear of these equines who stomp and curse like monsters in the night!” he said, seizing the top of Quicksilver’s mane as he pulled him to face him. “Your leaders think that they’ve already achieved victory. After all the losses they’ll suffer, it will not be the sound of victory, but of dread. Fear will grip their hearts as we drag them from their glittery towers of Canterlot and impale their bodies upon the spikes of our conquered land. They will know that all of Equestria belongs to the gryphons of the Empire, and they will know our vengeance burns far greater than the sun itself!” he finished. His Nomad gryphons screamed out in a thrall of joy and rage. Quicksilver eyed them, watching as they were whipped up into a  frenzy. He was not sure if this was his intention, or just wanting them to get angry. After a moment, Sharp Beak released his mane and turned his attention to his troops. “Now since this has been finished, I thought we get everyone's belongings into the barracks and get ourselves settled. But first...” he said, snapping his talons for a couple of gryphons to step aside and for Quicksilver to see who came forward. His eyes widened when he saw Gretchen coming forward with a large barrel strapped to her back. She carried the heavy barrel forward until came a few paces away from the mass of gryphons. When she stopped, she looked up to see Sharp Beak, and that is where Quicksilver was able to get a good glimpse of her. She looked ragged, more so then from yesterday. He could see the bags under her eyes, and her body swayed from side to side, weary from some laborious task. Her feathers were also ruffled up and unkempt, no longer holding to their pristine state. She looked and eyed Quicksilver first, but then focused on her attention to Sharp Beak, who seemed pleased by this. “As you can see, my valiant brethren, this is the result of the misguided and foolish,” he said, berating Gretchen like a criminal. She stared back at him with a hateful gaze, and Sharp Beak merely chuffed at her expense. “This naive child had committed the worst crime imaginable: aiding and nurturing to the the care of these feral beasts and our prisoner,” he said, gesturing to Quicksilver while the throng hissed and booed at him. “I only did what was right!” Gretchen flared, her wings extending and trying to put up a show of strength. Yet Sharp Beak was unfazed by this. “As you can see, her mind’s been poisoned by being around these creatures. Their stench has rubbed off on her, making her feel of sympathy for these mongrels,” he said with much mockery. Quicksilver watched her eyes narrow in disappointment. “Like you know anything about sympathy or kindness! You’re nothing but a beast yourself!” Gretchen said. Sharp Beak laughed at her remark. “If I’m a beast, then I would be the one who stalks these equines’ dreams and haunt their nightmares. I would be an instrument of despair, so that these foolish ponies know their place!” he said as he showed off his wings to equal hers. He then turned to two of his guards and nodded to them. They moved in and seized Gretchen by her arms, while she struggled in their grip. They left the barrel behind as she snapped her beak at her captors. She was brought forward before him and forced to sit on her haunches. Before Sharp Beak was able to say anything, his head popped up to a commotion among the crowd. Quicksilver followed his gaze and noticed a staff moving through the throng of gryphons. “Sharp Beak, have you gone mad?!” Felix’s voice was heard over the crowd. The Arch Gryphon pushed his way past his kind, getting towards the front of the pack and ready to address the colonel. “I will not tolerate the shameful acts upon a fellow gryphon!” he said, pounding his staff into the ground. Sharp Beak lifted his claw and snapped his talons together. Two Nomad guards with halberds stepped forward and blocked Felix’s path. Felix looked at the two guards, gripping his staff and holding it to his chest. “You would dare strike down a fellow gryphon, even of one of the cloth?” he said in a calm manner, his focus not on the guards but more onto the colonel. Quicksilver watched Sharp Beak sneer at him in disgust. “Silence you old fool, or you’re next,” he said as he turned his attention to Gretchen. “You will not interfere with what justice demands.” “What you call justice is blind hatred! Your actions will be your own downfall, if you continue this path,” Felix said. “Shut your trap! Guards, remove this priest from my sight, but not too far. He must witness this,” he said. The two guards forced Felix to back away. The arch Gryphon struggled to get past them, yet he was ultimately removed from the inner circle, allowing Sharp Beak to turn his attention back on Gretchen. “Now, since you have been so ardent in helping these pathetic creatures, we might as well give you an award for your services,” he said while a gryphon broke open the barrel and the gryphons nearby began seizing whatever was inside. Quicksilver saw them holding what appeared to be old tomatoes and rotten vegetables. The first dozen or so gryphons lined up as Gretchen looked at her fellow comrades in dismay. “When my uncle hears of this, he will have your head!” Gretchen said, causing Sharp Beak to laugh at her meager threat. “When he learns, he will be already retaking Prancy. He will be too far away to hear your cries for help,” he said, then turned to his fellow Nomads. “Alright, lads! Let her have her reward!” he yelled. Quicksilver watched as the first few rotten tomatoes and old cabbage sailed through the air and hit their mark. Gretchen lifted her claws up to defend herself as old vegetables struck at her body or splashed at her legs. He turned to see Sharp Beak, who ascended into the air to avoid the fire, laughing as Gretchen was pelted by the rotten food. Quicksilver felt sorrowful as he watched Gretchen being punished. She begged for the first offenders to stop, yet her pleas fell on deaf ears. He cringed as a large tomato smacked right across her face, the juices trickling off her beak and down her back. Upon further inspection, he noticed tears were streaming down her cheeks, even as she lowered her head and curled herself to become less of a target. She was so vulnerable, and her so-called companions were relishing in her punishment. It was in that moment that Quicksilver knew what he had to do. Quicksilver went forward and stood in front of Gretchen, while the gryphons readied for the second volley of projectiles. “That’s what I thought you would do!” Sharp Beak called out from above, “You did this with the bat savages, and now you're doing it once again! Those who give him a good hit shall get special rooms next to the fire in the barracks!” he yelled to his soldiers. The gryphon Nomads threw the next barrage of food, cheering out for want of the reward. Quicksilver raised his right wing and curved it out, protecting himself as well as covering Gretchen. He winched slightly from the contact of food pelting him. He lowered his head to make his head as small of a target as possible, and cringed whenever a good hit struck at his side or hit him in the legs. When he got a chance, he was able to take a good look at Gretchen and to see if she was alright. She stared up at him in bewilderment, her golden eyes dazzled from the nearby fires and she appeared stunned by his appearance. Either she was not expecting him, or she believed that he would never risk doing this for her. She wiped away the first of the rotten tomatoes off her face with a claw, but her attention remained focused on him. He could only imagine what was going on in her mind. Being either grateful for his interference, or uncertain to what his actions have caused. It didn’t matter much to him. She shouldn’t be punished for helping others. The gryphons readied another volley, this time extending outward so that they could get better angles on them. A few went into the air and then, without word or warning, they threw the next projectiles at them. Quicksilver