Steve began to slowly stir from his unconsciousness, feeling soft grass under him and a sore feeling from all of the hits and burns he had endured. The smell of smoke, gunpowder and burnt metal that he remembered before falling into unconsciousness was replaced with the smell of pine needles, fresh dirt, and moist, clean air like after a rain. All around him, he could hear the muffled voices of dozens of men asking about his condition.
He opened his eyes and found Bucky along with four of the other prisoners he helped free watching over him.
"You alright pal?" Bucky asked with a half-smile. "You've been out for a while. We were starting to get worried."
"My head's pounding and I feel like I was blown out of a building, but I think I'm alright." he dryly replied.
"That's because we were," Bucky retorted.
He sat back up and saw that they were in the middle of the forest. Low hanging tule fog from the night before was still lingering as vision was still limited up to a few yards. A large group of men was gathered around them, who Steve presumed to be the prisoners that he released from the Hydra facility's detention center. A sizable amount of them appeared to be carrying the strange guns that the Hydra soldiers were using. Two small groups of the prisoners even had a few of the tanks that they commandeered from them.
An English soldier who was among the POWs, Steve met in the compound, stepped forward, and introduced himself.
"Major James Montgomery Falsworth of His Majesty's 3rd Independent Brigade Sir. We thought you'd never wake up, but we are sure glad you did old boy," the English soldier said as he grabbed Steve's hand and shook it firmly.
"Captain Steve Rogers," he replied with a small smile. "I was glad that I could help out."
"Not entirely sure how you survived that, but we are all glad that you did," the soldier in the Bowler hat said. "I'm Dugan by the way. Thanks for springing us out of that hell hole."
Steve thought for a moment about what happened before he fell into unconsciousness. Remembering a red flash come from out of the corner of his eye before being engulfed in a ball of fire.
"The kid!" he exclaimed. "Where is he? He was strapped to me when we got out of there!"
The other soldiers gave him a strange look for a moment before putting on a face of realization.
"Ya mean the weird little horse cat with red fur?" the now identified Dugan clarified. "We thought he was a hallucination from being around all that toxic stuff back in that place. Look to your left."
Confused, Steve looked to his left side and found the little red pony curled up and sound asleep close to him, right on his dented shield.
"He's been like that for hours," Bucky chuckled. "When he couldn't wake you at first, he wouldn't let go of you for any reason. Back in Brooklyn, you couldn't even get a dog to like you this much. Let alone a red cat pony or whatever the hell he is"
The other soldiers laughed at that.
The little red colt woke up and stood up on all fours. When he saw that Steve was finally awake too, he babbled happily and jumped into his arms.
"Well ain't that the sweetest thing," Bucky said with a goofy smile. "Hey, what's that on its flank?"
Steve lifted the colt gently and turned his body. There appeared to be some kind of mark that he wasn't able to see before: A red smiling mask engulfed in flames.
"Hm, how did you get this little firebrand little bud?" Steve asked the colt.
The colt simply squeaked and touched his hoof to his head.
"Wait. Are you saying your name is Firebrand?"
The colt squealed happily and shook his head vigorously as he clapped his front hooves together.
He then pushed Steve's shield back towards him and jumped back in the makeshift harness with a cute little hop.
"The little guy has got the right idea, Steve," Bucky replied. "We need to get a move on and get you to help us get back to base. We were hoping that you know where it is at the moment. We need to get back before Colonel Phillips moves the camp's location again."
Steve pulled himself back onto his feet and looked in the sky to see the position of the sun.
"...Right. Fall in behind me men. I'll lead you home safely."
Then out of nowhere, he could hear a loud gurgling coming from his tiny passenger.
"Hungry? Don't worry. We will be back soon enough. I'll get you something good. Maybe after that. I can finally get somebody to help me figure out just what you are. Let's hope you like Italian food Firebrand."
The sounds of thunder clouds gathering sounded over the 107th Infantry's camp as Colonel Chester Phillips was preparing a grim condolence letter with his aide to one of his higher-ups in the U.S government. He had just learned from his intelligence unit that there had been a large explosion at Hydra's main manufacturing plant nearby and Steve Rodgers had headed in that direction just a short while ago. Since then, they had not found any survivors in the outlying areas.
