//------------------------------// // Skirmishes and Solutions // Story: Stars in the Shadow of Night // by Melody Song //------------------------------// There had been more battles since the one that had started their journey. Soon, the Resistance had become known among all the battling creature's base camps. It seemed some were even beginning to realize that these strangely allied creatures may have been in the right. As for the Resistance themselves... "Alright, this'll go down just like the other times, no different. Is everyone clear?" Shadowstar asked, pacing before the assembled creatures. Behind the group, was a makeshift camp, with a structure made of branches tied together with vines. A fireplace lay nearby. The group had been living there for some time, it was out of the way, deep in the Whitetail Woods, and near most of the recent battlefields. "We're good, Shadow, you can spare us the lecture." Smolder remarked, fist-bumping Gallus. "Just making sure. Everyone ready?" Shadowstar held out a hoof. "Lead." "Protect." Tempest laid her hoof on his, then Pharynx placed his hoof on hers. "Defend." he smiled at her, blushing slightly. She smiled back. "Heal." Thorax and Ocellus said as one, placing their hooves on the other's. "Aid." Gabby added, putting her claw over their hooves. Gilda and Gallus went next. "Rescue." "Inspire." Sandbar put a hoof over Gallus' claw. "Win." Ember and Smolder placed their claws down. "Resist." they all said as one, finishing and removing their hooves and claws. "Now let's go save some lives." Shadowstar said confidently. The others nodded, and Shadowstar spread his wings, leading them forward. ----------------------------------------------- Shadowstar looked around. The fight was near the town that most of the Resistance was familiar with. Ponyville. Upon reaching the latest battle, they split into their separate groups again. Sandbar headed towards a lake near the town, pacing around the edge. The battle itself had made it's way into the center of town. Shadowstar led the others, watching the battle from above. Tempest was no longer attached to Pharynx with a harness, instead following them along the roofs. She leapt from roof to roof, able to scout out the situation much better than the others due to her closer proximity to the fighting creatures. "What's it look like Tempest?" Shadowstar asked, swooping down to her. "Chaos." Tempest replied shortly, stopping on a roof. "They're all mixed in down there, griffons attacking ponies, dragons attacking griffons, ponies attacking changelings, and changelings transforming into the other creatures." "Got it. Now, let's pull you out." "What?" Tempest blinked. "I'm fine up here." "Not with all this chaos going on." Shadowstar objected, using his magic to pull her harness from his bags. "Come on, if you fall you could get injured and not be able to fight off any attackers." "Fine, fine." Tempest attached the harness to herself. "Bug, get over here and lift me out of here!" Pharynx shot over, hooking himself to the other end and lifting off, carrying her with him. Shadowstar joined them. "Alright everyone, spread out! Try to separate the fighters by species! Move, move, move!" Shadowstar commanded. The group all saluted him, then split off in different directions. Shadowstar himself flew over the battle, surveying it and watching for any creatures that might need his help. ----------------------------------------- Pharynx set Tempest down, then unhitched himself from the harness and landed beside her. Before them was a number of griffons and ponies attacking each other. "What do you think? Standard divide and conquer?" Pharynx asked "I'd say yes, but I'd rather stick with you, Celestia knows you need the help, bug." Tempest teased, smirking. "Bet I can separate them faster than you." Pharynx retorted. "Deal. If you win, I'll let you use me as your sparring partner for the next month." "And if I lose?" Pharynx questioned Tempest grinned. "You have to let me pin you and torment you in any way I see fit in front of everyone." "I-fine." Pharynx spat, growling. "Heh, come on bug. I have a bet to win." Tempest said, flinging herself into the battle. "That's what you think!" Pharynx smirked, diving after her. Shadowstar chuckled as he passed the two. Their ways of motivating themselves and each other were unorthodox, yes, but it worked. Plus, Shadowstar couldn't help but notice there seemed to be a slight underlying of romantic tension. He smiled as he watched both the pony and changeling began to drive away attackers from each other, then moved on. ------------------------------------ Smolder had teamed up with Ember, Thorax, and Ocellus. She dove forward and grabbed a fellow dragon by the shoulders, twirling on her heels and tossing them into a building. Ember shot past her, grabbing a changeling by the foreleg and shoving them into the ground. Another changeling lunged as she did this, however, and clamped their fangs around her shoulder. Ember cried out, but before Smolder could react, a teal blast of magic shot past and blasted the changeling off her. The two dragons turned around, seeing Thorax crouched low, horn still smoking. "Y-You did that?" Ember breathed Thorax nodded sheepishly. "A-Are you okay?" "I'm fine, thanks to you." Ember smiled at him, then she and Smolder jumped back into the fray. Thorax smiled as he watched, and Ocellus giggled momentarily. Then, a changeling was blasted in the side by a pony and hit the ground near them. The two gasped and rushed over. "Hello? Are you okay?" Ocellus asked "Wh-Why do you care?" the changeling gasped "Because that's what we're here for, to help." Ocellus pulled some bandages out. "Where are you hurt?" Shadowstar passed over them as the two began to do their job. He nodded in approval, glad that the two timid changelings had found a place on the team. He then flew towards the three griffons in their group. ----------------------------------------- Gilda and Gallus were taking a frontal attack, while Gabby played more to her strengths, hiding in the alleyways and only dodging out when someone needed help. Gallus lunged at a pony and pried them away from a griffon who was already heavily injured. Gabby then dashed out and pulled them over to where Thorax and Ocellus were. "This isn't the answer! You're only going to make it worse!" Gallus cried as he held another griffon back as they tried to lunge at the pony. "You should be on our side kid!" the griffon snarled, grasping Gallus' shoulder and pinning him to the ground. Then, a blade sliced down into the ground next to the griffon. "We're on a side already." Gilda announced from above. "The right side." This distracted the griffon long enough for Gallus to push him off, and rejoin Gilda. "Thanks Gil." he said "No problem, G-Force." Gilda teased in retaliation, and Gallus blushed. "Now come on, we've got more creatures to knock sense into." "Right behind you." Gallus assured her, and they raced off. Shadowstar, seeing the three had things under control, banked right and pulled up, going higher. He could now see the whole town. That's when he saw Sandbar rushing towards them. He blinked and flew over. "Sandbar? What's the matter?" "There are soldiers heading to Sweet Apple Acres, I saw them! My baby sister and all the foals and elderly are there!" Sandbar gasped out, and Shadowstar's eyes widened, just as a scream could be heard. "HELP!"