hunkered down as best he could, using his right wing to defend himself from the incoming projectiles and tried his best to cover Gretchen. He was peppered by rotten tomatoes and snowballs on his side while the noble gryphons and a number of young bloods stood idle. He couldn’t stare at them long before he felt a snowball strike the top of his forehead. He cringed slightly and covered his forehead with a hoof. He rubbed the sore spot and noticed blood on the ground. Observing it closely he saw that the snowball that struck him had a rock inside, and he saw blood upon the small stone. He looked out to see the throng of gryphons and some who saw him made the claim of making that shot. ”I’ve bled him! I get the special room!” “You're a buffoon, it was I who struck the blow!” “You're both fools! I will claim the prize!” He saw a number of gryphons making the claim, and each one engaged each other for asserting their right. “Have you no honor!” Felix called out from behind the guards, blocked by the halberds the guards carried. He couldn’t interfere in their sport even if he tried. His words would not temper the hatred the gryphons had for their equine captive. “Alright lads, that’s enough,” Sharp Beak commanded over his soldiers, descending down to break up the dispute between them. The rest of the Nomads soon ceased their barrage. This gave Quicksilver a moment to look back down at Gretchen to see if she was alright. Thankfully she was, wiping away some of the rotten debris off her feathers and face. Without another word, he offered a hoof towards her to lift her up. She eyed him waringly, unsure of what he was doing. However, he still held his hoof to her, waiting for to respond. After another moment of hesitation, she reluctantly accepted and pulled herself up from his assistance. He hoisted her up until she stood on her feet and he backed away to give her room. Once she was steady, she continue to stare at him, still stunned for what he has done. Silence permeated between them, but also an understanding was conveyed as well. An appreciation in the kindness they both shared and the concern it brought. “Alright, Quicksilver!” Sharp Beak called out, breaking their moment. “Since you’re so adamant in helping others, I say another punishment is in order!” He proclaimed, his fellow gryphons in an uproarious revel in his decision. “But first, you lot gather your things and move into the barracks!” he shouted out and the nomads immediately scattered off to their tents, eager to get the best spots within the barracks. Quicksilver eyed the colonel as he made his way over to them, but stopping short to eye Gretchen. “I do hope you learnt your lesson. I would hate to see a young beauty be marred once again.” he said in a drowning way. Gretchen snarled and turned her head away, heading off in the direction of where her tent was. Quicksilver went to follow, but stopped when the back of his hair was seized. “You’re not going anywhere, you swine,” he said, low and unforgiving. Quicksilver grunted in pain as he was pulled by Sharp Beak towards where the rest of the lumber was stacked. He was thrusted forward and he landed heavily onto the ground, some juices from the rotten tomatoes flying off him from the impact. He steadily raised himself to meet the colonel, only to meet two guards facing in front of him. They grabbed at him and he struggled for a moment but he was soon restrained. Quicksilver looked forward to find the colonel, only to find that he was not there. He felt the cold wind around him and he looked up to see that Sharp Beak was over his head, and carrying a long piece of wood. Sharp Beak lowered himself until he placed the wood onto Quicksilver’s back.  The guards assisted in this, moving the block until it was balanced onto his back. Quicksilver felt his wings extend slightly, forcing his left wounded wing to hold the block. “This is a training exercise among my kind,” Sharp Beak started, lowering himself down until he was face to face with Quicksilver. “We place blocks of wood onto our backs and we balance with our wings extended,” he explained, while the two guards finished and left Quicksilver’s side. “The longer we hold it, the more strength we have within our wings, and the most prestige we receive for our feat,” he said, backing away from him. Quicksilver struggled from the weight of the wood, trying his best to keep it stable. He felt his body shift from one side to the other, almost stumbling from the weight, but he quickly corrected himself. However, his damaged wing had not yet healed, and it was not given the proper amount of time to rest. Because of this, he could feel the strain upon his left wing and he could already feel the pain start to grow. Sharp Beak only laughed at the display that was being performed. “The longest that any gryphon held was five hours and fifty minutes. If you can hold out until then, your ordeal will be over,” he said with a sinister grin on his face, turning away to leave him to his supposed task. “You’re…. You’re insane! Nopony can hold out for that long!” he called out as Sharp Beak gave a loud guffaw at his expense. He turned and gave a smirk, almost knowing that Quicksilver would question him. “Then you should know your place,” he said, approaching him until he was face to face with Quicksilver. “If you don’t want this, then bend the knee and admit that the Gryphon Empire is superior to your race,” he said. Quicksilver looked at him, seeing the decision placed before him. Either submit to Sharp Beak  and lose all respect, or deny him his victory and face the punishment. He knew his answer by immediately spatting on the ground in front of Sharp Beak. The colonel looked down at his front claws and then back at Quicksilver. He snapped his talons together and one of his guards came forward holding a crossbow in his claws. “If he drops it, you may kill him,” he calmly ordered, leaving the two were they were. The guard heartily checked the crossbow and loaded a single bolt into the groove. He then stood stationary, his crossbow was not aiming at Quicksilver but it was at the ready for the moment he fails. Quicksilver locked his legs into place and kept his wings still, keeping the wood balanced onto his back. He could already feel the sweat pour down the side of his head as he stayed in place. The pressure was already starting to build, and he could feel his wings strain from the constant stress. He kept his focus forward, clenching his teeth in the process. Breath and endure, he thought, taking slow deep breaths, trying to not think of the possibility of death. Yet, if ever so slowly, his discomfort and fear was slowly getting to him. Breath… Endure. *** Silverwing felt jaded while she scanned the horizon, giving a small yawn in the afternoon. She could still see the mountains ahead of her, coming closer everyday they approached. She also could see the sky darken up a bit in the northern sky, but no doubt the storm would not come and reach them. She blinked lazily, the lack of awareness due to a few restless nights, wondering how much further they needed to go. It’d been a whole week since they left the last village, yet they have made significant progress. The snow fall had lessened and the roads were more clear, giving them a chance to put in more miles on the road and without hindrance. A five to ten mile work day during bad weather now turned into at least fifteen to twenty miles. The week-long travel from the last village now seemed so distant. Now she believed, hopefully, that they would reach the High Tail mountains within a few short days. That was not the only good news that she gained, turning her head to see the column of cervine marching behind her. Strong Oak had more of his cervine join the ranks, forming the rest of his White Tail Rangers. Fifty of his rangers, from what Strong Oak had told her, were dispatched to other parts of Prancy in helping curb any Gryphon threat. Without telling her, he had sent one of his own to retrieve them and after a week’s