"Senator Grant," Phillips directed to the aide. "I regret to report to you that Captain Steven G. Rogers went missing behind enemy lines on the 3rd. Aerial reconnaissance has proven unfruitful, and as a result, I must declare Captain Rodgers, Killed In Action. Period."
At the entrance to his tent, he heard a knock and turned around to find Agent Peggy Carter with a folder filled with various pictures. She stepped forward and handed the latest one to the Colonel.
"The last surveillance flight is back," she stated grimly. "No sign of activity."
Colonel Phillips flipped through the pages as if he was looking for something in particular.
"Go get a cup of coffee Corporal," Phillips said to his aide.
"Yes sir."
He then waited before everyone else had left his tent before letting out a heavy sigh.
"We can't touch Stark. He's rich beyond belief. Not to mention that he's the United States Army's number one weapons contractor. You...Agent Carter have neither of those distinctions."
"With respect Sir, I don't regret my actions. I do not believe that Captain Rodgers did either," she replied.
"What makes you think I give a flying damn about your opinions?" the Colonel scoffed. "I took a chance with you, Agent Carter. I thought I had something good when you signed on, and now America's Golden Boy and a lot of other good men are probably dead...because you had a crush."
"I can assure you, it wasn't that. I had faith."
"Well I sure hope that's some comfort to you when they finally shut this division down," he replied with barely hidden anger.
Just outside, he could hear the other members of the 107th rushing off to another part of the camp as if something significant had just happened. Many soldiers all over were shouting excitedly.
"What the hell is going on out there?" he wondered.
Following the trail of the commotion down the dirt road, he and Peggy soon stopped at the outskirts of the camp, leading out to the mouth of the main dirt road where most of the soldiers had gathered. Pushing his way to the front of the crowd, he finally found what had caused this. Although, he could not believe his own eyes when he saw what was approaching.
Captain Steve Rodgers was walking back towards the camp with his head held high alive and well with all of the soldiers they all believed to be dead following behind him. Everyone there at the camp rejoiced as they saw their brothers in arms return unharmed. Steve received applause from every member of the 107th present in the camp, even the ones who had mocked him just two days before. Men who were inside their tents heard the news and ran out to meet their recovered comrades. Steve slowly made his way through the crowd with Bucky following along right beside him and walked right up to Colonel Phillips before standing at attention and giving the Colonel a salute.
"Some of these men need medical attention and a child who needs something to eat," Steve said stoically. I would also like to submit myself for disciplinary action."
The Colonel looked at Steve with an unreadable face for five solid seconds before giving a small smile.
"That won't be necessary," he replied.
Steve was internally surprised at the strict Colonel's decision for a moment but then nodded back.
"Yes sir,"
"So...where is the little rascal you mentioned?"
All of a sudden, a loud yawn could be heard coming from behind Steve's shield as a little redhead popped out. Everyone there suddenly went silent as Firebrand hopped out of the harness and onto Steve's shoulder.
"Agent Carter, have I been drinking?" the Colonel asked the woman.
"No more than usual sir," Peggy retorted dryly.
Walking up to Steve, she outstretched her hand and caressed Firebrand gently on the head, who greatly appreciated the gesture by rubbing into her hand with a content look on his face. Afterward, she looked at Steve with an irritated look.
"Your late."
With a sly smile, he pulled out a busted communicator and showed it to her.
"Couldn't call my ride," he replied.
"HEY EVERYBODY!" Bucky called out to the crowd. "Let's hear it for Captain America!"
The crowd of American soldiers went into an uproar of applause for their hero as he stood there, basking in the limelight. Suddenly, Firebrand ignited his horn into a bright red glow before shooting off red rockets into the sky. The entire place ducked and threw themselves behind cover before the rockets exploded into sparkling fireworks. The little colt squeaked and giggled as he saw the reactions of the people around him.
Steve looked at him and shook his head with a humorous grin.
"I think we are going to get along just fine Firebrand," he chuckled as he watched Firebrand's beautiful fireworks crackle and sputter in the morning sky.