worth of time, his scout was able to bring them here. He now has eighty rangers that had all come to their aid, bringing the total troop number in their company to a hundred and twenty. She included the Diamond Dog Brutus into the mix. Wondering about Brutus, she looked over and saw that he was just in front of the cervine column, alongside several of her guards. Brutus has slowly overcome his silent and sometimes suicidal stance and started to socialize with her troops, in whatever way Diamond Dogs do. Her guards weren’t too keen at first, but over time they came around and talk regularly from time to time. It might have been that it was Brutus who had saved her life back from the Yak that changed their minds, but maybe it was also the pain that he went through when losing his pack. Whatever the case may be, from his time being with them, Brutus was part of her company. Deciding it best to take a little break, she raised her hoof and ordered the company to stop. “Everypony stop! We’ll take a breather!” she called out a little hoarsely. The column of Cervine stopped, planting their weapons into the snow and remaining still. Her guards and the militia stopped as well, and she spotted a few needing to take a breather and plopping their haunches into the snow. She moved to the nearest guards and raised her voice for them to hear. “We’ve been traveling far, but we are making good progress. Get some rest now while you can,” she said. Her guards motioned in agreement, while others lifted a hoof to her in acknowledgement. “Captain Silverwing,” she heard Shadow Hunter call out. She turned to greet him. “Yes, Shadow Hunter?’ she asked, as he motioned a hoof to one of the wagons. She followed to where the wagon was positioned, the front end of the wagon pulling forward to reveal a flat surface. Shadow Hunter came forward and pulled out a map, spreading the paper out upon the smooth surface. Silverwing gazed at the map and saw it was a large expanse of the outskirts of Prancy and the outlying villages. The map was detailed in its description of its roads, fields and woods, and she was able to get a good picture of the amount of travel they had for the past few weeks. “At best estimate, this is where we are on the map,” Shadow Hunter said, placing a hoof onto the map that was close to the mountains. “From here, we are at least three days ride to the mountains, and we should be able to begin our search for your brother,” he said. Silverwing nodded, taking in the good news. They were closer than ever in getting to him, and she hoped and prayed that the Gryphons had not taken him over the mountains and into the Gryphon lands. “Are there any villages from here to the mountains?” she inquired. Shadow Hunter scrunched his nose in thought. It took him a few moments before he placed his hoof once again on the map. “This map is old, but there is one village I know of that is between us and the High Talon Mountains,” he said, tapping an area that was right in front of their path. “It’s at least a day and half ride to reach, yet I doubt there would be anypony there. Considering how close they are to the borders...” he explained. Silverwing nodded.  “If we reach there by tonight, we can settle there and gather our bearings. Might even consider plans for how we might find their encampment,” she said. Shadow Hunter placed a hoof onto his chin, pondering over the possibilities. “With the village as our base, we can scout ahead with our pegasus and find any enemy griffons who might patrol the areas. But the two main concerns are the weather and their patrols,” he said, turning away from the map to look at the mountains ahead of them. Silverwing followed and cast her gaze at the mountains, which seemed all the more intimidating up close. “The closer we get, the more likely chances that the enemy will spot us before we reach the mountains. The weather, on the other hoof, is a danger to both us and the enemy.” He turned to view the north, where the storm clouds gathered under a fierce darkness. “We’ve been fortunate that the winter storms have not fully stopped us, but even still I fear we might get caught in a blizzard if we don’t proceed,” he said, his ears folding back at the outcome. “I’m sure we can manage it. We’ve been pretty lucky so far,” she said. Shadow Hunter turned to her with a impassive expression. “Luck eventually runs out, Captain,” he said. Silverwing gave him a small smile. “I’ll need to check in with Hammer and see how he is recuperating. Afterwards, we can move out,” she said, and Shadow Hunter nodded to her. She left his side and went to the next wagon over. Near the side of the wagon she spotted Hammer resting comfortable on the ground while Cottontail was removing the bandages off his shoulder, with Swift Leaf standing by with assistance. “How does he fare?” she asked, as Cottontail finished unraveling the last of the bandages. Hammer seethed a little as his skin was exposed to the cold air around them. Cottontail, not turning her attention to Silverwing, examined the wound before her. “The scar has healed somewhat over the past few weeks,” she said, not directly speaking to Silverwing, but instead focusing on Hammer’s wound. “The tissues on his skin have recovered nicely. However, it will require more time to heal up on its own,” she said as she gestured to Swift Leaf. Her companion nodded, drawing a vial from a small bag and opening it. She then poured the liquid over Cottontail’s hooves as the healer then pressed the ointment firmly on Hammer’s left shoulder. He cringed slightly from the contact, but eased into it as the healer began to give a massage over the area. Silverwing watched as she traced her hooves over the wound, giving every little space the attention it needed before pressing and pushing onto the muscles. Hammer felt relaxed as she did this routine for several minutes, making sure his wounded shoulder was fully lathered with the healing ointment before grabbing a bandage from her bag. “Now, this should help for a few days, but if ever you need a new bandage or if something is bothering you, then come see me.” she said, wrapping the bandage around his shoulder and ensuring it was tight against his body. “Will do,” he replied, watching Cottontail finishing tying the end of the cloth before standing up to stretch. “Silverwing,” Cottontail said, giving her a bow as her long golden mane followed. Silverwing nodded in turn, giving the two Cervines their leave. Once the Cervines left, Silverwing paid her attention to Hammer, who was raising himself up to see her face to face. “Hammer, are you doing well?” she asked. Hammer gave a quick stretch of his legs before turning to speak to her. “I’m alright, Silverwing. Just a little sore is all,” he said, giving a reassuring nod to her. She smiled with him, knowing that his shoulder was not going to cause problems. However, deep down in her heart, she really did want to ensure that he was alright and that there were going to be no difficulties for him. “Silverwing, are you alright?” he asked after she stared at him longer than she should. She cleared her throat and looked at the other guards around her. “I’m fine, Hammer. Just a little tired,” she said, turning back to his gaze. “We will be moving out soon. Just wanted to be sure how you were holding up,” she said. She was about to leave, but stopped when she felt a hoof on her shoulder. “Silverwing,” Hammer said, casting a worried glance to her. “I know how much your brother means to you, but you have been pushing the company hard these past few days. I just want to let you know that I’m here for you if you need somepony to speak to,” he said, causing her to hide a smile from him. She turned to look at him, seeing that caring side that he always had. His personality, his kindness and concern for others. These were things that made Silverwing like him even more. She sighed and faced him, showing off the concealed smile. “Oh Hammer, you don’t know how much that means…” “Oi, what are you doing!?” one of the fellow guards spoke out, breaking the moment that had settled between them. “Oh, what now?” she snapped irritably, her sleep-deprived body turning to face what was starting the commotion. She moved ahead to the edge of the wagons and saw a number of ponies gathered there. When she got closer, she saw Brutus breaking up snow and making a pile near the edge of the wagon train. “What is he doing?” Hammer asked, standing by her side as the rest of the guard was baffled by what they saw. “Brutus? What’s gotten into you?” Silverwing asked, as the Diamond Dog continued to churn up more snow and make a large pile that already stood a good few feet into the air. It shouldn’t have surprised her that Diamond Dogs were known for digging tunnels and large burrows, yet seeing his speed and action that he was doing was quite a sight to see. “What is happening here?” Strong Oak called out, his regiment of rangers following close behind and having their weapons at the ready. “Brutus dig, must dig. Protect!” he said, digging deep, pulling up large chunks of snow and even dirt into the air, debris flying everywhere and almost landing near where they were. Deciding to get to the bottom of this, Silverwing took a step forward and stood by him as he did his work. “Brutus, tell me why? Why are you digging a hole?” she asked, keeping her words calm yet making sure that he was attentive to her words. “No, not hole. Wall, must build! Quickly!” he said, throwing more dirt and snow onto the makeshift wall. Sensing that the others may act against him, she quickly grabbed at his shoulder and he froze on the spot. He turned to see her, his blue eyes were wide and his ears were flat against his head. “Why are you building the wall? Why are you protecting?” she asked, keeping his focus on her as she spoke. “You don’t hear do you?” he said, staring at the throng of ponies and cervine who have gathered. They were all perplexed by his actions, and yet he was far more unsettled then they were. “Silverwing, there is no wind.” he said, quickly turning back to his work but Silverwing held him back. “What do you mean there is no wind? I felt wind from the south and…” she stopped speaking. She flicked her ear upward and stared at the company. There manes were still and the capes were steady. She was certain that there was wind coming from the south mere moments ago, now there was none. She turned to Brutus, seeking an answer, but his attention soon turned to the north. His eyes widened in horror and he gave out a long howl into the sky. “What’s he doing?” “Is he calling for help?” “Were we lead into a trap?!” The voices of her guards and allies began to question, preparing themselves for what was to come. Silverwing followed Brutus’s gaze to the north, curious as to what was causing him distress. It was then that she finally understood at what Brutus was afraid. In the northern skies, the storm that was far away was barreling right towards them. “Impossible,” she said under her breath. “The blizzard was miles away, it couldn’t get here this fast! That’s not natural!” she said, standing up as she watched the wall of dark clouds and snow rushing towards them. The massive wall of the storm had covered the entire landscape, and wind was slowly blowing from the north and picking up speed. Snow whipped in the air as winds were picking up and causing the company to finally stare up at the snowstorm above them. Silverwing looked down at Brutus, who had stopped digging and hunkered down as best he could, covering his head and closing his eyes. Realization hit Silverwing as she turned to scream out. “Everypony! Brace yourselves!” she yelled, just as the first gale of wind struck at them, knocking several ponies and cervine off their hooves. Silverwing was pushed back a few feet and raised a wing to shield herself from the blast. She looked out and saw the storm was coming towards them, the clouds moving and tumbling at them like an avalanche down a mountain. She turned as everypony tried to huddle up and withstand the coming blast. Silverwing rushed to them, hoping to get with them before the next blast would hit. She watched as the wave of snow was barreling towards them and she couldn’t reach the circle in time. The moment the torrent hit everything was deafening. High winds struck the company, and the blizzard was upon them with all its fury. A few ponies screamed out as the tempest flung a few helpless individuals off the ground. Silverwing was among the few that was flung into the air. With her wings open, she tried to glide herself back down to the ground. However, an up current forced her to spin wildly in the air before crashing hard onto the snow. She gasped for breath, feeling the wind coming at her from all sides. Looking up, she witnessed many of her companions on the ground and a few landing haphazardly in the snow. Ponies scrambled for cover and others began to call out for their friends. It was a whole mess of confusion and panic as the storm swirled around them. Out of all the winter storms they’ve endured thus far, this one was the worst by far. And it was only just beginning. “Silverwing!” Hammer called out her name, rushing to her side to lift her up. She felt another pair of hooves grab her and she saw Strong Oak next to her side. “We must seek shelter, or the storm will consume us!” Strong Oak said, casting a gaze at his rangers as they helped the wounded and stragglers off their feet. Knowing what must be done, Silverwing raised her voice into the air so that all may hear her. “Everypony, make camp! Circle the wagons and make sure everypony is accounted for! We have a long night ahead of us, now get to it!” she called out as her company did what was commanded. She could only hope they would survive the long night to come. *** Quicksilver was solid as a statue. His body ached from the pain and suffering that he continued to endure. His body felt frozen from the cold, and his breathing remained deep and slow. The rotten food that had struck him have either fallen off or the juices have frozen over, making his coat a sticky mess. The small crack on the head by the rock had also frozen over, yet he still felt some of the blood still flowing down. However, despite the hardships, against the odds, Quicksilver was still holding strong and holding the wooden plank upon his wings. He didn’t know how long he had been standing there, be it be for an thirty minutes to two hours or maybe even more. However, he was still managing to survive and endure his trail. Since he had been standing there and to this time, much was happening within the encampment and the barracks. The Nomad Gryphons scurried their belongings and entering the barracks inside. Some clamor broke out among the pack, most likely trying to get one of the better spots within the barrack. After a while, the Gryphons had settled inside and some didn’t come out right away, more likely resting there frigid bodies next to the warmth of the chimney inside. He kept thinking about a fire right now, and the only one’s closest to him were two small fires that surrounded him. They were built under orders from the Colonel. They barely gave off any flames, and yet the heat was enough to keep him awake. Sharp Beak wanted to ensure that he had suffer just enough to be begging for relief. His guard, which was suppose to watch over him, had changed off. There were four that had left their post because they were too bored or cold. The first one had waited for an hour or so before calling in one of his companions to take his place. The second went and asked two separate gryphons to help keep watch while he went off to get warmed up. The last two bullied a young blood Nomad into watching their post while they went off to go eating. It seemed that many of the Gryphons simply didn’t want to do their jobs. Quicksilver would occasionally cast a weak glance around the encampment. The camp looked so much smaller now, almost barren since most of the tents have been moved out. The only remaining ones were those that belonged to the Nobles and the mess tent. The Nobles either refused outright to stay in the barracks or weren’t given a chance to bring there things inside. It seemed that Sharp Beak didn’t want them to be mingled with birds he didn’t trust. Quicksilver was not the only one who continued to suffer; the thestrals were still working. He saw most of the males carry heavy equipment and gear for the Nomad Gryphons whilst the females and youth cleaned up any debris that got inside. They did this for several hours, as Gryphons went to and from to bring any of their salvage or gear that was kept outside. He would see Nightshade Moon coming to and from the barracks, lifting the heavy materials from weapon racks to armor for the nomads. On occasion, he would stare out to see Quicksilver, only to quickly get back to work. He felt bad for him, but there was not much he could do or what Nightshade could for his people. They were all just tools to that forsaken Colonel. Quicksilver took a shaky breath, watching mist come out of his mouth from the cold. He blinked once and saw that the young blood was not the only companion. He cast a small glance and saw that all of the minotaurs had surrounded the two of them. Earlier, the minotaurs had been busy with a few tasks for the Nomads. They brought in some more lumber from outside and chopped up the wood so that it was used for the fires. Once that was done, they were tasked in helping dig up a sizeable area that was close to the barracks. They worked in roughly the same area that he did as many weeks passed, but this time they were making what appeared to be groundwork of some kind. He wasn't sure if Sharp Beak was going to build a new building or make some other use for the land, but it only made Quicksilver wonder. After what took them for about an hour or so to finish, the Minotaurs had no other task to complete. It was then that Ironhide, the leader of the minotaurs, had saw what Quicksilver has been put up to and came over to see. He and his minotaurs sat cross legged and watched over him, occasionally giving off a chant of encouragement by saying the last of his name, Silver. He didn’t know what their motives behind this, but he had a hunch that they wanted to see if he would make it through to the end. Another deep breath passed him, and his body shuddered from the amount of stress on his wings. He shook his head to keep himself focus, his eyes looking at the gryphon in front of him. The young blood looked youthful, his feathers less pristine than the older Nomads. His fur was brown with a dull orange feathers, with a few white feathers in between. He had light blue eyes, which did compliment his feathers, but perhaps, if he survived this war, his feathers would be more flawless. The youth held onto the crossbow at an angle, not at all pointing at Quicksilver. Instead, he looked wanting to relax, and yet ready to take up arms at a moments notice. However, what Quicksilver really saw was that the youth had a look of pity. He could tell in his eyes, how they looked at him and seemed uncomfortable doing this. He also looked shamed, picking on a weak opponent or treating a soldier less than him. The youth. Always eager to go to war, but once they get into it, they realize how horrible war really is. “Well, I wonder how the cripple is doing?” A familiar colonel spoke out, causing the youth to scramble and make himself presentable. Sharp Beak walked forward and gave a look to his guard before turning to Quicksilver. Sharp Beak had a large grin on his face, enjoying seeing his prey suffer. “You seem to fail to die yet. You still continue to amaze me…” He paused and did a double take on his guard. “Where’s the guard that I assigned, and who the pluck are you?!” he demanded. “Sir, my name is Hans Stormcloud. I don’t know where the original guard is. The two guards before me bullied me to stand watch,” the youth stammered. Sharp Beak glared at him, before sighing in annoyance. “I’ll flog that lazy clod when I see him,” he muttered before turning to look at Quicksilver. “Why is your weapon not aiming at the prisoner?’ he asked, but it sounded more demanding. “Well sir... I-,” he said hesitantly but was cut off by Sharp Beak, who seized the crossbow out of the young bloods talons. “Oh, cease your impertinence, you fledgling!” he said, aiming the crossbow straight at Quicksilver. “If there's one thing you need to learn, it’s to follow orders and not second guess or question your superiors!” he said, firing the crossbow and the bolt striking into the snow in front of Quicksilver. His eyes widened in surprise, looking down at the small bolt that was near inches to his hooves. He looked back up at Sharp Beak, who came forward and yanked the bolt from out of the ground. He then turned back to the young blood, who looked ashamed of his actions, but also didn’t want to look him in the eye. “Stormcloud...That’s a common surname. I always hated it. Too plain, borderline tedious,” he said. “Tell me, how long have you been standing here, Hans Stormcloud?” “I’ve been standing here for about thirty minutes, sir. I don’t know how long the others have stayed.” Hans said it so fast and garbled that Sharp Beak snarled at him. “Speak properly, you adolescent urchin! What is it that your trying to say!?” Sharp Beak grabbed the chest feathers of Hans and pulled him close to him, whilst the young blood was petrified at what the Colonel would do. “Five hours and twenty eight minutes, to be precise.” Felix’s voice was heard behind the minotaurs. Quicksilver looked up and saw the Arch Gryphon moving towards them, the minotaurs standing up and allowing him passage. “What did you say?!” Sharp Beak asked, doubt rising in his voice and letting go of the young blood from his talons. “Quicksilver has been there since you have placed him here. I’ve kept close attention upon every minute to every hour that has passed. Quicksilver has kept his equilibrium ever since, with each of your guards leaving out of sheer boredom or because they believed that he could not pull it off,” he said, lifting a small hourglass. It was the size of his whole claw, its sand dripping at a steady rate. Felix observed for but a moment before turning back to the disgruntled Colonel. “Quicksilver now has thirty minutes left before he will be relieved of this task that you forced upon him,” he explained, causing the exasperated Colonel to gaze upon him much confounded state. Sharp Beak turned his glare upon Quicksilver, who eagerly gave a small smile. Almost over… It is almost over, Quicksilver thought to himself, sheer jubilation gripping his mind that he would finally be rid of this heavy burden on his shoulders. Sharp Beak flared his nostrils and forced the crossbow back into the young blood’s claws, the latter much confused over his leader’s behavior. “Remember, if he drops it, shoot him!” he ordered, sitting upon the ground and both of his arms folded, watching Quicksilver at every move he makes. Quicksilver’s looked at the Colonel, seeing the frustration in his eyes. He wanted so much for him to fail, and despite all the odds he was still standing. His breath remained steady, trying to keep himself focused at the task at hoof. His wings felt so sore, numbed by the pain and cold. He feared he couldn’t feel them, that every moment that he spent holding this wood he felt his wings drained. He never could see his wings, due to his body stationed the way it is; however, he knew that any slight movement to see would no doubt unbalance the wood and may bring him to a swift end. His only hope now was to continue to hold out for as long as he can, and somehow pass Sharp Beak’s punishment. Quicksilver looked past Sharp Beak and back to Felix, who held the hour glass in his claw. The sand ticked away, dropping at a steady rate. He wondered if by some miracle the glass would widen up and allow the sand to pass through more swiftly. He closed his eyes, and he could only imagine the last of the sands finally seeing their descent. “The prisoner is still alive?” “He’s really beating the record?” “I thought he would surely be dead?” “His body is still shaking, can you see? He doesn't have much strength left in him.” Quicksilver could hear multiple voices speak at once, and he reopened his eyes to face the onlookers of the camp’s inhabitants. The Gryphons had gathered to see him, some standing next to the Minotaurs to get a good look, and a few ascending into the air to watch from above. Quicksilver cast his gaze about them, all of them staring at him with fascination, perplexity, and some with hopeful expressions. The few older Nomad gryphons were stunned by the sight, and they were all filled with much envy at what he was doing. The younger Nomads, however, were more eager for him to succeed. He even noticed a few placing bets and handing off pouches of coins to their companions. The Noble Gryphons, which stood behind Felix, watched on with much intrigue. He even noticed Gretchen amongst them, and his focus was on her. She had cleaned herself up from earlier, and she showed much concern over his condition. Her eyes would occasionally dart over to a part of his body or his wings, checking to see how he was holding out. Eventually, they would lock eyes for the briefest of moments and Quicksilver can feel the hope was barely in reach. Ten more minutes passed. Every Gryphon and Minotaur was silent, and the only movement was the snow that fell from the heavens. They all waited for baited breath; uncertainty, hopefulness, anger were all present among the throng. Quicksilver would hear a voice or two among the mass, some seeking ill will against him or some saying he was going to make it. He did hear a few words of compassion, encouraging him to to hold on. There were a few opposing voices that chastised their companions, but they were overwhelmingly out voiced by the supporters. Quicksilver turned to Sharp Beak and wants to see what he was reacting. What he saw was priceless. Sharp Beak had his arms folded and his right back leg was bouncing up and down. Anxiety was coursing through him, but also, by the looks of it, a hint of concern. He looked angry and he snarled his beak while watching him. He knew that with every minute that passed, he would fail in his task of breaking him. Quicksilver, despite the pain and numbness, was holding out far longer than he had anticipated. Quicksilver gave a smile to him, the kind of smile when knowing he would be the victor and his adversary would be forced to admit defeat. Sharp Beak snarl turn to a low growl, but he remained where he was. Five more minutes passed. The Colonel continued to grow more frustrated. The veins on his face were visible, and clear rage was in his eyes. Defeat was almost certain for him, yet despite this, what Quicksilver saw next showed the determination that Sharp Back had. He was not going to be surpassed by a lowlife equine. In full motion, Sharp Beak raised himself onto his all fours and began walking. He seized the crossbow from the young blood’s talons and fired the weapon into the back of Quicksilver’s left leg. The sudden pain reinvigorated his senses and Quicksilver gritted his teeth in obvious agony. A loud groan escaped him as he looked up into the sky in reaction to it. He bit his inner cheek, just so that he wouldn’t scream out from the pain. The Gryphons were in a uproar in both condemnation and thrill. Only the older Nomads did the latter; overall, the other Gryphons decried the action. “Have you no honor?!” Felix called out, beating his wings outward in aggression. “You would even deny him any respite!” He took a step forward, his staff raised to challenge him. Before he could reach him, he was blocked by Black Talon, the corpulent Gryphon bearing a razor dagger pointed at the Arch Gryphons throat. “You would do well to silence your pathetic grievances over him. This equine deserves what justice demands!” Sharp Beak said, reloading another bolt into the groove. “You’re a damn coward is what you are!” Gretchen yelled out, stepping forward until she was beak to beak with Black Talon. “ All you want to do is force him to beg for you to kill him,” she said. The colonel chuckled at her remark, reveling in what he had performed. “You’re precisely correct, my dear,” Sharp Beak said, taking a long walk to the other side of Quicksilver. “And if you don’t want both sides to spill bloodshed amongst ourselves, then you will stay your tongue!” On his end, Quicksilver was breathing short quick breaths, trying his best to steady himself and hold the wood up for dear life. He kept his gaze forward, meeting the eyes of those who wished for him to succeed. Sharp Beak was not backing down from his threat as a few of his older companions had drawn their weapons and made a circle around them, making a shield wall that separated the rest of the Gryphons and Sharp Beak. Quicksilver saw much concern etched in both Felix and Gretchen’s faces. They both knew what was at stake, and they remained where they were. The minotaurs, regardless of all the excitement, remained where they were, still silent and watching. Another five minutes passed. A few audible mumbles were spoken from the gryphons, wondering how much time they believed Quicksilver had. Quicksilver didn’t much care to hear their words; his body was already in overdrive and was using the last bit of endurance just to keep himself up. He still felt the bolt in his back left leg, twitching and sending pulses throughout his body. He was shaking considerably from both the wound and cold, and he felt blood flowing through the cold regions of his legs, forcing his body to keep standing. His mind was also on full alert, forcing him to ignore the wound and keep himself from howling in pain. If he didn’t, he’d be killed then and there. He was able to last another few minutes and retain his posture. However, the sound of a crossbow clicking behind him made him freeze in place and another bolt struck him behind his forward right leg. Quicksilver dipped forward, his body feeling the weight of the wood slanted on his right side. He was forced to prop up his right shoulder, just so that he wouldn’t drop it. His body was screaming to let go of the wood and see to his injuries, yet he still wouldn’t move. He continued to bite his inner cheek, and he felt the taste of blood in his own mouth. He held the awkward position, the length of the wood resting both on his right shoulder and left wing. He felt his body strain from the sudden movement and he lost all of his vigour and was exhausted to the core. Yet he kept going, despite the position he was in. He was still holding the wood up. A few more cries of outrage came from the Noble Gryphons, and even a few Nomads both young and old demanded him to stop. Yet their cries fell on deaf ears, and Sharp Beak was not going to relent his torture. “It seems you’re still holding the wood, but there is one thing that is bothering me...” he said with much menace in his voice. Quicksilver dared to look back on his right side, watching the Colonel move forward until he was standing by his side. Sharp Beak eyed his right wing, free from the burden of the wood and stuck out in display for him. Sharp Beak‘s eyes seemed to glow much malice and contempt, the mechanism of his mind twisting into some game that he would indulge in. “A single wing. Perfect in its form. Ready for flight. And above all, it makes one prestigious when flying over all others,” he said, tracing his talons onto his sensitive wings. He shuddered from the touch, helpless to the fact that Sharp Beak would do anything to get what he wants, and that was to see him suffer. Sharp Beak smiled as he seized the end of Quicksilver’s wing and extended to its fullest extent. “No use for a cripple like you.” In one swift motion, he brought his left claw down and broke the wing in two. It was the final push that forced Quicksilver to unleash all of his held back torment. “Geaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!” Quicksilver bellowed from the initial pain. His head lowered to a new low, his mane barely touching the snow as he hollered out in agony. His scream was so loud that it startled the Nomads that were guarding Sharp Beak and forcing them to turn to see him. He drew for a short breath, only to scream out and empty out his lungs. He felt his right wing released and it hanged off his side of his body. After the initial moment of screaming, he made a sound that sounded between a scream and sobbing. “Ah, yes, that’s the sound I’m looking for,” Sharp Beak said, striding over to the front of Quicksilver’s peripheral vision. Quicksilver continued to remain in his state, his cries never seized in volume and he failed to stifle the tears flowing freely down his muzzle. From his position, he could see his right wing dangle like a broken branch. His left wing was no different, and the bandages were undone and swayed from his wounded wing. He could also see the blood trails from his legs, the bolts still embedded deep in the flesh. He closed his eyes, still vehemently screaming out from the pain from everything that is affecting him. As he closed his eyes, his mind began flashing images of those who shared the same experience. The Gryphons who died before he came to this place. “Why are you doing this!?” “I don’t want to go out like this! “I don’t want to die!” Voices of the Gryphons that Sharp Beak tortured, the ones that once were his companions. All dead after they disobeyed or left their post. Memories of them since his capture began to resurface, and he remembered many of them in vivid detail of how they died. He didn’t know why he kept recalling them now; maybe it was the pain that connected them in some way. Quicksilver opened his eyes, his tears still flowing and making a small puddle in front of him, and he gave short quick breaths in an attempt to breath normally. What came out was more of a wheeze and a whimper. Sharp Beak stood over him, watching over his state of torture and gave a inward chuckle. “Finally, you see the light, Equine. You’re weak,” he berated. “You and your kind have always been frail to the outside world. You will always be brought down by the strong-willed and the determination of greater beings. Because of your frailty, it is the reason the strong will always prevail over.” “You’re a fiend, Sharp Beak! Have you no honor left in you?” Felix spoke out, yet Quicksilver could not lift his head to meet him. His body was still locked in place, still holding the wood for dear life and the torment was ever enduring. “I would take that as a compliment, Felix. However, one must do ruthless things in order to get what they want. In this case, forcing one to do the other’s bidding,” Sharp Beak retorted. Quicksilver felt a small gust of wind from wings opening up. “Don’t you twist my words. Your philosophy is dealing nothing but torment on your enemies and an Iron claw over your subjects and comrades. Power is all that consumes your wretched soul. You are filled with vagaries and lies and you know it,” he said. Sharp Beak only laughed. “I know when I am in the right, Arch Gryphon. Once this is over, you will see the full extent of my power!” he said in a more threatening tone. Quicksilver noticed his crossbow raised from his vision. A single sound of the crossbow unleashed and a sudden impact was heard, followed by a cry of agony. Quicksilver dared to look up, and he saw Felix on the ground. He clutched his right shoulder, the bolt deep inside. Noble Gryphons brandished their weapons, ready for a fight. Yet Gretchen unfurled her wings in some authority, halting them in the process. She immediately went to Felix’s side, checking the wound that Sharp Beak gave. “That is but a taste of what I will do, of the power I hold here,” he said, turning to Quicksilver and bending down low enough to meet him in the eye. “Your friend’s little hourglass is almost up. You’ve got roughly a few minutes left before the last grains of sand fall. Although, there is always a rule to this,” he said, leaning in closer so that Quicksilver could see the sinister look in his eyes. “If you don’t get yourself to stand up, then you will be shot down and used for target practice by my gryphons.” Quicksilver’s eyes widened in alarm, his heart rate quickening as a result. “However, I can forgo that little tibbit for my Gryphons if you but bend the knee,” he said, again offering his ultimatum. He would be shamed and humiliated if only to be spared. Yet, he knew that if he did there was no doubt in his mind that Sharp Beak would be putting him through another arduous task or place him in another precarious and tortuous ritual of his. He turned his gaze towards Gretchen and Felix, who were both occupied. However, they did spare a glance of concern when Felix mentioned his final offer. Quicksilver felt a talon on his chin and he soon stared straight into Sharp Beak‘s eyes. He gave a small tsking noise while holding him there, almost looking disappointed by what Quicksilver did. “They won’t help you this time. Just do what I say, and I’ll end your suffering,” he said, coaxing him to submit to his will. Sharp Beak drew his talon away, placing his claw onto the crossbow and aiming straight at his head. “I start deciding now.” Quicksilver life seemed to flash before his eyes, staring down the groove of the crossbow aimed at him. His parents first came to mind, thinking of the small wonderful times that he had with them. The small walks in the village, the laughter from neighbors, and the small jubilation of peace from everypony. Then immediately seeing the war take hold of Equestria and his parents were gone. However, despite this loss, he still had his sister, Silverwing. Surviving out there, somewhere. Not knowing if she is back in Prancy or was on the front lines and trying to catch the warmth of the fire. Memories of his sister flooded through him, and all he could think about was the cherished times they had together and all of the wonderful things they did, both before and during the war. Then his mind flashed to the Gryphons and a few exceptional ones that stood out. General Quill for his gruff demeanor yet vast wisdom. Ebon, for giving him a place of rest but also sheltered him as best he could from Sharp Beak‘s wrath, along with his blood brother Deadeye helped him out of a bind. Felix for his care and moral anchor. Even Gretchen. Especially Gretchen. His thoughts of her surfaced and how she had cared for him during his stay. Despite the harsh words that were said between them, Gretchen was the one who supported him and ensured that he survived in this place. He couldn’t forgive himself if all of their kindness was for naught. Quicksilver gritted his teeth and sucked in his breath, rising himself up as best he could. “What are you doing? Trying to overcome this hurdle? You’re not going to last,” Sharp Beak gestured to him, aiming the crossbow at his head, but keeping his talon off the trigger. Quicksilver groaned inwardly, lifting his back and legs up. However, his strength was all but diminished since starting this and his energy was all on reserves just staying in his position. However, he would not go down now. The Gryphons watched with bated breath, watching the equine lift his front left leg off the ground. The appendage wrapped the edge of the wood on his back and all of his weight was pressed onto his front right leg. Quicksilver could feel the tension build up in his muscles, all screaming at him to stop, yet he held out as his muscles tightened even further. His front muscle flexed, his hoof imprinting deeper into the snow. A few audible pops and cracks filled the air from the bones cracking. They were at the breaking point, and he felt that they would give out at any moment. Quicksilver looked down, still holding his position, seeing the vein like blood falling from his leg. His breathing quickened, gaining much needed energy as he began to exert himself to the farthest limit. With a mighty push, he lifted his front leg off the ground and his body swayed upward, his right hoof wrapping quickly around the other side of the lumber. In his awkward position, he was standing on his two back legs, and was standing on par with some of the gryphons, including Sharp Beak. With all eyes fixated on him, he focus his attention onto the one gryphon he truly hated. With another burst of effort, Quicksilver lifted the lumber off his shoulders and kept it into the air, screaming out in determination with all of his effort. He had lifted the wood back into the air. Every Gryphon, Minotaur and Therstal was silent and stared in both awe and shock at what they witness. Gretchen and Felix both stared in wonder at what he was doing, yet they also were unsettled by it. He felt his wings hang off his back, dead weights from the task. Quicksilver screamed from the exertion, the muscles on his neck tensing and feeling the veins bulge from the pressure. Tears streamed down his face, feeling them trickle down his cheeks and muzzle. He let out another cry of anguish and suffering straight at Sharp Beak, still continuing to hold the wood up in the air and above his head. The Colonel was stunned at what he saw. Quicksilver’s spirit remained unbroken. Quicksilver took another intake of breath, giving out more pains of torment and staring directly into the Colonel’s eyes. He kept this up for what he thought was a few minutes to what felt like hours, his gaze never leaving him. The torment in his eyes said it all and Sharp Beak noticed this. Because of this, his beak curled into anger and he lowered his talon down on the crossbow. “Don’t look at me like that,” he said, his talon on the trigger finger. Quicksilver continued to stare in defiance. “Don’t look at me like that,” he repeated, this time sounding less than confident then before. Quicksilver still ignored him, still staring at him, and showing him the pain that he was going through. “Stop it!” he screamed, rushing over and slamming the edge of the crossbow straight into Quicksilver’s chest. The impact dropped him to the ground, the lumber falling off to slide a few feet in the snow. He was on his back, his lungs heaving and his body shaking. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sharp Beak standing over him, his crossbow aiming at his head. However, before he could pull the trigger a large blue paw came over the weapon and crushed the front end of it. Quicksilver looked up to see that Ironhide had stepped in for him. “What are you doing!?” Sharp Beak roared out in anger. “Equine Silver has completed task. He no longer need endure your torment,” he spoke. Sharp Beak seethed in rage at what he was hearing. “He is the enemy! I order you to kill him! Crush his bones! Stomp his skull in!” he demanded, yet Ironhide shook his head. “Chief Ironhide take order only from strong. Not! Weak! Cowards!” he called out, emphasizing the last few words directly into the Colonel's face. Sharp Beak took a step back and was confounded and humiliated from the direct dialogue. His face was utterly priceless from his pure shock, and Quicksilver cracked a small smile seeing Sharp Beak losing control over the situation. He let out a few wheezes mixed with laughter into the air as a result. “You...(gasp) can’t force them. (gasp) You only...(gasp) cause fear,” Quicksilver said, trying to steady his breath. Sharp Beak soon stirred and stared with much venom in his eyes. “You always kill those...(Gasp) who go against you.” “Shut up, you plucking bastard!” Sharp Beak threatened, but Quicksilver kept going, defiant to the end. “Like Golden Wing...(gasp) when all he wanted (gasp) was to see his family!” Quicksilver called out, his voice reaching out so that all may hear. “Silence, you feckless worm!” he called back, drawing ever closer to him. “What about Dieter, who you killed because he wanted to ensure his friends were okay?” he said. Sharp Beak was upon him, seizing his neck with his talons. “I will have your tongue ripped out and feed it to you!” He practically screamed it to him, but Quicksilver kept going. “What about Kemmler? You stuck an arrow in his back. Or maybe Friedrich, who died being hanged by your claws!” Quicksilver said, his throat tightening with every passing second. “Just die, you scum! Just die!” Sharp Beak began pummeling Quicksilver’s head back and forth onto the ground. Quicksilver had no strength to repeal him off, and his mind flashed black and white as he began to lose consciousness. Yet he still kept giving out names. “Grun, died by hanging. Alexander, his wings clipped and thrown off a tower. Adalard, who was shot full of arrows!” Quicksilver kept giving out names, remembering those who have fallen by Sharp Beak‘s talons. The Colonel let out a scream of frustration, removing his talons and proceeding to beat Quicksilver. Blow after painful blow was delivered onto his face. His vision turned red and black after the first initial blows, and he took each one in full. He felt blood rush to his muzzle and mouth, breaking out from the punches that was thrown at him. After a few moments of constant pummeling, Sharp Beak stopped to raise his talons into the air. Giving Quicksilver one last name for all to hear. “You… you killed Franz Stormcloud when he spared my friends and...” He didn’t get to finish as he felt both clenched claws directly onto his face. His vision darkened, and his ears were whistling loudly. His vision began to fade in and out and he watched many wings descending down from up above. He blinked once and saw that Sharp Beak was looking out to the throng of Gryphons that surrounded him. He heard voices speaking out to him and they were all jumbled and he couldn't follow. “You killed my...” he heard one say, though he mostly heard the ringing in his ears. “I had a blood brother,” he heard the nearby young blood speak, but it was barely audible. He noticed Hans looking at Sharp Beak in anger. Quicksilver tried to focus on him, but his hearing was gone and all he could see was the young blood spouting off against Sharp Beak. No doubt, he was giving off accusations for what the Colonel did. He lowered his head, staring up into the sky above. His head throbbed and his body was sore beyond belief. He watched the sky, still seeing dozens of wings high which now began to take shape. He saw Noble Gryphons descending from the whole of the cave, all clad in armor and bearing the mark of the Gryphon claw on their emblems. At the forefront of the flock, he saw the old Gryphon. General Quill had returned. Watching the spectacle above, he gave a small smile and fresh tears came down his face. He then felt something underneath him, and he was soon being pulled up and away from the snow. The something was two large paws from Ironhide, who tenderly picked up his ragged body. His wings dangled behind him, and the bandage now nothing but scraps, and his left front leg hanged off the side of the massive arms. Ironhide carefully held him this way, allowing Quicksilver to have a full view of what was befalling them. Sharp Beak was surrounded by Noble Gryphons. Muffled voices were all he could hear from the shouting and cursing as the ringing in his ears persisted. General Quill landed before them all, standing directly in front of the Colonel. Several voices spoke out to him, and from what Quicksilver could tell, he got the full message of what had transpired. Then with stout expression he waved his front claw forward and the Nobles seized Sharp Beak where he stood. The Colonel struggled for a brief moment before being subdued and being carried away to parts unknown. The crowds dispersed as Quicksilver felt lightheaded and his body wanting to shut down. The last images he saw was General Quill staring at him with disbelief and even awe. Felix was taken away to treat his wounded shoulder, while Gretchen raced over to see if Quicksilver was alright. She placed a claw upon his chest, and Quicksilver starred up into her golden eyes. Seeing those caring eyes brought a smile on his face. He then closed his eyes, and his world turned to darkness.